Self-Regulatory Organizations; ISE Gemini, LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change To Share Member-Designated Risk Settings in the Trading System With Clearing Members, 18665-18667 [2015-07849]
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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 66 / Tuesday, April 7, 2015 / Notices
materially in 1947. Rule 17f–2
establishes safeguards for arrangements
in which a registered management
investment company (‘‘fund’’) is
deemed to maintain custody of its own
assets, such as when the fund maintains
its assets in a facility that provides
safekeeping but not custodial services.1
The rule includes several recordkeeping
or reporting requirements. The fund’s
directors must prepare a resolution
designating not more than five fund
officers or responsible employees who
may have access to the fund’s assets.
The designated access persons (two or
more of whom must act jointly when
handling fund assets) must prepare a
written notation providing certain
information about each deposit or
withdrawal of fund assets, and must
transmit the notation to another officer
or director designated by the directors.
An independent public accountant must
verify the fund’s assets three times each
year, and two of those examinations
must be unscheduled.2
Rule 17f–2’s requirement that
directors designate access persons is
intended to ensure that directors
evaluate the trustworthiness of insiders
who handle fund assets. The
requirements that access persons act
jointly in handling fund assets, prepare
a written notation of each transaction,
and transmit the notation to another
designated person are intended to
reduce the risk of misappropriation of
fund assets by access persons, and to
ensure that adequate records are
prepared, reviewed by a responsible
third person, and available for
examination by the Commission. The
requirement that auditors verify fund
assets without notice twice each year is
intended to provide an additional
deterrent to the misappropriation of
fund assets and to detect any
irregularities.
The Commission staff estimates that
each fund makes 974 responses and
spends an average of 252 hours annually
in complying with the rule’s
requirements.3 Commission staff
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
1 The
rule generally requires all assets to be
deposited in the safekeeping of a ‘‘bank or other
company whose functions and physical facilities
are supervised by Federal or State authority.’’ The
fund’s securities must be physically segregated at
all times from the securities of any other person.
2 The accountant must transmit to the
Commission promptly after each examination a
certificate describing the examination on Form N–
17f–2. The third (scheduled) examination may
coincide with the annual verification required for
every fund by section 30(g) of the Act (15 U.S.C.
80a–29(g)).
3 The 974 responses are: 1 (one) response to draft
and adopt the resolution and 973 notations.
Estimates of the number of hours are based on
conversations with individuals in the fund
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estimates that on an annual basis it
takes: (i) 0.5 hours of fund accounting
personnel at a total cost of $99 to draft
director resolutions; 4 (ii) 0.5 hours of
the fund’s board of directors at a total
cost of $2200 to adopt the resolution; 5
(iii) 244 hours for the fund’s accounting
personnel at a total cost of $63,797 to
prepare written notations of
transactions; 6 and (iv) 7 hours for the
fund’s accounting personnel at a total
cost of $1386 to assist the independent
public accountants when they perform
verifications of fund assets.7
Commission staff estimates that
approximately 188 funds file Form N–
17f–2 each year.8 Thus, the total annual
hour burden for rule 17f–2 is estimated
to be 47,376 hours.9 Based on the total
costs per fund listed above, the total
cost of rule 17f–2’s collection of
information requirements is estimated
to be approximately $12.7 million.10
The estimate of average burden hours
is made solely for the purposes of the
Paperwork Reduction Act, and is not
derived from a comprehensive or even
a representative survey or study of the
costs of Commission rules and forms.
Complying with the collections of
information required by rule 17f–2 is
mandatory for those funds that maintain
industry. The actual number of hours may vary
significantly depending on individual fund assets.
4 This estimate is based on the following
calculation: 0.5 (burden hours per fund) × $198
(senior accountant’s hourly rate) = $99. Unless
otherwise indicated, the hourly wage figures used
herein are from the Securities Industry and
Financial Markets Association’s Management &
Professional Earnings in the Securities Industry
2013, modified by Commission staff to account for
an 1800-hour work-year and multiplied by 5.35 to
account for bonuses, firm size, employee benefits
and overhead.
5 The estimate for the cost of board time as a
whole is derived from estimates made by the staff
regarding typical board size and compensation that
is based on information received from fund
representatives and publicly available sources.
6 Respondents estimated that each fund makes
974 responses on an annual basis and spends a total
of 0.25 hours per response. The fund personnel
involved are Accounts Payable Manager ($186
hourly rate), Operations Manager ($334 hourly rate)
and Accounting Manager ($265 hourly rate). The
average hourly rate of these personnel is $262. The
estimated cost of preparing notations is based on
the following calculation: 974 × 0.25 × $262 =
$63,797.
