Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Y-Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing of a Proposed Rule Change to Rules 11.9 of BATS Y-Exchange, Inc., 8734-8741 [2015-03223]
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8734
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 32 / Wednesday, February 18, 2015 / Notices
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
[Release No. 34–74250; File No. SR–BYX–
2015–07)
Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS
Y–Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing of a
Proposed Rule Change to Rules 11.9 of
BATS Y–Exchange, Inc.
February 11, 2015.
Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the
‘‘Act’’),1 and Rule 19b–4 thereunder,2
notice is hereby given that on January
30, 2015, BATS Y–Exchange, Inc. (the
‘‘Exchange’’ or ‘‘BYX’’) filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission
(‘‘Commission’’) the proposed rule
change as described in Items I, II and III
below, which Items have been prepared
by the Exchange. 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 the Substance
of the Proposed Rule Change
The Exchange filed a proposal to
amend Rules 11.9, 11.12, and 11.13 to
clarify and to include additional
specificity regarding the current
functionality of the Exchange’s System,3
including the operation of its order
types and order instructions, as further
described below.
The text of the proposed rule change
is available at the Exchange’s Web site
at www.batstrading.com, at the
principal office of the Exchange, and at
the Commission’s Public Reference
Room.
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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
Exchange 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
Exchange has prepared summaries, set
forth in Sections A, B, and C below, of
the most significant parts of such
statements.
1 15
U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
CFR 240.19b–4.
3 Exchange Rule 1.5(aa) defines ‘‘System’’ as ‘‘the
electronic communications and trading facility
designated by the Board through which securities
orders of Users are consolidated for ranking,
execution and, when applicable, routing away.’’
2 17
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A. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement of the Purpose of, and
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule
Change
1. Purpose
On June 5, 2014, Chair Mary Jo White
asked all national securities exchanges
to conduct a comprehensive review of
each order type offered to members and
how it operates.4 The proposals set forth
below, therefore, are the product of a
comprehensive review of Exchange
system functionality conducted by the
Exchange and are intended to add
additional clarity and specificity
regarding the current functionality of
the Exchange’s System,5 including the
operation of its order types and order
instructions. The Exchange is not
proposing any substantive modifications
to the System.
The changes proposed below are
designed to update the rulebook to
reflect current System functionality and
include: (i) Making clear that orders
with a Time-in-Force (‘‘TIF’’) of
Immediate-or-Cancel (‘‘IOC’’) can be
routed away from the Exchange; (ii)
specifying the methodology used by the
Exchange to determine whether BATS
Post Only Orders 6 will remove liquidity
from the BATS Book; 7 (iii) adding
additional detail to and re-structuring
the description of Pegged Orders; (iv)
adding additional detail to the
description of Mid-Point Peg Orders; (v)
adding additional detail to the
description of Discretionary Orders; (vi)
amending Rule 11.12, Priority of Orders,
and Rule 11.13, Order Execution, to
provide additional specificity and
enhance the structure of Exchange rules
describing the process for ranking,
executing and routing orders; (vii)
adding additional detail to the
description of orders subject to Re-Route
functionality; and (viii) making a series
of conforming changes to Rules 11.9,
11.12 and 11.13 to update crossreferences.
Routable Orders With Time in Force of
Immediate-or-Cancel
The Exchange proposes to modify
Rule 11.9(b)(1) to update the description
of the TIF of IOC to make clear that
orders with a TIF of IOC are routable
4 See Mary Jo White, Chair, Commission, Speech
at the Sandler O’Neill & Partners, L.P. Global
Exchange and Brokerage Conference, (June 5, 2014)
(available at https://www.sec.gov/News/Speech/
Detail/Speech/1370542004312#.VD2HW610w6Y).
5 Exchange Rule 1.5(aa) defines ‘‘System’’ as ‘‘the
electronic communications and trading facility
designated by the Board through which securities
orders of Users are consolidated for ranking,
execution and, when applicable, routing away.’’
6 See Rule 11.9(c)(6).
7 As defined in Rule 1.5(e).
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even though such TIF indicates an
instruction to execute an order
immediately in whole or in part and/or
cancel it back. Under current rules, the
TIF of IOC indicates that an order is to
be executed in whole or in part as soon
as such order is received and the
portion not executed is to be cancelled.
The Exchange proposes to expand upon
the description of IOC to specify that an
order with such TIF may be routed away
from the Exchange but that in no event
will an order with such TIF be posted
to the BATS Book. The Exchange notes
that IOC orders routed away from the
Exchange are in turn routed as IOC
orders. The Exchange also notes that
current Rule 11.13(a)(2) already
includes reference to routable IOCs, and
the proposed modifications to the rule
text are intended to add further
specificity that IOCs are routable.
In addition to the change described
above, the Exchange proposes to make
clear in Rule 11.9(b)(6) that an order
with a TIF of FOK is not eligible for
routing. Although orders with a TIF of
FOK are generally treated the same as
IOCs, the Exchange does not permit
routing of orders with a FOK because
the Exchange is unable to ensure the
instruction of FOK (i.e., execution of an
order in its entirety) through the routing
process.
Finally, in connection with these
changes, the Exchange also proposes to
modify current Rule 11.13(a)(2) (to be
re-numbered as Rule 11.13(b)(2)) to add
the cancellation of an unfilled balance
of an order as one possible outcome
after an order has been routed away.
Rule 11.13(a)(2) currently describes
other variations of how the Exchange
handles an order after it has been routed
away, but does not specifically state that
it may be cancelled after the routing
process, which would be the case with
an order submitted to the Exchange with
a TIF of IOC.
Computation of Economic Best Interest
for BATS Post Only Orders
The Exchange proposes to modify
Rule 11.9(c)(6) to specify the
methodology used by the Exchange to
determine whether BATS Post Only
Orders will remove liquidity from the
Exchange’s order book. Under the
Exchange’s current rules, a BATS Post
Only Order is an order that an entering
User 8 intends to be posted to the BATS
Book, and thus will not ordinarily
remove liquidity from the Exchange.
However, BATS Post Only Orders will
8 As defined in Exchange Rule 1.5(cc), a User is
‘‘any Member or Sponsored Participant who is
authorized to obtain access to the System pursuant
to Rule 11.3.’’
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remove liquidity from the BATS Book if
such execution is in the economic best
interests of the User entering the BATS
Post Only Order, taking into account
applicable fees and rebates.9
Specifically, as set forth in Rule
11.9(c)(6), BATS Post Only Orders
remove liquidity from the BATS Book if
the value of ‘‘price improvement’’
associated with such execution equals
or exceeds the sum of fees charged for
such execution and the value of any
rebate that would be provided if the
order posted to the BATS Book and
subsequently provided liquidity. The
Exchange proposes three changes to the
description of BATS Post Only Orders
to make clear the methodology used in
calculating whether a BATS Post Only
Order should remove liquidity on entry.
The Exchange notes that each of these
changes will conform the Exchange’s
rule governing BATS Post Only Orders
with Rule 11.6(n)(4) of the Exchange’s
affiliate, EDGX Exchange, Inc.
(‘‘EDGX’’).
First, the Exchange proposes to clarify
that rather than requiring price
improvement, which indicates an
execution at a better price level than an
order’s limit price, the Exchange
calculates the value of the overall
execution taking into account applicable
fees and rebates. Accordingly, to the
extent the fee and rebate structure on its
own (i.e., even at the limit price) makes
it economically advantageous to remove
liquidity rather than post to the BATS
Book and subsequently provide
liquidity, the Exchange will allow a
BATS Post Only Order to remove
liquidity. The Exchange notes that
under its current fee structure, which
provides a rebate for orders that remove
liquidity and a fee for orders that add
liquidity, this, in turn, results in an
execution of a BATS Post Only Order
upon entry any time that there is contraside liquidity. The Exchange proposes
the changes herein and to generally
maintain BATS Post Only Orders,
however, to reflect the actual
functionality of the System, which does
perform the specified economic best
interest analysis and also in the event
the Exchange’s fees change.
Second, the Exchange proposes to
make clear that this methodology is
applied only to securities priced at
$1.00 and above, and thus, that all
BATS Post Only Orders in securities
priced below $1.00 remove contra-side
liquidity. The Exchange believes it is
reasonable to allow BATS Post Only
9 See
Securities Exchange Act Release No. 67092
(June 1, 2012), 77 FR 33800 (June 7, 2012) (SR–
BYX–2012–009) (notice of filing and immediate
effectiveness of rule change to amend the operation
of BATS Post Only Orders).
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Orders to remove liquidity in lower
priced securities because the Exchange’s
fee structure never has provided a
significant rebate or charged a
significant fee for such orders. Because
the execution cost economics are
relatively flat, the Exchange believes it
is more efficient to simply allow all
orders in such securities to remove
liquidity.
Third, the Exchange proposes to make
clear its methodology for determining
the applicable fees and rebates given the
fact that the Exchange maintains a tiered
pricing structure. Under the Exchange’s
current tiered pricing structure, an
entering User may receive a variable
rebate for adding liquidity depending on
the User’s volume during the month in
question. The Exchange determines
whether Users qualify for higher rebates
at the end of the month, looking back at
the User’s activity during the month. To
account for this variable rebate structure
and to ensure that the Exchange does
not determine that an execution is in an
entering User’s economic best interests
when, in fact, it is not due to a different
rebate or fee 10 ultimately achieved by
the User, the Exchange applies the
highest possible rebate provided and
highest possible fee charged for such
executions on the Exchange. The
Exchange proposes to make this rebate
and fee assumption clear in the
Exchange’s rule text.
Pegged Orders
The Exchange proposes to restructure
Rule 11.9(c)(8), related to Pegged
Orders, and to add additional detail to
such Rule regarding the handling of
such orders. With respect to
restructuring, the Exchange currently
offers two types of Pegged Orders
pursuant to Rule 11.9(c)(8), Primary
Pegged Orders and Market Pegged
Orders, and believes that each types of
Pegged Order would be easier to
understand if described in separate
paragraphs. Given the proposal to split
the Rule to address Primary Pegged
Orders and Market Pegged Orders
separately, the Exchange also proposes
to add an additional lead-in sentence
that summarizes the operation of Pegged
Orders generally.
Mid-Point Peg Orders
The Exchange proposes to add
additional specificity regarding MidPoint Peg Orders and the handling of
such orders when the market is locked
10 The Exchange notes that its current fee
structure does not have a variable fee depending on
trading activity during the month. If, in the future,
the Exchange implements such a fee structure the
Exchange will use the highest possible fee for
purposes of Rule 11.9(c)(6).
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or crossed. Specifically, the Exchange
proposes to add language stating that
upon instruction from a User Mid-Point
Peg Orders will not execute when the
market is locked. The Exchange makes
this feature optional because while
some Users may prefer not to execute in
a locked market given that there is no
real mid-point in such a situation and
it might be evidence of a pricing
disparity in a security, other Users may
prefer an execution. The Exchange also
proposes to state that Mid-Point Peg
Orders are not eligible to execute when
the NBBO is crossed. The Exchange
does not execute Mid-Point Peg Orders
in a crossed market because the pricing
of the mid-point, and the security
generally, is uncertain in such a
situation.
Discretionary Orders
The Exchange proposes to amend the
description of Discretionary Orders
contained in Rule 11.9(c)(10) and to add
additional detail regarding the
execution of such orders, as set forth
below. First, the current description
indicates that a Discretionary Order has
a displayed price and size and a nondisplayed ‘‘discretionary price.’’ The
Exchange proposes to make clear that
although a Discretionary Order may
have a displayed price and size as well
as a discretionary price, a Discretionary
Order may also be fully non-displayed,
and thus, will have a non-displayed
ranked price as well as a discretionary
price. In addition to reflecting the
ability to have a non-displayed
Discretionary Order, the Exchange
proposes various minor wording
changes to improve the description of
Discretionary Orders to make clear that
such orders use the minimum amount of
discretion when executing against
incoming orders.
