CBOE Vest Financial, LLC, et al.; Notice of Application, 58030-58032 [2017-26434]

Download as PDF 58030 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 235 / Friday, December 8, 2017 / Notices For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Jennifer L. Dixon-Herrity, Chief, Licensing Branch 4, Division of New Reactor Licensing, Office of New Reactors. [FR Doc. 2017–26512 Filed 12–7–17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590–01–P NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC–2016–0265] Information Collection: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Acquisition Regulation (NRCAR) Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice of submission to the Office of Management and Budget; request for comment. AGENCY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has recently submitted a request for renewal of an existing collection of information to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review. The information collection is entitled, ‘‘Nuclear Regulatory Commission Acquisition Regulation (NRCAR).’’ DATES: Submit comments by January 8, 2018. ADDRESSES: Submit comments directly to the OMB reviewer at: Brandon F. DeBruhl, Desk Officer, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (3150–0169), NEOB–10202, Office of Management and Budget, Washington, DC 20503; telephone: 202–395–0710, email: oira_submission@omb.eop.gov. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Cullison, NRC Clearance Officer, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555–0001; telephone: 301–415–2084; email: Infocollects.Resource@nrc.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: SUMMARY: sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES I. Obtaining Information and Submitting Comments A. Obtaining Information Please refer to Docket ID NRC–2016– 0265 when contacting the NRC about the availability of information for this action. You may obtain publiclyavailable information related to this action by any of the following methods: • Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC–2016–0265. • NRC’s Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS): You may obtain publiclyavailable documents online in the ADAMS Public Documents collection at https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/ adams.html. To begin the search, select VerDate Sep<11>2014 20:38 Dec 07, 2017 Jkt 244001 ‘‘ADAMS Public Documents’’ and then select ‘‘Begin Web-based ADAMS Search.’’ For problems with ADAMS, please contact the NRC’s Public Document Room (PDR) reference staff at 1–800–397–4209, 301–415–4737, or by email to pdr.resource@nrc.gov. The supporting statement is available in ADAMS under Accession No. ML17318A555. • NRC’s PDR: You may examine and purchase copies of public documents at the NRC’s PDR, Room O1–F21, One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852. • NRC’s Clearance Officer: A copy of the collection of information and related instructions may be obtained without charge by contacting the NRC’s Clearance Officer, David Cullison, Office of the Chief Information Officer, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555–0001; telephone: 301–415–2084; email: Infocollects.Resource@nrc.gov. B. Submitting Comments The NRC cautions you not to include identifying or contact information in comment submissions that you do not want to be publicly disclosed in your comment submission. All comment submissions are posted at https:// www.regulations.gov and entered into ADAMS. Comment submissions are not routinely edited to remove identifying or contact information. If you are requesting or aggregating comments from other persons for submission to the OMB, then you should inform those persons not to include identifying or contact information that they do not want to be publicly disclosed in their comment submission. Your request should state that comment submissions are not routinely edited to remove such information before making the comment submissions available to the public or entering the comment into ADAMS. II. Background Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), the NRC recently submitted a request for renewal of an existing collection of information to OMB for review entitled, ‘‘Nuclear Regulatory Commission Acquisition Regulation (NRCAR).’’ The NRC hereby informs potential respondents that an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and that a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The NRC published a Federal Register notice with a 60-day comment PO 00000 Frm 00084 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 period on this information collection on September 13, 2017, 82 FR 43051. 1. The title of the information collection: 48 CFR 20 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Acquisition Regulation (NRCAR). 2. OMB approval number: 3150–0169. 3. Type of submission: Extension. 4. The form number if applicable: N/A. 5. How often the collection is required or requested: On occasion, one time. 6. Who will be required or asked to respond: Contractors and potential contractors. 7. The estimated number of annual responses: 5,613. 8. The estimated number of annual respondents: 4,985. 9. An estimate of the total number of hours needed annually to comply with the information collection requirement or request: 37,337 (34,393 reporting + 2,944 recordkeeping). 10. Abstract: The mandatory requirements of the NRCAR implement and supplement the government-wide Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), and ensure that the regulations governing the procurement of goods and services with the NRC satisfy the particular needs of the agency. Because of differing statutory authorities among Federal agencies, the FAR permits agencies to issue a regulation to implement FAR policies and procedures internally to satisfy the specific need of the agency. Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 5th day of December 2017. For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. David Cullison, NRC Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information Officer. [FR Doc. 2017–26511 Filed 12–7–17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590–01–P SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Investment Company Act Release No. 32933; 812–14800] CBOE Vest Financial, LLC, et al.; Notice of Application December 4, 2017. Securities and Exchange Commission (‘‘Commission’’). ACTION: Notice of an application for an order under section 6(c) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the ‘‘Act’’) for an exemption from sections 2(a)(32), 5(a)(1), 22(d), and 22(e) of the Act and rule 22c–1 under the Act, under sections 6(c) and 17(b) of the Act for an exemption from sections 17(a)(1) and 17(a)(2) of the Act, and under section AGENCY: E:\FR\FM\08DEN1.SGM 08DEN1 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 235 / Friday, December 8, 2017 / Notices 12(d)(1)(J) for an exemption from sections 12(d)(1)(A) and 12(d)(1)(B) of the Act. The requested order would permit (a) index-based series of certain open-end management investment companies (‘‘Funds’’) to issue shares redeemable in large aggregations only (‘‘Creation Units’’); (b) secondary market transactions in Fund shares to occur at negotiated market prices rather than at net asset value (‘‘NAV’’); (c) certain Funds to pay redemption proceeds, under certain circumstances, more than seven days after the tender of shares for redemption; (d) certain affiliated persons of a Fund to deposit securities into, and receive securities from, the Fund in connection with the purchase and redemption of Creation Units; and (e) certain registered management investment companies and unit investment trusts outside of the same group of investment companies as the Funds (‘‘Funds of Funds’’) to acquire shares of the Funds. Cboe Vest Financial, LLC (the ‘‘Initial Adviser’’), a Delaware limited liability company registered as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, ETF Series Solutions (the ‘‘Trust’’), a Delaware statutory trust registered under the Act as an open-end management investment company with multiple series, and Quasar Distributors, LLC (the ‘‘Distributor’’), a Delaware limited liability company and brokerdealer registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (‘‘Exchange Act’’). FILING DATE: The application was filed on July 12, 2017 and amended on November 2, 2017. HEARING OR NOTIFICATION OF HEARING: An order granting the requested relief will be issued unless the Commission orders a hearing. Interested persons may request a hearing by writing to the Commission’s Secretary and serving applicants with a copy of the request, personally or by mail. Hearing requests should be received by the Commission by 5:30 p.m. on December 29, 2017 and should be accompanied by proof of service on applicants, in the form of an affidavit or, for lawyers, a certificate of service. Pursuant to rule 0–5 under the Act, hearing requests should state the nature of the writer’s interest, any facts bearing upon the desirability of a hearing on the matter, the reason for the request, and the issues contested. Persons who wish to be notified of a hearing may request notification by writing to the Commission’s Secretary. ADDRESSES: Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street NE., Washington, DC 20549–1090. sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES APPLICANTS: VerDate Sep<11>2014 20:38 Dec 07, 2017 Jkt 244001 Applicants: the Initial Adviser, 1765 Greensboro Station Place, Suite 900 McLean, Virginia 06107; the Trust, 615 East Michigan Street, 4th Floor, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202; the Distributor, LLC, 777 East Wisconsin Avenue, 6th Floor, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Benjamin Kalish, Attorney-Advisor, at (202) 551–7361, or Parisa Haghshenas, Branch Chief, at (202) 551–6723 (Division of Investment Management, Chief Counsel’s Office). The following is a summary of the application. The complete application may be obtained via the Commission’s Web site by searching for the file number, or for an applicant using the Company name box, at https:// www.sec.gov/search/search.htm or by calling (202) 551–8090. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Summary of the Application 1. Applicants request an order that would allow Funds to operate as index exchange traded funds (‘‘ETFs’’).1 Fund shares will be purchased and redeemed at their NAV in Creation Units only. All orders to purchase Creation Units and all redemption requests will be placed by or through an ‘‘Authorized Participant’’, which will have signed a participant agreement with the Distributor. Shares will be listed and traded individually on a national securities exchange, where share prices will be based on the current bid/offer market. Any order granting the requested relief would be subject to the terms and conditions stated in the application. 