7 This estimate is based on the following
calculation: 7 × $198 (senior accountant’s hourly
rate) = $1386.
8 On average, each year approximately 188 funds
filed Form N–17f–2 with the Commission during
calendar years 2011–2013.
9 This estimate is based on the following
calculation: 188 (funds) × 252 (total annual hourly
burden per fund) = 47,376 hours for rule. The
annual burden for rule 17f–2 does not include time
spent preparing Form N–17f–2. The burden for
Form N–17f–2 is included in a separate collection
of information.
10 This estimate is based on the following
calculation: $67,482 (total annual cost per fund) ×
188 funds = $12,686,616.
PO 00000
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18665
custody of their own assets. Responses
will not be kept confidential. An agency
may not conduct or sponsor, and a
person is not required to respond to, a
collection of information unless it
displays a currently valid control
number.
Written comments are invited on: (a)
Whether the collection of information is
necessary for the proper performance of
the functions of the Commission,
including whether the information has
practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the
Commission’s estimate of the burden of
the collection of information; (c) ways to
enhance the quality, utility, and clarity
of the information collected; and (d)
ways to minimize the burden of the
collection of information on
respondents, including through the use
of automated collection techniques or
other forms of information technology.
Consideration will be given to
comments and suggestions submitted in
writing within 60 days of this
publication.
Please direct your written comments
to Pamela Dyson, Director/Chief
Information Officer, Securities and
Exchange Commission, c/o Remi PavlikSimon, 100 F Street NE., Washington,
DC 20549; or send an email to: PRA_
Mailbox@sec.gov.
Dated: April 1, 2015.
Brent J. Fields,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2015–07852 Filed 4–6–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE CODE 8011–01–P
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
[Release No. 34–74622; File No. SR–
ISEGemini–2015–08]
Self-Regulatory Organizations; ISE
Gemini, LLC; Notice of Filing and
Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed
Rule Change To Share MemberDesignated Risk Settings in the
Trading System With Clearing
Members
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 March 30, 2015 ISE Gemini, LLC (the
‘‘Exchange’’ or ‘‘ISE Gemini’’) filed with
the Securities and Exchange
Commission the proposed rule change,
as described in Items I, II, and III below,
which items have been prepared by the
self-regulatory organization. The
Commission is publishing this notice to
APRIL 1, 2015.
1 15
2 17
E:\FR\FM\07APN1.SGM
U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
CFR 240.19b–4.
07APN1
18666
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 66 / Tuesday, April 7, 2015 / Notices
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
ISE Gemini proposes to amend Rule
706 to authorize the Exchange to share
any Member-designated risk settings in
the trading system with the Clearing
Member that clears transactions on
behalf of the Member. The text of the
proposed rule change is available on the
Exchange’s Web site (https://
www.ise.com), at the principal office of
the Exchange, and at the Commission’s
Public Reference Room.
II. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement of the Purpose of, and
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule
Change
In its filing with the Commission, the
self-regulatory organization included
statements concerning the purpose of,
and basis for, the proposed rule change
and discussed any comments it received
on the proposed rule change. The text
of these statements may be examined at
the places specified in Item IV below.
The self-regulatory organization has
prepared summaries, set forth in
sections A, B and C below, of the most
significant aspects of such statements.
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
A. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement of the Purpose of, and
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule
Change
1. Purpose
The Exchange proposes to amend
Rule 706 to authorize the Exchange to
share any Member-designated risk
settings in the trading system with the
Clearing Member that clears
transactions on behalf of the Member.
Rule 706 states that ‘‘[u]nless otherwise
provided in the Rules, no one but a
Member or a person associated with a
Member shall effect any Exchange
Transactions.’’ 3 The Exchange proposes
to amend the current rule by adding the
following sentence: ‘‘The Exchange may
share any Member-designated risk
settings in the trading system with the
Clearing Member that clears
transactions on behalf of the Member.’’
Each Member that transacts through a
Clearing Member on the Exchange
executes a Letter of Clearing
Authorization, in the case of Electronic
Access Members, or a Market Maker
Letter of Guarantee, in the case of
Primary Market Makers and Competitive
Market Makers, wherein the Clearing
Member ‘‘accepts financial
responsibility for all Exchange
3 See
Rule 706(a).
