The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Seeks Public Comment to Assist in Study on Assigned Credit Ratings
| Date Published | 5/11/2011 |
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The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission yesterday published on its
website a request for public comment on the feasibility of a system in
which a public or private utility or a self-regulatory organization would assign
a nationally recognized statistical rating organization (NRSRO) to determine
credit ratings for structured finance products.
Section 939F of the Dodd-Frank Act directs the SEC to study the credit rating
process for structured finance products and the conflicts associated with the
“issuer-pay” and the “subscriber-pay” models.
Dodd-Frank also requires the SEC to study the feasibility of establishing a
system in which a public or private utility or a self-regulatory organization
assigns NRSROs to determine the credit ratings for structured finance
products.
In addition, the study must address the range of metrics that could be used
to determine the accuracy of credit ratings for structured finance products, and
alternative means for compensating NRSROs that would create incentives for
accurate credit ratings for structured finance products.
The SEC is required to submit the findings of the study to
Congress along with any recommendations for regulatory or statutory changes that
the Commission determines should be made by July 21, 2012.