Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing of a Proposed Rule Change to Rule 14.11(i), Managed Fund Shares, To List and Trade Shares of the SPDR DoubleLine Short Term Total Return Tactical ETF of the SSgA Active Trust, 7599-7609 [2016-02838]
Download as PDF
Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 29 / Friday, February 12, 2016 / Notices
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–
NASDAQ–2016–014 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.
asabaliauskas on DSK9F6TC42PROD with NOTICES2
All submissions should refer to File
Number SR–NASDAQ–2016–014. This
file number should be included on the
subject line if email is used. To help the
Commission process and review your
comments more efficiently, please use
only one method. The Commission will
post all comments on the Commission’s
Internet Web site (https://www.sec.gov/
rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the
submission, all subsequent
amendments, all written statements
with respect to the proposed rule
change that are filed with the
Commission, and all written
communications relating to the
proposed rule change between the
Commission and any person, other than
those that may be withheld from the
public in accordance with the
provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be
available for Web site viewing and
printing in the Commission’s Public
Reference Room, 100 F Street NE.,
Washington, DC 20549, on official
business days between the hours of
10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Copies of the
filing also will be available for
inspection and copying at Nasdaq’s
principal office. 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–
NASDAQ–2016–014 and should be
submitted on or before March 4, 2016.
For the Commission, by the Division of
Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated
authority.13
Robert W. Errett,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016–02837 Filed 2–11–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
[Release No. 34–77078; File No. SR–BATS–
2016–04]
Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS
Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing of a
Proposed Rule Change to Rule 14.11(i),
Managed Fund Shares, To List and
Trade Shares of the SPDR DoubleLine
Short Term Total Return Tactical ETF
of the SSgA Active Trust
February 8, 2016.
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 February
4, 2016, BATS Exchange, Inc. (the
‘‘Exchange’’ or ‘‘BATS’’) filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission
(‘‘Commission’’) the proposed rule
change as described in Items I and II
below, which Items have been prepared
by the Exchange. The Commission is
publishing this notice to solicit
comments on the proposed rule change
from interested persons.
I. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement of the Terms of Substance of
the Proposed Rule Change
The Exchange is proposing a rule
change to list and trade shares of the
SPDRDoubleLine Short Term Total
Return Tactical ETF (the ‘‘Fund’’) of the
SSgA Active Trust (the ‘‘Trust’’) under
BATS Rule 14.11(i) (‘‘Managed Fund
Shares’’). The shares of the Fund are
collectively referred to herein as the
‘‘Shares.’’
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.
1 15
13 17
CFR [sic] § 200.30–3(a)(12) and (59).
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2 17
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U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
CFR 240.19b–4.
Frm 00103
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7599
(A) Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement of the Purpose of, and
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule
Change
1. Purpose
The Exchange proposes to list and
trade the Shares under BATS Rule
14.11(i), which governs the listing and
trading of Managed Fund Shares on the
Exchange.3 The Fund will be an actively
managed fund. The Shares will be
offered by the Trust, which was
established as a Massachusetts business
trust on March 30, 2011. The Trust is
registered with the Commission as an
open-end investment company and has
filed a registration statement on behalf
of the Fund on Form N–1A
(‘‘Registration Statement’’) with the
Commission.4
Description of the Shares and the Fund
SSGA Funds Management, Inc. will
be the investment adviser (‘‘SSGA FM’’
or ‘‘Adviser’’) to the Fund. The Adviser
will serve as the administrator for the
Fund (the ‘‘Administrator’’). DoubleLine
Capital LP will be the Fund’s subadviser (‘‘Sub-Adviser’’). State Street
Global Markets, LLC (the ‘‘Distributor’’)
will be the principal underwriter and
distributor of the Fund’s Shares. State
Street Bank and Trust Company (the
‘‘Sub-Administrator’’, ‘‘Custodian’’,
‘‘Transfer Agent’’ or ‘‘Lending Agent’’)
will serve as sub-administrator,
custodian, transfer agent, and, where
applicable, lending agent for the Fund.
BATS Rule 14.11(i)(7) provides that, if
the investment adviser to the
investment company issuing Managed
Fund Shares is affiliated with a brokerdealer, such investment adviser shall
erect a ‘‘fire wall’’ between the
investment adviser and the brokerdealer with respect to access to
information concerning the composition
and/or changes to such investment
company portfolio.5 In addition, Rule
3 The Commission approved BATS Rule 14.11(i)
in Securities Exchange Act Release No. 65225
(August 30, 2011), 76 FR 55148 (September 6, 2011)
(SR–BATS–2011–018).
4 See Registration Statement on Form N–1A for
the Trust, dated October 8, 2015 (File Nos. 333–
173276 and 811–22542). The descriptions of the
Fund and the Shares contained herein are based, in
part, on information in the Registration Statement.
The Commission has issued an order granting
certain exemptive relief to the Trust under the
Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a–
1) (‘‘1940 Act’’) (the ‘‘Exemptive Order’’). See
Investment Company Act Release No. 29524
(December 13, 2010) (File No. 812–13487).
5 An investment adviser to an open-end fund is
required to be registered under the Investment
Advisers Act of 1940 (the ‘‘Advisers Act’’). As a
result, the Adviser and its related personnel as well
as the Sub-Adviser and its related personnel are
subject to the provisions of Rule 204A–1 under the
Continued
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 29 / Friday, February 12, 2016 / Notices
14.11(i)(7) further requires that
personnel who make decisions on the
investment company’s portfolio
composition must be subject to
procedures designed to prevent the use
and dissemination of material
nonpublic information regarding the
applicable investment company
portfolio. Rule 14.11(i)(7) is similar to
BATS Rule 14.11(b)(5)(A)(i), however,
Rule 14.11(i)(7) in connection with the
establishment of a ‘‘fire wall’’ between
the investment adviser and the brokerdealer reflects the applicable open-end
fund’s portfolio, not an underlying
benchmark index, as is the case with
index-based funds. The Adviser and
Sub-Adviser are not registered as a
broker-dealer but the Adviser is
affiliated with a broker-dealer and has
implemented a ‘‘fire wall’’ with respect
to such broker-dealer regarding access to
information concerning the composition
and/or changes to the Fund’s portfolio.
The Sub-Adviser is not affiliated with a
broker-dealer. In the event (a) the
Adviser or Sub-Adviser becomes
registered as a broker-dealer or newly
affiliated with a broker-dealer, or (b) any
new adviser or sub-adviser is a
registered broker-dealer or becomes
affiliated with a broker-dealer, it will
implement a fire wall with respect to its
relevant personnel or broker-dealer
affiliate regarding access to information
concerning the composition and/or
changes to the portfolio, and will be
subject to procedures designed to
prevent the use and dissemination of
material non-public information
regarding such portfolio.
asabaliauskas on DSK9F6TC42PROD with NOTICES2
SPDR DoubleLine Short Term Total
Return Tactical ETF
According to the Registration
Statement, the Fund will seek to
maximize current income with a dollarweighted average effective duration
Advisers Act relating to codes of ethics. This Rule
requires investment advisers to adopt a code of
ethics that reflects the fiduciary nature of the
relationship to clients as well as compliance with
other applicable securities laws. Accordingly,
procedures designed to prevent the communication
and misuse of non-public information by an
investment adviser must be consistent with Rule
204A–1 under the Advisers Act. In addition, Rule
206(4)–7 under the Advisers Act makes it unlawful
for an investment adviser to provide investment
advice to clients unless such investment adviser has
(i) adopted and implemented written policies and
procedures reasonably designed to prevent
violation, by the investment adviser and its
supervised persons, of the Advisers Act and the
Commission rules adopted thereunder; (ii)
implemented, at a minimum, an annual review
regarding the adequacy of the policies and
procedures established pursuant to subparagraph (i)
above and the effectiveness of their
implementation; and (iii) designated an individual
(who is a supervised person) responsible for
administering the policies and procedures adopted
under subparagraph (i) above.
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17:38 Feb 11, 2016
Jkt 238001
between one and three years. To achieve
its objective, the Fund will invest, under
normal circumstances,6 in a diversified
portfolio of fixed income securities of
any credit quality subject to certain
limitations as described further below.
The Fund is an actively-managed fund
that does not seek to replicate the
performance of a specified index.
The Sub-Adviser will monitor the
duration of the securities held by the
Fund to seek to mitigate exposure to
interest rate risk.7 Under normal
circumstances, the Sub-Adviser will
seek to maintain an investment portfolio
with a weighted average effective
duration between 1 and 3 years. The
duration of the portfolio may vary
materially from its target, from time to
time.
The Sub-Adviser will actively manage
the Fund’s asset class exposure using a
top-down approach based on analysis of
sector fundamentals and rotate Fund
assets among sectors in various markets
to attempt to maximize return.
Individual securities within asset
classes will be selected using a bottomup approach. Under normal
circumstances, the Sub-Adviser will use
a controlled risk approach in managing
the Fund’s investments. The techniques
of this approach attempt to control the
principal risk components of the fixed
income markets and include
consideration of: Security selection
within a given sector; relative
performance of the various market
sectors; the shape of the yield curve;
and fluctuations in the overall level of
interest rates. In certain situations or
market conditions, the Fund may
temporarily depart from its normal
investment policies and strategies
provided that the alternative is in the
best interest of the Fund. For example,
the Fund may hold a higher than normal
proportion of its assets in cash in times
of extreme market stress.
Principal Holdings
The Fund intends to achieve its
investment objective by investing, under
normal circumstances, at least 80% of
its net assets in a diversified portfolio of
Fixed Income Securities, as defined
6 The term ‘‘under normal circumstances’’
includes, but is not limited to, the absence of
extreme volatility or trading halts in the fixed
income markets or the financial markets generally;
operational issues causing dissemination of
inaccurate market information; or force majeure
type events such as systems failure, natural or manmade disaster, act of God, armed conflict, act of
terrorism, riot or labor disruption or any similar
intervening circumstance.
7 Duration is a measure used to determine the
sensitivity of a security’s price to changes in
interest rates. The longer a security’s duration, the
more sensitive it will be to changes in interest rates.
PO 00000
Frm 00104
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
below, subject to certain limits
described below. For purposes of this
filing, Fixed Income Securities are
defined as the following instruments:
Securities issued or guaranteed by the
U.S. government or its agencies,
instrumentalities or sponsored
corporations; inflation protected public
obligations of the U.S. Treasury
(‘‘TIPS’’); securities issued or
guaranteed by state or local
governments or their agencies or
instrumentalities (commonly known as
municipal bonds); 8 asset backed
securities (‘‘ABS’’) (which include the
following: Agency and non-agency
residential mortgage-backed securities
(‘‘RMBS’’),9 agency and non-agency
commercial mortgage-backed securities
(‘‘CMBS’’), and any other agency and
non-agency asset-backed securities
(‘‘NAABS’’); 10 collateralized debt
obligations (‘‘CDOs’’); collateralized
loan obligations (‘‘CLOs’’); collateralized
bond obligations (‘‘CBOs’’);
collateralized mortgage obligations
(‘‘CMOs’’); and Real Estate Mortgage
Investment Conduits (‘‘REMICs’’) and
8 Municipal securities are securities issued by
states, municipalities and other political
subdivisions, agencies, authorities and
instrumentalities of states and multi-state agencies
or authorities. The municipal securities which the
Portfolio Fund may purchase include general
obligation bonds and limited obligation bonds (or
revenue bonds), including industrial development
bonds issued pursuant to former federal tax law.
General obligation bonds are obligations involving
the credit of an issuer possessing taxing power and
are payable from such issuer’s general revenues and
not from any particular source. Limited obligation
bonds are payable only from the revenues derived
from a particular facility or class of facilities or, in
some cases, from the proceeds of a special excise
or other specific revenue source. Also included
within the general category of municipal securities
are municipal leases, certificates of participation in
such lease obligations or installment purchase
contract obligations.
9 For example, the Fund may invest a substantial
portion of its assets in U.S. agency mortgage passthrough securities. The term ‘‘U.S. agency mortgage
pass-through security’’ refers to a category of passthrough securities backed by pools of mortgages and
issued by one of several U.S. Governmentsponsored enterprises: Ginnie Mae, Fannie Mae or
Freddie Mac. The Fund may seek to obtain
exposure to U.S. agency mortgage pass-through
securities through the use of ‘‘to-be-announced’’ or
‘‘TBA transactions.’’ ‘‘TBA’’ refers to a commonly
used mechanism for the forward settlement of U.S.
agency mortgage pass-through securities, and not to
a separate type of mortgage-backed security.
Transactions in mortgage pass-through securities
may occur through the use of TBA transactions.
10 The term NAABS is used by the Fund to
describe securities backed by installment contracts,
credit-card receivables or other assets but does not
include either residential or commercial mortgagebacked securities. Both asset-backed and
commercial mortgage-backed securities represent
interests in ‘‘pools’’ of assets in which payments of
both interest and principal on the securities are
made on a regular basis. NAABS also include
institutionally traded senior floating rate debt
obligations issued by asset-backed pools and other
issues, and interests therein.
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 29 / Friday, February 12, 2016 / Notices
asabaliauskas on DSK9F6TC42PROD with NOTICES2
Re-REMICs (which are REMICs that
have been resecuritized) 11); stripped
securities; 12 zero coupon securities;
foreign (including emerging markets)
and domestic corporate bonds;
sovereign debt; bank loans; 13 preferred
securities; and exchange traded
products (‘‘ETPs’’) that invest in Fixed
Income Securities.14 To the extent
applicable, debt instruments that
comprise Fixed Income Securities may
be either fixed rate securities, floating
securities,15 or variable rate securities.16
The Fund intends to invest at least
25% of its net assets in mortgage-backed
securities of any maturity or type
guaranteed by, or secured by collateral
that is guaranteed by, the United States
Government, its agencies,
instrumentalities or sponsored
corporations. The Fund also may invest
in privately issued mortgage-backed
securities of any rating assigned by
Moody’s Investor Service, Inc.
(‘‘Moody’s’’) or Standard & Poor’s Rating
Service (‘‘S&P’’) or assigned by any
other nationally recognized statistical
11 A REMIC is an entity that holds a fixed pool
of mortgages and issues multiple classes of interests
in itself to investors and is treated like a partnership
for federal income tax purposes with its income
passed through to its interest holders. REMICs hold
commercial and residential mortgages in trust and
issue interests in those mortgages to investors
through bonds or other securities.
12 Stripped securities are securities composed of
the separate income of principal components of a
debt security. For example, stripped mortgage
securities are created when the interest and
principal components of a mortgage security are
separated and sold as individual securities.
13 The Fund may invest up to 20% of its portfolio
in junior bank loans.
14 For purposes of this filing, ETPs include those
securities described in BATS Rule 14.11. The Fund
may invest in certain ETPs that pay fees to the
Adviser and its affiliates for management,
marketing or other services. The ETPs all will be
listed and traded in the U.S. on national securities
exchanges. While the Fund may invest in inverse
ETPs, the Fund will not invest in leveraged or
inverse leveraged ETPs (e.g., 2X or 3X).
15 A floating rate security provides for the
automatic adjustment of its interest rate whenever
a specified interest rate changes. Interest rates on
these securities are ordinarily tied to, and are a
percentage of, a widely recognized interest rate,
such as the yield on 90-day US Treasury bills or the
prime rate of a specified bank. These rates may
change as often as twice daily.
16 Variable rate securities are instruments issued
or guaranteed by entities such as: (1) The U.S.
Government, or an agency or instrumentality
thereof; (2) states, municipalities and other political
subdivisions, agencies, authorities and
instrumentalities of states and multi-state agencies
or authorities; (3) corporations; (4) financial
institutions; (5) insurance companies; or (6) trusts
that have a rate of interest subject to adjustment at
regular intervals but less frequently than annually.
A variable rate security provides for the automatic
establishment of a new interest rate on set dates.
Variable rate obligations whose interest is
readjusted no less frequently than annually will be
deemed to have a maturity equal to the period
remaining until the next readjustment of the
interest rate.
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Jkt 238001
rating organization (‘‘NRSRO’’) or in
unrated securities that are determined
by the Sub-Adviser to be of comparable
quality.
The Fund may invest up to 20% of its
net assets in the aggregate in non-agency
ABS.
The Fund may invest in U.S.
Government obligations. U.S.
