Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change Amending NYSE Arca Rule 6.65-Trading Halts and Suspensions, 76139-76141 [2012-31014]
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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 247 / Wednesday, December 26, 2012 / Notices
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
No. SR–CBOE–2012–120 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–CBOE–2012–120. 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
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 CBOE. 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–
2012–120 and should be submitted on
or before January 14, 2013.
For the Commission, by the Division of
Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated
authority.28
Kevin M. O’Neill,
Deputy Secretary.
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with
[FR Doc. 2012–30887 Filed 12–21–12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
[Release No. 34–68474; File No. SR–
NYSEArca-–2012–141]
Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE
Arca, Inc.; Notice of Filing and
Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed
Rule Change Amending NYSE Arca
Rule 6.65—Trading Halts and
Suspensions
December 19, 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 December
10, 2012, NYSE Arca, Inc. (the
‘‘Exchange’’ or ‘‘NYSE Arca’’) 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. 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
NYSE Arca Rule 6.65—Trading Halts
and Suspensions. 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,
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
NYSE Arca Rule 6.65 by adopting a
1 15
U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
U.S.C. 78a.
3 17 CFR 240.19b–4.
2 15
28 17
CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).
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76139
provision governing the nullification of
trades that occur while the options class
is subject to a trading halt. This
proposal is based on and substantially
similar to Rule 1092(c)(iv)(A) of
NASDAQ OMX PHLX, LLC (‘‘PHLX’’).4
Specifically, the Exchange proposes to
adopt Commentary .04 to Rule 6.65,
which provides that any trade that
occurs during a trading halt on the
Exchange in a given option shall be
nullified.
Rule 6.65 sets forth the circumstances
when the Exchange may halt trading in
an options contract or options series.
Such trading halts are applicable to both
electronic and open-outcry trading.
Pursuant to Rule 6.65(a), NYSE Arca
shall halt or suspend the trading of
options whenever the Exchange deems
such action appropriate in the interests
of a fair and orderly market and to
protect investors. Among the factors that
may be considered are: (i) The trading
in the underlying stock or Exchange
Traded Funds (‘‘ETF’’) has been halted
or suspended in the primary market; (ii)
the opening of such underlying stock or
ETF in the primary market has been
delayed because of unusual
circumstances; (iii) the Exchange has
been advised that the issuer of the
underlying stock or ETF is about to
make an important announcement
affecting such issuer; or (iv) other
unusual conditions or circumstances are
present. In addition, pursuant to Rule
6.65(b), the Exchange shall halt trading
in any equity option (including options
overlying ETFs), when the underlying
security is paused.5
Notwithstanding a trading halt in an
options security, the Exchange
recognizes that there could be
occurrences where an aberrant trade
might still occur after the Exchange has
halted trading in a given options class.
For example, this could happen because
of a temporary systems outage, a
communications issue between the
electronic and floor-based markets, or
other type of in-flight messaging
scenario where the Exchange’s
automatic execution system executed an
order, even though the options had been
halted prior to the time of execution.
Because the Exchange would have
already halted trading of the option
class, either because it was warranted in
the interest of a fair and orderly market
and the protection of investors pursuant
4 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 57712
(April 24, 2008), 73 FR 24100 (May 1, 2008).
Approval Order for SR-Phlx-2007–69, as amended.
5 A trading pause in an underlying security is
triggered when the price of the security falls or rises
10% or more in a rolling 5-minute window. Trading
pauses are initiated by the primary market where
the stock trades.
E:\FR\FM\26DEN1.SGM
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76140
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 247 / Wednesday, December 26, 2012 / Notices
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with
to Rule 6.65(a), or required pursuant to
Rule 6.65(b) because the underlying
security was paused, the Exchange does
not believe that any trade that takes
place after an options class that has
been halted on the Exchange should
stand. Proposed Commentary .04 will
require the Exchange to nullify these
aberrant trades. The Exchange notes that
executions occurring prior to a trading
halt in the options class, but not yet
reported to the Exchange, will still be
reported for dissemination to OPRA
after the options have halted. Such
trades would not be subject to
nullification by the Exchange pursuant
to proposed Commentary .04.
