Self-Regulatory Organizations; Chicago Board Options Exchange, Incorporated; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change Relating to the Interim Trading Permit Access Fee, 43805-43807 [E8-17142]
Download as PDF
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 145 / Monday, July 28, 2008 / Notices
rule change operative upon filing with
the Commission.14
At any time within 60 days of the
filing of such 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.
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 rulecomments@sec.gov. Please include File
Number SR–CBOE–2008–76 on the
subject line.
Paper Comments
jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES
• Send paper comments in triplicate
to Secretary, Securities and Exchange
Commission, 100 F Street, NE.,
Washington, DC 20549–1090.
All submissions should refer to File
Number SR–CBOE–2008–76. 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, 100 F Street, NE., Washington,
DC 20549, on official business days
14 Rule 19b–4(f)(6)(iii) requires the Exchange to
provide the Commission with written notice of its
intention to file the proposed rule change along
with a brief description of the text of the proposed
rule change, at least five business days prior to
filing the proposal with the Commission, or such
shorter time as designated by the Commission. The
Commission has determined to waive the five
business day period in this case.
VerDate Aug<31>2005
18:35 Jul 25, 2008
Jkt 214001
between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Copies of such filing also will 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–CBOE–2008–76 and should
be submitted on or before August 18,
2008.
For the Commission, by the Division of
Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated
authority.15
Florence E. Harmon,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. E8–17120 Filed 7–25–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8010–01–P
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
[Release No. 34–58200; File No. SR–CBOE–
2008–77]
Self-Regulatory Organizations;
Chicago Board Options Exchange,
Incorporated; Notice of Filing and
Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed
Rule Change Relating to the Interim
Trading Permit Access Fee
July 21, 2008.
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 July 18,
2008, the Chicago Board Options
Exchange, Incorporated (‘‘CBOE’’ or
‘‘Exchange’’) 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
prepared by the CBOE. CBOE has
designated this proposal as one
establishing or changing a due, fee, or
other charge imposed by the Exchange
under section 19(b)(3)(A),3 and Rule
19b–4(f)(2) thereunder,4 which renders
the proposal effective upon filing with
the Commission. The Commission is
publishing this notice to solicit
comments on the proposed rule change
from interested parties.
PO 00000
I. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement of the Terms of Substance of
the Proposed Rule Change
CBOE proposes to adopt a monthly
access fee for Interim Trading Permit
holders. The text of the proposed rule
change is available on the Exchange’s
Web site (https://www.cboe.org/Legal/),
at the Exchange’s Office of the
Secretary, 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,
CBOE 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. CBOE 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
CBOE Rule 3.27(f)(ii) provides that
Interim Trading Permit holders shall
pay to the Exchange a monthly access
fee set by the Exchange and that the
access fee shall be implemented through
the submission of a proposed rule
change to the Commission under section
19(b)(3)(A) of the Act.5 The purpose of
this rule filing is to propose that the
access fee for Interim Trading Permit
holders be set at $12,387 per month.
The amount of the proposed access
fee is equal to the current indicative
lease rate. Under Rule 3.27(b), the
‘‘indicative lease rate’’ is the highest
clearing firm floating monthly rate 6 of
the CBOE Clearing Members that assist
in facilitating at least 10% of the CBOE
transferable membership leases. The
Exchange determined the current
indicative lease rate by polling each of
these Clearing Members and obtaining
the clearing firm floating monthly rate
designated by each of these Clearing
Members for the month of July 2008.
The Exchange believes that the
proposed access fee constitutes an
equitable allocation of reasonable dues,
5 15
15 17
CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).
1 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
2 17 CFR 240.19b–4.
3 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
4 17 CFR 240.19b–4(f)(2).
Frm 00131
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
43805
U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
3.27(b) defines the term ‘‘clearing firm
floating monthly rate’’ as the floating monthly rate
that a Clearing Member designates, in connection
with transferable membership leases that the
Clearing Member assisted in facilitating, for leases
that utilize that monthly rate.
