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BEIJING, June 23 (Xinhuanet) -- The U.S. Federal Reserve and Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) are finalizing an agreement to start the process of redrawing how Wall Street is regulated, the Wall Street Journal said on its website on Sunday.

The agreement, which could be announced this week, is intended to fill gaps in regulatory oversight and will increase cooperation between the central bank and the SEC in the wake of the near-collapse of Bear Stearns Cos, the report said.

The type of information to be shared between the two would include data regarding settlements, trade and positions. The SEC will also get information from the Fed on short-term financing from the banks that clear trades and hold collateral for the securities firms, the report said.

Under the agreement, the Fed would be able to see an investment bank's trading positions, its leverage and its capital requirements, the Journal said.

The change will expand the Fed's oversight of the financial system to include investment banks, the report said.

Currently, the SEC has oversight of brokerage firms while the Fed has oversight of bank holding companies and commercial banks.

(Agencies)


Editor: Gareth Dodd