Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc.; Order Granting Approval of a Proposed Rule Change, as Modified by Amendment No. 6, To List and Trade Shares of the JPMorgan Long/Short ETF Under NYSE Arca Rule 8.600-E, 2850-2855 [2018-00849]
Download as PDF
2850
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 13 / Friday, January 19, 2018 / Notices
III. Date of Effectiveness of the
Proposed Rule Change, Security-Based
Swap Submission and Advance Notice
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.
The proposal shall not take effect
until all regulatory actions required
with respect to the proposal are
completed.
IV. Solicitation of Comments
Interested persons are invited to
submit written data, views, and
arguments concerning the foregoing,
including whether the proposed rule
change, security-based swap submission
or advance notice is consistent with the
Act. Comments may be submitted by
any of the following methods:
Electronic Comments
• Use the Commission’s internet
comment form (https://www.sec.gov/
rules/sro.shtml) or
• Send an email to rule-comments@
sec.gov. Please include File Number SR–
ICEEU–2017–017 on the subject line.
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES
Paper Comments
• Send paper comments in triplicate
to Brent J. Fields, Secretary, Securities
and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street
NE, Washington, DC 20549–1090.
All submissions should refer to File
Number SR–ICEEU–2017–017. 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 website (https://www.sec.gov/
rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the
submission, all subsequent
amendments, all written statements
with respect to the proposed rule
change, security-based swap submission
or advance notice that are filed with the
Commission, and all written
communications relating to the
proposed rule change, security-based
swap submission or advance notice
between the Commission and any
person, other than those that may be
withheld from the public in accordance
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:05 Jan 18, 2018
Jkt 244001
with the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will
be available for website viewing and
printing in the Commission’s Public
Reference Section, 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
filings will also be available for
inspection and copying at the principal
office of ICE Clear Europe and on ICE
Clear Europe’s website at https://
www.theice.com/notices/Notices.shtml?
regulatoryFilings.
All comments received will be posted
without change. Persons submitting
comments are cautioned that we do not
redact or edit personal identifying
information from comment submissions.
You should submit only information
that you wish to make available
publicly. All submissions should refer
to File Number SR–ICEEU–2017–017
and should be submitted on or before
February 9, 2018.
For the Commission, by the Division of
Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated
authority.12
Eduardo A. Aleman,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2018–00854 Filed 1–18–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
[Release No. 34–82492; File No. SR–
NYSEArca–2017–87]
Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE
Arca, Inc.; Order Granting Approval of
a Proposed Rule Change, as Modified
by Amendment No. 6, To List and
Trade Shares of the JPMorgan Long/
Short ETF Under NYSE Arca Rule
8.600–E
January 12, 2018.
I. Introduction
On September 26, 2017, NYSE Arca,
Inc. (‘‘Exchange’’ or ‘‘NYSE Arca’’) filed
with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (‘‘Commission’’), pursuant
to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (‘‘Act’’) 1 and Rule
19b–4 thereunder,2 a proposed rule
change to list and trade shares
(‘‘Shares’’) of the JPMorgan Long/Short
ETF (‘‘Fund’’) under NYSE Arca Rule
8.600–E. The proposed rule change was
published for comment in the Federal
Register on October 16, 2017.3 On
November 17, 2017, the Exchange filed
12 17
CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).
U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
2 17 CFR 240.19b–4.
3 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 81842
(October 10, 2017), 82 FR 48127.
1 15
PO 00000
Frm 00084
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Amendment No. 1 to the proposed rule
change, and on November 27, 2017, the
Exchange filed Amendment No. 2 to the
proposed rule change. On November 29,
2017, pursuant to Section 19(b)(2) of the
Act,4 the Commission designated a
longer period within which to approve
the proposed rule change, disapprove
the proposed rule change, or institute
proceedings to determine whether to
disapprove the proposed rule change.5
On December 4, 2017, the Exchange
filed Amendment No. 3 to the proposed
rule change. On December 6, 2017, the
Exchange filed Amendment No. 4 to the
proposed rule change. On December 26,
2017, the Exchange filed Amendment
No. 5 to the proposed rule change. On
January 3, 2018, the Exchange filed
Amendment No. 6 to the proposed rule
change.6 The Commission has received
no comments on the proposed rule
change. This order approves the
proposed rule change, as modified by
Amendment No. 6.
4 15
U.S.C. 78s(b)(2).
Securities Exchange Act Release No. 82176,
82 FR 57497 (December 5, 2017). The Commission
designated January 14, 2018, as the date by which
it shall approve or disapprove, or institute
proceedings to determine whether to disapprove,
the proposed rule change.
