Self-Regulatory Organizations; Philadelphia Stock Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing of Amendment No. 3 to the Proposed Rule Change, and Order Granting Accelerated Approval of Proposed Rule Change as Amended, Relating to a Philadelphia Board of Trade Enterprise License Fee for Dissemination of Certain Market Data, 12242-12244 [E7-4722]
Download as PDF
12242
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 50 / Thursday, March 15, 2007 / Notices
the filing, or such shorter time as the
Commission may designate if consistent
with the protection of investors and the
public interest, the proposed rule
change has become effective pursuant to
Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act 10 and
Rule 19b–4(f)(6) thereunder.11
At any time within 60 days of the
filing of the proposed rule change, the
Commission may summarily abrogate
such rule change if it appears to the
Commission that such action is
necessary or appropriate in the public
interest, for the protection of investors,
or otherwise in furtherance of the
purposes of the Act.
A proposed rule change normally may
not become operative prior to 30 days
after the date of filing.12 However, Rule
19b–4(f)(iii) 13 permits the Commission
to designate a shorter time if such action
is consistent with the protection of
investors and the public interest. The
Exchange has requested that the
Commission waive the 30-day operative
delay. The Commission believes that
waiver of the 30 day operative delay is
consistent with the protection of
investors and the public interest.14 The
Commission notes that because there are
no LPs presently listed on the NYSE
Arca, there are no shareholders
retroactively or currently impacted by
the proposed rule change. Further, the
proposed rule change will eliminate the
competitive disadvantage to the NYSE
Arca resulting from the present
disparity in shareholder approval
requirements between the NYSE Arca’s
and Nasdaq’s treatment of LPs, while
still retaining for NYSE Arca-listed LPs
the provisions of the Exchange’s rules
relating to shareholder approval of
equity compensation plans.15
10 15
U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
CFR 240.19b–4(f)(6).
12 17 CFR 240.19b–4(f)(6)(iii). Rule 19b–4(f)(6)(iii)
requires hat a self-regulatory organization submit to
the Commission written notice of its intent to file
the proposed rule change, along with a brief
description and text of the proposed rule change,
at least five business days prior to the date of filing
of the proposed rule change, or such shorter time
as designated by the Commission. The Exchange
satisfied this requirement.
13 17 CFR 240.19b–4(f)(6)(iii).
14 For purposes only of waiving the 30-day
operative delay, the Commission has considered the
proposed rule’s on efficiency, competition, and
capital formation. See 15 U.S.C. 78c(f).
15 See NYSE Arca Rule 5.3(d)(1)–(7) (setting forth
the Exchange’s rules with respect to shareholder
approval of equity compensation plans). The
proposed rule change would only eliminate the
application of subparagraphs (8) through (11) to
Rule 5.3(d) to limited partnerships. The
Commission believes that it is desirable for the
Exchange to have retained the requirements
pertaining to shareholder approval of equity
compensation plans for NYSEArca–listed limited
partnerships.
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11 17
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IV. Solicitation of Comments
Interested persons are invited to
submit written data, views and
arguments concerning the foregoing,
including whether the proposed rule
change, as amended, is consistent with
the Act. Comments may be submitted by
any of the following methods:
Electronic Comments
• Use the Commission’s Internet
comment form (https://www.sec.gov/
rules/sro.shtml); or
• Send e-mail to rulecomments@sec.gov. Please include File
Number SR–NYSEArca–2007–21 on the
subject line.
Paper Comments
• Send paper comments in triplicate
to Nancy M. Morris, Secretary,
Securities and Exchange Commission,
100 F Street, NE., Washington, DC
20549–1090.
All submissions should refer to file
Number SR–NYSEArca–2007–21. This
file number should be included on the
subject line if e-mail is used. To help the
Commission process and review your
comments more efficiently, please use
only one method. The Commission will
post all comments on the Commission’s
Internet Web site (https://www.sec.gov/
rules/sro/shtml). Copies of the
submission, all subsequent
amendments, all written statements
with respect to the proposed rule
change that are filed with the
Commission, and all written
communications relating to the
proposed rule change between the
Commission and any person, other than
those that may be withheld from the
public in accordance with the
provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be
available for inspection and copying in
the Commission’s Public Reference
Room. Copies of such filings will also be
available for inspection and copying at
the principal office of the Exchange. All
comments received will be posted
without change; the Commission does
not edit personal identifying
information from submissions. You
should submit only information that
you wish to make available publicly. All
submissions should refer to File number
SR–NYSEArca–2007–21 and should be
submitted by April 5, 2007.
