Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE MKT LLC; Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule Change To Amend the NYSE Amex Options LLC Members Agreement To Empower the Volume Dispute Committee To Establish Principles for Determining Whether the Exchange Has Experienced a Bona Fide Systems Problem and To Adjust Certain Volume Measurements Accordingly, 59234-59236 [2012-23634]
Download as PDF
59234
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 187 / Wednesday, September 26, 2012 / Notices
list series that are at least 10% but not
more than 30% above or below the
current price of the underlying security.
Further, in the event that all existing
series have open interest and there are
no series at least 10% above or below
the current price of the underlying
security, the Exchange may list
additional series, in excess of the 30
allowed currently under Commentary
.07, that are at least 10% and not more
than 30% above or below the current
price of the underlying security.
The Exchange believes that it is
important to allow investors to roll
existing option positions and ensuring
that there are always series at least 10%
but not more than 30% above or below
the current price of the underlying
security will allow investors the
flexibility they need to roll existing
positions.
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
2. Statutory Basis
The Exchange believes the proposed
rule change is consistent with Section
6(b) of the Act 8 in general, and furthers
the objectives of Section 6(b)(5),9 in
particular, in that it is designed to
promote just and equitable principles of
trade,remove impediments to and
perfect the mechanisms of a free and
open market and a national market
system and, in general, to protect
investors and the public interest.
The Exchange believes that expanding
the STOS Program will result in a
continuing benefit to investors by giving
them more flexibility to closely tailor
their investment decisions and hedging
decisions in a greater number of
securities. The Exchange also believes
that expanding the STOS Program will
provide the investing public and other
market participants with additional
opportunities to hedge their investment
thus allowing these investors to better
manage their risk exposure. While the
expansion of the STOS Program will
generate additional quote traffic, the
Exchange does not believe that this
increased traffic will become
unmanageable since the proposal
remains limited to a fixed number of
expirations.
The Exchange believes that the ability
to delist series with no open interest in
both the call and the put series will
benefit investors by devoting the current
cap in the number of series to those
series that are more closely tailored to
the investment decisions and hedging
decisions of investors.
8 15
9 15
U.S.C. 78f(b).
U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
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17:27 Sep 25, 2012
Jkt 226001
B. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement on Burden on Competition
The Exchange 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
Within 45 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 or disapprove
the 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 email to rulecomments@sec.gov. Please include File
Number SR–NYSEARCA–2012–95 on
the subject line.
Paper Comments
• Send paper comments in triplicate
to Elizabeth M. Murphy, Secretary,
Securities and Exchange Commission,
100 F Street NE., Washington, DC
20549–1090.
All submissions should refer to File
Number SR–NYSEARCA–2012–95. This
file number should be included on the
subject line if email 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
PO 00000
Frm 00072
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
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 Web site viewing and
printing in the Commission’s Public
Reference Room, on business days
between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.,
located at 100 F Street, NE.,
Washington, DC 20549–1090. Copies of
the filing will also be available for
inspection and copying at the NYSE’s
principal office and on its Internet Web
site at www.nyse.com. 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–2012–95 and should be
submitted on or before October 17,
2012.
For the Commission, by the Division of
Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated
authority.10
Kevin M. O’Neill,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2012–23637 Filed 9–25–12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
[Release No. 34–67895; File No. SR–
NYSEMKT–2012–47]
Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE
MKT LLC; Notice of Filing of Proposed
Rule Change To Amend the NYSE
Amex Options LLC Members
Agreement To Empower the Volume
Dispute Committee To Establish
Principles for Determining Whether the
Exchange Has Experienced a Bona
Fide Systems Problem and To Adjust
Certain Volume Measurements
Accordingly
September 20, 2012.
Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) 1 of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the
‘‘Act’’) 2 and Rule 19b–4 thereunder,3
notice is hereby given that, on
September 7, 2012, NYSE MKT LLC (the
‘‘Exchange’’ or ‘‘NYSE MKT’’) filed with
10 17
CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).
