Self-Regulatory Organizations; National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.; Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule Change and Amendment No. 1 Thereto Relating to the Order Audit Trail System, 30406-30408 [E7-10405]
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30406
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 104 / Thursday, May 31, 2007 / Notices
C. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement on Comments on the
Proposed Rule Change Received From
Members, Participants, or Others
Written comments were neither
solicited nor received.
III. Date of Effectiveness of the
Proposed Rule Change and Timing for
Commission Action
Within 35 days of the date of
publication of this notice in the Federal
Register or within such longer period (i)
as the Commission may designate up to
90 days of such date if it finds such
longer period to be appropriate and
publishes its reasons for so finding or
(ii) as to which the self-regulatory
organization consents, the Commission
will:
(A) by order approve such proposed
rule change, or
(B) institute proceedings to determine
whether the proposed rule change
should be disapproved.
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 the filing also will be
available for inspection and copying at
the principal office of NASD. 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–NASD–2007–034 and
should be submitted on or before June
21, 2007.
For the Commission, by the Division of
Market Regulation, pursuant to delegated
authority.7
Florence E. Harmon,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. E7–10403 Filed 5–30–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8010–01–P
IV. Solicitation of Comments
Interested persons are invited to
submit written data, views and
arguments concerning the foregoing,
including whether the proposed rule
change is consistent with the Act.
Comments may be submitted by any of
the following methods:
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
[Release No. 34–55806; File No. SR–NASD–
2007–028]
• 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
Number SR–NASD–2007–034 on the
subject line.
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
Electronic Comments
Self-Regulatory Organizations;
National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc.; Notice of Filing of
Proposed Rule Change and
Amendment No. 1 Thereto Relating to
the Order Audit Trail System
May 23, 2007.
Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(‘‘Act’’),1 and Rule 19b–4 thereunder,2
notice is hereby given that on April 17,
Paper Comments
2007, the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. (‘‘NASD’’), filed
• Send paper comments in triplicate
with the Securities and Exchange
to Nancy M. Morris, Secretary,
Commission (‘‘Commission’’) the
Securities and Exchange Commission,
proposed rule change as described in
100 F Street, NE., Washington, DC
Items I, II, and III below, which Items
20549–1090.
have been substantially prepared by
All submissions should refer to File
NASD. On May 18, 2007, NASD filed
Number SR–NASD–2007–034. This file
Amendment No. 1 to the proposed rule
number should be included on the
change. The Commission is publishing
subject line if e-mail is used. To help the
this notice to solicit comments on the
Commission process and review your
proposed rule change, as amended, from
comments more efficiently, please use
interested persons.
only one method. The Commission will
post all comments on the Commission’s I. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement of the Terms of Substance of
Internet Web site (https://www.sec.gov/
the Proposed Rule Change
rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the
submission, all subsequent
NASD is proposing to amend Rules
amendments, all written statements
6951 and 6954 to require members that
with respect to the proposed rule
transmit an intermarket sweep order
change that are filed with the
(‘‘ISO’’) to another member, electronic
Commission, and all written
communications relating to the
7 17 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).
1 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
proposed rule change between the
2 2 17 CFR 240.19b–4.
Commission and any person, other than
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communications network, nonmember,
or exchange to record and report the fact
that the order was an ISO. The text of
the proposed rule change is available on
NASD’s Web site at https://
www.nasd.com, at NASD’s principal
office, and at the Commission’s Public
Reference Room.
II. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement of the Purpose of, and
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule
Change
In its filing with the Commission,
NASD included statements concerning
the purpose of, and basis for, the
proposed rule change and discussed any
comments it received on the proposed
rule change. The text of these statements
may be examined at the places specified
in Item IV below. NASD has prepared
summaries, set forth in Sections A, B,
and C below, of the most significant
aspects of such statements.
A. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement of the Purpose of, and
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule
Change
1. Purpose
NASD Rules 6950 through 6958
(‘‘OATS Rules’’) impose obligations on
member firms to record in electronic
form and report to NASD on a daily
basis certain information regarding
orders in Nasdaq-listed securities
originated, received, transmitted,
modified, canceled, or executed by
NASD members.3 NASD integrates this
Order Audit Trail System (‘‘OATS’’)
information with quote and transaction
information to create a time-sequenced
record of orders, quotes, and
transactions. This information is critical
to NASD in conducting surveillance and
investigations of members for violations
of NASD rules and the federal securities
laws.