6 Rule
E:\FR\FM\28JYN1.SGM
28JYN1
43806
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 145 / Monday, July 28, 2008 / Notices
fees, and other charges among persons
using its facilities because it is
equivalent to the current lease rate paid
by a large percentage of lessees of CBOE
transferable memberships and is
equivalent to the current access fee
assessed by the Exchange to persons
granted temporary CBOE membership
status (‘‘Temporary Members’’) pursuant
to Interpretation and Policy .02 under
CBOE Rule 3.19.7 Additionally, by
setting the proposed access fee at the
indicative lease rate, the Exchange is
utilizing a benchmark that is used for
other purposes under various provisions
of Rule 3.27. For example, the Exchange
may issue Interim Trading Permits
under Rule 3.27(b) only if, among other
things, the Exchange determines that
there are insufficient transferable
memberships available for lease at that
time at a rate reasonably related to the
indicative lease rate. In addition, Rule
3.27(d) provides that, under specified
circumstances, the Exchange will make
a payment to lessors of CBOE
transferable memberships that notify the
Exchange that their memberships
remain unleased while Interim Trading
Permits are outstanding, and the amount
of that payment is the indicative lease
rate (assuming the number of Interim
Trading Permits exceeds the number of
these open leases). Setting the proposed
access fee equal to the indicative lease
rate therefore is consistent with these
other provisions.8
The Exchange may, and likely will,
further adjust the proposed access fee in
the future through the submission of a
further rule filing pursuant to section
19(b)(3)(A)(ii) of the Act 9 if the
Exchange determines that it would be
appropriate to do so, such as to take into
jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES
7 See
Securities Exchange Act Release No. 58073
(July 1, 2008), 73 FR 39357 (July 9, 2008) (SR–
CBOE–2008–71), which set the current access fee
for Temporary Members at $12,387 per month.
8 Because Interim Trading Permit holders possess
a feature that does not exist in the typical lease
arrangement for a CBOE transferable membership,
the Exchange also believes that it would be
equitable to assess Interim Trading Permit holders
an access fee that is higher than the indicative lease
rate if the Exchange chose to do so in the future
through the submission of a subsequent proposed
rule change pursuant to section 19(b)(3)(A)(ii) of the
Act, 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(ii). Under Rule 3.27(c),
an Interim Trading Permit can be terminated only
(1) if the holder terminates the Interim Trading
Permit, (2) as a result of regulatory action against
the holder, (3) in the event of a demutualization,
or (4) through a rule change approved by the
Commission. On the other hand, the typical lease
arrangement for a transferable membership can be
terminated by the lessor upon a month’s notice to
the lessee. As a result, Interim Trading Permit
holders enjoy more certainty than lessees with
respect to their trading access to the Exchange and
the Exchange could determine to assess them a
higher access fee to reflect that certainty.
9 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(ii).
VerDate Aug<31>2005
18:35 Jul 25, 2008
Jkt 214001
consideration changes in the indicative
lease rate.
Rule 3.27(f)(ii) provides that the
access fee for Interim Trading Permit
holders shall be due and payable in
accordance with the provisions of the
Exchange Fee Schedule and shall be the
same for all Interim Trading Permit
holders.
The Exchange proposes to include in
the Exchange Fee Schedule the
following procedural provisions related
to the assessment of the proposed access
fee. The proposed access fee will be
assessed to each Interim Trading Permit
holder for each Interim Trading Permit
issued to the holder. Consistent with
Rule 3.27(c), the proposed access fee
and any other applicable monthly fees
will be assessed for each calendar
month unless an Interim Trading Permit
holder provides written notice to the
CBOE Membership Department on or
before the fifteenth day of the preceding
calendar month that the holder is
terminating the Interim Trading Permit
effective no later than the last day of
that preceding calendar month.10 The
proposed access fee will be due and
payable for each calendar month on the
first day of that calendar month. If an
Interim Trading Permit is issued during
a calendar month after the first day of
the month, the proposed access fee for
that calendar month will be prorated
and will be assessed as of the date of the
issuance of the Interim Trading Permit.