Government obligations are a type of
bond. U.S. Government obligations
include securities issued or guaranteed
as to principal and interest by the U.S.
Government, its agencies,
instrumentalities, or sponsored
corporations. The Fund may also invest
in TIPS of the U.S. Treasury. TIPS are
a type of security issued by a
government that are designed to provide
inflation protection to investors.
The Fund may invest in corporate
bonds.17 The investment return of
corporate bonds reflects interest on the
bond and changes in the market value
of the bond. The market value of a
corporate bond may be affected by the
credit rating of the corporation, the
corporation’s performance and
perceptions of the corporation in the
market place. Such corporate bonds may
be investment grade or may be below
investment grade. The Fund may invest
up to 20% of its net assets in corporate
high yield securities (commonly known
as ‘‘junk bonds’’).
The Fund may invest in sovereign
debt. Sovereign debt obligations are
issued or guaranteed by foreign
governments or their agencies.
Sovereign debt may be in the form of
conventional securities or other types of
debt instruments such as loans or loan
participations. Sovereign debt
obligations may be either investment
grade or below investment grade.
The Fund may invest in bank loans,
which include floating rate loans 18
Bank loan interests may be acquired
from U.S. or foreign commercial banks,
insurance companies, finance
companies or other financial
institutions that have made loans or are
members of a lending syndicate or from
other holders of loan interests. Bank
loans typically pay interest at rates
which are re-determined periodically on
the basis of a floating base lending rate
17 While the Fund is permitted to invest without
restriction in corporate bonds, the Sub-Adviser
expects that, under normal circumstances, the Fund
will generally seek to invest in corporate bond
issuances that have at least $100,000,000 par
amount outstanding in developed countries and at
least $200,000,000 par amount outstanding in
emerging market countries. Further, component
corporate bonds that in the aggregate account for at
least 75% of the weight of corporate bonds will
have a minimum original principal outstanding of
$100 million or more.
18 See supra note 14 [sic].
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7601
(such as the London Inter-Bank Offered
Rate) plus a premium. Bank loans are
typically of below investment grade
quality. Bank loans generally (but not
always) hold the most senior position in
the capital structure of a borrower and
are often secured with collateral. The
Fund may invest in both secured and
unsecured loans.
The Fund may invest in CDOs, CLOs,
CMOs, and CBOs. A CLO is a financing
company (generally called a Special
Purpose Vehicle or ‘‘SPV’’), created to
reapportion the risk and return
characteristics of a pool of assets. While
the assets underlying CLOs are typically
bank loans, the assets may also include:
(i) Unsecured loans, (ii) other debt
securities that are rated below
investment grade, (iii) debt tranches of
other CLOs, and (iv) equity securities
incidental to investments in bank loans.
When investing in CLOs, the Fund will
not invest in equity tranches, which are
the lowest tranche. However, the Fund
may invest in lower debt tranches of
CLOs, which typically experience a
lower recovery, greater risk of loss, or
deferral or non-payment of interest than
more senior debt tranches of the CLO.
In addition, the Fund intends to invest
in CLOs consisting primarily of
individual bank loans of borrowers and
not repackaged CLO obligations from
other high risk pools. The underlying
bank loans purchased by CLOs are
generally performing at the time of
purchase but may become nonperforming, distressed or defaulted.
CLOs with underlying assets of nonperforming, distressed or defaulted
loans are not contemplated to comprise
a significant portion of the Fund’s
investments in CLOs. A CBO is a trust
which is backed by a diversified pool of
below investment grade fixed income
securities. CMOs are debt obligations
collateralized by mortgage loans or
mortgage pass-through securities.
The Fund may purchase exchangetraded or OTC preferred securities.
Preferred securities pay fixed or
adjustable rate dividends to investors
and have preference over common stock
in the payment of dividends and the
liquidation of a company’s assets.
The Fund may invest in ETPs that
invest in Fixed Income Securities,
which include exchange traded funds
registered under the 1940 Act and
exchange traded notes.19 The Adviser
19 The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net
assets in one or more ETPs that are qualified
publicly traded partnerships (‘‘QPTPs’’) and whose
principal activities are the buying and selling of
commodities or options, futures, or forwards with
respect to commodities. Income from QPTPs is
generally qualifying income. A QPTP is an entity
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may receive management or other fees
from the ETPs (‘‘Affiliated ETPs’’) in
which the Fund may invest, as well as
a management fee for managing the
Fund.
asabaliauskas on DSK9F6TC42PROD with NOTICES2
Other Portfolio Holdings
While the Adviser and Sub-Adviser,
under normal circumstances, will invest
at least 80% of the Fund’s net assets in
the instruments described above, the
Adviser and Sub-Adviser may invest up
to 20% of the Fund’s net assets in other
securities and financial instruments, as
described below.
The Fund may invest in repurchase
agreements with commercial banks,
brokers or dealers to generate income
from its excess cash balances and to
invest securities lending cash collateral.
A repurchase agreement is an agreement
under which a fund acquires a financial
instrument (e.g., a security issued by the
U.S. Government or an agency thereof,
a banker’s acceptance or a certificate of
deposit) from a seller, subject to resale
to the seller at an agreed upon price and
date (normally, the next business day).
The Fund may also enter into reverse
repurchase agreements, which involve
the sale of securities with an agreement
to repurchase the securities at an
agreed-upon price, date and interest
payment and have the characteristics of
borrowing. The Fund’s exposure to
reverse repurchase agreements will be
covered by securities having a value
equal to or greater than such
commitments. Under the 1940 Act,
reverse repurchase agreements are
considered borrowings. The Fund does
not expect to engage, under normal
circumstances, in reverse repurchase
agreements with respect to more than
10% of its net assets.
The Fund may invest in both
exchange-traded and OTC U.S. common
stocks. The Fund may also invest in
exchange-traded common stocks of
foreign corporations. The Fund’s
investments in common stock of foreign
corporations may also be in the form of
American Depositary Receipts
(‘‘ADRs’’), Global Depositary Receipts
(‘‘GDRs’’) and European Depositary
Receipts (‘‘EDRs’’) (collectively
‘‘Depositary Receipts’’).20
that is treated as a partnership for federal income
tax purposes, subject to certain requirements. If
such an ETP fails to qualify as a QPTP, the income
generated from the Fund’s investment in the ETP
may not be qualifying income. Examples of such
entities are the PowerShares DB Energy Fund,
PowerShares DB Oil Fund, PowerShares DB
Precious Metals Fund, PowerShares DB Gold Fund,
PowerShares DB Silver Fund, PowerShares DB Base
Metals Fund, and PowerShares DB Agriculture
Fund.
20 Depositary Receipts are receipts, typically
issued by a bank or trust company, which evidence
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17:38 Feb 11, 2016
Jkt 238001
The Fund may invest in convertible
securities traded on an exchange or
OTC. Convertible securities are bonds,
debentures, notes, or other securities
that may be converted or exchanged (by
the holder or by the issuer) into shares
of the underlying common stock (or
cash or securities of equivalent value) at
a stated exchange ratio.
The Fund may lend its portfolio
securities in an amount not to exceed
331⁄3% of the value of its total assets via
a securities lending program through the
Lending Agent, to brokers, dealers and
other financial institutions desiring to
borrow securities to complete
transactions and for other purposes. A
securities lending program allows the
Fund to receive a portion of the income
generated by lending its securities and
investing the respective collateral. The
Fund will receive collateral for each
loaned security which is at least equal
to 102% of the market value of that
security, marked to market each trading
day.
In addition to repurchase agreements,
the Fund may invest in short-term
instruments, including money market
instruments, (including money market
funds advised by the Adviser), cash and
cash equivalents, on an ongoing basis to
provide liquidity or for other reasons.
Money market instruments are generally
short-term investments that may include
but are not limited to: (i) Shares of
money market funds (including those
advised by the Adviser); (ii) obligations
issued or guaranteed by the U.S.
government, its agencies or
instrumentalities (including
government-sponsored enterprises); (iii)
negotiable certificates of deposit
(‘‘CDs’’), bankers’ acceptances, fixed
time deposits and other obligations of
U.S. and foreign banks (including
ownership of underlying securities issued by a
foreign corporation. For ADRs, the depository is
typically a U.S. financial institution and the
underlying securities are issued by a foreign issuer.
For other Depositary Receipts, the depository may
be a foreign or a U.S. entity, and the underlying
securities may have a foreign or a U.S. issuer.
Depositary Receipts will not necessarily be
denominated in the same currency as their
underlying securities. Generally, ADRs, in
registered form, are designed for use in the U.S.
securities market, and EDRs, in bearer form, are
designated for use in European securities markets.
GDRs are tradable both in the United States and in
Europe and are designed for use throughout the
world. The Fund may invest in sponsored or
unsponsored ADRs; however, not more than 10%
of the net assets of the Fund will be invested in
unsponsored ADRs. All exchange-traded equity
securities (e.g., exchange traded common stocks and
exchange traded preferred securities, Depositary
Receipts, and ETPs and certain other exchangetraded investment company securities) in which the
Fund may invest will trade on markets that are
members of the Intermarket Surveillance Group
(‘‘ISG’’) or that have entered into a comprehensive
surveillance agreement with the Exchange.
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foreign branches) and similar
institutions; (iv) commercial paper rated
at the date of purchase ‘‘Prime-1’’ by
Moody’s or ‘‘A–1’’ by S&P, or if unrated,
of comparable quality as determined by
the Adviser; (v) non-convertible
corporate debt securities (e.g., bonds
and debentures) with remaining
maturities at the date of purchase of not
more than 397 days and that satisfy the
rating requirements set forth in Rule 2a–
7 under the 1940 Act; and (vi) shortterm U.S. dollar-denominated
obligations of foreign banks (including
U.S. branches) that, in the opinion of
the Adviser, are of comparable quality
to obligations of U.S. banks which may
be purchased by the Fund. Any of these
instruments may be purchased on a
current or a forward-settled basis. Time
deposits are non-negotiable deposits
maintained in banking institutions for
specified periods of time at stated
interest rates. Bankers’ acceptances are
time drafts drawn on commercial banks
by borrowers, usually in connection
with international transactions.
The Fund may conduct foreign
currency transactions on a spot (i.e.,
cash) or forward basis (i.e., by entering
into forward contracts to purchase or
sell foreign currencies).
The Fund may invest in inverse
floating rate debt instruments (‘‘inverse
floaters’’). Inverse floaters are a type of
instrument that bears a floating or
variable interest rate that moves in the
opposite direction to interest rates
generally or the interest rate on another
security or index.
In addition to ETPs that invest in
Fixed Income Securities as described in
the Principal Holdings, the Fund may
also invest in the securities of other
non-exchange traded investment
companies, including affiliated funds
and money market funds, subject to
applicable limitations under Section
12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act.
The Fund may invest in the securities
of exchange-traded and OTC real estate
investment trusts (‘‘REITs’’).
The Fund may invest up to 20% of its
assets in the following derivatives:
Exchange-traded futures on Treasuries
or Eurodollars; U.S. exchange-traded or
OTC put and call options contracts and
OTC or exchange-traded swap
agreements on Fixed Income Securities
and/or derivatives on indices based on
Fixed Income Securities 21 (including
interest rate swaps, total return swaps,
21 Swap agreements are contracts between parties
in which one party agrees to make periodic
payments to the other party based on the change in
market value or level of a specified rate, index or
asset. In return, the other party agrees to make
payments to the first party based on the return of
a different specified rate, index or asset.
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excess return swaps, and credit default
swaps). The Fund will segregate cash
and/or appropriate liquid assets if
required to do so by Commission or
Commodity Futures Trading
Commission (‘‘CFTC’’) regulation or
interpretation.
In the case of a credit default swap
(‘‘CDS’’), the contract gives one party
(the buyer) the right to recoup the
economic value of a decline in the value
of debt securities of the reference issuer
if the credit event (a downgrade or
default) occurs. This value is obtained
by delivering a debt security of the
reference issuer to the party in return for
a previously agreed payment from the
other party (frequently, the par value of
the debt security).22
CDSs may require initial premium
(discount) payments as well as periodic
payments (receipts) related to the
interest leg of the swap or to the default
of a reference obligation. The Fund will
segregate assets necessary to meet any
accrued payment obligations when it is
the buyer of CDSs. In cases where the
Fund is a seller of a CDS, if the CDS is
physically settled or cash settled, the
Fund will be required to segregate the
full notional amount of the CDS. Such
segregation will not limit the Fund’s
exposure to loss.
The Fund may also invest in
Restricted Securities.23 Restricted
Securities are securities that are not
registered under the Securities Act, but
which can be offered and sold to
‘‘qualified institutional buyers’’ under
Rule 144A under the Securities Act.
Investment Restrictions
The Fund may hold up to an aggregate
amount of 15% of its net assets in
illiquid assets (calculated at the time of
investment), including Restricted
Securities deemed illiquid by the
Adviser or Sub-Adviser 24 under the
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22 The
Fund will enter into CDS agreements only
with counterparties that meet certain standards of
creditworthiness.
23 ‘‘Restricted Securities,’’ for purposes of this
filing, are defined as Rule 144A securities and may
include both mortgage-backed and non-mortgage
144A securities. To the extent that the Fund’s
holding of Restricted Securities include any of the
assets subject to limitations described below, such
holdings will be subject to those limitations, as
applicable.
24 In reaching liquidity decisions, the Adviser and
Sub-Adviser may consider factors including: The
frequency of trades and quotes for the security; the
number of dealers wishing to purchase or sell the
security and the number of other potential
purchasers; dealer undertakings to make a market
in the security; the nature of the security and the
nature of the marketplace in which it trades (e.g.,
the time needed to dispose of the security, the
method of soliciting offers, and the mechanics of
transfer).
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1940 Act.25 The Fund will monitor its
portfolio liquidity on an ongoing basis
to determine whether, in light of current
circumstances, an adequate level of
liquidity is being maintained, and will
consider taking appropriate steps in
order to maintain adequate liquidity if,
through a change in values, net assets,
or other circumstances, more than 15%
of the Fund’s net assets are held in
illiquid assets. Illiquid assets include
securities subject to contractual or other
restrictions on resale and other
instruments that lack readily available
markets as determined in accordance
with Commission staff guidance.
The Fund intends to qualify each year
as a regulated investment company (a
‘‘RIC’’) under Subchapter M of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended.26 The Fund will invest its
assets, and otherwise conduct its
operations, in a manner that is intended
to satisfy the qualifying income,
diversification, and distribution
requirements necessary to establish and
maintain RIC qualification under
Subchapter M.
The Fund’s investments will be
consistent with its investment objective
and will not be used to seek to achieve
leveraged or inverse leveraged returns
(i.e. two times or three times the Fund’s
benchmark).
Under normal circumstances, the
combined total of corporate, sovereign,
non-agency and all other debt rated
below investment grade will not exceed
40% of the Fund’s net assets. The SubAdviser will strive to allocate below
investment grade securities broadly by
industry and issuer in an attempt to
reduce the impact of negative events on
an industry or issuer. Below investment
grade securities are instruments that are
rated BB+ or lower by S&P or Fitch Inc.
or Ba1 or lower by Moody’s or
equivalent ratings by another registered
NRSRO or, if unrated by a NRSRO, of
25 The Commission has stated that long-standing
Commission guidelines have required open-end
funds to hold no more than 15% of their net assets
in illiquid securities and other illiquid assets. See
Investment Company Act Release No. 28193 (March
11, 2008), 73 FR 14618 (March 18, 2008), footnote
34. See also, Investment Company Act Release No.
5847 (October 21, 1969), 35 FR 19989 (December
31, 1970) (Statement Regarding ‘‘Restricted
Securities’’); Investment Company Act Release No.
18612 (March 12, 1992), 57 FR 9828 (March 20,
1992) (Revisions of Guidelines to Form N–1A). A
fund’s portfolio security is illiquid if it cannot be
disposed of in the ordinary course of business
within seven days at approximately the value
ascribed to it by the fund. See Investment Company
Act Release No. 14983 (March 12, 1986), 51 FR
9773 (March 21, 1986) (adopting amendments to
Rule 2a–7 under the 1940 Act); Investment
Company Act Release No. 17452 (April 23, 1990),
55 FR 17933 (April 30, 1990) (adopting Rule 144A
under the Securities Act of 1933).
26 26 U.S.C. 851.
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7603
comparable quality in the opinion of the
Sub-Adviser.