The Exchange also proposes to make
clear how a Discretionary Order
interacts with a BATS Post Only Order
or Partial Post Only at Limit Order
entered at the displayed or nondisplayed ranked price of such
Discretionary Order that does not
remove liquidity on entry pursuant to
Rule 11.9(c)(6) or Rule 11.9(c)(7),
respectively, by stating that the
Discretionary Order is converted to an
executable order and will remove
liquidity against such incoming order.
Similar to the Re-Route functionality
described below, due to the fact that
Discretionary Orders contain more
aggressive prices at which they are
willing to execute, the Exchange treats
Discretionary Orders as aggressive
orders that would prefer to execute at
their displayed or non-displayed ranked
price than to forgo an execution due to
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applicable fees or rebates. Accordingly,
in order to facilitate transactions
consistent with the instructions of its
Users, the Exchange executes resting
Discretionary Orders (and certain orders
with a Re-Route instruction, as
described below) against incoming
orders, when such incoming orders
would otherwise forego an execution.
The Exchange notes that the
determination of whether an order
should execute on entry against resting
interest, including against resting
Discretionary Orders, is made prior to
determining whether the price of such
an incoming order should be adjusted
pursuant to the Exchange’s price sliding
functionality pursuant to Rule 11.9(g).
In other words, an execution will have
already occurred as set forth above
before the Exchange would consider
whether an order could be displayed
and/or posted to the BATS Book, and if
so, at what price.
Examples—Discretionary Order
Executes Against BATS Post Only
Orders
Assume that the NBBO is $10.00 by
$10.05, and the Exchange’s BBO is $9.99
by $10.06. Assume that the Exchange
receives a non-routable order to buy 100
shares of a security at $10.00 per share
designated with discretion to pay up to
an additional $0.05 per share.
• Assume that the next order received
by the Exchange is a BATS Post Only
Order to sell 100 shares of the security
at priced at $10.03 per share. The BATS
Post Only Order would not remove any
liquidity upon entry pursuant to the
Exchange’s economic best interest
functionality, and would post to the
BATS Book at $10.03. This would, in
turn, trigger the discretion of the resting
buy order and an execution would occur
at $10.03. The BATS Post Only Order to
sell would be treated as the adder of
liquidity and the buy order with
discretion would be treated as the
remover of liquidity.
• Assume the same facts as above, but
that the incoming BATS Post Only
Order is priced at $10.00 instead of
$10.03. As described above, under the
Exchange’s current fee structure, which
provides a rebate for orders that remove
liquidity and a fee for orders that add
liquidity, the BATS Post Only Order
would execute on entry at $10.00
against the buy order with discretion
pursuant to the Exchange’s best interest
functionality. The buy order with
discretion would be treated as the adder
of liquidity and the BATS Post Only
Order to sell would be treated as the
remover of liquidity. Assume, however,
for purposes of this example that the
BATS Post Only Order would not
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remove any liquidity upon entry
pursuant to the Exchange’s economic
best interest functionality. Rather than
cancelling the incoming BATS Post
Only Order to sell back to the User,
particularly when the resting order is
willing to buy the security for up to
$10.05 per share, the Exchange executes
at $10.00 the BATS Post Only Order
against the resting buy order with
discretion. As is true in the example
above, the BATS Post Only Order to sell
would be treated as the liquidity adder
and the buy order with discretion would
be treated as the liquidity remover. As
set forth in more detail below, if the
incoming order was not a BATS Post
Only Order to sell, the incoming order
could be executed at the ranked price of
the Discretionary Order without
restriction and would therefore be
treated as the liquidity remover.
Additionally, the Exchange proposes
to codify the process by which it
handles all incoming orders that interact
with Discretionary Orders. First, the
Exchange proposes to codify its
handling of a contra-side order that
executes against a resting Discretionary
Order at its displayed or non-displayed
ranked price or that contains a time-inforce of IOC or FOK and a price in the
discretionary range by expressly stating
that such an incoming order will
remove liquidity against the
Discretionary Order. Second, the
Exchange proposes to codify its
handling of orders that are intended to
post to the BATS Book at a price within
a Discretionary Order’s discretionary
range. This includes, but is not limited
to, BATS Post Only Orders and Partial
Post Only at Limit Orders. Specifically,
the Exchange proposes to codify current
System functionality whereby any
contra-side order with a time-in-force
other than IOC or FOK and a price
within the discretionary range but not at
the displayed or non-displayed ranked
price of a Discretionary Order will be
posted to the BATS Book and then the
Discretionary Order will remove
liquidity against such posted order.
Examples—Discretionary Order
Executes Against Non-Post Only Orders
Assume that the NBBO is $10.00 by
$10.05, and the Exchange’s BBO is $9.99
by $10.06. Assume that the Exchange
receives an order to buy 100 shares of
a security at $10.00 per share designated
with discretion to pay up to an
additional $0.05 per share.
• Assume that the next order received
by the Exchange is a BATS Only Order
to sell 100 shares of the security with a
TIF other than IOC or FOK priced at
$10.03 per share. The BATS Only Order
would not remove any liquidity upon
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entry and would post to the BATS Book
at $10.03. This would, in turn, trigger
the discretion of the resting buy order
and an execution would occur at $10.03.
The BATS Only Order to sell would be
treated as the adder of liquidity and the
buy order with discretion would be
treated as the remover of liquidity.
• Assume the same facts as above, but
that the incoming BATS Only Order is
priced at $10.00 instead of $10.03. The
BATS Only Order would remove
liquidity upon entry at $10.00 per share
pursuant to the Exchange’s order
execution rules, as described in detail
below. Contrary to the examples set
forth above, the BATS Only Order to
sell would be treated as the liquidity
remover and the resting buy order with
discretion would be treated as the
liquidity adder. The Exchange notes that
this example operates the same whether
an order contains a TIF of IOC, FOK or
any other TIF.
The Exchange also proposes to modify
the current description of the
Discretionary Order by eliminating
language stating, ‘‘[i]f a Discretionary
Order is not executed in full, the
unexecuted portion of the order is
automatically re-posted and displayed
in the BATS Book with a new
timestamp, at its original displayed
price, and with its non-displayed
discretionary price offset.’’ The
Exchange believes this language is
unnecessarily confusing because the
unexecuted portion of Discretionary
Orders does not actually re-post solely
because part of the order was executed.
Rather, the remaining portion will
remain resting on the BATS Book
without being removed from the BATS
Book.
Finally, because Discretionary Orders
have both a price at which they will be
ranked and an additional discretionary
price, the Exchange proposes to
expressly state how the Exchange
handles a routable Discretionary Order
by stating that such an order will be
routed away from the Exchange at its
full discretionary price. As an example,
assume the NBBO is $10.00 by $10.05
and the Exchange’s BBO is $9.99 by
$10.06. If the Exchange receives a
routable Discretionary Order to buy at
$10.00 with discretion to pay up to an
additional $0.05 per share, the Exchange
would route the order as a limit order
to buy at $10.05. Any unexecuted
portion of the order would be posted to
the BATS Book with a ranked price of
$10.00 and discretion to pay up to
$10.05.
Priority and Execution Algorithm
With respect to the Exchange’s
priority and execution algorithm, the
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Exchange is proposing various minor
and structural changes that are intended
to emphasize the processes by which
orders are accepted, priced, ranked and
executed, as well as a new provision
related to the ability of orders to rest at
locking prices that is consistent with the
changes to provisions related to the
operation of Discretionary Orders
described above. First, the Exchange
proposes to modify Rule 11.12, Priority
of Orders, to make clear that the ranking
of orders described in such rule is in
turn dependent on Exchange Rule
11.13(a) which discusses the pricing
and execution of orders. The Exchange
believes that this has always been the
case under Exchange rules based on the
reference to the ‘‘Execution Process’’ in
Rule 11.12; however, this reference did
not include a cross-reference to Rule
11.13. The Exchange also proposes to
change the reference within Rule 11.12
to refer to ranking rather than executing
equally priced trading interest, as the
Rule as a whole is intended to describe
the manner in which resting orders are
ranked and maintained, specifically in
price and time priority, while awaiting
execution against incoming orders. The
Exchange does not believe that the
proposed modifications substantively
modify the operation of the rules;
however, the Exchange believes that it
is important to clarify that the ranking
of orders is a separate process from the
execution of orders.
The Exchange also proposes to specify
in Rule 11.12(a)(2)(C) that the priority
afforded to Pegged Orders is applicable
to all non-displayed Pegged Orders. The
Exchange recently began accepting
Primary Pegged Orders that can be
displayed, and if so displayed, the
Exchange ranks such orders with all
other displayed orders. Thus, the
Exchange proposes to clarify that
reference to Pegged Orders in
11.12(a)(2)(C), which have lower
priority than the displayed size of limit
orders and non-displayed orders, is a
reference specifically to non-displayed
Pegged Orders.
Further, the Exchange proposes to
adopt new Rule 11.12(a)(3), which
recognizes existing match trade
prevention rules that optionally prevent
the execution of orders from the same
User (i.e., based on the User’s ‘‘Unique
Identifier’’, as set forth in Rule 11.9(f))
by stating that in such a case the System
will not permit such orders to execute
against one another regardless of
priority ranking. Proposed Rule
11.12(a)(3) is based on EDGX Rule
11.9(a)(3). The Exchange also proposes
changes to current Rule 11.9(a)(3) and
(a)(4) to re-number such rules as (a)(4)
and (a)(5) as well as to clarify that
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orders retain and lose ‘‘time’’ priority
under certain circumstances, as opposed
to priority generally, because retaining
or losing price priority does not require
the same descriptions, as price priority
will always be retained unless the price
of an order changes.
Next, the Exchange proposes to restructure Rule 11.13, which currently
governs both execution and routing
logic on the Exchange, by more clearly
delineating between execution (to be
contained in new paragraph (a)) and
routing (to be contained in new
paragraph (b)) and by adding additional
sub-headings to the execution section.
In this connection, the Exchange
proposes to move language contained
within Rule 11.13 to the beginning of
new paragraph (a) such that the
language is more generally applicable to
the rules governing execution.
Specifically, the Exchange proposes to
relocate language stating that any order
falling within the parameters of this
paragraph shall be referred to as
‘‘executable’’ and that an order will be
cancelled back to the User if, based on
market conditions, User instructions,
applicable Exchange Rules and/or the
Act and the rules and regulations
thereunder, such order is not
executable, cannot be routed to another
Trading Center pursuant to Rule
11.13(b) (as proposed to be renumbered) or cannot be posted to the
BATS Book. The proposed sub-headings
for paragraph (a) regarding order
execution are intended to delineate
between the various rules and National
Market System (‘‘NMS’’) plans that may
render an order executable or not,
including Regulation NMS and
Regulation SHO. The Exchange is
proposing to add a cross-reference in
Rule 11.13(a)(3) to its rules related to
the Limit Up-Limit Down Plan, which is
contained in Rule 11.18(e).
The Exchange proposes to adopt
paragraph (C) of Rule 11.13(a)(4) to
provide further clarity regarding the
situations where orders are not
executable, which although covered in
other existing rules, would focus on the
incoming order on the same side of a
displayed order rather than the resting
order that is rendered not executable
because it is opposite such displayed
order. The proposed provision would
replace existing text set forth in Rule
11.13(a)(1) to acknowledge that, under
certain circumstances, there can be
locking interest on the Exchange but
that such interest will not be displayed
by the System as a locked market.
