2015 Year in Review

SIFMA is a member-driven organization that advocates for effective and efficient capital markets.  Our members play a key role in the U.S. economy by providing much needed financing to users of capital, meeting the retirement and financial management needs of American investors and employing nearly one million individuals across the country. The 2015 Year in Review highlights their work on SIFMA’s 100 committees and countless working groups.

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Excerpt

Dear Colleague,

In 2015, our industry faced sluggish economic growth, an uncertain interest rate environment, impaired market liquidity, and the continued effects of implementing significant new regulatory rules. Despite these headwinds, America’s capital markets remain the deepest and most liquid in the world.

To ensure our markets retain their ability to be the engine for economic growth, it is imperative that we achieve regulatory balance – whereby ensuring the safety and stability of our markets and investor protection is weighed against their ability to promote economic growth and job creation. This is where SIFMA puts its core focus, representing the interests of our members across the full spectrum of issues that are critical to the functioning of our markets, our businesses and our clients.

SIFMA’s unique strength has always been the deep engagement of our members on our broad committee infrastructure. We convene 10,000 financial professionals from over 500 member firms on more than 100 industry committees and societies, as well as countless working groups, on matters related to market structure, rules, operations, compliance, taxes and regulations. In 2015, these committees filed 145 comment letters and 23 amicus briefs; met regularly with legislators, regulators and policymakers; hosted more than 100 conferences and training and development sessions; and held numerous roundtables to exchange industry best practices. Through the engagement of our members, SIFMA has effectively represented the industry before policymakers and regulators, developed critical industry policy and promoted the importance of well functioning capital markets.

Speaking at the 2015 SIFMA Annual Meeting, Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew remarked, “We’re at a place where the world wants to know, ‘what is the secret to our resilience?’… I think that’s part of the greatness of the United States. The resilience of the American people and our capacity to look ahead and build a better future.” On behalf of the Board of Directors and the entire staff at SIFMA, we look forward to continuing our work with you to preserve and promote the vital role of our capital markets as a key component in that better future.