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17:46 Apr 06, 2015
Jkt 235001
Transactions made by the’’ Member on
whose behalf the Clearing Member
submits the letter of guarantee. The
Exchange believes that because Clearing
Members guarantee all transactions on
behalf of a Member, and therefore, bear
the risk associated with those
transactions, it is appropriate for
Clearing Members to have knowledge of
what risk settings a Member may utilize
within the trading system.
The Exchange notes that while not all
Members are Clearing Members, all
Members require a Clearing Member’s
consent to clear transactions on their
behalf in order to conduct business on
the Exchange. As the Clearing Member
ultimately bears all the risk for a trade
they clear on any Member’s behalf, the
Exchange believes it is reasonable to
provide Clearing Members with
information relating to the risk settings
used by each Member whose
transactions they are clearing. To the
extent that a Clearing Member might
reasonably require a Member to provide
access to its risk settings as a
prerequisite to continue to clear trades
on the Member’s behalf, the Exchange’s
proposal to share those risk settings
directly reduces the administrative
burden on Members and ensures that
Clearing Members are receiving
information that is up-to-date and
conforms to the settings active in the
trading system.
The Exchange further notes that any
broker-dealer is free to become a
Clearing Member of the Options
Clearing Corporation (the ‘‘OCC’’),
which would enable that Member to
avoid sharing risk settings with any
third party, if they so choose. For these
reasons, the Exchange believes that the
proposal is consistent with the Act as it
provides Clearing Members with
additional risk-related information that
may aid them in complying with the
Act, notably Rule 15c3–5 and, as noted,
Members that do not wish to share such
settings with a Clearing Member can do
so by become clearing members of the
OCC.
The risk settings that would be shared
pursuant to the proposed rule are
currently codified in Rule 804. The risk
settings are designed to mitigate the
potential risks of multiple executions
against a Member’s trading interest that,
in today’s highly automated and
electronic trading environment, can
occur simultaneously across multiple
series and multiple option classes. The
proposed rule will allow the Exchange
to share a Member’s risk settings with
the Clearing Member that guarantees the
Member’s transactions, and therefore
has a financial interesting [sic] in
PO 00000
Frm 00081
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
understanding the risk tolerance of a
Member.
Because the Letter of Clearing
Authorization and the Market Maker
Letter of Guarantee codifies
relationships between a Member and the
Clearing Member, the Exchange is on
notice of which Clearing Members have
relationships with which Members. The
proposed rule change would simply
provide the Exchange with authority to
directly provide Clearing Members with
information that may otherwise be
available to such Clearing Members by
virtue of their relationship with the
respective Member.
2. Statutory Basis
The Exchange believes that the
proposed rule change is consistent with
the requirements of the Act and the
rules and regulations thereunder that
are applicable to a national securities
exchange, and, in particular, with the
requirements of Section 6(b) of the Act.4
In particular, the proposal is consistent
with Section 6(b)(5) of the Act,5 because
it is designed to promote just and
equitable principles of trade, to remove
impediments to and perfect the
mechanisms of a free and open market
and a national market system and, in
general, to protect investors and the
public interest.
The Exchange believes that the
proposed rule change removes
impediments to and perfects the
mechanism of a free and open market by
codifying that the Exchange can directly
provide to Clearing Members that
guarantee that Member’s transactions on
the Exchange the Member-designated
risk settings in the trading system,
which are designed to mitigate the
potential risk of multiple executions
against a Member’s trading interest that,
in today’s highly automated and
electronic trading environment, can
occur simultaneously across multiple
series and multiple option classes. The
Exchange believes that the proposed
rule change is consistent with the
protection of investors and the public
interests because it will permit Clearing
Members with a financial interest in a
Member’s risk settings to better monitor
and manage the potential risks assumed
by Members with whom the Clearing
Member has entered into a letter of
guarantee, thereby providing Clearing
Members with greater control and
flexibility over setting their own risk
tolerance and exposure.
4 15
5 15
E:\FR\FM\07APN1.SGM
U.S.C. 78f(b).
U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
07APN1
18667
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 66 / Tuesday, April 7, 2015 / Notices
B. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement on Burden on Competition
The Exchange believes the proposal is
consistent with Section 6(b)(8) of the
Act 6 in that it does not impose any
burden on competition that is not
necessary or appropriate in furtherance
of the purposes of the Act. The
proposed rule change is not designed to
address any aspect of competition, but
would provide authority for the
Exchange to directly share risk settings
with Clearing Members regarding the
Members with whom the Clearing
Member has executed a letter of
guarantee so the Clearing Member can
better monitor and manage the potential
risks assumed by the Members, thereby
providing them with greater control and
flexibility over setting their own risk
tolerance and exposure. The proposed
rule change does not pose an undue
burden on non-Clearing Members
because, unlike Clearing Members, nonClearing Members do not guarantee the
execution of the Member transactions
on the Exchange. The proposed rule
change is structured to offer the same
enhancement to all Clearing Members,
regardless of size, and would not
impose a competitive burden on any
participant.