Proposed paragraph (C) would further
state that if an incoming order is on the
same side of the market as an order
displayed on the BATS Book and upon
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8737
entry would execute against contra-side
interest at the same price as such
displayed order, such incoming order
will be cancelled or posted to the BATS
Book and ranked in accordance with
Rule 11.12. The Exchange does not
allow non-displayed interest that locks
a contra-side displayed order to execute
at such price to avoid an apparent
priority issue.
To demonstrate the functionality in
place on the Exchange described above,
assume the NBBO is $10.10 by $10.11.
Assume the Exchange has a posted and
displayed bid to buy 100 shares of a
security priced at $10.10 per share and
a resting non-displayed bid to buy 100
shares of a security priced at $10.11 per
share. For purposes of this example,
assume the resting non-displayed bid
has not selected the Re-Route
functionality, which, as described in
further detail below, could make a
resting order executable against an
incoming BATS Post Only Order under
certain circumstances.
• Assume that the next order received
by the Exchange is a BATS Post Only
Order to sell 100 shares of the security
priced at $10.11 per share. As described
above, under the Exchange’s current fee
structure, which provides a rebate for
orders that remove liquidity and a fee
for orders that add liquidity, the BATS
Post Only Order would execute on entry
at $10.11 against the resting nondisplayed bid pursuant to the
Exchange’s best interest functionality.
The non-displayed bid would be treated
as the adder of liquidity and the BATS
Post Only Order to sell would be treated
as the remover of liquidity. Assume,
however, for purposes of this example
that the BATS Post Only Order would
not remove any liquidity upon entry
pursuant to the Exchange’s economic
best interest functionality. With that
assumption, the BATS Post Only Order
would instead post to the BATS Book,
and would be displayed at $10.11. The
display of this order would, in turn,
make the resting non-displayed bid not
executable at $10.11.
• Assume the next order received by
the Exchange is an order to sell 100
shares of the security priced at $10.11
per share. The order would not remove
any liquidity upon entry because there
is a displayed order to sell at $10.11
posted on the BATS Book and thus, by
rule, the Exchange does not maintain
any executable buy interest priced at
$10.11. If the later arriving order to sell
at $10.11 contained a TIF other than
IOC or FOK, it would be posted to the
BATS Book and displayed at $10.11. If
the later arriving order to sell at $10.11
contained a TIF of IOC or FOK, it would
be cancelled back to the User.
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• To the extent the BATS Book is in
the state set forth to conclude the
examples above, with a non-executable
bid to buy at $10.11 and one or more
offers to sell displayed by the Exchange
at $10.11; there are several potential
outcomes. For instance, any incoming
order to buy at $10.11 or higher 11 will
execute against the displayed order(s) to
sell, as such resting orders are fully
executable and displayed as available
offers on the BATS Book. Once all
displayed liquidity to sell at $10.11 has
been executed on the Exchange, the
resting non-displayed bid to buy at
$10.11 will again be fully executable.
Similarly, if the resting displayed orders
to sell that are priced at $10.11 are
cancelled then the resting nondisplayed bid to buy at $10.11 will
again be fully executable at that price.
As described in the text and examples
below, an incoming sell order priced at
$10.10 or better will execute against the
resting bid at $10.105. Finally, the User
representing the non-displayed bid to
buy at $10.11 could cancel the order.
The Exchange is also proposing to
modify and place in new paragraph (D)
rule language contained in current Rule
11.13(a)(1) that governs the price at
which non-displayed locking interest is
executable in order to further clarify
such rule text. Specifically, for bids or
offers equal to or greater than $1.00 per
share, in the event that an incoming
order is a market order or is a limit
order priced more aggressively than an
order displayed on the Exchange, the
Exchange will execute the incoming
order at, in the case of an incoming sell
order, one-half minimum price variation
less than the price of the displayed
order, and, in the case of an incoming
buy order, at one-half minimum price
variation more than the price of the
displayed order. As is true under
existing functionality, this order
handling is inapplicable for bids or
offers under $1.00 per share. Proposed
paragraph (D) does not substantively
modify the existing operation of the
System but is intended to better
describe in rule text the process for
matching an incoming order against an
11 The Exchange notes that an incoming order for
purposes of comparison to a resting order can be
any incoming order unless the terms of that
incoming order itself preclude execution. For
instance, in this example, an incoming buy order
could be routable or non-routable, the order could
be selected for potential display or could include
instructions not to display the order, the order
could have a discretionary price, or several other
characteristics. Upon entry, unless the terms of the
order preclude removing liquidity, such as a BATS
Post Only order, the characteristics that govern the
way that the order may be handled once posted to
the Exchange’s order book are irrelevant and any
incoming buy order priced at $10.11 or higher will
execute against the resting offers.
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order on the BATS Book when there is
a displayed order on the same side of
the market as the incoming order.
To demonstrate the operation of this
provision, again assume the NBBO is
$10.10 by $10.11. Assume the Exchange
has a posted and displayed bid to buy
100 shares of a security priced at $10.10
per share and a resting non-displayed
bid to buy 100 shares of a security
priced at $10.11 per share.
• Assume that the next order received
by the Exchange is a BATS Post Only
Order to sell 100 shares of the security
priced at $10.11 per share. As described
above, under the Exchange’s current fee
structure, which provides a rebate for
orders that remove liquidity and a fee
for orders that add liquidity, the BATS
Post Only Order would execute on entry
at $10.11 against the resting nondisplayed bid pursuant to the
Exchange’s best interest functionality.
The non-displayed bid would be treated
as the adder of liquidity and the BATS
Post Only Order to sell would be treated
as the remover of liquidity. Assume,
however, for purposes of this example
that the BATS Post Only Order would
not remove any liquidity upon entry
pursuant to the Exchange’s economic
best interest functionality. With that
assumption, the BATS Post Only Order
to sell would post to the BATS Book
and would be displayed at $10.11. The
display of this order would, in turn,
make the resting non-displayed bid not
executable at $10.11.
• If an incoming offer to sell 100
shares at $10.10 is entered into the
BATS Book, the resting non-displayed
bid originally priced at $10.11 will be
executed at $10.105 per share, thus
providing a half-penny of price
improvement as compared to the order’s
limit price of $10.11. The execution at
$10.105 per share also provides the
incoming offer with a half-penny of
price improvement as compared to its
limit price of $10.10. The result would
be the same for an incoming market
order to sell or any other incoming limit
order offer priced at $10.10 or below,
which would execute against the nondisplayed bid at a price of $10.105 per
share. As above, an offer at the full price
of the resting and displayed $10.11 offer
would not execute against the resting
non-displayed bid, but would instead
either cancel or post to the BATS Book
behind the original $10.11 offer in
priority.
The Exchange notes that it is
proposing to add descriptive titles to
paragraphs (A) and (B) of Rule
11.13(a)(4), which describe the process
by which executable orders are matched
within the System. Specifically, so long
as it is otherwise executable, an
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incoming order to buy will be
automatically executed to the extent
that it is priced at an amount that equals
or exceeds any order to sell in the BATS
Book and an incoming order to sell will
be automatically executed to the extent
that it is priced at an amount that equals
or is less than any order to buy in the
BATS Book. These rules further state
that an order to buy shall be executed
at the price(s) of the lowest order(s) to
sell having priority in the BATS Book
and an order to sell shall be executed at
the price(s) of the highest order(s) to buy
having priority in the BATS Book. The
Exchange emphasizes these current
rules only insofar as to highlight the
interconnected nature of the priority
rule.
The Exchange also proposes to modify
existing paragraph (b) of Rule 11.13 to
re-number it as paragraph (b)(5) and to
clarify the Exchange’s rule regarding the
priority of routed orders. Paragraph (b)
currently sets forth the proposition that
a routed order does not retain priority
on the Exchange while it is being routed
to other markets. The Exchange believes
that its proposed clarification to
paragraph (b) is appropriate because it
more clearly states that a routed order
is not ranked and maintained in the
BATS Book pursuant to Rule 11.12(a),
and therefore is not available to execute
against incoming orders pursuant to
Rule 11.13.
Re-Route Functionality
The Exchange currently allows Users
to submit various types of limit orders
to the Exchange that are processed
pursuant to current Exchange Rule
11.13, as described elsewhere in this
proposal. To the extent an order has not
been executed in its entirety against the
BATS Book, Rule 11.13 describes the
process of routing marketable limit
orders 12 to one or more Trading
Centers, including a description of how
the Exchange treats any unfilled balance
that returns to the Exchange following
the first attempt to fill the order through
the routing process. If not filled through
routing, and based on the order
instructions, the unfilled balance of the
order may be posted to the BATS Book.
Pursuant to Exchange Rule 11.13(a)(4)
(to be re-numbered as Rule 11.13(b)(4)
pursuant to this proposal), under certain
circumstances the Exchange will reroute an order that has been posted to
the BATS Book if subsequently locked
or crossed by another accessible Trading
Center. The Exchange offers two
12 Market orders are also routed away pursuant to
Rule 11.13, however the Exchange is not proposing
any changes to the treatment of routed market
orders at this time.
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optional Re-Route instructions, the
Super Aggressive Re-Route instruction
and the Aggressive Re-Route
instruction. The Super Aggressive ReRoute instruction reflects the
willingness of the sender of the routable
order posted to the BATS Book to route
to away Trading Centers and to remove
liquidity from such Trading Centers any
time such order is locked or crossed
(i.e., rather than passively waiting for an
execution on the BATS Book). The
Aggressive Re-Route instruction subjects
an order to the routing process after
being posted to the BATS Book only if
the order is subsequently crossed by an
accessible Trading Center (rather than if
the order is locked or crossed). The
Exchange proposes two changes to its
rules to reflect current operation of the
System in connection with Re-Route
functionality, as described below.
Non-Displayed Routable Orders
First, the Exchange proposes to add
language to the Aggressive Re-Route
instruction that makes clear that any
routable non-displayed limit order
posted to the BATS Book that is crossed
by another accessible Trading Center
will be automatically routed to that
Trading Center. As described in Rule
11.9(g)(4), the Exchange re-prices nondisplayed orders to the extent they are
crossed by another Trading Center to
avoid trading-through Protected
Quotations displayed by such Trading
Center. In the process of such price
sliding, to the extent a non-displayed
order is routable, the Exchange will
attempt to route the order to the Trading
Center displaying the crossing quotation
that prompted the price sliding process.
As an example of a routable nondisplayed order that is handled
consistent with the Aggressive Re-Route
instruction, assume the Exchange
receives a non-displayed order to buy
300 shares of a security at $10.10 per
share. Assume further that the NBBO is
$10.09 by $10.10 when the order is
received, and the Exchange’s lowest
priced offer is priced at $10.11. The
Exchange will route the order away
from the Exchange as a bid to buy 300
shares at $10.10. Assume that the order
obtains one 100 share execution through
the routing process and then returns to
the Exchange. The Exchange will post
the order as a non-displayed bid to buy
200 shares at $10.10. If displayed
liquidity then appears at one or more
Trading Centers priced at $10.09 or
lower (i.e., crossing the posted bid to
buy at $10.10), the Exchange will take
the non-displayed bid off of the BATS
Book and again route such order to the
displayed liquidity at other Trading
Centers.
