Self-Regulatory Organizations; The Options Clearing Corporation; Order Approving Proposed Rule Change To Process All Sell Transactions Prior to the Exercise of Long Options in Market-Maker Accounts To Ensure That Only Net Long Positions May Be Exercised, 64843-64846 [2014-25879]

Agencies

• SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 211 (Friday, October 31, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64843-64846]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-25879]



[[Page 64843]]

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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-73438; File No. SR-OCC-2014-15]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; The Options Clearing Corporation; 
Order Approving Proposed Rule Change To Process All Sell Transactions 
Prior to the Exercise of Long Options in Market-Maker Accounts To 
Ensure That Only Net Long Positions May Be Exercised

October 27, 2014.

I. Introduction

    On July 17, 2014, The Options Clearing Corporation (``OCC'') filed 
with the Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission'') the 
proposed rule change SR-OCC-2014-15 pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the 
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (``Exchange Act'' or ``Act'') \1\ and 
Rule 19b-4 thereunder.\2\ The proposed rule change was published for 
comment in the Federal Register on July 31, 2014.\3\ The Commission 
received five comment letters on the proposal.\4\ On September 4, 2014, 
OCC extended the time for Commission action on the proposed rule change 
to October 27, 2014. For the reasons discussed below, the Commission is 
granting approval of the rule change, as proposed.
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    \1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
    \2\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4.
    \3\ Securities Exchange Act Release No. 72677 (July 25, 2014), 
79 FR 44480 (July 31, 2014).
    \4\ See letters from Suzanne Shatto, dated August 18, 2014 
(``Shatto Letter''); Robert P. Bramnik, Duane Morris, LLP, and James 
D. Van De Graaf, Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, on behalf of Bedrock 
Trading LP, Elm Trading LP, First Derivative Traders LP, Keystone 
Trading Partners, and Largo Trading LP (``Duane Morris''), dated 
August 19, 2014 (``Duane Morris Letter''); Elle Greene, Vice 
President, Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association 
(``SIFMA''), dated August 21, 2014 (``SIFMA Letter''); Abraham 
Kohen, President, AK FE Consultants LLC, dated August 24, 2014 
(``Kohen Letter''); James E. Brown, Executive Vice President, 
General Counsel and Secretary, OCC, dated September 9, 2014 (``OCC 
Letter'').
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II. Description

Background

    According to OCC, the purpose of the dividend play trading strategy 
is to capture the dividend income of a stock through the exercise of 
in-the-money call options on the day prior to the stock's ``ex-
dividend'' date, which is the date that determines whether the holder 
of a stock is entitled to the stock's dividend. Where stock is 
transferred before the ex-dividend date, the new owner of the stock is 
entitled to the dividend. In order to capture this dividend income, a 
trader will buy a large number of call options of the same series on a 
stock on the day prior to the stock's ex-dividend date and then write 
an offsetting number of call options of the same series on the same 
stock at the same price. Because the two transactions are exactly 
offsetting and executed at the same price, the trader's position in the 
call options is net neutral and has limited market risk. At the end of 
the day, the trader then exercises all of its long call options even 
though the trader's net position is neutral.
    OCC, using its current standard assignment process, assigns all of 
that day's exercised long call options of the same series across all 
options writers. OCC processes exercises after option purchases but 
before options sales. This processing sequence permits a market-maker 
executing a dividend play to buy and sell equal quantities of call 
options of a given series and exercise the purchased call options even 
though the market-maker's position is neutral. OCC believes this would 
make the conventional dividend play impossible. OCC currently processes 
exercises before sales in order to reduce operational risk for clearing 
members clearing options transactions in accounts other than market-
makers.
    In December 2012, the Securities Industry and Financial Markets 
Association's (``SIFMA'') Listed Options Trading Committee requested 
that OCC formally review dividend plays.\5\ According to OCC, SIFMA 
expressed a concern that OCC could suffer losses as a result of an 
operational error in processing dividend plays. Because successful 
dividend plays rely in part on the dividend trader's having a large 
position compared to the pre-existing open interest in the series of 
options subject to the dividend play, SIFMA believed that an 
operational error in processing dividend trades could result in a 
clearing member being liable for a settlement amount that could place 
the clearing member in financial peril and potentially exceed the 
collateral deposited by the clearing member with OCC.
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    \5\ See OCC Letter citing to Letter from Ellen Greene, Vice 
President of SIFMA, to Wayne P. Luthringshausen, Chairman and Chief 
Executive Officer of OCC (December 3, 2012) available at https://www.sifma.org/issues/item.aspx?id=8589942317.
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    Following receipt of the SIFMA letter, OCC initiated a review of 
dividend plays. Upon completion of a comprehensive review, OCC noted 
that dividend plays generally may be perceived negatively in the 
marketplace and have been criticized as unfair to retail investors and 
as distorting options transactions volume. OCC determined that while it 
should not take action to eliminate or restrict dividend plays based on 
these factors, nor should it facilitate these transactions. OCC's 
processing sequence, under which sale transactions are processed after 
exercises, was designed to reduce the operational risk to clearing 
members that results from potential miscoding of, for example, an 
opening trade for the account of one clearing member customer as a 
closing trade for the account of another clearing member customer in 
accounts that are carried on a gross basis.\6\ However, this coding 
risk does not exist with respect to market-maker accounts, where 
positions are carried on a net basis. Accordingly, OCC concluded that 
its processing sequence unnecessarily allowed certain market-makers to 
execute dividend plays and, therefore, proposed to change the 
processing sequence so that for these accounts sale transactions are 
processed before exercises. OCC believes that the change would have the 
effect of significantly restricting dividend plays because large long 
positions that would otherwise be exercised would be offset by sale 
transactions.
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    \6\ According to OCC, accounts that are carried on a gross basis 
can be both long and short the same series. This means that trades 
must be coded as opening or closing transactions.
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Proposed Amendment