The proposed access fee will be nonrefundable and will be assessed through
the integrated billing system.
2. Statutory Basis
For the reasons described above, the
Exchange believes that the proposed
rule change is consistent with Section
6(b) of the Act,11 in general, and furthers
the objectives of Section 6(b)(4) of the
Act,12 in particular, in that it is designed
to provide for the equitable allocation of
reasonable dues, fees, and other charges
among persons using its facilities.
B. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement on Burden on Competition
CBOE does not believe that the
proposed rule change will impose any
burden on competition that is not
necessary or appropriate in furtherance
of the purposes of the Act.
10 For example, an Interim Trading Permit holder
that did not wish to be assessed the proposed access
fee and any other applicable monthly fees for the
month of September 2008 would need to provide
notice to the Membership Department on or before
August 15, 2008 that the holder was terminating the
Interim Trading Permit effective no later than
August 31, 2008.
11 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
12 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(4).
PO 00000
Frm 00132
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
C. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement on Comments on the
Proposed Rule Change Received From
Members, Participants or Others
No written comments were solicited
or received with respect to the proposed
rule change.
III. Date of Effectiveness of the
Proposed Rule Change and Timing for
Commission Action
Because the foregoing rule change
establishes or changes a due, fee, or
other charge imposed by the Exchange,
it has become effective pursuant to
section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act 13 and
subparagraph (f)(2) of Rule 19b–4 14
thereunder. 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.
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 rulecomments@sec.gov. Please include File
Number SR–CBOE–2008–77 on the
subject line.
Paper Comments
• Send paper comments in triplicate
to Secretary, Securities and Exchange
Commission, 100 F Street, NE.,
Washington DC 20549–1090.
All submissions should refer to File
Number SR–CBOE–2008–77. 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
13 15
14 17
E:\FR\FM\28JYN1.SGM
U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
CFR 240.19b–4(f)(2).
28JYN1
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 145 / Monday, July 28, 2008 / Notices
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, 100 F Street, NE., Washington,
DC 20549, on official business days
between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Copies of such filing also will 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 No.
SR–CBOE–2008–77 and should be
submitted on or before August 18, 2008.
For the Commission, by the Division of
Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated
authority.15
Florence E. Harmon,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. E8–17142 Filed 7–25–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8010–01–P
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
[Release No. 34–58204; File No. SR–CBOE–
2008–64]
Self-Regulatory Organizations;
Chicago Board Options Exchange,
Incorporated; Order Granting
Accelerated Approval of a Proposed
Rule Change, as Modified by
Amendment No. 1, Amending CBOE
Rules 5.3 and 5.4 To Enable the Listing
and Trading of Options on IndexLinked Securities
jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES
July 22, 2008.
On June 19, 2008, the Chicago Board
Options Exchange, Incorporated
(‘‘CBOE’’ or ‘‘Exchange’’) filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission
(‘‘Commission’’) a proposed rule change
pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(‘‘Act’’) 1 and Rule 19b–4 2 thereunder to
amend CBOE Rules 5.3 and 5.4 to list
and trade options on equity indexlinked securities, commodity-linked
securities, currency-linked securities,
fixed income index-linked securities,
futures-linked securities, and
multifactor index-linked securities
(collectively referred to as ‘‘IndexLinked Securities’’) that are principally
traded on a national securities exchange
15 17
CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).
1 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
2 17 CFR 240.19b–4.
VerDate Aug<31>2005
18:35 Jul 25, 2008
Jkt 214001
and an ‘‘NMS stock’’ as defined in Rule
600 of Regulation NMS.3 The proposed
rule change was published for comment
in the Federal Register on July 1, 2008
for a 15-day comment period.4 On July
1, 2008, the Exchange submitted
Amendment No. 1 to the proposed rule
change.5 The Commission received no
comment letters regarding the proposal.
