Strategic Goal One—Ensure the economic vitality of the commodity futures and option markets.
Table Of Contents
In order for commodity futures and option markets to fulfill their vital role in the national and global economy, they must operate efficiently, accurately reflect the forces of supply and demand, and serve market users by fulfilling an economic need. Through direct market surveillance and through oversight of the surveillance efforts of the exchanges themselves, the Commission works to ensure that markets operate free of manipulation or congestion.
The heart of the Commission’s direct market surveillance is a large-trader reporting system, under which clearing members of exchanges, futures commission merchants (FCMs), and foreign brokers electronically file daily reports with the Commission. These reports show all trader positions above specific reporting levels set by CFTC regulations. Because a trader may carry futures positions through more than one FCM and a customer may control more than one account, the Commission routinely collects information that enables its surveillance staff to aggregate information across FCMs and for related accounts.
Using these reports, the Commission’s surveillance staff closely monitor the futures and option market activity of all traders whose positions are large enough to potentially impact the orderly operation of a market. For contracts, which at expiration are settled through physical delivery, such as contracts in the energy complex, staff carefully analyze the adequacy of potential deliverable supply.
In addition, staff monitor futures and cash markets for unusual movements in price relationships, such as cash/futures basis relationships and inter-temporal futures spread relationships, which often provide early indications of a potential problem.
The Commissioners and senior staff are kept apprised of market events and potential problems at weekly surveillance meetings and more frequently when needed. At these meetings, surveillance staff brief the Commission on broad economic and financial developments and on specific market developments in futures and option markets of particular concern.
If indications of attempted manipulation are found, the Commission investigates and prosecutes alleged violations of the Act or regulations. Subject to such actions are all individuals who are or should be registered with the Commission, those who engage in trading on any domestic exchange, and those who improperly market commodity futures or option contracts. The Commission has available to it a variety of administrative sanctions against wrongdoers, including revocation or suspension of registration, prohibitions on futures trading, cease and desist orders, civil monetary penalties, and restitution orders. The Commission may seek Federal court injunctions, restraining orders, asset freezes, receiver appointments, and disgorgement orders. If evidence of criminal activity is found, matters may be referred to state authorities or the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) for prosecution of violations not only of the Act, but also of state or Federal criminal statutes, such as mail fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy. Over the years, the Commission has brought numerous enforcement actions and imposed sanctions against firms and individual traders for attempting to manipulate prices, including the well-publicized attempted manipulation cases by several energy companies and the market power manipulation of worldwide copper prices.
Outcomes for Strategic Goal One are:
- Markets that accurately reflect the forces of supply and demand for the underlying commodity and are free of disruptive activity.
- Markets that are monitored effectively and efficiently so that the Commission receives early warning of potential problems or issues that could adversely affect their economic vitality.