U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
2 15 U.S.C. 78a.
3 17 CFR 240.19b–4.
1 15
E:\FR\FM\26SEN1.SGM
26SEN1
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 187 / Wednesday, September 26, 2012 / Notices
the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the ‘‘Commission’’) the
proposed rule change as described in
Items I, II, and III below, which Items
have been prepared by the selfregulatory organization. The
Commission is publishing this notice to
solicit comments on the proposed rule
change from interested persons.
I. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement of the Terms of Substance of
the Proposed Rule Change
The Exchange proposes to amend the
NYSE Amex Options LLC Members
Agreement to empower the Volume
Dispute Committee to establish
principles for determining whether the
Exchange has experienced a bona fide
systems problem and to adjust certain
volume measurements accordingly. The
text of the proposed rule change is
available on the Exchange’s Web site at
www.nyse.com, at the principal office of
the Exchange, on the Commission’s Web
site at https://www.sec.gov, 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, the
self-regulatory organization 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 those statements may be examined at
the places specified in Item IV below.
The Exchange has prepared summaries,
set forth in sections A, B, and C below,
of the most significant parts of such
statements.
A. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement of the Purpose of, and the
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule
Change
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
1. Purpose
The Exchange proposes to amend the
NYSE Amex Options LLC Members
Agreement to empower the Volume
Dispute Committee to establish
principles for determining whether the
Exchange has experienced a bona fide
systems problem and to adjust certain
volume measurements accordingly.
Background
In 2011, NYSE MKT established
NYSE Amex Options LLC (‘‘Company’’),
a Delaware limited liability company
formed by NYSE Euronext, NYSE MKT,
and seven Founding Firms,4 and jointly
4 The Founding Firms are Banc of America
Strategic Investments Corporation, Barclays
Electronic Commerce Holdings Inc., Citadel
VerDate Mar<15>2010
17:27 Sep 25, 2012
Jkt 226001
owned by NYSE MKT and the Founding
Firms, to operate an options facility of
the Exchange.5 The governance
structure of the Company is reflected in
a Limited Liability Company Agreement
and a Members Agreement.
Under Article II, Section 2.1 of the
Members Agreement, for a certain
period, each Founding Firm must satisfy
certain minimum volume requirements
with respect to trading on the options
facility. Under the Volume-Based Equity
Plan, for each measurement period, the
Company issues Annual Incentive
Shares. Each Founding Firm is entitled
to receive, for no additional
consideration, a portion of the Annual
Incentive Shares such that it dilutes,
maintains or increases its equity interest
in the Company (relative to the other
Founding Firms) based on the degree to
which the Founding Firm has failed to
achieve, achieved or exceeded its
‘‘Individual Target’’ during the
measurement period. A Founding
Firm’s Individual Target is its pro rata
portion of an aggregate Founding Firm
target contribution to the annual volume
of the options facility.
Under Article I, Section 1.1 of the
Members Agreement, the Individual
Target is defined as the product of (i)
the Founding Firm aggregate target
market share for such measurement
period multiplied by (ii) such Founding
Firm’s Initial Class B Common Interests
multiplied by (iii) the Industry Volume
for such measurement period. Industry
Volume is defined, with respect to any
period, as the product of (x) the
aggregate U.S. listed securities option
exchange volume of cleared transactions
in the Products (a contract that is listed
for trading on the Exchange) during
such period, as reported by the OCC,
that are executed and cleared during
such period multiplied by (y) two.
However, Industry Volume excludes (i)
the volume of cleared transactions in
the Products during trading days on
which trading on the Exchange is halted
for certain periods, and (ii) Strategic
Transaction Volume, which is designed
to exclude certain strategy-based
transactions.6
Article II, Section 2.4 of the Members
Agreement authorizes the Company to
establish a Volume Dispute Committee,
which has 15 members, one chosen by
each of the seven Founding Firms and
the remaining eight chosen by the
Securities LLC, Citigroup Financial Strategies, Inc.,
Goldman, Sachs & Co., Datek Online Management
Corp., and UBS Americas Inc.
