The SEC is planning to allow a wider nickel spread between the trading bid and the ask, called the tick size, to increase market liquidity for small-cap shares traded infrequently.

Today the Cold War resumed as both the USA and the European Community imposed new economic sanctions on Russian companies and banks, because the Putin government had violated international treaty commitments by furnishing eastern Ukrainian separatists with banned weaponry.

A 2nd Spanish company has signed up to escape the clutches of Gazprom. Iberdrola SA will buy $5.6 bn of natural gas from Cheniere Energy of the US.

Vivian Lewis offers her take on the initial public offerings to come in the next few weeks.