6 In Amendment No. 6, which amended and
superseded the proposed rule change as modified
by Amendment Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, the Exchange:
(1) Changed the name of the Fund; (2) represented
that the Trust will file an amendment to the
Registration Statement (as defined herein) as
necessary to conform to the representations in the
filing; (3) clarified the definitions of certain return
factors the Adviser (as defined herein) may utilize
as part of the Fund’s investment strategy; (4) moved
cash and cash equivalents from the ‘‘other
investments’’ category to the ‘‘principal
investments’’ category; (5) provided that the Fund
may purchase and sell foreign exchange-traded
futures on foreign equities and foreign stock
indexes and foreign exchange-traded options on
foreign equity futures as part of its principal
investments; (6) clarified that no more than 10% of
the equity weight of the Fund’s portfolio will be
invested in non-exchange-traded American
Depositary Receipts; (7) provided additional
information regarding the Fund’s holding of nonexchange-traded contingent value rights, including
that such holdings would be limited to 0.5% of the
Fund’s assets by market value and that such
holdings would not meet the criteria of
Commentary .01(a)(1)(E) and (a)(2)(E) to NYSE Arca
Rule 8.600–E, as further described herein; (8)
provided that the Fund’s investment in sovereign
obligations and obligations of supranational entities
each is not expected to exceed 5% of the Fund’s
assets; (9) provided additional information
regarding the availability of information for the
Shares; and (10) made other clarifications,
corrections, and technical changes. Amendment No.
6 is not subject to notice and comment because it
does not materially alter the substance of the
proposed rule change or raise unique or novel
regulatory issues. All of the amendments to the
proposed rule change are available at https://
www.sec.gov/comments/sr-nysearca-2017-87/
nysearca201787.htm.
5 See
E:\FR\FM\19JAN1.SGM
19JAN1
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 13 / Friday, January 19, 2018 / Notices
II. The Exchange’s Description of the
Proposed Rule Change, as Modified by
Amendment No. 6 7
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES
The Exchange proposes to list and
trade Shares of the Fund under NYSE
Arca Rule 8.600–E, which governs the
listing and trading of Managed Fund
Shares on the Exchange. The Fund is a
series of J.P. Morgan Exchange-Traded
Fund Trust (‘‘Trust’’), a Delaware
statutory trust.8 J.P. Morgan Investment
Management Inc. (‘‘Adviser’’) will be
the investment adviser to the Fund and
will also provide administrative services
for and oversee the other service
providers for the Fund.9 JPMorgan
Distribution Services, Inc. will be the
distributor of the Fund’s Shares.
According to the Exchange, the Fund
will seek to provide long-term total
return. Under normal market
conditions,10 the Fund will employ the
‘‘Equity Long/Short’’ strategy to access
certain return factors.11 The strategy
7 For more information regarding the Fund and
the Shares, see Amendment No. 6, supra note 6.
8 The Trust is registered under the Investment
Company Act of 1940 (‘‘1940 Act’’). On July 18,
2017, the Trust filed with the Commission an
amendment to its registration statement on Form N–
1A under the Securities Act of 1933 and the 1940
Act relating to the Fund (File Nos. 333–191837 and
811–22903) (‘‘Registration Statement’’). The
Exchange represents that the Trust will file an
amendment to the Registration Statement as
necessary to conform to representations in the
Exchange’s filing. In addition, the Commission has
issued an order granting certain exemptive relief to
the Trust under the 1940 Act. See Investment
Company Act Release No. 31990 (February 9, 2016)
(‘‘Exemptive Order’’). The Exchange represents that
investments made by the Fund will comply with
the conditions set forth in the Exemptive Order.
9 The Adviser is a wholly-owned subsidiary of
JPMorgan Asset Management Holdings Inc., which
is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of
JPMorgan Chase & Co., a bank holding company.
The Adviser is not registered as a broker-dealer, but
is affiliated with a broker-dealer and has
implemented and will maintain a fire wall with
respect to such broker-dealer affiliate regarding
access to information concerning the composition
of and/or changes to the Fund’s portfolio. In the
event (a) the Adviser becomes registered as a
broker-dealer or newly affiliated with one or more
broker-dealers, or (b) any new adviser or subadviser is a registered broker-dealer or becomes
affiliated with a broker-dealer, it will implement
and maintain a fire wall with respect to its relevant
personnel or its broker-dealer affiliate regarding
access to information concerning the composition
of 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.