Under existing rules, the Exchange
may only nullify a trade which occurred
during a trading halt if, (i) pursuant to
Rule 6.87 the trade qualifies as an
Obvious or Catastrophic Error, or (ii)
pursuant to Rule 6.77, a Trading Official
determines that the execution of such
trade was done in violation of certain
Exchange rules governing open outcry
trading.6 The addition of proposed
Commentary .04 will expand the
Exchange’s authority to nullify trades
that may occur during a trading halt,
which the Exchange believes is in
keeping with the maintenance of a fair
and orderly market and the protection of
investors.
The Exchange notes that the PHLX
Rule 1092(c)(iv) also includes other
provisions related to trading halts and
the nullification of trades. Paragraphs
(B)–(C) of the PHLX rule deal with the
nullification of an options trade
whenever the underlying security or a
certain percentage of the components of
an underlying index have halted,
regardless of whether the options
themselves have halted. Exchange rules
do not require that an options class be
halted whenever the underlying security
halts, therefore it would be inconsistent
to nullify a trade simply because the
underlying security or index
components halted, if the Exchange had
not also halted the trading of options
overlying such security or index.7 The
Exchange only proposes to nullify a
trade in the event the options have been
halted by the Exchange, and therefore is
not proposing to adopt PHLX Rule
1092(c)(iv)(B)–(D). Additionally,
paragraph (D) of the PHLX rule deals
6 A trade may also be nullified, without Exchange
interaction, if all parties to the trade agree to the
nullification.
7 The Exchange notes that Rule 6.65(a) states that
the Exchange may consider the halting of an
underlying security as a factor to be taken into
consideration when deciding whether to halt
trading in the options overlying such security, and
generally will do so and will halt an options class
whenever an underlying security or index halts.
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06:31 Dec 22, 2012
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with Treasury securities. The Exchange
does not trade options on Treasury
securities; therefore this provision is not
relevant to this filing.
2. Statutory Basis
The proposed rule change is
consistent with Section 6(b) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the
‘‘Act’’),8 in general, and furthers the
objectives of Section 6(b)(5),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 facilitating
transactions in securities, and to remove
impediments to and perfect the
mechanism of a free and open market
and a national market system.
The Exchange believes that the
proposed rule changes are consistent
with the Act because permitting the
Exchange to nullify trades that occur
during a trading halt helps to ensure
that NYSE Arca may continue to meet
its obligation to maintain a fair and
orderly market and protect investors. In
particular, the Exchange believes that
the proposal promotes just and
equitable principles of trade because it
will ensure that when the Exchange is
halted for trading, no trades that
mistakenly were executed during the
halt will be permitted to stand, thereby
assuring consistent treatment of orders
during a trading halt. Furthermore, the
proposal removes impediments to and
perfects the mechanism of a free and
open market and a national market
system by assuring that when trading is
halted, no executions may occur and
any aberrant trades are nullified.
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
The Exchange has filed the proposed
rule change pursuant to Section
19(b)(3)(A)(iii) of the Act10 and Rule
19b-4(f)(6) thereunder.11 Because the
proposed rule change does not: (i)
Significantly affect the protection of
investors or the public interest; (ii)
impose any significant burden on
competition; and (iii) become operative
prior to 30 days from the date on which
it was filed, or such shorter time as the
Commission may designate, if
consistent with the protection of
investors and the public interest, the
proposed rule change has become
effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A)
of the Act and Rule 19b–-4(f)(6)(iii)
thereunder.
A proposed rule change filed under
Rule 19b–4(f)(6)12 normally does not
become operative prior to 30 days after
the date of the filing. However, pursuant
to Rule 19b4(f)(6)(iii),13 the Commission
may designate a shorter time if such
action is consistent with the protection
of investors and the public interest.
At any time within 60 days of the
filing of such proposed rule change, the
Commission summarily may
temporarily suspend 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 email to rulecomments@sec.gov. Please include File
Number SR–NYSEArca–2012–141 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–2012–141. 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
10 15
U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(iii).
CFR 240.19b–4(f)(6).
12 17 CFR 240.19b–4(f)(6).
13 17 CFR 240.19b–4(f)(6)(iii).
11 17
8 15
9 15
PO 00000
U.S.C. 78f(b).
U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 247 / Wednesday, December 26, 2012 / Notices
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 20549–1090, 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 NYSE
Arca’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–2012–141, and
should be submitted on or before
January 16, 2013.