5 Securities Exchange Act Release No. 64742
(June 24, 2011), 76 FR 38436 (June 30, 2011) (SR–
NYSEAmex–2011–18).
6 See Article II, Section 2.1(h) of the Members
Agreement.
PO 00000
Frm 00073
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
59235
Exchange. Article II, Section 2.4
empowers the Volume Dispute
Committee to (i) establish principles for
determining the types of transactions for
which the Founding Firms are not
eligible to receive credit; (ii) establish
principles for determining how
transaction credits should be allocated
among or between the Founding Firms;
(iii) review and approve the Strategic
Transaction Volume; and (iv) otherwise
determine certain other matters with
respect to volume-related disputes.
Proposed Rule Change
The Exchange believes that if it is
experiencing a bona fide systems
problem, then there may be situations in
which such volume should not be
included in calculating Individual
Targets or Industry Volume. A bona fide
systems problem could include, but is
not limited to, an erroneous input that
causes the generation of quotes that are
substantially away from the quoted
national best bid and offer or a problem
that causes severe latencies that do not
rise to the level of a trading halt but that
interfere with a Founding Firm’s ability
to quote or route orders. Because system
problems can take many forms and may
not be predictable, the Exchange does
not propose to attempt to define what a
systems problem is for this purpose.
Rather, the Exchange believes that the
Volume Dispute Committee should be
empowered to establish principles for
determining whether a bona fide
systems problem occurred on the
options facility and for what time
period. The Exchange believes that
providing the Volume Dispute
Committee with such authority will
provide the necessary flexibility and
structure to resolve disputes about what
volume should be counted in such
situations.7
Thus, the Exchange proposes to
amend Article II, Section 2.4(a) of the
Members Agreement to empower the
Volume Dispute Committee to establish
principles for determining whether the
Exchange has experienced a bona fide
systems problem, and the time period of
such bona fide systems problem. In
Article 1, Section 1.1 of the Members
Agreement, the Exchange also proposes
to amend the definition of Industry
Volume to provide that the computation
of volume would exclude the volume of
7 The Exchange notes that while it has procedures
for adjusting or busting certain trades under Rule
957NY [sic], there may be certain instances in
which bona fide systems issues have occurred but
where certain trades fall outside of this Rule or
otherwise are permitted to stand under the Rule, it
would be inequitable to include such trades in
calculating Industry Volume or a Founding Firm’s
Individual Target.
E:\FR\FM\26SEN1.SGM
26SEN1
59236
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 187 / Wednesday, September 26, 2012 / Notices
cleared transactions in the Products
during a period of time in which the
Exchange experienced a bona fide
systems problem. Finally, the Exchange
proposes to amend Section 2.3(a), which
establishes a methodology for
determining whether a Founding Firm
has met its Individual Target, to provide
that credits would not be awarded for
any transactions executed during a
period of time in which the Exchange
experienced a bona fide systems
problem.
2. Statutory Basis
The Exchange believes that the
proposed rule change is consistent with
Section 6(b) of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 (‘‘Act’’),8 in general, and
furthers the objectives of Section 6(b)(5)
of the Act,9 in particular, in that it is
designed to prevent fraudulent and
manipulative acts and practices; to
promote just and equitable principles of
trade; to foster cooperation and
coordination with persons engaged in
regulating, clearing, settling, processing
information with respect to, and
facilitating transactions in securities; 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 Exchange believes
that the proposed rule change would
promote just and equitable principles of
trade by making the calculations of
Individual Target and Industry Volume
fairer by authorizing the Volume
Dispute Committee to establish
principles for excluding transactions
that occurred while bona fide systems
problems were occurring. The Exchange
believes that such principles will help
to foster cooperation among the
Founding Firms and remove
impediments to a free and open market,
further encouraging the Founding Firms
to bring order flow to the Exchange and
thus promoting liquidity for all
investors.