For the Commission, by the Division of
Market Regulation, pursuant to delegated
authority.16
Florence E. Harmon,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. E7–4692 Filed 3–14–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8010–01–P
16 17
PO 00000
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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
[Release No. 34–55424; File No. SR–Phlx–
2006–63]
Self-Regulatory Organizations;
Philadelphia Stock Exchange, Inc.;
Notice of Filing of Amendment No. 3 to
the Proposed Rule Change, and Order
Granting Accelerated Approval of
Proposed Rule Change as Amended,
Relating to a Philadelphia Board of
Trade Enterprise License Fee for
Dissemination of Certain Market Data
March 8, 2007.
I. Introduction
On September 28, 2006, the
Philadelphia Stock Exchange, Inc.
(‘‘Phlx’’ or ‘‘Exchange’’) filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission
(‘‘Commission’’), pursuant to Section
19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934 (‘‘Act’’) 1 and Rule 19b–4
thereunder,2 a proposal to add an
Enterprise License Fee of $10,000 per
year or $850 per month that would be
assessed by the Exchange’s wholly
owned subsidiary, the Philadelphia
Board of Trade (‘‘PBOT’’), on eligible
market data vendors or subvendors
(collectively ‘‘Vendors’’) for certain
index values that subscribers receive
over PBOT’s Market Data Distribution
Network (‘‘MDDN’’). The Phlx filed
Amendment No. 1 to the proposed rule
change on November 1, 2006 and filed
Amendment No. 2 on December 20,
2006. The proposed rule change, as
amended, was published for comment
in the Federal Register on December 28,
2006.3 The Phlx filed Amendment No.
3 to the proposed rule change on March
2, 2007.4 The Commission received no
comments regarding the proposal. The
Commission hereby issues notice of the
filing of Amendment No. 3 and
simultaneously grants accelerated
approval to the proposed rule change as
amended.
II. Description of the Proposal
The Phlx proposes to add an
Enterprise License Fee for eligible
Vendors of market data disseminated
1 15
U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
CFR 240.19b–4.
3 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 54978
(December 20, 2006), 71 FR 78254.
4 In Amendment No. 3, Phlx clarified (1) in its fee
schedule that a retail broker dealer is conducting a
material portion of its business via one or more
Internet Web sites if at least 20% of the brokerdealer’s business were conducted via the Internet;
and (2) that the current and closing index values
underlying all of Phlx’s proprietary indexes are
being disseminated through PBOT.
2 17
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rmajette on PROD1PC67 with NOTICES
over PBOT’s MDDN.5 The Phlx has
licensed the current and closing index
values underlying all of the Phlx’s
proprietary indexes to PBOT for the
purpose of selling, reproducing, and
distributing the index values over
PBOT’s MDDN (‘‘Market Data’’). On
each trading day, the Exchange or its
third party designee calculates and
makes available to PBOT a real-time
index value every 15 seconds and a
closing index value at the end of each
trading day. In exchange for subscriber
fees paid to PBOT, market data vendors
are allowed to widely disseminate all
the values of Phlx’s proprietary indexes
to their subscribers.6
As approved by the Commission,
PBOT charges the following subscriber
fees to Vendors of Market Data for all
the values of Phlx’s proprietary indexes
disseminated by PBOT’s MDDN: 7 a
monthly fee of: (a) $1.00 per ‘‘Device,’’ 8
that is used by Vendors and their
subscribers to receive and re-transmit
Market Data on a real-time basis
(‘‘device fee’’), and (b) $.0025 per
request for snapshot data,9 which is
essentially Market Data that is refreshed
no more frequently than once every 60
seconds, or $1,500 per month for
unlimited snapshot data requests
(‘‘snapshot fee’’).10 All market data
vendors which provide market data to
200,000 or more Devices in any month
qualify for a 15% Administrative Fee
credit for that month, to be deducted
from the monthly Subscriber Fees that
they collect and are obligated to pay
5 The MDDN is an internet protocol multicast
network developed by PBOT and SAVVIS
Communications.