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
C. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement on Comments on the
Proposed Rule Change Received From
Members, Participants, or Others
The Exchange has not solicited, and
does not intend to solicit, comments on
this proposed rule change. The
Exchange has not received any
unsolicited written comments from
members or other interested parties.
III. Date of Effectiveness of the
Proposed Rule Change and Timing for
Commission Action
The Exchange believes that the
foregoing proposed rule change may
take effect upon filing with the
Commission pursuant to
Section19(b)(3)(A) 7 of the Act and Rule
19b–4(f)(6) thereunder 8 because the
foregoing proposed rule change does not
(i) significantly affect the protection of
investors or the public interest, (ii)
impose any significant burden on
competition, and (iii) become operative
for 30 days after its filing date, or such
shorter time as the Commission may
designate.
At any time within 60 days of the
filing of the proposed rule change, the
Commission summarily may
temporarily suspend such rule change if
6 15
U.S.C. 78f(b)(8).
U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
8 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).
7 15
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17:46 Apr 06, 2015
Jkt 235001
it appears to the Commission that such
action is: (i) Necessary or appropriate in
the public interest; (ii) for the protection
of investors; or (iii) otherwise in
furtherance of the purposes of the Act.
If the Commission takes such action, the
Commission shall institute proceedings
to determine whether the proposed rule
should be approved or 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–
ISEGemini 2015–08 on the subject line.
Paper Comments
• Send paper comments in triplicate
to Secretary, Securities and Exchange
Commission, 100 F Street NE.,
Washington, DC 20549–1090.
All submissions should refer to File
Number SR–ISEGemini–2015–08. This
file number should be included on the
subject line if email is used. To help the
Commission process and review your
comments more efficiently, please use
only one method. The Commission will
post all comments on the Commission’s
Internet Web site (https://www.sec.gov/
rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the
submission, all subsequent
amendments, all written statements
with respect to the proposed rule
change that are filed with the
Commission, and all written
communications relating to the
proposed rule change between the
Commission and any person, other than
those that may be withheld from the
public in accordance with the
provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be
available for Web site viewing and
printing in the Commission’s Public
Reference Room, 100 F Street NE.,
Washington, DC 20549, on official
business days between the hours of
10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Copies of such
filing also will be available for
inspection and copying at the principal
offices 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–
PO 00000
Frm 00082
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
ISEGemini–2015–08, and should be
submitted on or before April 28, 2015.
For the Commission, by the Division of
Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated
authority.9
Brent J. Fields,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2015–07849 Filed 4–6–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE CODE 8011–01–P
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
[Release No. 34–74627; File No. SR–Phlx–
2015–30]
Self-Regulatory Organizations;
NASDAQ OMX PHLX LLC; Notice of
Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of
Proposed Rule Change To Amend
Section (a)(iv) of Rule 703, Financial
Responsibility and Reporting
April 1, 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 March 23,
2015, NASDAQ OMX PHLX LLC
(‘‘Phlx’’ or ‘‘Exchange’’) filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission
(‘‘SEC’’ or ‘‘Commission’’) the proposed
rule change as described in Items I, II,
and III, below, which Items have been
substantially 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 Substance of
the Proposed Rule Change
The Exchange proposes to amend
section (a)(iv) of Rule 703, Financial
Responsibility and Reporting, as
described below.3
The text of the proposed rule change
is below. Proposed new language is in
italics; proposed deletions are in
brackets.
*
*
*
*
*
Rule 703. Financial Responsibility and
Reporting
(a) Financial Responsibility Standards.—
Each member organization effecting
securities transactions shall comply with
the capital requirements set forth below:
(i) each member organization subject to SEC
9 17
CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).
15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
2 See 17 CFR 240.19b–4.
3 A Registered Options Trader or ROT is a regular
member or a foreign currency options participant of
the Exchange located on the trading floor who has
received permission from the Exchange to trade in
options for his own account. See Exchange Rule
1014(b)(i).