The Fund may invest up to 15% of its
net assets in securities denominated in
foreign currencies, and may invest
beyond this limit in U.S. dollardenominated securities of foreign
issuers. The Fund may invest up to 20%
of its net assets in securities and
instruments that are economically tied
to emerging market countries.27
Net Asset Value
According to the Registration
Statement, the net asset value (‘‘NAV’’)
of the Fund’s Shares generally will be
calculated once daily Monday through
Friday as of the close of regular trading
on the Exchange, generally 4:00 p.m.
Eastern Time (the ‘‘NAV Calculation
Time’’) on each day that the Exchange
is open for trading, based on prices at
the NAV Calculation Time. NAV per
Share is calculated by dividing the
Fund’s net assets by the number of Fund
Shares outstanding. The Fund’s net
assets are valued primarily on the basis
of market quotations. Expenses and fees,
including the management fees, will be
accrued daily and taken into account for
purposes of determining NAV.
Common stocks and other exchangetraded equity securities (including
shares of preferred securities,
convertible securities, REITs, and ETPs)
generally will be valued at the last
reported sale price or the official closing
price on that exchange where the
security is primarily traded on the day
that the valuation is made. Foreign
equities and exchange-listed Depositary
Receipts will be valued at the last sale
or official closing price on the relevant
exchange on the valuation date. If,
however, neither the last sale price nor
the official closing price is available on
the valuation date, each of these
securities will be valued at either the
last reported sale price or official
closing price as of the close of regular
trading of the principal market on
which the security is listed.
Unsponsored ADRs, which are traded
in the OTC market, will be valued at the
last reported sale price from the OTC
Bulletin Board or OTC Link LLC on the
valuation date. Equity securities traded
OTC will be valued based on price
27 The Fund generally considers an issuer to be
economically tied to an emerging market country if:
(i) The issuer is organized under the laws of an
emerging country; (ii) the issuer’s securities are
traded principally in an emerging country; or (iii)
during the issuer’s most recent fiscal year it derived
at least 50% of its revenues, earnings before
interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization, or
profits from goods produced or sold by, investments
made in, or services performed in emerging
countries, or it had at least 50% of its assets in
emerging countries.
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quotations obtained from a brokerdealer who makes markets in such
securities or other equivalent
indications of value provided by a thirdparty pricing service. Securities of nonexchange traded investment companies
will be valued at NAV. Restricted
Securities, repurchase agreements, and
reverse repurchase agreements will
generally be valued at bid prices
received from independent pricing
services as of the announced closing
time for trading in such instruments.
Spot currency transactions will
generally be valued at mid prices
received from an independent pricing
service converted into U.S. dollars at
current market rates on the date of
valuation. Foreign currency forwards
normally will be valued on the basis of
quotes obtained from broker-dealers or
third party pricing services.
Listed futures will generally be valued
at the settlement price determined by
the applicable exchange. Listed options
will generally be valued at the last sale
price on the applicable exchange. Listed
swaps will be valued on the basis of
quotations or equivalent indication of
value supplied by a third-party pricing
service or broker-dealer who makes
markets in such instruments. Nonexchange traded derivatives, including
OTC-traded options, swaps, and
forwards, will normally be valued on
the basis of quotations or equivalent
indication of value supplied by a thirdparty pricing service or broker-dealer
who makes markets in such
instruments. The Fund’s OTC-traded
derivative instruments will generally be
valued at bid prices.
According to the Adviser, U.S.
Government obligations; TIPS;
sovereign debt; foreign and domestic
corporate bonds; ABS; TBA
transactions; inverse floaters and bank
loans; stripped securities; zero coupon
securities; and short-term instruments
will generally be valued at bid prices
received from independent pricing
services as of the announced closing
time for trading in such instruments in
the respective market. In determining
the value of such instruments, pricing
services determine valuations for
normal institutional-size trading units of
such securities using valuation models
or matrix pricing, which incorporates
yield and/or price with respect to bonds
that are considered comparable in
characteristics such as rating, interest
rate and maturity date and quotations
from securities dealers to determine
current value. Investments having a
maturity of 60 days or less are generally
valued at amortized cost.
According to the Registration
Statement, in the event that current
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market valuations are not readily
available or are deemed unreliable, the
Trust’s procedures require the Oversight
Committee (‘‘Committee’’) to determine
a security’s fair value, in accordance
with the 1940 Act.28 In determining
such value the Committee may consider,
among other things, (i) price
comparisons among multiple sources,
(ii) a review of corporate actions and
news events, and (iii) a review of
relevant financial indicators (e.g.,
movement in interest rates and market
indices). In these cases, the Fund’s NAV
may reflect certain portfolio securities’
fair values rather than their market
prices.
Creation and Redemption of Shares
The NAV of Shares of the Fund will
be determined once each business day,
normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time. The
Fund currently anticipates that a
Creation Unit will consist of 50,000
Shares, though this number may change
from time to time, including prior to the
listing of the Fund. The exact number of
Shares that will comprise a Creation
Unit will be disclosed in the
Registration Statement of the Fund. The
Trust will issue and sell Shares of the
Fund only in Creation Units on a
continuous basis, without a sales load
(but subject to transaction fees), at their
NAV per Share next determined after
receipt of an order, on any business day,
in proper form. Creation and
redemption will typically occur in cash,
however, the Trust retains discretion to
conduct such transactions on an in-kind
basis or a combination of cash and inkind, as further described below.
The consideration for purchase of a
Creation Unit of the Fund generally will
consist of either (i) the in-kind deposit
of a designated portfolio of securities
(the ‘‘Deposit Securities’’) per each
Creation Unit and the Cash Component
(defined below), computed as described
28 If a security’s market price is not readily
available or is deemed unreliable, the security will
be valued by another method that the Board
believes will better reflect fair value in accordance
with the Trust’s valuation policies and procedures
and in accordance with the 1940 Act. The Board
has delegated the process of valuing securities for
which market quotations are not readily available
or are deemed unreliable to the Committee. The
Committee, subject to oversight by the Board, may
use fair value pricing in a variety of circumstances,
including but not limited to, situations when
trading in a security has been suspended or halted.
Accordingly, the Fund’s NAV may reflect certain
securities’ fair values rather than their market
prices. Fair value pricing involves subjective
judgments and it is possible that the fair value
determination for a security is materially different
than the value that could be received on the sale
of the security. The Committee has implemented
procedures designed to prevent the use and
dissemination of material, non-public information
regarding the Fund.
PO 00000
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below, or (ii) the cash value of the
Deposit Securities (‘‘Deposit Cash’’) and
the ‘‘Cash Component,’’ computed as
described below. When accepting
purchases of Creation Units for cash, the
Fund may incur additional costs
associated with the acquisition of
Deposit Securities that would otherwise
be provided by an in-kind purchaser.
Together, the Deposit Securities or
Deposit Cash, as applicable, and the
Cash Component constitute the ‘‘Fund
Deposit,’’ which represents the
minimum initial and subsequent
investment amount for a Creation Unit
of the Fund. The ‘‘Cash Component’’ is
an amount equal to the difference
between the NAV of the Shares (per
Creation Unit) and the market value of
the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash,
as applicable. If the Cash Component is
a positive number (i.e., the NAV per
Creation Unit exceeds the market value
of the Deposit Securities or Deposit
Cash, as applicable), the Cash
Component shall be such positive
amount. If the Cash Component is a
negative number (i.e., the NAV per
Creation Unit is less than the market
value of the Deposit Securities or
Deposit Cash, as applicable), the Cash
Component will be such negative
amount and the creator will be entitled
to receive cash in an amount equal to
the Cash Component. The Cash
Component serves the function of
compensating for any differences
between the NAV per Creation Unit and
the market value of the Deposit
Securities or Deposit Cash, as
applicable.
The Custodian, through the National
Securities Clearing Corporation
(‘‘NSCC’’), will make available on each
business day, prior to the opening of
business on the Exchange, the list of the
names and the required amount of each
Deposit Security or the required amount
of Deposit Cash, as applicable, to be
included in the current Fund Deposit
(based on information at the end of the
previous business day) for the Fund.
Such Fund Deposit is subject to any
applicable adjustments as described in
the Registration Statement, in order to
effect purchases of Creation Units of the
Fund until such time as the nextannounced composition of the Deposit
Securities or the required amount of
Deposit Cash, as applicable, is made
available.
Shares may be redeemed only in
Creation Units at their NAV next
determined after receipt of a redemption
request in proper form by the Fund
through the Transfer Agent and only on
a business day.
With respect to the Fund, the
Custodian, through the NSCC, will make
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available immediately prior to the
opening of business on the Exchange
(9:30 a.m. Eastern time) on each
business day, the list of the names and
share quantities of the Fund’s portfolio
securities that will be applicable
(subject to possible amendment or
correction) to redemption requests
received in proper form on that day
(‘‘Fund Securities’’). Fund Securities
received on redemption may not be
identical to Deposit Securities.
Redemption proceeds for a Creation
Unit will be paid either in-kind or in
cash or a combination thereof, as
determined by the Trust. With respect to
in-kind redemptions of the Fund,
redemption proceeds for a Creation Unit
will consist of Fund Securities as
announced by the Custodian on the
business day of the request for
redemption received in proper form
plus cash in an amount equal to the
difference between the NAV of the
Shares being redeemed, as next
determined after a receipt of a request
in proper form, and the value of the
Fund Securities (the ‘‘Cash Redemption
Amount’’), less a fixed redemption
transaction fee and any applicable
additional variable charge as set forth in
the Registration Statement. In the event
that the Fund Securities have a value
greater than the NAV of the Shares, a
compensating cash payment equal to the
differential will be required to be made
by or through an authorized participant
by the redeeming shareholder.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, at the
Trust’s discretion, an authorized
participant may receive the
corresponding cash value of the
securities in lieu of the in-kind
securities value representing one or
more Fund Securities.29
The creation/redemption order cut-off
time for the Fund is expected to be 4:00
p.m. Eastern time. Creation/redemption
order cut-off times may be earlier on any
day that the Securities Industry and
Financial Markets Association
(‘‘SIFMA’’) (or applicable exchange or
market on which the Fund’s
investments are traded) announces an
early closing time. On days when the
Exchange closes earlier than normal, the
Fund may require orders for Creation
Units to be placed earlier in the day.
Availability of Information
The Fund’s Web site, which will be
publicly available prior to the public
offering of Shares, will include a form
of the prospectus for the Fund that may
29 The Adviser represents that, to the extent that
the Trust permits or requires a ‘‘cash in lieu’’
amount, such transactions will be effected in the
same or equitable manner for all Authorized
Participants.
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17:38 Feb 11, 2016
Jkt 238001
be downloaded. The Web site will
include additional quantitative
information updated on a daily basis,
including, for the Fund: (1) The prior
business day’s reported NAV, mid-point
of the bid/ask spread at the time of
calculation of such NAV (the ‘‘Bid/Ask
Price’’),30 daily trading volume, and a
calculation of the premium and
discount of the Bid/Ask Price against
the NAV; and (2) data in chart format
displaying the frequency distribution of
discounts and premiums of the daily
Bid/Ask Price against the NAV, within
appropriate ranges, for each of the four
previous calendar quarters. Daily
trading volume information for the
Shares will also be available in the
financial section of newspapers, through
subscription services such as
Bloomberg, Thomson Reuters, and
International Data Corporation, which
can be accessed by authorized
participants and other investors, as well
as through other electronic services,
including major public Web sites. On
each business day, before
commencement of trading in Shares
during Regular Trading Hours 31 on the
Exchange, the Fund will disclose on its
Web site the identities and quantities of
the portfolio of securities and other
assets (the ‘‘Disclosed Portfolio’’) held
by the Fund that will form the basis for
the Fund’s calculation of NAV at the
end of the business day.32 The Disclosed
Portfolio will include, as applicable:
The ticker symbol; CUSIP number or
other identifier, if any; a description of
the holding (including the type of
holding, such as the type of swap); the
identity of the security, commodity,
index or other asset or instrument
underlying the holding, if any; for
options, the option strike price; quantity
held (as measured by, for example, par
value, notional value or number of
shares, contracts, or units); maturity
date, if any; coupon rate, if any;
effective date, if any; market value of the
holding; and the percentage weighting
of the holding in the Fund’s portfolio.
The Web site and information will be
publicly available at no charge.
30 The Bid/Ask Price of the Fund will be
determined using the midpoint of the highest bid
and the lowest offer on the Exchange as of the time
of calculation of the Fund’s NAV. The records
relating to Bid/Ask Prices will be retained by the
Fund and its service providers.
31 Regular Trading Hours are 9:30 a.m. to 4:00
p.m. Eastern Time.
32 Under accounting procedures to be followed by
the Fund, trades made on the prior business day
(‘‘T’’) will be booked and reflected in NAV on the
current business day (‘‘T+1’’). Accordingly, the
Fund will be able to disclose at the beginning of the
business day the portfolio that will form the basis
for the NAV calculation at the end of the business
day.
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7605
In addition, for the Fund, an
estimated value, defined in BATS Rule
14.11(i)(3)(C) as the ‘‘Intraday Indicative
Value,’’ that reflects an estimated
intraday value of the Fund’s portfolio,
will be disseminated. Moreover, the
Intraday Indicative Value will be based
upon the current value for the
components of the Disclosed Portfolio
and will be updated and widely
disseminated by one or more major
market data vendors at least every 15
seconds during the Exchange’s Regular
Trading Hours.33 In addition, the
quotations of certain of the Fund’s
holdings may not be updated during
U.S. trading hours if such holdings do
not trade in the United States or if
updated prices cannot be ascertained.
The dissemination of the Intraday
Indicative Value, together with the
Disclosed Portfolio, will allow investors
to determine the value of the underlying
portfolio of the Fund on a daily basis
and provide a close estimate of that
value throughout the trading day.
The intra-day, closing, and settlement
prices of exchange-listed instruments
(including exchange traded Depositary
Receipts, preferred securities,
convertible securities, common stock,
futures, ETPs, and QPTPs) will be
readily available from the exchanges
trading such instruments as well as
automated quotation systems, published
or other public sources, or online
information services such as Bloomberg
or Reuters. Intraday and closing price
information for exchange-traded options
and futures will be available from the
applicable exchange and from major
market data vendors. In addition, price
information for U.S. exchange-traded
options will be available from the
Options Price Reporting Authority.
Quotation information from brokers and
dealers or pricing services will be
available for Fixed Income Securities.
Price information regarding spot
currency transactions and OTC-traded
derivative instruments, including
options, swaps, and forward currency
transactions, as well as equity securities
traded in the OTC market, including
Restricted Securities, inverse floaters,
short-term instruments, OTC-traded
preferred securities, OTC-traded ADRs,
and OTC-traded convertible securities,
is available from major market data
vendors. Repurchase and reverse
repurchase agreements will generally be
available through nationally recognized
data service providers through
subscription arrangements.
33 Currently, it is the Exchange’s understanding
that several major market data vendors display and/
or make widely available Intraday Indicative Values
published via the Consolidated Tape Association
(‘‘CTA’’) or other data feeds.
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Information regarding market price
and volume of the Shares will be
continually available on a real-time
basis throughout the day on brokers’
computer screens and other electronic
services. The previous day’s closing
price and trading volume information
for the Shares will be published daily in
the financial section of newspapers.
Quotation and last sale information for
the Shares will be available on the
facilities of the CTA. Information
regarding U.S. exchange-listed equities
will also be available on the facilities of
the CTA.
Initial and Continued Listing
The Shares will be subject to BATS
Rule 14.11(i), which sets forth the initial
and continued listing criteria applicable
to Managed Fund Shares. The Exchange
represents that, for initial and continued
listing, the Fund must be in compliance
with Rule 10A–3 under the Act.34 A
minimum of 100,000 Shares will be
outstanding at the commencement of
trading on the Exchange. The Exchange
will obtain a representation from the
issuer of the Shares that the NAV per
Share will be calculated daily and that
the NAV and the Disclosed Portfolio
will be made available to all market
participants at the same time.