6 PBOT has contracted with one or more major
Market Data Vendors to receive real-time and
closing index values over the MDDN and promptly
redistribute such values.
7 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 53790
(May 11, 2006), 71 FR 28738 (May 17, 2006)
(‘‘Original Approval Order’’). The subscriber fees
are set out in agreements that PBOT executed with
various market data vendors for the right to receive,
store, and retransmit the current and closing index
values transmitted over the MDDN.
8 The agreements provide that ‘‘Device’’ shall
mean, in case of each Subscriber and in such
Subscriber’s discretion, either any Terminal or any
End User. A Subscriber’s Device may be exclusively
Terminals, exclusively End Users or a combination
of Terminals or End Users and shall be reported in
a manner that is consistent with the way the Vendor
identifies such Subscriber’s access to Vendor’s data.
An ‘‘End User’’ is defined as an individual
authorized or allowed by a Vendor to access and
display real-time market data that is distributed by
PBOT over the MDDN; and a ‘‘Terminal’’ is any
type of equipment (fixed or portable) that accesses
and displays such market data.
9 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 55111
(January 16, 2007), 72 FR 3188 (January 24, 2007)
(increasing the snapshot fee to $.0025 per request).
10 The index values may also be made available
by Vendors on a delayed basis (i.e., no sooner than
twenty minutes following receipt of the data by
vendors) at no charge.
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14:20 Mar 14, 2007
Jkt 211001
PBOT under the Vendor/Subvendor
Agreement.
The Exchange proposes to add an
Enterprise License Fee of $10,000 per
year or $850 per month that would be
available to eligible Vendors as an
alternative to the device fee or snapshot
fee.11 A Vendor is eligible for the
Enterprise License Fee if it is a firm
acting as a retail broker-dealer
conducting a material portion of its
business via one or more proprietary
Internet Web sites by which the firm
distributes Market Data to
predominately non-professional Market
Data users with whom the firm has a
brokerage relationship (‘‘Eligible
Firm’’).12 An Eligible Firm may also
distribute Market Data to professional
users with whom such firm has a
brokerage relationship, provided such
Market Data distribution is
predominantly to non-professional
users.13 As stated in the proposed fee
schedule, the Eligible Firm’s Market
Data distribution to professional users
cannot exceed 10%.14 The 15%
Administrative Fee credit discount also
applies to the Enterprise License Fee.
To be eligible for the Enterprise
License Fee, an Eligible Firm must
certify to PBOT that it qualifies for the
Enterprise License Fee, including that
market distribution is predominantly to
non-professional users, and must
immediately notify PBOT if it can no
longer certify its qualification.15
11 A firm that qualifies for the Enterprise License
Fee may instead choose to pay the device fee and/
or the snapshot fee as appropriate.
12 To be eligible for the Enterprise License Fee,
the Exchange’s fee schedule states that an Eligible
Firm will be considered to conduct a material
portion of its business via one or more Internet Web
sites if at least twenty percent (20%) of the firm’s
business were conducted via the Internet.
13 A non-professional user is defined in the fee
schedule as any natural person who is not: (a)
registered or qualified in any capacity with the
Commission, the Commodities Futures Trading
Commission, any state securities agency, any
securities exchange or association, or any
commodities or futures contract market or
association; (b) engaged as an ‘‘investment advisor’’
as that term is defined in Section 202(11) of the
Investment Advisors Act of 1940, 15 U.S.C. 80b–
2(11), (whether or not registered or qualified under
that Act); nor, (c) employed by a bank or other
organization exempt from registration under federal
or state securities laws to perform functions that
would require registration or qualification if such
functions were performed for an organization not so
exempt.
14 As an example, if data recipient ABC Corp. has
100 customers that receive PBOT Market Data of
which 10 are professional users and 90 are retail
(non-professional) users the Enterprise License Fee
would be available to the firm because 10
professional users/100 total users = 10%.
15 A firm that has entered into an agreement with
PBOT to receive Market Data over the MDDN but
is not qualified for the Enterprise License Fee may
pay the device fee and/or the snapshot fee as
appropriate.