    OCC is proposing to amend its rules to add an interpretation and 
policy to Rule 801 and to Rule 805 to state that, with respect to 
Market-Maker Accounts,\7\ sell transactions will be processed before 
exercises. If OCC processed sales before exercises, market-makers' 
purchases and sales on a given day would offset each other, and when 
OCC processed the exercises, there would be no net long call positions 
to exercise. OCC is also proposing to modify its systems to make a 
corresponding change in the processing sequence. According to OCC, this 
change in the processing sequence would only apply to Market-Maker 
Accounts (and, potentially subaccounts in JBO Participants' accounts), 
and would not change the processing

[[Page 64844]]

sequence applicable to clearing member accounts other than Market-Maker 
Accounts.
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    \7\ ``Market Maker Account'' is a defined term in Article I of 
OCC's By Laws. Because the definition of ``Market-Maker Account'' in 
Article 1 of OCC's By-Laws includes a JBO Participants' account, the 
interpretation and policy clarifies that this netting will not be 
applied to a JBO Participants' account until such time as OCC 
determines on not less than 30 days' notice to clearing members that 
OCC is able to identify, on a subaccount basis, the transactions of 
a JBO Participant within a JBO Participants' account, in which case 
a JBO Participants' account shall be considered a Market-Maker 
Account.
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III. Summary of Comments Received and OCC's Responses