10 The term ‘‘normal market conditions’’ is
defined in NYSE Arca Rule 8.600–E(c)(5).
11 Each return factor represents a potential source
of investment return that results from, among other
things, assuming a particular risk or taking
advantage of a behavioral bias. The exposure to
individual return factors may vary based on the
market opportunity of the individual return factors.
For example, the return factors that the Adviser
may utilize include, but are not limited to: Value
(seek to purchase ‘‘cheap’’ stocks based on the
ratios of their price to certain company
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:05 Jan 18, 2018
Jkt 244001
will involve simultaneously investing in
equities (investing long) that the
Adviser believes are attractive based on
relevant return factors and selling
equities (selling short) that the Adviser
believes are unattractive based on
relevant return factors. The Fund will
generally invest its assets globally to
gain exposure, either directly or through
the use of derivatives, to equity
securities (across market capitalizations)
in developed markets.12
A. Principal Investments
According to the Exchange, under
normal market conditions, at least 80%
of the Fund’s assets will be invested in
the securities and financial instruments
described below.
The Fund may invest in U.S. and
foreign exchange-listed common stocks
of U.S. and foreign corporations, U.S.
and foreign exchange-listed preferred
stocks of U.S. and foreign corporations,
U.S. and foreign exchange-listed
warrants of U.S. and foreign
corporations, U.S. and foreign exchangelisted rights of U.S. and foreign
corporations, and U.S. and foreign
exchange-listed master limited
partnerships (‘‘MLPs’’).
The Fund may purchase and sell U.S.
exchange-traded futures on U.S. and
foreign equities, U.S. exchange-traded
options on U.S. and foreign equity
futures, and U.S. exchange-traded
futures on U.S. and foreign stock
indexes, foreign exchange-traded futures
on foreign equities and foreign stock
indexes, and foreign exchange-traded
options on foreign equity futures.
The Fund may invest in over-thecounter (‘‘OTC’’) and U.S. exchangetraded call and put options on equity
securities and equity securities indexes.
The Fund may invest in OTC total
return swaps on U.S. and foreign
equities and U.S. and foreign equity
indices.
The Fund may invest in forward
currency transactions. Such investments
consist of non-deliverable forwards,
characteristics and sell short stocks that are
relatively more expensive based on the same
considerations); Momentum (seek to capture the
tendency that a security’s recent performance may
continue in the near future); Size (seek to purchase
small cap stocks and sell short large cap stocks);
Quality (seek to buy high quality stocks and sell
short lower ranked stocks).
12 Under normal market conditions, the Adviser
currently expects that a significant portion of the
Fund’s exposure will be attained through the use
of derivatives in addition to its exposure through
direct investment. Derivatives will primarily be
used as an efficient means of implementing a
particular strategy in order to gain exposure to a
desired return factor. Derivatives may also be used
to increase gain, to effectively gain targeted
exposure from cash positions, to hedge various
investments, and/or for risk management.
PO 00000
Frm 00085
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
2851
foreign forward currency contracts,
caps, and floors.
The Fund may invest in exchangelisted real estate investment trusts
(‘‘REITs’’) that will be traded on U.S.
national securities exchanges and on
non-U.S. exchanges.
The Fund may invest in U.S. and
foreign exchange-listed and OTC
Depositary Receipts.13
The Fund may invest in OTC-traded
convertible securities (bonds or
preferred stock that can convert to
common stock).
The Fund may invest in cash and cash
equivalents, which are investments in
money market funds (including funds
for which the Adviser and/or its
affiliates may serve as investment
adviser or administrator), bank
obligations,14 and commercial paper.
B. Other Investments
While the Fund, under normal market
conditions, will invest at least 80% of
its assets in the securities and financial
instruments described above, the Fund
may invest its remaining assets in other
assets and financial instruments, as
described below.
The Fund may invest in U.S.
Government obligations, which may
include direct obligations of the U.S.
Treasury, including Treasury bills,
notes, and bonds, all of which are
backed as to principal and interest
payments by the full faith and credit of
the United States, and separately traded
principal and interest component parts
of such obligations that are transferable
through the Federal book-entry system
known as Separate Trading of
Registered Interest and Principal of
Securities and Coupons Under Book
Entry Safekeeping.
The Fund may invest in U.S. and
foreign corporate debt.
The Fund may invest in sovereign
obligations, which are investments in
debt obligations issued or guaranteed by
a foreign sovereign government or its
agencies, authorities, or political
subdivisions. The Fund may also invest
in obligations of supranational entities,
including securities designated or
supported by governmental entities to
promote economic reconstruction or
development of international banking
institutions and related government
agencies.
