Why the UK Can’t Count on Joining NAFTA as a Brexit Back-Up Plan

Reports today were released that the UK is angling joining NAFTA if Brexit negotiations break down as part of its planning for a “no deal” scenario.  According to the Telegraph: Joining Nafta would enable the UK to boost its trade with … Continue Reading

IMF Releases its Annual Report:  Global Productivity Continues to Lag, Fund Pushes for Greater Gender Equity in Workforce

The Fund has just released its annual report.  Noticeably, the Fund’s work has grown in recent years to take into account not only standard indicia of growth, but also 21st century concerns like gender and wealth inequality. Arguably the section … Continue Reading

Interdisciplinary Sovereign Debt Research and Management Conference Begins Today in Geneva

Best wishes to everyone attending the Second Annual Interdisciplinary Sovereign Debt Research and Management Conference today in Geneva!  IIEL is a proud cosponsor, and this year’s event is all the more timely–and relevant to practitioners and academics alike. Organised by … Continue Reading

Top Three Flashpoints for International Divergence in Financial Regulation, October Edition

Every month (until I forget to do so!), I think I’ll take a bit of time to think about likely “flash points” in international coordination.  There are quite a few, and I can imagine a number of honorable mentions (think … Continue Reading

US Trade Rep Lighthizer suggests renegotiation of Latin American trade agreements up next after NAFTA

US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer apparently made interesting news this week suggesting that after NAFTA, the rest of the South America could be set for a “modernization” of their relationship with the United States.  Inside Trade reports: Once the “NAFTA problem” is … Continue Reading

What Should One Expect of the SEC (and Everyone Else) after the Hack?

  The hack of the SEC’s Edgar system in September was, as I noted on twitter, not exactly unexpected for anyone who has interacted with it professionally.  That said, it has raised once again a number of longstanding industry concerns … Continue Reading

SEC Chairman Jay Clayton talks about the agency’s agenda at Brookings (Since I was a panelist, a couple of my thoughts)

Today I had the pleasure of commenting on Chairman Jay Clayton’s remarks at the Brookings Institute, along with Davis Polk’s Annette Nazareth, Sifma’s Ken Bentsen, and Nasdaq’s Thomas Witten. The video is here. My impressions: Chairman Clayton is nuanced, and … Continue Reading

IIEL Releases Confirmed Fintech Week Schedule

Updated Full Schedule via Fintech Week Website Space will be limited – RSVP Here In a world of rapidly evolving innovation and regulation, precious few opportunities are afforded market participants, regulators and academic thought-leaders to seriously discuss, discover, and debate … Continue Reading

Commissioner Bowen’s Farewell Address at IIEL

Sharon Bowen stopped by Georgetown’s IIEL today to deliver her farewell speech to faculty, students, regulators and the press.  Certainly, derivatives regulators had an extraordinary agenda during her term, which coincided with the overall implementation of not only the Dodd … Continue Reading

The CFTC regulates digital currencies, too, by the way

Attorneys on Davis Polk’s financial regulation blog highlighted yesterday a  CFTC  enforcement action brought “against the operators of an alleged Ponzi scheme who, according to the allegations, collected approximately $600,000 from 80 investors in a pooled fund to invest in bitcoin … Continue Reading