On June 9, 2005, the Commission
adopted Regulation NMS, which
established new substantive rules
designed to modernize and strengthen
the regulatory structure of the U.S.
equities markets.4 Among other things,
Regulation NMS adopted an Order
Protection Rule 5 that requires trading
centers to establish, maintain, and
3 Beginning on February 4, 2008, members also
will be required to record and report order
information regarding all OTC equity securities, as
defined in NASD Rule 6951. See Securities
Exchange Act Release No. 54585 (October 10, 2006),
71 FR 61112 (October 17, 2006) (SR–NASD–2005–
101); see also NASD Notice to Members 06–70
(December 2006) and Securities Exchange Act
Release No. 55440 (March 9, 2007), 72 FR 12852
(March 19, 2007) (SR–NASD–2007–019).
4 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 51808
(June 9, 2005), 70 FR 37496 (June 29, 2005).
5 17 CFR 242.611.
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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 104 / Thursday, May 31, 2007 / Notices
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enforce written policies and procedures
reasonably designed to prevent the
execution of trades at prices inferior to
protected quotations displayed by
automated trading centers, subject to
applicable exceptions. One of the
exceptions from the Order Protection
Rule is when the transaction that
constitutes a trade-through 6 is ‘‘effected
by a trading center that simultaneously
routed an intermarket sweep order to
execute against the full displayed size of
any protected quotation in the NMS
stock that was traded through.’’ 7
The purpose of the proposed rule
change is to require member firms to
record the fact that an order in an
OATS-eligible security is an ISO when
the member routes an ISO to another
member or non-member. The member
would be required to include this
information in the Route Report it
submits to NASD pursuant to the OATS
Rules.8 This requirement will ensure
that NASD knows that the order was an
ISO and can utilize that information
when reviewing audit trails to ensure
compliance with Regulation NMS.9
6 A ‘‘trade-through’’ is ‘‘the purchase or sale of an
NMS stock during regular trading hours, either as
principal or agent, at a price that is lower than a
protected bid or higher than a protected offer.’’ See
17 CFR 242.600(b)(77).
7 See 17 CFR 242.611(b)(6). The phrase
‘‘intermarket sweep order’’ is defined as ‘‘a limit
order for an NMS stock that meets the following
requirements: (i) When routed to a trading center,
the limit order is identified as an intermarket sweep
order; and (ii) Simultaneously with the routing of
the limit order identified as an intermarket sweep
order, one or more additional limit orders, as
necessary, are routed to execute against the full
displayed size of any protected bid, in the case of
a limit order to sell, or the full displayed size of
any protected offer, in the case of a limit order to
buy, for the NMS stock with a price that is superior
to the limit price of the limit order identified as an
intermarket sweep order. These additional routed
orders must also be marked as intermarket sweep
orders.’’ The proposed rule change adopts this same
definition of intermarket sweep order for purposes
of the OATS Rules. See 17 CFR 242.600(b)(30).
8 When a member transmits an order in an OATSeligible security to another member, electronic
communications network, non-member, or
exchange for handling or execution, the routing
member is required to submit a Route Report to
NASD. The categories of information that a member
must include in a Route Report are set forth in
NASD Rule 6954(c) and in the OATS Reporting
Technical Specifications published by NASD.
9 Members are also required to submit New Order
Reports when they receive an order in an OATSeligible security. NASD Rule 6954(b) and the OATS
Reporting Technical Specifications set forth the
information that a member must include in a New
Order Report. NASD Rule 6954(b)(15) already
requires members to include ‘‘special handling
requests, specified by [NASD] for purposes of this
Rule.’’ Pursuant to that provision, the most recent
version of the OATS Reporting Technical
Specifications includes a new special handling
code for ISOs in New Order Reports, which would
be used when a member relies on the exception
from the Order Protection Rule for a transaction that
‘‘was the execution of an order identified as an
intermarket sweep order.’’ See 17 CFR
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16:01 May 30, 2007
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30407
NASD will announce the effective
date of the proposed rule change in a
Notice to Members to be published no
later than 60 days following
Commission approval. The effective
date will be February 4, 2008, to
coincide with the changes to the OATS
Rules approved by the Commission on
October 10, 2006.10 Although firms will
not be required to begin using the ISO
routing method code on Route Reports
until February 4, 2008, NASD states that
the code will be available for use by
firms beginning on June 11, 2007. Firms
are encouraged to use the ISO code on
their Route Reports as soon as possible
to facilitate NASD’s ability to determine
whether the trade was made in reliance
on an ISO exception from the Order
Protection Rule.11 As noted in the
December 11, 2006 version of the OATS
Reporting Technical Specifications,
firms will be required to use the ISO
Special Handling Code on New Order
Reports upon implementation of the
Order Protection Rule.12
III. Date of Effectiveness of the
Proposed Rule Change and Timing for
Commission Action
2. Statutory Basis
Electronic Comments
NASD believes that the proposed rule
change is consistent with the provisions
of Section 15A(b)(6) of the Act,13 which
requires, among other things, that NASD
rules must be designed to prevent
fraudulent and manipulative acts and
practices, to promote just and equitable
principles of trade, and, in general, to
protect investors and the public interest.