PO 00000
Frm 00080
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Sfmt 4703
12243
III. Solicitation of Comments
Interested persons are invited to
submit written data, views, and
arguments concerning the foregoing,
including whether the proposed rule
change, as amended, is consistent with
the Act. Comments may be submitted by
any of the following methods:
Electronic Comments
• Use the Commission’s Internet
comment form (https://www.sec.gov/
rules/sro.shtml); or
• Send an e-mail to rulecomments@sec.gov. Please include File
No. SR–Phlx–2006–63 on the subject
line.
Paper Comments
• Send paper comments in triplicate
to Nancy M. Morris, Secretary,
Securities and Exchange Commission,
Station Place, 100 F Street, NE.,
Washington, DC 20549–1090.
All submissions should refer to File
Number SR–Phlx–2006–63. This file
number should be included on the
subject line if e-mail is used. To help the
Commission process and review your
comments more efficiently, please use
only one method. The Commission will
post all comments on the Commission’s
Internet Web site (https://www.sec.gov/
rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the
submission, all subsequent
amendments, all written statements
with respect to the proposed rule
change that are filed with the
Commission, and all written
communications relating to the
proposed rule change between the
Commission and any person, other than
those that may be withheld from the
public in accordance with the
provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be
available for inspection and copying in
the Commission’s Public Reference
Room. Copies of such filing also will be
available for inspection and copying at
the principal office of the Phlx.
All comments received will be posted
without change; the Commission does
not edit personal identifying
information from submissions. You
should submit only information that
you wish to make available publicly. All
submissions should refer to File
Number SR–Phlx–2006–63 and should
be submitted on or before April 5, 2007.
IV. Discussion
After careful consideration, the
Commission finds that the proposed
rule change is consistent with the
requirements of the Act and the rules
and regulations thereunder applicable to
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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 50 / Thursday, March 15, 2007 / Notices
a national securities exchange 16 and, in
particular, the requirements of Section 6
of the Act.17 Specifically, the
Commission finds that the proposed
rule change is consistent with Section
6(b)(5) of the Act,18 which requires,
among other things, that the rules of a
national securities exchange be
designed to promote just and equitable
principles of trade, to remove
impediments to and perfect the
mechanism of a free and open market
and a national market system, and, in
general, to protect investors and the
public interest.
The Commission believes that the
reduced alternate fee structure available
through the Enterprise License Fee to
eligible market data recipients should
help to encourage a wider distribution
of market data, especially to nonprofessional customers. The
Commission notes that other industry
organizations have similar fee structures
which make various market data
available to non-professional
subscribers for a discounted fee relative
to professional subscribers. For
example, the Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc.
(‘‘Nasdaq’’) has fees schedules that are
higher for professional or corporate
subscribers than for non-professional
subscribers for UTP Level 1 fees,
TotalView fees, and Nasdaq MAX fees.19
The Options Price Reporting Authority
(‘‘OPRA’’), a national market system
plan, also offers a reduced fee to
nonprofessional subscribers, which is
not available to professional options
data subscribers.20
The Commission also believes that
Phlx’s eligibility standards in
determining the type of retail brokerdealers who can use the new Enterprise
License Fee appears to be reasonably
related to its purpose of providing a
discount to those retail broker-dealers
who have primarily a proprietary
Internet based business to nonprofessional users.21 As noted above,
rmajette on PROD1PC67 with NOTICES
16 In
approving this proposed rule change, the
Commission has considered the proposed rule’s
impact on efficiency, competition, and capital
formation. 15 U.S.C. 78c(f).
17 15 U.S.C. 78f.
18 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
19 Nasdaq offers a TotalView Non-Professional
Enterprise Fee License to qualified firms that
distribute TotalView to their non-professional users
with whom they have a professional relationship.
A description of Nasdaq market data fees is
available at https://www.nasdaqtrader.com/trader/
mds/nasdaqother/pricing.stm (last visited on
January 17, 2007).
20 A description of OPRA market data fees is
available at https://www.opradata.com/pdf/
prof_pub_fee_schd_revised.pdf (last visited on
January 17, 2007).
21 See supra notes 12–15 and accompanying text
for eligibility standards for the Enterprise License
Fee.
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14:20 Mar 14, 2007
Jkt 211001
eligible firms are also free to pay, as an
alternative, the device fee or snapshot
fee should they so choose.
