U.S. Financial Regulatory Week Ahead

The OCC Gets An Acting Comptroller, The CFPB Is Ordered to Stop Doing Whatever It’s Doing, Congress Starts Moving on Crypto Legislation, And Treasury Gets a New Assistant Secretaries for Financial Markets and Financial Institutions

February 10 - 14, 2025

While President Trump has yet to nominate anyone to any major financial regulatory post other than the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) (Paul Atkins as Chair), he has overseen the installation of a number of acting heads.  The latest is Rodney Hood as the Acting Comptroller of the Currency. 

Hood, who served as Chair of the National Credit Union Administration during President Trump's first term and remained as Vice Chair during most of the Biden Administration, has a strong pedigree in banking, having held senior positions at Bank of America, Wells Fargo, and J.P. Morgan Chase. 

What is interesting is that this is only an acting role.  Hood reportedly does not want to be made full-time and will only serve until President Trump selects someone else.  Hood joins the "Acting Club" with Caroline Pham as the Acting Chair of the Commodities Futures Trading Commission, Travis Hill as Acting Chair of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Mark Uyeda as Acting Chair of the SEC (until Atkins is confirmed), and Russel Voight (the newly confirmed Director of the Office of Management and Budget) as the Acting Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).

The CFPB is the hot topic of the week here in Washington, especially since Voight took over the Acting role from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.  Voight has ordered agency employees not to come into work or perform any work tasks – including moving on any ongoing litigation.  Moreover, Voight has instructed the Federal Reserve – which funds the CFPB out of its budget – not to send any more money as it is not "reasonably necessary to carry out its duties." What is clear is the Trump Administration wants to do away with the CFPB – to the loud cheering of virtually every financial institution regulated by the agency – and, if they cannot outright shut it down, then starve it to death financially.

The National Treasury Employees Union, which represents CFPB employees, has sued Voight, asking a judge to halt his orders and block Elon Musk's DOGE staffers from accessing internal CFPB communications systems.  If you go to the CFPB's website, you get the always ominous "404: Page Not Found" message (see screenshot below).

Over at Treasury this past week,  there were two particularly important nominations for the financial services sector.  Jason Trennert, the founder and Chair of Strategas Research Partners, was nominated to the role of Treasury Assistant Secretary for Financial Markets, and Luke Pettit, an aide to Senator Hagerty and previously at Bridgewater Associates and, before that, the Federal Reserve, was nominated to be Treasury Assistant Secretary for Financial Institutions.

Meanwhile, on Capitol Hill, the Senate Banking Committee and House Financial Services Committee continue rapidly accelerating their legislative strategies for the year.  House Financial Services Chair French Hill (R-Ark.) and his top deputy on cryptocurrency policy unveiled a draft bill last week to create a stablecoins regulatory structure.  The legislation closely mirrors legislation offered in the Senate by Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN) and co-sponsored by Senate Banking Committee Chair Tim Scott (R-SC) and a number of other members.

There is not much happening at the regulatory agencies this coming week.  The big events are Federal Reserve Board Chair Jay Powell's semi-annual testimony before Congress on the State of the Economy and Governor Christopher Waller's interesting and timely speech in San Francisco on Stablecoins.

Below is what else we are watching in the Washington financial regulatory world this coming week:

U.S. Congressional Hearings

U.S. Senate

• Tuesday, February 11, 10:00 a.m. – The Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee holds a hearing on "The Semiannual Monetary Policy Report to the Congress."  Federal Reserve Board Chair Jerome Powell will testify.

House of Representatives

• Tuesday, February 11, 10:00 a.m. – The House Agriculture Committee holds a hearing entitled “Examining the Economic Crisis in Farm Country.”

• Tuesday, February 11, 10:00 a.m. – The House Judiciary Administrative State, Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust Subcommittee holds a hearing on "Reining in the Administrative State: Regulatory and Administrative Law Reform."

• Tuesday, February 11, 2:30 p.m. – The House Financial Services Digital Assets, Financial Technology, and Artificial Intelligence Subcommittee holds a hearing on "A Golden Age of Digital Assets: Charting a Path Forward."

• Wednesday, February 12, 10:00 a.m. – The House Financial Services Committee holds a hearing on "The Federal Reserve's Semi-Annual Monetary Policy Report."  Federal Reserve Board Chair Jerome Powell will testify.

• Wednesday, February 12, 10:00 a.m. – The House Small Business Committee holds a hearing on "Driving Economic Growth: SBA Lending Programs and the Vital Role of Community Banks."

Federal Department & Regulatory Agency Meetings & Events

Federal Reserve Board and Federal Reserve Banks

• Tuesday, February 11, 3:30 p.m. – Federal Reserve Board Governor Michelle W. Bowman gives a speech on Bank Regulation at the 2025 Iowa Bankers Association Bank Management and Policy Conference.

• Wednesday, February 12, 5:05 p.m. – Federal Reserve Board Governor Christopher J. Waller gives a speech on stablecoins at the A Very Stable Conference: Stablecoin Infrastructure for Real World Applications, San Francisco, California.

U.S. Treasury Department

• There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

Department of Commerce

• There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

Department of Housing and Urban Development

• There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

Securities and Exchange Commission

• Thursday, February 13, 2:00 p.m. – The SEC will hold a Closed Meeting.

Commodities Futures Trading Commission

• There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

• There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency

• There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

• Tuesday, February 11, 1:00 p.m. – Consumer Financial Protection Bureau holds a virtual meeting of the Consumer Advisory Board to discuss broad policy matters related to the Bureau's Unified Regulatory Agenda and general scope of authority (NOTE: This meeting is likely to be cancelled).

• Wednesday, February 12, 1:00 p.m. – The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau holds a virtual meeting of the Combined Community Bank Advisory Council and Credit Union Advisory Council to discuss broad policy matters related to the Bureau's Unified Regulatory Agenda and general scope of authority (NOTE: This meeting is likely to be canceled).

National Credit Union Administration

• There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

FINRA

• There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

Federal Housing Finance Agency

• There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

Federal Trade Commission & Department of Justice Antitrust Division

• There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

Farm Credit Administration

• Thursday, February 13, 10:00 a.m. – The FCA Board of Directors holds a meeting to consider a regulatory burden final notice.

Farm Credit Insurance Corporation

• Wednesday, February 12, 10:00 a.m. – the FCSIC Board of Director will hold a meeting.  The agenda includes review and setting of insurance premium accrual rates (Open); Policy statement concerning contracting (Open); Report on biennial liquidity assistance exercise (Closed); Annual report on Contracts (Closed); and Annual report on whistleblower activity (Closed)

Small Business Administration

• There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

International Monetary Fund & World Bank

• There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

North American Securities Administrators Association

• There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

Trade Associations & Think Tank Events

Trade Associations

• Tuesday, February 11, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. – The Institute for International Bankers holds its 2025 U.S. Regulatory & Compliance Orientation Conference in New York.

Think Tanks and Other Events

• Monday – Tuesday, February 10 – 11 – Compliance Week holds its “Cyber Risk & Data Privacy Summit” in Washington, D.C.

• Monday – Tuesday, February 10 – 11 – The Washington International Trade Association holds its 2025 Washington International Trade Conference. Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Chairman Tim Scott (R-S.C.) delivers a luncheon keynote address on Monday.

• Tuesday,  February 11, 3:00 p.m. – the Federalist Society will hold a virtual discussion entitled Cryptocurrency after the Election.”

• Thursday, February 13, 9:00 a.m. – PunchBowl News hosts "The Summit: Tax Policy," discussing tax policy in the new administration.

• Thursday, February 13, 9:00 a.m. – The Peterson Institute for International Economics holds a virtual event entitled “Is “Twin Peaks’ the Future of Financial Supervision?”  

• Thursday, February 13, 9:45 a.m. – The Brookings Institution holds a conference entitled “The Outlook for Retirement Security in a New Congress.”

• Thursday, February 13, 11:00 a.m. – The Urban Institute holds a virtual discussion, beginning at 11 a.m., on "Recapitalizing the GSEs (government-sponsored enterprises) through Administrative Action: Impact on Mortgage Rates and the MBS (mortgage-backed security) Market."

U.S. Financial Regulatory Week Ahead

Senate Banking And House Financial Services Committees Rev Up for A Busy Year, Banks Wondering Where are the New Financial Regulators?  

The inaugural was cold but exciting.  Lots of parties and fun times (or so we heard – we stayed home. Just too cold for us!).  Now, Washington is back to work.  The two key financial services-focused committees in Congress – the House Financial Services Committee (HFSC) and the Senate Banking Committee are beehives of meetings and strategy sessions.  

The HFSC has announced a full agenda for February, holding at least five hearings ranging from “Making Community Banking Great Again” to hearings on crypto and the California wildfires and the insurance industry to examining policies to counter China. 

The Senate Banking Committee is also beginning to announce a series of hearings in February, starting with one looking at debanking in America.

But Washington’s regulatory world is chattering amongst themselves, all asking the same question: Where are President Trump’s much-anticipated nominations for the financial regulatory agencies?  So far, the President has nominated only one regulator – Paul Atkins for SEC Chair.  Moreover, two Biden regulators are still in their chairs and working away – CFPB Director Rohit Chopra and Acting Comptroller of the Currency Michael Hsu.  Having Chopra there is driving banks crazy as they are hoping for a more friendly regulator and fast.

And when will we formally hear who is replacing Federal Reserve Vice Chair Michael Barr, overseeing supervision?  There are only two options for President Trump as there are only two Republicans on the Board (aside from Fed Chair Jay Powell) to pick from: Christopher Waller and Michelle Bowman.  Everyone assumes Bowman will be the pick as she is a former state bank commissioner and a community banker.  But for whatever reason, nothing has happened.  We are monitoring the nomination process closely. 

But for now, below is what else we are watching in the Washington financial regulatory world this coming week (there really isn’t much going on:

U.S. Congressional Hearings 

U.S. Senate

·       Wednesday, January 29, 10:00 a.m. – The Senate Finance Committee holds a hearing on the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Health and Human Services Secretary.

·       Wednesday, January 29, 3:30 p.m. – The Senate Special Committee on Aging holds a hearing on "Making Washington Work for Seniors: Fighting to End Inflation and Achieve Fiscal Sanity."

House of Representatives

·       There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

Federal Department & Regulatory Agency Meetings & Events

Federal Reserve Board and Federal Reserve Banks

·       Tuesday & Wednesday, January 28 – 29 – The Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Market Committee meets to discuss the economy and interest rates.  There will be a press conference at 2:00 p.m. on January 29.

· Friday, January 31, 8:30 a.m. – Federal Reserve Board Governor Michelle W. Bowman will give Brief Remarks on the Economy and Perspectives on Mutual and Community Banks at the Northern New England CEO Summit.

U.S. Treasury Department

·       There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

Department of Commerce

·       There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

Department of Housing and Urban Development

·       There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

Securities and Exchange Commission

·       Monday, January 27, 11:15 a.m. – SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce will speak at the 52nd Annual Securities Regulation Institute in Chicago, Illinois.

·       Tuesday, January 28 – The Securities Enforcement Forum New York takes place in New York.  A number of senior SEC staff will be speaking.

·       Thursday, January 30, 2:00 p.m. – The SEC holds a Closed Meeting.