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Trading Halts
With respect to trading halts, the
Exchange may consider all relevant
factors in exercising its discretion to
halt or suspend trading in the Shares of
the Fund. The Exchange will halt
trading in the Shares under the
conditions specified in BATS Rule
11.18. Trading may be halted because of
market conditions or for reasons that, in
the view of the Exchange, make trading
in the Shares inadvisable. These may
include: (1) The extent to which trading
is not occurring in the securities and/or
the financial instruments composing the
Disclosed Portfolio of the Fund; or (2)
whether other unusual conditions or
circumstances detrimental to the
maintenance of a fair and orderly
market are present. Trading in the
Shares also will be subject to Rule
14.11(i)(4)(B)(iv), which sets forth
circumstances under which Shares of
the Fund may be halted.
Trading Rules
The Exchange deems the Shares to be
equity securities, thus rendering trading
in the Shares subject to the Exchange’s
existing rules governing the trading of
equity securities. BATS will allow
trading in the Shares from 8:00 a.m.
until 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The
34 See
17 CFR 240.10A–3.
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Exchange has appropriate rules to
facilitate transactions in the Shares
during all trading sessions. As provided
in BATS Rule 14.11(i)(2)(C), the
minimum price variation for quoting
and entry of orders in Managed Fund
Shares traded on the Exchange is $0.01.
Surveillance
The Exchange believes that its
surveillance procedures are adequate to
properly monitor the trading of the
Shares on the Exchange during all
trading sessions and to deter and detect
violations of Exchange rules and the
applicable federal securities laws.
Trading of the Shares through the
Exchange will be subject to the
Exchange’s surveillance procedures for
derivative products, including Managed
Fund Shares. The Exchange may obtain
information regarding trading in the
Shares and the underlying shares in
exchange traded investment companies,
equity securities, futures, and options
via the ISG, from other exchanges who
are members or affiliates of the ISG, or
with which the Exchange has entered
into a comprehensive surveillance
sharing agreement.35 In addition, the
Exchange is able to access, as needed,
trade information for certain fixed
income instruments reported to FINRA’s
Trade Reporting and Compliance Engine
(‘‘TRACE’’). FINRA also can access data
obtained from the Municipal Securities
Rulemaking Board (‘‘MSRB’’) relating to
municipal bond trading activity for
surveillance purposes in connection
with trading in the Shares. The
Exchange prohibits the distribution of
material non-public information by its
employees.
Information Circular
Prior to the commencement of
trading, the Exchange will inform its
members in an Information Circular of
the special characteristics and risks
associated with trading the Shares.
Specifically, the Information Circular
will discuss the following: (1) The
procedures for purchases and
redemptions of Shares in Creation Units
(and that Shares are not individually
redeemable); (2) BATS Rule 3.7, which
imposes suitability obligations on
35 For a list of the current members and affiliate
members of ISG, see www.isgportal.com. The
Exchange notes that not all components of the
Disclosed Portfolio for the Fund may trade on
markets that are members of ISG or with which the
Exchange has in place a comprehensive
surveillance sharing agreement. The Exchange also
notes that all of the exchange-listed investment
company securities, common stocks, preferred
securities, futures, and options will trade on
markets that are a member of ISG or with which the
Exchange has in place a comprehensive
surveillance sharing agreement.
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Exchange members with respect to
recommending transactions in the
Shares to customers; (3) how
information regarding the Intraday
Indicative Value and the Disclosed
Portfolio is disseminated; (4) the risks
involved in trading the Shares during
the Pre-Opening 36 and After Hours
Trading Sessions 37 when an updated
Intraday Indicative Value will not be
calculated or publicly disseminated; (5)
the requirement that members deliver a
prospectus to investors purchasing
newly issued Shares prior to or
concurrently with the confirmation of a
transaction; and (6) trading information.
In addition, the Information Circular
will advise members, prior to the
commencement of trading, of the
prospectus delivery requirements
applicable to the Fund. Members
purchasing Shares from the Fund for
resale to investors will deliver a
prospectus to such investors. The
Information Circular will also discuss
any exemptive, no-action, and
interpretive relief granted by the
Commission from any rules under the
Act.
In addition, the Information Circular
will reference that the Fund is subject
to various fees and expenses described
in the Registration Statement. The
Information Circular will also disclose
the trading hours of the Shares of the
Fund and the applicable NAV
Calculation Time for the Shares. The
Information Circular will disclose that
information about the Shares of the
Fund will be publicly available on the
Fund’s Web site. In addition, the
Information Circular will reference that
the Trust is subject to various fees and
expenses described in the Fund’s
Registration Statement.
2. Statutory Basis
The Exchange believes that the
proposal is consistent with Section 6(b)
of the Act 38 in general and Section
6(b)(5) of the Act 39 in particular in that
it is designed to prevent fraudulent and
manipulative acts and practices, to
promote just and equitable principles of
trade, to foster cooperation and
coordination with persons engaged in
facilitating transactions in securities, to
remove impediments to and perfect the
mechanism of a free and open market
and a national market system and, in
general, to protect investors and the
public interest.
36 The Pre-Opening Session is from 8:00 a.m. to
9:30 a.m. Eastern Time.
37 The After Hours Trading Session is from 4:00
p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
38 15 U.S.C. 78f.
39 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
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The Exchange believes that the
proposed rule change is designed to
prevent fraudulent and manipulative
acts and practices in that the Shares will
be listed and traded on the Exchange
pursuant to the initial and continued
listing criteria in BATS Rule 14.11(i).
The Exchange believes that its
surveillance procedures are adequate to
properly monitor the trading of the
Shares on the Exchange during all
trading sessions and to deter and detect
violations of Exchange rules and the
applicable federal securities laws. If the
investment adviser to the investment
company issuing Managed Fund Shares
is affiliated with a broker-dealer, such
investment adviser to the investment
company shall erect a ‘‘fire wall’’
between the investment adviser and the
broker-dealer with respect to access to
information concerning the composition
and/or changes to such investment
company portfolio. The Adviser is not a
registered broker-dealer, but is affiliated
with a broker-dealer and has
implemented a ‘‘fire wall’’ with respect
to such broker-dealer regarding access to
information concerning the composition
and/or changes to the Fund’s portfolio.
In the event (a) the Adviser or SubAdviser becomes registered as a brokerdealer or newly affiliated with a brokerdealer, or (b) any new adviser or subadviser is a registered broker-dealer or
becomes affiliated with a broker-dealer,
it will implement a fire wall with
respect to its relevant personnel or
broker-dealer affiliate regarding access
to information concerning the
composition and/or changes to the
portfolio, and will be subject to
procedures designed to prevent the use
and dissemination of material nonpublic information regarding such
portfolio. The Exchange may obtain
information regarding trading in the
Shares and the underlying shares in
exchange traded investment companies,
equity securities, futures, and options
via the ISG, from other exchanges who
are members or affiliates of the ISG, or
with which the Exchange has entered
into a comprehensive surveillance
sharing agreement.40 In addition, the
Exchange is able to access, as needed,
trade information for certain fixed
asabaliauskas on DSK9F6TC42PROD with NOTICES2
40 For
a list of the current members and affiliate
members of ISG, see www.isgportal.com. The
Exchange notes that not all components of the
Disclosed Portfolio for the Fund may trade on
markets that are members of ISG or with which the
Exchange has in place a comprehensive
surveillance sharing agreement. The Exchange also
notes that all of the exchange-listed investment
company securities, common stocks, preferred
securities, futures, and options will trade on
markets that are a member of ISG or with which the
Exchange has in place a comprehensive
surveillance sharing agreement.
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17:38 Feb 11, 2016
Jkt 238001
income instruments reported to FINRA’s
TRACE. FINRA also can access data
obtained from the MSRB relating to
municipal bond trading activity for
surveillance purposes in connection
with trading in the Shares.
According to the Registration
Statement, the Fund intends to achieve
its investment objective by investing,
under normal circumstances, at least
80% of its net assets in a diversified
portfolio of Fixed Income Securities of
any credit quality. The Fund’s
investments will be consistent with the
Fund’s investment objective and will
not be used to achieve leveraged or
inverse leveraged returns, as stated
above. While the Fund is permitted to
invest without restriction in corporate
bonds, the Sub-Adviser expects that,
under normal circumstances, the Fund
will generally seek to invest in corporate
bond issuances that have at least
$100,000,000 par amount outstanding in
developed countries and at least
$200,000,000 par amount outstanding in
emerging market countries.
In addition to the holdings in Fixed
Income Securities described above as
part of the Fund’s principal investment
strategy, the Fund may also, to a limited
extent (under normal circumstances,
less than 20% of the Fund’s net assets)
and as further described above, engage
in transactions in the following:
Repurchase agreements, reverse
repurchase agreements, U.S. common
stocks, exchange-traded foreign
common stocks, Depositary Receipts,
convertible securities, securities
lending, short-term instruments, foreign
currency transactions, inverse floaters,
the securities of other investment
companies, REITs, Restricted Securities,
and certain options, futures, and swaps.
The Fund may hold up to an aggregate
amount of 15% of its net assets in
illiquid assets (calculated at the time of
investment), including Restricted
Securities deemed illiquid by the
Adviser or Sub-Adviser 41 under the
1940 Act.42 The Fund will monitor its
41 In reaching liquidity decisions, the Adviser and
Sub-Adviser may consider factors including: The
frequency of trades and quotes for the security; the
number of dealers wishing to purchase or sell the
security and the number of other potential
purchasers; dealer undertakings to make a market
in the security; the nature of the security and the
nature of the marketplace in which it trades (e.g.,
the time needed to dispose of the security, the
method of soliciting offers, and the mechanics of
transfer).
42 The Commission has stated that long-standing
Commission guidelines have required open-end
funds to hold no more than 15% of their net assets
in illiquid securities and other illiquid assets. See
Investment Company Act Release No. 28193 (March
11, 2008), 73 FR 14618 (March 18, 2008), footnote
34. See also, Investment Company Act Release No.
5847 (October 21, 1969), 35 FR 19989 (December
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Fmt 4703
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7607
portfolio liquidity on an ongoing basis
to determine whether, in light of current
circumstances, an adequate level of
liquidity is being maintained, and will
consider taking appropriate steps in
order to maintain adequate liquidity if,
through a change in values, net assets,
or other circumstances, more than 15%
of the Fund’s net assets are held in
illiquid assets. Illiquid assets include
securities subject to contractual or other
restrictions on resale and other
instruments that lack readily available
markets as determined in accordance
with Commission staff guidance.
The proposed rule change is designed
to promote just and equitable principles
of trade and to protect investors and the
public interest in that the Exchange will
obtain a representation from the issuer
of the Shares that the NAV per Share
will be calculated daily and that the
NAV and the Disclosed Portfolio will be
made available to all market
participants at the same time. In
addition, a large amount of information
is publicly available regarding the Fund
and the Shares, thereby promoting
market transparency. Moreover, the
Intraday Indicative Value will be
disseminated by one or more major
market data vendors at least every 15
seconds during Regular Trading Hours.
On each business day, before
commencement of trading in Shares
during Regular Trading Hours, the Fund
will disclose on its Web site the
Disclosed Portfolio that will form the
basis for the Fund’s calculation of NAV
at the end of the business day. Pricing
information will be available on the
Fund’s Web site including: (1) The prior
business day’s reported NAV, the Bid/
Ask Price of the Fund, and a calculation
of the premium and discount of the Bid/
Ask Price against the NAV; and (2) data
in chart format displaying the frequency
distribution of discounts and premiums
of the daily Bid/Ask Price against the
NAV, within appropriate ranges, for
each of the four previous calendar
quarters. Additionally, information
regarding market price and trading of
the Shares will be continually available
on a real-time basis throughout the day
on brokers’ computer screens and other
31, 1970) (Statement Regarding ‘‘Restricted
Securities’’); Investment Company Act Release No.
18612 (March 12, 1992), 57 FR 9828 (March 20,
1992) (Revisions of Guidelines to Form N–1A). A
fund’s portfolio security is illiquid if it cannot be
disposed of in the ordinary course of business
within seven days at approximately the value
ascribed to it by the fund. See Investment Company
Act Release No. 14983 (March 12, 1986), 51 FR
9773 (March 21, 1986) (adopting amendments to
Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act); Investment
Company Act Release No. 17452 (April 23, 1990),
55 FR 17933 (April 30, 1990) (adopting Rule 144A
under the Securities Act of 1933).
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 29 / Friday, February 12, 2016 / Notices
electronic services, and quotation and
last sale information for the Shares will
be available on the facilities of the CTA.
The Web site for the Fund will include
a form of the prospectus for the Fund
and additional data relating to NAV and
other applicable quantitative
information. Trading in Shares of the
Fund will be halted under the
conditions specified in BATS Rule
11.18. Trading may also be halted
because of market conditions or for
reasons that, in the view of the
Exchange, make trading in the Shares
inadvisable. Finally, trading in the
Shares will be subject to BATS Rule
14.11(i)(4)(B)(iv), which sets forth
circumstances under which Shares of
the Fund may be halted. In addition, the
Exchange is able to access, as needed,
trade information for certain fixed
income instruments reported to FINRA’s
TRACE. FINRA also can access data
obtained from the MSRB relating to
municipal bond trading activity for
surveillance purposes in connection
with trading in the Shares. As noted
above, investors will also have ready
access to information regarding the
Fund’s holdings, the Intraday Indicative
Value, the Disclosed Portfolio, and
quotation and last sale information for
the Shares.
The intra-day, closing, and settlement
prices of exchange-listed instruments
(including exchange traded Depositary
Receipts, preferred securities,
convertible securities, common stock,
futures, ETPs, and QPTPs) will be
readily available from the exchanges
trading such instruments as well as
automated quotation systems, published
or other public sources, or online
information services such as Bloomberg
or Reuters. Intraday and closing price
information for exchange-traded options
and futures will be available from the
applicable exchange and from major
market data vendors. In addition, price
information for U.S. exchange-traded
options will be available from the
Options Price Reporting Authority.
Quotation information from brokers and
dealers or pricing services will be
available for Fixed Income Securities.
Price information regarding spot
currency transactions and OTC-traded
derivative instruments, including
options, swaps, and forward currency
transactions, as well as equity securities
traded in the OTC market, including
Restricted Securities, inverse floaters,
short-term instruments, OTC-traded
preferred securities, OTC-traded ADRs,
and OTC-traded convertible securities,
is available from major market data
vendors. Repurchase and reverse
repurchase agreements will generally be
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17:38 Feb 11, 2016
Jkt 238001
available through nationally recognized
data service providers through
subscription arrangements.
The proposed rule change is designed
to perfect the mechanism of a free and
open market and, in general, to protect
investors and the public interest in that
it will facilitate the listing and trading
of an additional type of activelymanaged exchange-traded product that
will enhance competition among market
participants, to the benefit of investors
and the marketplace. As noted above,
the Exchange has in place surveillance
procedures relating to trading in the
Shares and may obtain information via
ISG from other exchanges that are
members of ISG or with which the
Exchange has entered into a
comprehensive surveillance sharing
agreement. In addition, as noted above,
investors will have ready access to
information regarding the Fund’s
holdings, the Intraday Indicative Value,
the Disclosed Portfolio, and quotation
and last sale information for the Shares.
For the above reasons, the Exchange
believes that the proposed rule change
is consistent with the requirements of
Section 6(b)(5) of the Act.
(B) Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement on Burden on Competition
The Exchange does not believe that
the proposed rule change will impose
any burden on competition that is not
necessary or appropriate in furtherance
of the purpose of the Act. The Exchange
notes that the proposed rule change will
facilitate the listing and trading of an
additional actively-managed exchangetraded product that will enhance
competition among market participants,
to the benefit of investors and the
marketplace.
(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 change.
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
up to 90 days (i) as the Commission may
designate if it finds such longer period
to be appropriate and publishes its
reasons for so finding or (ii) as to which
the self-regulatory organization
consents, the Commission will:
(A) by order approve or disapprove
the proposed rule change, or
PO 00000
Frm 00112
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
(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 proposal 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 No. SR–
BATS–2016–04 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 No.
SR–BATS–2016–04. 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 will also 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 No. SR–BATS–
2016–04 and should be submitted on or
before March 4, 2016.
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 29 / Friday, February 12, 2016 / Notices
For the Commission, by the Division of
Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated
authority.43
Robert W. Errett,
Deputy Secretary.
BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
[Release No. 34–77081; File No. SR–CBOE–
2016–007]
Self-Regulatory Organizations;
Chicago Board Options Exchange,
Incorporated; Notice of Filing and
Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed
Rule Change Relating To Adopting a
Principles-Based Approach To Prohibit
the Misuse of Material Nonpublic
Information by Designated Primary
Market-Makers (‘‘DPMs’’) and Lead
Market-Makers (‘‘LMMs’’)
February 8, 2016.
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 February
1, 2016, Chicago Board Options
Exchange, Incorporated (the ‘‘Exchange’’
or ‘‘CBOE’’) filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission (the
‘‘Commission’’) the proposed rule
change as described in Items I, II, and
III below, which Items have been
prepared by the Exchange. The
Exchange filed the proposal as a ‘‘noncontroversial’’ proposed rule change
pursuant to section 19(b)(3)(A)(iii) of the
Act 3 and Rule 19b–4(f)(6) thereunder.4
The Commission is publishing this
notice to solicit comments on the
proposed rule change from interested
persons.
asabaliauskas on DSK9F6TC42PROD with NOTICES2
I. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement of the Terms of Substance of
the Proposed Rule Change
The text of the proposed rule change
is available on the Exchange’s Web site
(https://www.cboe.com/AboutCBOE/
CBOELegalRegulatoryHome.aspx), at
the Exchange’s Office of the Secretary,
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
43 17
CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).
U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
2 17 CFR 240.19b–4.
3 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(iii).
4 17 CFR 240.19b–4(f)(6).
1 15
17:38 Feb 11, 2016
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Background
The Exchange has three classes of
registered Market-Makers. Pursuant to
Rule 8.1, a Market-Maker is an
individual TPH or TPH organization
that is registered with the Exchange for
the purpose of making transactions as a
dealer-specialist on the Exchange. All
Market-Makers are subject to the
requirements of Rule 8.7, which set
forth the obligations of Market-Makers,
including quoting activity.
Rule 8.85 outlines the obligations of
DPM’s, which, in addition to the
Market-Maker obligations of Rule 8.7,
must fulfill a number of increased
obligations including providing
continuous electronic quotes, assuring
that each of the displayed market
quotations is honored, and complying
heightened with bid/ask differential
requirements.5
Rule 8.15 states that the Exchange
may appoint, in an option class for
which a DPM has not been appointed,
one or more Market-Makers in good
standing as LMMs and Supplemental
Market-Makers (‘‘SMMs’’) to participate
in opening rotation procedures for
Hybrid 3.0 classes and/or to determine
a formula for generating updated market
quotations during the trading day.
LMM’s in Hybrid 3.0 classes are
obligated to quote a firm two-sided
market of sufficient size to
accommodate a relatively active
opening within the bid/ask differential
requirements determined by the
Exchange.
Rule 8.15A states the Exchange may
appoint one or more Market-Makers in
good standing with an appointment in
a Hybrid-Trading system option class
for which a DPM has not been
appointed as LMMs. Much like DPMs
LMMs in Hybrid Classes are subject to
increased obligations that include
providing continuous electronic quotes
that comply with the bid/ask differential
requirements determined by the
Exchange.
Pursuant to Rules 8.15B and 8.87, the
exchange may establish participation
entitlements for LMM’s and DPMs
appointed pursuant to the
aforementioned Rules. DPM’s and
LMM’s must meet specific obligations
prior to being awarded a participation
entitlements [sic].
Whether operating on the CBOE
Trading Floor or from a remote location,
all Market-Makers, including DPMs and
LMMs, have access to the same
information in the Consolidated Book
that is available to all other market
participants. Moreover, none of the
Exchange’s Market-Makers have agency
obligations to the Exchange’s Order
Book. As such, the primary distinctions
between Market-Makers and DPMs and
LMMs are the increased quoting
requirements and allocation
entitlements.
Despite the fact that Market-Makers,
DPMs and LMMs have access to the
same trading information as all other
market participants on the Exchange,
the Exchange has distinct rules
governing how DPMs and LMMs may
operate. Rule 8.91(a) specifies that a
DPM shall maintain information barriers
that are reasonably designed to prevent
the misuse of material, nonpublic
information with any affiliates that may
conduct a brokerage business in option
classes allocated to the DPM or act as a
5 Compare Rule 8.85(a)(i) (‘‘[Each DPM shall]
provide continuous electronic quotes . . . in at
least 99% of the non-adjusted options series or
100% of the non-adjusted option series minus one
call-put pair . . .’’) with Rule 8.7(d)(ii)(B) (‘‘A
[FR Doc. 2016–02838 Filed 2–11–16; 8:45 am]
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7609
Market-Maker will be required to maintain
continuous electronic quotes . . . in 60% of the
non-adjusted option series of the Market-Maker’s
appointed classes that have a time to expiration of
less than nine months.’’).
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 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 adopt a
principles-based approach to prohibit
the misuse of material, nonpublic
information by DPMs and LMMs by
deleting Rule 8.91, sub-paragraph (b)(5)
of Rule 8.15 and paragraph(b)(vii) of
Rule 8.15A. In so doing, the Exchange
would harmonize its rules related to the
preventing the misuse of material,
nonpublic information for every Trading
Permit Holder (‘‘TPH’’). The Exchange
believes that Rule 8.91, Rule 8.15(b)(5)
and Rule 8.15A(b)(vii) are no longer
necessary because all TPH, including
DPMs and LMMs are subject to the
Exchange’s general principles-based
requirements governing the protection
against misuse of material, nonpublic
information, pursuant to Rule 4.18
(Prevention of the Misuse of Material,
Nonpublic Information), which obviates
the need for separately prescribed
requirements for a subset of market
participants on the Exchange.
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 29 (Friday, February 12, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7599-7609]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-02838]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
[Release No. 34-77078; File No. SR-BATS-2016-04]
Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of
Filing of a Proposed Rule Change to Rule 14.11(i), Managed Fund Shares,
To List and Trade Shares of the SPDR DoubleLine Short Term Total Return
Tactical ETF of the SSgA Active Trust
February 8, 2016.
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 February 4, 2016, BATS Exchange, Inc. (the ``Exchange'' or
``BATS'') filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(``Commission'') the proposed rule change as described in Items I and
II below, which Items have been prepared by the Exchange. The
Commission is publishing this notice to solicit comments on the
proposed rule change from interested persons.
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\1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
\2\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4.
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I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance
of the Proposed Rule Change
The Exchange is proposing a rule change to list and trade shares of
the SPDRDoubleLine Short Term Total Return Tactical ETF (the ``Fund'')
of the SSgA Active Trust (the ``Trust'') under BATS Rule 14.11(i)
(``Managed Fund Shares''). The shares of the Fund are collectively
referred to herein as the ``Shares.''
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
The Exchange proposes to list and trade the Shares under BATS Rule
14.11(i), which governs the listing and trading of Managed Fund Shares
on the Exchange.\3\ The Fund will be an actively managed fund. The
Shares will be offered by the Trust, which was established as a
Massachusetts business trust on March 30, 2011. The Trust is registered
with the Commission as an open-end investment company and has filed a
registration statement on behalf of the Fund on Form N-1A
(``Registration Statement'') with the Commission.\4\
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\3\ The Commission approved BATS Rule 14.11(i) in Securities
Exchange Act Release No. 65225 (August 30, 2011), 76 FR 55148
(September 6, 2011) (SR-BATS-2011-018).
\4\ See Registration Statement on Form N-1A for the Trust, dated
October 8, 2015 (File Nos. 333-173276 and 811-22542). The
descriptions of the Fund and the Shares contained herein are based,
in part, on information in the Registration Statement. The
Commission has issued an order granting certain exemptive relief to
the Trust under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-1)
(``1940 Act'') (the ``Exemptive Order''). See Investment Company Act
Release No. 29524 (December 13, 2010) (File No. 812-13487).
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Description of the Shares and the Fund
SSGA Funds Management, Inc. will be the investment adviser (``SSGA
FM'' or ``Adviser'') to the Fund. The Adviser will serve as the
administrator for the Fund (the ``Administrator''). DoubleLine Capital
LP will be the Fund's sub-adviser (``Sub-Adviser''). State Street
Global Markets, LLC (the ``Distributor'') will be the principal
underwriter and distributor of the Fund's Shares. State Street Bank and
Trust Company (the ``Sub-Administrator'', ``Custodian'', ``Transfer
Agent'' or ``Lending Agent'') will serve as sub-administrator,
custodian, transfer agent, and, where applicable, lending agent for the
Fund.
BATS Rule 14.11(i)(7) provides that, if the investment adviser to
the investment company issuing Managed Fund Shares is affiliated with a
broker-dealer, such investment adviser shall erect a ``fire wall''
between the investment adviser and the broker-dealer with respect to
access to information concerning the composition and/or changes to such
investment company portfolio.\5\ In addition, Rule
[[Page 7600]]
14.11(i)(7) further requires that personnel who make decisions on the
investment company's portfolio composition must be subject to
procedures designed to prevent the use and dissemination of material
nonpublic information regarding the applicable investment company
portfolio. Rule 14.11(i)(7) is similar to BATS Rule 14.11(b)(5)(A)(i),
however, Rule 14.11(i)(7) in connection with the establishment of a
``fire wall'' between the investment adviser and the broker-dealer
reflects the applicable open-end fund's portfolio, not an underlying
benchmark index, as is the case with index-based funds. The Adviser and
Sub-Adviser are not registered as a broker-dealer but the Adviser is
affiliated with a broker-dealer and has implemented a ``fire wall''
with respect to such broker-dealer regarding access to information
concerning the composition and/or changes to the Fund's portfolio. The
Sub-Adviser is not affiliated with a broker-dealer. In the event (a)
the Adviser or Sub-Adviser becomes registered as a broker-dealer or
newly affiliated with a broker-dealer, or (b) any new adviser or sub-
adviser is a registered broker-dealer or becomes affiliated with a
broker-dealer, it will implement a fire wall with respect to its
relevant personnel or broker-dealer affiliate regarding access to
information concerning the composition and/or changes to the portfolio,
and will be subject to procedures designed to prevent the use and
dissemination of material non-public information regarding such
portfolio.
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\5\ An investment adviser to an open-end fund is required to be
registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (the ``Advisers
Act''). As a result, the Adviser and its related personnel as well
as the Sub-Adviser and its related personnel are subject to the
provisions of Rule 204A-1 under the Advisers Act relating to codes
of ethics. This Rule requires investment advisers to adopt a code of
ethics that reflects the fiduciary nature of the relationship to
clients as well as compliance with other applicable securities laws.
Accordingly, procedures designed to prevent the communication and
misuse of non-public information by an investment adviser must be
consistent with Rule 204A-1 under the Advisers Act. In addition,
Rule 206(4)-7 under the Advisers Act makes it unlawful for an
investment adviser to provide investment advice to clients unless
such investment adviser has (i) adopted and implemented written
policies and procedures reasonably designed to prevent violation, by
the investment adviser and its supervised persons, of the Advisers
Act and the Commission rules adopted thereunder; (ii) implemented,
at a minimum, an annual review regarding the adequacy of the
policies and procedures established pursuant to subparagraph (i)
above and the effectiveness of their implementation; and (iii)
designated an individual (who is a supervised person) responsible
for administering the policies and procedures adopted under
subparagraph (i) above.
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SPDR DoubleLine Short Term Total Return Tactical ETF
According to the Registration Statement, the Fund will seek to
maximize current income with a dollar-weighted average effective
duration between one and three years. To achieve its objective, the
Fund will invest, under normal circumstances,\6\ in a diversified
portfolio of fixed income securities of any credit quality subject to
certain limitations as described further below. The Fund is an
actively-managed fund that does not seek to replicate the performance
of a specified index.
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\6\ The term ``under normal circumstances'' includes, but is not
limited to, the absence of extreme volatility or trading halts in
the fixed income markets or the financial markets generally;
operational issues causing dissemination of inaccurate market
information; or force majeure type events such as systems failure,
natural or man-made disaster, act of God, armed conflict, act of
terrorism, riot or labor disruption or any similar intervening
circumstance.
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The Sub-Adviser will monitor the duration of the securities held by
the Fund to seek to mitigate exposure to interest rate risk.\7\ Under
normal circumstances, the Sub-Adviser will seek to maintain an
investment portfolio with a weighted average effective duration between
1 and 3 years. The duration of the portfolio may vary materially from
its target, from time to time.
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\7\ Duration is a measure used to determine the sensitivity of a
security's price to changes in interest rates. The longer a
security's duration, the more sensitive it will be to changes in
interest rates.
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The Sub-Adviser will actively manage the Fund's asset class
exposure using a top-down approach based on analysis of sector
fundamentals and rotate Fund assets among sectors in various markets to
attempt to maximize return. Individual securities within asset classes
will be selected using a bottom-up approach. Under normal
circumstances, the Sub-Adviser will use a controlled risk approach in
managing the Fund's investments. The techniques of this approach
attempt to control the principal risk components of the fixed income
markets and include consideration of: Security selection within a given
sector; relative performance of the various market sectors; the shape
of the yield curve; and fluctuations in the overall level of interest
rates. In certain situations or market conditions, the Fund may
temporarily depart from its normal investment policies and strategies
provided that the alternative is in the best interest of the Fund. For
example, the Fund may hold a higher than normal proportion of its
assets in cash in times of extreme market stress.
Principal Holdings
The Fund intends to achieve its investment objective by investing,
under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets in a
diversified portfolio of Fixed Income Securities, as defined below,
subject to certain limits described below. For purposes of this filing,
Fixed Income Securities are defined as the following instruments:
Securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or its agencies,
instrumentalities or sponsored corporations; inflation protected public
obligations of the U.S. Treasury (``TIPS''); securities issued or
guaranteed by state or local governments or their agencies or
instrumentalities (commonly known as municipal bonds); \8\ asset backed
securities (``ABS'') (which include the following: Agency and non-
agency residential mortgage-backed securities (``RMBS''),\9\ agency and
non-agency commercial mortgage-backed securities (``CMBS''), and any
other agency and non-agency asset-backed securities (``NAABS''); \10\
collateralized debt obligations (``CDOs''); collateralized loan
obligations (``CLOs''); collateralized bond obligations (``CBOs'');
collateralized mortgage obligations (``CMOs''); and Real Estate
Mortgage Investment Conduits (``REMICs'') and
[[Page 7601]]
Re-REMICs (which are REMICs that have been resecuritized) \11\);
stripped securities; \12\ zero coupon securities; foreign (including
emerging markets) and domestic corporate bonds; sovereign debt; bank
loans; \13\ preferred securities; and exchange traded products
(``ETPs'') that invest in Fixed Income Securities.\14\ To the extent
applicable, debt instruments that comprise Fixed Income Securities may
be either fixed rate securities, floating securities,\15\ or variable
rate securities.\16\
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\8\ Municipal securities are securities issued by states,
municipalities and other political subdivisions, agencies,
authorities and instrumentalities of states and multi-state agencies
or authorities. The municipal securities which the Portfolio Fund
may purchase include general obligation bonds and limited obligation
bonds (or revenue bonds), including industrial development bonds
issued pursuant to former federal tax law. General obligation bonds
are obligations involving the credit of an issuer possessing taxing
power and are payable from such issuer's general revenues and not
from any particular source. Limited obligation bonds are payable
only from the revenues derived from a particular facility or class
of facilities or, in some cases, from the proceeds of a special
excise or other specific revenue source. Also included within the
general category of municipal securities are municipal leases,
certificates of participation in such lease obligations or
installment purchase contract obligations.
\9\ For example, the Fund may invest a substantial portion of
its assets in U.S. agency mortgage pass-through securities. The term
``U.S. agency mortgage pass-through security'' refers to a category
of pass-through securities backed by pools of mortgages and issued
by one of several U.S. Government-sponsored enterprises: Ginnie Mae,
Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. The Fund may seek to obtain exposure to
U.S. agency mortgage pass-through securities through the use of
``to-be-announced'' or ``TBA transactions.'' ``TBA'' refers to a
commonly used mechanism for the forward settlement of U.S. agency
mortgage pass-through securities, and not to a separate type of
mortgage-backed security. Transactions in mortgage pass-through
securities may occur through the use of TBA transactions.
\10\ The term NAABS is used by the Fund to describe securities
backed by installment contracts, credit-card receivables or other
assets but does not include either residential or commercial
mortgage-backed securities. Both asset-backed and commercial
mortgage-backed securities represent interests in ``pools'' of
assets in which payments of both interest and principal on the
securities are made on a regular basis. NAABS also include
institutionally traded senior floating rate debt obligations issued
by asset-backed pools and other issues, and interests therein.