For the Commission, by the Division of
Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated
authority.14
Kevin M. O’Neill,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2012–31014 Filed 12–21–12; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
[Release No. 34–68455; File No. SR–CHX–
2012–14]
Self-Regulatory Organizations;
Chicago Stock Exchange, Inc.; Notice
of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness
of a Proposed Rule Change Relating to
Telemarketing Rules
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with
December 18, 2012.
Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(‘‘Exchange Act’’ or ‘‘Act’’), 1 and Rule
19b–4 2 thereunder, notice is hereby
given that on December 4, 2012, the
Chicago Stock Exchange, Inc. (‘‘CHX’’ or
the ‘‘Exchange’’) filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission
(‘‘Commission’’) the proposed rule
CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).
U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
2 17 CFR 240.19b–4.
1 15
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06:31 Dec 22, 2012
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I. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement of the Terms of Substance of
the Proposed Rule Change
CHX proposes to amend its rules to
adopt provisions that are substantially
similar in all material respects to
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority
(‘‘FINRA’’) Rule 3230 (Telemarketing),
which the Commission recently
approved.4 In turn, FINRA’s rule was
modeled after and is substantially
similar to Federal Trade Commission
(‘‘FTC’’) rules that prohibit deceptive
and other abusive telemarketing acts or
practices.5 The text of this proposed
rule change is available on the
Exchange’s Web site at (www.chx.com)
and in 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,
CHX included statements concerning
the purpose of and basis for the
proposed rule changes and discussed
any comments it received regarding the
proposal. The text of these statements
may be examined at the places specified
in Item IV below. CHX 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
Changes
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
14 17
change as described in Items I, II and III
below, which Items have been prepared
by the Exchange. CHX has filed this
proposal pursuant to Exchange Act Rule
19b–4(f)(6) 3 which is effective upon
filing with the Commission.
1. Purpose
The Exchange proposes to amend
Article 8, Rule 13 (Advertising and
Promotion) to adopt provisions that are
substantially similar to FTC rules that
prohibit deceptive and other abusive
telemarketing acts or practices.6
The Prevention Act required, among
other things, the Commission to
3 17
CFR 240.19b–4(f)(6).
Exchange Act Release No. 66279 (Jan. 30,
2012), 77 FR 5611 (Feb. 3, 2012) (SR–FINRA–2011–
059) (approval order of proposed rule change to
adopt telemarketing rule).
5 16 CFR 310.1-.9. The FTC adopted rules under
the Telemarketing Consumer Fraud and Abuse
Prevention Act of 1994 (‘‘Prevention Act’’) in 1995.
See Federal Trade Commission, Telemarketing
Sales Rule, 60 FR 43842 (Aug. 23, 1995). Since the
FTC rule is the model for the FINRA rule and the
CHX rule, subsequent references will be to the FTC
rule.
6 See supra note 5.
4 See
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76141
promulgate, or direct any national
securities exchange or registered
securities associations to promulgate,
rules substantially similar to the FTC
rules 7 to prohibit deceptive and other
abusive telemarketing acts or practices,
unless the Commission determines
either that the rules are not necessary or
appropriate for the protection of
investors or the maintenance of orderly
markets or that existing federal
securities laws or Commission rules
already provide for such protection.8 To
this end, in May 2011, Commission staff
directed the Exchange to conduct a
review of its telemarketing rule and
propose rule amendments that provide
protections that are at least as strong as
those provided by the FTC’s
telemarketing rules.9
Proposed CHX Article 8, Rule 13
Based on the aforementioned
considerations, the proposed rule
change to CHX Article 8, Rule 13,
adopts new rule text that is substantially
similar to the FTC’s rules that prohibit
deceptive and other abusive
telemarketing acts or practices as
described below.10
General Telemarketing Restrictions
Proposed CHX Article 8, Rule 13(d)
provides that no Participant or
associated person therewith may initiate
any outbound telephone call 11 to:
1. Any residence of a person before
the hour of 8:00 a.m. or after 9:00 p.m.
local time at the called person’s
7 Id.
8 15
U.S.C. 6102.
Letter from Robert W. Cook, Director,
Division of Trading and Markets, Securities and
Exchange Commission, to David A. Herron, Chief
Executive Officer of CHX, Inc. (May 12, 2011).