Commodities Futures Trading Commission

·       Friday, January 31, 12:05 pm. – CFTC Commissioner Christy Goldsmith Romero will participate on a panel entitled Market Structure Developments at the ABA Business Law Section’s Derivatives and Futures Law Committee Winter Meeting.

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

·       There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency

·       There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

·       There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

National Credit Union Administration

·       There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

FINRA

·       There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

Federal Housing Finance Agency

·       There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

Federal Trade Commission & Department of Justice Antitrust Division

·       Monday, January 27, 1:00 p.m. – The FTC holds an event entitled Helping Military Consumers Protect Against Scams & Identify Theft.

Farm Credit Administration

·       There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

Farm Credit Insurance Corporation

·       There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

Small Business Administration

·       There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

International Monetary Fund & World Bank

·       There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

North American Securities Administrators Association

·       There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

Trade Associations & Think Tank Events 

Trade Associations

·       January 26-29 – The American Bankers Association holds its annual Insurance Risk Management Forum in San Diego, California.

Think Tanks and Other Events

·       Monday, January 27, 9:00 a.m. – The Peterson Institute for International Economics holds an event entitled “The present and future of fast payment systems.”

·       Monday, January 27, 3:30 p.m. – The Federalist Society holds a webinar entitled “Frozen Out: Debanking Practice and Policy in the New Administration.”

·       Wednesday, January 29 - The Peterson Institute for International Economics holds a virtual conference, beginning at 9 a.m., on "Transatlantic Perspectives on U.S.-China Geoeconomic Competition."

U.S. Regulatory Week Ahead

Cabinet Nominees Confirmation Hearings All Week, Will Next Week Be the Week Trump Nominates All the Regulators?  And the FDIC Chair and CFTC Chairs Sing Their Swan Songs

Washington is bracing for big changes this week before President-elect Trump is sworn into office next Monday.  Congress gets busy with committee organizational meetings this week as the US Senate holds confirmation hearings for most of Trump’s nominees (the full hearing schedule is below).  We expect the Senate to move quickly on a number of the nominations, with the strong likelihood that Treasury Secretary-nominee Scott Bessent and Secretary of State-nominee Marco Rubio will be confirmed and ready to be sworn in on Inauguration Day.

Subcommittee assignments were announced this past week in both the House Financial Services Committee and Senate Banking Committee.  Of note is that the Senate Banking Committee Chair, Senator Tim Scott (R-SC), is creating a new Digital Assets Subcommittee, and Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) is going to chair it.  Recall that Lummis’ home state of Wyoming has arguably been the leading state pushing for crypto for consumer payments.

Over on the House side, Financial Services Committee Chair French Hill (R-AK) is apparently considering creating a new working group on monetary policy, which would appear to be something of a “shadow” oversight group looking at Federal Reserve Board monetary policy – this will be one to watch closely.

Meanwhile, this being the final week of the Biden Administration, most regulators are cleaning out their offices and packing up.  FDIC Chair Martin Gruenberg will be at the Brookings Institution, giving his thoughts and reflections on his long tenure at the agency and the three financial crises he had dealt with.  Let’s see if and how he addresses the ultimate crisis that will likely define his two-decade tenure at the agency:  The allowance of a widespread culture of sexual harassment and other misconduct at the agency under his leadership.  Gruenberg announced seven months ago he would resign because of the scandal, but not until a replacement was confirmed.  He changed his mind after Trump was elected, and now Vice Chair Travis Hill will step in as acting chair.  While Hill has not been nominated for the chair, he is giving a speech this week, during which he will likely lay out an interim agenda.

Gruenberg is not the only one giving a final goodbye talk this week: CFTC Chair Rostin Behnam will participate in a fireside chat at the CfC St. Moritz 2025 Conference in Switzerland.  The conference – for institutional investors, family offices, and large funds – should be quite interesting, nicely nestled in the spectacular snow-covered Alps.

Finally, we are picking up chatter from the Trump Transition team that President-elect Trump may announce his picks for the top regulatory spots.  So far, he has only named Paul Atkins for SEC Chair.  More on that as we learn it.

Below is what else we are watching in the Washington financial regulatory world this coming week:

U.S. Congressional Hearings 

U.S. Senate

• Thursday, January 16, 10:00 a.m. – The Senate Banking Committee will hold a hearing on the nomination of Eric Scott Turner to be Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

House of Representatives

• Tuesday, January 14, 10:00 a.m. – The House Ways and Means Committee holds a meeting to organize for the 119th Congress.  They will then hold a hearing entitled “The Need to Make Permanent the Trump Tax Cuts for Working Families.”

Federal Department & Regulatory Agency Meetings & Events

Federal Reserve Board and Federal Reserve Banks

• There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

U.S. Treasury Department

• There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

Department of Commerce

• There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

Department of Housing and Urban Development

• Thursday, January 16, 8:30 a.m. – Acting Housing and Urban Development Department Secretary Adrianne Todman delivers remarks at the National League of Cities Summit which is entitled “The Moment for Housing is Now.”

Securities and Exchange Commission

• Thursday, January 16, 2:00 p.m. – The SEC holds a Closed Meeting.

Commodities Futures Trading Commission

• Wednesday, January 15, 1:30 p.m. (CET/Switzerland) – CFTC Chairman Rostin Behnam will participate in a fireside chat at the CfC St. Moritz 2025 Conference.

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

• Tuesday, January 14, 2:00 p.m. – FDIC Chair Martin Gruenberg will speak at the Brookings Institution at an event entitled “FDIC Chairman Gruenberg on 3 financial crises and lessons for the future.”

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency

• There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

• There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

National Credit Union Administration

• Thursday, January 16, 10:00 a.m. – The Board of the National Credit Union Administration will hold a meeting.  The agenda includes a review of the NCUA’s 2025 Annual Performance Plan.

FINRA

• There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

Federal Trade Commission & Department of Justice Antitrust Division

• Wednesday, January 16, 1:00 p.m. – The FTC holds a Closed Meeting.

Farm Credit Administration

• There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

Farm Credit Insurance Corporation

• There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

Small Business Administration

• There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

International Monetary Fund & World Bank

• There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

North American Securities Administrators Association

• There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

Trade Associations & Think Tank Events

Trade Associations

• Tuesday, January 14, 11:00 a.m. – The Urban Institute's Housing Finance Policy Center holds a virtual discussion on "Recapitalizing the GSEs (government-sponsored enterprises) through Administrative Action: Economics and Budgetary Implications."

Think Tanks and Other Events

• Tuesday, January 14, 2:00 p.m. – The Brookings Institution holds a discussion on "3 Financial Crises and Lessons for the Future,"  FDIC Chair Martin Gruenberg will speak.

• Wednesday, January 15, Noon – The Exchequer Club of Washington hosts Senate Banking Committee Chair Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) to speak.

• Thursday, January 16, 9:00 a.m. – The Peterson Institute for International Economics holds a virtual discussion on "Should We Care About Who Owns Audit Firms?"  This event was rescheduled from January 9th.

• Thursday, January 16, 12:00 p.m. – The National Economists Club holds a luncheon discussion on "Grappling With the Nation's Fiscal Challenges: The 2025 Outlook," focusing on "the deficit, debt limit, and the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act."

******  

Trump Cabinet Confirmation Hearings Schedule

Tuesday, January 14th

• Senate Armed Services Committee: Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Defense

• Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee: Doug Burgum, Secretary of the Interior

• Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs: Doug Collins, Secretary of Veterans Affairs

Wednesday, January 15th

• Senate Agriculture Committee: Brooke Rollins, Secretary of Agriculture

• Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee: Chris Wright, Secretary of Energy

• Senate Judiciary Committee: Pam Bondi, Attorney General

• Senate Environment and Public Works Committee: Lee Zeldin, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (this could be moved to Thursday, 1/16)

• Senate Foreign Relations Committee: Marco Rubio, Secretary of State

• Senate Intelligence Committee: John Ratcliffe, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency

• Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs (Morning): Kristi Noem, Homeland Security Secretary

• Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs (Afternoon): Russell Vought, Office of Management and Budget Director

Thursday, January 16th

• Senate Finance Committee: Scott Bessent, Secretary of the Treasury

• Senate Foreign Relations Committee: Elise Stefanik, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations 

Monday, January 27th

• DATE TO BE CONFIRMED: Senate Finance Committee: Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services

The Global Week Ahead

Preparing for the 2nd Trump Presidency, Peru Hosts the APEC Summit and Brazil Hosts theG20 Leaders While a Muted COP29 Begins, and Markets Wait for A Slew of Major Economic Reports

November 13 - 17, 2024

The political world shook last Tuesday when former President Donald Trump won a sweeping victory with enough of a coattail to help carry Republicans to win control of the U.S. Senate and – as of this writing – likely holding onto a razor-thin majority of the U.S. House of Representatives   The immediate fall-out has been a massive spike in geopolitical assessments in major capitals around the world, trying to get a handle on the potential impact of the return of the Trump foreign economic policy – particularly one that is now threatening across-the-board tariffs on any country Trump believes is not dealing fairly with the U.S. 

The clearest directional indicator of where and how Trump is going to move on these policies will be found in his cabinet appointments.  We expect the President-elect will move swiftly this coming week to begin filling out his cabinet while pressing the Republican Senate to rapidly accelerate the confirmation process as soon as the Senate is sworn into office on January 3.  Why the heightened state of urgency?  Our view is that Trump is a "lame duck" who cannot run for re-election in 2028.  At best, according to Trump staffers we have spoken to, Trump understands he has a solid two-to-two and half years to move on his agenda before the 2028 election cycle starts up, slowing down Washington's political legislative and regulatory agendas (as they do with processes again.  He's going to be a man on a mission, we have been told, to move hard and fast, more than any other President we have seen.

Also, this week, the APEC Summit begins in Peru.  The event highlights the growing political and trade relations between Latin America and the Indo-Pacific.  Chinese President Xi will be in attendance and will use the trip to inaugurate the controversial Chancay port in Peru.  The U.S. is concerned – as are some Peruvian leaders and other regional leaders – the port, which is owned and operated by the Chinese – could be used to support Chinese Naval operations in the region.

President Biden will also be in Peru for the APEC Summit, part of a six-day trip to Peru and Brazil.  While in Brazil, he will attend the G20 Summit, hold bilateral meetings with Brazil's President Lulu, and visit the Amazon Rain Forest to advocate for faster policy responses to Climate Change.

While all this is happening in Peru and Brazil, the United Nations' COP29 Summit begins in Azerbaijan.  This meeting seems to be on track to be less ambitious and more muted than previous COP Summits.  A number of global investment banks—normally regular and active attendees at COP meetings—are not attending.  While an estimated 197 countries will be represented, far fewer national leaders will be in attendance than in prior years.

Looking at the global economic radar screen, markets are looking out for a raft of economic reports in the U.S., EU, China, and Japan.  Despite being a shortened week for U.S. markets due to Veterans Day, markets will be intensely focused on the CPI print on Wednesday, and the PPI will be released on Thursday.  Also, U.S. retail sales and industrial production figures will be out this week on Friday.  Additionally, Fed Chair Jay Powell will be speaking at a conference hosted by the Dallas Federal Reserve on Thursday.

In Europe, the UK GDP and labor market figures are released on Tuesday, Germany's ZEW survey is out on Tuesday, and the European Central Bank's minutes from its October meeting are out on Thursday.  On Friday, the ECB releases the Autumn Economic GDP Forecast.