2. Each Fund will hold investment positions selected to correspond closely to the performance of an underlying index. In the case of self-indexing Funds, an affiliated person, as defined in section 2(a)(3) of the Act (‘‘Affiliated Person’’), or an affiliated person of an Affiliated Person (‘‘Second-Tier Affiliate’’), of the Trust or a Fund, of an Adviser, of any sub-adviser to or promoter of a Fund, or of the Distributor 1 Applicants request that the order apply to the new series of the Trust and any additional series of the Trust, and any other open-end management investment company or series thereof (each, included in the term ‘‘Fund’’), each of which will operate as an ETF and will track a specified index comprised of domestic or foreign equity and/or fixed income securities (each, an ‘‘Underlying Index’’). Any Fund will (a) be advised by the Initial Adviser or an entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the Initial Adviser (each, an ‘‘Adviser’’) and (b) comply with the terms and conditions of the application. PO 00000 Frm 00085 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 58031 will compile, create, sponsor or maintain the underlying index.2 3. Shares will be purchased and redeemed in Creation Units and generally on an in-kind basis. Except where the purchase or redemption will include cash under the limited circumstances specified in the application, purchasers will be required to purchase Creation Units by depositing specified instruments (‘‘Deposit Instruments’’), and shareholders redeeming their shares will receive specified instruments (‘‘Redemption Instruments’’). The Deposit Instruments and the Redemption Instruments will each correspond pro rata to the positions in the Fund’s portfolio (including cash positions) except as specified in the application. 4. Because shares will not be individually redeemable, applicants request an exemption from section 5(a)(1) and section 2(a)(32) of the Act that would permit the Funds to register as open-end management investment companies and issue shares that are redeemable in Creation Units only. 5. Applicants also request an exemption from section 22(d) of the Act and rule 22c–1 under the Act as secondary market trading in shares will take place at negotiated prices, not at a current offering price described in a Fund’s prospectus, and not at a price based on NAV. Applicants state that (a) secondary market trading in shares does not involve a Fund as a party and will not result in dilution of an investment in shares, and (b) to the extent different prices exist during a given trading day, or from day to day, such variances occur as a result of third-party market forces, such as supply and demand. Therefore, applicants assert that secondary market transactions in shares will not lead to discrimination or preferential treatment among purchasers. Finally, applicants represent that share market prices will be disciplined by arbitrage opportunities, which should prevent shares from trading at a material discount or premium from NAV. 6. With respect to Funds that effect creations and redemptions of Creation Units in kind and that are based on certain Underlying Indexes that include foreign securities, applicants request relief from the requirement imposed by section 22(e) in order to allow such 2 Each Self-Indexing Fund will post on its Web site the identities and quantities of the investment positions that will form the basis for the Fund’s calculation of its NAV at the end of the day. Applicants believe that requiring Self-Indexing Funds to maintain full portfolio transparency will help address, together with other protections, conflicts of interest with respect to such Funds. E:\FR\FM\08DEN1.SGM 08DEN1 58032 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 235 / Friday, December 8, 2017 / Notices sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES Funds to pay redemption proceeds within fifteen calendar days following the tender of Creation Units for redemption. Applicants assert that the requested relief would not be inconsistent with the spirit and intent of section 22(e) to prevent unreasonable, undisclosed or unforeseen delays in the actual payment of redemption proceeds. 7. Applicants request an exemption to permit Funds of Funds to acquire Fund shares beyond the limits of section 12(d)(1)(A) of the Act; and the Funds, and any principal underwriter for the Funds, and/or any broker or dealer registered under the Exchange Act, to sell shares to Funds of Funds beyond the limits of section 12(d)(1)(B) of the Act. The application’s terms and conditions are designed to, among other things, help prevent any potential (i) undue influence over a Fund through control or voting power, or in connection with certain services, transactions, and underwritings, (ii) excessive layering of fees, and (iii) overly complex fund structures, which are the concerns underlying the limits in sections 12(d)(1)(A) and (B) of the Act. 8. Applicants request an exemption from sections 17(a)(1) and 17(a)(2) of the Act to permit persons that are Affiliated Persons, or Second-Tier Affiliates, of the Funds, solely by virtue of certain ownership interests, to effectuate purchases and redemptions in-kind. The deposit procedures for in-kind purchases of Creation Units and the redemption procedures for in-kind redemptions of Creation Units will be the same for all purchases and redemptions and Deposit Instruments and Redemption Instruments will be valued in the same manner as those investment positions currently held by the Funds. Applicants also seek relief from the prohibitions on affiliated transactions in section 17(a) to permit a Fund to sell its shares to and redeem its shares from a Fund of Funds, and to engage in the accompanying in-kind transactions with the Fund of Funds.3 The purchase of Creation Units by a Fund of Funds directly from a Fund will be accomplished in accordance with the policies of the Fund of Funds and will be based on the NAVs of the Funds. 