This order approves the proposed rule
change, as modified.
Index-Linked Securities are designed
for investors who desire to participate in
a specific market segment by providing
exposure to one or more identifiable
underlying securities, commodities,
currencies, derivative instruments or
market indexes of the foregoing. IndexLinked Securities are the nonconvertible debt of an issuer that have
a term of at least one year but not greater
than thirty years. Despite the fact that
Index-Linked Securities are linked to at
least one underlying index or asset
(‘‘Reference Asset’’), each trade as a
single, exchange-listed security.
Accordingly, rules pertaining to the
listing and trading of standard equity
options would apply to options on
Index-Linked Securities.
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
a national securities exchange 6 and, in
particular, the requirements of Section 6
of the Act.7 Specifically, the
Commission finds that the proposed
rule change is consistent with Section
6(b)(5) of the Act,8 which requires,
among other things, that the rules of a
national securities exchange be
designed 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.
In addition, the Commission finds
good cause, pursuant to Section 19(b)(2)
of the Act,9 for approving the proposed
rule change, as modified, prior to the
thirtieth day after the date of
publication of notice in the Federal
Register. The Commission notes this
proposed rule change, as modified, is
17 CFR 242.600(b)(47).
Securities Exchange Act Release No. 58007
(June 23, 2008), 73 FR 37516.
5 Amendment No. 1 corrects a minor
typographical omission. Because the amendment is
technical in nature, the Commission is not
publishing it for comment.
6 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).
7 15 U.S.C. 78f.
8 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
9 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2).
PO 00000
3 See
4 See
Frm 00133
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
43807
substantively identical to that of NYSE
Arca, Inc., which was published for a
21-day comment period and generated
no comments.10 Therefore, the
Commission does not believe that this
proposal raises any new regulatory
issues different from that of the NYSE
Arca, Inc. proposal.
Listing and Trading of Options on
Index-Linked Securities
As set out more fully in the
Exchange’s notice of its proposal,
CBOE’s proposed rules include
requirements regarding initial and
continued listing standards, the
creation/redemption process for IndexLinked Securities, and trading halts.
Index-Linked Securities must be traded
through a national securities exchange
or through the facilities of a national
securities association, and must be
‘‘NMS stock’’ as defined under Rule 600
of Regulation NMS.11
The Commission notes that, pursuant
to the proposed Interpretation and
Policy .13(3) to CBOE Rule 5.3 and
Interpretation and Policy .16 to CBOR
Rule 5.4, Index-Linked Securities will
be subject to the initial and continuing
eligibility standards for underlying
securities provided in CBOE Rules 5.3
and 5.4, as applicable. In particular, to
be options eligible, an Index-Linked
Security must either meet the criteria
and guidelines for underlying securities
set forth in Interpretation and Policy .01
to CBOE Rule 5.3, or alternately, the
Index-Linked Securities must be
redeemable at the option of the holder
at least on a weekly basis through the
issuer at a price related to the applicable
underlying Reference Asset, and the
issuing company must be obligated to
issue or repurchase the securities in
aggregation units for cash or cash
equivalents satisfactory to the issuer of
Index-Linked Securities which underlie
the option as described in the IndexLinked Securities prospectus.
To continue to be options eligible, the
Index-Linked Security must remain an
NMS stock listed on a national
securities exchange. The Exchange will
also consider the suspension of opening
transactions in any series of options of
the class covering Index-Linked
Securities where the Index-Linked
security does not satisfy the
requirements set out in proposed
Interpretation and Policy .16 to CBOE
Rule 5.4. These include: (1) Continued
compliance with Interpretation and
Policy .13 to CBOE Rule 5.3; (2)
10 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 57950
(June 11, 2008), 73 FR 34815 (June 18, 2008) (SR–
NYSEArca–2008–57).
11 17 CFR 242.600(b)(47).