    The Commission received five comment letters in response to the 
proposed rule change; two comment letters supporting the proposal,\8\ 
one comment letter suggesting a possible alternative to the 
proposal,\9\ one comment letter opposing the proposal,\10\ and one 
comment letter responding to the comment letter opposing the 
proposal.\11\ The Commission has reviewed and taken into full 
consideration all of the comments received.
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    \8\ See Shatto Letter and SIFMA Letter.
    \9\ See Kohen Letter.
    \10\ See Duane Morris Letter.
    \11\ See OCC Letter.
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    The Shatto Letter and SIFMA Letter, express support for the 
proposed rule change.\12\ The Shatto Letter notes that the proposal 
will provide clarity to the process and reduce risk for all parties. 
The SIFMA Letter supports the proposal because it believes the risk of 
engaging in dividend trade strategies outweighs any potential profit 
for those who participate in such a strategy. Further, the SIFMA Letter 
``applauded'' the rigorous approach taken by OCC to evaluate the risks 
and other factors associated with dividend trade strategies and 
evaluate whether any issues or unintended consequences would occur as a 
result of changing the processing sequence for market makers. The SIFMA 
Letter recommends that OCC continue its efforts to prevent and 
eliminate the dividend play trading strategy. The Kohen Letter does not 
express support or opposition to OCC's proposal, but rather proposes an 
alternative proposal that would require market-makers to mark all their 
transactions as opening or closing and process trades and exercises 
notices in the same manner OCC processes transactions in non-market-
maker accounts.
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    \12\ See Shatto Letter and SIFMA Letter.
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    The Duane Morris Letter, representing five market-makers, opposes 
OCC's proposal and advocates the Commission disapprove the proposed 
rule change. Below is a discussion of the issues raised by Duane Morris 
and OCC's response to those concerns.
A. The Proposed Rule Change Is Not Grounded in the Exchange Act
    The Duane Morris Letter contends that the proposed rule change is 
not consistent with Section 17A(a)(2)(A) of the Exchange Act \13\ 
because it does not display ``due regard'' for the maintenance of fair 
competition among brokers and dealers, and asserts that the ``true'' 
purpose of the proposed rule change is to eliminate a specific trading 
practice at the expense of, and detriment to, certain market makers. 
Additionally, the Duane Morris Letter argues that SRO rules relating to 
trades and trading practices are the province of national securities 
exchanges and that it is beyond the jurisdiction of a clearing agency 
to neutralize trading and a trading strategy effected on a national 
securities exchange simply because a clearing broker may make an 
operational error. The Duane Morris Letter also contends that the 
proposed rule change, if approved, would essentially negate the rules 
of various options exchanges concerning opening and closing 
transactions without any statutory or regulatory authority to do so.
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    \13\ 15 U.S.C. 78q-1(a)(2)(A).
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    The Duane Morris Letter further contends that OCC's statutory basis 
for the proposed rule change was not valid. Specifically, the Duane 
Morris Letter asserted that OCC concedes that any potential operational 
risk posed by dividend plays is at most ``de minimis'' since OCC 
acknowledges in the proposed rule change that dividend plays represent 
only a small number of OCC cleared options, the majority of which are 
cleared through two large and well-capitalized clearing members that 
have a robust risk management process.
    In response, OCC contends that Section 17A(a)(2)(A) of the Exchange 
Act \14\ does not set forth the standards specifically applicable to 
registered clearing agency rule changes, which are instead contained in 
Section 17A(b) of the Exchange Act.\15\
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    \14\ 15 U.S.C. 78q-1(A)(2)(A).
    \15\ 15 U.S.C. 78q-1(b).
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    Further, OCC claims that it has the authority under Section 
17A(b)(3)(F) of the Exchange Act \16\ and Rule 17Ad-22(d)(4) \17\ to 
implement a policy that has been approved by OCC's Board of Directors . 
Specifically, OCC cites to Section 17A(b)(3)(F) of the Exchange 
Act,\18\ which requires registered clearing agencies to have rules 
designed to promote the prompt and accurate clearance and settlement of 
securities transactions and, in general, to protect investors and the 
public interest. OCC further cites to Rule 17Ad-22(d)(4),\19\ which 
requires registered clearing agencies to identify sources of 
operational risk and to develop appropriate systems, controls, and 
procedures to minimize those sources.
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    \16\ 15 U.S.C. 78q-1(b)(3)(F).
    \17\ 17 CFR 240.17Ad-22(d)(4).
    \18\ 15 U.S.C. 78q-1(b)(3)(F).
    \19\ 17 CFR 240.17Ad-22(d)(4).
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    OCC also emphasizes that it does not seek to police registered 
national securities exchanges or broker-dealers trading options on such 
exchanges.\20\ OCC notes that it began investigating the potential 
risks that dividend plays posed to OCC and market participants 
following a well-publicized trading error and approximately $10 million 
loss, which OCC believed to be related to the dividend trading 
strategy. OCC further notes that market participants through SIFMA also 
requested that it investigate the dividend trading strategy in light of 
its negative perception in the marketplace and criticism that it is 
unfair to retail investors and distorts options transactions volume.
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    \20\ OCC asserted that it is not aware of any exchange rules 
that specifically address dividend plays. According to OCC, the 
rules cited in the Duane Morris Letter concerning ``opening'' and 
``closing'' transactions are relevant for many other purposes other 
than exercises, and, therefore, are not negated by the proposed rule 
change.
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    OCC also contends that its trade processing sequence, in which 
sales are processed after exercises, is the primary reason why dividend 
plays are even possible. According to OCC, it has historically used 
such a sequence to address a potential miscoding of opening and closing 
transactions--a risk not applicable to market-maker accounts--and that 
it did not anticipate that certain market-makers would use this 
sequence to execute net neural transactions with limited market risk, 
resulting in a reallocation of unassigned short positions from retail 
investors to market-makers executing the trading strategy. As 
originally expressed in the rule change, as proposed, OCC reiterates 
that while it should not act to eliminate or restrict dividend plays 
based on negative perception and the abuse of retail investors, neither 
should it facilitate these transactions. Thus, according to OCC, upon 
the urging of market participants and after a comprehensive review of 
the trading strategy, OCC decided to adopt a policy of not facilitating 
dividend plays, which are made possible primary by OCC's legacy choice 
of a particular processing sequence.
    Finally, OCC also contends that it has a valid statutory basis 
supporting the proposed rule change to curtail the use of dividend 
plays. OCC asserts that neither Section 17A(b)(3)(F) of the Exchange 
Act \21\ or Rule 17Ad-22(d)(4) \22\ limit OCC to only 
addressing

