SEC says top investment banks will publish liquidity data

WASHINGTON, May 7 (Reuters) - The chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission said on Wednesday the agency plans to require the top investment banks to publicly disclose their current liquidity and capital positions.

"The idea is to provide current information to the markets," Christopher Cox told reporters after speaking at a securities conference. "One of the lessons learned from the Bear Stearns experience is that in a crisis of confidence there is a great need for information about capital and liquidity."

Cox also said Congress needs to pass legislation to give the SEC or "another regulator" the explicit statutory mandate to supervise investment banks. The SEC currently is the primary regulator of the five biggest U.S. investment banks through a voluntary program.

(Reporting by Karey Wutkowski, editing by Phil Berlowitz)

((Reuters Messaging: karey.wutkowski.reuters.com@reuters.net; E-mail:karey.wutkowski@thomsonreuters.com +1 202 898 8399)) Keywords: SEC/COX

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