CME Group CEO Craig Donohue had a very relevant quote during today’s meetings on harmonization between the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Alluding to the differences between the securities and futures markets, Donohue said it was like “Greeks speaking Chinese to people who speak Portuguese.” Sorting out the regulatory overlaps between the CFTC and SEC and achieving the harmonization called for by President Obama’s regulatory blueprint is a complicated matter indeed. The two agencies must complete a report on harmonization by Sept. 30. Otherwise, the matter will be forwarded to the Financial Services Oversight Council. CFTC Commissioner Bart Chilton said he was optimistic that the two agencies could “solve their issues without ’Mom and Dad’ in the form of the Treasury Department stepping in.” (more…)