1 See
E:\FR\FM\07APN1.SGM
07APN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 66 (Tuesday, April 7, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18665-18667]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-07849]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
[Release No. 34-74622; File No. SR-ISEGemini-2015-08]
Self-Regulatory Organizations; ISE Gemini, LLC; Notice of Filing
and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change To Share Member-
Designated Risk Settings in the Trading System With Clearing Members
April 1, 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 March 30, 2015 ISE Gemini, LLC (the ``Exchange''
or ``ISE Gemini'') filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
the proposed rule change, as described in Items I, II, and III below,
which items have been prepared by the self-regulatory organization. The
Commission is publishing this notice to
[[Page 18666]]
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
ISE Gemini proposes to amend Rule 706 to authorize the Exchange to
share any Member-designated risk settings in the trading system with
the Clearing Member that clears transactions on behalf of the Member.
The text of the proposed rule change is available on the Exchange's Web
site (https://www.ise.com), at the principal office of the Exchange, and
at the Commission's Public Reference Room.
II. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change
In its filing with the Commission, the self-regulatory organization
included statements concerning the purpose of, and basis for, the
proposed rule change and discussed any comments it received on the
proposed rule change. The text of these statements may be examined at
the places specified in Item IV below. The self-regulatory organization
has prepared summaries, set forth in sections A, B and C below, of the
most significant aspects of such statements.
A. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change
1. Purpose
The Exchange proposes to amend Rule 706 to authorize the Exchange
to share any Member-designated risk settings in the trading system with
the Clearing Member that clears transactions on behalf of the Member.
Rule 706 states that ``[u]nless otherwise provided in the Rules, no one
but a Member or a person associated with a Member shall effect any
Exchange Transactions.'' \3\ The Exchange proposes to amend the current
rule by adding the following sentence: ``The Exchange may share any
Member-designated risk settings in the trading system with the Clearing
Member that clears transactions on behalf of the Member.''
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ See Rule 706(a).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Each Member that transacts through a Clearing Member on the
Exchange executes a Letter of Clearing Authorization, in the case of
Electronic Access Members, or a Market Maker Letter of Guarantee, in
the case of Primary Market Makers and Competitive Market Makers,
wherein the Clearing Member ``accepts financial responsibility for all
Exchange Transactions made by the'' Member on whose behalf the Clearing
Member submits the letter of guarantee. The Exchange believes that
because Clearing Members guarantee all transactions on behalf of a
Member, and therefore, bear the risk associated with those
transactions, it is appropriate for Clearing Members to have knowledge
of what risk settings a Member may utilize within the trading system.
The Exchange notes that while not all Members are Clearing Members,
all Members require a Clearing Member's consent to clear transactions
on their behalf in order to conduct business on the Exchange. As the
Clearing Member ultimately bears all the risk for a trade they clear on
any Member's behalf, the Exchange believes it is reasonable to provide
Clearing Members with information relating to the risk settings used by
each Member whose transactions they are clearing. To the extent that a
Clearing Member might reasonably require a Member to provide access to
its risk settings as a prerequisite to continue to clear trades on the
Member's behalf, the Exchange's proposal to share those risk settings
directly reduces the administrative burden on Members and ensures that
Clearing Members are receiving information that is up-to-date and
conforms to the settings active in the trading system.
The Exchange further notes that any broker-dealer is free to become
a Clearing Member of the Options Clearing Corporation (the ``OCC''),
which would enable that Member to avoid sharing risk settings with any
third party, if they so choose. For these reasons, the Exchange
believes that the proposal is consistent with the Act as it provides
Clearing Members with additional risk-related information that may aid
them in complying with the Act, notably Rule 15c3-5 and, as noted,
Members that do not wish to share such settings with a Clearing Member
can do so by become clearing members of the OCC.
The risk settings that would be shared pursuant to the proposed
rule are currently codified in Rule 804. The risk settings are designed
to mitigate the potential risks of multiple executions against a
Member's trading interest that, in today's highly automated and
electronic trading environment, can occur simultaneously across
multiple series and multiple option classes. The proposed rule will
allow the Exchange to share a Member's risk settings with the Clearing
Member that guarantees the Member's transactions, and therefore has a
financial interesting [sic] in understanding the risk tolerance of a
Member.
Because the Letter of Clearing Authorization and the Market Maker
Letter of Guarantee codifies relationships between a Member and the
Clearing Member, the Exchange is on notice of which Clearing Members
have relationships with which Members. The proposed rule change would
simply provide the Exchange with authority to directly provide Clearing
Members with information that may otherwise be available to such
Clearing Members by virtue of their relationship with the respective
Member.