Based on the above, the Commission
believes that the proposal is consistent
with Section 6(b)(4) of the Act,22 in that
the proposed rule change provides for
the equitable allocation of reasonable
dues, fees, and other charges among the
Exchange’s members and issuers and
other persons using its facilities. The
Commission also continues to believe
that PBOT’s MDDN fee structure is
consistent with Rule 603 under the
Act 23 regarding the distribution,
consolidation, and display of
information with respect to quotations
for and transactions in NMS stocks.
The Commission finds good cause for
approving Amendment No. 3 to the
proposed rule change prior to the
thirtieth day after the notice is
published for comment in the Federal
Register pursuant to Section 19(b)(2) of
the Act.24 Amendment No. 3 clarifies
the Exchange’s proposal and does not
raise any new regulatory issues. Further,
the materiality standard in the Eligible
Firm definition drafted into the fee
schedule pursuant to Amendment No. 3
was the same standard published for
comment with the filing and no
comments were received. Finally, the
Commission believes that it is
appropriate to accelerate approval of the
proposed rule change so that the
Exchange can immediately provide the
discounted fee to eligible firms that will
disseminate the index values of Phlx’s
proprietary index options. Accordingly,
the Commission finds good cause to
approve Amendment No. 3 prior to the
thirtieth day after the notice is
published for comment in the Federal
Register.
V. Conclusion
It is therefore ordered, pursuant to
Section 19(b)(2) of the Act,25 that the
proposed rule change (SR–Phlx–2006–
63), as amended, be, and it hereby is,
approved on an accelerated basis.
For the Commission, by the Division of
Market Regulation, pursuant to delegated
authority.26
Florence E. Harmon,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. E7–4722 Filed 3–14–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8010–01–P
22 15
U.S.C. 78f(b)(4).
CFR 242.603.
24 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2).
25 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2).
26 17 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).
23 17
PO 00000
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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
Agency Information Collection
Activities: Proposed Request and
Comment Request
The Social Security Administration
(SSA) publishes a list of information
collection packages that will require
clearance by the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) in compliance with
Pub. L. 104–13, the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995, effective October
1, 1995. The information collection
packages that may be included in this
notice are for new information
collections, approval of existing
information collections, revisions to
OMB-approved information collections,
and extensions (no change) of OMBapproved information collections.
SSA is soliciting comments on the
accuracy of the agency’s burden
estimate; the need for the information;
its practical utility; ways to enhance its
quality, utility, and clarity; and on ways
to minimize burden on respondents,
including the use of automated
collection techniques or other forms of
information technology. Written
comments and recommendations
regarding the information collection(s)
should be submitted to the OMB Desk
Officer and the SSA Reports Clearance
Officer. The information can be mailed,
faxed or e-mailed to the individuals at
the addresses and fax numbers listed
below:
(OMB), Office of Management and
Budget, Attn: Desk Officer for SSA,
Fax: 202–395–6974, E-mail address:
OIRA_Submission@omb.eop.gov.
(SSA), Social Security Administration,
DCFAM, Attn: Reports Clearance
Officer, 1333 Annex Building, 6401
Security Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21235,
Fax: 410–965–6400, E-mail address:
OPLM.RCO@ssa.gov.
I. The information collections listed
below are pending at SSA and will be
submitted to OMB within 60 days from
the date of this notice. Therefore, your
comments should be submitted to SSA
within 60 days from the date of this
publication. You can obtain copies of
the collection instruments by calling the
SSA Reports Clearance Officer at 410–
965–0454 or by writing to the address
listed above.
1. Work History Report—20 CFR
404.1512 and 416.912—0960–0578. The
information collected by form SSA–
3369 is needed to determine disability
by the State Disability Determination
Services (DDS). The information will be
used to document an individual’s past
work history. The respondents are
applicants for Supplemental Security
E:\FR\FM\15MRN1.SGM
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 50 (Thursday, March 15, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12242-12244]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-4722]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
[Release No. 34-55424; File No. SR-Phlx-2006-63]
Self-Regulatory Organizations; Philadelphia Stock Exchange, Inc.;
Notice of Filing of Amendment No. 3 to the Proposed Rule Change, and
Order Granting Accelerated Approval of Proposed Rule Change as Amended,
Relating to a Philadelphia Board of Trade Enterprise License Fee for
Dissemination of Certain Market Data
March 8, 2007.