\11\ A REMIC is an entity that holds a fixed pool of mortgages
and issues multiple classes of interests in itself to investors and
is treated like a partnership for federal income tax purposes with
its income passed through to its interest holders. REMICs hold
commercial and residential mortgages in trust and issue interests in
those mortgages to investors through bonds or other securities.
\12\ Stripped securities are securities composed of the separate
income of principal components of a debt security. For example,
stripped mortgage securities are created when the interest and
principal components of a mortgage security are separated and sold
as individual securities.
\13\ The Fund may invest up to 20% of its portfolio in junior
bank loans.
\14\ For purposes of this filing, ETPs include those securities
described in BATS Rule 14.11. The Fund may invest in certain ETPs
that pay fees to the Adviser and its affiliates for management,
marketing or other services. The ETPs all will be listed and traded
in the U.S. on national securities exchanges. While the Fund may
invest in inverse ETPs, the Fund will not invest in leveraged or
inverse leveraged ETPs (e.g., 2X or 3X).
\15\ A floating rate security provides for the automatic
adjustment of its interest rate whenever a specified interest rate
changes. Interest rates on these securities are ordinarily tied to,
and are a percentage of, a widely recognized interest rate, such as
the yield on 90-day US Treasury bills or the prime rate of a
specified bank. These rates may change as often as twice daily.
\16\ Variable rate securities are instruments issued or
guaranteed by entities such as: (1) The U.S. Government, or an
agency or instrumentality thereof; (2) states, municipalities and
other political subdivisions, agencies, authorities and
instrumentalities of states and multi-state agencies or authorities;
(3) corporations; (4) financial institutions; (5) insurance
companies; or (6) trusts that have a rate of interest subject to
adjustment at regular intervals but less frequently than annually. A
variable rate security provides for the automatic establishment of a
new interest rate on set dates. Variable rate obligations whose
interest is readjusted no less frequently than annually will be
deemed to have a maturity equal to the period remaining until the
next readjustment of the interest rate.
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The Fund intends to invest at least 25% of its net assets in
mortgage-backed securities of any maturity or type guaranteed by, or
secured by collateral that is guaranteed by, the United States
Government, its agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored corporations.
The Fund also may invest in privately issued mortgage-backed securities
of any rating assigned by Moody's Investor Service, Inc. (``Moody's'')
or Standard & Poor's Rating Service (``S&P'') or assigned by any other
nationally recognized statistical rating organization (``NRSRO'') or in
unrated securities that are determined by the Sub-Adviser to be of
comparable quality.
The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in the aggregate in
non-agency ABS.
The Fund may invest in U.S. Government obligations. U.S. Government
obligations are a type of bond. U.S. Government obligations include
securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the
U.S. Government, its agencies, instrumentalities, or sponsored
corporations. The Fund may also invest in TIPS of the U.S. Treasury.
TIPS are a type of security issued by a government that are designed to
provide inflation protection to investors.
The Fund may invest in corporate bonds.\17\ The investment return
of corporate bonds reflects interest on the bond and changes in the
market value of the bond. The market value of a corporate bond may be
affected by the credit rating of the corporation, the corporation's
performance and perceptions of the corporation in the market place.
Such corporate bonds may be investment grade or may be below investment
grade. The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in corporate
high yield securities (commonly known as ``junk bonds'').
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\17\ While the Fund is permitted to invest without restriction
in corporate bonds, the Sub-Adviser expects that, under normal
circumstances, the Fund will generally seek to invest in corporate
bond issuances that have at least $100,000,000 par amount
outstanding in developed countries and at least $200,000,000 par
amount outstanding in emerging market countries. Further, component
corporate bonds that in the aggregate account for at least 75% of
the weight of corporate bonds will have a minimum original principal
outstanding of $100 million or more.
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The Fund may invest in sovereign debt. Sovereign debt obligations
are issued or guaranteed by foreign governments or their agencies.
Sovereign debt may be in the form of conventional securities or other
types of debt instruments such as loans or loan participations.
Sovereign debt obligations may be either investment grade or below
investment grade.
The Fund may invest in bank loans, which include floating rate
loans \18\ Bank loan interests may be acquired from U.S. or foreign
commercial banks, insurance companies, finance companies or other
financial institutions that have made loans or are members of a lending
syndicate or from other holders of loan interests. Bank loans typically
pay interest at rates which are re-determined periodically on the basis
of a floating base lending rate (such as the London Inter-Bank Offered
Rate) plus a premium. Bank loans are typically of below investment
grade quality. Bank loans generally (but not always) hold the most
senior position in the capital structure of a borrower and are often
secured with collateral. The Fund may invest in both secured and
unsecured loans.
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\18\ See supra note 14 [sic].
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The Fund may invest in CDOs, CLOs, CMOs, and CBOs. A CLO is a
financing company (generally called a Special Purpose Vehicle or
``SPV''), created to reapportion the risk and return characteristics of
a pool of assets. While the assets underlying CLOs are typically bank
loans, the assets may also include: (i) Unsecured loans, (ii) other
debt securities that are rated below investment grade, (iii) debt
tranches of other CLOs, and (iv) equity securities incidental to
investments in bank loans. When investing in CLOs, the Fund will not
invest in equity tranches, which are the lowest tranche. However, the
Fund may invest in lower debt tranches of CLOs, which typically
experience a lower recovery, greater risk of loss, or deferral or non-
payment of interest than more senior debt tranches of the CLO. In
addition, the Fund intends to invest in CLOs consisting primarily of
individual bank loans of borrowers and not repackaged CLO obligations
from other high risk pools. The underlying bank loans purchased by CLOs
are generally performing at the time of purchase but may become non-
performing, distressed or defaulted. CLOs with underlying assets of
non-performing, distressed or defaulted loans are not contemplated to
comprise a significant portion of the Fund's investments in CLOs. A CBO
is a trust which is backed by a diversified pool of below investment
grade fixed income securities. CMOs are debt obligations collateralized
by mortgage loans or mortgage pass-through securities.
The Fund may purchase exchange-traded or OTC preferred securities.
Preferred securities pay fixed or adjustable rate dividends to
investors and have preference over common stock in the payment of
dividends and the liquidation of a company's assets.
The Fund may invest in ETPs that invest in Fixed Income Securities,
which include exchange traded funds registered under the 1940 Act and
exchange traded notes.\19\ The Adviser
[[Page 7602]]
may receive management or other fees from the ETPs (``Affiliated
ETPs'') in which the Fund may invest, as well as a management fee for
managing the Fund.
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\19\ The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in one or
more ETPs that are qualified publicly traded partnerships
(``QPTPs'') and whose principal activities are the buying and
selling of commodities or options, futures, or forwards with respect
to commodities. Income from QPTPs is generally qualifying income. A
QPTP is an entity that is treated as a partnership for federal
income tax purposes, subject to certain requirements. If such an ETP
fails to qualify as a QPTP, the income generated from the Fund's
investment in the ETP may not be qualifying income. Examples of such
entities are the PowerShares DB Energy Fund, PowerShares DB Oil
Fund, PowerShares DB Precious Metals Fund, PowerShares DB Gold Fund,
PowerShares DB Silver Fund, PowerShares DB Base Metals Fund, and
PowerShares DB Agriculture Fund.
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Other Portfolio Holdings
While the Adviser and Sub-Adviser, under normal circumstances, will
invest at least 80% of the Fund's net assets in the instruments
described above, the Adviser and Sub-Adviser may invest up to 20% of
the Fund's net assets in other securities and financial instruments, as
described below.
The Fund may invest in repurchase agreements with commercial banks,
brokers or dealers to generate income from its excess cash balances and
to invest securities lending cash collateral. A repurchase agreement is
an agreement under which a fund acquires a financial instrument (e.g.,
a security issued by the U.S. Government or an agency thereof, a
banker's acceptance or a certificate of deposit) from a seller, subject
to resale to the seller at an agreed upon price and date (normally, the
next business day).
The Fund may also enter into reverse repurchase agreements, which
involve the sale of securities with an agreement to repurchase the
securities at an agreed-upon price, date and interest payment and have
the characteristics of borrowing. The Fund's exposure to reverse
repurchase agreements will be covered by securities having a value
equal to or greater than such commitments. Under the 1940 Act, reverse
repurchase agreements are considered borrowings. The Fund does not
expect to engage, under normal circumstances, in reverse repurchase
agreements with respect to more than 10% of its net assets.
The Fund may invest in both exchange-traded and OTC U.S. common
stocks. The Fund may also invest in exchange-traded common stocks of
foreign corporations. The Fund's investments in common stock of foreign
corporations may also be in the form of American Depositary Receipts
(``ADRs''), Global Depositary Receipts (``GDRs'') and European
Depositary Receipts (``EDRs'') (collectively ``Depositary
Receipts'').\20\
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\20\ Depositary Receipts are receipts, typically issued by a
bank or trust company, which evidence ownership of underlying
securities issued by a foreign corporation. For ADRs, the depository
is typically a U.S. financial institution and the underlying
securities are issued by a foreign issuer. For other Depositary
Receipts, the depository may be a foreign or a U.S. entity, and the
underlying securities may have a foreign or a U.S. issuer.
Depositary Receipts will not necessarily be denominated in the same
currency as their underlying securities. Generally, ADRs, in
registered form, are designed for use in the U.S. securities market,
and EDRs, in bearer form, are designated for use in European
securities markets. GDRs are tradable both in the United States and
in Europe and are designed for use throughout the world. The Fund
may invest in sponsored or unsponsored ADRs; however, not more than
10% of the net assets of the Fund will be invested in unsponsored
ADRs. All exchange-traded equity securities (e.g., exchange traded
common stocks and exchange traded preferred securities, Depositary
Receipts, and ETPs and certain other exchange-traded investment
company securities) in which the Fund may invest will trade on
markets that are members of the Intermarket Surveillance Group
(``ISG'') or that have entered into a comprehensive surveillance
agreement with the Exchange.
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The Fund may invest in convertible securities traded on an exchange
or OTC. Convertible securities are bonds, debentures, notes, or other
securities that may be converted or exchanged (by the holder or by the
issuer) into shares of the underlying common stock (or cash or
securities of equivalent value) at a stated exchange ratio.
The Fund may lend its portfolio securities in an amount not to
exceed 33\1/3\% of the value of its total assets via a securities
lending program through the Lending Agent, to brokers, dealers and
other financial institutions desiring to borrow securities to complete
transactions and for other purposes. A securities lending program
allows the Fund to receive a portion of the income generated by lending
its securities and investing the respective collateral. The Fund will
receive collateral for each loaned security which is at least equal to
102% of the market value of that security, marked to market each
trading day.
In addition to repurchase agreements, the Fund may invest in short-
term instruments, including money market instruments, (including money
market funds advised by the Adviser), cash and cash equivalents, on an
ongoing basis to provide liquidity or for other reasons. Money market
instruments are generally short-term investments that may include but
are not limited to: (i) Shares of money market funds (including those
advised by the Adviser); (ii) obligations issued or guaranteed by the
U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities (including
government-sponsored enterprises); (iii) negotiable certificates of
deposit (``CDs''), bankers' acceptances, fixed time deposits and other
obligations of U.S. and foreign banks (including foreign branches) and
similar institutions; (iv) commercial paper rated at the date of
purchase ``Prime-1'' by Moody's or ``A-1'' by S&P, or if unrated, of
comparable quality as determined by the Adviser; (v) non-convertible
corporate debt securities (e.g., bonds and debentures) with remaining
maturities at the date of purchase of not more than 397 days and that
satisfy the rating requirements set forth in Rule 2a-7 under the 1940
Act; and (vi) short-term U.S. dollar-denominated obligations of foreign
banks (including U.S. branches) that, in the opinion of the Adviser,
are of comparable quality to obligations of U.S. banks which may be
purchased by the Fund. Any of these instruments may be purchased on a
current or a forward-settled basis. Time deposits are non-negotiable
deposits maintained in banking institutions for specified periods of
time at stated interest rates. Bankers' acceptances are time drafts
drawn on commercial banks by borrowers, usually in connection with
international transactions.
The Fund may conduct foreign currency transactions on a spot (i.e.,
cash) or forward basis (i.e., by entering into forward contracts to
purchase or sell foreign currencies).
The Fund may invest in inverse floating rate debt instruments
(``inverse floaters''). Inverse floaters are a type of instrument that
bears a floating or variable interest rate that moves in the opposite
direction to interest rates generally or the interest rate on another
security or index.
In addition to ETPs that invest in Fixed Income Securities as
described in the Principal Holdings, the Fund may also invest in the
securities of other non-exchange traded investment companies, including
affiliated funds and money market funds, subject to applicable
limitations under Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act.
The Fund may invest in the securities of exchange-traded and OTC
real estate investment trusts (``REITs'').
The Fund may invest up to 20% of its assets in the following
derivatives: Exchange-traded futures on Treasuries or Eurodollars; U.S.
exchange-traded or OTC put and call options contracts and OTC or
exchange-traded swap agreements on Fixed Income Securities and/or
derivatives on indices based on Fixed Income Securities \21\ (including
interest rate swaps, total return swaps,
[[Page 7603]]
excess return swaps, and credit default swaps). The Fund will segregate
cash and/or appropriate liquid assets if required to do so by
Commission or Commodity Futures Trading Commission (``CFTC'')
regulation or interpretation.
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\21\ Swap agreements are contracts between parties in which one
party agrees to make periodic payments to the other party based on
the change in market value or level of a specified rate, index or
asset. In return, the other party agrees to make payments to the
first party based on the return of a different specified rate, index
or asset.
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In the case of a credit default swap (``CDS''), the contract gives
one party (the buyer) the right to recoup the economic value of a
decline in the value of debt securities of the reference issuer if the
credit event (a downgrade or default) occurs. This value is obtained by
delivering a debt security of the reference issuer to the party in
return for a previously agreed payment from the other party
(frequently, the par value of the debt security).\22\
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\22\ The Fund will enter into CDS agreements only with
counterparties that meet certain standards of creditworthiness.
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CDSs may require initial premium (discount) payments as well as
periodic payments (receipts) related to the interest leg of the swap or
to the default of a reference obligation. The Fund will segregate
assets necessary to meet any accrued payment obligations when it is the
buyer of CDSs. In cases where the Fund is a seller of a CDS, if the CDS
is physically settled or cash settled, the Fund will be required to
segregate the full notional amount of the CDS. Such segregation will
not limit the Fund's exposure to loss.
The Fund may also invest in Restricted Securities.\23\ Restricted
Securities are securities that are not registered under the Securities
Act, but which can be offered and sold to ``qualified institutional
buyers'' under Rule 144A under the Securities Act.
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\23\ ``Restricted Securities,'' for purposes of this filing, are
defined as Rule 144A securities and may include both mortgage-backed
and non-mortgage 144A securities. To the extent that the Fund's
holding of Restricted Securities include any of the assets subject
to limitations described below, such holdings will be subject to
those limitations, as applicable.
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Investment Restrictions
The Fund may hold up to an aggregate amount of 15% of its net
assets in illiquid assets (calculated at the time of investment),
including Restricted Securities deemed illiquid by the Adviser or Sub-
Adviser \24\ under the 1940 Act.\25\ The Fund will monitor its
portfolio liquidity on an ongoing basis to determine whether, in light
of current circumstances, an adequate level of liquidity is being
maintained, and will consider taking appropriate steps in order to
maintain adequate liquidity if, through a change in values, net assets,
or other circumstances, more than 15% of the Fund's net assets are held
in illiquid assets. Illiquid assets include securities subject to
contractual or other restrictions on resale and other instruments that
lack readily available markets as determined in accordance with
Commission staff guidance.
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\24\ In reaching liquidity decisions, the Adviser and Sub-
Adviser may consider factors including: The frequency of trades and
quotes for the security; the number of dealers wishing to purchase
or sell the security and the number of other potential purchasers;
dealer undertakings to make a market in the security; the nature of
the security and the nature of the marketplace in which it trades
(e.g., the time needed to dispose of the security, the method of
soliciting offers, and the mechanics of transfer).
\25\ The Commission has stated that long-standing Commission
guidelines have required open-end funds to hold no more than 15% of
their net assets in illiquid securities and other illiquid assets.