E:\FR\FM\28JYN1.SGM
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 145 (Monday, July 28, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43805-43807]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-17142]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
[Release No. 34-58200; File No. SR-CBOE-2008-77]
Self-Regulatory Organizations; Chicago Board Options Exchange,
Incorporated; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed
Rule Change Relating to the Interim Trading Permit Access Fee
July 21, 2008.
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 July 18, 2008, the Chicago Board Options Exchange, Incorporated
(``CBOE'' or ``Exchange'') 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 prepared by the CBOE.
CBOE has designated this proposal as one establishing or changing a
due, fee, or other charge imposed by the Exchange under section
19(b)(3)(A),\3\ and Rule 19b-4(f)(2) thereunder,\4\ which renders the
proposal effective upon filing with the Commission. The Commission is
publishing this notice to solicit comments on the proposed rule change
from interested parties.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
\2\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4.
\3\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
\4\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(2).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance
of the Proposed Rule Change
CBOE proposes to adopt a monthly access fee for Interim Trading
Permit holders. The text of the proposed rule change is available on
the Exchange's Web site (https://www.cboe.org/Legal/), at the Exchange's
Office of the Secretary, 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, CBOE 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. CBOE 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
CBOE Rule 3.27(f)(ii) provides that Interim Trading Permit holders
shall pay to the Exchange a monthly access fee set by the Exchange and
that the access fee shall be implemented through the submission of a
proposed rule change to the Commission under section 19(b)(3)(A) of the
Act.\5\ The purpose of this rule filing is to propose that the access
fee for Interim Trading Permit holders be set at $12,387 per month.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\5\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The amount of the proposed access fee is equal to the current
indicative lease rate. Under Rule 3.27(b), the ``indicative lease
rate'' is the highest clearing firm floating monthly rate \6\ of the
CBOE Clearing Members that assist in facilitating at least 10% of the
CBOE transferable membership leases. The Exchange determined the
current indicative lease rate by polling each of these Clearing Members
and obtaining the clearing firm floating monthly rate designated by
each of these Clearing Members for the month of July 2008.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\6\ Rule 3.27(b) defines the term ``clearing firm floating
monthly rate'' as the floating monthly rate that a Clearing Member
designates, in connection with transferable membership leases that
the Clearing Member assisted in facilitating, for leases that
utilize that monthly rate.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Exchange believes that the proposed access fee constitutes an
equitable allocation of reasonable dues,
[[Page 43806]]
fees, and other charges among persons using its facilities because it
is equivalent to the current lease rate paid by a large percentage of
lessees of CBOE transferable memberships and is equivalent to the
current access fee assessed by the Exchange to persons granted
temporary CBOE membership status (``Temporary Members'') pursuant to
Interpretation and Policy .02 under CBOE Rule 3.19.\7\ Additionally, by
setting the proposed access fee at the indicative lease rate, the
Exchange is utilizing a benchmark that is used for other purposes under
various provisions of Rule 3.27. For example, the Exchange may issue
Interim Trading Permits under Rule 3.27(b) only if, among other things,
the Exchange determines that there are insufficient transferable
memberships available for lease at that time at a rate reasonably
related to the indicative lease rate. In addition, Rule 3.27(d)
provides that, under specified circumstances, the Exchange will make a
payment to lessors of CBOE transferable memberships that notify the
Exchange that their memberships remain unleased while Interim Trading
Permits are outstanding, and the amount of that payment is the
indicative lease rate (assuming the number of Interim Trading Permits
exceeds the number of these open leases). Setting the proposed access
fee equal to the indicative lease rate therefore is consistent with
these other provisions.\8\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\7\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 58073 (July 1,
2008), 73 FR 39357 (July 9, 2008) (SR-CBOE-2008-71), which set the
current access fee for Temporary Members at $12,387 per month.