2. Statutory Basis
The Exchange believes that the proposed rule change is consistent
with the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations
thereunder that are applicable to a national securities exchange, and,
in particular, with the requirements of Section 6(b) of the Act.\4\ In
particular, the proposal is consistent with Section 6(b)(5) of the
Act,\5\ because it is designed to promote just and equitable principles
of trade, to remove impediments to and perfect the mechanisms of a free
and open market and a national market system and, in general, to
protect investors and the public interest.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\4\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
\5\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Exchange believes that the proposed rule change removes
impediments to and perfects the mechanism of a free and open market by
codifying that the Exchange can directly provide to Clearing Members
that guarantee that Member's transactions on the Exchange the Member-
designated risk settings in the trading system, which are designed to
mitigate the potential risk of multiple executions against a Member's
trading interest that, in today's highly automated and electronic
trading environment, can occur simultaneously across multiple series
and multiple option classes. The Exchange believes that the proposed
rule change is consistent with the protection of investors and the
public interests because it will permit Clearing Members with a
financial interest in a Member's risk settings to better monitor and
manage the potential risks assumed by Members with whom the Clearing
Member has entered into a letter of guarantee, thereby providing
Clearing Members with greater control and flexibility over setting
their own risk tolerance and exposure.
[[Page 18667]]
B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition
The Exchange believes the proposal is consistent with Section
6(b)(8) of the Act \6\ in that it does not impose any burden on
competition that is not necessary or appropriate in furtherance of the
purposes of the Act. The proposed rule change is not designed to
address any aspect of competition, but would provide authority for the
Exchange to directly share risk settings with Clearing Members
regarding the Members with whom the Clearing Member has executed a
letter of guarantee so the Clearing Member can better monitor and
manage the potential risks assumed by the Members, thereby providing
them with greater control and flexibility over setting their own risk
tolerance and exposure. The proposed rule change does not pose an undue
burden on non-Clearing Members because, unlike Clearing Members, non-
Clearing Members do not guarantee the execution of the Member
transactions on the Exchange. The proposed rule change is structured to
offer the same enhancement to all Clearing Members, regardless of size,
and would not impose a competitive burden on any participant.
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\6\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(8).
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C. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed
Rule Change Received From Members, Participants, or Others
The Exchange has not solicited, and does not intend to solicit,
comments on this proposed rule change. The Exchange has not received
any unsolicited written comments from members or other interested
parties.
III. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed Rule Change and Timing for
Commission Action
The Exchange believes that the foregoing proposed rule change may
take effect upon filing with the Commission pursuant to
Section19(b)(3)(A) \7\ of the Act and Rule 19b-4(f)(6) thereunder \8\
because the foregoing proposed rule change does not (i) significantly
affect the protection of investors or the public interest, (ii) impose
any significant burden on competition, and (iii) become operative for
30 days after its filing date, or such shorter time as the Commission
may designate.
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\7\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
\8\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).
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At any time within 60 days of the filing of the proposed rule
change, the Commission summarily may temporarily suspend such rule
change if it appears to the Commission that such action is: (i)
Necessary or appropriate in the public interest; (ii) for the
protection of investors; or (iii) otherwise in furtherance of the
purposes of the Act. If the Commission takes such action, the
Commission shall institute proceedings to determine whether the
proposed rule should be approved or 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-ISEGemini 2015-08 on the subject line.
Paper Comments
Send paper comments in triplicate to Secretary, Securities
and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street NE., Washington, DC 20549-1090.
All submissions should refer to File Number SR-ISEGemini-2015-08. This
file number should be included on the subject line if email is used. To
help the Commission process and review your comments more efficiently,
please use only one method. The Commission will post all comments on
the Commission's Internet Web site (https://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the submission, all subsequent amendments, all
written statements with respect to the proposed rule change that are
filed with the Commission, and all written communications relating to
the proposed rule change between the Commission and any person, other
than those that may be withheld from the public in accordance with the
provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be available for Web site viewing and
printing in the Commission's Public Reference Room, 100 F Street NE.,
Washington, DC 20549, on official business days between the hours of
10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Copies of such filing also will be available
for inspection and copying at the principal offices 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-ISEGemini-
2015-08, and should be submitted on or before April 28, 2015.
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\9\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets,
pursuant to delegated authority.\9\
Brent J. Fields,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2015-07849 Filed 4-6-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE CODE 8011-01-P