See Investment Company Act Release No. 28193 (March 11, 2008), 73 FR
14618 (March 18, 2008), footnote 34. See also, Investment Company
Act Release No. 5847 (October 21, 1969), 35 FR 19989 (December 31,
1970) (Statement Regarding ``Restricted Securities''); Investment
Company Act Release No. 18612 (March 12, 1992), 57 FR 9828 (March
20, 1992) (Revisions of Guidelines to Form N-1A). A fund's portfolio
security is illiquid if it cannot be disposed of in the ordinary
course of business within seven days at approximately the value
ascribed to it by the fund. See Investment Company Act Release No.
14983 (March 12, 1986), 51 FR 9773 (March 21, 1986) (adopting
amendments to Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act); Investment Company Act
Release No. 17452 (April 23, 1990), 55 FR 17933 (April 30, 1990)
(adopting Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933).
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The Fund intends to qualify each year as a regulated investment
company (a ``RIC'') under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986, as amended.\26\ The Fund will invest its assets, and otherwise
conduct its operations, in a manner that is intended to satisfy the
qualifying income, diversification, and distribution requirements
necessary to establish and maintain RIC qualification under Subchapter
M.
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\26\ 26 U.S.C. 851.
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The Fund's investments will be consistent with its investment
objective and will not be used to seek to achieve leveraged or inverse
leveraged returns (i.e. two times or three times the Fund's benchmark).
Under normal circumstances, the combined total of corporate,
sovereign, non-agency and all other debt rated below investment grade
will not exceed 40% of the Fund's net assets. The Sub-Adviser will
strive to allocate below investment grade securities broadly by
industry and issuer in an attempt to reduce the impact of negative
events on an industry or issuer. Below investment grade securities are
instruments that are rated BB+ or lower by S&P or Fitch Inc. or Ba1 or
lower by Moody's or equivalent ratings by another registered NRSRO or,
if unrated by a NRSRO, of comparable quality in the opinion of the Sub-
Adviser.
The Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in securities
denominated in foreign currencies, and may invest beyond this limit in
U.S. dollar-denominated securities of foreign issuers. The Fund may
invest up to 20% of its net assets in securities and instruments that
are economically tied to emerging market countries.\27\
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\27\ The Fund generally considers an issuer to be economically
tied to an emerging market country if: (i) The issuer is organized
under the laws of an emerging country; (ii) the issuer's securities
are traded principally in an emerging country; or (iii) during the
issuer's most recent fiscal year it derived at least 50% of its
revenues, earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and
amortization, or profits from goods produced or sold by, investments
made in, or services performed in emerging countries, or it had at
least 50% of its assets in emerging countries.
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Net Asset Value
According to the Registration Statement, the net asset value
(``NAV'') of the Fund's Shares generally will be calculated once daily
Monday through Friday as of the close of regular trading on the
Exchange, generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time (the ``NAV Calculation
Time'') on each day that the Exchange is open for trading, based on
prices at the NAV Calculation Time. NAV per Share is calculated by
dividing the Fund's net assets by the number of Fund Shares
outstanding. The Fund's net assets are valued primarily on the basis of
market quotations. Expenses and fees, including the management fees,
will be accrued daily and taken into account for purposes of
determining NAV.
Common stocks and other exchange-traded equity securities
(including shares of preferred securities, convertible securities,
REITs, and ETPs) generally will be valued at the last reported sale
price or the official closing price on that exchange where the security
is primarily traded on the day that the valuation is made. Foreign
equities and exchange-listed Depositary Receipts will be valued at the
last sale or official closing price on the relevant exchange on the
valuation date. If, however, neither the last sale price nor the
official closing price is available on the valuation date, each of
these securities will be valued at either the last reported sale price
or official closing price as of the close of regular trading of the
principal market on which the security is listed.
Unsponsored ADRs, which are traded in the OTC market, will be
valued at the last reported sale price from the OTC Bulletin Board or
OTC Link LLC on the valuation date. Equity securities traded OTC will
be valued based on price
[[Page 7604]]
quotations obtained from a broker-dealer who makes markets in such
securities or other equivalent indications of value provided by a
third-party pricing service. Securities of non-exchange traded
investment companies will be valued at NAV. Restricted Securities,
repurchase agreements, and reverse repurchase agreements will generally
be valued at bid prices received from independent pricing services as
of the announced closing time for trading in such instruments. Spot
currency transactions will generally be valued at mid prices received
from an independent pricing service converted into U.S. dollars at
current market rates on the date of valuation. Foreign currency
forwards normally will be valued on the basis of quotes obtained from
broker-dealers or third party pricing services.
Listed futures will generally be valued at the settlement price
determined by the applicable exchange. Listed options will generally be
valued at the last sale price on the applicable exchange. Listed swaps
will be valued on the basis of quotations or equivalent indication of
value supplied by a third-party pricing service or broker-dealer who
makes markets in such instruments. Non-exchange traded derivatives,
including OTC-traded options, swaps, and forwards, will normally be
valued on the basis of quotations or equivalent indication of value
supplied by a third- party pricing service or broker-dealer who makes
markets in such instruments. The Fund's OTC-traded derivative
instruments will generally be valued at bid prices.
According to the Adviser, U.S. Government obligations; TIPS;
sovereign debt; foreign and domestic corporate bonds; ABS; TBA
transactions; inverse floaters and bank loans; stripped securities;
zero coupon securities; and short-term instruments will generally be
valued at bid prices received from independent pricing services as of
the announced closing time for trading in such instruments in the
respective market. In determining the value of such instruments,
pricing services determine valuations for normal institutional-size
trading units of such securities using valuation models or matrix
pricing, which incorporates yield and/or price with respect to bonds
that are considered comparable in characteristics such as rating,
interest rate and maturity date and quotations from securities dealers
to determine current value. Investments having a maturity of 60 days or
less are generally valued at amortized cost.
According to the Registration Statement, in the event that current
market valuations are not readily available or are deemed unreliable,
the Trust's procedures require the Oversight Committee (``Committee'')
to determine a security's fair value, in accordance with the 1940
Act.\28\ In determining such value the Committee may consider, among
other things, (i) price comparisons among multiple sources, (ii) a
review of corporate actions and news events, and (iii) a review of
relevant financial indicators (e.g., movement in interest rates and
market indices). In these cases, the Fund's NAV may reflect certain
portfolio securities' fair values rather than their market prices.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\28\ If a security's market price is not readily available or is
deemed unreliable, the security will be valued by another method
that the Board believes will better reflect fair value in accordance
with the Trust's valuation policies and procedures and in accordance
with the 1940 Act. The Board has delegated the process of valuing
securities for which market quotations are not readily available or
are deemed unreliable to the Committee. The Committee, subject to
oversight by the Board, may use fair value pricing in a variety of
circumstances, including but not limited to, situations when trading
in a security has been suspended or halted. Accordingly, the Fund's
NAV may reflect certain securities' fair values rather than their
market prices. Fair value pricing involves subjective judgments and
it is possible that the fair value determination for a security is
materially different than the value that could be received on the
sale of the security. The Committee has implemented procedures
designed to prevent the use and dissemination of material, non-
public information regarding the Fund.
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Creation and Redemption of Shares
The NAV of Shares of the Fund will be determined once each business
day, normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time. The Fund currently anticipates
that a Creation Unit will consist of 50,000 Shares, though this number
may change from time to time, including prior to the listing of the
Fund. The exact number of Shares that will comprise a Creation Unit
will be disclosed in the Registration Statement of the Fund. The Trust
will issue and sell Shares of the Fund only in Creation Units on a
continuous basis, without a sales load (but subject to transaction
fees), at their NAV per Share next determined after receipt of an
order, on any business day, in proper form. Creation and redemption
will typically occur in cash, however, the Trust retains discretion to
conduct such transactions on an in-kind basis or a combination of cash
and in-kind, as further described below.
The consideration for purchase of a Creation Unit of the Fund
generally will consist of either (i) the in-kind deposit of a
designated portfolio of securities (the ``Deposit Securities'') per
each Creation Unit and the Cash Component (defined below), computed as
described below, or (ii) the cash value of the Deposit Securities
(``Deposit Cash'') and the ``Cash Component,'' computed as described
below. When accepting purchases of Creation Units for cash, the Fund
may incur additional costs associated with the acquisition of Deposit
Securities that would otherwise be provided by an in-kind purchaser.
Together, the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable, and
the Cash Component constitute the ``Fund Deposit,'' which represents
the minimum initial and subsequent investment amount for a Creation
Unit of the Fund. The ``Cash Component'' is an amount equal to the
difference between the NAV of the Shares (per Creation Unit) and the
market value of the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable.
If the Cash Component is a positive number (i.e., the NAV per Creation
Unit exceeds the market value of the Deposit Securities or Deposit
Cash, as applicable), the Cash Component shall be such positive amount.
If the Cash Component is a negative number (i.e., the NAV per Creation
Unit is less than the market value of the Deposit Securities or Deposit
Cash, as applicable), the Cash Component will be such negative amount
and the creator will be entitled to receive cash in an amount equal to
the Cash Component. The Cash Component serves the function of
compensating for any differences between the NAV per Creation Unit and
the market value of the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as
applicable.
The Custodian, through the National Securities Clearing Corporation
(``NSCC''), will make available on each business day, prior to the
opening of business on the Exchange, the list of the names and the
required amount of each Deposit Security or the required amount of
Deposit Cash, as applicable, to be included in the current Fund Deposit
(based on information at the end of the previous business day) for the
Fund. Such Fund Deposit is subject to any applicable adjustments as
described in the Registration Statement, in order to effect purchases
of Creation Units of the Fund until such time as the next-announced
composition of the Deposit Securities or the required amount of Deposit
Cash, as applicable, is made available.
Shares may be redeemed only in Creation Units at their NAV next
determined after receipt of a redemption request in proper form by the
Fund through the Transfer Agent and only on a business day.
With respect to the Fund, the Custodian, through the NSCC, will
make
[[Page 7605]]
available immediately prior to the opening of business on the Exchange
(9:30 a.m. Eastern time) on each business day, the list of the names
and share quantities of the Fund's portfolio securities that will be
applicable (subject to possible amendment or correction) to redemption
requests received in proper form on that day (``Fund Securities'').
Fund Securities received on redemption may not be identical to Deposit
Securities.
Redemption proceeds for a Creation Unit will be paid either in-kind
or in cash or a combination thereof, as determined by the Trust. With
respect to in-kind redemptions of the Fund, redemption proceeds for a
Creation Unit will consist of Fund Securities as announced by the
Custodian on the business day of the request for redemption received in
proper form plus cash in an amount equal to the difference between the
NAV of the Shares being redeemed, as next determined after a receipt of
a request in proper form, and the value of the Fund Securities (the
``Cash Redemption Amount''), less a fixed redemption transaction fee
and any applicable additional variable charge as set forth in the
Registration Statement. In the event that the Fund Securities have a
value greater than the NAV of the Shares, a compensating cash payment
equal to the differential will be required to be made by or through an
authorized participant by the redeeming shareholder. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, at the Trust's discretion, an authorized participant may
receive the corresponding cash value of the securities in lieu of the
in-kind securities value representing one or more Fund Securities.\29\
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\29\ The Adviser represents that, to the extent that the Trust
permits or requires a ``cash in lieu'' amount, such transactions
will be effected in the same or equitable manner for all Authorized
Participants.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The creation/redemption order cut-off time for the Fund is expected
to be 4:00 p.m. Eastern time. Creation/redemption order cut-off times
may be earlier on any day that the Securities Industry and Financial
Markets Association (``SIFMA'') (or applicable exchange or market on
which the Fund's investments are traded) announces an early closing
time. On days when the Exchange closes earlier than normal, the Fund
may require orders for Creation Units to be placed earlier in the day.
Availability of Information
The Fund's Web site, which will be publicly available prior to the
public offering of Shares, will include a form of the prospectus for
the Fund that may be downloaded. The Web site will include additional
quantitative information updated on a daily basis, including, for the
Fund: (1) The prior business day's reported NAV, mid-point of the bid/
ask spread at the time of calculation of such NAV (the ``Bid/Ask
Price''),\30\ daily trading volume, and a calculation of the premium
and discount of the Bid/Ask Price against the NAV; and (2) data in
chart format displaying the frequency distribution of discounts and
premiums of the daily Bid/Ask Price against the NAV, within appropriate
ranges, for each of the four previous calendar quarters. Daily trading
volume information for the Shares will also be available in the
financial section of newspapers, through subscription services such as
Bloomberg, Thomson Reuters, and International Data Corporation, which
can be accessed by authorized participants and other investors, as well
as through other electronic services, including major public Web sites.
On each business day, before commencement of trading in Shares during
Regular Trading Hours \31\ on the Exchange, the Fund will disclose on
its Web site the identities and quantities of the portfolio of
securities and other assets (the ``Disclosed Portfolio'') held by the
Fund that will form the basis for the Fund's calculation of NAV at the
end of the business day.\32\ The Disclosed Portfolio will include, as
applicable: The ticker symbol; CUSIP number or other identifier, if
any; a description of the holding (including the type of holding, such
as the type of swap); the identity of the security, commodity, index or
other asset or instrument underlying the holding, if any; for options,
the option strike price; quantity held (as measured by, for example,
par value, notional value or number of shares, contracts, or units);
maturity date, if any; coupon rate, if any; effective date, if any;
market value of the holding; and the percentage weighting of the
holding in the Fund's portfolio. The Web site and information will be
publicly available at no charge.
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\30\ The Bid/Ask Price of the Fund will be determined using the
midpoint of the highest bid and the lowest offer on the Exchange as
of the time of calculation of the Fund's NAV. The records relating
to Bid/Ask Prices will be retained by the Fund and its service
providers.
\31\ Regular Trading Hours are 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern
Time.
\32\ Under accounting procedures to be followed by the Fund,
trades made on the prior business day (``T'') will be booked and
reflected in NAV on the current business day (``T+1''). Accordingly,
the Fund will be able to disclose at the beginning of the business
day the portfolio that will form the basis for the NAV calculation
at the end of the business day.
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In addition, for the Fund, an estimated value, defined in BATS Rule
14.11(i)(3)(C) as the ``Intraday Indicative Value,'' that reflects an
estimated intraday value of the Fund's portfolio, will be disseminated.
Moreover, the Intraday Indicative Value will be based upon the current
value for the components of the Disclosed Portfolio and will be updated
and widely disseminated by one or more major market data vendors at
least every 15 seconds during the Exchange's Regular Trading Hours.\33\
In addition, the quotations of certain of the Fund's holdings may not
be updated during U.S. trading hours if such holdings do not trade in
the United States or if updated prices cannot be ascertained.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\33\ Currently, it is the Exchange's understanding that several
major market data vendors display and/or make widely available
Intraday Indicative Values published via the Consolidated Tape
Association (``CTA'') or other data feeds.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The dissemination of the Intraday Indicative Value, together with
the Disclosed Portfolio, will allow investors to determine the value of
the underlying portfolio of the Fund on a daily basis and provide a
close estimate of that value throughout the trading day.
The intra-day, closing, and settlement prices of exchange-listed
instruments (including exchange traded Depositary Receipts, preferred
securities, convertible securities, common stock, futures, ETPs, and
QPTPs) will be readily available from the exchanges trading such
instruments as well as automated quotation systems, published or other
public sources, or online information services such as Bloomberg or
Reuters. Intraday and closing price information for exchange-traded
options and futures will be available from the applicable exchange and
from major market data vendors. In addition, price information for U.S.
exchange-traded options will be available from the Options Price
Reporting Authority. Quotation information from brokers and dealers or
pricing services will be available for Fixed Income Securities. Price
information regarding spot currency transactions and OTC-traded
derivative instruments, including options, swaps, and forward currency
transactions, as well as equity securities traded in the OTC market,
including Restricted Securities, inverse floaters, short-term
instruments, OTC-traded preferred securities, OTC-traded ADRs, and OTC-
traded convertible securities, is available from major market data
vendors. Repurchase and reverse repurchase agreements will generally be
available through nationally recognized data service providers through
subscription arrangements.
[[Page 7606]]
Information regarding market price and volume of the Shares will be
continually available on a real-time basis throughout the day on
brokers' computer screens and other electronic services. The previous
day's closing price and trading volume information for the Shares will
be published daily in the financial section of newspapers. Quotation
and last sale information for the Shares will be available on the
facilities of the CTA. Information regarding U.S. exchange-listed
equities will also be available on the facilities of the CTA.
