To comply with changing international privacy requirements, ICI informs its visitors that we use cookies on our web site. ICI only uses cookies to allow subscribers and members to more easily use our site and to record site utilization. No personal or private information is gathered or stored. More details, including how to disable cookies, can be found on our privacy and cookie policy page. If you disable cookies, you will see this message on future visits to our site. Please click the enable button to consent to accepting cookies.
  • ICI Global
  • Independent Director's Council
Sign In  |  Forgot Password?
Advanced | Tips
  • Home
  • Policy Priorities
    • Fund Regulation
    • Retirement Security
    • Trading & Markets
    • Fund Governance
    • Taxes
    • ICI Comment Letters
  • Research & Statistics
    • Industry Research
    • Investor Research
    • Retirement Research
    • Statistics
  • Government Affairs
    • Financial Services
    • Retirement Security
    • Tax
    • Testimony
  • Industry Operations
    • Fund Accounting, Financial Reporting, and Valuation
    • Fund Distribution, Fund Clearance, and Settlement
    • Operations, Transfer Agent Servicing, and Recordkeeping
    • Portfolio Security Operations
    • Resource Centers
    • Technology, Business Continuity, and Information Security
  • News & Media
    • Media Contacts
    • News Releases
    • Blog: ICI Viewpoints
    • Speeches & Commentaries
    • Opinions & Responses
    • Videos
    • Podcasts
  • Publications & Resources
    • Resource Centers
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Fact Books
    • Research Publications
    • White Papers
    • Annual Reports
  • Events
    • ICI Events
    • ICI Global Events
    • IDC Events
    • Past Event Highlights
    • Sponsorship Opportunities
    • Event Contacts
  • About ICI
    • Mission & History
    • Board & Leadership
    • Membership
    • Annual Reports
    • ICI Education Foundation
    • Business Continuity
    • Careers
    • Contact Us

TOPICS

401(k)
Bond Fund
Bonds
COVID-19
Commodity Investments
Corporate Bonds
Cybersecurity
Equity Fund
Equity Investing
Europe
Events
Exchange-Traded Funds
Federal Reserve
Financial Markets
Financial Stability
Fixed Income
Fund Governance
Fund Regulation
GMM
Global
Government Affairs
ICI Global
IDC
IRA
Index Fund
Interest Rate
International
Investment Education
Investor Research
Money Market Funds
Mutual Fund
Operations and Technology
Policy Research
Proxy Voting
Retirement Policy
Retirement Research
Savings
Shareholder
Target Date Funds
Taxes
Trading
Treasury

ARCHIVE

  • 2021
    • January
  • 2020
    • December
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2019
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • February
    • January
  • 2018
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • June
    • May
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2017
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2016
    • December
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2015
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2014
    • December
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2013
    • December
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2012
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2011
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2010
    • December
    • November

Home Viewpoints

Untitled Document

SUBSCRIBE

Receive an email notification every time a new ICI Viewpoints is posted.

Money Market Funds: There Goes the Wall Street Journal Again

Paul Schott Stevens

February 21, 2013

Over the past three years, the Wall Street Journal has published six editorials on money market funds, and each has advanced more myths and distortions about these funds. By the time we saw the latest (“The SEC’s Big Chance,” Review & Outlook, Feb. 20), we were shaking our heads in disbelief. As Ronald Reagan once said, “There you go again.”

These inaccuracies, however, are no laughing matter for the millions of investors who rely on money market funds—or for the businesses, nonprofits, and municipal governments that depend on these funds for financing.

The misleading assertions start with the notion that “taxpayers have been waiting years” for the Securities and Exchange Commission to reform money funds. We refer readers to the SEC’s Jan. 27, 2010 press release, “SEC Approves Money Market Fund Reforms to Better Protect Investors,” outlining a sweeping set of reforms that have already proven to make these funds more resilient.

The editorial’s core argument—that money funds use an “accounting fiction” to maintain a stable value—is also false. Under GAAP, amortized cost accounting commonly is used by financial and nonfinancial firms to value short-term, high quality assets—like those that money market funds must hold. Its use has been well-supported by regulators and standard-setters for more than 30 years. Detailed disclosures demonstrate that money market funds’ mark-to-market values seldom vary from $1.00 by more than one-hundredth of a cent, further supporting the use of amortized cost.

We do agree that the SEC is the appropriate agency to consider any further reforms. The SEC moved swiftly to make reforms in 2010. Last summer, a bipartisan majority resisted the chairman’s rush toward further structural changes because commissioners wanted data to analyze the effects of those reforms. The commissioners now have that study, and have said they are moving steadily ahead to offer new proposals. The fund industry will address those ideas when they’re issued. Until then, we believe that a deliberate, thoughtful approach to regulation is to be applauded—not scorned.

Paul Schott Stevens has been president and CEO of ICI since 2004.

TOPICS: Money Market Funds

Extra, Extra, Read All About It: Americans Are Preparing for Retirement

Mike McNamee

February 20, 2013

Data and academic research overwhelmingly show that Americans are taking care to prepare for retirement.

Read more…

TOPICS: 401(k)Retirement Research

ICI Responds to Letter on Money Market Funds from Federal Reserve Bank Presidents

Ianthé Zabel

February 12, 2013

Today, ICI made the following statement in response to a comment letter on money market fund reforms filed with the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) by the presidents of the 12 regional Federal Reserve banks.

Read more…

TOPICS: Money Market Funds

Pages 1


top
  • About ICI
  • About IDC
  • About ICI Global
  • Privacy and Cookie Policy
  • Apply for User Account
  • Business Continuity
  • Contact ICI

Copyright © 2021 by the Investment Company Institute