Last year, Cboe launched a campaign called "Life is Better With Options," a play on words that references the company's role in pioneering options trading. The campaign focuses on the idea that options can create opportunity and variety, in life as well as investing. Cboe's products is also making new inroads into prediction markets with a framework based on traditional financial markets. The first prediction-market product will launch in June. 

On April 29, FIF submitted a letter to the SEC with comments and questions in response to the Rule 605 FAQs and exemptive order published by the SEC on April 1. FIF would like to thank the members of the Rule 605 Working Group for their contributions in the drafting of this letter.

On April 28, FIF submitted a letter to CAT LLC prioritizing previously submitted recommendations. FIF would like to thank the members of FIF CAT Transaction Reporting and Reference Database Working Groups for their contributions in the drafting of this letter.

The Rule 605 Working Group will have its next call on Monday May 4 at 2 pm ET. The Working Group will continue its discussion of issues and questions relating to the Rule 605 amendments that will take effect on August 1.

FIF has scheduled two calls for the CAT Transaction Reporting and CAT Reference Database Working Groups for this week. The first call will be on Tuesday May 5 at 1 pm ET and will focus on the sections of the CAT Concept Release relating to CAT Design and Scope. The second call will be on Wednesday May 6 at 2 pm ET and will focus on the sections of the CAT Concept Release relating to the replacement of EBS with a request and response system.

The next call for the TRACE / RTRS Working Group will be on Tuesday May 5 at 3 pm ET. The Working Group will discuss (i) a recent call with the MSRB relating to direct reporting of munis, (ii) a recent rule filing by FINRA to expand the TRACE affiliate indicator to cover transactions with affiliated broker-dealers, and (iii) reporting of the Series (.S) modifier.

FIF has scheduled a joint call for the SEC FINRA Regulations Working Group and the Compliance and Surveillance Working Group for Wednesday May 6 at 11 am ET. The Workings Groups will review an updated Regulatory Implementations Presentation and Calendar, including updates on the following topics: Reg NMS minimum quote increments and access fee caps; expansion of exchange trading hours; TRF extended hours; Section 31 fees; FINRA margin rule amendments; Consolidated Audit Trail; Rule 605 amendments; new equity and options exchanges and new clearing agencies; OPRA Dynamic Load Rebalancing;...

The CAT Monthly Update Working Group call for May will be on Thursday May 7 at 2 pm ET. The Working Group will review guidance and updates from CAT LLC and FINRA CAT during the prior month. The Working Group will also review the current areas of focus for FIF members and the current open issues relating to CAT reporting.

FIF has scheduled a joint call for the Short Sales / Reg SHO / Short Reporting Working Group and the Compliance and Surveillance Working Group for Monday May 11 at 2 pm ET. The Working Groups will discuss (i) the SEC’s approval of amendments to FINRA’s margin rules (FINRA Rule 4210), (ii) the rule filing by FINRA to amend Short Interest Reporting (FINRA Rule 4560; proposed FINRA Rule 4321).