\8\ Because Interim Trading Permit holders possess a feature
that does not exist in the typical lease arrangement for a CBOE
transferable membership, the Exchange also believes that it would be
equitable to assess Interim Trading Permit holders an access fee
that is higher than the indicative lease rate if the Exchange chose
to do so in the future through the submission of a subsequent
proposed rule change pursuant to section 19(b)(3)(A)(ii) of the Act,
15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(ii). Under Rule 3.27(c), an Interim Trading
Permit can be terminated only (1) if the holder terminates the
Interim Trading Permit, (2) as a result of regulatory action against
the holder, (3) in the event of a demutualization, or (4) through a
rule change approved by the Commission. On the other hand, the
typical lease arrangement for a transferable membership can be
terminated by the lessor upon a month's notice to the lessee. As a
result, Interim Trading Permit holders enjoy more certainty than
lessees with respect to their trading access to the Exchange and the
Exchange could determine to assess them a higher access fee to
reflect that certainty.
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The Exchange may, and likely will, further adjust the proposed
access fee in the future through the submission of a further rule
filing pursuant to section 19(b)(3)(A)(ii) of the Act \9\ if the
Exchange determines that it would be appropriate to do so, such as to
take into consideration changes in the indicative lease rate.
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\9\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(ii).
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Rule 3.27(f)(ii) provides that the access fee for Interim Trading
Permit holders shall be due and payable in accordance with the
provisions of the Exchange Fee Schedule and shall be the same for all
Interim Trading Permit holders.
The Exchange proposes to include in the Exchange Fee Schedule the
following procedural provisions related to the assessment of the
proposed access fee. The proposed access fee will be assessed to each
Interim Trading Permit holder for each Interim Trading Permit issued to
the holder. Consistent with Rule 3.27(c), the proposed access fee and
any other applicable monthly fees will be assessed for each calendar
month unless an Interim Trading Permit holder provides written notice
to the CBOE Membership Department on or before the fifteenth day of the
preceding calendar month that the holder is terminating the Interim
Trading Permit effective no later than the last day of that preceding
calendar month.\10\ The proposed access fee will be due and payable for
each calendar month on the first day of that calendar month. If an
Interim Trading Permit is issued during a calendar month after the
first day of the month, the proposed access fee for that calendar month
will be prorated and will be assessed as of the date of the issuance of
the Interim Trading Permit. The proposed access fee will be non-
refundable and will be assessed through the integrated billing system.
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\10\ For example, an Interim Trading Permit holder that did not
wish to be assessed the proposed access fee and any other applicable
monthly fees for the month of September 2008 would need to provide
notice to the Membership Department on or before August 15, 2008
that the holder was terminating the Interim Trading Permit effective
no later than August 31, 2008.
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2. Statutory Basis
For the reasons described above, the Exchange believes that the
proposed rule change is consistent with Section 6(b) of the Act,\11\ in
general, and furthers the objectives of Section 6(b)(4) of the Act,\12\
in particular, in that it is designed to provide for the equitable
allocation of reasonable dues, fees, and other charges among persons
using its facilities.
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\11\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
\12\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(4).
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B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition
CBOE does not believe that the proposed rule change will impose 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
No written comments were solicited or received with respect to the
proposed rule change.
III. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed Rule Change and Timing for
Commission Action
Because the foregoing rule change establishes or changes a due,
fee, or other charge imposed by the Exchange, it has become effective
pursuant to section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act \13\ and subparagraph (f)(2)
of Rule 19b-4 \14\ thereunder. 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.
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\13\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
\14\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(2).
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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 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-CBOE-2008-77 on the subject line.
Paper Comments
Send paper comments in triplicate to Secretary, Securities
and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street, NE., Washington DC 20549-1090.
All submissions should refer to File Number SR-CBOE-2008-77. 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
[[Page 43807]]
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, 100 F Street, NE.,
Washington, DC 20549, on official business days between the hours of 10
a.m. and 3 p.m. Copies of such filing also will 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 No. SR-CBOE-2008-77 and should be
submitted on or before August 18, 2008.
For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets,
pursuant to delegated authority.\15\
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\15\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Florence E. Harmon,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. E8-17142 Filed 7-25-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8010-01-P