The Fund may invest in spot currency
transactions.
13 Depositary Receipts include American
Depositary Receipts (‘‘ADRs’’), Global Depositary
Receipts, and European Depositary Receipts. No
more than 10% of the equity weight of the Fund’s
portfolio will be invested in non-exchange traded
ADRs.
14 Bank obligations include bankers’ acceptances,
certificates of deposit, and time deposits.
E:\FR\FM\19JAN1.SGM
19JAN1
2852
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 13 / Friday, January 19, 2018 / Notices
The Fund may hold non-exchangetraded contingent value rights
(‘‘CVRs’’).15
The Fund may invest in Rule 144A
securities and Regulation S securities.
C. Investment Restrictions
The Fund’s investments, including
derivatives, will be consistent with the
Fund’s investment objective and will
not be used to enhance leverage
(although certain derivatives and other
investments may result in leverage).
That is, while the Fund will be
permitted to borrow as permitted under
the 1940 Act, the Fund’s investments
will not be used to seek performance
that is the multiple or inverse multiple
(e.g., 2Xs and 3Xs) of the Fund’s
primary broad-based securities
benchmark index (as defined in Form
N–1A).16
D. Application of Generic Listing
Requirements
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES
According to the Exchange, the
Fund’s portfolio will not meet all of the
generic listing requirements of
Commentary .01 to NYSE Arca Rule
8.600–E. Specifically, the Fund will
meet all the requirements of NYSE Arca
Rule 8.600–E except for those set forth
in Commentary .01(a)(1)(E) and
Commentary .01(a)(2)(E) relating to nonexchange-traded CVRs, Commentary
.01(e), and Commentary .01(b)(3).
Commentary .01(a)(1)(E) to NYSE
Arca Rule 8.600–E requires that, on both
an initial and continuing basis, the
component stocks of the equity portion
of a portfolio that are U.S. Component
Stocks (as described in NYSE Arca Rule
5.2–E(j)(3)) be listed on a national
securities exchange and be NMS Stocks
as defined in Rule 600 of Regulation
NMS under the Act.17 Commentary
.01(a)(2)(E) to NYSE Arca Rule 8.600–E
requires that, on both an initial and
continuing basis, the component stocks
of the equity portion of a portfolio that
are Non-U.S. Component Stocks (as
described in NYSE Arca Rule 5.2–
15 The Exchange states that, for the purposes of
the filing, CVRs are rights provided to shareholders
of a company in connection with a corporate
restructuring or acquisition. These rights relate to
additional benefits to shareholders if a certain event
occurs. CVRs frequently have an expiration date
relating to the times that contingent events must
occur. CVRs related to a company’s stock are
generally related to the price performance of such
stock.
16 The Fund’s broad-based securities benchmark
index will be identified in a future amendment to
the Registration Statement following the Fund’s
first full calendar year of performance.
17 Commentary .01(a)(1)(F) to NYSE Arca Rule
8.600–E provides that ADRs in a portfolio may be
exchange-traded or non-exchange-traded, but no
more than 10% of the equity weight of a portfolio
may consist of non-exchange-traded ADRs.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:05 Jan 18, 2018
Jkt 244001
E(j)(3)) be listed and traded on an
exchange that has last-sale reporting.
The Exchange states that the nonexchange-traded CVRs that the Fund
may hold would not be listed on a
national securities exchange or an
exchange with last sale reporting, and
therefore would not meet the criteria of
Commentary .01(a)(1)(E) and
Commentary .01(a)(2)(E). The Exchange
states that the Adviser represents that
the Fund may at times hold a de
minimis amount of the Fund’s assets
(less than 0.5% by market value) in nonexchange-traded CVRs. The Exchange
also states that the Adviser represents
that the Fund will not actively invest in
non-exchange-traded CVRs but may, at
times, receive a distribution of such
securities in connection with the Fund’s
holdings in other securities. According
to the Exchange, therefore, the Fund’s
holdings in non-exchange-traded CVRs,
if any, would not be utilized to further
the Fund’s investment objective and
would not be acquired as the result of
the Fund’s voluntary investment
decisions.
Commentary .01(e) to NYSE Arca
Rule 8.600–E requires that, on both an
initial and continuing basis, no more
than 20% of the assets in the Fund’s
portfolio may be invested in OTC
derivatives (calculated as the aggregate
gross notional value of the OTC
derivatives). The Exchange states that
the aggregate gross notional value of the
Fund’s investments in OTC derivatives
may exceed this limit. The Exchange
states that the Adviser intends to engage
in strategies that utilize OTC foreign
currency forward transactions, OTC
total return swaps, and OTC options.
