The rise of social media has subjected business to an onslaught of consumer complaints ranging from serious allegations to mundane customer service grumbles. On a daily, even hourly basis, prudent companies assess and respond to complaints on sites like Twitter, Facebook, Yelp, Angie’s List, and thousands of others, including their own Websites. Thanks to a […]
Joe Mont
Posted inFrom the Archive
Issuers Will Pay Less for SEC Filing Fees in Fiscal Year 2014
After enduring a price spike last year, companies won’t have to shell out as much to the Securities and Exchange Commission for filing fees in the months ahead. The SEC has announced what companies will need to pay for fees in fiscal year 2014. Public companies and other issuers that register their securities will be […]
Posted inFrom the Archive
SEC Decides To Redraft Oil Extraction Rule, Foregoing Appeal
The Securities and Exchange Commission will not appeal a court ruling that undid rulemaking demanding the disclosure of payments made to governments by oil, gas, and mining companies for extraction rights. The SEC had until Sept. 2nd to appeal the District Court decision but declined to do so. Instead, it will take another stab at […]
Posted inFrom the Archive
Groups Keep Fighting Over Conflict Minerals and Mining Disclosure Rules
Business groups and activists are not giving up on their fights over two controversial requirements of the Dodd-Frank Act. One of those demands, requiring the disclosure of “conflict minerals” from the Congo, has already been met with rulemaking finalized by the Securities and Exchange Commission and upheld in court, despite a legal challenge. The Commission, […]
Posted inFrom the Archive
Nasdaq Blames System Overoload, Rival Exchange’s Traffic for Trading Halt
On Thursday afternoon, Nasdaq OMX offered an update on its internal review of the events leading to three-hour halt in trading on Aug. 22. It emphasized that high speed trading was not the cause. The preliminary internal review identified a combined series of technology-related events that caused the initial market problems and extended the shutdown. […]
Posted inRisk Management
Regulators Retreat from Earlier, Stricter ‘Risk Retention’ Proposal
A revised “risk retention rule” offered up by federal regulators this week would ease up on proposed requirements for mortgage lenders to maintain a financial stake in many of the the loans they securitize. The retreat ends, for now, a requirement that would have forced homebuyers to offer up at least a 20 percent down […]
Posted inRegulatory Enforcement
SEC Plans for New Disclosures on Private Offerings Draw Fire
When the Securities and Exchange Commission said it was lifting the ban on general solicitation and advertising of private securities offerings next month, the move was hailed as long overdue and a blessing for start-ups and their capital-hungry entrepreneurs. At least it was at first. The move—part of a JOBS Act initiative to make it […]
Posted inRegulatory Enforcement
New Breed of Regulations Won’t End With Conflict Minerals
When Congress included a demand for the disclosure of the use of “conflict minerals” throughout the supply chain in the Dodd-Frank Act—legislation primarily focused on banking reform—it took many companies by surprise. Maybe it shouldn’t have. For several years leading up to passage of the reform bill activist groups and shareholders continuously advocated for legislation […]
Posted inFrom the Archive
Business Group Has Concerns with SEC’s Cross-Border Swaps Plan
The heated controversy over proposed, international swap rules shows no signs of cooling. In a letter to the Securities and Exchange Commission, a business group that calls itself the Coalition for Derivatives End-Users has urged the commission to reconsider proposed rules that allow for cross-border application of the Dodd-Frank Act’s derivatives rules. “There is not […]
