Washington

The Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board's assets dropped by $8.5 million.

At issue is the so-called "public disclosure bar," which prevents a whistleblower from pursuing a lawsuit based on publicly available information.

An SEC advisory committee recommended allowing investment advisers affiliated with broker-dealers to offer and sell negotiated new issue muni bonds during the order period that the dealer also participates in.

Nonfarm payrolls gained a less-than-expected 145,000 in December, and the unemployment rate held at 3.5%. Slow wage growth suggests the economy will not overheat and the Fed can maintain rates.

While Fed officials repeated their contention that monetary policy is appropriate and rates can be held if the outlook remains as expected, the situation with Iran could cause preemptive cuts, one noted economist suggests.

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority released its annual Risk Monitoring and Examinations Priorities letter Thursday.

Dealer groups want the SEC to examine broker-dealers and municipal advisors equally.

In the wake of the recent U.S. attack on an Iranian general, U.S. financial institutions are preparing to defend against potential cyberattacks.

The Financial Accounting Foundation abandoned its tradition of selecting a state auditor to chair the Governmental Accounting Standards Board.

Some smaller firms are deciding to qualify more than half of their municipal advisor principals as a sort of backup plan.