Exchange Traded Funds

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On December 19, 2018, the SEC released a set of rule proposals (the “Proposals”) intended to streamline the regulatory framework for fund-of-funds (“FOF”) arrangements under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”). Investment advisers managing FOFs should consider looking closely with counsel at the impact these Proposals could have on their businesses and compliance programs. They might also consider responding to the substantive comment requests included in the Proposals.

Recently, the Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations (“OCIE”) issued a Risk Alert (the “Alert”) identifying six categories of mutual funds and mutual fund advisers it plans to examine: (i) index funds tracking custom-built indexes; (ii) smaller and thinly-traded exchange traded funds (“ETFs”); (iii) funds with aberrational underperformance relative to their peers; (iv) funds with higher allocations to securitized assets; (v) advisers “new” to managing mutual funds; and (vi) advisers who also manage private funds with similar strategies or that share managers with the mutual funds. The Alert provides a list of practices, risk and conflicts for each specific type of fund, but also notes OCIE will also look at standard fund examination topics.

This post reviews the first three specific categories of funds identified in the Alert. A subsequent post will discuss the final three categories, general examination issues mentioned in the Alert and additional considerations for any exam.

The following post gives an overview of the portfolio holding disclosure requirements contained in proposed Rule 6c-11 (“ETF Rule”). As further set forth below, the SEC is proposing full transparency of portfolio holdings and is not proposing to permit non-transparent or partially transparent ETFs (although they did request comment on the subject).

On June 28, 2018, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) proposed a new rule for exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”). Proposed Rule 6c-11 (the “Proposed Rule”) would impose a more streamlined process for new ETFs, and create more standardized compliance requirements for existing ETFs. This is the first in a series of posts on the new Proposed Rule, its requirements, and next steps for the Proposed Rule.