3 The requested relief would apply to direct sales of shares in Creation Units by a Fund to a Fund of Funds and redemptions of those shares. Applicants, moreover, are not seeking relief from section 17(a) for, and the requested relief will not apply to, transactions where a Fund could be deemed an Affiliated Person, or a Second-Tier Affiliate, of a Fund of Funds because an Adviser or an entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with an Adviser provides investment advisory services to that Fund of Funds. VerDate Sep<11>2014 20:38 Dec 07, 2017 Jkt 244001 9. Section 6(c) of the Act permits the Commission to exempt any persons or transactions from any provision of the Act if such exemption is necessary or appropriate in the public interest and consistent with the protection of investors and the purposes fairly intended by the policy and provisions of the Act. Section 12(d)(1)(J) of the Act provides that the Commission may exempt any person, security, or transaction, or any class or classes of persons, securities, or transactions, from any provision of section 12(d)(1) if the exemption is consistent with the public interest and the protection of investors. Section 17(b) of the Act authorizes the Commission to grant an order permitting a transaction otherwise prohibited by section 17(a) if it finds that (a) the terms of the proposed transaction are fair and reasonable and do not involve overreaching on the part of any person concerned; (b) the proposed transaction is consistent with the policies of each registered investment company involved; and (c) the proposed transaction is consistent with the general purposes of the Act. of 1934 (‘‘Exchange Act’’) 1 and Rule 19b–4 thereunder,2 a proposed rule change to amend the NYSE Listed Company Manual (the ‘‘Manual’’) to prohibit listed companies from issuing material news after the official closing time for the Exchange’s trading session until the earlier of publication of such company’s official closing price on the Exchange or five minutes after the official closing time. The proposed rule change was published for comment in the Federal Register on September 5, 2017.3 The Commission received one comment letter on the proposed rule change.4 On October 20, 2017, the Commission extended the time period within which to approve the proposed rule change, disapprove the proposed rule change, or institute proceedings to determine whether to approve or disapprove the proposed rule change to December 4, 2017.5 On November 28, 2017, the Exchange filed Amendment No. 1 to the proposed rule change, which replaced and superceded the original filing in its entirety.6 This order approves the proposed rule change, as modified by Amendment No. 1. For the Commission, by the Division of Investment Management, under delegated authority. Eduardo A. Aleman, Assistant Secretary. II. Description of the Proposed Rule Change, as Modified by Amendment No. 1 Currently, the Exchange’s rules for the public release of material information, set forth in Section 202.06 (Procedure for Public Release of Information; Trading Halts) of the Manual, contains an advisory that requests that listed companies that intend to issue material news after the close of trading on the Exchange delay such issuance until the earlier of publication of such company’s official closing price or fifteen minutes after the close of trading in order to facilitate an orderly closing auction process. Continuous trading on the Exchange ends at the Exchange’s official closing time of 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, [FR Doc. 2017–26434 Filed 12–7–17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8011–01–P SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 34–82213; File No. SR–NYSE– 2017–32] Self-Regulatory Organizations; New York Stock Exchange LLC; Notice of Filing of Amendment No. 1 and Order Granting Accelerated Approval of Proposed Rule Change, as Modified by Amendment No. 1 Thereto, To Amend Section 202.06 of the NYSE Listed Company Manual To Prohibit Listed Companies From Issuing Material News After the Official Closing Time for the Exchange’s Trading Session Until the Earlier of Publication of Such Company’s Official Closing Price on the Exchange or Five Minutes After the Official Closing Time December 4, 2017. I. Introduction On August 17, 2017, New York Stock Exchange LLC (‘‘NYSE’’ or the ‘‘Exchange’’) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (‘‘Commission’’), pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act PO 00000 Frm 00086 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 1 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1). CFR 240.19b–4. 3 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 81494 (August 29, 2017), 82 FR 42008 (‘‘Notice’’). 4 See letter to Eduardo A. Aleman, Assistant Secretary, Commission from John Dibacco Virtu Financial LLC (‘‘Virtu’’), dated September 20, 2017 (‘‘Virtu Letter’’). The Virtu Letter expressed support for the proposed rule change. 5 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 81914, 82 FR 49690 (October 26, 2017). 6 In Amendment No. 1, the Exchange amended the proposed rule language to clarify that the proposed restriction on issuing material news will not apply where a listed company was publicly disclosing material information following a nonintentional disclosure in order to comply with Regulation FD. Amendment No. 1 was also submitted as a comment to the rule proposal. See letter to Brent J. Fields, Secretary, Commission from Martha Redding, Associate General Counsel and Assistant Secretary, New York Stock Exchange, dated November 29, 2017 (‘‘Amendment No. 1’’). 2 17 E:\FR\FM\08DEN1.SGM 08DEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 235 (Friday, December 8, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58030-58032]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-26434]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Investment Company Act Release No. 32933; 812-14800]