Initial and Continued Listing
The Shares will be subject to BATS Rule 14.11(i), which sets forth
the initial and continued listing criteria applicable to Managed Fund
Shares. The Exchange represents that, for initial and continued
listing, the Fund must be in compliance with Rule 10A-3 under the
Act.\34\ A minimum of 100,000 Shares will be outstanding at the
commencement of trading on the Exchange. The Exchange will obtain a
representation from the issuer of the Shares that the NAV per Share
will be calculated daily and that the NAV and the Disclosed Portfolio
will be made available to all market participants at the same time.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\34\ See 17 CFR 240.10A-3.
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Trading Halts
With respect to trading halts, the Exchange may consider all
relevant factors in exercising its discretion to halt or suspend
trading in the Shares of the Fund. The Exchange will halt trading in
the Shares under the conditions specified in BATS Rule 11.18. Trading
may be halted because of market conditions or for reasons that, in the
view of the Exchange, make trading in the Shares inadvisable. These may
include: (1) The extent to which trading is not occurring in the
securities and/or the financial instruments composing the Disclosed
Portfolio of the Fund; or (2) whether other unusual conditions or
circumstances detrimental to the maintenance of a fair and orderly
market are present. Trading in the Shares also will be subject to Rule
14.11(i)(4)(B)(iv), which sets forth circumstances under which Shares
of the Fund may be halted.
Trading Rules
The Exchange deems the Shares to be equity securities, thus
rendering trading in the Shares subject to the Exchange's existing
rules governing the trading of equity securities. BATS will allow
trading in the Shares from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The
Exchange has appropriate rules to facilitate transactions in the Shares
during all trading sessions. As provided in BATS Rule 14.11(i)(2)(C),
the minimum price variation for quoting and entry of orders in Managed
Fund Shares traded on the Exchange is $0.01.
Surveillance
The Exchange believes that its surveillance procedures are adequate
to properly monitor the trading of the Shares on the Exchange during
all trading sessions and to deter and detect violations of Exchange
rules and the applicable federal securities laws. Trading of the Shares
through the Exchange will be subject to the Exchange's surveillance
procedures for derivative products, including Managed Fund Shares. The
Exchange may obtain information regarding trading in the Shares and the
underlying shares in exchange traded investment companies, equity
securities, futures, and options via the ISG, from other exchanges who
are members or affiliates of the ISG, or with which the Exchange has
entered into a comprehensive surveillance sharing agreement.\35\ In
addition, the Exchange is able to access, as needed, trade information
for certain fixed income instruments reported to FINRA's Trade
Reporting and Compliance Engine (``TRACE''). FINRA also can access data
obtained from the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (``MSRB'')
relating to municipal bond trading activity for surveillance purposes
in connection with trading in the Shares. The Exchange prohibits the
distribution of material non-public information by its employees.
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\35\ For a list of the current members and affiliate members of
ISG, see www.isgportal.com. The Exchange notes that not all
components of the Disclosed Portfolio for the Fund may trade on
markets that are members of ISG or with which the Exchange has in
place a comprehensive surveillance sharing agreement. The Exchange
also notes that all of the exchange-listed investment company
securities, common stocks, preferred securities, futures, and
options will trade on markets that are a member of ISG or with which
the Exchange has in place a comprehensive surveillance sharing
agreement.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Information Circular
Prior to the commencement of trading, the Exchange will inform its
members in an Information Circular of the special characteristics and
risks associated with trading the Shares. Specifically, the Information
Circular will discuss the following: (1) The procedures for purchases
and redemptions of Shares in Creation Units (and that Shares are not
individually redeemable); (2) BATS Rule 3.7, which imposes suitability
obligations on Exchange members with respect to recommending
transactions in the Shares to customers; (3) how information regarding
the Intraday Indicative Value and the Disclosed Portfolio is
disseminated; (4) the risks involved in trading the Shares during the
Pre-Opening \36\ and After Hours Trading Sessions \37\ when an updated
Intraday Indicative Value will not be calculated or publicly
disseminated; (5) the requirement that members deliver a prospectus to
investors purchasing newly issued Shares prior to or concurrently with
the confirmation of a transaction; and (6) trading information.
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\36\ The Pre-Opening Session is from 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
Eastern Time.
\37\ The After Hours Trading Session is from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00
p.m. Eastern Time.
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In addition, the Information Circular will advise members, prior to
the commencement of trading, of the prospectus delivery requirements
applicable to the Fund. Members purchasing Shares from the Fund for
resale to investors will deliver a prospectus to such investors. The
Information Circular will also discuss any exemptive, no-action, and
interpretive relief granted by the Commission from any rules under the
Act.
In addition, the Information Circular will reference that the Fund
is subject to various fees and expenses described in the Registration
Statement. The Information Circular will also disclose the trading
hours of the Shares of the Fund and the applicable NAV Calculation Time
for the Shares. The Information Circular will disclose that information
about the Shares of the Fund will be publicly available on the Fund's
Web site. In addition, the Information Circular will reference that the
Trust is subject to various fees and expenses described in the Fund's
Registration Statement.
2. Statutory Basis
The Exchange believes that the proposal is consistent with Section
6(b) of the Act \38\ in general and Section 6(b)(5) of the Act \39\ in
particular in that it is designed to prevent fraudulent and
manipulative acts and practices, to promote just and equitable
principles of trade, to foster cooperation and coordination with
persons engaged in facilitating transactions in securities, to remove
impediments to and perfect the mechanism of a free and open market and
a national market system and, in general, to protect investors and the
public interest.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\38\ 15 U.S.C. 78f.
\39\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Page 7607]]
The Exchange believes that the proposed rule change is designed to
prevent fraudulent and manipulative acts and practices in that the
Shares will be listed and traded on the Exchange pursuant to the
initial and continued listing criteria in BATS Rule 14.11(i). The
Exchange believes that its surveillance procedures are adequate to
properly monitor the trading of the Shares on the Exchange during all
trading sessions and to deter and detect violations of Exchange rules
and the applicable federal securities laws. If the investment adviser
to the investment company issuing Managed Fund Shares is affiliated
with a broker-dealer, such investment adviser to the investment company
shall erect a ``fire wall'' between the investment adviser and the
broker-dealer with respect to access to information concerning the
composition and/or changes to such investment company portfolio. The
Adviser is not a registered broker-dealer, but is affiliated with a
broker-dealer and has implemented a ``fire wall'' with respect to such
broker-dealer regarding access to information concerning the
composition and/or changes to the Fund's portfolio. In the event (a)
the Adviser or Sub-Adviser becomes registered as a broker-dealer or
newly affiliated with a broker-dealer, or (b) any new adviser or sub-
adviser is a registered broker-dealer or becomes affiliated with a
broker-dealer, it will implement a fire wall with respect to its
relevant personnel or broker-dealer affiliate regarding access to
information concerning the composition and/or changes to the portfolio,
and will be subject to procedures designed to prevent the use and
dissemination of material non-public information regarding such
portfolio. The Exchange may obtain information regarding trading in the
Shares and the underlying shares in exchange traded investment
companies, equity securities, futures, and options via the ISG, from
other exchanges who are members or affiliates of the ISG, or with which
the Exchange has entered into a comprehensive surveillance sharing
agreement.\40\ In addition, the Exchange is able to access, as needed,
trade information for certain fixed income instruments reported to
FINRA's TRACE. FINRA also can access data obtained from the MSRB
relating to municipal bond trading activity for surveillance purposes
in connection with trading in the Shares.
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\40\ For a list of the current members and affiliate members of
ISG, see www.isgportal.com. The Exchange notes that not all
components of the Disclosed Portfolio for the Fund may trade on
markets that are members of ISG or with which the Exchange has in
place a comprehensive surveillance sharing agreement. The Exchange
also notes that all of the exchange-listed investment company
securities, common stocks, preferred securities, futures, and
options will trade on markets that are a member of ISG or with which
the Exchange has in place a comprehensive surveillance sharing
agreement.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
According to the Registration Statement, the Fund intends to
achieve its investment objective by investing, under normal
circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets in a diversified
portfolio of Fixed Income Securities of any credit quality. The Fund's
investments will be consistent with the Fund's investment objective and
will not be used to achieve leveraged or inverse leveraged returns, as
stated above. While the Fund is permitted to invest without restriction
in corporate bonds, the Sub-Adviser expects that, under normal
circumstances, the Fund will generally seek to invest in corporate bond
issuances that have at least $100,000,000 par amount outstanding in
developed countries and at least $200,000,000 par amount outstanding in
emerging market countries.
In addition to the holdings in Fixed Income Securities described
above as part of the Fund's principal investment strategy, the Fund may
also, to a limited extent (under normal circumstances, less than 20% of
the Fund's net assets) and as further described above, engage in
transactions in the following:
Repurchase agreements, reverse repurchase agreements, U.S. common
stocks, exchange-traded foreign common stocks, Depositary Receipts,
convertible securities, securities lending, short-term instruments,
foreign currency transactions, inverse floaters, the securities of
other investment companies, REITs, Restricted Securities, and certain
options, futures, and swaps.
The Fund may hold up to an aggregate amount of 15% of its net
assets in illiquid assets (calculated at the time of investment),
including Restricted Securities deemed illiquid by the Adviser or Sub-
Adviser \41\ under the 1940 Act.\42\ The Fund will monitor its
portfolio liquidity on an ongoing basis to determine whether, in light
of current circumstances, an adequate level of liquidity is being
maintained, and will consider taking appropriate steps in order to
maintain adequate liquidity if, through a change in values, net assets,
or other circumstances, more than 15% of the Fund's net assets are held
in illiquid assets. Illiquid assets include securities subject to
contractual or other restrictions on resale and other instruments that
lack readily available markets as determined in accordance with
Commission staff guidance.
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\41\ In reaching liquidity decisions, the Adviser and Sub-
Adviser may consider factors including: The frequency of trades and
quotes for the security; the number of dealers wishing to purchase
or sell the security and the number of other potential purchasers;
dealer undertakings to make a market in the security; the nature of
the security and the nature of the marketplace in which it trades
(e.g., the time needed to dispose of the security, the method of
soliciting offers, and the mechanics of transfer).
\42\ The Commission has stated that long-standing Commission
guidelines have required open-end funds to hold no more than 15% of
their net assets in illiquid securities and other illiquid assets.
See Investment Company Act Release No. 28193 (March 11, 2008), 73 FR
14618 (March 18, 2008), footnote 34. See also, Investment Company
Act Release No. 5847 (October 21, 1969), 35 FR 19989 (December 31,
1970) (Statement Regarding ``Restricted Securities''); Investment
Company Act Release No. 18612 (March 12, 1992), 57 FR 9828 (March
20, 1992) (Revisions of Guidelines to Form N-1A). A fund's portfolio
security is illiquid if it cannot be disposed of in the ordinary
course of business within seven days at approximately the value
ascribed to it by the fund. See Investment Company Act Release No.
14983 (March 12, 1986), 51 FR 9773 (March 21, 1986) (adopting
amendments to Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act); Investment Company Act
Release No. 17452 (April 23, 1990), 55 FR 17933 (April 30, 1990)
(adopting Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933).
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The proposed rule change is designed to promote just and equitable
principles of trade and to protect investors and the public interest in
that the Exchange will obtain a representation from the issuer of the
Shares that the NAV per Share will be calculated daily and that the NAV
and the Disclosed Portfolio will be made available to all market
participants at the same time. In addition, a large amount of
information is publicly available regarding the Fund and the Shares,
thereby promoting market transparency. Moreover, the Intraday
Indicative Value will be disseminated by one or more major market data
vendors at least every 15 seconds during Regular Trading Hours. On each
business day, before commencement of trading in Shares during Regular
Trading Hours, the Fund will disclose on its Web site the Disclosed
Portfolio that will form the basis for the Fund's calculation of NAV at
the end of the business day. Pricing information will be available on
the Fund's Web site including: (1) The prior business day's reported
NAV, the Bid/Ask Price of the Fund, and a calculation of the premium
and discount of the Bid/Ask Price against the NAV; and (2) data in
chart format displaying the frequency distribution of discounts and
premiums of the daily Bid/Ask Price against the NAV, within appropriate
ranges, for each of the four previous calendar quarters. Additionally,
information regarding market price and trading of the Shares will be
continually available on a real-time basis throughout the day on
brokers' computer screens and other
[[Page 7608]]
electronic services, and quotation and last sale information for the
Shares will be available on the facilities of the CTA. The Web site for
the Fund will include a form of the prospectus for the Fund and
additional data relating to NAV and other applicable quantitative
information. Trading in Shares of the Fund will be halted under the
conditions specified in BATS Rule 11.18. Trading may also be halted
because of market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the
Exchange, make trading in the Shares inadvisable. Finally, trading in
the Shares will be subject to BATS Rule 14.11(i)(4)(B)(iv), which sets
forth circumstances under which Shares of the Fund may be halted. In
addition, the Exchange is able to access, as needed, trade information
for certain fixed income instruments reported to FINRA's TRACE. FINRA
also can access data obtained from the MSRB relating to municipal bond
trading activity for surveillance purposes in connection with trading
in the Shares. As noted above, investors will also have ready access to
information regarding the Fund's holdings, the Intraday Indicative
Value, the Disclosed Portfolio, and quotation and last sale information
for the Shares.
The intra-day, closing, and settlement prices of exchange-listed
instruments (including exchange traded Depositary Receipts, preferred
securities, convertible securities, common stock, futures, ETPs, and
QPTPs) will be readily available from the exchanges trading such
instruments as well as automated quotation systems, published or other
public sources, or online information services such as Bloomberg or
Reuters. Intraday and closing price information for exchange-traded
options and futures will be available from the applicable exchange and
from major market data vendors. In addition, price information for U.S.
exchange-traded options will be available from the Options Price
Reporting Authority. Quotation information from brokers and dealers or
pricing services will be available for Fixed Income Securities. Price
information regarding spot currency transactions and OTC-traded
derivative instruments, including options, swaps, and forward currency
transactions, as well as equity securities traded in the OTC market,
including Restricted Securities, inverse floaters, short-term
instruments, OTC-traded preferred securities, OTC-traded ADRs, and OTC-
traded convertible securities, is available from major market data
vendors. Repurchase and reverse repurchase agreements will generally be
available through nationally recognized data service providers through
subscription arrangements.
The proposed rule change is designed to perfect the mechanism of a
free and open market and, in general, to protect investors and the
public interest in that it will facilitate the listing and trading of
an additional type of actively-managed exchange-traded product that
will enhance competition among market participants, to the benefit of
investors and the marketplace. As noted above, the Exchange has in
place surveillance procedures relating to trading in the Shares and may
obtain information via ISG from other exchanges that are members of ISG
or with which the Exchange has entered into a comprehensive
surveillance sharing agreement. In addition, as noted above, investors
will have ready access to information regarding the Fund's holdings,
the Intraday Indicative Value, the Disclosed Portfolio, and quotation
and last sale information for the Shares.
For the above reasons, the Exchange believes that the proposed rule
change is consistent with the requirements of Section 6(b)(5) of the
Act.
(B) Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition
The Exchange does not believe that the proposed rule change will
impose any burden on competition that is not necessary or appropriate
in furtherance of the purpose of the Act. The Exchange notes that the
proposed rule change will facilitate the listing and trading of an
additional actively-managed exchange-traded product that will enhance
competition among market participants, to the benefit of investors and
the marketplace.
(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 change.
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 up to 90 days (i) as the
Commission may designate if it finds such longer period to be
appropriate and publishes its reasons for so finding or (ii) as to
which the self-regulatory organization consents, the Commission will:
(A) by order approve or disapprove the proposed rule change, or
(B) institute proceedings to determine whether the proposed rule
change should be disapproved.
IV. Solicitation of Comments
Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views and
arguments concerning the foregoing, including whether the proposal 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 No. SR-BATS-2016-04 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 No. SR-BATS-2016-04. 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 will also 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 No. SR-BATS-2016-04 and should be
submitted on or before March 4, 2016.
[[Page 7609]]
For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets,
pursuant to delegated authority.\43\
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\43\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Robert W. Errett,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-02838 Filed 2-11-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P