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
B. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement on Burden on Competition
The Exchange 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.
8 15
9 15
U.S.C. 78f(b).
U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
VerDate Mar<15>2010
17:27 Sep 25, 2012
Jkt 226001
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
Within 45 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 or disapprove
the proposed rule change, or
(B) Institute proceedings to determine
whether the proposed rule change
should be disapproved.
IV. Solicitation of Comments
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 Web site viewing and
printing in the Commission’s Public
Reference Room, 100 F Street NE.,
Washington, DC 20549, on official
business days between the hours of
10:00 a.m. and 3:00 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–NYSEMKT–
2012–47 and should be submitted on or
before October 17, 2012.
For the Commission, by the Division of
Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated
authority.10
Kevin M. O’Neill,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2012–23634 Filed 9–25–12; 8:45 am]
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:
BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
Electronic Comments
Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE
MKT LLC; Notice of Filing of Proposed
Rule Change and Amendment No. 1,
Amending Rule 903(h) and Related
Commentary .10 To Expand the
Number of Expirations Available Under
the Short Term Option Series Program
(‘‘STOS Program’’), To Allow for the
Exchange To Delist Any Series in the
STOS That Do Not Have Open Interest
and To Expand the Number of Series
in STOS Under Limited Circumstances
• Use the Commission’s Internet
comment form (https://www.sec.gov/
rules/sro.shtml); or
• Send an email to rulecomments@sec.gov. Please include File
No. SR–NYSEMKT–2012–47 on the
subject line.
Paper Comments
• Send paper comments in triplicate
to Elizabeth M. Murphy, Secretary,
Securities and Exchange Commission,
100 F Street NE., Washington, DC
20549–1090.
All submissions should refer to File No.
SR–NYSEMKT–2012–47. This file
number should be included on the
subject line if email 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
PO 00000
Frm 00074
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
[Release No. 34–67897; File No. SR–
NYSEMKT–2012–42]
September 20, 2012.
Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) 1 of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the
‘‘Act’’) 2 and Rule 19b–4 thereunder,3
notice is hereby given that, on
September 6, 2012, NYSE MKT LLC (the
‘‘Exchange’’ or ‘‘NYSE MKT’’) filed with
the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the ‘‘Commission’’) the
proposed rule change as described in
Items I, II, and III below, which Items
have been prepared by the selfregulatory organization. On September
18, 2012, the Exchange filed
Amendment No. 1. The Commission is
10 17
CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).
U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
2 15 U.S.C. 78a.
3 17 CFR 240.19b–4.
1 15
E:\FR\FM\26SEN1.SGM
26SEN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 187 (Wednesday, September 26, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59234-59236]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-23634]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
[Release No. 34-67895; File No. SR-NYSEMKT-2012-47]
Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE MKT LLC; Notice of Filing of
Proposed Rule Change To Amend the NYSE Amex Options LLC Members
Agreement To Empower the Volume Dispute Committee To Establish
Principles for Determining Whether the Exchange Has Experienced a Bona
Fide Systems Problem and To Adjust Certain Volume Measurements
Accordingly
September 20, 2012.
Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) \1\ of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 (the ``Act'') \2\ and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,\3\ notice is hereby
given that, on September 7, 2012, NYSE MKT LLC (the ``Exchange'' or
``NYSE MKT'') filed with
[[Page 59235]]
the Securities and Exchange Commission (the ``Commission'') the
proposed rule change as described in Items I, II, and III below, which
Items have been prepared by the self-regulatory organization. The
Commission is publishing this notice to solicit comments on the
proposed rule change from interested persons.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
\2\ 15 U.S.C. 78a.