CBOE Vest Financial, LLC, et al.; Notice of Application

December 4, 2017.
AGENCY: Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission'').

ACTION: Notice of an application for an order under section 6(c) of the 
Investment Company Act of 1940 (the ``Act'') for an exemption from 
sections 2(a)(32), 5(a)(1), 22(d), and 22(e) of the Act and rule 22c-1 
under the Act, under sections 6(c) and 17(b) of the Act for an 
exemption from sections 17(a)(1) and 17(a)(2) of the Act, and under 
section

[[Page 58031]]

12(d)(1)(J) for an exemption from sections 12(d)(1)(A) and 12(d)(1)(B) 
of the Act. The requested order would permit (a) index-based series of 
certain open-end management investment companies (``Funds'') to issue 
shares redeemable in large aggregations only (``Creation Units''); (b) 
secondary market transactions in Fund shares to occur at negotiated 
market prices rather than at net asset value (``NAV''); (c) certain 
Funds to pay redemption proceeds, under certain circumstances, more 
than seven days after the tender of shares for redemption; (d) certain 
affiliated persons of a Fund to deposit securities into, and receive 
securities from, the Fund in connection with the purchase and 
redemption of Creation Units; and (e) certain registered management 
investment companies and unit investment trusts outside of the same 
group of investment companies as the Funds (``Funds of Funds'') to 
acquire shares of the Funds.

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APPLICANTS: Cboe Vest Financial, LLC (the ``Initial Adviser''), a 
Delaware limited liability company registered as an investment adviser 
under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, ETF Series Solutions (the 
``Trust''), a Delaware statutory trust registered under the Act as an 
open-end management investment company with multiple series, and Quasar 
Distributors, LLC (the ``Distributor''), a Delaware limited liability 
company and broker-dealer registered under the Securities Exchange Act 
of 1934 (``Exchange Act'').

FILING DATE: The application was filed on July 12, 2017 and amended on 
November 2, 2017.

HEARING OR NOTIFICATION OF HEARING: An order granting the requested 
relief will be issued unless the Commission orders a hearing. 
Interested persons may request a hearing by writing to the Commission's 
Secretary and serving applicants with a copy of the request, personally 
or by mail. Hearing requests should be received by the Commission by 
5:30 p.m. on December 29, 2017 and should be accompanied by proof of 
service on applicants, in the form of an affidavit or, for lawyers, a 
certificate of service. Pursuant to rule 0-5 under the Act, hearing 
requests should state the nature of the writer's interest, any facts 
bearing upon the desirability of a hearing on the matter, the reason 
for the request, and the issues contested. Persons who wish to be 
notified of a hearing may request notification by writing to the 
Commission's Secretary.