According to the Exchange, because
foreign currency forward transactions
and total return swaps will be traded
OTC, it would not be possible to
implement these strategies efficiently
using listed derivatives. In addition, use
of OTC options on equity securities and
equity securities indexes may be an
important means to reduce risk in the
Fund’s equity investments, or,
depending on market conditions, to
enhance returns of such investments.
The Exchange states that if the Fund
were limited to investing up to 20% of
assets in OTC derivatives, the Fund
would have to exclude or underweight
these strategies and would be less
diversified, concentrating risk in the
other strategies it will utilize. In
addition, the Exchange states that the
Adviser represents that the Fund will
follow an investment strategy utilized
within the JP Morgan Diversified
Alternative ETF, shares of which have
previously been approved by the
PO 00000
Frm 00086
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Commission for Exchange listing and
trading.18
Commentary .01(b)(3) to NYSE Arca
Rule 8.600–E provides that a portfolio
(excluding exempted securities) that
includes fixed income securities shall
include a minimum of 13 non-affiliated
issuers, provided, however, that there
shall be no minimum number of nonaffiliated issuers required for fixed
income securities if at least 70% of the
weight of the portfolio consists of equity
securities as described in Commentary
.01(a) to NYSE Arca Rule 8.600–E. The
Exchange states that the Fund’s
investment in fixed income securities
will not meet this requirement.
However, the Exchange represents that
the Fund’s investment in corporate debt
will not exceed 5% of the Fund’s assets,
the Fund’s investment in OTC-traded
convertible securities also will not
exceed 5% of the Fund’s assets, and the
Fund’s investment in sovereign
obligations and obligations of
supranational entities each is not
expected to exceed 5% of the Fund’s
assets. The Exchange also states the
Adviser’s belief that it is appropriate to
permit a small investment in corporate
debt, OTC-traded convertible securities,
sovereign obligations, and obligations of
supranational entities in order to permit
the Fund to diversify its investments to
enhance investor returns. According to
the Exchange, because such investments
would be limited and are not expected
to exceed 20% of the Fund’s assets in
the aggregate, it would be difficult for
the Fund to diversify such investments
in order to comply with the requirement
that fixed income securities include at
least 13 non-affiliated issuers.
III. Discussion and Commission’s
Findings
After careful review, the Commission
finds that the proposed rule change, as
modified by Amendment No. 6, is
consistent with the Act and the rules
and regulations thereunder applicable to
a national securities exchange.19 In
particular, the Commission finds that
the proposed rule change, as modified
by Amendment No. 6, is consistent with
Section 6(b)(5) of the Act,20 which
requires, among other things, that the
Exchange’s rules be designed to prevent
fraudulent and manipulative acts and
18 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 77904
(May 25, 2016), 81 FR 35101 (June 1, 2016) (SR–
NYSEArca–2016–17) (order approving listing and
trading of shares of the JPMorgan Diversified
Alternative ETF under NYSE Arca Equities Rule
8.600).
19 In approving this proposed rule change, the
Commission has considered the proposed rule’s
impact on efficiency, competition, and capital
formation. See 15 U.S.C. 78c(f).
20 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
E:\FR\FM\19JAN1.SGM
19JAN1
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 13 / Friday, January 19, 2018 / Notices
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES
practices, to promote just and equitable
principles of trade, to remove
impediments to and perfect the
mechanism of a free and open market
and a national market system, and, in
general, to protect investors and the
public interest.
As noted above, the Fund’s
investment in non-exchange-traded
CVRs would not comply with either
Commentary .01(a)(1)(E) to NYSE Arca
Rule 8.600–E, which requires the U.S.
Component Stocks in the portfolio to be
listed on a national securities exchange
and to be NMS Stocks, or Commentary
.01(a)(2)(E) to NYSE Arca Rule 8.600–E,
which requires the Non-U.S.
Component Stocks in the portfolio to be
listed and traded on an exchange with
last sale reporting. As proposed, the
Fund may at times hold a de minimis
amount of the Fund’s assets (less than
0.5% by market value) in non-exchangetraded CVRs. Also, the Fund will not
actively invest in non-exchange-traded
CVRs but may, at times, receive a
distribution of such securities in
connection with the Fund’s holdings in
other securities.
In addition, as noted above, the
aggregate gross notional value of the
Fund’s investments in OTC derivatives
may exceed the 20% limit in
Commentary .01(e) to NYSE Arca Rule
8.600–E.21 The Exchange states that the
20% limit could result in the Fund
being unable to fully pursue its
investment objective while attempting
to sufficiently mitigate investment risks.