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Second, the Exchange proposes to
codify existing System functionality by
adding rule text to state that, consistent
with the Super Aggressive Re-Route
instruction described in Rule
11.13(b)(4)(B), when any order with a
Super Aggressive Re-Route instruction
is locked by an incoming BATS Post
Only Order or Partial Post Only at Limit
Order that does not remove liquidity
pursuant to Rule 11.9(c)(6) or Rule
11.9(c)(7), respectively,13 the Re-Route
order is converted to an executable
order and will remove liquidity against
such incoming order. The Exchange
applies this logic in order to facilitate
executions that would otherwise not
occur due to the instruction of a BATS
Post Only Order or Partial Post Only at
Limit Order to not remove liquidity.
Because a Super Aggressive Re-Route
eligible order is willing to route to an
away Trading Center and remove
liquidity (i.e., pay a fee at such Trading
Center) when locked or crossed, the
Exchange believes it is reasonable and
consistent with the instruction to force
an execution between an incoming
BATS Post Only Order and an order that
has been posted to the BATS Book with
the Super Aggressive Re-Route
instruction. The Exchange notes that the
determination of whether an order
should execute on entry against resting
interest, including against resting orders
with a Super Aggressive Re-Route
instruction, is made prior to
determining whether the price of such
an incoming order should be adjusted
pursuant to the Exchange’s price sliding
functionality pursuant to Rule 11.9(g).
The Exchange has limited the proposed
language to BATS Post Only Orders that
lock orders with a Super Aggressive ReRoute instruction because BATS Post
Only Orders that cross resting orders
will always remove liquidity because it
is in their economic best interest to do
so.14 Similarly, Partial Post Only Limit
Orders execute against crossing interest
as set forth in Rule 11.9(c)(7)(A). The
Exchange also proposes to make clear
that although it will execute an order
with a Super Aggressive Re-Route
instruction against a BATS Post Only
Order that would lock it, if an order that
does not contain a Super Aggressive Re13 The Exchange notes that pursuant to Rule
11.9(c)(6), BATS Post Only Orders remove liquidity
in certain circumstances based on an economic
analysis that takes into account applicable fees and
rebates. The Exchange has proposed clarifications
to this economic analysis as described above.
Similarly, Partial Post Only at Limit Orders are
permitted to remove price improving liquidity as
well as a User-selected percentage of the remaining
order at the limit price if, following such removal,
the order can post at its limit price. See Rule
11.9(c)(7).
14 See id.
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8739
Route instruction maintains higher
priority than one or more Super
Aggressive Re-Route eligible orders, the
Super Aggressive Re-Route eligible
order(s) with lower priority will not be
converted, as described above, and the
incoming BATS Post Only Order or
Partial Post Only at Limit Order will be
posted or cancelled in accordance with
Rule 11.9(c)(6) or Rule 11.9(c)(7),
respectively. The Exchange believes it is
necessary to avoid applying the ReRoute functionality to Re-Route eligible
orders that are resting behind orders
that are not Re-Route eligible orders to
avoid violating the Exchange’s priority
rule, Rule 11.12.
Example—Super Aggressive Re-Route
and BATS Post Only Orders
Assume that the Exchange receives an
order to buy 300 shares of a security at
$10.10 per share designated with a
Super Aggressive Re-Route instruction.
Assume further that the NBBO is $10.09
by $10.10 when the order is received,
and the Exchange’s lowest offer is
priced at $10.11. The Exchange will
route the order away from the Exchange
as a bid to buy 300 shares at $10.10.
Assume that the order obtains one 100
share execution through the routing
process and then returns to the
Exchange. The Exchange will post the
order as a bid to buy 200 shares at
$10.10. If the Exchange subsequently
receives a BATS Post Only Order to sell
priced at $10.09 per share, such order
will execute against the posted order to
buy with an execution price of $10.10.
The posted buy order will be treated as
the liquidity provider and the incoming
BATS Post Only Order to sell will be
treated as the liquidity remover, based
on the Exchange’s rules that execute
BATS Post Only Orders on entry if such
execution is in their economic interest.
However, assuming the same facts as
above, if the incoming BATS Post Only
Order to sell is priced at $10.10 and also
assuming that the incoming BATS Post
Only Order does not remove liquidity
pursuant to the economic best interest
functionality,15 the posted order with a
Super Aggressive Re-Route instruction
will execute against such order at
$10.10. In this scenario, the posted
order to buy will be treated as the
liquidity remover and the incoming
BATS Post Only Order to sell will be
treated as the liquidity provider.
Finally, assume that the NBBO is
$10.10 by $10.11 and that the Exchange
has a displayed bid to buy 100 shares
15 As described above, an incoming BATS Post
Only Order to sell would in fact remove on entry
at $10.10 based on the Exchange’s current fee
structure and economic best interest functionality.
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of a security at $10.10 and a displayed
offer to sell 100 shares of a security at
$10.11. Assume that the displayed bid
has not been designated with the Super
Aggressive Re-Route instruction.
Assume next that the Exchange receives
a second displayable bid to buy 100
shares of the same security at $10.10
that has been designated as routable and
subject to the Super Aggressive ReRoute instruction. Because there is no
liquidity to which the Exchange can
route the order, the second order will
post to the BATS Book as a bid to buy
at $10.10 behind the original displayed
bid to buy at $10.10. If the Exchange
then received a BATS Post Only Order
to sell 100 shares at $10.10 then no
execution would occur assuming again
that the incoming BATS Post Only
Order cannot remove liquidity at $10.10
based on the economic best interest
analysis,16 the first order with priority
to buy at $10.10 was not designated
with the Super Aggressive Re-Route
instruction and the second booked order
to buy at $10.10 is not permitted to
bypass the first order as this would
result in a violation of the Exchange’s
priority rule, Rule 11.12.
2. Statutory Basis
The Exchange believes that the
proposed rule changes are consistent
with Section 6(b) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (the ‘‘Act’’) 17 and
further the objectives of Section 6(b)(5)
of the Act 18 because they are designed
to promote just and equitable principles
of trade, to remove impediments to and
perfect the mechanism of a free and
open market and a national market
system, to foster cooperation and
coordination with persons engaged in
facilitating transactions in securities,
and, in general, to protect investors and
the public interest. The proposed rule
changes are also designed to support the
principles of Section 11A(a)(1) 19 of the
Act in that they seek to assure fair
competition among brokers and dealers
and among exchange markets.
The modifications related to routable
orders with a TIF of IOC, Pegged Orders,
Mid-Point Peg Orders, Discretionary
Orders, and the Exchange’s priority,
execution and routing rules are each
designed to add clarity and
transparency regarding Exchange
System functionality without
substantively modifying such
functionality. Specifically, the Exchange
believes that the proposed rule changes
will provide additional clarity and
16 Id.
17 15
U.S.C. 78f(b).
U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
19 15 U.S. C. 78k–1(a)(1).
18 15
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specificity regarding the functionality of
the System and thus would promote just
and equitable principles of trade and
remove impediments to a free and open
market. The Exchange also believes that
the proposed amendments will
contribute to the protection of investors
and the public interest by making the
Exchange’s rules easier to understand.
With respect to the additional
specificity proposed in connection with
BATS Post Only Orders, the Exchange
believes that the proposed rule change
is consistent with the Act in that the
change will help to clarify the
methodology used by the Exchange to
determine whether BATS Post Only
Orders will remove liquidity from the
BATS Book. The Exchange again notes
that any methodology other than using
the highest possible rebate and highest
possible fee could result in the
Exchange determining that an execution
was in an entering User’s economic best
interest when, in fact, it was not. For the
reasons articulated above, the Exchange
believes that the proposal is consistent
with and supports just and equitable
principles of trade, removes
impediments to, and helps to perfect the
mechanism of, a free and open market
and a national market system, and, in
general, protects investors and the
public interest.
The Exchange also believes it is
consistent with the Act to execute
Discretionary orders and orders with a
Super Aggressive Re-Route instruction
against marketable liquidity (i.e., BATS
Post Only Orders and Partial Post Only
Orders) when an execution would not
otherwise occur is consistent with both:
(i) The Act, by facilitating executions,
removing impediments and perfecting
the mechanism of a free and open
market and national market system; and
(ii) a User’s instructions, which have
evidenced a willingness by the User to
pay applicable execution fees and/or
execute at more aggressive prices than
they are currently ranked in favor of an
execution. The Exchange also believes
that the proposed rule change provides
additional specificity regarding the
functionality of the System with regard
to routable non-displayed orders that
have been crossed by another accessible
Trading Center, thereby promoting just
and equitable principles of trade and
removing impediments to a free and
open market.
B. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement on Burden on Competition
The Exchange does not believe that
the proposed rule changes will result in
any burden on competition that is not
necessary or appropriate in furtherance
of the purposes of the Act. The
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proposed rule changes are not designed
to address any competitive issue but
rather to add specificity and clarity to
Exchange rules, thus providing greater
transparency regarding the operation of
the System.
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 written comments on the
proposed rule changes.
III. Date of Effectiveness of the
Proposed Rule Change and Timing for
Commission Action
Within 45 days of the date of
publication of this notice in the Federal
Register or within such longer period (i)
as the Commission may designate up to
90 days of such date if it finds such
longer period to be appropriate and
publishes its reasons for so finding or
(ii) as to which the Exchange consents,
the Commission will: (a) By order
approve or disapprove such proposed
rule change, or (b) institute proceedings
to determine whether the proposed rule
change should be disapproved.
IV. Solicitation of Comments
Interested persons are invited to
submit written data, views, and
arguments concerning the foregoing,
including whether the proposed rule
change is consistent with the Act.
Comments may be submitted by any of
the following methods:
Electronic Comments
• Use the Commission’s Internet
comment form (https://www.sec.gov/
rules/sro.shtml); or
• Send an email to rule-comments@
sec.gov. Please include File Number SR–
BYX–2015–07 on the subject line.
Paper Comments
• Send paper comments in triplicate
to Brent J. Fields, Secretary, Securities
and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street
NE., Washington, DC 20549–1090.
All submissions should refer to File
Number SR–BYX–2015–07. 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
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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 at 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 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–BYX–
2015–07, and should be submitted on or
before March 11, 2015.
For the Commission, by the Division of
Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated
authority.20
Brent J. Fields,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2015–03223 Filed 2–17–15; 8:45 am]
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
[Release No. 34–74251; File No. SR–FINRA–
2015–002]
Self-Regulatory Organizations;
Financial Industry Regulatory
Authority, Inc.; Notice of Filing and
Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed
Rule Change To Extend the Tier Size
Pilot of FINRA Rule 6433 (Minimum
Quotation Size Requirements for OTC
Equity Securities)
emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with NOTICES
February 11, 2015.
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 January
29, 2015, the Financial Industry
Regulatory Authority, Inc. (‘‘FINRA’’)
filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (‘‘SEC’’ or ‘‘Commission’’)
the proposed rule change as described
in Items I and II below, which Items
have been prepared by FINRA. The
Commission is publishing this notice to
solicit comments on the proposed rule
change from interested persons.
CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).
U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
2 17 CFR 240.19b–4.
1 15
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II. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement of the Purpose of, and
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule
Change
In its filing with the Commission,
FINRA 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. FINRA 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
BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
20 17
I. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement of the Terms of the Substance
of the Proposed Rule Change
FINRA is proposing to amend FINRA
Rule 6433 (Minimum Quotation Size
Requirements for OTC Equity
Securities) to extend the Tier Size Pilot,
which currently is scheduled to expire
on February 13, 2015, for an additional
three months, until May 15, 2015.
The text of the proposed rule change
is available on FINRA’s Web site at
https://www.finra.org, at the principal
office of FINRA and at the
Commission’s Public Reference Room.
