Self-Regulatory Organizations; BOX Options Exchange LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change To Amend BOX Rule 8050 to Lower the Minimum Quoting Requirement for Market Makers Quoting in Jumbo SPY Options, 35338-35340 [2013-13882]
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35338
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 113 / Wednesday, June 12, 2013 / Notices
C. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement on Comments on the
Proposed Rule Change Received From
Members, Participants or Others
Written comments relating to
Amendment No. 2 have not been
solicited or received. ICE Clear Europe
will notify the Commission of any
written comments received by ICE Clear
Europe.
III. Date of Effectiveness of the
Proposed Rule Change and Timing for
Commission Action
Within 45 days of the date of
publication of the LIFFE Clearing Rule
Notice 18 in the Federal Register or
within such longer period up to 90 days
(i) as the Commission may designate if
it finds such longer period to be
appropriate and publishes its reasons
for so finding or (ii) as to which the selfregulatory 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:
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with 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
Number SR–ICEEU–2013–09 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–ICEEU–2013–09. 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
filings also will be available for
inspection and copying at the principal
office of ICE Clear Europe and on ICE
Clear Europe’s Web site at https://
www.theice.com/publicdocs/
regulatory_filings/
ICEU_SEC_060413.pdf.
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–ICEEU–2013–09 and
should be submitted on or before June
27, 2013.
For the Commission, by the Division of
Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated
authority.19
Kevin M. O’Neill,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2013–13859 Filed 6–11–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
[Release No. 34–69711; File No. SR–BOX–
2013–29]
Self-Regulatory Organizations; BOX
Options Exchange LLC; Notice of
Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of
Proposed Rule Change To Amend BOX
Rule 8050 to Lower the Minimum
Quoting Requirement for Market
Makers Quoting in Jumbo SPY Options
June 6, 2013.
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 May 31,
2013, BOX Options Exchange LLC
(‘‘BOX’’ or ‘‘Exchange’’) filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission
(‘‘Commission’’) the proposed rule
change as described in Items I and II
below, which Items have been prepared
by the Exchange. The Commission is
19 17
CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).
U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
2 17 CFR 240.19b–4.
1 15
18 See
supra note 3.
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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
Rule 8050 to lower the minimum
quoting requirement for Market Makers
quoting in Jumbo SPY Options. The text
of the proposed rule change is available
from the principal office of the
Exchange, at the Commission’s Public
Reference Room and also on the
Exchange’s Internet Web site at https://
boxexchange.com.
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 these statements may be examined at
the places specified in Item IV below.
The self-regulatory organization 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
On May 10, 2013 the Exchange began
listing and trading option contracts
overlying 1,000 SPDR® S&P 500®
exchange-traded fund shares (‘‘SPY’’),3
or (‘‘Jumbo SPY Options’’).4 Whereas
standard options contracts represent a
deliverable of 100 shares of an
underlying security, this product
represents 1,000 SPY shares. Except for
the difference in the number of
deliverable shares, Jumbo SPY Options
have the same terms and contract
characteristics as regular-sized options
contracts (‘‘standard options’’),
including exercise style. Accordingly,
the Commission noted in the approval
order that the Exchange’s rules that
apply to the trading of standard options
would apply to Jumbo SPY Options as
3 ‘‘SPDR®,’’ ‘‘Standard & Poor’s®,’’ ‘‘S&P®,’’ ‘‘S&P
500®,’’ and ‘‘Standard & Poor’s 500’’ are registered
trademarks of Standard & Poor’s Financial Services
LLC. The SPY ETF represents ownership in the
SPDR S&P 500 Trust, a unit investment trust that
generally corresponds to the price and yield
performance of the SPDR S&P 500 Index.
4 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 34–
69511 (May 3, 2013), 78 FR 27271 (May 9, 2013)
(Order Approving SR–BOX–2013–06).
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Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 113 / Wednesday, June 12, 2013 / Notices
well.5 The Exchange proposes to amend
BOX Rule 8050 to lower the minimum
quoting requirement for Market Makers
quoting in Jumbo SPY Options.
Currently, the Exchange requires that
a Market Maker’s bid and offer for a
series of options contracts shall be
accompanied by the number of contracts
at that price the Market Maker is willing
to buy from or sell to Customers. Every
Market Maker bid or offer must have an
initial size of at least ten (10) contracts.6
The Exchange proposes to lower the
Market Maker bid or offer initial size
requirement for Jumbo SPY options to
1/10th of the current requirement.
Specifically, the Exchange proposes to
make the required minimum number of
contracts for a Market Maker’s bid or
offer in Jumbo SPY Options one (1)
contract.