NASD believes that the proposed rule
change will enhance OATS data and
ensure that NASD is able to monitor
compliance with Regulation NMS in a
more effective manner.
• 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
Number SR–NASD–2007–028 on the
subject line.
B. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement on Burden on Competition
NASD does not believe that the
proposed rule change will result in any
burden on competition that is not
necessary or appropriate in furtherance
of the purposes of the Act.
C. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement on Comments on the
Proposed Rule Change Received From
Members, Participants, or Others
Written comments were neither
solicited nor received.
242.611(b)(5). Because NASD Rule 6954(b) already
provides NASD with the authority to establish a
new code for ISOs in New Order Reports, the
proposed rule filing does not address that portion
of the rule and only seeks to establish a new code
for ISOs in Route Reports under NASD Rule
6954(c).
10 See supra note 3.
11 17 CFR 242.611.
12 Id.
13 15 U.S.C. 78o–3(b)(6).
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Within 35 days of the date of
publication of this notice in the Federal
Register or within such longer period (i)
as the Commission may designate up to
90 days of such date if it finds such
longer period to be appropriate and
publishes its reasons for so finding, or
(ii) as to which NASD consents, the
Commission will:
(A) by order approve such proposed
rule change, or
(B) institute proceedings to determine
whether the proposed rule change
should be disapproved.
IV. Solicitation of Comments
Interested persons are invited to
submit written data, views, and
arguments concerning the foregoing,
including whether the proposed rule
change is consistent with the Act.
Comments may be submitted by any of
the following methods:
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–NASD–2007–028. 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 NASD. All
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30408
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 104 / Thursday, May 31, 2007 / Notices
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–NASD–2007–028 and
should be submitted on or before June
21, 2007.
For the Commission, by the Division of
Market Regulation, pursuant to delegated
authority.14
Florence E. Harmon,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. E7–10405 Filed 5–30–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8010–01–P
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
[Release No. 34–55799; File No. SR–NSX–
2006–16]
Self-Regulatory Organizations;
National Stock Exchange, Inc.; Order
Approving Proposed Rule Change
Regarding the Annual Certification of
Compliance and Supervisory
Processes
May 22, 2007.
I. Introduction
On November 22, 2006, the National
Stock Exchange, Inc. (‘‘NSX’’ or
‘‘Exchange’’) filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission
(‘‘Commission’’), pursuant to Section
19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934 (the ‘‘Act’’) 1 and Rule 19b–4
thereunder,2 a proposed rule change
regarding the annual certification of
compliance supervisory processes. On
April 9, 2007, the NSX filed
Amendment No. 1 to the proposed rule
change (‘‘Amendment No. 1’’).3 The
proposed rule change was published for
comment in the Federal Register on
April 19, 2007,4 and the Commission
received no comments on the proposal.
This order approves the proposed rule
change, as amended.
II. Description of the Proposal
The Exchange proposed Rule 5.7 to
require each Equity Trading Permit
(‘‘ETP’’) Holder to have its Chief
Executive Officer (‘‘CEO’’), or equivalent
14 17
CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).
U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
2 17 CFR 240.19b–4.
3 In Amendment No. 1, which supplemented the
original filing, the NSX provided more information
regarding the certification process and corrected a
grammatical error.
4 See Exchange Act Release No. 55631 (April 13,
2007), 72 FR 19733 (April 19, 2007) (SR–NSX–
2006–16).
