Response Due to NFA by February 14, 2012 CPOs providing advice to commodity pools which used MF Global (MFG) as a FCM have faced a number of issues after the bankruptcy. As the NFA announced shortly after the bankruptcy, CPOs were responsible for alerting investors in the commodity pool about [...]

Trading Program Performance Presentation FAQs Managers registered with the CFTC as either CTAs or CPOs are required to file a disclosure document with the NFA for review by the NFA prior to using the documents to solicit clients/investors.  The disclosure documents are required to conform with certain NFA rules.  The [...]

NIBA Conference / CTA Expo 2011 – New York, April 20-21 The NIBA and the CTA Expo are having their New York event this week.  Both events have a number of good sponsors and speakers and provide members of the managed futures industry with a great opportunity to network.  Bart [...]

“Lite-Touch” Regulatory Approach for Certain CFTC Registrants In general, CFTC registered CPOs and CTAs must adhere to certain disclosure and reporting requirements as specified in the Commodity Exchange Act (“CEA”) and regulations thereunder.  However, some CFTC registered firms can operate under a “lite-touch” regulatory regime if the firm only provides [...]

Proposal to Rescind 4.13(a)(3) & 4.13(a)(4) CPO Exemptions Pursuant to rulemaking required under the Dodd-Frank Act, the CFTC is jointly proposing with the SEC that CPOs and CTAs which are dually registered (that is with the CFTC and as an investment adviser with the SEC) file certain information on a [...]

Bart Mallon Speaking at Chicago CTA Expo This year’s Chicago CTA Expo will again be held the same week as the FIA Expo and it will be a day after the NIBA Sales and Marketing Conference.  Bart Mallon of Mallon P.C. will be a speaker at the event.  The full [...]

As we discussed in an earlier post on NFA Annual Questionnaire, NFA Member Firms are required to complete the questionnaire on an annual basis.  The information helps the NFA in a variety of ways and the NFA encourages members to update their questionnaire on a regular basis, although firms are only [...]

Easy Step by Step Guide for NFA Member Firms NFA Member Firms are all required to complete a yearly self-examination checklist to ensure that the Member Firm is complying with all the NFA Rules (as well as the CFTC Regulations and other applicable laws).  The NFA has provided some resources [...]

Translating a Disclosure Document to Another Language is Fine NFA Member Firms are required to have their disclosure documents reviewed by the NFA generally before such firms can distribute the documents to potential investors.  One issue which sometimes arises is when the firm (generally either a CTA or CPO) has [...]

The term “eligible contract participant” is important with regard to managers who provide advice on futures and commodities investments (including off-exchange spot foreign currency or “forex”).  In general there are exemptions from various CTA, CPO and IB registration provisions for those managers who only provide advisory services to those clients [...]