According to the Exchange, if the Fund
were limited to investing up to 20% of
its assets in OTC derivatives, the Fund
would have to exclude or underweight
the strategies utilizing OTC derivatives
and the Fund would be less diversified,
concentrating risk in the other strategies
it plans to utilize.22 In addition, the
21 The Exchange states that the Fund’s
investments in derivative instruments will be made
in accordance with the 1940 Act and consistent
with the Fund’s investment objective and policies.
To limit the potential risk associated with such
transactions, the Fund will segregate or ‘‘earmark’’
assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in
accordance with procedures established by the
Trust’s Board of Trustees and in accordance with
the 1940 Act (or, as permitted by applicable
regulation, enter into certain offsetting positions) to
cover its obligations under derivative instruments.
The Exchange states that these procedures have
been adopted consistent with Section 18 of the 1940
Act and related Commission guidance. In addition,
the Fund will include appropriate risk disclosure in
its offering documents, including leveraging risk.
22 The Exchange states that the Adviser represents
that it is not possible to implement its strategies
efficiently using listed derivatives because the
foreign currency forward transactions and total
return swaps in which the Fund may invest will be
traded OTC. The Exchange also states that use of
OTC options on equity securities and equity
securities indexes may be an important means to
reduce risk in the Fund’s equity investments.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:05 Jan 18, 2018
Jkt 244001
Exchange states that the inability of the
Fund to adequately hedge its holdings
would effectively limit the Fund’s
ability to invest in certain instruments,
or could expose the Fund to additional
investment risk. The Exchange also
states that suitable derivative
transactions may be an efficient
alternative for the Fund to obtain the
desired asset exposure because the
markets for certain assets, or the assets
themselves, may be unavailable or cost
prohibitive as compared to derivative
instruments. Furthermore, the Exchange
states that OTC derivatives may be
tailored more specifically than the
available listed derivatives to the assets
held by the Fund.23 As proposed, on a
daily basis, the Fund will disclose on its
website the information regarding the
Disclosed Portfolio required under
NYSE Arca Rule 8.600–E(c)(2) to the
extent applicable.24 The website
information will be publicly available at
no charge. The Exchange represents that
the Fund’s disclosure of derivative
positions in the Disclosed Portfolio will
include information that market
participants can use to value the
derivative positions intraday.
Finally, as noted above, the Fund’s
investment in fixed income securities
will not meet the requirement for 13
non-affiliated issuers in Commentary
.01(b)(3) to NYSE Arca Rule 8.600–E. As
proposed, the Fund’s investment in
corporate debt will not exceed 5% of the
Fund’s assets, the Fund’s investment in
OTC-traded convertible securities will
not exceed 5% of the Fund’s assets, and
the Fund’s investment in sovereign
obligations and obligations of
supranational entities each is not
expected to exceed 5% of the Fund’s
assets. According to the Exchange,
because these investments would be
limited and are not expected to exceed
20% of the Fund’s assets in the
aggregate, it would be difficult for the
Fund to diversify such investments in
23 As noted above, the Adviser represents that the
Fund will follow an investment strategy utilized by
the JP Morgan Diversified Alternative ETF, shares
of which were previously approved for Exchange
listing and trading by the Commission. See supra
note 18 and accompanying text.
24 NYSE Arca Rule 8.600–E(c)(2) requires that the
website for each series of Managed Fund Shares
disclose the following information regarding the
Disclosed Portfolio, to the extent applicable: (A)
Ticker symbol; (B) CUSIP or other identifier; (C)
description of the holding; (D) with respect to
holdings in derivatives, the identity of the security,
commodity, index or other asset upon which the
derivative is based; (E) the strike price for any
options; (F) the quantity of each security or other
asset held as measured by (i) par value, (ii) notional
value, (iii) number of shares, (iv) number of
contracts, and (v) number of units; (G) maturity
date; (H) coupon rate; (I) effective date; (J) market
value; and (K) percentage weighting of the holding
in the portfolio.
PO 00000
Frm 00087
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
2853
order to comply this requirement. The
Exchange also states the Adviser’s belief
that it is appropriate to permit a small
investment in corporate debt, OTCtraded convertible securities, sovereign
obligations, and obligations of
supranational entities in order to permit
the Fund to diversify its investments to
enhance investor returns.