I. Introduction
On September 28, 2006, the Philadelphia Stock Exchange, Inc.
(``Phlx'' or ``Exchange'') filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (``Commission''), pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (``Act'') \1\ and Rule 19b-4
thereunder,\2\ a proposal to add an Enterprise License Fee of $10,000
per year or $850 per month that would be assessed by the Exchange's
wholly owned subsidiary, the Philadelphia Board of Trade (``PBOT''), on
eligible market data vendors or subvendors (collectively ``Vendors'')
for certain index values that subscribers receive over PBOT's Market
Data Distribution Network (``MDDN''). The Phlx filed Amendment No. 1 to
the proposed rule change on November 1, 2006 and filed Amendment No. 2
on December 20, 2006. The proposed rule change, as amended, was
published for comment in the Federal Register on December 28, 2006.\3\
The Phlx filed Amendment No. 3 to the proposed rule change on March 2,
2007.\4\ The Commission received no comments regarding the proposal.
The Commission hereby issues notice of the filing of Amendment No. 3
and simultaneously grants accelerated approval to the proposed rule
change as amended.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
\2\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4.
\3\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 54978 (December 20,
2006), 71 FR 78254.
\4\ In Amendment No. 3, Phlx clarified (1) in its fee schedule
that a retail broker dealer is conducting a material portion of its
business via one or more Internet Web sites if at least 20% of the
broker-dealer's business were conducted via the Internet; and (2)
that the current and closing index values underlying all of Phlx's
proprietary indexes are being disseminated through PBOT.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
II. Description of the Proposal
The Phlx proposes to add an Enterprise License Fee for eligible
Vendors of market data disseminated
[[Page 12243]]
over PBOT's MDDN.\5\ The Phlx has licensed the current and closing
index values underlying all of the Phlx's proprietary indexes to PBOT
for the purpose of selling, reproducing, and distributing the index
values over PBOT's MDDN (``Market Data''). On each trading day, the
Exchange or its third party designee calculates and makes available to
PBOT a real-time index value every 15 seconds and a closing index value
at the end of each trading day. In exchange for subscriber fees paid to
PBOT, market data vendors are allowed to widely disseminate all the
values of Phlx's proprietary indexes to their subscribers.\6\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\5\ The MDDN is an internet protocol multicast network developed
by PBOT and SAVVIS Communications.
\6\ PBOT has contracted with one or more major Market Data
Vendors to receive real-time and closing index values over the MDDN
and promptly redistribute such values.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
As approved by the Commission, PBOT charges the following
subscriber fees to Vendors of Market Data for all the values of Phlx's
proprietary indexes disseminated by PBOT's MDDN: \7\ a monthly fee of:
(a) $1.00 per ``Device,'' \8\ that is used by Vendors and their
subscribers to receive and re-transmit Market Data on a real-time basis
(``device fee''), and (b) $.0025 per request for snapshot data,\9\
which is essentially Market Data that is refreshed no more frequently
than once every 60 seconds, or $1,500 per month for unlimited snapshot
data requests (``snapshot fee'').\10\ All market data vendors which
provide market data to 200,000 or more Devices in any month qualify for
a 15% Administrative Fee credit for that month, to be deducted from the
monthly Subscriber Fees that they collect and are obligated to pay PBOT
under the Vendor/Subvendor Agreement.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\7\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 53790 (May 11,
2006), 71 FR 28738 (May 17, 2006) (``Original Approval Order''). The
subscriber fees are set out in agreements that PBOT executed with
various market data vendors for the right to receive, store, and
retransmit the current and closing index values transmitted over the
MDDN.
\8\ The agreements provide that ``Device'' shall mean, in case
of each Subscriber and in such Subscriber's discretion, either any
Terminal or any End User. A Subscriber's Device may be exclusively
Terminals, exclusively End Users or a combination of Terminals or
End Users and shall be reported in a manner that is consistent with
the way the Vendor identifies such Subscriber's access to Vendor's
data. An ``End User'' is defined as an individual authorized or
allowed by a Vendor to access and display real-time market data that
is distributed by PBOT over the MDDN; and a ``Terminal'' is any type
of equipment (fixed or portable) that accesses and displays such
market data.
\9\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 55111 (January 16,
2007), 72 FR 3188 (January 24, 2007) (increasing the snapshot fee to
$.0025 per request).
