Public PolicyRSS

  • July 28, 2009

    CFTC Chief Backs Position Limits On Energy Futures

    The head of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission on Tuesday reiterated a call to limit trading and take other measures to clamp down on excessive speculation in energy markets, including possibly changing rules that allow companies to hedge purely financial risks with energy futures.

  • July 28, 2009

    Auto Task Force Chief Defines Post-Bankruptcy Goals

    The new head of the Obama administration's auto task force told a Detroit audience that, now that General Motors Corp. and Chrysler Group LLC have emerged from bankruptcy, the government's new goals are to protect taxpayers' investment while exiting the auto business as soon as possible.

  • July 28, 2009

    DC Circ. Rules Against Milk Producers In Pricing Spat

    A federal appeals court has affirmed the denial of an injunction sought by dairy producers in an effort to stop the secretary of agriculture from lowering minimum payments processors and distributors must pay for milk, but has also ruled that the producers have standing to challenge the rule.

  • July 28, 2009

    Japan Targets Qualcomm With Antitrust Order

    Japan's Fair Trade Commission has sent a draft order to wireless chipset manufacturer Qualcomm Inc., accusing the company of unfair business practices in its patent-licensing agreements with Japanese companies.

  • July 28, 2009

    Merrill, UBS Fined Over Closed-End Fund Sales

    The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority has fined Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith Inc. and UBS Financial Services Inc. a combined $250,000 related to what the self-regulatory organization called unsuitable short-term sales of closed-end funds purchased at the funds' initial public offerings.

  • July 28, 2009

    Experts Debate Federal Insurance Charter In Senate

    A panel of insurance academics and analysts debated the merits of a federal charter for insurers during a U.S. Senate Banking Committee hearing Tuesday, questioning whether businesses and consumers might benefit from a two-tier system with separate roles for state and national regulators.

  • July 28, 2009

    Okla. Utility Wins $100M For Union Pacific Overcharge

    The U.S. Department of Transportation's Surface Transportation Board has granted Oklahoma Gas & Electric Co. $100 million in rate relief and reparations over the next decade from Union Pacific Railroad Co., finding that the rail carrier miscalculated the amount it charged OG&E for coal shipments.

  • July 27, 2009

    Tafas V. Doll Could Become Moot: USPTO, GSK, Tafas

    Tafas v. Doll should be put on hold pending the confirmation of a new director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, both sides have said in a motion to stay the appeals court dispute over new USPTO rules.

  • July 27, 2009

    P&G Challenges Duties On Citric Acid Imports

    Procter & Gamble Co. is fighting to overturn a recent U.S. International Trade Commission ruling that led to anti-dumping and countervailing duties on imports of citric acid and citrate salts from Canada and China.

  • July 27, 2009

    SEC Makes Naked Short-Selling Rule Permanent

    An emergency rule aimed at curbing abusive short-selling is now permanent, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission announced Monday.

  • July 27, 2009

    Kohl Demands Close Scrutiny Of Live Nation Deal

    Sen. Herb Kohl, D-Wis., has urged the U.S. Department of Justice to take a close look at the $2.5 billion proposed merger between Ticketmaster Entertainment Inc. and concert promoter Live Nation Inc., saying that the deal raises serious competition concerns.

  • July 27, 2009

    Schumer Urges SEC To Look Into Flash Trading

    Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., is reportedly pushing the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to investigate flash trading, through which certain stock exchanges can give traders a split-second advantage by offering a brief look at trading orders before they are made available to the public.

  • July 27, 2009

    Crisis Sparks Jump In Trade Remedy Cases: Report

    Countries are increasingly resorting to protectionist trade strategies in the wake of the global economic crisis, turning to trade remedy cases as a response to pressure from domestic industries seeking a way to shield themselves from import competition, according to a new study.

  • July 27, 2009

    ITC Votes To Pursue Chinese Wire Decking Probe

    The U.S. International Trade Commission has given the green light for the Department of Commerce to continue its probe into unfair pricing practices of wire decking from China, marking the commission's fourth approval in July of countervailing and anti-dumping duty investigations into Chinese imports.

  • July 27, 2009

    House Bill Calls For Truth In 'Trans Fat-Free' Labeling

    Foods containing less than 0.5 grams of trans fats — but more than zero — could be required to swap out their “trans fat-free” labels for an asterisk indicating trace amounts of the substance, under a bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. Steve Israel, D-N.Y.

  • July 24, 2009

    NLRB Finds ALPA Charge Has Merit: Staff Union

    The National Labor Relations Board's general counsel has found that claims that the management of the Air Line Pilots Association failed to bargain with its staff in good faith have merit, according to the union representing professional and administrative employees at ALPA.

  • July 24, 2009

    Microsoft Browser Choice May Allay EU Antitrust Fears

    Microsoft Corp. has proposed a modification to its Windows operating system to allow users a greater choice of competing Internet browsers as a solution to a pending European Union product-tying antitrust case, the European Commission said Friday.

  • July 24, 2009

    China Issues New Monopoly Rules For Financial Cos.

    Enhancing China's relatively new antitrust regulatory regime, the country's banking and competition officials have announced new rules regarding financial and insurance companies, setting triggering thresholds for the review of mergers in the industry by the government.

  • July 24, 2009

    Say-On-Pay Bill Headed To House Floor: Rep. Frank

    Legislation designed to tamp down on executive pay practices will probably reach the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives on Friday, according to House Financial Services Committee Chairman Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass.

  • July 24, 2009

    DOL Should Up ERISA Fund Guidance: Attys

    Two Seyfarth Shaw LLP partners have recommended that the U.S. Department of Labor refine its guidance on stable value funds so that Employee Retirement Income Security Act plan fiduciaries can better monitor and educate participants.