The Exchange believes it is
appropriate to adjust the Market Maker
quoting requirement for Jumbo SPY
Options so it is scaled based upon the
total number of shares of the underlying
security instead of the total number of
options contracts. Under the proposed
rule change a Market Maker would be
required to quote at least ten (10)
contracts for standard options that
represent a total of 1,000 shares of the
underlying security. For Jumbo SPY
Options the Market Maker would only
be required to quote at least one (1)
contract, but this would still represent
a total of 1,000 shares of the underlying
security. The Exchange believes that
modifying the quotation requirement for
Jumbo SPY Options will encourage
Market Maker quoting in this new
product and lead to increased liquidity.
The Exchange notes that a minimum
quoting requirement of one (1) contract
is not novel and certain exchanges have
a minimum quoting requirement of one
(1) contract for all classes.7 Further, the
Exchange believes that having different
quotation requirements for Jumbo SPY
Options than those required for
standard options on SPY would not lead
to investor confusion and will instead
increase liquidity in this new product,
therefore enabling market participants
to trade Jumbo SPY Options with greater
precision.
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
2. Statutory Basis
The Exchange believes that the
proposal is consistent with the
requirements of Section 6(b) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the
‘‘Act’’),8 in general, and Section 6(b)(5)
5 Id.
6 BOX
Rule 8050(b).
NASDAQ OMX BX Rule Chapter VII, Sec.
6 (Market Maker Quotations).
8 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
7 See
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Jkt 229001
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
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 proposed rule
change will assure that standard options
and Jumbo SPY Options will have an
equivalent Market Maker quoting
requirement in terms of shares on the
underlying security. The Exchange
believes that investors and other market
participants will benefit from this
proposed rule change because it
establishes a lower quoting requirement
for Jumbo SPY Options, which will
increase the overall liquidity in this new
product.
Finally, the Exchange believes that
the proposed rule change is not
designed to permit unfair
discrimination among market
participants as all Market Makers may
quote Jumbo SPY Options once they are
appointed to this options class.
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 not
necessary or appropriate in furtherance
of the purposes of the Act. Specifically,
the Exchange believes that investors
will benefit from the increased liquidity
of Jumbo SPY Options. Quoting in
Jumbo SPY Options is entirely
voluntary and Market Makers can
determine if they would like to trade in
this new product. The Exchange
believes this proposed rule change is
necessary to establish equivalent Market
Maker quoting requirements for Jumbo
SPY Options, a new options product.
C. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement on Comments on the
Proposed Rule Change Received From
Members, Participants or Others
The Exchange has neither solicited
nor received comments on the proposed
rule change.
III. Date of Effectiveness of the
Proposed Rule Change and Timing for
Commission Action
Because the foregoing proposed rule
change: (1) Does not significantly affect
the protection of investors or the public
interest; (2) does not impose any
significant burden on competition; and
9 15
PO 00000
U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
Frm 00101
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
35339
(3) by its terms does not become
operative for 30 days after the date of
this filing, or such shorter time as the
Commission may designate if consistent
with the protection of investors and the
public interest, the proposed rule
change has become effective pursuant to
Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act 10 and
Rule 19b–4(f)(6) thereunder.11
A proposed rule change filed under
Rule 19b–4(f)(6) normally does not
become operative for 30 days after the
date of filing. However, Rule 19b–
4(f)(6)(iii) permits the Commission to
designate a shorter time if such action
is consistent with the protection of
investors and the public interest. The
Exchange requests that the Commission
waive the 30-day operative delay so that
the proposed rule change may become
immediately operative. The Commission
believes that waiving the 30-day
operative delay is consistent with the
protection of investors and the public
interest.12 The Exchange began trading
Jumbo SPY Options on May 10, 2013,
and waiver of the operative delay will
allow the Exchange to implement its
proposal without delay. For these
reasons, the Commission designates the
proposed rule change as operative upon
filing.
At any time within 60 days of the
filing of the 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
10 15
U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
CFR 240.19b–4(f)(6). In addition, Rule 19b–
4(f)(6)(iii) requires a self-regulatory organization to
provide the Commission with written notice of its
intent to file the proposed rule change, along with
a brief description and text of the proposed rule
change, at least five business days prior to the date
of filing of the proposed rule change, or such
shorter time as designated by the Commission. The
Exchange has fulfilled this requirement.
12 For purposes only of waiving the 30-day
operative delay, the Commission has also
considered the proposed rule’s impact on
efficiency, competition, and capital formation. See
15 U.S.C. 78c(f).
11 17
E:\FR\FM\12JNN1.SGM
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35340
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 113 / Wednesday, June 12, 2013 / Notices
• Send an email to rulecomments@sec.gov. Please include File
Number SR–BOX–2013–29 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–BOX–2013–29. 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 the
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–BOX–
2013–29 and should be submitted on or
before July 3, 2013.