The Commission notes that, other
than Commentary .01(a)(1)(E) and
Commentary .01(a)(2)(E) relating to nonexchange-traded CVRs, Commentary
.01(e), and Commentary .01(b)(3), the
Fund will meet all the requirements of
NYSE Arca Rule 8.600–E.
The Commission also finds that the
proposal is consistent with Section
11A(a)(1)(C)(iii) of the Act,25 which sets
forth Congress’s finding that it is in the
public interest and appropriate for the
protection of investors and the
maintenance of fair and orderly markets
to assure the availability to brokers,
dealers, and investors of information
with respect to quotations for, and
transactions in, securities. Quotation
and last-sale information for the Shares
will be available via the CTA high-speed
line. The Portfolio Indicative Value
(‘‘PIV’’) for the Fund, as defined in
NYSE Arca Rule 8.600–E(c)(3), will be
widely disseminated by one or more
major market data vendors at least every
15 seconds during the Exchange’s Core
Trading Session.26 Information
regarding market price and trading
volume for the Shares will be
continually available on a real-time
basis throughout the day on brokers’
computer screens and other electronic
services. Information regarding 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 portfolio holdings of the Fund that
are U.S. exchange-listed, including
common stocks, warrants, rights, MLPs,
preferred stocks, REITs, and Depositary
Receipts will be available via the CTA
high speed line. Quotation and last sale
information for such U.S. exchangelisted securities, as well as U.S. and
foreign exchange-traded futures and
options on futures, will be available
from the exchanges on which they are
listed. Quotation and last sale
information for exchange-listed options
cleared via the Options Clearing
Corporation will be available via the
Options Price Reporting Authority.
25 15
U.S.C. 78k–1(a)(1)(C)(iii).
it is the Exchange’s understanding
that several major market data vendors display and/
or make widely available PIVs taken from the CTA
or other data feeds.
26 Currently,
E:\FR\FM\19JAN1.SGM
19JAN1
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES
2854
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 13 / Friday, January 19, 2018 / Notices
Quotation and last sale information for
foreign exchange-listed equity securities
will be available from the exchanges on
which they trade and from major market
data vendors, as applicable. Price
information for preferred stocks and
non-exchange-traded CVRs will be
available from one or more major market
data vendors or from broker-dealers.
Quotation information for OTC options,
cash equivalents, swaps, obligations of
supranational agencies, money market
funds, U.S. Government obligations,
U.S. Government agency obligations,
sovereign obligations, repurchase and
reverse repurchase agreements, and U.S.
and foreign corporate debt may be
obtained from brokers and dealers who
make markets in such securities or
through nationally recognized pricing
services through subscription
agreements. The U.S. dollar value of
foreign securities, instruments, and
currencies can be derived by using
foreign currency exchange rate
quotations obtained from nationally
recognized pricing services. Forwards
and spot currency price information
will be available from major market data
vendors. Price information for OTC
Depositary Receipts, convertible
securities, 144A securities and
Regulation S securities is available from
major market data vendors. In addition,
the Fund’s website, which will be
publicly available prior to the public
offering of the Shares, will include a
form of the prospectus for the Fund and
additional data relating to NAV and
other applicable quantitative
information.
The Commission also believes that the
proposal is reasonably designed to
promote fair disclosure of information
that may be necessary to price the
Shares appropriately and to prevent
trading when a reasonable degree of
transparency cannot be assured. 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.
Trading in the Shares will be halted if
the circuit-breaker parameters in NYSE
Arca Rule 7.12–E have been reached.
Trading also may be halted because of
market conditions or for reasons that, in
the view of the Exchange, make trading
in the Shares inadvisable. Moreover,
trading in the Shares will be subject to
NYSE Arca Rule 8.600–E(d)(2)(D),
which sets forth circumstances under
which Shares may be halted.
The Exchange states that it has a
general policy prohibiting the
distribution of material, non-public
information by its employees. The
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:05 Jan 18, 2018
Jkt 244001
Exchange states that the Adviser is not
registered as a broker-dealer but is
affiliated with a broker-dealer and has
implemented and will maintain a fire
wall with respect to that broker-dealer
affiliate regarding access to information
concerning the composition of and/or
changes to the Fund’s portfolio.27
Further, the Commission notes that the
Reporting Authority that provides the
Disclosed Portfolio must implement and
maintain, or be subject to, procedures
designed to prevent the use and
dissemination of material, non-public
information regarding the actual
components of the portfolio.28
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. In support of this
proposal, the Exchange represents that:
(1) Other than Commentary .01(a)(1)(E) and
Commentary .01(a)(2)(E) with respect to
investments in non-exchange-traded CVRs,
Commentary .01(e), and Commentary
.01(b)(3), the Fund will meet all other
requirements of NYSE Arca Rule 8.600–E.