[[Page 64845]]

risks that are posed to itself. Rather, OCC notes its belief that it is 
fully within its statutory authority to address risks to clearing 
members that, although may not pose a material risk to OCC, may pose a 
risk to an individual clearing member that could have adverse effects 
on other clearing members, such as a sudden shift in a clearing 
member's market practices. While OCC concedes that dividend plays 
currently do not present a material risk to OCC, OCC maintained that 
this may not always be the case and that OCC's rules and by-laws do not 
limit the clearing of dividend plays to firms that are well-
capitalized.
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    \21\ 15 U.S.C. 78q-1(b)(3)(F).
    \22\ 17 CFR 240.17Ad-22(d)(4).
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B. The Proposed Rule Change Is Per Se Anticompetitive and Favors One 
Group of Brokers-Dealers Over Another Group of Broker-Dealers
    The Duane Morris Letter asserts that the proposed rule change is 
per se anticompetitive because it would only affect trading in market-
maker accounts. The Duane Morris Letter contends that OCC's revision of 
its rules to preclude the acceptance of exercise notices on new long 
options positions on an intra-day basis would effectively nullify OCC 
Rule 801(c) solely for the accounts of market-makers.
    In response, OCC contends that the proposed rule change is not 
intended to address competitive issues nor does it have the effect of 
eliminating or reducing competition. OCC states that all market-makers 
holding options positions established on national securities exchanges 
would be subject to the same processing sequence. Furthermore, 
according to OCC, a market-maker would still be able to participate in 
the capturing of a dividend, just like any other market participant 
that seeks to exercise a long in-the-money call option on the day prior 
to the ex-dividend date, so long as its long positions are not fully 
offset with short position at the end of the trading day.
C. The Proposed Rule Change is Per Se Anticompetitive and Favors 
Certain National Securities Exchanges Over Others
    The Duane Morris Letter asserts that the purpose and intent of the 
proposed rule change is to reduce trade volume reported by NASDAQ OMX 
PHLX, so as to artificially increase the relative market share reported 
on other exchanges particularly the International Stock Exchange 
(``ISE'').
    In response, OCC contends that this particular assertion is 
``unsupported.'' OCC alleges that the composition of its Board of 
Directors, which is composed of two management directors, three public 
directors, nine clearing member directors and five exchange directors, 
makes it impossible that a limited number of exchanges, let alone one 
exchange, could have caused the proposal to be approved for an improper 
purpose. Additionally, OCC cites to the fact that various market 
participants through SIFMA encouraged OCC to initiate the inquiry into 
dividend plays.
D. The Proposed Rule Change Would Artificially Reduce Market 
Efficiency, Decrease Liquidity and Increase Volatility
    The Duane Morris Letter asserts that market participants may have 
differing reasons, methodologies and strategies in connection with 
their options trading, which, according to Duane Morris, explains why 
occasionally the holder of an in-the-money call position will not 
exercise before the ex-dividend date. If OCC curtails dividend plays, 
Duane Morris contends, options pricing will become less stable and 
predictive, resulting in less liquidity and depth in the options 
market.\23\ Duane Morris further contends that dividend plays serves a 
public purpose as it alerts public customers to the ex-dividend date 
and highlights the need for public customers to consider whether it is 
in their interests to adjust their positions.
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    \23\ The Duane Morris Letter further claims that there is no 
underlying statutory basis for the proposal's net long requirement 
and market efficiency is not advanced by such a requirement. The 
Duane Morris Letter appears to base its claim on an alleged 
securities laws' requirement that an options holder must carry a net 
long position to act with respect to its position has been grounded 
in concerns of fraud and manipulation and that no harm is imposed on 
public investors by dividend play transactions. OCC characterizes 
this argument as a ``red herring.'' Moreover, OCC asserts that it is 
not relying on the narrow statutory basis that a market participant 
must be net long to take certain action, and that it has ample 
statutory authority under Section 17A(b)(3)(F) of the Exchange Act.
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    In response, OCC contends that the proposed rule change is not 
targeting market participants based on whether or not they exercise 
call options. OCC characterizes the Duane Morris assertion concerning 
the proposal's effect on options pricing as ``speculation'' that is 
unlikely to match the actual outcome. The notion that dividend plays 
add liquidity and stability to the options market is, OCC notes, 
``questionable at best'' since, according to OCC, the majority of these 
trades are prearranged between market makers and executed at the end of 
a trading day using a floor broker instead of an electronic system open 
to all market participants.
    In addition, OCC disputes the Duane Morris assertion that dividend 
plays pose no harm public investors. OCC states that dividend plays are 
only profitable because the strategy results in a larger share of 
unassigned short positions being allocated away from market 
participants, including public investors, to dividend play traders. 
Furthermore, according to OCC, the timing (i.e., end of trading day) 
and manner (i.e., through a floor broker) in which dividend plays are 
executed cuts against Duane Morris's public purpose argument.

