SEC temporarily relaxes regulations for BDCs
The US Securities and Exchange Commission has provided business development companies with temporary relief in light of covid-19 - including the ability of BDCs, who are unable to satisfy asset coverage ratios, to use an alternative form of calculating leverage

Fed commits $600 billion to SMEs in Main Street Lending facility
The US Federal Reserve has committed to buy up to $600 billion in loans to small and medium-sized businessness through its Main Street Lending Programme. The programme will sit alongisde the existing Payroll Protection Program (PPP), a separate facility exclusively for small businesses 

Trade body asks US government to show it CARES about BDCs
The US federal stimulus maintains existing regulations that exempt portfolio companies from accessing the stiumulus funds. The Institutional Limited Partners Association wants to change that

Delay on derivatives phase five initial margin roll-out is vital, says Isda
Regulators must agree to delay the roll out of the next initial margin phase because of the coronavirus pandemic - and notify the market soon, the International Swaps and Derivatives Association has said in a letter signed by 21 trade associations

SEC relaxes borrowing rules for funds affected by covid-19
The US Securities and Exchange Commission has granted registered funds temporary relief and flexibility to borrow capital from affiliates and enter into lending arrangements as they address the impacts of covid-19 on their portfolios

Managers face ESG disclosure pressure under ‘ambitious and demanding’ EU regulations
New rules finalised by the European Union will shake up the way managers approach environmental, social and governance investing, sources say. The ambitious initiative is relevant for funds which have a specific ESG mandate — but will also be applicable to firms without an express ESG or sustainability focus.

BDCs feel squeeze on liquidity as SEC rejects plea for relief
Sources say that the chances of relief being granted to business development companies over the acquired fund fees and expenses (AFFE) rule are slim. Last month, industry body Coalition for Business Development stated optimistically that the “harm caused by the AFFE disclosure can be remedied in the final fund of funds rules”.

Credit event protocol goes into force with 60 extra sign-ups
The International Swaps & Derivatives Association is going live today with a protocol aimed at stamping out narrowly tailored credit events from the CDS market, having signed up 1,358 entities

Four days left to join narrowly tailored credit event protocol
Those market participants yet to sign up to the International Swaps & Derivatives Association’s protocol on narrowly tailored credit events have until Friday to do so

Deadline just hours away for CDS users to sign Isda protocol
Midday New York time is the cut-off for market participants to sign up to the International Swaps & Derivatives Association’s protocol aimed at stamping out narrowly tailored credit events from CDS

Over 1,200 sign up to CDS protocol
Plans to improve CDS market integrity have received a boost, with the International Swaps & Derivatives Association drawing a stronger than expected response to its protocol aimed at stamping out narrowly tailored credit events (NTCEs).

FisherBroyles hires derivatives and regulations specialist as partner
FisherBroyles, an Atlanta headquartered law firm, has hired derivatives and securities specialist Julian Hammar as a partner in its New York and Washington, DC offices

CDS traders get second extension on narrowly tailored credit event protocol
The International Swaps & Derivatives Association has extended for a second time the deadline for market participants to adhere to a protocol aimed at stamping out narrowly tailored credit events from the CDS market

Traders face Monday deadline for manufactured credit event protocol
Interested parties have until Monday to sign up to a protocol aimed at stamping out narrowly tailored credit events from the CDS market, with the International Swaps & Derivatives Association having given extensions on the original deadline

LCH and Ice prepare to battle it out over options clearing
A fully cleared market for CDS options is getting closer, with the two largest central clearing counterparties (CCPs) set to expand their services.

Narrowly tailored event protocol set to go live in weeks
Investors have until 14 October to sign up to an Isda protocol aimed at stamping out narrowly tailored credit events (NTCEs) from the CDS market.

Guidelines fail to assuage fears over loose reporting standards
The Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute’s new hedge fund reporting guidelines come into play next year, but some say they fall short of a much-needed overhaul.

Esma publishes final guidelines for alternative and Ucits fund liquidity stress-test
Fund managers have just over a year to comply with liquidity stress test final guidelines published yesterday by the European Securities and Markets Authority (Esma) for alternative investment funds (AIFs) and undertakings for the collective investment in transferable securities (Ucits)

LCH's French unit adds first Japanese clearing member
Mizuho has signed up as the first Japanese clearing member of LCH SA, the French clearing unit of London Stock Exchange-owned LCH Group

Big questions for CDS shorters as Isda protocol countdown begins
With only a month to go until the International Swaps & Derivatives Association rolls out its protocol for narrowly tailored credit events, big net buyers of CDS protection should think hard about both its value and maintaining liquidity, says law firm Kramer Levin

New EC fund rules could lead to ‘pre-pre-marketing’
The European Commission has approved a standardised concept of ‘pre-marketing’ in a move that could see more capital flow through the European Economic Area. The new definition of pre-marketing is meant to provide clarity, but some sources say that the amendments could be seen as an additional burden and lead to a concept of pre-pre-marketing.

Regulators delay final initial margin deadline and add extra roll-out phase
Regulators have granted a one-year reprieve to smaller counterparties from a requirement to post initial margin on derivative trades, while introducing an additional implementation phase. But while a relief for large numbers of firms struggling to meet the deadline, the concession still ignores calls from industry bodies to deploy a higher final capture threshold

Morgan Stanley becomes third bank in four months to join CDSClear
Morgan Stanley has signed up as a member of CDSClear at LCH SA

Ireland looks to tweak fund regulation in private debt push
Ireland has proposed several technical amendments to its regulated Irish Limited Partnership (ILP) as it tries to regain ground lost to Luxembourg.