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1 15
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16:01 May 30, 2007
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officer, certify annually to having in
place processes to establish, maintain,
review, modify, and test policies and
procedures reasonably designed to
achieve compliance with applicable
NSX rules and federal securities laws
and regulations. The Exchange explains
that this will help promote
comprehensive and effective
compliance policies and written
supervisory procedures among NSX ETP
Holders, and that compliance with
applicable NSX rules and federal
securities laws and regulations is the
foundation of ensuring investor
protection and market integrity and is
essential to the efficacy of selfregulation. Similar requirements are
already in place for NASD and NYSE
member firms, addressing their
compliance with the rules of those selfregulatory organizations.5
The proposed rule change also would
create a new Interpretation and Policy
.01 to NSX Rule 5.7. This interpretation
sets forth the language of the required
certification.6 The interpretation also
sets forth additional guidance for
following those requirements,
explaining that during the required
annual meeting between the CEO and
chief compliance officer, the parties
should discuss and review the matters
that are subject of the certification as
5 See NASD Rule 3013(b) and Interpretative
Material 3013 (‘‘IM 3013’’); NYSE Rule 342.30.
6 The certification would state that the ETP
Holder has in place processes to: (a) Establish and
maintain policies and procedures reasonably
designed to achieve compliance with applicable
NSX rules and federal securities laws and
regulations; (b) modify such policies and
procedures as business, regulatory and legislative
changes and events dictate; and (c) test the
effectiveness of such policies and procedures on a
periodic basis, the timing and extent of which is
reasonably designed to ensure continuing
compliance with applicable NSX rules, and federal
securities laws and regulations. See Proposed
Interpretation and Policy .01, paragraph 1.
In addition, the certification would have to state
that the CEO or equivalent officer has conducted
one or more meetings with the chief compliance
officer in the preceding 12 months to satisfy these
obligations. See Proposed Interpretation and Policy
.01, paragraph 2.
The certification further would provide that the
ETP Holder’s processes are evidenced in a report
that has been reviewed by the CEO or equivalent
officer, chief compliance officer, and such other
officers as the ETP Holder may deem necessary, and
that the final report would be submitted to the ETP
Holder’s board of directors and audit committee at
the earlier of their next scheduled meetings or
within 45 days of the date of execution of the
certification. See Proposed Interpretation and
Policy .01, paragraph 3.
Finally, the certification would provide that the
CEO or equivalent officer has consulted with the
chief compliance officer and other officers as
applicable, as well as such other employees, outside
consultants, lawyers and accountants, to the extent
deemed appropriate to attest to the statements made
in the certification. See Proposed Interpretation and
Policy .01, paragraph 4.
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well as the ETP Holder’s compliance
efforts to date, and also should identify
and address significant compliance
problems and plans for emerging
business areas.7 ETP Holders must also
prepare a report that documents the ETP
Holder’s processes for establishing,
maintaining, reviewing, testing and
modifying compliance policies.8 The
report may be combined with
compliance reports or similar reports
required by other self-regulatory
organizations.9
III. Discussion and Commission
Findings
After careful review, the Commission
finds that the proposed rule change is
consistent with Section 6(b) of the
Act,10 and, in particular, with Section
6(b)(5) 11 of the Act, which requires,
among other things, that the NSX’s rules
be designed to promote just and
equitable principles of trade, to prevent
fraudulent and manipulative acts and
practices, and, in general, to protect
investors and the public interest.12
The proposal that NSX ETP Holders
follow procedures to help ensure
compliance with NSX rules and the
federal securities laws will complement
broker-dealers’ obligations under other
self-regulatory organization rules, while
particularly promoting compliance with
rules specific to NSX. By permitting
member firms to make the required
reports in conjunction with reports
required by other self-regulatory
organizations, moreover, the proposal
should accomplish those aims in an
efficient manner.
7 See
Proposed Interpretation and Policy .01.
id. Any principal designated by the ETP
Holder may prepare the report, which must be
produced prior to execution of the certification and
be reviewed by the CEO or equivalent officer, chief
compliance officer and any other officers the ETP
Holder deems necessary to make the certification.
It must be provided to the ETP Holder’s board of
directors and audit committee in final form either
prior to execution of the certification or at the
earlier of their next scheduled meetings or within
45 days of execution of the certification. The report
should include the manner and frequency in which
the processes are administered, and identify the
officers and supervisors responsible for that
administration. The report, however, need not
contain any conclusions resulting from following
those processes.
9 In that case, the report must be titled in a
manner that indicates it is responsive to the
requirements of the certification and Rule 5.7; (2)
an ETP Holder that submits a report for review in
response to a NSX request must submit the report
in its entirety; and (3) the ETP Holder must make
the report in a timely manner.
10 15 U.S.C. 78(f)(b).
