While there was a significant uptick in new listings in the first six months of 2026, less than two-thirds of those IPOs had equal voting rights, CII analysis found.

The SEC’s announcement August 14 that it would no longer weigh in on no-action requests from companies “marks a setback for shareholder voice as a contributor to long-term company performance,” said CII Interim Executive Director Glenn Davis in a statement on LinkedIn.

The SEC submitted to the White House for review proposed amendments to the pay-to-play rule that restricts investment advisors from obtaining business from public pension plans or other government entities in exchange for political contributions or fundraising support.

New York City Comptroller Mark Levine, New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, Connecticut Treasurer Erick Russell, Massachusetts State Treasurer Deborah Goldberg, California Controller Malia Cohen and Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman on August 17 jointly sent letters to several major media companies raising concerns about their recent decisions to rollback diversity initiatives and urging them to maintain commitments to building diverse and inclusive workplaces.