Contents:
1. Federal Reserve Board Adopts, proposes merchant banking and non-financial investment regulations.
2. RU.S., EU reach "Safe Harbour" agreement on personal data transfers.
Federal Reserve Board Adopts, Proposes Merchant Banking And Non-financial Investment Regulations
The Federal Reserve Board ("Board") has adopted on an interim basis under the Bank Holding Company Act ("BHCA"), as amended by the Gramm-Leach-Bliley (financial modernisation) Act, rules governing merchant banking investments by financial holding companies under new subsection 4(k)(4)(H) of the BHCA, and has proposed for comment regulatory capital requirements governing merchant banking and other equity and debt investments by banking organisations. These actions will have a significant impact on the equity and debt investment activities of many banking organisations, and will present important issues and opportunities for regulated financial institutions.