IV. Discussion and Commission Findings

    Section 19(b)(2)(C) of the Exchange Act directs the Commission to 
approve a proposed rule change of a self-regulatory organization if it 
finds that the proposed rule change is consistent with the requirements 
of the Act and the rules and regulations thereunder applicable to such 
organization. \24\ Section 17A (b)(3)(F) of the Exchange Act requires 
that the rules of a clearing agency be designed to promote the prompt 
and accurate clearance and settlement of securities transactions, to 
foster cooperation and coordination with persons engaged in the 
clearance and settlement of securities transactions, to remove 
impediment to and perfect the mechanism of a national system for the 
prompt and accurate clearance and settlement of securities 
transactions, and in general, to protect investors and the public 
interest.\25\ Rule 17Ad-22(d) requires a registered clearing agency to 
establish, implement, maintain and enforce written policies and 
procedures reasonably designed to provide for a well-founded, 
transparent and enforceable legal framework for each aspect of its 
activities in all relevant jurisdictions \26\ and to identify sources 
of operational risk and minimize them through the development of 
appropriate systems, controls, and procedures.\27\
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    \24\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2)(C).
    \25\ 15 U.S.C. 78q-1(b)(3)(F).
    \26\ 17 CFR. 240.17Ad-22(d)(1).
    \27\ 17 CFR 240.17Ad-22(d)(4).
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    After careful review of the proposal and the comment letters and 
the comment letters in response thereto, as described above and below, 
the Commission finds that OCC's rule change, as proposed, is consistent 
with the requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations 
thereunder applicable to a registered clearing agency. In particular, 
the Commission believes that OCC has the authority under the Exchange 
Act and the rules and regulations thereunder to adopt or amend existing 
rules to change its processing sequence to curtail or

[[Page 64846]]