For the Commission, by the Division of
Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated
authority.13
Kevin M. O’Neill,
Deputy Secretary.
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
[FR Doc. 2013–13882 Filed 6–11–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
13 17
CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).
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16:32 Jun 11, 2013
Jkt 229001
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
[Release No. 34–69706; File No. SR–
NYSEArca–2013–34]
Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE
Arca, Inc.; Order Granting Approval of
a Proposed Rule Change, as Modified
by Amendment Nos. 1 and 2 Thereto,
To Implement a One-Year Pilot
Program for Issuers of Certain
Exchange-Traded Products Listed on
the Exchange
June 6, 2013.
On March 21, 2013, NYSE Arca, Inc.
(‘‘Exchange’’ or ‘‘NYSE Arca’’) filed
with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (‘‘Commission’’), pursuant
to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (‘‘Act’’) 1 and Rule
19b–4 thereunder,2 a proposed rule
change to implement the NYSE Arca
ETP Incentive Program (‘‘Incentive
Program’’), a one-year pilot program for
issuers of certain exchange-traded
products (‘‘ETPs’’) listed on the
Exchange. On April 5, 2013, the
Exchange submitted Amendment No. 1
to the proposed rule change, which
replaced and superseded the proposed
rule change in its entirety.3 The
proposed rule change, as modified by
Amendment No. 1, was published for
comment in the Federal Register on
April 11, 2013.4 The Commission
received two comment letters on the
proposal.5 On May 29, 2013, the
Exchange submitted Amendment No. 2
to the proposed rule change.6 This order
1 15
U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
CFR 240.19b–4.
3 SR–NYSEArca–2013–34 replaced and
superseded SR–NYSEArca–2012–37, which was
withdrawn by the Exchange. See Securities
Exchange Act Release Nos. 66966 (May 11, 2012),
77 FR 29419 (May 17, 2012) and 68616 (Jan. 10,
2013), 78 FR 3482 (Jan. 16, 2013) (SR–NYSEArca–
2012–37).
4 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 69335
(Apr. 5, 2013), 78 FR 21681 (‘‘Notice’’).
5 See Letter from John T. Hyland, Chief
Investment Officer, United States Commodity
Funds LLC, dated Apr. 10, 2013 (‘‘USCF Letter’’),
and Letter from Stanislav Dolgopolov, Assistant
Adjunct Professor, UCLA School of Law, dated Apr.
26, 2013 (‘‘Dolgopolov Letter’’).
6 In Amendment No. 2, the Exchange proposed to:
(i) amend the rule text to provide that an LMM in
the Incentive Program will remain obligated to
satisfy the general requirements of NYSE Arca
Equities Rule 7.23, rather than the general
requirements of NYSE Arca Rule 7.23; (ii) amend
the rule text to provide that the Exchange will
disclose on its Web site the date it receives written
notice of an issuer’s intent to withdraw its ETP from
the Incentive Program, or an LMM’s (as defined
herein) intent to withdraw from its ETP
assignment(s) in the Incentive Program, and, in
each case, the intended withdrawal date, if
provided; and (iii) clarify that the Exchange’s
monthly public report to the Commission relating
to the Incentive Program will (a) compare, to the
extent practicable, ETPs before and after they are in
2 17
PO 00000
Frm 00102
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
grants approval of the proposed rule
change, as modified by Amendment
Nos. 1 and 2 thereto.7
I. Description of the Proposal
As set forth in more detail in the
Notice,8 the Exchange is proposing to
adopt new NYSE Arca Equities Rule
8.800 and to amend its fee schedules to
set forth the requirements for the
Incentive Program, which will be a oneyear pilot program for issuers of certain
ETPs listed on the Exchange.9 The
Exchange states that the Incentive
Program is designed to enhance the
market quality for ETPs by incentivizing
Market Makers 10 to take Lead Market
Maker (‘‘LMM’’) assignments in certain
lower volume ETPs by offering an
alternative fee structure for such LMMs
that would be funded from the
Exchange’s general revenues.11 The
Exchange states that participation in the
Incentive Program would be entirely
voluntary on the part of both LMMs and
issuers, and that the costs of the
Incentive Program would be offset by
charging participating issuers nonrefundable ‘‘Optional Incentive Fees,’’
which would be credited to the
Exchange’s general revenues.12
A. Eligible Products, Issuer Application,
and LMM Assignment
An ETP will be eligible to participate
in the Incentive Program if (i) it is listed
the Incentive Program, and will further provide data
and analysis about the market quality of ETPs that
exceed the one million CADV (as defined herein)
threshold and ‘‘graduate,’’ or are otherwise
withdrawn or terminated from, the Incentive
Program, and (b) include market quality data for
comparable ETPs that are listed on the Exchange
but not participating in the Incentive Program.
