I don't you we have much to worry about, Don.
http://blogs.wsj.com/marketbeat/2010/03/15/proprietary-trading-finally-a-definiton/
Hereâs how prop trading is defined in the 1,300-plus page Dodd regulatory bill unveiled Monday:
(2) the term ââproprietary tradingâââ
14 (A) means purchasing or selling, or other wise acquiring and disposing of, stocks, bonds, options, commodities, derivatives, or other financial instruments by an insured depository institution, a company that controls an insured 19 depository institution or is treated as a bank holding company for purposes of the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 (12 U.S.C. 1841 et seq.), and any subsidiary of such institution or company, for the trading book of such institution, company, or subsidiary; and does not include purchasing or selling, or otherwise acquiring and disposing of, stocks, bonds, options, commodities, derivatives, or other financial instruments on behalf of a customer, as part of market making activities, or otherwise in connection with or in facilitation of customer relationships, including hedging activities related to such a purchase, sale, acquisition, or disposal â¦
There, that wasnât so hard was it? Of course, where thereâs a rule, thereâs usually
Quote from Don Bright:
I don't think it's more than a 50/50 right now. I think (no one knows for sure) that our people would either be exempt from the retail category, and that leaves a "possible" different determination. My GS legal people have been pretty sure about all this, but anything can happen I guess. Not to worried right now.
Don