ADDRESSES: Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street 
NE., Washington, DC 20549-1090. Applicants: the Initial Adviser, 1765 
Greensboro Station Place, Suite 900 McLean, Virginia 06107; the Trust, 
615 East Michigan Street, 4th Floor, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202; the 
Distributor, LLC, 777 East Wisconsin Avenue, 6th Floor, Milwaukee, 
Wisconsin 53202.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Benjamin Kalish, Attorney-Advisor, at 
(202) 551-7361, or Parisa Haghshenas, Branch Chief, at (202) 551-6723 
(Division of Investment Management, Chief Counsel's Office).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The following is a summary of the 
application. The complete application may be obtained via the 
Commission's Web site by searching for the file number, or for an 
applicant using the Company name box, at https://www.sec.gov/search/search.htm or by calling (202) 551-8090.

Summary of the Application

    1. Applicants request an order that would allow Funds to operate as 
index exchange traded funds (``ETFs'').\1\ Fund shares will be 
purchased and redeemed at their NAV in Creation Units only. All orders 
to purchase Creation Units and all redemption requests will be placed 
by or through an ``Authorized Participant'', which will have signed a 
participant agreement with the Distributor. Shares will be listed and 
traded individually on a national securities exchange, where share 
prices will be based on the current bid/offer market. Any order 
granting the requested relief would be subject to the terms and 
conditions stated in the application.
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    \1\ Applicants request that the order apply to the new series of 
the Trust and any additional series of the Trust, and any other 
open-end management investment company or series thereof (each, 
included in the term ``Fund''), each of which will operate as an ETF 
and will track a specified index comprised of domestic or foreign 
equity and/or fixed income securities (each, an ``Underlying 
Index''). Any Fund will (a) be advised by the Initial Adviser or an 
entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the 
Initial Adviser (each, an ``Adviser'') and (b) comply with the terms 
and conditions of the application.
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    2. Each Fund will hold investment positions selected to correspond 
closely to the performance of an underlying index. In the case of self-
indexing Funds, an affiliated person, as defined in section 2(a)(3) of 
the Act (``Affiliated Person''), or an affiliated person of an 
Affiliated Person (``Second-Tier Affiliate''), of the Trust or a Fund, 
of an Adviser, of any sub-adviser to or promoter of a Fund, or of the 
Distributor will compile, create, sponsor or maintain the underlying 
index.\2\
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    \2\ Each Self-Indexing Fund will post on its Web site the 
identities and quantities of the investment positions that will form 
the basis for the Fund's calculation of its NAV at the end of the 
day. Applicants believe that requiring Self-Indexing Funds to 
maintain full portfolio transparency will help address, together 
with other protections, conflicts of interest with respect to such 
Funds.
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    3. Shares will be purchased and redeemed in Creation Units and 
generally on an in-kind basis. Except where the purchase or redemption 
will include cash under the limited circumstances specified in the 
application, purchasers will be required to purchase Creation Units by 
depositing specified instruments (``Deposit Instruments''), and 
shareholders redeeming their shares will receive specified instruments 
(``Redemption Instruments''). The Deposit Instruments and the 
Redemption Instruments will each correspond pro rata to the positions 
in the Fund's portfolio (including cash positions) except as specified 
in the application.
    4. Because shares will not be individually redeemable, applicants 
request an exemption from section 5(a)(1) and section 2(a)(32) of the 
Act that would permit the Funds to register as open-end management 
investment companies and issue shares that are redeemable in Creation 
Units only.
    5. Applicants also request an exemption from section 22(d) of the 
Act and rule 22c-1 under the Act as secondary market trading in shares 
will take place at negotiated prices, not at a current offering price 
described in a Fund's prospectus, and not at a price based on NAV. 
Applicants state that (a) secondary market trading in shares does not 
involve a Fund as a party and will not result in dilution of an 
investment in shares, and (b) to the extent different prices exist 
during a given trading day, or from day to day, such variances occur as 
a result of third-party market forces, such as supply and demand. 
Therefore, applicants assert that secondary market transactions in 
shares will not lead to discrimination or preferential treatment among 
purchasers. Finally, applicants represent that share market prices will 
be disciplined by arbitrage opportunities, which should prevent shares 
from trading at a material discount or premium from NAV.
    6. With respect to Funds that effect creations and redemptions of 
Creation Units in kind and that are based on certain Underlying Indexes 
that include foreign securities, applicants request relief from the 
requirement imposed by section 22(e) in order to allow such