\10\ The index values may also be made available by Vendors on a
delayed basis (i.e., no sooner than twenty minutes following receipt
of the data by vendors) at no charge.
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The Exchange proposes to add an Enterprise License Fee of $10,000
per year or $850 per month that would be available to eligible Vendors
as an alternative to the device fee or snapshot fee.\11\ A Vendor is
eligible for the Enterprise License Fee if it is a firm acting as a
retail broker-dealer conducting a material portion of its business via
one or more proprietary Internet Web sites by which the firm
distributes Market Data to predominately non-professional Market Data
users with whom the firm has a brokerage relationship (``Eligible
Firm'').\12\ An Eligible Firm may also distribute Market Data to
professional users with whom such firm has a brokerage relationship,
provided such Market Data distribution is predominantly to non-
professional users.\13\ As stated in the proposed fee schedule, the
Eligible Firm's Market Data distribution to professional users cannot
exceed 10%.\14\ The 15% Administrative Fee credit discount also applies
to the Enterprise License Fee.
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\11\ A firm that qualifies for the Enterprise License Fee may
instead choose to pay the device fee and/or the snapshot fee as
appropriate.
\12\ To be eligible for the Enterprise License Fee, the
Exchange's fee schedule states that an Eligible Firm will be
considered to conduct a material portion of its business via one or
more Internet Web sites if at least twenty percent (20%) of the
firm's business were conducted via the Internet.
\13\ A non-professional user is defined in the fee schedule as
any natural person who is not: (a) registered or qualified in any
capacity with the Commission, the Commodities Futures Trading
Commission, any state securities agency, any securities exchange or
association, or any commodities or futures contract market or
association; (b) engaged as an ``investment advisor'' as that term
is defined in Section 202(11) of the Investment Advisors Act of
1940, 15 U.S.C. 80b-2(11), (whether or not registered or qualified
under that Act); nor, (c) employed by a bank or other organization
exempt from registration under federal or state securities laws to
perform functions that would require registration or qualification
if such functions were performed for an organization not so exempt.
\14\ As an example, if data recipient ABC Corp. has 100
customers that receive PBOT Market Data of which 10 are professional
users and 90 are retail (non-professional) users the Enterprise
License Fee would be available to the firm because 10 professional
users/100 total users = 10%.
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To be eligible for the Enterprise License Fee, an Eligible Firm
must certify to PBOT that it qualifies for the Enterprise License Fee,
including that market distribution is predominantly to non-professional
users, and must immediately notify PBOT if it can no longer certify its
qualification.\15\
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\15\ A firm that has entered into an agreement with PBOT to
receive Market Data over the MDDN but is not qualified for the
Enterprise License Fee may pay the device fee and/or the snapshot
fee as appropriate.
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III. Solicitation of Comments
Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views, and
arguments concerning the foregoing, including whether the proposed rule
change, as amended, is consistent with the Act. Comments may be
submitted by any of the following methods:
Electronic Comments
Use the Commission's Internet comment form (https://
www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml); or
Send an e-mail to rule-comments@sec.gov. Please include
File No. SR-Phlx-2006-63 on the subject line.
Paper Comments
Send paper comments in triplicate to Nancy M. Morris,
Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, Station Place, 100 F
Street, NE., Washington, DC 20549-1090.
All submissions should refer to File Number SR-Phlx-2006-63. This file
number should be included on the subject line if e-mail is used. To
help the Commission process and review your comments more efficiently,
please use only one method. The Commission will post all comments on
the Commission's Internet Web site (https://www.sec.gov/rules/
sro.shtml). Copies of the submission, all subsequent amendments, all
written statements with respect to the proposed rule change that are
filed with the Commission, and all written communications relating to
the proposed rule change between the Commission and any person, other
than those that may be withheld from the public in accordance with the
provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be available for inspection and
copying in the Commission's Public Reference Room. Copies of such
filing also will be available for inspection and copying at the
principal office of the Phlx.
All comments received will be posted without change; the Commission
does not edit personal identifying information from submissions. You
should submit only information that you wish to make available
publicly. All submissions should refer to File Number SR-Phlx-2006-63
and should be submitted on or before April 5, 2007.
