The SEC approved a national securities exchange’s proposal to extend trading hours to 22 hours a day, five days a week. The approval means that stock exchanges will become more like casinos. Retail investors will be induced to engage in risky behavior in the middle of the night. Retail investors will also be induced to trade when there is little liquidity and worse prices.

Read Better Markets’ statement: SEC’s Approval of Overnight Trading Will Make the Gambling Addiction Epidemic Worse and Harm Retail Investors

The SEC issued guidance making it harder for owners/investors such as large index funds to engage with companies. The guidance prevents investors from advocating for better management and increased transparency on issues like executive compensation and ESG practices.

The SEC agreed to pause its case against Binance. The SEC has surrendered to the crypto industry.

Better Markets Fact Sheet: Having Won Almost 100% of Its Cases Against the Crypto Industry, the SEC Baselessly Surrenders

New CFPB leadership signals its intent to dismantle the CFPB, this time by cancelling over $100 Million worth of agency contracts.

The SEC issued an exemptive order providing that the consolidated audit trail (CAT) will no longer be required to collect the names, addresses, and years of birth for most natural persons.

The exemptive order means that it will be harder for the SEC to detect misconduct and identify the perpetrators.

Read Better Markets’ statement here.

New CFPB leadership signals its intent to dismantle the CFPB by freezing the vast majority of work at the agency.