Amendment No. 2 provides clarification to the
proposed rule change, and because it does not
materially affect the substance of the proposed rule
change, Amendment No. 2 does not require notice
and comment.
7 Today the Commission also is granting
exemptive relief from Rule 102 under Regulation M
concerning the Incentive Program. See Securities
Exchange Act Release No. 69707 (June 6, 2013)
(Order Granting a Limited Exemption from Rule 102
of Regulation M Concerning the NYSE Arca, Inc.’s
Exchange-Traded Product Incentive Program Pilot
Pursuant to Regulation M Rule 102(e)).
8 See Notice, supra note 4.
9 The Exchange currently has two Schedules of
Fees and Charges for Exchange Services; one that
is for listings (‘‘Listing Fee Schedule’’) and another
that is for trade-related charges (‘‘Trading Fee
Schedule’’). To differentiate them, the Exchange
also proposes to change the name of the Listing Fee
Schedule to ‘‘Schedule of Fees and Charges for
Exchange Listing Services.’’
10 A Market Maker is an Equity Trading Permit
Holder (‘‘ETP Holder’’) that acts as a Market Maker
pursuant to NYSE Arca Equities Rule 7. See NYSE
Arca Equities Rule 1.1(v). An ETP Holder is a sole
proprietorship, partnership, corporation, limited
liability company, or other organization in good
standing that has been issued an Equity Trading
Permit. See NYSE Arca Equities Rule 1.1(n).
11 See Notice, supra note 4, at 21682.
12 Id.
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 113 (Wednesday, June 12, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35338-35340]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-13882]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
[Release No. 34-69711; File No. SR-BOX-2013-29]
Self-Regulatory Organizations; BOX Options Exchange LLC; Notice
of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change To Amend
BOX Rule 8050 to Lower the Minimum Quoting Requirement for Market
Makers Quoting in Jumbo SPY Options
June 6, 2013.
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 May 31, 2013, BOX Options Exchange LLC (``BOX'' or ``Exchange'')
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission'') the
proposed rule change as described in Items I and II below, which Items
have been prepared by the Exchange. 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\ 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 Rule 8050 to lower the minimum
quoting requirement for Market Makers quoting in Jumbo SPY Options. The
text of the proposed rule change is available from the principal office
of the Exchange, at the Commission's Public Reference Room and also on
the Exchange's Internet Web site at https://boxexchange.com.
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 these statements may be examined at
the places specified in Item IV below. The self-regulatory organization
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
On May 10, 2013 the Exchange began listing and trading option
contracts overlying 1,000 SPDR[supreg] S&P 500[supreg] exchange-traded
fund shares (``SPY''),\3\ or (``Jumbo SPY Options'').\4\ Whereas
standard options contracts represent a deliverable of 100 shares of an
underlying security, this product represents 1,000 SPY shares. Except
for the difference in the number of deliverable shares, Jumbo SPY
Options have the same terms and contract characteristics as regular-
sized options contracts (``standard options''), including exercise
style. Accordingly, the Commission noted in the approval order that the
Exchange's rules that apply to the trading of standard options would
apply to Jumbo SPY Options as
[[Page 35339]]
well.\5\ The Exchange proposes to amend BOX Rule 8050 to lower the
minimum quoting requirement for Market Makers quoting in Jumbo SPY
Options.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ ``SPDR[supreg],'' ``Standard & Poor's[supreg],''
``S&P[supreg],'' ``S&P 500[supreg],'' and ``Standard & Poor's 500''
are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor's Financial Services
LLC. The SPY ETF represents ownership in the SPDR S&P 500 Trust, a
unit investment trust that generally corresponds to the price and
yield performance of the SPDR S&P 500 Index.
\4\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 34-69511 (May 3,
2013), 78 FR 27271 (May 9, 2013) (Order Approving SR-BOX-2013-06).