1. Purpose
FINRA proposes to amend FINRA
Rule 6433 (Minimum Quotation Size
Requirements for OTC Equity
Securities) (the ‘‘Rule’’) to extend, until
May 15, 2015, the amendments set forth
in File No. SR–FINRA–2011–058 (‘‘Tier
Size Pilot’’ or ‘‘Pilot’’), which currently
are scheduled to expire on February 13,
2015.3
The Tier Size Pilot was filed with the
SEC on October 6, 2011,4 to amend the
minimum quotation sizes (or ‘‘tier
sizes’’) for OTC Equity Securities.5 The
goals of the Pilot were to simplify the
tier structure, facilitate the display of
customer limit orders, and expand the
scope of the Rule to apply to additional
3 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 73299
(October 3, 2014), 79 FR 61120 (October 9, 2014)
(Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of
File No. SR–FINRA–2014–041); see also Securities
Exchange Act Release No. 67208 (June 15, 2012), 77
FR 37458 (June 21, 2012) (Order Approving File No.
SR–FINRA–2011–058, as amended).
4 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 65568
(October 14, 2011), 76 FR 65307 (October 20, 2011)
(Notice of Filing of File No. SR–FINRA–2011–058).
5 ‘‘OTC Equity Security’’ means any equity
security that is not an ‘‘NMS stock’’ as that term is
defined in Rule 600(b)(47) of SEC Regulation NMS;
provided, however, that the term OTC Equity
Security shall not include any Restricted Equity
Security. See FINRA Rule 6420.
PO 00000
Frm 00153
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
8741
quoting participants. During the course
of the pilot, FINRA collected and
provided to the SEC specified data with
which to assess the impact of the Pilot
tiers on market quality and limit order
display.6 On September 13, 2013,
FINRA provided to the Commission an
assessment on the operation of the Tier
Size Pilot utilizing data covering the
period from November 12, 2012 through
June 30, 2013.7 As noted in the 2013
Assessment, FINRA believed that the
analysis of the data generally showed
that the Tier Size Pilot had a neutral to
positive impact on OTC market quality
for the majority of OTC Equity
Securities and tiers; and that there was
an overall increase of 13% in the
number of customer limit orders that
met the minimum quotation sizes to be
eligible for display under the Pilot tiers.
In the 2013 Assessment, FINRA
recommended adopting the tiers as
permanent, but extended the pilot
period to allow more time to gather and
analyze data after the November 12,
2012 through June 30, 2013 assessment
period.8 Most recently, on October 9,
2014, FINRA further extended the Pilot
period to permit FINRA and the
Commission to consider the
implications of the data collected since
June 30, 2013. FINRA has reviewed this
post-June 30, 2013 data, and believes
that the impact described in the 2013
Assessment has continued to hold (and
has improved in certain areas).
The purpose of this filing is to extend
the operation of the Tier Size Pilot for
an additional three month period, until
May 15, 2015, to provide FINRA with
additional time to finalize its
recommendation with regard to the Tier
Size Pilot.
FINRA has filed the proposed rule
change for immediate effectiveness. The
effective date of the proposed rule
change will be the date of filing.
2. Statutory Basis
FINRA believes that the proposed rule
change is consistent with the provisions
of Section 15A(b)(6) of the Act,9 which
requires, among other things, that
FINRA rules must be designed to
6 FINRA believes that adequate data with which
to assess the impact of the Pilot has been collection
and analyzed, and, therefore, will cease the
collection of Pilot data for submission to the
Commission as of February 13, 2015.
7 The assessment is part of the SEC’s comment file
for SR–FINRA–2011–058 and also is available on
FINRA’s Web site at: https://www.finra.org/Industry/
Regulation/RuleFilings/2011/P124615 (‘‘Pilot
Assessment’’).
8 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 70839
(November 8, 2013), 78 FR 68893 (November 15,
2013) (Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness
of File No. SR–FINRA–2013–049).
9 15 U.S.C. 78o–3(b)(6).
E:\FR\FM\18FEN1.SGM
18FEN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 32 (Wednesday, February 18, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8734-8741]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-03223]
[[Page 8734]]
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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
[Release No. 34-74250; File No. SR-BYX-2015-07)
Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Y-Exchange, Inc.; Notice of
Filing of a Proposed Rule Change to Rules 11.9 of BATS Y-Exchange, Inc.
February 11, 2015.
Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(the ``Act''),\1\ and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,\2\ notice is hereby given
that on January 30, 2015, BATS Y-Exchange, Inc. (the ``Exchange'' or
``BYX'') filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(``Commission'') the proposed rule change as described in Items I, II
and III below, which Items have been prepared by the 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 the
Substance of the Proposed Rule Change
The Exchange filed a proposal to amend Rules 11.9, 11.12, and 11.13
to clarify and to include additional specificity regarding the current
functionality of the Exchange's System,\3\ including the operation of
its order types and order instructions, as further described below.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ Exchange Rule 1.5(aa) defines ``System'' as ``the electronic
communications and trading facility designated by the Board through
which securities orders of Users are consolidated for ranking,
execution and, when applicable, routing away.''
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The text of the proposed rule change is available at the Exchange's
Web site at www.batstrading.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 Exchange 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 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
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change
1. Purpose
On June 5, 2014, Chair Mary Jo White asked all national securities
exchanges to conduct a comprehensive review of each order type offered
to members and how it operates.\4\ The proposals set forth below,
therefore, are the product of a comprehensive review of Exchange system
functionality conducted by the Exchange and are intended to add
additional clarity and specificity regarding the current functionality
of the Exchange's System,\5\ including the operation of its order types
and order instructions. The Exchange is not proposing any substantive
modifications to the System.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\4\ See Mary Jo White, Chair, Commission, Speech at the Sandler
O'Neill & Partners, L.P. Global Exchange and Brokerage Conference,
(June 5, 2014) (available at https://www.sec.gov/News/Speech/Detail/Speech/1370542004312#.VD2HW610w6Y).
\5\ Exchange Rule 1.5(aa) defines ``System'' as ``the electronic
communications and trading facility designated by the Board through
which securities orders of Users are consolidated for ranking,
execution and, when applicable, routing away.''
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The changes proposed below are designed to update the rulebook to
reflect current System functionality and include: (i) Making clear that
orders with a Time-in-Force (``TIF'') of Immediate-or-Cancel (``IOC'')
can be routed away from the Exchange; (ii) specifying the methodology
used by the Exchange to determine whether BATS Post Only Orders \6\
will remove liquidity from the BATS Book; \7\ (iii) adding additional
detail to and re-structuring the description of Pegged Orders; (iv)
adding additional detail to the description of Mid-Point Peg Orders;
(v) adding additional detail to the description of Discretionary
Orders; (vi) amending Rule 11.12, Priority of Orders, and Rule 11.13,
Order Execution, to provide additional specificity and enhance the
structure of Exchange rules describing the process for ranking,
executing and routing orders; (vii) adding additional detail to the
description of orders subject to Re-Route functionality; and (viii)
making a series of conforming changes to Rules 11.9, 11.12 and 11.13 to
update cross-references.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\6\ See Rule 11.9(c)(6).
\7\ As defined in Rule 1.5(e).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Routable Orders With Time in Force of Immediate-or-Cancel
The Exchange proposes to modify Rule 11.9(b)(1) to update the
description of the TIF of IOC to make clear that orders with a TIF of
IOC are routable even though such TIF indicates an instruction to
execute an order immediately in whole or in part and/or cancel it back.
Under current rules, the TIF of IOC indicates that an order is to be
executed in whole or in part as soon as such order is received and the
portion not executed is to be cancelled. The Exchange proposes to
expand upon the description of IOC to specify that an order with such
TIF may be routed away from the Exchange but that in no event will an
order with such TIF be posted to the BATS Book. The Exchange notes that
IOC orders routed away from the Exchange are in turn routed as IOC
orders. The Exchange also notes that current Rule 11.13(a)(2) already
includes reference to routable IOCs, and the proposed modifications to
the rule text are intended to add further specificity that IOCs are
routable.
In addition to the change described above, the Exchange proposes to
make clear in Rule 11.9(b)(6) that an order with a TIF of FOK is not
eligible for routing. Although orders with a TIF of FOK are generally
treated the same as IOCs, the Exchange does not permit routing of
orders with a FOK because the Exchange is unable to ensure the
instruction of FOK (i.e., execution of an order in its entirety)
through the routing process.
Finally, in connection with these changes, the Exchange also
proposes to modify current Rule 11.13(a)(2) (to be re-numbered as Rule
11.13(b)(2)) to add the cancellation of an unfilled balance of an order
as one possible outcome after an order has been routed away. Rule
11.13(a)(2) currently describes other variations of how the Exchange
handles an order after it has been routed away, but does not
specifically state that it may be cancelled after the routing process,
which would be the case with an order submitted to the Exchange with a
TIF of IOC.
Computation of Economic Best Interest for BATS Post Only Orders
The Exchange proposes to modify Rule 11.9(c)(6) to specify the
methodology used by the Exchange to determine whether BATS Post Only
Orders will remove liquidity from the Exchange's order book. Under the
Exchange's current rules, a BATS Post Only Order is an order that an
entering User \8\ intends to be posted to the BATS Book, and thus will
not ordinarily remove liquidity from the Exchange. However, BATS Post
Only Orders will
[[Page 8735]]
remove liquidity from the BATS Book if such execution is in the
economic best interests of the User entering the BATS Post Only Order,
taking into account applicable fees and rebates.\9\ Specifically, as
set forth in Rule 11.9(c)(6), BATS Post Only Orders remove liquidity
from the BATS Book if the value of ``price improvement'' associated
with such execution equals or exceeds the sum of fees charged for such
execution and the value of any rebate that would be provided if the
order posted to the BATS Book and subsequently provided liquidity. The
Exchange proposes three changes to the description of BATS Post Only
Orders to make clear the methodology used in calculating whether a BATS
Post Only Order should remove liquidity on entry. The Exchange notes
that each of these changes will conform the Exchange's rule governing
BATS Post Only Orders with Rule 11.6(n)(4) of the Exchange's affiliate,
EDGX Exchange, Inc. (``EDGX'').
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\8\ As defined in Exchange Rule 1.5(cc), a User is ``any Member
or Sponsored Participant who is authorized to obtain access to the
System pursuant to Rule 11.3.''
\9\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 67092 (June 1,
2012), 77 FR 33800 (June 7, 2012) (SR-BYX-2012-009) (notice of
filing and immediate effectiveness of rule change to amend the
operation of BATS Post Only Orders).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
First, the Exchange proposes to clarify that rather than requiring
price improvement, which indicates an execution at a better price level
than an order's limit price, the Exchange calculates the value of the
overall execution taking into account applicable fees and rebates.
Accordingly, to the extent the fee and rebate structure on its own
(i.e., even at the limit price) makes it economically advantageous to
remove liquidity rather than post to the BATS Book and subsequently
provide liquidity, the Exchange will allow a BATS Post Only Order to
remove liquidity. The Exchange notes that under its current fee
structure, which provides a rebate for orders that remove liquidity and
a fee for orders that add liquidity, this, in turn, results in an
execution of a BATS Post Only Order upon entry any time that there is
contra-side liquidity. The Exchange proposes the changes herein and to
generally maintain BATS Post Only Orders, however, to reflect the
actual functionality of the System, which does perform the specified
economic best interest analysis and also in the event the Exchange's
fees change.
Second, the Exchange proposes to make clear that this methodology
is applied only to securities priced at $1.00 and above, and thus, that
all BATS Post Only Orders in securities priced below $1.00 remove
contra-side liquidity. The Exchange believes it is reasonable to allow
BATS Post Only Orders to remove liquidity in lower priced securities
because the Exchange's fee structure never has provided a significant
rebate or charged a significant fee for such orders. Because the
execution cost economics are relatively flat, the Exchange believes it
is more efficient to simply allow all orders in such securities to
remove liquidity.
