CME/COMEX Grant JPM Temporary Waiver for Reporting Positions Exceeding Speculative Limits

The CME, NYMEX, and COMEX have issued a temporary waiver of the requirement that market participants file an updated application in order to exceed speculative position limits.   The CME announced they have waived the reporting requirements through May 31st, 2012.
Has The Morgue just been given a green light on a gold/silver manipulation frenzy until May 31st 2012 in order to allow the shorts ample opportunity to extricate themselves from their 15 million ounce short silver position?

And for those needing a refresher on Rule 559:

CME Rulebook Chapter 5. Trading Qualifications and Practices
Rule 559. POSITION LIMITS AND EXEMPTIONS

The position limit levels applicable to those contracts with position limits are set forth in the Position Limit, Position Accountability and Reportable Level Table (“Table”) in the Interpretations Section at the end of Chapter 5.
A person seeking an exemption from position limits must apply to the Market Regulation Department on forms provided by the Exchange. In order to obtain an exemption from position limits, a person must:
1. Provide a description of the exemption sought, including whether the exemption is for bona fide hedging positions as defined in CFTC Regulation §1.3(z)(1), risk management positions or arbitrage/spread positions;
2. Provide a complete and accurate explanation of the underlying exposure related to the exemption request;
3. Agree to promptly provide, upon request by the Market Regulation Department, information or documentation regarding the person’s financial condition;
4. RESERVED
5. Agree to comply with all terms, conditions or limitations imposed by the Market Regulation Department with respect to the exemption;
6. Agree that the Market Regulation Department may, for cause, modify or revoke the exemption at any time;
7. Agree to initiate and liquidate positions in an orderly manner;
8. Agree to comply with all Exchange rules; and
9. Agree to promptly submit a supplemental statement to the Market Regulation Department whenever there is a material change to the information provided in the most recent application.
A person intending to exceed position limits, including limits established pursuant to a previously approved exemption, must file the required application and receive approval from the Market Regulation Department prior to exceeding such limits. However, a person who establishes an exemption-eligible position in excess of position limits and files the required application with the Market Regulation Department shall not be in violation of this rule provided the filing occurs within one (1) business day after assuming the position except in circumstances where the Market Regulation Department has expressly approved a later filing which may not exceed five (5) business days. In the event the positions in excess of the limits are not deemed to be exemption-eligible, the applicant and clearing firm will be in violation of speculative limits for the period of time in which the excess positions remained open.
The Market Regulation Department shall, on the basis of the application and any requested supplemental information, determine whether an exemption from position limits shall be granted. The Market Regulation Department may approve, deny, condition or limit any exemption request based on factors deemed by the Department to be relevant, including, but not limited to, the applicant's business needs and financial status, as well as whether the positions can be established and liquidated in an orderly manner given characteristics of the market for which the exemption is sought.
Nothing in this rule shall in any way limit (i) the authority of the Exchange to take emergency action; or (ii) the authority of the Market Regulation Department to review at any time the positions owned or controlled by any person and to direct that such position be reduced to the position limit provided for in the Table.
A person who has received written authorization from the Market Regulation Department to exceed position limits must annually file an updated application not later than one year following the approval date of the most recent application. Failure to file an updated application will result in expiration of the exemption.

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559.A. Bona Fide Hedging Positions
The Market Regulation Department may grant exemptions from position limits for bona fide hedge positions as defined by CFTC Regulation §1.3(z)(1).
Approved bona fide hedgers may be exempted from emergency orders that reduce position limits or restrict trading.

559.B. Risk Management Positions

The Market Regulation Department may grant exemptions from the position limits for risk management positions. For the purposes of this rule, risk management positions are defined as futures and options positions which are held by or on behalf of an entity or an affiliate of an entity which typically buys, sells or holds positions in the underlying cash market, a related cash market, or a related over-the-counter market and for which the underlying market has a high degree of demonstrated liquidity relative to the size of the positions and where there exist opportunities for arbitrage which provide a close linkage between the futures or options market and the underlying market in question. Exemptions related to indexed positions in the over-the-counter market may include corresponding commodity index-based futures and options and/or individual commodity futures and options used as components in replicating an index.

559.C. Arbitrage and Spread Positions
The Market Regulation Department may grant exemptions from the position limits for arbitrage, intracommodity spread, intercommodity spread, and eligible option/option or option/futures spread positions.

559.D. Aggregation of Positions
1. Positions to be Aggregated - The position limits in the Table shall apply to all positions in accounts for which a person by power of attorney or otherwise directly or indirectly owns the positions or controls the trading of the positions. The position limits in the Table shall also apply to positions held by two or more persons acting pursuant to an expressed or implied agreement or understanding, the same as if the positions were held by, or the trading of the positions was done by, a single person.
2. Ownership of Accounts – Except as set forth in Section E. below, any person holding positions in more than one account, or holding accounts or positions in which the person by power of attorney or otherwise directly or indirectly has a 10% or greater ownership or equity interest, must aggregate all such accounts or positions unless such person is a limited partner, shareholder, member of a limited liability company, beneficiary of a trust or similar type of pool participant in a commodity pool. The foregoing exception for pool participants shall not apply if the person is a commodity pool operator, controls the commodity pool’s trading decisions, or has an ownership or equity interest of 25% or more in a commodity pool whose operator is exempt from registration with the CFTC.

559.E. Limited Exceptions to Aggregation for Independently Controlled Positions
Positions carried for an eligible entity as defined in CFTC Regulation §150.1(d) in the separate account or accounts of independent account controllers as defined in CFTC Regulation §150.1(e) shall not be aggregated for position limit purposes provided that the positions are not held in the spot month during such time that a spot month position limit is applicable. If an independent account controller is affiliated with the eligible entity or another independent account controller, each of the affiliated entities must comply with the requirements set forth in CFTC Regulation §150.3(4)(i)(A-D).
Positions held by futures commission merchants or their separately organized affiliates in customer discretionary accounts or in guided account programs shall not be aggregated for position limit purposes provided that the accounts are controlled by independent traders and meet the standards set forth in CFTC Regulation §150.4(d).
Any person claiming an exemption from position limits under this Section must, upon request by the Market Regulation Department, provide any information deemed necessary to support the exemption.

559.F. Violations
Violations of position limits and approved exemption limits are subject to the provisions of Rule 562. 

Source: CME