[[Page 58032]]

Funds to pay redemption proceeds within fifteen calendar days following 
the tender of Creation Units for redemption. Applicants assert that the 
requested relief would not be inconsistent with the spirit and intent 
of section 22(e) to prevent unreasonable, undisclosed or unforeseen 
delays in the actual payment of redemption proceeds.
    7. Applicants request an exemption to permit Funds of Funds to 
acquire Fund shares beyond the limits of section 12(d)(1)(A) of the 
Act; and the Funds, and any principal underwriter for the Funds, and/or 
any broker or dealer registered under the Exchange Act, to sell shares 
to Funds of Funds beyond the limits of section 12(d)(1)(B) of the Act. 
The application's terms and conditions are designed to, among other 
things, help prevent any potential (i) undue influence over a Fund 
through control or voting power, or in connection with certain 
services, transactions, and underwritings, (ii) excessive layering of 
fees, and (iii) overly complex fund structures, which are the concerns 
underlying the limits in sections 12(d)(1)(A) and (B) of the Act.
    8. Applicants request an exemption from sections 17(a)(1) and 
17(a)(2) of the Act to permit persons that are Affiliated Persons, or 
Second-Tier Affiliates, of the Funds, solely by virtue of certain 
ownership interests, to effectuate purchases and redemptions in-kind. 
The deposit procedures for in-kind purchases of Creation Units and the 
redemption procedures for in-kind redemptions of Creation Units will be 
the same for all purchases and redemptions and Deposit Instruments and 
Redemption Instruments will be valued in the same manner as those 
investment positions currently held by the Funds. Applicants also seek 
relief from the prohibitions on affiliated transactions in section 
17(a) to permit a Fund to sell its shares to and redeem its shares from 
a Fund of Funds, and to engage in the accompanying in-kind transactions 
with the Fund of Funds.\3\ The purchase of Creation Units by a Fund of 
Funds directly from a Fund will be accomplished in accordance with the 
policies of the Fund of Funds and will be based on the NAVs of the 
Funds.
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    \3\ The requested relief would apply to direct sales of shares 
in Creation Units by a Fund to a Fund of Funds and redemptions of 
those shares. Applicants, moreover, are not seeking relief from 
section 17(a) for, and the requested relief will not apply to, 
transactions where a Fund could be deemed an Affiliated Person, or a 
Second-Tier Affiliate, of a Fund of Funds because an Adviser or an 
entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with an 
Adviser provides investment advisory services to that Fund of Funds.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    9. Section 6(c) of the Act permits the Commission to exempt any 
persons or transactions from any provision of the Act if such exemption 
is necessary or appropriate in the public interest and consistent with 
the protection of investors and the purposes fairly intended by the 
policy and provisions of the Act. Section 12(d)(1)(J) of the Act 
provides that the Commission may exempt any person, security, or 
transaction, or any class or classes of persons, securities, or 
transactions, from any provision of section 12(d)(1) if the exemption 
is consistent with the public interest and the protection of investors. 
Section 17(b) of the Act authorizes the Commission to grant an order 
permitting a transaction otherwise prohibited by section 17(a) if it 
finds that (a) the terms of the proposed transaction are fair and 
reasonable and do not involve overreaching on the part of any person 
concerned; (b) the proposed transaction is consistent with the policies 
of each registered investment company involved; and (c) the proposed 
transaction is consistent with the general purposes of the Act.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Investment Management, 
under delegated authority.
Eduardo A. Aleman,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2017-26434 Filed 12-7-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 8011-01-P
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