10 See supra note 5.
11 An ‘‘outbound telephone call’’ is a telephone
call initiated by a telemarketer to induce the
purchase of goods or services or to solicit a
charitable contribution from a donor. A ‘‘customer’’
is any person who is or may be required to pay for
goods or services through telemarketing. A ‘‘donor’’
means any person solicited to make a charitable
contribution. A ‘‘person’’ is any individual, group,
unincorporated association, limited or general
partnership, corporation, or other business entity.
‘‘Telemarketing’’ means consisting of or relating to
a plan, program, or campaign involving at least one
outbound telephone call, for example cold-calling.
The term does not include the solicitation of sales
through the mailing of written marketing materials,
when the person making the solicitation does not
solicit customers by telephone but only receives
calls initiated by customers in response to the
marketing materials and during those calls takes
orders only without further solicitation. For
purposes of the previous sentence, the term ‘‘further
solicitation’’ does not include providing the
customer with information about, or attempting to
sell, anything promoted in the same marketing
materials that prompted the customer’s call. See
proposed CHX Article 8, Rule 13(p)(11), (14), (16),
(17), and (20); see also FINRA Rule 3230(m)(11),
(14), (16), (17), and (20); and 16 CFR 310.2(f), (l),
(n), (v), (w), and (dd).
9 See
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 247 (Wednesday, December 26, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76139-76141]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-31014]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
[Release No. 34-68474; File No. SR-NYSEArca--2012-141]
Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc.; Notice of Filing
and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change Amending NYSE Arca
Rule 6.65--Trading Halts and Suspensions
December 19, 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 December 10, 2012, NYSE Arca, Inc. (the ``Exchange'' or
``NYSE Arca'') 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 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 NYSE Arca Rule 6.65--Trading Halts
and Suspensions. 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, 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 NYSE Arca Rule 6.65 by adopting a
provision governing the nullification of trades that occur while the
options class is subject to a trading halt. This proposal is based on
and substantially similar to Rule 1092(c)(iv)(A) of NASDAQ OMX PHLX,
LLC (``PHLX'').\4\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\4\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 57712 (April 24,
2008), 73 FR 24100 (May 1, 2008). Approval Order for SR-Phlx-2007-
69, as amended.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Specifically, the Exchange proposes to adopt Commentary .04 to Rule
6.65, which provides that any trade that occurs during a trading halt
on the Exchange in a given option shall be nullified.
Rule 6.65 sets forth the circumstances when the Exchange may halt
trading in an options contract or options series. Such trading halts
are applicable to both electronic and open-outcry trading. Pursuant to
Rule 6.65(a), NYSE Arca shall halt or suspend the trading of options
whenever the Exchange deems such action appropriate in the interests of
a fair and orderly market and to protect investors. Among the factors
that may be considered are: (i) The trading in the underlying stock or
Exchange Traded Funds (``ETF'') has been halted or suspended in the
primary market; (ii) the opening of such underlying stock or ETF in the
primary market has been delayed because of unusual circumstances; (iii)
the Exchange has been advised that the issuer of the underlying stock
or ETF is about to make an important announcement affecting such
issuer; or (iv) other unusual conditions or circumstances are present.
In addition, pursuant to Rule 6.65(b), the Exchange shall halt trading
in any equity option (including options overlying ETFs), when the
underlying security is paused.\5\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\5\ A trading pause in an underlying security is triggered when
the price of the security falls or rises 10% or more in a rolling 5-
minute window. Trading pauses are initiated by the primary market
where the stock trades.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notwithstanding a trading halt in an options security, the Exchange
recognizes that there could be occurrences where an aberrant trade
might still occur after the Exchange has halted trading in a given
options class. For example, this could happen because of a temporary
systems outage, a communications issue between the electronic and
floor-based markets, or other type of in-flight messaging scenario
where the Exchange's automatic execution system executed an order, even
though the options had been halted prior to the time of execution.
Because the Exchange would have already halted trading of the option
class, either because it was warranted in the interest of a fair and
orderly market and the protection of investors pursuant
[[Page 76140]]
to Rule 6.65(a), or required pursuant to Rule 6.65(b) because the
underlying security was paused, the Exchange does not believe that any
trade that takes place after an options class that has been halted on
the Exchange should stand. Proposed Commentary .04 will require the
Exchange to nullify these aberrant trades. The Exchange notes that
executions occurring prior to a trading halt in the options class, but
not yet reported to the Exchange, will still be reported for
dissemination to OPRA after the options have halted. Such trades would
not be subject to nullification by the Exchange pursuant to proposed
Commentary .04.