IV. Discussion
After careful consideration, the Commission finds that the proposed
rule change is consistent with the requirements of the Act and the
rules and regulations thereunder applicable to
[[Page 12244]]
a national securities exchange \16\ and, in particular, the
requirements of Section 6 of the Act.\17\ Specifically, the Commission
finds that the proposed rule change is consistent with Section 6(b)(5)
of the Act,\18\ which requires, among other things, that the rules of a
national securities exchange be designed to promote just and equitable
principles of trade, to remove impediments to and perfect the mechanism
of a free and open market and a national market system, and, in
general, to protect investors and the public interest.
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\16\ In approving this proposed rule change, the Commission has
considered the proposed rule's impact on efficiency, competition,
and capital formation. 15 U.S.C. 78c(f).
\17\ 15 U.S.C. 78f.
\18\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
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The Commission believes that the reduced alternate fee structure
available through the Enterprise License Fee to eligible market data
recipients should help to encourage a wider distribution of market
data, especially to non-professional customers. The Commission notes
that other industry organizations have similar fee structures which
make various market data available to non-professional subscribers for
a discounted fee relative to professional subscribers. For example, the
Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc. (``Nasdaq'') has fees schedules that are
higher for professional or corporate subscribers than for non-
professional subscribers for UTP Level 1 fees, TotalView fees, and
Nasdaq MAX fees.\19\ The Options Price Reporting Authority (``OPRA''),
a national market system plan, also offers a reduced fee to
nonprofessional subscribers, which is not available to professional
options data subscribers.\20\
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\19\ Nasdaq offers a TotalView Non-Professional Enterprise Fee
License to qualified firms that distribute TotalView to their non-
professional users with whom they have a professional relationship.
A description of Nasdaq market data fees is available at https://
www.nasdaqtrader.com/trader/mds/nasdaqother/pricing.stm (last
visited on January 17, 2007).
\20\ A description of OPRA market data fees is available at
https://www.opradata.com/pdf/prof_pub_fee_schd_revised.pdf (last
visited on January 17, 2007).
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The Commission also believes that Phlx's eligibility standards in
determining the type of retail broker-dealers who can use the new
Enterprise License Fee appears to be reasonably related to its purpose
of providing a discount to those retail broker-dealers who have
primarily a proprietary Internet based business to non-professional
users.\21\ As noted above, eligible firms are also free to pay, as an
alternative, the device fee or snapshot fee should they so choose.
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\21\ See supra notes 12-15 and accompanying text for eligibility
standards for the Enterprise License Fee.
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Based on the above, the Commission believes that the proposal is
consistent with Section 6(b)(4) of the Act,\22\ in that the proposed
rule change provides for the equitable allocation of reasonable dues,
fees, and other charges among the Exchange's members and issuers and
other persons using its facilities. The Commission also continues to
believe that PBOT's MDDN fee structure is consistent with Rule 603
under the Act \23\ regarding the distribution, consolidation, and
display of information with respect to quotations for and transactions
in NMS stocks.
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\22\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(4).
\23\ 17 CFR 242.603.
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The Commission finds good cause for approving Amendment No. 3 to
the proposed rule change prior to the thirtieth day after the notice is
published for comment in the Federal Register pursuant to Section
19(b)(2) of the Act.\24\ Amendment No. 3 clarifies the Exchange's
proposal and does not raise any new regulatory issues. Further, the
materiality standard in the Eligible Firm definition drafted into the
fee schedule pursuant to Amendment No. 3 was the same standard
published for comment with the filing and no comments were received.
Finally, the Commission believes that it is appropriate to accelerate
approval of the proposed rule change so that the Exchange can
immediately provide the discounted fee to eligible firms that will
disseminate the index values of Phlx's proprietary index options.
Accordingly, the Commission finds good cause to approve Amendment No. 3
prior to the thirtieth day after the notice is published for comment in
the Federal Register.
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\24\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2).
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V. Conclusion
It is therefore ordered, pursuant to Section 19(b)(2) of the
Act,\25\ that the proposed rule change (SR-Phlx-2006-63), as amended,
be, and it hereby is, approved on an accelerated basis.
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\25\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2).
For the Commission, by the Division of Market Regulation,
pursuant to delegated authority.\26\
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\26\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Florence E. Harmon,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. E7-4722 Filed 3-14-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8010-01-P