11 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
12 In approving this proposed rule change, the
Commission notes that it has considered the
proposed rule’s impact on efficiency, competition,
and capital formation. See 15 U.S.C. 78c(f).
8 See
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 104 (Thursday, May 31, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30406-30408]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-10405]
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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
[Release No. 34-55806; File No. SR-NASD-2007-028]
Self-Regulatory Organizations; National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc.; Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule Change and Amendment
No. 1 Thereto Relating to the Order Audit Trail System
May 23, 2007.
Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(``Act''),\1\ and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,\2\ notice is hereby given that
on April 17, 2007, the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
(``NASD''), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(``Commission'') the proposed rule change as described in Items I, II,
and III below, which Items have been substantially prepared by NASD. On
May 18, 2007, NASD filed Amendment No. 1 to the proposed rule change.
The Commission is publishing this notice to solicit comments on the
proposed rule change, as amended, from interested persons.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
\2\ 2 17 CFR 240.19b-4.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance
of the Proposed Rule Change
NASD is proposing to amend Rules 6951 and 6954 to require members
that transmit an intermarket sweep order (``ISO'') to another member,
electronic communications network, nonmember, or exchange to record and
report the fact that the order was an ISO. The text of the proposed
rule change is available on NASD's Web site at https://www.nasd.com, at
NASD's principal office, and at the Commission's Public Reference Room.
II. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change
In its filing with the Commission, NASD included statements
concerning the purpose of, and basis for, the proposed rule change and
discussed any comments it received on the proposed rule change. The
text of these statements may be examined at the places specified in
Item IV below. NASD has prepared summaries, set forth in Sections A, B,
and C below, of the most significant aspects of such statements.
A. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change
1. Purpose
NASD Rules 6950 through 6958 (``OATS Rules'') impose obligations on
member firms to record in electronic form and report to NASD on a daily
basis certain information regarding orders in Nasdaq-listed securities
originated, received, transmitted, modified, canceled, or executed by
NASD members.\3\ NASD integrates this Order Audit Trail System
(``OATS'') information with quote and transaction information to create
a time-sequenced record of orders, quotes, and transactions. This
information is critical to NASD in conducting surveillance and
investigations of members for violations of NASD rules and the federal
securities laws.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ Beginning on February 4, 2008, members also will be required
to record and report order information regarding all OTC equity
securities, as defined in NASD Rule 6951. See Securities Exchange
Act Release No. 54585 (October 10, 2006), 71 FR 61112 (October 17,
2006) (SR-NASD-2005-101); see also NASD Notice to Members 06-70
(December 2006) and Securities Exchange Act Release No. 55440 (March
9, 2007), 72 FR 12852 (March 19, 2007) (SR-NASD-2007-019).
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On June 9, 2005, the Commission adopted Regulation NMS, which
established new substantive rules designed to modernize and strengthen
the regulatory structure of the U.S. equities markets.\4\ Among other
things, Regulation NMS adopted an Order Protection Rule \5\ that
requires trading centers to establish, maintain, and
[[Page 30407]]
enforce written policies and procedures reasonably designed to prevent
the execution of trades at prices inferior to protected quotations
displayed by automated trading centers, subject to applicable
exceptions. One of the exceptions from the Order Protection Rule is
when the transaction that constitutes a trade-through \6\ is ``effected
by a trading center that simultaneously routed an intermarket sweep
order to execute against the full displayed size of any protected
quotation in the NMS stock that was traded through.'' \7\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\4\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 51808 (June 9,
2005), 70 FR 37496 (June 29, 2005).
\5\ 17 CFR 242.611.
\6\ A ``trade-through'' is ``the purchase or sale of an NMS
stock during regular trading hours, either as principal or agent, at
a price that is lower than a protected bid or higher than a
protected offer.'' See 17 CFR 242.600(b)(77).
\7\ See 17 CFR 242.611(b)(6). The phrase ``intermarket sweep
order'' is defined as ``a limit order for an NMS stock that meets
the following requirements: (i) When routed to a trading center, the
limit order is identified as an intermarket sweep order; and (ii)
Simultaneously with the routing of the limit order identified as an
intermarket sweep order, one or more additional limit orders, as
necessary, are routed to execute against the full displayed size of
any protected bid, in the case of a limit order to sell, or the full
displayed size of any protected offer, in the case of a limit order
to buy, for the NMS stock with a price that is superior to the limit
price of the limit order identified as an intermarket sweep order.
