I’m sure that many of us in the futures industry are happy to see 2011 fade into the past. The MF Global failure and bankruptcy has caused much suffering and hardship for both brokers and clients alike. Unresolved issues surrounding the sovereign debt crisis and bank deleveraging along with and an increasing burdensome regulatory climate added to a challenging year. However, the new-year welcomes us with the same overhanging issues and specter of uncertainty and more challenging times ahead. It is at times such as this that the light shines bright on the benefits of your membership in the NIBA.…...
Chairman’s Message | January 2012
Dear Members – With this issue, we are resuming our normal publication schedule of the NIBA Journal. The concerns surrounding the MF Global failure are far from over, and many NIBA members are still reeling from the abrupt transfer of their business and adjusting to new FCMs. NIBA will continue to fight for the rights of our members. During the first week of January, NIBA’s legal counsel called upon the MFG trustee to release the commission runs generated for October, 2011. We knew the runs were produced, but the trustee refused to distribute them. That caused reporting problems for many…...
Chairman’s Message | October 2011
Dear Members – Have you ever needed to talk to an attorney who knows what a “GIB” is? Would you like to know an accountant who can read a client account statement which includes options and forex positions? Look no further than the NIBA Service Providers Directory. The new Service Providers Directory is posted at http://theniba.com/association/ServiceProviders.aspx. It includes attorneys, accountants, publications, market information companies and others who have specific knowledge of the financial industry. These professionals have real, longtime experience in the business, and speak our language. Many companies listed offer discounts or special incentives to NIBA members. The directory…...
Chairman’s Message | September 2011
Dear NIBA Members – Over 190 members attended the NIBA membership meeting last week in Chicago. Thanks to all our sponsors and speakers for making this another successful NIBA event. To continue the conversation with any of the speakers, just go to our conference page and click on an email address. I am always impressed with the people at our meetings. Of course the speakers are great. They are prepared, topical and deliver terrific ideas to help you increase business the minute you leave the meeting. But it is the members themselves that really impress me. In 20 years at…...
Chairman’s Message | August 2011
Dear NIBA Member: On August 8, 2011, the Association filed a comment letter relating to the Proposed Amendment to CFTC Regulation 1.35(a). This proposed amendment goes beyond the NFA Rule which requires firms with a certain number of disciplined APs to record conversations with clients. The CFTC proposal would require every IB to record all oral and written communications with a client or potential client which lead to a transaction. After receiving member comments, the NIBA Board of Directors filed our Association comment letter vigorously opposing the proposed amendment. You can view the comment at http://comments.cftc.gov. Look for the comments…...
Save the Date | NIBA Conference April 18, 2012 – New York
April 18, 2012 Location: NYMEX Building, NYC 1 N End Ave. New York, NY 10282 » Directions Save the date for the NIBA 2012 New York Conference, April 18, 2012. More information coming soon! We look forward to seeing you there!...
Chairman’s Message | July 2011
Dear NIBA Members – Did you know that the NIBA Online Directory is the go-to site for customers looking for a broker? Traffic to the NIBA website comes from search engine such as Google and from social media sites including LinkedIn. The site is well optimized and has a high quality score which translates into good visibility for your firm. Participation in the NIBA Directory gives every member a presence on the Internet without the cost of developing and administrating an individual site. If your firm already has exposure on the Internet, a listing on the NIBA site links potential…...
Chairman’s Message | June 2011
Dear NIBA Members and Supports, Year 2011 marks the 20th Anniversary of the NIBA. Since 1991 we have held over 35 membership meetings. Every meeting is planned with input from our members, which includes suggestions for topics and speakers. The number one topic suggested is a discussion and update of CFTC and NFA rules and regulations. Most IBs and CTAs feel they get little, if any, advanced warning from their clearing FCMs and others when rules which affect their business are changed or enacted. Even those IBs and CTAs who regularly check the agencies’ websites, generally have to sort through…...
NIBA Announcement | Three New Board Members
The NIBA announces the appointment of three Board Members effective May 15, 2011. Rodney Dow | President, The Dow Corporation, IIB located in Garrison, NY. Prior to founding The Dow Corp. in 1995, Mr. Dow established an FCM for CitiBank, the first of its kind to trade exclusively energy futures and options. He was a member of NYMEX for 14 years, and currently consults for energy markets, is a registered CTA in addition to the IIB registration and serves as a public member on the business conduct committee for the CME Group. The Dow Corp. has several clearing arrangements and…...
American Association of Professional Technical Analysts 2011 Conference
April 8-9, 2011 In the mood for an intense, thought provoking two full days focused on technical analysis? You’ll find that and much more at the American Association of Professional Technical Analysts 2011 conference April 8th and 9th in Marina del Rey, California. To make the most of your networking time with more than 100 attendees from all fields of Technical Analysis, plan to arrive on the 7th and depart on the 10th. The cost for the entire conference is $425. But for various 1 day and companion pricing options please go to the www.aapta.com web site and click on…...