Third, the Exchange proposes to make clear its methodology for
determining the applicable fees and rebates given the fact that the
Exchange maintains a tiered pricing structure. Under the Exchange's
current tiered pricing structure, an entering User may receive a
variable rebate for adding liquidity depending on the User's volume
during the month in question. The Exchange determines whether Users
qualify for higher rebates at the end of the month, looking back at the
User's activity during the month. To account for this variable rebate
structure and to ensure that the Exchange does not determine that an
execution is in an entering User's economic best interests when, in
fact, it is not due to a different rebate or fee \10\ ultimately
achieved by the User, the Exchange applies the highest possible rebate
provided and highest possible fee charged for such executions on the
Exchange. The Exchange proposes to make this rebate and fee assumption
clear in the Exchange's rule text.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\10\ The Exchange notes that its current fee structure does not
have a variable fee depending on trading activity during the month.
If, in the future, the Exchange implements such a fee structure the
Exchange will use the highest possible fee for purposes of Rule
11.9(c)(6).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pegged Orders
The Exchange proposes to restructure Rule 11.9(c)(8), related to
Pegged Orders, and to add additional detail to such Rule regarding the
handling of such orders. With respect to restructuring, the Exchange
currently offers two types of Pegged Orders pursuant to Rule
11.9(c)(8), Primary Pegged Orders and Market Pegged Orders, and
believes that each types of Pegged Order would be easier to understand
if described in separate paragraphs. Given the proposal to split the
Rule to address Primary Pegged Orders and Market Pegged Orders
separately, the Exchange also proposes to add an additional lead-in
sentence that summarizes the operation of Pegged Orders generally.
Mid-Point Peg Orders
The Exchange proposes to add additional specificity regarding Mid-
Point Peg Orders and the handling of such orders when the market is
locked or crossed. Specifically, the Exchange proposes to add language
stating that upon instruction from a User Mid-Point Peg Orders will not
execute when the market is locked. The Exchange makes this feature
optional because while some Users may prefer not to execute in a locked
market given that there is no real mid-point in such a situation and it
might be evidence of a pricing disparity in a security, other Users may
prefer an execution. The Exchange also proposes to state that Mid-Point
Peg Orders are not eligible to execute when the NBBO is crossed. The
Exchange does not execute Mid-Point Peg Orders in a crossed market
because the pricing of the mid-point, and the security generally, is
uncertain in such a situation.
Discretionary Orders
The Exchange proposes to amend the description of Discretionary
Orders contained in Rule 11.9(c)(10) and to add additional detail
regarding the execution of such orders, as set forth below. First, the
current description indicates that a Discretionary Order has a
displayed price and size and a non-displayed ``discretionary price.''
The Exchange proposes to make clear that although a Discretionary Order
may have a displayed price and size as well as a discretionary price, a
Discretionary Order may also be fully non-displayed, and thus, will
have a non-displayed ranked price as well as a discretionary price. In
addition to reflecting the ability to have a non-displayed
Discretionary Order, the Exchange proposes various minor wording
changes to improve the description of Discretionary Orders to make
clear that such orders use the minimum amount of discretion when
executing against incoming orders.
The Exchange also proposes to make clear how a Discretionary Order
interacts with a BATS Post Only Order or Partial Post Only at Limit
Order entered at the displayed or non-displayed ranked price of such
Discretionary Order that does not remove liquidity on entry pursuant to
Rule 11.9(c)(6) or Rule 11.9(c)(7), respectively, by stating that the
Discretionary Order is converted to an executable order and will remove
liquidity against such incoming order. Similar to the Re-Route
functionality described below, due to the fact that Discretionary
Orders contain more aggressive prices at which they are willing to
execute, the Exchange treats Discretionary Orders as aggressive orders
that would prefer to execute at their displayed or non-displayed ranked
price than to forgo an execution due to
[[Page 8736]]
applicable fees or rebates. Accordingly, in order to facilitate
transactions consistent with the instructions of its Users, the
Exchange executes resting Discretionary Orders (and certain orders with
a Re-Route instruction, as described below) against incoming orders,
when such incoming orders would otherwise forego an execution. The
Exchange notes that the determination of whether an order should
execute on entry against resting interest, including against resting
Discretionary Orders, is made prior to determining whether the price of
such an incoming order should be adjusted pursuant to the Exchange's
price sliding functionality pursuant to Rule 11.9(g). In other words,
an execution will have already occurred as set forth above before the
Exchange would consider whether an order could be displayed and/or
posted to the BATS Book, and if so, at what price.
Examples--Discretionary Order Executes Against BATS Post Only Orders
Assume that the NBBO is $10.00 by $10.05, and the Exchange's BBO is
$9.99 by $10.06. Assume that the Exchange receives a non-routable order
to buy 100 shares of a security at $10.00 per share designated with
discretion to pay up to an additional $0.05 per share.
Assume that the next order received by the Exchange is a
BATS Post Only Order to sell 100 shares of the security at priced at
$10.03 per share. The BATS Post Only Order would not remove any
liquidity upon entry pursuant to the Exchange's economic best interest
functionality, and would post to the BATS Book at $10.03. This would,
in turn, trigger the discretion of the resting buy order and an
execution would occur at $10.03. The BATS Post Only Order to sell would
be treated as the adder of liquidity and the buy order with discretion
would be treated as the remover of liquidity.
Assume the same facts as above, but that the incoming BATS
Post Only Order is priced at $10.00 instead of $10.03. As described
above, under the Exchange's current fee structure, which provides a
rebate for orders that remove liquidity and a fee for orders that add
liquidity, the BATS Post Only Order would execute on entry at $10.00
against the buy order with discretion pursuant to the Exchange's best
interest functionality. The buy order with discretion would be treated
as the adder of liquidity and the BATS Post Only Order to sell would be
treated as the remover of liquidity. Assume, however, for purposes of
this example that the BATS Post Only Order would not remove any
liquidity upon entry pursuant to the Exchange's economic best interest
functionality. Rather than cancelling the incoming BATS Post Only Order
to sell back to the User, particularly when the resting order is
willing to buy the security for up to $10.05 per share, the Exchange
executes at $10.00 the BATS Post Only Order against the resting buy
order with discretion. As is true in the example above, the BATS Post
Only Order to sell would be treated as the liquidity adder and the buy
order with discretion would be treated as the liquidity remover. As set
forth in more detail below, if the incoming order was not a BATS Post
Only Order to sell, the incoming order could be executed at the ranked
price of the Discretionary Order without restriction and would
therefore be treated as the liquidity remover.
Additionally, the Exchange proposes to codify the process by which
it handles all incoming orders that interact with Discretionary Orders.
First, the Exchange proposes to codify its handling of a contra-side
order that executes against a resting Discretionary Order at its
displayed or non-displayed ranked price or that contains a time-in-
force of IOC or FOK and a price in the discretionary range by expressly
stating that such an incoming order will remove liquidity against the
Discretionary Order. Second, the Exchange proposes to codify its
handling of orders that are intended to post to the BATS Book at a
price within a Discretionary Order's discretionary range. This
includes, but is not limited to, BATS Post Only Orders and Partial Post
Only at Limit Orders. Specifically, the Exchange proposes to codify
current System functionality whereby any contra-side order with a time-
in-force other than IOC or FOK and a price within the discretionary
range but not at the displayed or non-displayed ranked price of a
Discretionary Order will be posted to the BATS Book and then the
Discretionary Order will remove liquidity against such posted order.
Examples--Discretionary Order Executes Against Non-Post Only Orders
Assume that the NBBO is $10.00 by $10.05, and the Exchange's BBO is
$9.99 by $10.06. Assume that the Exchange receives an order to buy 100
shares of a security at $10.00 per share designated with discretion to
pay up to an additional $0.05 per share.
Assume that the next order received by the Exchange is a
BATS Only Order to sell 100 shares of the security with a TIF other
than IOC or FOK priced at $10.03 per share. The BATS Only Order would
not remove any liquidity upon entry and would post to the BATS Book at
$10.03. This would, in turn, trigger the discretion of the resting buy
order and an execution would occur at $10.03. The BATS Only Order to
sell would be treated as the adder of liquidity and the buy order with
discretion would be treated as the remover of liquidity.
Assume the same facts as above, but that the incoming BATS
Only Order is priced at $10.00 instead of $10.03. The BATS Only Order
would remove liquidity upon entry at $10.00 per share pursuant to the
Exchange's order execution rules, as described in detail below.
Contrary to the examples set forth above, the BATS Only Order to sell
would be treated as the liquidity remover and the resting buy order
with discretion would be treated as the liquidity adder. The Exchange
notes that this example operates the same whether an order contains a
TIF of IOC, FOK or any other TIF.
The Exchange also proposes to modify the current description of the
Discretionary Order by eliminating language stating, ``[i]f a
Discretionary Order is not executed in full, the unexecuted portion of
the order is automatically re-posted and displayed in the BATS Book
with a new timestamp, at its original displayed price, and with its
non-displayed discretionary price offset.'' The Exchange believes this
language is unnecessarily confusing because the unexecuted portion of
Discretionary Orders does not actually re-post solely because part of
the order was executed. Rather, the remaining portion will remain
resting on the BATS Book without being removed from the BATS Book.
Finally, because Discretionary Orders have both a price at which
they will be ranked and an additional discretionary price, the Exchange
proposes to expressly state how the Exchange handles a routable
Discretionary Order by stating that such an order will be routed away
from the Exchange at its full discretionary price. As an example,
assume the NBBO is $10.00 by $10.05 and the Exchange's BBO is $9.99 by
$10.06. If the Exchange receives a routable Discretionary Order to buy
at $10.00 with discretion to pay up to an additional $0.05 per share,
the Exchange would route the order as a limit order to buy at $10.05.
Any unexecuted portion of the order would be posted to the BATS Book
with a ranked price of $10.00 and discretion to pay up to $10.05.
Priority and Execution Algorithm
With respect to the Exchange's priority and execution algorithm,
the
[[Page 8737]]
Exchange is proposing various minor and structural changes that are
intended to emphasize the processes by which orders are accepted,
priced, ranked and executed, as well as a new provision related to the
ability of orders to rest at locking prices that is consistent with the
changes to provisions related to the operation of Discretionary Orders
described above. First, the Exchange proposes to modify Rule 11.12,
Priority of Orders, to make clear that the ranking of orders described
in such rule is in turn dependent on Exchange Rule 11.13(a) which
discusses the pricing and execution of orders. The Exchange believes
that this has always been the case under Exchange rules based on the
reference to the ``Execution Process'' in Rule 11.12; however, this
reference did not include a cross-reference to Rule 11.13. The Exchange
also proposes to change the reference within Rule 11.12 to refer to
ranking rather than executing equally priced trading interest, as the
Rule as a whole is intended to describe the manner in which resting
orders are ranked and maintained, specifically in price and time
priority, while awaiting execution against incoming orders. The
Exchange does not believe that the proposed modifications substantively
modify the operation of the rules; however, the Exchange believes that
it is important to clarify that the ranking of orders is a separate
process from the execution of orders.
The Exchange also proposes to specify in Rule 11.12(a)(2)(C) that
the priority afforded to Pegged Orders is applicable to all non-
displayed Pegged Orders. The Exchange recently began accepting Primary
Pegged Orders that can be displayed, and if so displayed, the Exchange
ranks such orders with all other displayed orders. Thus, the Exchange
proposes to clarify that reference to Pegged Orders in 11.12(a)(2)(C),
which have lower priority than the displayed size of limit orders and
non-displayed orders, is a reference specifically to non-displayed
Pegged Orders.