\5\ Id.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Currently, the Exchange requires that a Market Maker's bid and
offer for a series of options contracts shall be accompanied by the
number of contracts at that price the Market Maker is willing to buy
from or sell to Customers. Every Market Maker bid or offer must have an
initial size of at least ten (10) contracts.\6\ The Exchange proposes
to lower the Market Maker bid or offer initial size requirement for
Jumbo SPY options to 1/10th of the current requirement. Specifically,
the Exchange proposes to make the required minimum number of contracts
for a Market Maker's bid or offer in Jumbo SPY Options one (1)
contract.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\6\ BOX Rule 8050(b).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Exchange believes it is appropriate to adjust the Market Maker
quoting requirement for Jumbo SPY Options so it is scaled based upon
the total number of shares of the underlying security instead of the
total number of options contracts. Under the proposed rule change a
Market Maker would be required to quote at least ten (10) contracts for
standard options that represent a total of 1,000 shares of the
underlying security. For Jumbo SPY Options the Market Maker would only
be required to quote at least one (1) contract, but this would still
represent a total of 1,000 shares of the underlying security. The
Exchange believes that modifying the quotation requirement for Jumbo
SPY Options will encourage Market Maker quoting in this new product and
lead to increased liquidity.
The Exchange notes that a minimum quoting requirement of one (1)
contract is not novel and certain exchanges have a minimum quoting
requirement of one (1) contract for all classes.\7\ Further, the
Exchange believes that having different quotation requirements for
Jumbo SPY Options than those required for standard options on SPY would
not lead to investor confusion and will instead increase liquidity in
this new product, therefore enabling market participants to trade Jumbo
SPY Options with greater precision.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\7\ See NASDAQ OMX BX Rule Chapter VII, Sec. 6 (Market Maker
Quotations).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. Statutory Basis
The Exchange believes that the proposal is consistent with the
requirements of Section 6(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(the ``Act''),\8\ in general, and 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 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 proposed rule change will assure that standard
options and Jumbo SPY Options will have an equivalent Market Maker
quoting requirement in terms of shares on the underlying security. The
Exchange believes that investors and other market participants will
benefit from this proposed rule change because it establishes a lower
quoting requirement for Jumbo SPY Options, which will increase the
overall liquidity in this new product.
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\8\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
\9\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
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Finally, the Exchange believes that the proposed rule change is not
designed to permit unfair discrimination among market participants as
all Market Makers may quote Jumbo SPY Options once they are appointed
to this options class.
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 not necessary or appropriate in
furtherance of the purposes of the Act. Specifically, the Exchange
believes that investors will benefit from the increased liquidity of
Jumbo SPY Options. Quoting in Jumbo SPY Options is entirely voluntary
and Market Makers can determine if they would like to trade in this new
product. The Exchange believes this proposed rule change is necessary
to establish equivalent Market Maker quoting requirements for Jumbo SPY
Options, a new options product.
C. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed
Rule Change Received From Members, Participants or Others
The Exchange has neither solicited nor received comments on the
proposed rule change.
III. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed Rule Change and Timing for
Commission Action
Because the foregoing proposed rule change: (1) Does not
significantly affect the protection of investors or the public
interest; (2) does not impose any significant burden on competition;
and (3) by its terms does not become operative for 30 days after the
date of this filing, or such shorter time as the Commission may
designate if consistent with the protection of investors and the public
interest, the proposed rule change has become effective pursuant to
Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act \10\ and Rule 19b-4(f)(6)
thereunder.\11\
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\10\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
\11\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6). In addition, Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii)
requires a self-regulatory organization to provide the Commission
with written notice of its intent to file the proposed rule change,
along with a brief description and text of the proposed rule change,
at least five business days prior to the date of filing of the
proposed rule change, or such shorter time as designated by the
Commission. The Exchange has fulfilled this requirement.
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A proposed rule change filed under Rule 19b-4(f)(6) normally does
not become operative for 30 days after the date of filing. However,
Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii) permits the Commission to designate a shorter
time if such action is consistent with the protection of investors and
the public interest. The Exchange requests that the Commission waive
the 30-day operative delay so that the proposed rule change may become
immediately operative. The Commission believes that waiving the 30-day
operative delay is consistent with the protection of investors and the
public interest.\12\ The Exchange began trading Jumbo SPY Options on
May 10, 2013, and waiver of the operative delay will allow the Exchange
to implement its proposal without delay. For these reasons, the
Commission designates the proposed rule change as operative upon
filing.
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\12\ For purposes only of waiving the 30-day operative delay,
the Commission has also considered the proposed rule's impact on
efficiency, competition, and capital formation. See 15 U.S.C.
78c(f).
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At any time within 60 days of the filing of the 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
[[Page 35340]]
Send an email to rule-comments@sec.gov. Please include
File Number SR-BOX-2013-29 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-BOX-2013-29. 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 the 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-BOX-2013-29 and should be
submitted on or before July 3, 2013.
For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets,
pursuant to delegated authority.\13\
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\13\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Kevin M. O'Neill,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2013-13882 Filed 6-11-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P