eliminate the use of dividend plays in the accounts of market-makers in 
light of the identifiable improvements in the safety of its processes 
that are expected to result from the changes.
    Through its internal governance process, OCC has determined that 
dividend play trades have the potential to pose certain risks to market 
participants, including OCC clearing members, and, in general, are not 
in the public interest. In making such a determination, OCC's proposed 
rule change will limit the use of dividend plays through the 
modification of the processing sequence by which these trades are 
cleared and settled at OCC. While the Commission acknowledges the point 
raised by Duane Morris and confirmed by OCC in its proposal, that 
dividend play trading does not present any current operational risk to 
OCC, the Commission believes that neither Section 17A of the Exchange 
Act nor Rule 17Ad-22 limit OCC to exclusively addressing risks that are 
currently present for the clearing agency alone. Given its important 
role in the national clearance and settlement system and its 
designation as a systemically important financial market utility by the 
Financial Stability Oversight Council in 2012, the Commission believes 
OCC is entitled under the Exchange Act to take into account the 
interests of its clearing members, as well as foreseeable effects of 
its actions on the financial system more generally, when reviewing and 
considering changes to its operational practices. There is a clearly 
articulated basis for believing the proposed action by OCC will improve 
the national clearance and settlement system by increasing the safety 
of the system in identifiable ways for at least a portion of OCC's 
membership as reflected in OCC's proposal and in the comment letters 
received, and the Commission believes such improvements are consistent 
with the relevant requirements of the Exchange Act. In particular, 
since the clearing of dividend play trades is not restricted based on 
clearing member capitalization and risk-management processes, the 
proposal serves to mitigate a foreseeable source of operational risk by 
precluding clearing members with less robust risk management processes 
from clearing such dividend trades in the future.
    The Commission also finds that the proposal does not impose any 
burden on competition that is not necessary or appropriate in 
furtherance of the Exchange Act. The appropriate standard, as set forth 
in Section 17A(b)(3)(I) of the Exchange Act, requires that the rules of 
the clearing agency do not impose any burden on competition not 
necessary or appropriate in furtherance of the Exchange Act.\28\ The 
Commission believes that the proposed rule change does not impose a 
burden on competition that is not necessary or appropriate in 
furtherance of minimizing potential sources of operational risk and 
promoting the prompt and accurate clearance and settlement of 
securities transactions. Moreover, since the majority of dividend plays 
occur in market-maker accounts, there is a reasonable basis for OCC to 
believe it is prudent risk management to start curtailing dividend play 
trading in the types of accounts in which it primarily occurs. 
Furthermore, the Commission notes that the proposed changes by OCC 
would not have the effects of ending dividend plays entirely for 
market-makers or any other participants in the options market. A 
market-maker, for example, will still have the ability to participate 
in the capturing of dividend after the operational changes proposed by 
OCC are in effect by exercising long in-the-money call options on the 
day prior to the ex-dividend date, so long as its position in the 
particular option is net long. While some consequential effects would 
necessarily follow from OCC implementing the proposed changes in its 
operational practices, absent action to eliminate dividend plays 
entirely, at this time the Commission believes OCC's choice to consider 
the beneficial effects of its operational changes outweigh any negative 
effects to be consistent with Section 17A(b)(3)(I) of the Exchange 
Act.\29\
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    \28\ 15 U.S.C. 78q-1(b)(3)(I).
    \29\ Any additional proposed rule change by OCC expected to have 
the effect of eliminating the use of dividend play trades would also 
have to be presented to the Commission for consideration prior to 
taking effect. Points such as those made in the Duane Morris Letter 
regarding expected effects on competition and other consequences 
resulting from such a proposed change would necessarily be 
reconsidered by the Commission in light of the rationales presented 
by OCC at that time.
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    Pursuant to Section 3(f) of the Exchange Act, in the review of a 
rule of a self-regulatory organization, the Commission shall consider 
whether the action will promote efficiency, competition, and capital 
formation.\30\ As described above, Duane Morris argues that market 
efficiency is not advanced by the net long requirement for the 
processing of call options in Market-Maker accounts. Duane Morris 
appears to base its assertion on its belief that fraud and/or 
manipulation are not concerns with dividend play transactions, and that 
such trading imposes no harm to public investors. The Commission 
believes that Duane Morris has not provided ample evidence to support 
the assertion that the proposed rule change does not advance market 
efficiency.
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    \30\ 15 U.S.C. 78c(f).
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V. Conclusion

    On the basis of the foregoing, the Commission finds that the 
proposal is consistent with the requirements of the Act and in 
particular with the requirements of Section 17A of the Act \31\ and the 
rules and regulations thereunder.
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    \31\ 15 U.S.C. 78q-1.
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    It is therefore ordered, pursuant to Section 19(b)(2) of the 
Exchange Act,\32\ that the proposed rule change (File No. SR-OCC-2014-
15) be and hereby is approved.\33\
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    \32\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2).
    \33\ In approving the proposed rule change, the Commission 
considered the proposal's impact on efficiency, competition, and 
capital formation. 15 U.S.C. 78c(f).

    For the Commission by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\34\
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    \34\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Kevin M. O'Neill,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2014-25879 Filed 10-30-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P