Further, the Exchange proposes to adopt new Rule 11.12(a)(3), which
recognizes existing match trade prevention rules that optionally
prevent the execution of orders from the same User (i.e., based on the
User's ``Unique Identifier'', as set forth in Rule 11.9(f)) by stating
that in such a case the System will not permit such orders to execute
against one another regardless of priority ranking. Proposed Rule
11.12(a)(3) is based on EDGX Rule 11.9(a)(3). The Exchange also
proposes changes to current Rule 11.9(a)(3) and (a)(4) to re-number
such rules as (a)(4) and (a)(5) as well as to clarify that orders
retain and lose ``time'' priority under certain circumstances, as
opposed to priority generally, because retaining or losing price
priority does not require the same descriptions, as price priority will
always be retained unless the price of an order changes.
Next, the Exchange proposes to re-structure Rule 11.13, which
currently governs both execution and routing logic on the Exchange, by
more clearly delineating between execution (to be contained in new
paragraph (a)) and routing (to be contained in new paragraph (b)) and
by adding additional sub-headings to the execution section. In this
connection, the Exchange proposes to move language contained within
Rule 11.13 to the beginning of new paragraph (a) such that the language
is more generally applicable to the rules governing execution.
Specifically, the Exchange proposes to relocate language stating that
any order falling within the parameters of this paragraph shall be
referred to as ``executable'' and that an order will be cancelled back
to the User if, based on market conditions, User instructions,
applicable Exchange Rules and/or the Act and the rules and regulations
thereunder, such order is not executable, cannot be routed to another
Trading Center pursuant to Rule 11.13(b) (as proposed to be re-
numbered) or cannot be posted to the BATS Book. The proposed sub-
headings for paragraph (a) regarding order execution are intended to
delineate between the various rules and National Market System
(``NMS'') plans that may render an order executable or not, including
Regulation NMS and Regulation SHO. The Exchange is proposing to add a
cross-reference in Rule 11.13(a)(3) to its rules related to the Limit
Up-Limit Down Plan, which is contained in Rule 11.18(e).
The Exchange proposes to adopt paragraph (C) of Rule 11.13(a)(4) to
provide further clarity regarding the situations where orders are not
executable, which although covered in other existing rules, would focus
on the incoming order on the same side of a displayed order rather than
the resting order that is rendered not executable because it is
opposite such displayed order. The proposed provision would replace
existing text set forth in Rule 11.13(a)(1) to acknowledge that, under
certain circumstances, there can be locking interest on the Exchange
but that such interest will not be displayed by the System as a locked
market. Proposed paragraph (C) would further state that if an incoming
order is on the same side of the market as an order displayed on the
BATS Book and upon entry would execute against contra-side interest at
the same price as such displayed order, such incoming order will be
cancelled or posted to the BATS Book and ranked in accordance with Rule
11.12. The Exchange does not allow non-displayed interest that locks a
contra-side displayed order to execute at such price to avoid an
apparent priority issue.
To demonstrate the functionality in place on the Exchange described
above, assume the NBBO is $10.10 by $10.11. Assume the Exchange has a
posted and displayed bid to buy 100 shares of a security priced at
$10.10 per share and a resting non-displayed bid to buy 100 shares of a
security priced at $10.11 per share. For purposes of this example,
assume the resting non-displayed bid has not selected the Re-Route
functionality, which, as described in further detail below, could make
a resting order executable against an incoming BATS Post Only Order
under certain circumstances.
Assume that the next order received by the Exchange is a
BATS Post Only Order to sell 100 shares of the security priced at
$10.11 per share. As described above, under the Exchange's current fee
structure, which provides a rebate for orders that remove liquidity and
a fee for orders that add liquidity, the BATS Post Only Order would
execute on entry at $10.11 against the resting non-displayed bid
pursuant to the Exchange's best interest functionality. The non-
displayed bid would be treated as the adder of liquidity and the BATS
Post Only Order to sell would be treated as the remover of liquidity.
Assume, however, for purposes of this example that the BATS Post Only
Order would not remove any liquidity upon entry pursuant to the
Exchange's economic best interest functionality. With that assumption,
the BATS Post Only Order would instead post to the BATS Book, and would
be displayed at $10.11. The display of this order would, in turn, make
the resting non-displayed bid not executable at $10.11.
Assume the next order received by the Exchange is an order
to sell 100 shares of the security priced at $10.11 per share. The
order would not remove any liquidity upon entry because there is a
displayed order to sell at $10.11 posted on the BATS Book and thus, by
rule, the Exchange does not maintain any executable buy interest priced
at $10.11. If the later arriving order to sell at $10.11 contained a
TIF other than IOC or FOK, it would be posted to the BATS Book and
displayed at $10.11. If the later arriving order to sell at $10.11
contained a TIF of IOC or FOK, it would be cancelled back to the User.
[[Page 8738]]
To the extent the BATS Book is in the state set forth to
conclude the examples above, with a non-executable bid to buy at $10.11
and one or more offers to sell displayed by the Exchange at $10.11;
there are several potential outcomes. For instance, any incoming order
to buy at $10.11 or higher \11\ will execute against the displayed
order(s) to sell, as such resting orders are fully executable and
displayed as available offers on the BATS Book. Once all displayed
liquidity to sell at $10.11 has been executed on the Exchange, the
resting non-displayed bid to buy at $10.11 will again be fully
executable. Similarly, if the resting displayed orders to sell that are
priced at $10.11 are cancelled then the resting non-displayed bid to
buy at $10.11 will again be fully executable at that price. As
described in the text and examples below, an incoming sell order priced
at $10.10 or better will execute against the resting bid at $10.105.
Finally, the User representing the non-displayed bid to buy at $10.11
could cancel the order.
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\11\ The Exchange notes that an incoming order for purposes of
comparison to a resting order can be any incoming order unless the
terms of that incoming order itself preclude execution. For
instance, in this example, an incoming buy order could be routable
or non-routable, the order could be selected for potential display
or could include instructions not to display the order, the order
could have a discretionary price, or several other characteristics.
Upon entry, unless the terms of the order preclude removing
liquidity, such as a BATS Post Only order, the characteristics that
govern the way that the order may be handled once posted to the
Exchange's order book are irrelevant and any incoming buy order
priced at $10.11 or higher will execute against the resting offers.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Exchange is also proposing to modify and place in new paragraph
(D) rule language contained in current Rule 11.13(a)(1) that governs
the price at which non-displayed locking interest is executable in
order to further clarify such rule text. Specifically, for bids or
offers equal to or greater than $1.00 per share, in the event that an
incoming order is a market order or is a limit order priced more
aggressively than an order displayed on the Exchange, the Exchange will
execute the incoming order at, in the case of an incoming sell order,
one-half minimum price variation less than the price of the displayed
order, and, in the case of an incoming buy order, at one-half minimum
price variation more than the price of the displayed order. As is true
under existing functionality, this order handling is inapplicable for
bids or offers under $1.00 per share. Proposed paragraph (D) does not
substantively modify the existing operation of the System but is
intended to better describe in rule text the process for matching an
incoming order against an order on the BATS Book when there is a
displayed order on the same side of the market as the incoming order.
To demonstrate the operation of this provision, again assume the
NBBO is $10.10 by $10.11. Assume the Exchange has a posted and
displayed bid to buy 100 shares of a security priced at $10.10 per
share and a resting non-displayed bid to buy 100 shares of a security
priced at $10.11 per share.
Assume that the next order received by the Exchange is a
BATS Post Only Order to sell 100 shares of the security priced at
$10.11 per share. As described above, under the Exchange's current fee
structure, which provides a rebate for orders that remove liquidity and
a fee for orders that add liquidity, the BATS Post Only Order would
execute on entry at $10.11 against the resting non-displayed bid
pursuant to the Exchange's best interest functionality. The non-
displayed bid would be treated as the adder of liquidity and the BATS
Post Only Order to sell would be treated as the remover of liquidity.
Assume, however, for purposes of this example that the BATS Post Only
Order would not remove any liquidity upon entry pursuant to the
Exchange's economic best interest functionality. With that assumption,
the BATS Post Only Order to sell would post to the BATS Book and would
be displayed at $10.11. The display of this order would, in turn, make
the resting non-displayed bid not executable at $10.11.
If an incoming offer to sell 100 shares at $10.10 is
entered into the BATS Book, the resting non-displayed bid originally
priced at $10.11 will be executed at $10.105 per share, thus providing
a half-penny of price improvement as compared to the order's limit
price of $10.11. The execution at $10.105 per share also provides the
incoming offer with a half-penny of price improvement as compared to
its limit price of $10.10. The result would be the same for an incoming
market order to sell or any other incoming limit order offer priced at
$10.10 or below, which would execute against the non-displayed bid at a
price of $10.105 per share. As above, an offer at the full price of the
resting and displayed $10.11 offer would not execute against the
resting non-displayed bid, but would instead either cancel or post to
the BATS Book behind the original $10.11 offer in priority.
The Exchange notes that it is proposing to add descriptive titles
to paragraphs (A) and (B) of Rule 11.13(a)(4), which describe the
process by which executable orders are matched within the System.
Specifically, so long as it is otherwise executable, an incoming order
to buy will be automatically executed to the extent that it is priced
at an amount that equals or exceeds any order to sell in the BATS Book
and an incoming order to sell will be automatically executed to the
extent that it is priced at an amount that equals or is less than any
order to buy in the BATS Book. These rules further state that an order
to buy shall be executed at the price(s) of the lowest order(s) to sell
having priority in the BATS Book and an order to sell shall be executed
at the price(s) of the highest order(s) to buy having priority in the
BATS Book. The Exchange emphasizes these current rules only insofar as
to highlight the interconnected nature of the priority rule.
The Exchange also proposes to modify existing paragraph (b) of Rule
11.13 to re-number it as paragraph (b)(5) and to clarify the Exchange's
rule regarding the priority of routed orders. Paragraph (b) currently
sets forth the proposition that a routed order does not retain priority
on the Exchange while it is being routed to other markets. The Exchange
believes that its proposed clarification to paragraph (b) is
appropriate because it more clearly states that a routed order is not
ranked and maintained in the BATS Book pursuant to Rule 11.12(a), and
therefore is not available to execute against incoming orders pursuant
to Rule 11.13.
Re-Route Functionality
The Exchange currently allows Users to submit various types of
limit orders to the Exchange that are processed pursuant to current
Exchange Rule 11.13, as described elsewhere in this proposal. To the
extent an order has not been executed in its entirety against the BATS
Book, Rule 11.13 describes the process of routing marketable limit
orders \12\ to one or more Trading Centers, including a description of
how the Exchange treats any unfilled balance that returns to the
Exchange following the first attempt to fill the order through the
routing process. If not filled through routing, and based on the order
instructions, the unfilled balance of the order may be posted to the
BATS Book.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\12\ Market orders are also routed away pursuant to Rule 11.13,
however the Exchange is not proposing any changes to the treatment
of routed market orders at this time.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pursuant to Exchange Rule 11.13(a)(4) (to be re-numbered as Rule
11.13(b)(4) pursuant to this proposal), under certain circumstances the
Exchange will re-route an order that has been posted to the BATS Book
if subsequently locked or crossed by another accessible Trading Center.
The Exchange offers two
[[Page 8739]]
optional Re-Route instructions, the Super Aggressive Re-Route
instruction and the Aggressive Re-Route instruction. The Super
Aggressive Re-Route instruction reflects the willingness of the sender
of the routable order posted to the BATS Book to route to away Trading
Centers and to remove liquidity from such Trading Centers any time such
order is locked or crossed (i.e., rather than passively waiting for an
execution on the BATS Book). The Aggressive Re-Route instruction
subjects an order to the routing process after being posted to the BATS
Book only if the order is subsequently crossed by an accessible Trading
Center (rather than if the order is locked or crossed). The Exchange
proposes two changes to its rules to reflect current operation of the
System in connection with Re-Route functionality, as described below.