In Asia, China releases its October industrial production and retail sales figures on Friday, while Japan releases flash Q3 GDP estimates.

Below is what else we are closely watching around the world in the coming week:

Sunday, November 10, 2024 

Global

·       Nothing significant to report.

Americas

Political/Social Events –

·       Today is Primer Grito de Independencia Day in Panama, a public holiday.

Economic Reports/Events –

·       Nothing significant to report.

Asia

Political/Social Events –

·       The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit 2024 begins in Lima, Peru and runs through November 16.

·       Mauritius holds parliamentary elections.

·       Today is Cambodia Independence Day, celebrating when in 1945 Cambodian King Norodom Sihanouk proclaimed the country an independent kingdom.

Economic Reports/Events –

·       China Vehicle Sales (October)

Europe

Political/Social Events –

·       Today is Remembrance Day, marking the anniversary of the end of World War I in 1918.

Economic Reports/Events –

·       Nothing significant to report.

Middle East

Political/Social Events –

·       Nothing significant to report.

Economic Reports/Events –

·       Saudi Arabia Industrial Production (September)

Africa

Political/Social Events –

·       Nothing significant to report.

Economic Reports/Events –

·       Nothing significant to report.

Monday, November 11, 2024

Global

·       The United Nations COP9 Summit begins in Baku, Azerbaijan. More than 197 countries will participate, and it runs through November 24.

·       The International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Grossi is expected to travel to Iran to discuss the status of Iran’s nuclear weapons program.

Americas

Political/Social Events –

·       Today is Veterans Day, a U.S. federal holiday.  Most banks as well as the bond market is closed.  The equity markets are open.

Economic Reports/Events –

·       Brazil Gross Debt to GDP (September)/ Nominal Budget Balance (September)/ BCB Focus Market Readout

·       Mexico Consumer Confidence (October)/ Industrial Production (September)

·       Uruguay Industrial Production (September)

·       El Salvador Inflation Rate (October)

Asia

Political/Social Events –

·       Japan’s Diet will select a new Prime Minister in an extraordinary session of the parliament. 

·       Chinese Vice Premier Ding  Xuexiang will meet with Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister Gam Kim Yong and co-chair the 20th Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation.

·       The IMF begins its mission to Pakistan to consider possible aid.

Economic Reports/Events –

·       Japan Bank of Japan Summary of Opinions/ Current Account (September)/ Bank Lending (October)/ Eco Watchers Survey Outlook (October)

·       Indonesia Consumer Confidence (October)/ Car Sales (October)

·       New Zealand Business Inflation Expectations Q4

·       Malaysia Construction Output Q3

·       Thailand Foreign Exchange Reserves (October)

·       Kazakhstan PPI (October)

Europe

Political/Social Events –

·       Today is Armistice Day in the UK and most of Europe, marking the end of World War I.

·       The Paris Peace Forum begins and runs through November 12.

·       The Berliner Forum on Foreign Affairs begins in Berlin, Germany.  German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha will speak.

Economic Reports/Events –

·       European Central Bank Board Member Elizabeth McCaul gives the keynote speech at the Malta Financial Services Authority’s (MFSA) Annual Banking Supervision Conference in St. Julian’s, Malta.

·       Ireland Construction PMI (October)

·       Romania Balance of Trade (September)

·       Turkey Industrial Production (September)/ Unemployment Rate (September)/ Participation Rate (September)/ Auto Sales (October)

·       Slovakia Construction Output (September)

·       Slovenia Industrial Production (September)

·       Russia Balance of Trade (September)

·       Hungary Budget Balance (October)

Middle East

Political/Social Events –

·       The Arab-Islamic Summit begins in Riyad., Saudi Arabia. The primary discussion will focus on the situation in Gaza.

·       Syria peace talks sponsored by Russia, Turkey, and Iran will take place in Kazakhstan.

Economic Reports/Events –

·       Jordan Inflation Rate (October)

·       Israel M1 Money Supply (September)

Africa

Political/Social Events –

·       Nothing significant to report.

Economic Reports/Events –

·       Egypt Inflation Rate (October)/ Core Inflation Rate (October)

Tuesday, November 12, 2024

Global

·       Nothing significant to report.

Americas

Political/Social Events –

·       Israeli President Isaac Herzog will meet with President Biden at the White House to discuss the situation in Gaza and Lebanon.

Economic Reports/Events –

·       Federal Reserve Board Governor Christopher J. Waller gives a speech on payments systems at the Clearing House Annual Conference, New York, New York.

·       Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank President Neel Kashkari to participate in the Yahoo Finance Invest 2024"New Challenges, New Opportunities" conference.

·       Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank President Patrick Harker to speak on "Fintech, AI and the Changing Financial Landscape" before the Carnegie Mellon University Lecture Series.

·       Brazil BCB Copom Meeting Minutes/ Retail Sales (September)/ Business Confidence (November)

·       USA NFIB Business Optimism Index (October)/ RCM/TIPP Economic Optimism Index (November)/ NY Fed Treasury Purchases 1 to 2.5 yrs./ Consumer Inflation Expectations (October)/ Loan Officer Survey

·       Canada Building Permits (September)

·       Colombia Consumer Confidence (October)

·       Paraguay Balance of Trade (October)

·       Argentina Inflation Rate (October)

Asia

Political/Social Events –

·       The 15th Annual China Airshow begins in Zhuhai and runs through Sunday.

Economic Reports/Events –

·       New Zealand Electronic Retail Card Spending (October)

·       Australia Westpac Consumer Confidence Index (November)/ NAB Business Confidence (October)

·       Indonesia Retail Sales (September)

·       Japan Machine Tool Orders (October)

·       India Industrial Production (September)/ Inflation Rate (October)

Europe

Political/Social Events –

·       European Parliament holds confirmation hearings for 6 executive vice presidents-designate, including Italy's Raffaele Fitto, Spain's Teresa Ribera, France's Stephane Sejourne and Finland's Henna Virkkunen, as well as Estonia's Kaja Kallas.

·       NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte will travel to Paris to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron.

Economic Reports/Events –

·       European Central Bank Board Member Piero Cipollone chairs a high-level policy panel entitled "Financial sanctions and their implications for the international monetary system" at Global Research Forum on International Macroeconomics and Finance 2024 organized by the ECB, the Federal Reserve Board and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in Frankfurt, Germany.

·       Netherlands Inflation Rate Final (October)

·       Germany Inflation Rate Final (October)/ ZEW Economic Sentiment Index (November)/ ZEW Current Conditions (November)/ Current Account (September)

·       Romania Inflation Rate (October)

·       Turkey Current Account (September)/ Retail Sales (September)

·       Great Britain Unemployment Rate (September)/ Employment Change (September)/ Claimant Count Change (October)/ HMRC Payrolls Change (October)

·       Hungary Inflation Rate (October)

·       Euro Area ZEW Economic Sentiment Index (November)/ ECB Cipollone Speech

·       Serbia Inflation Rate (October)

·       Ukraine GDP Growth Rate Q3

Middle East

Political/Social Events –

·       Nothing significant to report.

Economic Reports/Events –

·       Nothing significant to report.

Africa

Political/Social Events –

·       The Africa Tech Festival 2024 will take place in Cape Town through November 14.

Economic Reports/Events –

·       South Africa Unemployment Rate Q3/ Unemployed Persons Q3/ Manufacturing Production (September)

Wednesday, November 13, 2024

Global

·       The G7 Ministerial Meeting on Tourism begins in Florence, Italy.

·       The UN Security Council will hold a vote on renewing Yemen sanctions.

Americas

Political/Social Events –

·       U.S. Senate Republicans will meet to vote on who will be the chamber’s next majority leaders.  Senate Democrats will hold their leadership vote in December.

·       Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives will meet to vote on their leadership for 2025-2026.  House Democrats will meet in on November 19 to choose their leaders.

Economic Reports/Events –

·       St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank President Alberto Musalem to speak on the U.S. economy and monetary policy before the Economic Club of Memphis.

·       Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank President Jeffrey Schmid to give luncheon keynote before hybrid “Energy and the Economy: Meeting Rising Energy Demand" Conference hosted by the Federal Reserve Banks of Dallas and Kansas City.

·       USA MBA Mortgage Market Index (November/08) / MBA Purchase Index (November/08) / Inflation Rate (October)/ CPI (October)/ Redbook (November/09) / Total Household Debt Q3/ Monthly Budget Statement (October)/ API Crude Oil Stock Change (November/08)

·       Peru Balance of Trade (September)

Asia

Political/Social Events –

·       Nothing significant to report.

Economic Reports/Events –

·       South Korea Export Prices (October)/ Import Prices (October)/ Unemployment Rate (October)

·       New Zealand Visitor Arrivals (September)

·       Japan PPI (October)

·       Australia Wage Price Index Q3

·       Philippines Foreign Direct Investment AUG

·       Kazakhstan Unemployment Rate Q3

·       India M3 Money Supply (November/01)

·       China New Yuan Loans (October)/ M2 Money Supply (October)/ Outstanding Loan Growth (October)/ Total Social Financing (October)

Europe

Political/Social Events –

·       EU President Ursula von der Leyen meets with French Prime Minister Michel Barnier in Brussels.

·       The Rebuild Ukraine conference will be held in Warsaw through Thursday.

Economic Reports/Events –

·       France Unemployment Rate Q3

·       Romania Industrial Production (September)/ Current Account (September)

·       Hungary Industrial Production Final (September)

·       Euro Area ECB Non-Monetary Policy Meeting

·       Belarus Inflation Rate (October)

·       Poland Balance of Trade (September)/ Current Account (September)

·       Russia GDP Growth Rate Q3/ Inflation Rate (October)

Middle East

Political/Social Events –

·       Nothing significant to report.

Economic Reports/Events –

·       Import/ Export/ Balance of Trade (October)

Africa

Political/Social Events –

·       The breakaway region of Somaliland will hold a presidential election.

Economic Reports/Events –

·       Mozambique Inflation Rate (October)

Thursday, November 14, 2024

Global

·       The International Energy Agency Monthly Market Report is released.

·       The G20 Social Summit begins in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and runs through November 16.

·       The IMF’s 25th Annual Jacques Polak Research Conference begins in Washington, D.C., and runs through November 15.

·       The UN Security Council votes on the renewal of the UN mission in Abiye, a disputed region between Sudan and South Sudan.

Americas

Political/Social Events –

·       President Biden begins a six-day state visit to Peru and Brazil and also attends the APEC Summit being hosted by Peru this year.  Chinese President Xi will also attend the summit.  Additionally, Biden will visit the Amazon rainforest to stress the importance of dealing with climate change.

·       The CPAC Conference begins in Mar-a-Lago, Florida.  Argentine President Javier Milei is expected to attend also meet with President-elect Trump.

Economic Reports/Events –

·       Federal Reserve Board Chair Jay Powell gives a speech at the Dallas Federal Reserve’s Global Perspectives Conference.

·       Federal Reserve Board Governor Adriana D. Kugler gives a speech on central bank independence and the economic outlook at the Latin American and Caribbean Economic Association (LACEA) and the Latin American Chapter of the Econometric Society 2024 Meeting, Departamento de Montevideo, Uruguay.