Under existing rules, the Exchange may only nullify a trade which
occurred during a trading halt if, (i) pursuant to Rule 6.87 the trade
qualifies as an Obvious or Catastrophic Error, or (ii) pursuant to Rule
6.77, a Trading Official determines that the execution of such trade
was done in violation of certain Exchange rules governing open outcry
trading.\6\ The addition of proposed Commentary .04 will expand the
Exchange's authority to nullify trades that may occur during a trading
halt, which the Exchange believes is in keeping with the maintenance of
a fair and orderly market and the protection of investors.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\6\ A trade may also be nullified, without Exchange interaction,
if all parties to the trade agree to the nullification.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Exchange notes that the PHLX Rule 1092(c)(iv) also includes
other provisions related to trading halts and the nullification of
trades. Paragraphs (B)-(C) of the PHLX rule deal with the nullification
of an options trade whenever the underlying security or a certain
percentage of the components of an underlying index have halted,
regardless of whether the options themselves have halted. Exchange
rules do not require that an options class be halted whenever the
underlying security halts, therefore it would be inconsistent to
nullify a trade simply because the underlying security or index
components halted, if the Exchange had not also halted the trading of
options overlying such security or index.\7\ The Exchange only proposes
to nullify a trade in the event the options have been halted by the
Exchange, and therefore is not proposing to adopt PHLX Rule
1092(c)(iv)(B)-(D). Additionally, paragraph (D) of the PHLX rule deals
with Treasury securities. The Exchange does not trade options on
Treasury securities; therefore this provision is not relevant to this
filing.
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\7\ The Exchange notes that Rule 6.65(a) states that the
Exchange may consider the halting of an underlying security as a
factor to be taken into consideration when deciding whether to halt
trading in the options overlying such security, and generally will
do so and will halt an options class whenever an underlying security
or index halts.
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2. Statutory Basis
The proposed rule change is consistent with Section 6(b) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the ``Act''),\8\ in general, and
furthers the objectives of Section 6(b)(5),\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 facilitating
transactions in securities, and to remove impediments to and perfect
the mechanism of a free and open market and a national market system.
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\8\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
\9\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
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The Exchange believes that the proposed rule changes are consistent
with the Act because permitting the Exchange to nullify trades that
occur during a trading halt helps to ensure that NYSE Arca may continue
to meet its obligation to maintain a fair and orderly market and
protect investors. In particular, the Exchange believes that the
proposal promotes just and equitable principles of trade because it
will ensure that when the Exchange is halted for trading, no trades
that mistakenly were executed during the halt will be permitted to
stand, thereby assuring consistent treatment of orders during a trading
halt. Furthermore, the proposal removes impediments to and perfects the
mechanism of a free and open market and a national market system by
assuring that when trading is halted, no executions may occur and any
aberrant trades are nullified.
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
The Exchange has filed the proposed rule change pursuant to Section
19(b)(3)(A)(iii) of the Act\10\ and Rule 19b-4(f)(6) thereunder.\11\
Because the proposed rule change does not: (i) Significantly affect the
protection of investors or the public interest; (ii) impose any
significant burden on competition; and (iii) become operative prior to
30 days from the date on which it was filed, or such shorter time as
the Commission may designate, if consistent with the protection of
investors and the public interest, the proposed rule change has become
effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act and Rule 19b--
4(f)(6)(iii) thereunder.
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\10\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(iii).
\11\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).
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A proposed rule change filed under Rule 19b-4(f)(6)\12\ normally
does not become operative prior to 30 days after the date of the
filing. However, pursuant to Rule 19b4(f)(6)(iii),\13\ the Commission
may designate a shorter time if such action is consistent with the
protection of investors and the public interest.
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\12\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).
\13\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6)(iii).
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At any time within 60 days of the filing of such proposed rule
change, the Commission summarily may temporarily suspend 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 email to rule-comments@sec.gov. Please include
File Number SR-NYSEArca-2012-141 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-2012-141.
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
[[Page 76141]]
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 20549-1090, 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 NYSE Arca'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-2012-141, and should be submitted on or before
January 16, 2013.
For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets,
pursuant to delegated authority.\14\
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\14\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Kevin M. O'Neill,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2012-31014 Filed 12-21-12; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P