\3\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance
of the Proposed Rule Change
The Exchange proposes to amend the NYSE Amex Options LLC Members
Agreement to empower the Volume Dispute Committee to establish
principles for determining whether the Exchange has experienced a bona
fide systems problem and to adjust certain volume measurements
accordingly. The text of the proposed rule change is available on the
Exchange's Web site at www.nyse.com, at the principal office of the
Exchange, on the Commission's Web site at https://www.sec.gov, 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, the self-regulatory organization
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 those statements may be examined at
the places specified in Item IV below. The Exchange has prepared
summaries, set forth in sections A, B, and C below, of the most
significant parts of such statements.
A. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and the
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change
1. Purpose
The Exchange proposes to amend the NYSE Amex Options LLC Members
Agreement to empower the Volume Dispute Committee to establish
principles for determining whether the Exchange has experienced a bona
fide systems problem and to adjust certain volume measurements
accordingly.
Background
In 2011, NYSE MKT established NYSE Amex Options LLC (``Company''),
a Delaware limited liability company formed by NYSE Euronext, NYSE MKT,
and seven Founding Firms,\4\ and jointly owned by NYSE MKT and the
Founding Firms, to operate an options facility of the Exchange.\5\ The
governance structure of the Company is reflected in a Limited Liability
Company Agreement and a Members Agreement.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\4\ The Founding Firms are Banc of America Strategic Investments
Corporation, Barclays Electronic Commerce Holdings Inc., Citadel
Securities LLC, Citigroup Financial Strategies, Inc., Goldman, Sachs
& Co., Datek Online Management Corp., and UBS Americas Inc.
\5\ Securities Exchange Act Release No. 64742 (June 24, 2011),
76 FR 38436 (June 30, 2011) (SR-NYSEAmex-2011-18).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Under Article II, Section 2.1 of the Members Agreement, for a
certain period, each Founding Firm must satisfy certain minimum volume
requirements with respect to trading on the options facility. Under the
Volume-Based Equity Plan, for each measurement period, the Company
issues Annual Incentive Shares. Each Founding Firm is entitled to
receive, for no additional consideration, a portion of the Annual
Incentive Shares such that it dilutes, maintains or increases its
equity interest in the Company (relative to the other Founding Firms)
based on the degree to which the Founding Firm has failed to achieve,
achieved or exceeded its ``Individual Target'' during the measurement
period. A Founding Firm's Individual Target is its pro rata portion of
an aggregate Founding Firm target contribution to the annual volume of
the options facility.
Under Article I, Section 1.1 of the Members Agreement, the
Individual Target is defined as the product of (i) the Founding Firm
aggregate target market share for such measurement period multiplied by
(ii) such Founding Firm's Initial Class B Common Interests multiplied
by (iii) the Industry Volume for such measurement period. Industry
Volume is defined, with respect to any period, as the product of (x)
the aggregate U.S. listed securities option exchange volume of cleared
transactions in the Products (a contract that is listed for trading on
the Exchange) during such period, as reported by the OCC, that are
executed and cleared during such period multiplied by (y) two. However,
Industry Volume excludes (i) the volume of cleared transactions in the
Products during trading days on which trading on the Exchange is halted
for certain periods, and (ii) Strategic Transaction Volume, which is
designed to exclude certain strategy-based transactions.\6\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\6\ See Article II, Section 2.1(h) of the Members Agreement.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Article II, Section 2.4 of the Members Agreement authorizes the
Company to establish a Volume Dispute Committee, which has 15 members,
one chosen by each of the seven Founding Firms and the remaining eight
chosen by the Exchange. Article II, Section 2.4 empowers the Volume
Dispute Committee to (i) establish principles for determining the types
of transactions for which the Founding Firms are not eligible to
receive credit; (ii) establish principles for determining how
transaction credits should be allocated among or between the Founding
Firms; (iii) review and approve the Strategic Transaction Volume; and
(iv) otherwise determine certain other matters with respect to volume-
related disputes.