·       New York Federal Reserve Bank President John Williams to give keynote before the “Intermediating Impact: Making Missing Markets" event hosted by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

·       Brazil IBC-BR Economic Activity (September)

·       USA PPI (October) / Initial Jobless Claims (November/09)/ EIA Natural Gas & Crude Oil Stocks Change (November/08)/ 15- & 30-Year Mortgage Rate (November/13/ Fed Balance Sheet (November/13)

·       Colombia Industrial Production (September)/ Retail Sales (September)

·       Paraguay Consumer Confidence (October)

·       Mexico Interest Rate Decision

·       Uruguay Interest Rate Decision

·       Ecuador Balance of Trade (September)

Asia

Political/Social Events –

·       Sri Lanka holds parliamentary elections.

Economic Reports/Events –

·       New Zealand Food Inflation (October)

·       Reserve Bank of Australia Governor Michele Bullock takes part in a panel debate about the state of the economy at the ASIC Annual Forum in Sidney.

·       Australia Consumer Inflation Expectations (November)/ Full Time & Part Time Employment Chg (October)/ Unemployment Rate (October)/ Participation Rate (October)

·       Japan Foreign Bond Investment (November/09)/ Stock Investment by Foreigners (November/09)

·       India Passenger Vehicles Sales (October)/ WPI Food Index (October)

·       China PBoC 1-Year MLF Announcement

Europe

Political/Social Events –

·       Nothing significant to report.

Economic Reports/Events –

·       Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey speaks alongside UK chancellor Rachel Reeves at the annual financial and professional services dinner at the City of London’s Mansion House.

·       European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde gives remarks at the Choiseul Sovereignty Awards 2024 ceremony in Paris, France.

·       Bank of England Member of the Policy Committee Catherine Mann will give a speech entitled “Revitalizing the Global Economy” at the Society of Professional Economists Annual Conference in London.

·       European Central Bank Board Member Luis de Guindos gives remarks at the 31 Encuentro del Sector Financiero organized by ABC and Deloitte in Madrid, Spain.

·       European Central Bank Board Member Isabel Schnabel participates on a policy panel entitled "Reassessing Policy Tools for Current and Future Challenges" at 25th Jacques Polak Annual Research Conference "Rethinking the Policy Toolkit in a Turbulent Global Economy" in Washington, D.C.,

·       Great Britain RICS House Price Balance (October)

·       Romania GDP Growth Rate Prel Q3

·       Hungary Construction Output (September)

·       Slovakia GDP Growth Rate Prel Q3

·       Spain Inflation Rate Final (October)

·       Euro Area ECB Guindos Speech/ Employment Change Prel Q3/ GDP Growth Rate 2nd Est Q3/ Industrial Production (September)/ ECB Monetary Policy Meeting Accounts

·       Netherlands GDP Growth Rate Flash Q3/ Balance of Trade (September)/ Household Consumption (September)

·       Poland GDP Growth Rate Prel Q3

·       Slovenia GDP Growth Rate Q3

·       France IEA Oil Market Report

·       Turkey Foreign Exchange Reserves (November/08)

Middle East

Political/Social Events –

·       Nothing significant to report.

Economic Reports/Events –

·       Saudi Arabia Inflation Rate (October)

·       Oman M2 Money Supply (September)/ Total Credit (September)

Africa

Political/Social Events –

·       Nothing significant to report.

Economic Reports/Events –

·       South Africa Gold Production (September)/ Mining Production (September)

·       Angola Wholesale Prices (October)/ Inflation Rate (October)

Friday, November 15, 2024

Global

·       Nothing significant to report.

Americas

Political/Social Events –

·       Nothing significant to report.

Economic Reports/Events –

·       Canada Manufacturing Sales Final (September)/ New Motor Vehicle Sales (September)/ Senior Loan Officer Survey

·       USA NY Empire State Manufacturing Index (November)/ Export Prices (October)/ Import Prices (October)/ Retail Sales (October)/ Industrial Production (October)/ Capacity Utilization (October)/ Manufacturing Production (October)/ Business Inventories (September)/ Retail Inventories Ex Autos (September)/ NOPA Crush Report/ Baker Hughes Total Rigs Count (November/15)

·       Colombia ISE Economic Activity (September)

·       Peru Unemployment Rate (October)

Asia

Political/Social Events –

·       Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is expected to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the APEC Summit in Peru.

·       Nikkei and the U.S.-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) host the 21st CSIS/Nikkei Symposium in Tokyo under the title of "Shaping the Future: New Leadership in Japan, U.S. and Next Indo-Pacific Order." The Mount Fuji Dialogue, a gathering that unites influential government officials and businesspeople from the U.S. and Japan, is scheduled to start on Saturday in Tokyo.

Economic Reports/Events –

·       New Zealand Business NZ PMI (October)/

·       Japan GDP Growth Annualized Prel Q3/ GDP Price Index Prel Q3/ GDP Private Consumption Prel Q3/ Industrial Production Final (September)/ Capacity Utilization (September)/ Tertiary Industry Index (September)

·       China House Price Index (October)/ Industrial Production (October)/ Retail Sales (October)/ Fixed Asset Investment (YTD) (October)/ Unemployment Rate (October)/ NBS Press Conference

·       Indonesia Property Price Index Q3/ Imports/ Exports/ Balance of Trade (October)

·       Malaysia Current Account Q3/ GDP Growth Rate Final Q3

·       Hong Kong GDP Growth Rate Final Q3

·       Kazakhstan GDP Growth Rate Q3/ GDP (October)

·       India Bank Loan & Deposit Growth (November/01)/ Foreign Exchange Reserves (November/08)/ Imports/ Exports/ Balance of Trade (October)

·       Philippines Cash Remittances (September)

Europe

Political/Social Events –

·       Germany’s 2025 budget is presented to the Bundestag.

·       The EU Economic and Financial Affairs Council (Budget) meets in Brussels.  Ministers will discuss the EU’s 2025 annual budget.

Economic Reports/Events –

·       European Central Bank Board Member Elizabeth McCaul participates on a panel discussion at the high-level European Supervisory Authorities’ conference entitled "Financial services and Gender – Data, trends and progress in the EU and beyond" organized by EBA, ESMA and EIOPA in Frankfurt, Germany.

·       European Central Bank Board Member Philip R. Lane moderates a policy panel at a seminar entitled “A Fragmenting Trading System: where we stand and implications for policy" as part of the G7 Finance Track events organized by Banca d'Italia in Rome, Italy.

·       European Central Bank Board Member Piero Cipollone participates on a panel discussion on productivity at the CER Ditchley Park conference "A European path to higher economic growth" in Chipping Norton, UK.

·       UK GDP Growth Rate Prel Q3/ GDP (September)/ Goods Trade Balance (September)/ Balance of Trade (September)/ Business Investment Prel Q3/ Construction Output (September)/ GDP (September)/ Industrial Production (September)/ Manufacturing Production (September)/ NIESR Monthly GDP Tracker (October)/ Labour Productivity Final Q2

·       Germany Wholesale Prices (October)

·       Switzerland Producer & Import Prices (October)

·       France Inflation Rate Final (October)

·       Slovakia Inflation Rate (October)

·       Italy Inflation Rate Final (October)/ Balance of Trade (September)

·       Poland Inflation Rate Final (October)

·       Ireland Balance of Trade (September)

·       Serbia Building Permits (September)/ Current Account (September)

·       Belarus Industrial Production (October)

·       Ukraine Balance of Trade (September)

·       Turkey Budget Balance (October)

Middle East

Political/Social Events –

·       Nothing significant to report.

Economic Reports/Events –

·       Israel Inflation Rate (October)

Africa

Political/Social Events –

·       Nothing significant to report.

Economic Reports/Events –

·       Angola M3 Money Supply (October)

·       Nigeria Food Inflation (October)/ Inflation Rate (October)

·       Egypt Unemployment Rate Q3

Saturday, November 16, 2024

Global

·       Nothing significant to report.

Americas

Political/Social Events –

·       President Biden will attend the G20 Summit -which begins on Monday – and will meet with Brazilian President Lula in Rio de Janeiro.

Economic Reports/Events –

·       Nothing significant to report.

Asia

Political/Social Events –

·       Nothing significant to report.

Economic Reports/Events –

·       Nothing significant to report.

Europe

Political/Social Events –

·       Nothing significant to report.

Economic Reports/Events –

·       European Central Bank Board Member Luis de Guindos participates in an on-stage conversation at Trilateral Commission meeting in Madrid, Spain.

·       European Central Bank Board Member Isabel Schnabel gives a speech at the Chicago Booth Conference on the Global Economy and Financial Stability, in London.

Middle East

Political/Social Events –

·       Nothing significant to report.

Economic Reports/Events –

·       Nothing significant to report.

Africa

Political/Social Events –

·       Gabon holds a national referendum on a new constitution and could lead to the end of military rule.

Economic Reports/Events –

·       Nothing significant to report.

Sunday, November 17, 2024

Global

·       The G20 Leaders’ Summit takes place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Americas

Political/Social Events –

·       Nothing significant to report.

Economic Reports/Events –

·       Nothing significant to report.

Asia

Political/Social Events –

·       Nothing significant to report.

Economic Reports/Events –

·       China FDI (YTD) (October)

Europe

Political/Social Events –

·       Nothing significant to report.

Economic Reports/Events –

·       Nothing significant to report.

Middle East

Political/Social Events –

·       Nothing significant to report.

Economic Reports/Events –

·       Israel GDP Growth Annualized 1st Est Q3

Africa

Political/Social Events –

·       Senegal holds parliamentary elections.

Economic Reports/Events –

·       Nothing significant to report.

U.S. Financial Regulatory Week Ahead

Moving to Full Throttle: Washington Ramps Up On Multiple Regulatory Fronts This Week

September 9 - 13, 2024

Congress returns to work this week, having been out of session since the end of July. The rest of Washington’s regulatory world is already buzzing with activity, and combined, there is a lot going on.

In the coming week, we will closely watch the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Financial Institutions hearing entitled “Transparency in Global Governance.”  The hearing is aimed at how the Basel Committee, the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), and other international organizations interact with US financial regulators and their influence on regulatory developments.  The only problem is that these organizations are refusing to appear, infuriating Subcommittee Chair Representative Andy Barr (R-KY).   At this point, we are not sure who will testify, and no one is listed on the Committee’s website.

Also on the Hill this week, the House Agriculture Committee is scheduling a closed-door hearing for members to get briefed and up-to-speed on “event contracts.”   For those of you unfamiliar with event contracts, they are the ability for financial traders to put “contract” wagers on, well, everything.  As Politico noted, it can be things as weird as what a movie’s Rotten Tomato scores will be. 

Also this week, Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Michael Barr will speak at the Brookings Institution on the status of the Fed's Basel III regulatory initiative. Considering the proposal has come under withering criticism from banks and Congress (not to mention public doubts from Fed Chair Jay Powell and several Fed Governors) and has been intensely rewritten, Barr’s comments will be important.   

SEC Chair Gary Gensler will give a speech and participate in a fireside chat at a Peterson Institute for International Economics event. The topics of the discussion seem likely to be wide-ranging.

Last week ended up being a bit busier than anyone expected.  We would note that Acting Comptroller of the Currency Michael Hsu gave an important speech at the Joint European Banking Authority and European Central Bank International Conference in Frankfurt, Germany (which was not added to his public calendar until the very last minute).  In his remarks, Hsu said regulators should consider creating a process for officially designating which banks within the domestic financial system are important – DSIBs.  Hsu pointed out some other countries already do this and suggested the US follow suit. 