Non-Displayed Routable Orders
First, the Exchange proposes to add language to the Aggressive Re-
Route instruction that makes clear that any routable non-displayed
limit order posted to the BATS Book that is crossed by another
accessible Trading Center will be automatically routed to that Trading
Center. As described in Rule 11.9(g)(4), the Exchange re-prices non-
displayed orders to the extent they are crossed by another Trading
Center to avoid trading-through Protected Quotations displayed by such
Trading Center. In the process of such price sliding, to the extent a
non-displayed order is routable, the Exchange will attempt to route the
order to the Trading Center displaying the crossing quotation that
prompted the price sliding process.
As an example of a routable non-displayed order that is handled
consistent with the Aggressive Re-Route instruction, assume the
Exchange receives a non-displayed order to buy 300 shares of a security
at $10.10 per share. Assume further that the NBBO is $10.09 by $10.10
when the order is received, and the Exchange's lowest priced offer is
priced at $10.11. The Exchange will route the order away from the
Exchange as a bid to buy 300 shares at $10.10. Assume that the order
obtains one 100 share execution through the routing process and then
returns to the Exchange. The Exchange will post the order as a non-
displayed bid to buy 200 shares at $10.10. If displayed liquidity then
appears at one or more Trading Centers priced at $10.09 or lower (i.e.,
crossing the posted bid to buy at $10.10), the Exchange will take the
non-displayed bid off of the BATS Book and again route such order to
the displayed liquidity at other Trading Centers.
Second, the Exchange proposes to codify existing System
functionality by adding rule text to state that, consistent with the
Super Aggressive Re-Route instruction described in Rule 11.13(b)(4)(B),
when any order with a Super Aggressive Re-Route instruction is locked
by an incoming BATS Post Only Order or Partial Post Only at Limit Order
that does not remove liquidity pursuant to Rule 11.9(c)(6) or Rule
11.9(c)(7), respectively,\13\ the Re-Route order is converted to an
executable order and will remove liquidity against such incoming order.
The Exchange applies this logic in order to facilitate executions that
would otherwise not occur due to the instruction of a BATS Post Only
Order or Partial Post Only at Limit Order to not remove liquidity.
Because a Super Aggressive Re-Route eligible order is willing to route
to an away Trading Center and remove liquidity (i.e., pay a fee at such
Trading Center) when locked or crossed, the Exchange believes it is
reasonable and consistent with the instruction to force an execution
between an incoming BATS Post Only Order and an order that has been
posted to the BATS Book with the Super Aggressive Re-Route instruction.
The Exchange notes that the determination of whether an order should
execute on entry against resting interest, including against resting
orders with a Super Aggressive Re-Route instruction, is made prior to
determining whether the price of such an incoming order should be
adjusted pursuant to the Exchange's price sliding functionality
pursuant to Rule 11.9(g). The Exchange has limited the proposed
language to BATS Post Only Orders that lock orders with a Super
Aggressive Re-Route instruction because BATS Post Only Orders that
cross resting orders will always remove liquidity because it is in
their economic best interest to do so.\14\ Similarly, Partial Post Only
Limit Orders execute against crossing interest as set forth in Rule
11.9(c)(7)(A). The Exchange also proposes to make clear that although
it will execute an order with a Super Aggressive Re-Route instruction
against a BATS Post Only Order that would lock it, if an order that
does not contain a Super Aggressive Re-Route instruction maintains
higher priority than one or more Super Aggressive Re-Route eligible
orders, the Super Aggressive Re-Route eligible order(s) with lower
priority will not be converted, as described above, and the incoming
BATS Post Only Order or Partial Post Only at Limit Order will be posted
or cancelled in accordance with Rule 11.9(c)(6) or Rule 11.9(c)(7),
respectively. The Exchange believes it is necessary to avoid applying
the Re-Route functionality to Re-Route eligible orders that are resting
behind orders that are not Re-Route eligible orders to avoid violating
the Exchange's priority rule, Rule 11.12.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\13\ The Exchange notes that pursuant to Rule 11.9(c)(6), BATS
Post Only Orders remove liquidity in certain circumstances based on
an economic analysis that takes into account applicable fees and
rebates. The Exchange has proposed clarifications to this economic
analysis as described above. Similarly, Partial Post Only at Limit
Orders are permitted to remove price improving liquidity as well as
a User-selected percentage of the remaining order at the limit price
if, following such removal, the order can post at its limit price.
See Rule 11.9(c)(7).
\14\ See id.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Example--Super Aggressive Re-Route and BATS Post Only Orders
Assume that the Exchange receives an order to buy 300 shares of a
security at $10.10 per share designated with a Super Aggressive Re-
Route instruction. Assume further that the NBBO is $10.09 by $10.10
when the order is received, and the Exchange's lowest offer is priced
at $10.11. The Exchange will route the order away from the Exchange as
a bid to buy 300 shares at $10.10. Assume that the order obtains one
100 share execution through the routing process and then returns to the
Exchange. The Exchange will post the order as a bid to buy 200 shares
at $10.10. If the Exchange subsequently receives a BATS Post Only Order
to sell priced at $10.09 per share, such order will execute against the
posted order to buy with an execution price of $10.10. The posted buy
order will be treated as the liquidity provider and the incoming BATS
Post Only Order to sell will be treated as the liquidity remover, based
on the Exchange's rules that execute BATS Post Only Orders on entry if
such execution is in their economic interest.
However, assuming the same facts as above, if the incoming BATS
Post Only Order to sell is priced at $10.10 and also assuming that the
incoming BATS Post Only Order does not remove liquidity pursuant to the
economic best interest functionality,\15\ the posted order with a Super
Aggressive Re-Route instruction will execute against such order at
$10.10. In this scenario, the posted order to buy will be treated as
the liquidity remover and the incoming BATS Post Only Order to sell
will be treated as the liquidity provider.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\15\ As described above, an incoming BATS Post Only Order to
sell would in fact remove on entry at $10.10 based on the Exchange's
current fee structure and economic best interest functionality.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Finally, assume that the NBBO is $10.10 by $10.11 and that the
Exchange has a displayed bid to buy 100 shares
[[Page 8740]]
of a security at $10.10 and a displayed offer to sell 100 shares of a
security at $10.11. Assume that the displayed bid has not been
designated with the Super Aggressive Re-Route instruction. Assume next
that the Exchange receives a second displayable bid to buy 100 shares
of the same security at $10.10 that has been designated as routable and
subject to the Super Aggressive Re-Route instruction. Because there is
no liquidity to which the Exchange can route the order, the second
order will post to the BATS Book as a bid to buy at $10.10 behind the
original displayed bid to buy at $10.10. If the Exchange then received
a BATS Post Only Order to sell 100 shares at $10.10 then no execution
would occur assuming again that the incoming BATS Post Only Order
cannot remove liquidity at $10.10 based on the economic best interest
analysis,\16\ the first order with priority to buy at $10.10 was not
designated with the Super Aggressive Re-Route instruction and the
second booked order to buy at $10.10 is not permitted to bypass the
first order as this would result in a violation of the Exchange's
priority rule, Rule 11.12.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\16\ Id.
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2. Statutory Basis
The Exchange believes that the proposed rule changes are consistent
with Section 6(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the ``Act'')
\17\ and further the objectives of Section 6(b)(5) of the Act \18\
because they are designed to promote just and equitable principles of
trade, to remove impediments to and perfect the mechanism of a free and
open market and a national market system, to foster cooperation and
coordination with persons engaged in facilitating transactions in
securities, and, in general, to protect investors and the public
interest. The proposed rule changes are also designed to support the
principles of Section 11A(a)(1) \19\ of the Act in that they seek to
assure fair competition among brokers and dealers and among exchange
markets.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\17\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
\18\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
\19\ 15 U.S. C. 78k-1(a)(1).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The modifications related to routable orders with a TIF of IOC,
Pegged Orders, Mid-Point Peg Orders, Discretionary Orders, and the
Exchange's priority, execution and routing rules are each designed to
add clarity and transparency regarding Exchange System functionality
without substantively modifying such functionality. Specifically, the
Exchange believes that the proposed rule changes will provide
additional clarity and specificity regarding the functionality of the
System and thus would promote just and equitable principles of trade
and remove impediments to a free and open market. The Exchange also
believes that the proposed amendments will contribute to the protection
of investors and the public interest by making the Exchange's rules
easier to understand.
With respect to the additional specificity proposed in connection
with BATS Post Only Orders, the Exchange believes that the proposed
rule change is consistent with the Act in that the change will help to
clarify the methodology used by the Exchange to determine whether BATS
Post Only Orders will remove liquidity from the BATS Book. The Exchange
again notes that any methodology other than using the highest possible
rebate and highest possible fee could result in the Exchange
determining that an execution was in an entering User's economic best
interest when, in fact, it was not. For the reasons articulated above,
the Exchange believes that the proposal is consistent with and supports
just and equitable principles of trade, removes impediments to, and
helps to perfect the mechanism of, a free and open market and a
national market system, and, in general, protects investors and the
public interest.
The Exchange also believes it is consistent with the Act to execute
Discretionary orders and orders with a Super Aggressive Re-Route
instruction against marketable liquidity (i.e., BATS Post Only Orders
and Partial Post Only Orders) when an execution would not otherwise
occur is consistent with both: (i) The Act, by facilitating executions,
removing impediments and perfecting the mechanism of a free and open
market and national market system; and (ii) a User's instructions,
which have evidenced a willingness by the User to pay applicable
execution fees and/or execute at more aggressive prices than they are
currently ranked in favor of an execution. The Exchange also believes
that the proposed rule change provides additional specificity regarding
the functionality of the System with regard to routable non-displayed
orders that have been crossed by another accessible Trading Center,
thereby promoting just and equitable principles of trade and removing
impediments to a free and open market.
B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition
The Exchange does not believe that the proposed rule changes will
result in any burden on competition that is not necessary or
appropriate in furtherance of the purposes of the Act. The proposed
rule changes are not designed to address any competitive issue but
rather to add specificity and clarity to Exchange rules, thus providing
greater transparency regarding the operation of the System.
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 written comments on
the proposed rule changes.
III. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed Rule Change and Timing for
Commission Action
Within 45 days of the date of publication of this notice in the
Federal Register or within such longer period (i) as the Commission may
designate up to 90 days of such date if it finds such longer period to
be appropriate and publishes its reasons for so finding or (ii) as to
which the Exchange consents, the Commission will: (a) By order approve
or disapprove such proposed rule change, or (b) institute proceedings
to determine whether the proposed rule change should be disapproved.
IV. Solicitation of Comments
Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views, and
arguments concerning the foregoing, including whether the proposed rule
change is consistent with the Act. Comments may be submitted by any of
the following methods:
Electronic Comments
Use the Commission's Internet comment form (https://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml); or
Send an email to rule-comments@sec.gov. Please include
File Number SR-BYX-2015-07 on the subject line.
Paper Comments
Send paper comments in triplicate to Brent J. Fields,
Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street NE.,
Washington, DC 20549-1090.
All submissions should refer to File Number SR-BYX-2015-07. 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
[[Page 8741]]
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 at 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 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-BYX-2015-07, and should be submitted on
or before March 11, 2015.
For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets,
pursuant to delegated authority.\20\
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\20\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Brent J. Fields,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2015-03223 Filed 2-17-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P