Proposed Rule Change
The Exchange believes that if it is experiencing a bona fide
systems problem, then there may be situations in which such volume
should not be included in calculating Individual Targets or Industry
Volume. A bona fide systems problem could include, but is not limited
to, an erroneous input that causes the generation of quotes that are
substantially away from the quoted national best bid and offer or a
problem that causes severe latencies that do not rise to the level of a
trading halt but that interfere with a Founding Firm's ability to quote
or route orders. Because system problems can take many forms and may
not be predictable, the Exchange does not propose to attempt to define
what a systems problem is for this purpose. Rather, the Exchange
believes that the Volume Dispute Committee should be empowered to
establish principles for determining whether a bona fide systems
problem occurred on the options facility and for what time period. The
Exchange believes that providing the Volume Dispute Committee with such
authority will provide the necessary flexibility and structure to
resolve disputes about what volume should be counted in such
situations.\7\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\7\ The Exchange notes that while it has procedures for
adjusting or busting certain trades under Rule 957NY [sic], there
may be certain instances in which bona fide systems issues have
occurred but where certain trades fall outside of this Rule or
otherwise are permitted to stand under the Rule, it would be
inequitable to include such trades in calculating Industry Volume or
a Founding Firm's Individual Target.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thus, the Exchange proposes to amend Article II, Section 2.4(a) of
the Members Agreement to empower the Volume Dispute Committee to
establish principles for determining whether the Exchange has
experienced a bona fide systems problem, and the time period of such
bona fide systems problem. In Article 1, Section 1.1 of the Members
Agreement, the Exchange also proposes to amend the definition of
Industry Volume to provide that the computation of volume would exclude
the volume of
[[Page 59236]]
cleared transactions in the Products during a period of time in which
the Exchange experienced a bona fide systems problem. Finally, the
Exchange proposes to amend Section 2.3(a), which establishes a
methodology for determining whether a Founding Firm has met its
Individual Target, to provide that credits would not be awarded for any
transactions executed during a period of time in which the Exchange
experienced a bona fide systems problem.
2. Statutory Basis
The Exchange believes that the proposed rule change is consistent
with Section 6(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (``Act''),\8\
in general, and furthers the objectives of Section 6(b)(5) of the
Act,\9\ in particular, in that it is designed to prevent fraudulent and
manipulative acts and practices; to promote just and equitable
principles of trade; to foster cooperation and coordination with
persons engaged in regulating, clearing, settling, processing
information with respect to, and facilitating transactions in
securities; 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 Exchange believes that
the proposed rule change would promote just and equitable principles of
trade by making the calculations of Individual Target and Industry
Volume fairer by authorizing the Volume Dispute Committee to establish
principles for excluding transactions that occurred while bona fide
systems problems were occurring. The Exchange believes that such
principles will help to foster cooperation among the Founding Firms and
remove impediments to a free and open market, further encouraging the
Founding Firms to bring order flow to the Exchange and thus promoting
liquidity for all investors.
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\8\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
\9\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
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B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition
The Exchange 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
Within 45 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 or disapprove the 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 email to rule-comments@sec.gov. Please include
File No. SR-NYSEMKT-2012-47 on the subject line.
Paper Comments
Send paper comments in triplicate to Elizabeth M. Murphy,
Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street NE.,
Washington, DC 20549-1090.
All submissions should refer to File No. SR-NYSEMKT-2012-47. This file
number should be included on the subject line if email 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 Web site viewing and
printing in the Commission's Public Reference Room, 100 F Street NE.,
Washington, DC 20549, on official business days between the hours of
10:00 a.m. and 3:00 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-NYSEMKT-2012-47 and should be
submitted on or before October 17, 2012.
For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets,
pursuant to delegated authority.\10\
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\10\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Kevin M. O'Neill,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2012-23634 Filed 9-25-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P