Search Results for keywords:"competition"

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has issued a policy statement on No-Action Letters (NALs) aimed at promoting innovation and competition in consumer financial services while ensuring ethical standards and transparency. This policy outlines conditions under which companies can receive a No-Action Letter, which indicates that the CFPB will not take enforcement action against them for certain practices. It also includes safeguards to prevent abuses, such as not granting letters to companies with recent legal issues and not allowing firms to misrepresent their regulatory status. The policy is designed to foster improvements in consumer financial markets without favoring particular companies or compromising market competition.

EnCap Investments L.P., Verdun Oil Company II LLC, XCL Resources Holdings, LLC, and EP Energy LLC have petitioned the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to change and remove certain prior approval requirements in a decision made on September 13, 2022. The companies argue that these requirements are unnecessary since they no longer operate in the affected area and claim the regulations negatively impact competition and investment. They also highlight significant changes in the competitive landscape of the Uinta Basin, such as increased production and changes in market participants. The FTC is seeking public comments on this petition until April 30, 2025.

The Securities and Exchange Commission has received a proposed rule change from NYSE Arca, Inc. to amend its options fee schedule. The change aims to lower the cap on fees for certain options strategy executions from $1,000 to $200 for OTP Holders trading at least 25,000 monthly contract sides. This move is intended to motivate OTP Holders to increase their trading volume on the Exchange, which could enhance market depth, tighten bid-ask spreads, and improve price discovery. The Exchange believes this proposal encourages competition by making NYSE Arca a more attractive venue for strategy executions.

Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc. has proposed a new rule to amend its fee schedule by introducing a monthly fee of $350 for each additional Market Participant Identifier (MPID) a member uses, while the first MPID remains free. This change aims to align fees with the benefits received by members using multiple MPIDs and is designed to promote efficient use of these identifiers. The proposal emphasizes competition among exchanges and states that many options are available for trading, meaning the fee is not overly burdensome. The Securities and Exchange Commission is soliciting public comments on this proposed rule change.

The NYSE American LLC has proposed a rule change that was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on February 1, 2021, to amend its Options Fee Schedule. This amendment introduces a new credit system for Customer Electronic executions, aiming to incentivize ATP Holders by offering a $0.10 per contract credit if certain trading volume thresholds are met. The goal is to attract more trading activity, thereby enhancing market depth, price discovery, and competition while benefiting all market participants. The SEC is inviting public comments on this proposed rule change, which is effective upon filing but can be temporarily suspended by the Commission within 60 days if deemed necessary.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has proposed a consent agreement involving E. & J. Gallo Winery and Constellation Brands to address potential antitrust issues from Gallo's acquisition of some Constellation assets. The agreement includes several actions to maintain competition, such as Constellation divesting some of its brands and maintaining certain others. These actions are intended to prevent reduced competition in markets for sparkling wine, brandy, port, sherry, and high color concentrates. The public can comment on this agreement until February 4, 2021.

The Federal Communications Commission has issued a new rule that changes several unbundling and resale requirements for telecommunications services. The rule eliminates certain obligations that require incumbent local exchange carriers (LECs) to offer unbundled access to their network elements, such as loop and transport facilities, where there is sufficient evidence of competition. The rule also ends the Avoided-Cost Resale requirements, which previously allowed competitive carriers to resell services at discounted rates, except for 911/E911 databases and operations support systems used for remaining obligations. The decision aims to encourage the transition to next-generation networks and services by removing outdated regulations where competition now exists.

Chevron Corporation and Hess Corporation have requested the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to review and nullify a previous order from January 17, 2025. This order stopped Chevron's efforts to appoint Hess CEO John B. Hess to Chevron's board following their merger, which was seen as potentially harming competition by increasing industry coordination. Chevron and Hess argue that the order lacks a valid antitrust basis, claiming that Mr. Hess's role would not significantly affect competition or oil prices, and that removing the order would be in the public interest to enhance U.S. energy production. The FTC is inviting the public to comment on this petition until May 12, 2025.

NYSE American LLC has proposed a change to their options fee schedule, specifically increasing the fee for manual transactions by market makers from $0.35 to $0.50 per contract. This change aims to align NYSE American's fees with those of at least one other competing exchange. The Securities and Exchange Commission invites public comments on this proposal, which takes effect immediately but could be temporarily suspended within 60 days if deemed necessary for investor protection or public interest. The change is intended to foster competition and maintain market quality on the exchange.

The Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc. has proposed a rule change to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to amend its fee structure for listing certain financial products called Outcome Strategy Exchange-Traded Products (ETPs). This change involves expanding the annual listing fee cap, now $16,000 per year, to include ETPs that base their returns on the performance of more than one reference index. The proposal aims to make listing costs more affordable and to encourage more issuers to list or transfer their ETPs to the Exchange, thereby fostering competition. The SEC is inviting public comments on this proposal before it makes a final decision.