Also, last week, a Federal Court blocked the CFTC’s rejection of US election betting markets – talk about good timing for all you election junkies out there!

Below is what else is happening in the regulatory world in Washington this week: 

U.S. Congressional Hearings 

U.S. Senate

·       The Senate is out of session for the month of August and returns to work on September 9.

House of Representatives

·       TBD – The House Agriculture Committee will hold a closed-door briefing for members on the topic of event contracts (which are financial products allowing traders to wager on virtually anything).  No date or time has been released yet.

·       Tuesday, September 10, 10:00 a.m. – The House Financial Services Committee’s Subcommittee on Digital Assets, Financial Technology, and Inclusion will hold a hearing entitled “Decoding DeFi: Breaking Down the Future of Decentralized Finance.”

·       Tuesday, September 10, 10:30 a.m. – The House Education and Workforce Committee holds a hearing entitled “ERISA’s 50th Anniversary: The Value of Employer-Sponsored Health Benefits”

·       Tuesday, September 10, 2:00 p.m. – The House Financial Services Committee’s Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations holds a hearing entitled “The Fall of ESG: Scrutinizing the Failed Use of Environmental, Social, & Governance Standards and the Influence of Proxy Advisors.”

·       Wednesday, September 11, 10:00 a.m. – The House Financial Services Committee’s Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Monetary Policy Subcommittee holds a hearing entitled “Transparency in Global Governance”

·       Wednesday, September 11, 10:00 a.m. – The House Agriculture Committee holds a hearing entitled “Severe Food Distribution Shortages in Tribal and Elderly Communities.”  

US Regulatory Meetings & Events

Federal Reserve Board and Federal Reserve Banks

·       Tuesday, September 10, 11:00 a.m. – Federal Reserve Board Vice Chair for Supervision Michael Barr will speak at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C. at an event entitled “The Basel III Endgame: A Conversation with Michael Barr.”

U.S. Treasury Department

·       Monday, September 9, 1:00 p.m. – The Treasury Department holds a meeting of the Treasury Advisory Committee on Racial Equity for opening remarks from TACRE Chair Michael Nutter, an overview of the work conducted by the TACRE subcommittees since the April 18, 2024, TACRE meeting, a possible vote on recommendations to make to the Treasury Department and briefings from government officials from the Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service.

Department of Commerce

·       There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

Securities and Exchange Commission

·       Monday, September 9, 10:00 a.m. – The SEC holds an Open Meeting to consider he Commission will consider whether to approve a new quality control standard, QC 1000, A Firm’s System of Quality Control, and related amendments, as adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.

·       Tuesday, September 10, 9:30 a.m. – SEC Chair Gary Gensler will give remarks at the Peterson Institute for International Economics.  Following his speech, he will participate in a fireside chat with Roger Ferguson, former Vice Chair of the Federal Reserve.

·       Thursday, September 12, 2:00 p.m. – The SEC holds a Closed Meeting.

Commodities Futures Trading Commission

·       There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

FINRA

·       There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

·       There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency

·       There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

·       Monday, September 9, 12:30 p.m. – CFPB Director Rohit Chopra speaks at an event hosted by Intercontinental Exchange and the National Housing Conference.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency

·       Tuesday, September 10 – 11 – The FHFA holds a meeting of the Federal Advisory Committee on Affordable, Equitable, and Sustainable Housing to advise FHFA in the exercise of its oversight functions regarding affordable, equitable, and sustainable housing, including but not limited to, affordable, equitable, and sustainable housing needs, barriers to access, barriers to long-term sustainability, and any regulatory, guidance, or policy changes that may be necessary or beneficial to expand such housing.

National Credit Union Administration

·       There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

Federal Trade Commission & Department of Justice Antitrust Division

·        There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

Farm Credit Administration

·       Thursday, September 12, 10:00 a.m. – The FCA holds a meeting of the quarterly report on economic conditions and Farm Credit System condition and performance.

International Monetary Fund & World Bank

·       There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

North American Securities Administrators Association

·       There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

Trade Associations & Think Tank Events 

Trade Associations

·       Thursday, September 12: The American Bankers Association will hold a virtual conference entitled “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Summit.”

Think Tanks and Other Events

·       Monday, September 9, 9:00 a.m. – The Peterson Institute for International Economics holds an event entitled “Do EU regulations unduly penalize securitization?” Emmanuelle Assouan, Director General for Financial Stability and Operations, Bank of France, will speak.

·       Tuesday, September 9, 1:00 p.m. – The Farm Foundation holds a discussion on "The Agricultural Platforms of the Candidates for President of the United States."

·       Tuesday, September 10, 9:30 a.m.  – The Peterson Institute for International Economics hosts SEC Chair Gary Gensler for a speech and fireside chat.

·       Thursday, September 12, 9:00 a.m. – The Institute for International Finance holds an online event entitled “Policy Implications of the 2024 U.S. Elections: Fiscal and Growth Outlooks.”

·       Tuesday, September 10, 11:00 a.m. – Federal Reserve Board Vice Chair for Supervision Michael Barr will speak at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C. at an event entitled “The Basel III Endgame: A Conversation with Michael Barr.”

·       Thursday, September 12, 9:30 a.m. – The Cato Institute holds a conference entitled “Financial Privacy Under Fire: Protecting and Restoring Americans’ Rights’ in Washington, D.C.

·       Thursday, September 12, 10:00 a.m. – The Brookings Institution holds a discussion on "The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017: Lessons learned and the debate ahead.”

·       Thursday, September 12, 2:00 p.m. – The Bipartisan Policy holds a Leaders Speaker Series with former Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Mark Calabria.

Please let us know if you have any questions or would like to be added to our email distribution list.

U.S. Regulatory Week Ahead

August 12 - 16, 2024

Giving You Back Your Five Minutes…

We want to give you back the five minutes you would normally spend reading the U.S. Financial Regulatory Week Ahead by saying right up front: There is nothing going on, and thus, there is nothing to read in this week’s report. Washington regulators are all out on vacation.

We Hope you are enjoying this quiet time, too.  But, just for the record,  below is a listing of the one event we could find scheduled – an SEC Closed Meeting on Thursday – taking place this coming week in Washington:

U.S. Congressional Hearings

U.S. Senate

·       The Senate is out of session for the month of August and returns to work on September 9.

House of Representatives

·       The House is out of session for the month of August and returns to work on September 9.

US Regulatory Meetings & Events 

Federal Reserve Board and Federal Reserve Banks

·       There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

U.S. Treasury Department

·       There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

Department of Commerce

·       There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

Securities and Exchange Commission

·       Thursday, August 15, 2:00 p.m. – The SEC holds a Closed Meeting.

Commodities Futures Trading Commission

·       There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

FINRA

·       There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

·       There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency

·       There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

·       There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

National Credit Union Administration

·       There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

Federal Trade Commission & Department of Justice Antitrust Division

·        There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

Farm Credit Administration

·       There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

International Monetary Fund & World Bank

·       There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

North American Securities Administrators Association

·       There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

Trade Associations & Think Tank Events

Trade Associations

·       There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

Think Tanks and Other Events

·       There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

Please let us know if you have any questions or would like to be added to our email distribution list.

U.S. Financial Regulatory Week

May 20 - 24, 2024

This coming Monday is Memorial Day, the traditional beginning of Summer in Washington and the rest of the US. In advance of the three-day holiday, regulators are engaging in several meetings and speaking events. Of particular note, Federal Reserve Board Vice Chair for Supervision Michael Barr is giving two important speeches this week on regulation while the Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank is holding its 28th Annual Financial Markets Conference.  

Also this week, the Investment Company Institute is holding its annual meeting in Washington, and SEC Chair Gary Gensler will speak and participate in a fireside chat to discuss issues of concern to the mutual fund industry. 

Washington is still talking about the ongoing crisis at the FDIC in the wake of the independent report implicating FDIC Chair Marty Gruenberg for bullying and inappropriate behavior and tolerating bad behavior among senior managers. Gruenberg endured two grueling hearings before the House Financial Services Committee and Senate Banking Committee last week but seems to have survived as a number of Congressional Democrats came to his defense. Gruenberg continues to refuse to step down, but we believe the pressure will continue, and the situation will remain tense at the FDIC.

Also last week, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau had a big week, triumphantly winning a Supreme Court case (7-2 vote) upholding the agency's legitimacy and ability to bring regulations against payday lenders. This ends years of uncertainty about the future of the CFPB and has boosted CFPB Director Rohit Chopra's agenda, which focuses on credit card fees. "The CFPB will be able to forge ahead with our law enforcement work," Chopra told reporters after the decision was handed down.

Reviewing Congress last week, the House Financial Services Committee moved several pieces of legislation for the full House of Representatives to vote on in the coming weeks. One is legislation making fewer banks subject to key regulations such as the Volcker Rule while scrutinizing the Federal Reserve's bank merger, stress testing, and discount processes. Another bill they passed would direct the SEC to conduct cost-benefit analyses of its rules and review them every five years.

Both bills have little chance of advancing once they pass the House and are sent to the Senate Banking Committee.

Below is a listing of all the other significant regulatory-related events this coming week:

U.S. Congressional Hearings 

U.S. Senate

·       Tuesday, May 21, 10:00 a.m. – The Senate Finance Committee holds a hearing entitled “Child Savings Accounts and Other Tax-Advantaged Accounts Benefitting American Children.”

·       Wednesday, May 22, 2:30 p.m. – The Senate Banking Committee’s Economic Policy Subcommittee holds a hearing on "Protecting Consumers' Pocketbooks: Lowering Food Prices and Combatting Corporate Price Gouging and Consolidation."

House of Representatives

·       Wednesday, May 22, 10:00 a.m. – The House Financial Services Housing and Insurance Subcommittee holds a hearing on "PHA (Public Housing Agencies) Oversight: How Scandals and Mismanagement Harm Residents and Taxpayers."

US Regulatory Meetings & Events

Federal Reserve Board and Federal Reserve Banks

·       Sunday – Wednesday, May 19 – 22 – The Atlanta Federal Reserve holds its 28th Annual Financial Markets Conference.  A number of central bankers, market participants, and other experts will be speaking.

·       Monday, May 20, 7:45 a.m. – Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank President Raphael Bostic to give welcome remarks before the 2024 Financial Markets Conference hosted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.  Later that day, at 6:00 p.m., he will moderate a session at the Conference’s dinner.

·       Monday, May 20, 9:00 a.m. – The Peterson Institute for International Economics hosts a virtual discussion entitled "The U.S. economy and monetary policy” with Federal Reserve Board Governor Christopher Waller.  

·       Monday, May 20, 10:30 a.m. – Federal Reserve Vice Chair Philip N. Jefferson gives a speech entitled “U.S. Economic Outlook and Housing Price Dynamics” at the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) Secondary and Capital Markets Conference, New York, N.Y.

·       Tuesday, May 21, 8:00 a.m. – Richmond Federal Reserve Bank President Thomas Barkin to give opening remarks before the"2024 Investing in Rural America Conference: Building and Maintaining Momentum" hosted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.