These additional routed orders must also be marked as intermarket
sweep orders.'' The proposed rule change adopts this same definition
of intermarket sweep order for purposes of the OATS Rules. See 17
CFR 242.600(b)(30).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The purpose of the proposed rule change is to require member firms
to record the fact that an order in an OATS-eligible security is an ISO
when the member routes an ISO to another member or non-member. The
member would be required to include this information in the Route
Report it submits to NASD pursuant to the OATS Rules.\8\ This
requirement will ensure that NASD knows that the order was an ISO and
can utilize that information when reviewing audit trails to ensure
compliance with Regulation NMS.\9\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\8\ When a member transmits an order in an OATS-eligible
security to another member, electronic communications network, non-
member, or exchange for handling or execution, the routing member is
required to submit a Route Report to NASD. The categories of
information that a member must include in a Route Report are set
forth in NASD Rule 6954(c) and in the OATS Reporting Technical
Specifications published by NASD.
\9\ Members are also required to submit New Order Reports when
they receive an order in an OATS-eligible security. NASD Rule
6954(b) and the OATS Reporting Technical Specifications set forth
the information that a member must include in a New Order Report.
NASD Rule 6954(b)(15) already requires members to include ``special
handling requests, specified by [NASD] for purposes of this Rule.''
Pursuant to that provision, the most recent version of the OATS
Reporting Technical Specifications includes a new special handling
code for ISOs in New Order Reports, which would be used when a
member relies on the exception from the Order Protection Rule for a
transaction that ``was the execution of an order identified as an
intermarket sweep order.'' See 17 CFR 242.611(b)(5). Because NASD
Rule 6954(b) already provides NASD with the authority to establish a
new code for ISOs in New Order Reports, the proposed rule filing
does not address that portion of the rule and only seeks to
establish a new code for ISOs in Route Reports under NASD Rule
6954(c).
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NASD will announce the effective date of the proposed rule change
in a Notice to Members to be published no later than 60 days following
Commission approval. The effective date will be February 4, 2008, to
coincide with the changes to the OATS Rules approved by the Commission
on October 10, 2006.\10\ Although firms will not be required to begin
using the ISO routing method code on Route Reports until February 4,
2008, NASD states that the code will be available for use by firms
beginning on June 11, 2007. Firms are encouraged to use the ISO code on
their Route Reports as soon as possible to facilitate NASD's ability to
determine whether the trade was made in reliance on an ISO exception
from the Order Protection Rule.\11\ As noted in the December 11, 2006
version of the OATS Reporting Technical Specifications, firms will be
required to use the ISO Special Handling Code on New Order Reports upon
implementation of the Order Protection Rule.\12\
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\10\ See supra note 3.
\11\ 17 CFR 242.611.
\12\ Id.
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2. Statutory Basis
NASD believes that the proposed rule change is consistent with the
provisions of Section 15A(b)(6) of the Act,\13\ which requires, among
other things, that NASD rules must be designed to prevent fraudulent
and manipulative acts and practices, to promote just and equitable
principles of trade, and, in general, to protect investors and the
public interest. NASD believes that the proposed rule change will
enhance OATS data and ensure that NASD is able to monitor compliance
with Regulation NMS in a more effective manner.
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\13\ 15 U.S.C. 78o-3(b)(6).
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B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition
NASD does not believe that the proposed rule change will result in
any burden on competition that is not necessary or appropriate in
furtherance of the purposes of the Act.
C. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed
Rule Change Received From Members, Participants, or Others
Written comments were neither solicited nor received.
III. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed Rule Change and Timing for
Commission Action
Within 35 days of the date of publication of this notice in the
Federal Register or within such longer period (i) as the Commission may
designate up to 90 days of such date if it finds such longer period to
be appropriate and publishes its reasons for so finding, or (ii) as to
which NASD consents, the Commission will:
(A) by order approve such proposed rule change, or
(B) institute proceedings to determine whether the proposed rule
change should be disapproved.
IV. Solicitation of Comments
Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views, and
arguments concerning the foregoing, including whether the proposed rule
change 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 Number SR-NASD-2007-028 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-NASD-2007-028. 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 NASD. All
[[Page 30408]]
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-NASD-2007-028 and should be
submitted on or before June 21, 2007.
For the Commission, by the Division of Market Regulation,
pursuant to delegated authority.\14\
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\14\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Florence E. Harmon,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. E7-10405 Filed 5-30-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8010-01-P
