The SEC will be closed Thursday, December 24 and Friday, December 25 due to the closure of the federal government on these two days. The EDGAR System will not receive, process, or accept filings on either of these days. Filings with a due date of December 24 or December 25 will be considered timely if filed on or before December 28, which is the SEC’s next business day.
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On December 17, 2020, the SEC voted to approve the 2021 budget of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) and the associated annual accounting support fee. The PCAOB monitors the audits and auditors of the financial statements that are submitted by registered broker-dealers and issuers. Section 109 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 requires the PCAOB to establish, with SEC approval, a reasonable accounting support fee to fund its operations. Continue reading "SEC Releases PCAOB Budget and Accounting..." »

On December 17, 2020, the FERC established a new index level to calculate annual changes for interstate oil pipeline rate ceilings. This index level adjustment comes after the FERC concluded its fifth five-year review of the index under Order No. 561. In addition, the FERC reviewed comments responding to a Notice of Inquiry (NOI) issued June 18, 2020 and examined the page 700 data from FERC Form No. 6, Annual Report of Oil Pipeline Companies. The FERC has set this new index level of Producer Price Index for Finished Goods plus 0.78 percent (PPI-FG+0.78%) for the five-year period from July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2026. Continue reading "FERC Releases New Five-Year Index Level for..." »

On December 22, 2020, the SEC and the Commissione Nazionale per le Società e la Borsa (CONSOB) announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The MOU concerns consultation, cooperation, and the exchange of information between the two agencies regarding the supervision of regulated entities that conduct financial services business in the United States, Italy, or both countries. Continue reading "SEC Establishes New Supervisory Cooperation..." »

On December 17, 2020, the FERC acted on two proposals to revise its policy that guides price indices referenced in natural gas and electric tariffs. Natural gas price indices are weighted average prices derived from sets of fixed-price natural gas transactions within distinct geographical boundaries. Market participants voluntarily report these prices to a price index developer. In both the physical and financial energy markets, natural gas price indices are essential as they help price billions of dollars of natural gas and electricity transactions annually. Continue reading "FERC Proposes Changes to Price Indices Policy" »

The SEC announced on December 18, 2020 that it is creating a new collaborative venture called the Security-Based Swaps (SBS) Joint Venture. This venture joins several SEC divisions and offices and will be responsible for coordinating functions related to the regulation of security-based swaps and oversight of certain entities that will be required to register with the SEC (SBS entities). The SBS Joint Venture will be an important part of the SEC’s efforts to oversee the SBS market and better monitor SBS transaction data. Continue reading "SEC Announces the Creation of the..." »