·       Tuesday, May 21, 8:10 a.m.: Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank President Raphael Bostic will give "welcome back" remarks before the 2024 Financial Markets Conference hosted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.

·       Tuesday, May 21, 8:45 a.m.: New York Federal Reserve Bank President John Williams will give the opening remarks at the 2024 Governance and Culture Reform Conference.

·       Tuesday, May 21, 9:00 a.m. – Federal Reserve Board Governor Christopher J. Waller gives welcoming remarks at the Third Conference on the International Roles of the U.S. Dollar, Washington, D.C.

·       Tuesday, May 21, 6:00 p.m. – Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank President Raphael Bostic to moderate the "Central Banking in the Post-Pandemic Financial System" panel before the 2024 Financial Markets Conference hosted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.

·       Monday, May 20, 9:00 a.m. – Federal Vice Chair for Supervision Michael S. Barr entitled “Monetary Policy and Bank Regulation” at the 2024 Financial Markets Conference, Fernandina Beach, Florida.

·       Thursday, May 23, 2:00 p.m. – Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank President Raphael Bostic to participate in a virtual question-and-answer session with students in MBA macroeconomic class at the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

·       Friday, May 24, 9:35 a.m. – Federal Reserve Board Governor Christopher J. Waller gives a speech at the Reykjavik Economic Conference, Reykjavik, Iceland.

U.S. Treasury Department

·       There are no significant events scheduled at this time. 

Securities and Exchange Commission

·       Wednesday, May 23, 8:30 a.m. – SEC Chair Gary Gensler will participate in a fireside chat at the Investment Company Institute’s 2024 Leadership Summit in Washington, DC.

·       Thursday, May 24, 11:00 a.m. – Thursday at 11:00 a.m., SEC Enforcement Director Gurbir Grewal and other division officials will speak at the Securities Enforcement Forum West 2024 conference.

Commodities Futures Trading Commission

·       Monday, May 20, 11:00 a.m. London Time – CFTC Commissioner Christy Goldsmith Romero will speak on a panel discussing international financial regulation at City Week 2024.

·       Tuesday, May 21, 11:00 a.m. London Time – CFTC Commissioner Caroline D. Pham will speak at a featured fireside chat on the CFTC’s role in regulating digital assets at City Week 2024.

·       Wednesday, May 22, 9:10 a.m. London Time – CFTC Commissioner Christy Goldsmith Romero will participate in a keynote interview at the Financial Times’ Moral Money Summit.

FINRA

 ·       There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

·       There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency

·       There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

·       There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

National Credit Union Administration

·       Wednesday, May 22, 10:00 a.m. – the NCUA Board holds an open meeting.  You can find the agenda HERE.

Federal Trade Commission & Department of Justice Antitrust Division

·       Monday, May 20, 1:00 p.m. – The FTC holds a closed meeting.

·       Wednesday, May 23, 1:00 p.m. – The FTC holds an Open Meeting.

·       Wednesday, May 23, 2:00 p.m. – The FTC holds an event entitled “Supporting Older Adults to Fight Against Fraud”

Farm Credit Administration

·       There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

International Monetary Fund & World Bank

·       There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

North American Securities Administrators Association

·       There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

Trade Associations & Think Tank Events

Trade Associations

·       Tuesday  – Wednesday, May 21 – 23 – The Investment Company Institute holds the 2024 Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C.  House Financial Services Committee Chair Patrick McHenry (R-NC) and SEC Chair Gary Gensler will speak.

Think Tanks and Other Events

·       Tuesday, May 21, 9:00 a.m. – The Peterson Institute for International Economics holds a virtual discussion, beginning at 9 a.m., on "The U.S. economy and monetary policy” with Federal Reserve Board Governor Christopher Waller.  

·       Tuesday, May 21, 10:00 a.m. – The Brookings Institution holds a discussion entitled “Powering US prosperity and competitiveness through place-based investment”.  Alejandra Castillo, the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development, will speak.

·       Tuesday, May 21, 12:30 p.m. – SIFMA holds a Department of Labor Fiduciary Rule Implementation Workshop.

·       Tuesday, May 21, 2:30 p.m. – The R Street Institute holds a discussion entitled “Insurance Fraud: the 300 Billion Dollar Crime.”

·       Tuesday, May 21, 3:00 p.m. – The Cato Institute holds a virtual discussion entitled “Would Proposed Antitrust Changes Help or Harm Startups and Small Business?”

·       Tuesday, May 22, 11:00 a.m. – SIFMA holds their latest webinar on U.S. – China relations entitled “U.S. – China Relations: Technology National Security, and Financial Services.”

·       Wednesday, May 22, 8:00 a.m. – The Institute for International Finance holds an online discussion entitled “IIF Datatalk: Bigtech, Platforms, and Financial Services.”

·       Wednesday, May 22, 1:00 p.m. – The American Enterprise Institute holds an in-person/virtual event entitled “The Federal Reserve and Financial Stability Risk.”  

Please let us know if you have any questions or would like to be added to our email distribution list.

U.S. Regulatory Week Ahead

April 29 - May 4, 2024

The regulatory week ahead is poised to bring two pivotal events that will directly influence the pending CapitalOne – Discover merger.

The first event, a hearing by the House Financial Services Committee on Wednesday, is aptly titled “Merger Policies of the Federal Banking Agencies.” This hearing holds significant implications for the future of financial mergers. 

 Amidst the buzz among financial lobbyists and regulatory circles, the stance of key figures like Vice Chair for Supervision Michael Barr, FDIC Chair Marty Gruenberg, CFPB Direct Rohit Chopra, Acting Comptroller of the Currency Michael Hsu, and the new entrant Jonathan Kanter, Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust, is being closely watched. Their potential opposition to significant-sized financial mergers, including the CapitalOne-Discover merger, makes the upcoming hearing even more intriguing.

The second (albeit lesser) event will be Tuesday at the Independent Community Bank Association annual conference, Capital Summit 2024. FDIC Chair Gruenberg and CFPB Director Chopra will jointly participate in a Fireside Chat to discuss the state of banking.

This comes on the heels of regulators announcing they were extending the public comment period for the CapitalOne-Discover deal another month (from April 26 to May 31). Progressive Democrats on Capitol Hill, along with many community organizations, are ramping up their opposition to the deal, and being given an extra month to make their case is not good news for either company.

Last week, there were three particularly big actions in the regulatory world worth noting: one that successfully made it through (although we think that is going to be temporary) and the other that failed. 

First, a divided Federal Trade Commission (FTC) voted to ban noncompete agreements. That action – long expected – ignited several almost immediate federal lawsuits seeking to block the FTC action (making the point that the FTC lacks the statutory authority to make and enforce such a regulation. Our money is on the lawsuits winning this one and quickly).

The second event was the Department of Labor finalizing the rule on retirement savings protections. This proposal has had a long tenure, first emerging during the Obama Administration. After being struck down by federal courts, the SEC passed Regulation Best Interest (Reg BI) in 2019. However, the Labor Department and advocates argued that Reg BI left too many gaps and pushed through the current iteration. Expect several federal lawsuits soon challenging this new rule.

The third event was a rather odd, almost last-minute move by FDIC Chair Gruenberg aimed at large asset managers. At the last possible legal moment, Gruenberg called a board meeting last Monday for a board meeting on Thursday to take up possible measures to deal with the size and scope of asset managers who have large stakes in large banks. FDIC Board member and CFPB Director Chopra had offered a rule that would have given the FDIC broad authority to investigate asset management firms’ investments in big banks. Countering his proposal was FDIC Director Jonathan McKernan’s proposal to do some “basic” monitoring of a few large index funds that have large stakes in big banks. The Investment Company Institute and several large mutual funds lobbied furiously against the Chopra measure and, to the surprise of many, FDIC Director and Acting Comptroller Michael Hsu opposed the Chopra measure.

McKernan then took down his proposal and, to make a long dramatic event short, nothing happened.  

But that does not mean regulators are done looking at the largest mutual funds and their holdings in big banks.  We recommend watching this space closely and reading Capital Account, edited by our friend Rob Schmidt, for the most detailed and best reporting on this (and every financial regulatory event going on).  It is well worth the subscription.

Below is a listing of all the other significant regulatory-related events this coming week:

U.S. Congressional Hearings

U.S. Senate

• Thursday, May 2, 10:00 a.m.: the Senate Banking Committee holds a hearing entitled “Higher Prices; How Shrinkflation and Technology Impact Consumers’ Finances.”

House of Representatives

• Tuesday, April 30, 2:00 p.m.: The House Oversight and Accountability Health Care and Financial Services Subcommittee holds a hearing on "Health of the Commercial Real Estate Markets and Removing Regulatory Hurdles to Ensure Continued Strength."

• Wednesday, May 1, 10:00 a.m.: The House Financial Services Committee holds a hearing entitled “Merger Policies of the Federal Banking Agencies.”

US Regulatory Meetings & Events

Federal Reserve Board and Federal Reserve Banks

• Tuesday & Wednesday, April 30 – May 1: The Federal Reserve Board’s Open Market Committee meets to discuss interest rates and the economy.  Fed Chair Jay Powell holds a press conference on May 1 at 2:00 p.m.

• ·Saturday, May 4, 9:20 a.m. and 2:20 p.m.:  Federal Reserve Board Governor Lisa Cook gives two commencement speeches at Georgia College and State University (GCSU) in Milledgeville, Georgia.  

U.S. Treasury Department

• April 30, 9:00 a.m.: The Treasury Department’s Borrowing Advisory Committee holds a meeting to discuss the economy, financial markets, Treasury financing, and debt management and for a written report from the committee of its recommendations.

Securities and Exchange Commission

• Thursday, May 2, 1:30 p.m. – The SEC holds a Closed Meeting.

Commodities Futures Trading Commission

• Monday, April 29, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (UK time): CFTC Commissioner Christy Goldsmith Romero will participate virtually in an MSCI Sustainability Institute roundtable event on derivatives and climate in London.

• Thursday, May 2, 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.: Commissioner Christy Goldsmith Romero, sponsor of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s Technology Advisory Committee (TAC), will host an “AI Day during a TAC meeting. The public is invited to come in person or watch the meeting via live webcast at CFTC.gov.  The scheduled speakers include Dr. Nicol Turner Lee, Director of the Center for Technology Innovation at the Brookings Institution; Todd Smith, Director of Centralized Data Science and Analytics at the National Futures Association; Francesca Rossi, AI Ethics Global Leader, IBM; Todd Conklin, Chief AI Officer and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Cyber at the U.S. Treasury Department, Sunayna Tuteja, Chief Innovation Officer of the Federal Reserve Board, and Kirsten Wegner, Chief Executive Officer of Modern Markets Initiative.

• Friday, May 3, 10:45 a.m.: CFTC Commissioner Kristin N. Johnson will give remarks and participate in a fireside chat at the 2024 Fintech and Blockchain Symposium, Co-Hosted by Rutgers Law School’s Center for Blockchain and Fintech and Sidley Austin LLP in New York.

FINRA

• There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

• April 29, Monday, 3:25 p.m.: FDIC Chair Marty Gruenberg and CFPB Director Rohit Chopra will participate in a Fireside Chat with Independent Community Bankers Association President Rebecca Romero Rainey at the ICBA’s Capital Summit 2024 in Washington, DC.

• May 2, 9:00 a.m.: The FDIC Advisory Committee on Community Banking to provide advice and recommendations on a broad range of policy issues that have particular impact on small community banks throughout the United States and the local communities they serve.

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency

• There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

• April 29, Monday, 3:25 p.m.: FDIC Chair Marty Gruenberg and CFPB Director Rohit Chopra will participate in a Fireside Chat with Independent Community Bankers Association President Rebecca Romero Rainey at the ICBA’s Capital Summit 2024 in Washington, DC.

• April 30, 1:00 p.m.: The CFPB holds a meeting by teleconference of the Community Bank Advisory Council to discuss broad policy matters related to the Bureau's Unified Regulatory Agenda and general scope of authority.

National Credit Union Administration

• There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

Federal Trade Commission & Department of Justice Antitrust Division

• There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

Farm Credit Administration

• There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

International Monetary Fund & World Bank

• There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

Trade Associations & Think Tank Events

Trade Associations

• April 28 – May 1, Sunday—Wednesday: The Independent Community Bankers of America will hold their Capital Summit 2024 in Washington, D.C.  Several members of Congress and regulators, including FDIC Chair Marty Gruenberg and CFPB Director Rohit Chopra, as well as all the Federal Home Loan Bank Board presidents, will speak.

• May 1, Thursday, 8:30 – 10:00 a.m.: The Institute for International Finance, in conjunction with PWC, will hold a hybrid Roundtable entitled “Liquidity Lessons Learned from the 2023 Banking Turmoil”  in New York and online.

• May 1, Thursday, 11:00 a.m.: SIFMA holds an event entitled “U.S.-China Relations: Outlook for Financial Services.” This is the first of a four-part series and will be conducted under Chatham House Rules.

Think Tanks and Other Events

• April 30,  Tuesday, 9:00 a.m.: The Peterson Institute for International Economics holds an event entitled “The International Sustainability Standards Board’s First Two Years.”  Sue Lloyd 
  Vice-Chair, International Sustainability Standards Board and Sylvie Goulard 
  Professor of Practice in Global Affairs and Geopolitics, SDA Bocconi School of Management, will speak.

• April 30, Tuesday, 4:00 p.m.: The Cato Institute holds a book discussion on "Build, Baby, Build: The Science and Ethics of Housing Regulation."

• May 1, Thursday, 2:30 p.m.:  The Brookings Institution holds an event entitled “Putting public assets to work through innovative finance.”  They will discuss how the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Build America Bureau recently announced an unprecedented grant opportunity: the Innovative Finance and Asset Concession Program. The program makes available $100 million in grants over five years to public entities doing pre-development work to structure public-private partnerships and other innovative finance and delivery mechanisms for transportation and transit-oriented development projects. The grant provides up to $1 million in funding with no local match requirement and an additional $1 million in funding with a match. Eligible applicants are public entities that own, control, or maintain assets that could be enhanced through projects eligible for Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) credit assistance.

U.S. Financial Regulatory Week Ahead

April 8 - 12, 2024

Congress—and much of the rest of Washington—returns to work this week after recess and spring break holidays.  And it is going to be a busy week.  For the broader market, we recommend paying attention to the Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice Antitrust Division co-hosting the 3rd Annual Enforcers Summit. 

To further define and advance the Biden Administration's policy approach to competition policy across the board – antitrust to securities enforcement – FTC Chair Lina Kahn and Justice Department Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust Jonathan Kanter will speak to their efforts to unify efforts with other major regulators of every sector.  To best illustrate this effort, SEC Chair Gary Gensler will join them in discussing this coordinated effort.  The implications for bank mergers and other financial services deals are enormous as the FTC and DoJ are now taking highly active roles in reviewing deals.

Meanwhile, we will watch two events closely as they are aimed at the Federal Reserve Board's recent capital increase proposal: The Federalist Society will hold a panel discussion entitled "Navigating the Capital Adequacy Rule: Legal and Policy Perspectives" in Washington, D.C.  The panelists will include former Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Randy Quarles, former Secretary of Labor and Gibson Dunn Partner Eugene Scalia, Peter Conti-Brown, Professor of Financial Regulation, Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and Trent McCotter, Partner, Boyden Gray PLLC.  Meanwhile, Federal Reserve Board Governor Michelle Bowman will speak on the Basel capital requirements in the face of stiff resistance to the Fed's recent capital requirement proposal (which she, too, opposes). 

Also this week, FDIC Chair Marty Gruenberg will present a comprehensive update on how the FDIC has prepared for the orderly resolution of a GSIB under Title II of the Dodd-Frank Act at the Peterson Institute.  With the one-year anniversary last month of the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and ongoing concerns about the effectiveness of the liquidation process of both domestic and international banks, it is going to be a timely speech.

Below is a listing of all the other major regulatory related events this coming week:

U.S. Congressional Hearings

U.S. Senate

• Tuesday, April 9, 10:00 a.m. – The Senate Banking Committee holds a hearing to receive an update from the Treasury Department on Countering Illicit Finance, Terrorism, and Sanctions Evasion.  Deputy Secretary of Treasury Adewale Adeyemo will testify.

• Tuesday, April 9, 10:00 a.m. – The Senate Budget Committee will hold a hearing entitled “Sunny Places for Shady People: Offshore Tax Evasion by the Wealthy and Corporations."

• Wednesday, April 10, 2:30 p.m. – The Senate Banking Committee’s Economic Policy Subcommittee will hold a hearing entitled “MOHELA’s Performance as a Student Loan Servicer.”

House of Representatives

• Wednesday, April 10, 10:00 a.m. – The House Financial Services Committee holds a hearing entitled “Beyond Scope: How the SEC’s Climate Rule Threatens American Markets.”

US Regulatory Meetings & Events

Federal Reserve Board and Federal Reserve Banks

• Wednesday, April 10, 8:45 a.m. – Federal Reserve Board Governor Michelle W. Bowman will participate in a virtual discussion entitled “Basel Capital Requirements” at the European Bank Executive Forum.

• Thursday, April 11: The Urban Financial Services Coalition holds its 50th anniversary in Kansas City and hosted by the Reserve Bank of Kansas City.  Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank President Raphael Bostic will participate in a moderated panel entitled “Leadership in Financial Services.”

U.S. Treasury Department

• Monday, April 8, 12:00 a.m. Beijing time – U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet L. Yellen will hold a news conference on the U.S. and China bilateral economic relationship.

• Thursday, April 11, 1:00 p.m. – U.S. Undersecretary of Treasury for International Affairs Jay Shambaugh will speak at the Peterson Institute on “The US Vision for Global Debt and Development Finance.”

• Thursday, April 11, 1:30 p.m. – The Treasury Department’s Community Development Financial Institutions Fund holds a meeting of the Community Development Advisory Board to provide advice to the director of the Community Development Financial Institutions fund on the policies regarding the activities of the CDFI fund.

Securities and Exchange Commission

• Monday, April 8, 9:45 a.m. – SEC Chair Gary Gensler will participate in the “Whole of Government Approach to Competition Policy” panel as part of the third annual Enforcers Summit hosted by the Federal Trade Commission and the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. A webcast of the panel will be available. You can find HERE.

• Thursday, April 11, 2:00 p.m. – The SEC will hold a Closed Meeting.

Commodities Futures Trading Commission 

• Tuesday, April 9, 2:30 p.m. Hong Kong - Commissioner Caroline D. Pham will speak on a panel titled “The New World of Digital Assets” at HSBC’s Global Investment Summit, the Conrad Hotel Hong Kong.

• Wednesday, April 10, 12:00 p.m. CDT – The CFTC’s Energy and Environmental Markets Advisory Committee will meet in Kansas City at the University of Missouri – Kansas City.  The EEMAC will continue its discussion on the federal prudential financial regulators’ proposed rules implementing Basel III and the implications for and impact on the derivatives market. There will also be presentations and discussions on the state of crude oil markets and the future of power markets. Finally, the two EEMAC subcommittees will offer updates on their continued work related to traditional energy infrastructure and metals markets. 

• Wednesday, April 10, 9:00 a.m. ET – CFTC Commissioner Kristin N. Johnson will deliver the opening keynote at AI Civil Rights and Human Rights: Visioning the Future of Rights in AI Governance, an AI Civil and Human Rights Policy Roundtable and Book Workshop, in dialogue with Professor Catherine Powell, Senior Advisor at the White House Gender Policy Council. The discussion will be moderated by Charlton McIlwain, NYU Vice Provost for Faculty Development, Pathways & Public Interest Technology. The event is hosted by NYU’s Center for Critical Race & Digital Studies, the NYU Alliance for Public Interest Technology, New America’s Public Interest Technology University Network, and the Digital Democracy Lab at William & Mary Law School.

• Wednesday, April 10, 4:30 p.m. ET – CFTC Commissioner Christy Goldsmith Romero will speak at the Institute for Business in Global Society on Tackling the Challenges of Responsible AI at Harvard Business School in Boston, Massachusetts.

• Wednesday, April 10, 5:00 p.m. CT/6:00 p.m. ET – CFTC Chair Rostin Behnam will participate in a lecture at the University of Chicago Law School in Chicago, Illinois.

• Thursday, April 11, 9:30 a.m. CDT – The CFTC’s Agricultural Advisory Committee will meet in Overland Park, Kansas.

• Thursday & Friday, April 11-12 – The CFTC and the Center for Risk Management Education and Research at Kansas State University will host the 3rd Agricultural Commodity Futures Conference (AgCon2024).  The Conference will be held at the Sheraton Overland Park Hotel in Overland, Kansas.

FINRA

• There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

• Wednesday, April 10, 10:00 a.m. – FDIC Chair Marty Gruenberg will present a comprehensive update of how the FDIC has prepared for the orderly resolution of a GSIB under Title II of the Dodd-Frank Act.

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency

• There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

•  There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

National Credit Union Administration

• There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

Federal Trade Commission & Department of Justice Antitrust Division

• Monday, April 8, 9:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. ET – The Federal Trade Commission and the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division will cohost a Spring Enforcers Summit for international and state competition enforcement officials in Washington, D.C.   The event will begin with Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust Jonathan Kanter and FTC Chair Lina Kahn speaking about the 2021 Whole of Government Executive Order.    They will then turn to two panels focusing on Whole of government Approach to Competition Policy and “From Farmer to Grocer: Concerns in the Food Supply Chain.”

Farm Credit Administration

• Thursday, April 11, 10:00 a.m. – The FCA Board of Directors will meet in both open and closed session.  In closed session, the board will receive the Quarterly Report on Economic Conditions and Farm Credit System Conditions and Performance.

International Monetary Fund & World Bank 

• Thursday, April 11, 9:00 a.m. – IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva will give an address on the state of the global economy at the Atlantic Council in Washington, D.C.

Trade Associations & Think Tank Events

Trade Associations

• Tuesday, April 9, 8:00 a.m. - The Bitcoin Policy Summit will be held at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.

• Tuesday, April 9, 10:00 a.m. – The Institute for International Finance will hold (in Spanish) an online briefing entitled “U.S. Election Implications for Latin America.”

• Tuesday, April 9, 1:30 p.m. – The Institute for International Finance launches Chapter 3 of the International Monetary Fund’s April 2024 Global Financial Stability Report.  The event will be online and in person in Washington, D.C.

• Wednesday, April 10 – The Security Traders Association holds its 2024 Washington Spring Conference.   A number of members of Congress as well as senior SEC Staff will speak.

• Thursday, April 11, 8:00 a.m. ET – The Institute for International Finance hosts virtually “Talking Policy with Giuseppe Siani, Director General, Financial Supervision and Regulation, Banca D’Italia.”

Think Tanks

• Monday, April 8, 12:30 p.m. ET – The Brookings Institute holds a roundtable entitled “Wall Street Comes to Washington Health Care” at their Washington, D.C. headquarters.

• Tuesday, April 9 – 10 – The Aspen Institute holds its Employee Ownership Ideas Forum in Washington, D.C.  Sen. Chris Van Hollen, (D-Md.), participates in a discussion on "Hometown Ownership: The Impact of Employee Ownership in Rural Communities" and later  Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Chairman Bernie Sanders, (I-Vt.); and Alex Jacquez, special assistant to the president for economic development and industrial strategy at the National Economic Council, participate in a discussion on "Federal Agencies Supporting Employee Ownership."

• Wednesday, April 10, 10:00 a.m. – FDIC Chair Marty Gruenberg will present a comprehensive update of how the FDIC has prepared for the orderly resolution of a GSIB under Title II of the Dodd-Frank Act at the Peterson Institute for International Economics.

• Wednesday, April 10, 12: p.m. – The Federalist Society holds a panel discussion entitled “Navigating the Capital Adequacy Rule: Legal and Policy Perspectives” in Washington, D.C.  The panelists will include former Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Randy Quarles, former Secretary of Labor and Gibson Dunn Partner Eugene Scalia, Peter Conti-Brown, Professor of Financial Regulation, Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and Trent McCotter, Partner, Boyden Gray PLLC.

• Thursday, April 11, 9:00 a.m. – IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva will give an address on the state of the global economy at the Atlantic Council in Washington, D.C.

• Thursday, April 11, 9:00 a.m. – the Peterson Institute for International Economics will hold a discussion entitled “The Rise and Decline of Venture Capital in China.”  

• Thursday, April 11, 12:00 p.m. – U.S. News & World Report will hold a webinar entitled “Making Sense of the 2024 Housing Market During Spring Homebuying Season.”

• Thursday, April 11, 1:00 p.m. – U.S. Undersecretary of Treasury for International Affairs Jay Shambaugh will speak at the Peterson Institute on “The US Vision for Global Debt and Development Finance.”

Please let us know if you have any questions or would like to be added to our email distribution list.

U.S. Financial Regulatory Week Ahead

April 1 - 5, 2024

We hope everyone had a peaceful and enjoyable Easter. The coming week will be a very busy one as the annual “SEC Speaks” Conference, sponsored by the Practicing Law Institute, is held in Washington, D.C. Dozens of SEC officials will speak, beginning with SEC Chair Gary Gensler and SEC Commissioners Hester Pierce and Mark Uyeda. As with every SEC Speaks conference, there will be a lot of news about the SEC’s direction over the coming year.

But another conference in Washington this week may garner major headlines, too. The National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC) holds its Just Economy Conference 2024. All four banking regulators are speaking at the Conference  - Federal Reserve Board Vice Chair for Supervision Michael Barr, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Chair Marty Gruenberg, Acting Comptroller of the Currency Michael Hsu, and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Rohit Chopra. Considering that the NCRC has been lobbying against the Capital One/Discovery merger, you have to wonder if these four bank regulators  – all overseeing the review of the deal – are trying to send some message. 

Add to this the FDIC’s recent adoption of a proposal to effectively halt any bank merger in which one of the banks has more than $100 billion in assets—a proposal Gruenberg, Hsu, and Chopra voted in favor of—and you really start to wonder what they are thinking about the proposed merger.

Also, this coming week, a small army of Federal Reserve Board Governors and Federal Reserve Bank Presidents will be hitting the speaking circuit. Federal Reserve Board Governor Michelle W. Bowman will give an address entitled “Bank Mergers and Acquisitions, and De Novo Bank Formation: Implications for the Future of the Banking System”. At the same time, Boston Federal Reserve Bank President Susan Collins will speak on the implications to the financial stability of Stablecoins.

Congress is out of session this week and return the following week. Below is a listing of all the other significant regulatory-related events this coming week:

U.S. Congressional Hearings 

U.S. Senate

• The Senate is out of session this week.

House of Representatives

• The House is out of session this week.

US Regulatory Meetings & Events

Federal Reserve Board and Federal Reserve Banks

• Monday, April 1, 6:50 p.m. – Federal Reserve Board Governor Lisa D. Cook gives Acceptance Remarks At the Lifetime Achievement Awards Ceremony, Cook Center at Duke University, Washington, D.C.

• Tuesday, April 2, 10:10 a.m. – Federal Reserve Board Governor Michelle W. Bowman gives an address entitled “Bank Mergers and Acquisitions, and De Novo Bank Formation: Implications for the Future of the Banking System” at A Workshop on the Future of Banking hosted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City (Virtual).

• Tuesday, April 2, 12:30 p.m. CT / 1:30 p.m. ET—San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank President Mary Daly will participate in a hybrid fireside chat in partnership with the Henderson Chamber of Commerce, Latin Chamber of Commerce Nevada, and Vegas Chamber of Commerce.

• Wednesday, April 3, 9:45 a.m. – Federal Reserve Board Governor Michelle W. Bowman gives an address entitled “Bank Liquidity, Regulation, and the Fed’s Role as Lender of Last Resort” at the Committee on Capital Markets Regulation Roundtable on Lender of Last Resort, Washington, D.C.

• Wednesday, April 3, 11:00 a.m. CT / 12:00 p.m. ET – Chicago Federal Reserve Bank President Austan Goolsbee to give opening remarks before virtual Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago event entitled "Preventing Elder Financial Exploitation: Research, Policies, and Strategies.”

• Wednesday, April 3, 3:10 p.m. ET / 12:10 p.m. PST – Federal Reserve Board Chair Jerome H. Powell gives an address entitled “Economic Outlook” at the Stanford Business, Government, and Society Forum, Stanford, California

• Wednesday, April 3, 1:10 p.m. – Federal Reserve Board Vice Chair for Supervision Michael S. Barr participates in a discussion on  the Community Reinvestment Act at the Just Economy Conference 2024 in Washington, D.C.

• Wednesday, April 3, 4:30 p.m. – Federal Reserve Board Governor Adriana D. Kugler gives a speech entitled “The Outlook for the U.S. Economy and Monetary Policy” at the “Conversation with a Governor of the Federal Reserve Board” in St. Louis, Missouri.

• Thursday, April 4, 1:00 p.m. CT / 2:00 p.m. ET: Cleveland Federal Reserve Bank President Loretta Mester will participate in a conversation on the economic outlook before the virtual Global Interdependence Center Executive Briefing.

• Thursday, April 4, 6:20 p.m. CT / 7:20 p.m. ET—St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank President Alberto Musalem will give introductory remarks before the 2024 Women in Economics Symposium hosted by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.

• Thursday, April 4, 7:30 p.m. – Federal Reserve Board Governor Adriana D. Kugler gives a speech entitled “Enriching Data and Analysis in Economics with Real Life Experiences.” at the Women in Economics Symposium in St. Louis, Missouri.

• Friday, April 5, 7:30 a.m. CT / 8:30 a.m. ET—Boston Federal Reserve Bank President Susan Collins will give welcome remarks before the virtual Conference on the Financial Stability Implications of Stablecoins hosted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.

• Friday, 8:15 a.m. – Richmond Federal Reserve Bank President Thomas Barkin to speak before the Greater Baltimore Committee.  His speech is entitled "Pulse Check: The Scorecard Summit 2024.”

• Friday, April 5, 12:15 p.m. – Federal Reserve Board Governor Michelle W. Bowman gives a speech entitled “Risks and Uncertainty in Monetary Policy: Current & Past Considerations” at the Shadow Open Market Committee Spring Meeting in New York.

U.S. Treasury Department

• There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

Securities and Exchange Commission

• Tuesday, April 2, 8:45 a.m. – SEC Chair Gary Gensler will give an address at the Practicing Law Institutes’ “The SEC Speaks” Conference in Washington, D.C. 

• Tuesday, April 2, 10:25 a.m. – SEC Commissioner Hester Pierce will give remarks at the Practicing Law Institutes’ “The SEC Speaks” Conference in Washington, D.C. 

• Tuesday, April 2, 2:35 p.m. – SEC Commissioner Mark Uyeda gives remarks at the Practicing Law Institutes’ “The SEC Speaks” Conference in Washington, D.C. 

• Thursday, April 4, 2:00 p.m. – The SEC will hold a Closed Meeting.

Commodities Futures Trading Commission

• Thursday, April 4, 5:45 p.m. – CFTC Commissioner Christy Goldsmith Romero will speak to a class on Emerging Issues in U.S. Financial Services Regulation at the Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C.

• Friday, April 5, 12:00 p.m. – CFTC Commissioner Caroline D. Pham will receive the 2024 Belva Lockwood Award from The George Washington University Law School and Law Association for Women in Washington, D.C.

FINRA

• There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

• Thursday, April 4, 7:30 a.m. – FDIC Chair Marty Gruenberg will discuss financial services and inequality on a panel with Acting Comptroller of the Currency Michael Hsu at the National Community Reinvestment Coalition’s Just Economy Conference in Washington, D.C.

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency

• Thursday, April 4, 7:30 a.m. – Acting Comptroller of the Currency Michael J. Hsu will discuss financial services and inequality on a panel with FDIC Chair Marty Gruenberg at the National Community Reinvestment Coalition’s Just Economy Conference in Washington, D.C.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

• Wednesday, April 3, 3:45 p.m. – CFPB Director Rohit Chopra will give a speech at the Just Economy Conference 2024 in Washington, D.C.

• Thursday, April 4, 1:30 p.m. – CFPB Director Rohit Chopra speaks at the International Association of Privacy Professionals Global Privacy Summit in Washington, D.C.  His speech is entitled “ Unblurring the Lines: The Future of Financial Privacy.”

National Credit Union Administration

• There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

Federal Trade Commission & Department of Justice Antitrust Division

• Tuesday, April 2, 2:00 p.m. – The FTC’s Older Adults Advisory Group Meeting will convene to discuss better ways to identify and stop scams from impacting older adults.  A heavy focus will be on how the banking sector can do more to block such scams.

Farm Credit Administration

• There are no significant events scheduled at this time.

International Monetary Fund & World Bank

• Tuesday, April 2, 3:30 p.m. – IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva speaks at the Center for Global Development in Washington, D.C.

Trade Associations & Think Tank Events

Trade Associations

• Tuesday, April 2, 12:45 p.m. – The American Bar Association holds a virtual discussion on "Inside Crypto's Trial of the Century," focusing on the trial of FTX Founder Sam-Bankman Fried.

Think Tanks

• Tuesday, April 2, 9:00 a.m. – The Institute for International Finance holds an online session entitled “Examining the U.S. SEC Final Climate Disclosure Rule in an International Context.”  Former SEC Commissioner Elad Roisman will be among the speakers.

• Thursday, April 4, 1:30 p.m. – The Brooking Institution holds a discussion entitled “Why is private credit growing so fast? Is it a risk to financial stability?” both virtually and in person in Washington, D.C.  

Please let us know if you have any questions or would like to be added to our email distribution list.