(2) A minimum of 100,000 Shares of the
Fund will be outstanding at the
commencement of trading on the Exchange.
(3) Trading in the Shares will be subject to
the existing trading surveillances
administered by the Exchange, as well as
cross-market surveillances administered by
the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority
(‘‘FINRA’’) on behalf of the Exchange, and
these procedures are adequate to properly
monitor Exchange trading of the Shares in all
trading sessions and to deter and detect
violations of Exchange rules and applicable
federal securities laws.29
(4) The Exchange or FINRA, on behalf of
the Exchange, or both, will communicate as
needed regarding trading in the Shares,
certain exchange-listed equity securities,
certain futures, and certain exchange-traded
options with other markets and other entities
that are members of the Intermarket
Surveillance Group (‘‘ISG’’), and the
Exchange or FINRA, on behalf of the
Exchange, or both, may obtain trading
information regarding trading such securities
and financial instruments from such markets
and other entities. In addition, the Exchange
may obtain information regarding trading in
such securities and financial instruments
from markets and other entities that are
members of ISG or with which the Exchange
has in place a comprehensive surveillance
sharing agreement. FINRA, on behalf of the
Exchange, is able to access, as needed, trade
information for certain fixed income
securities held by the Fund reported to
FINRA’s Trade Reporting and Compliance
Engine.
(5) Prior to the commencement of trading,
the Exchange will inform its Equity Trading
Permit Holders in an Information Bulletin of
the special characteristics and risks
associated with trading the Shares.
Specifically, the Information Bulletin will
discuss: (a) The procedures for purchases and
redemptions of Shares in creation units (and
that Shares are not individually redeemable);
(b) NYSE Arca Rule 9.2–E(a), which imposes
a duty of due diligence on its Equity Trading
Permit Holders to learn the essential facts
relating to every customer prior to trading the
Shares; (c) the risks involved in trading the
Shares during the Early and Late Trading
Sessions when an updated PIV will not be
calculated or publicly disseminated; (d) how
information regarding the PIV and the
Disclosed Portfolio is disseminated; (e) the
requirement that Equity Trading Permit
Holders deliver a prospectus to investors
purchasing newly issued Shares prior to or
concurrently with the confirmation of a
transaction; and (f) trading information.
(6) The Exchange has appropriate rules to
facilitate transactions in the Shares during all
trading sessions.
(7) For initial and continued listing, the
Fund will be in compliance with Rule 10A–
3 under the Act.30
(8) The Fund’s investments, including
derivatives, will be consistent with the
Fund’s investment objective and will not be
used to enhance leverage. That is, while the
Fund will be permitted to borrow as
permitted under the 1940 Act, the Fund’s
investments will not be used to seek
performance that is the multiple or inverse
multiple (e.g., 2Xs and 3Xs) of the Fund’s
primary broad-based securities benchmark
index (as defined in Form N–1A).
The Exchange represents that all
statements and representations made in
the filing regarding: (1) The description
of the portfolio holdings or reference
assets; (2) limitations on portfolio
holdings or reference assets; or (3) the
applicability of Exchange listing rules
specified in the rule filing constitute
continued listing requirements for
listing the Shares on the Exchange. In
addition, the issuer has represented to
the Exchange that it will advise the
Exchange of any failure by the Fund to
comply with the continued listing
requirements and, pursuant to its
obligations under Section 19(g)(1) of the
Act, the Exchange will monitor 31 for
30 See
27 The
Exchange also represents that an
investment adviser to an open-end fund is required
to be registered under the Investment Advisers Act
of 1940.
28 See NYSE Arca Rule 8.600–E(d)(2)(B)(ii).
29 The Exchange states that FINRA conducts
cross-market surveillances on behalf of the
Exchange pursuant to a regulatory services
agreement, and that the Exchange is responsible for
FINRA’s performance under this regulatory services
agreement.
PO 00000
Frm 00088
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
17 CFR 240.10A–3.
Commission notes that certain proposals
for the listing and trading of exchange-traded
products include a representation that the exchange
will ‘‘surveil’’ for compliance with the continued
listing requirements. See, e.g., Securities Exchange
Act Release No. 77499 (April 1, 2016), 81 FR 20428,
20432 (April 7, 2016) (SR–BATS–2016–04). In the
context of this representation, it is the
Commission’s view that ‘‘monitor’’ and ‘‘surveil’’
both mean ongoing oversight of compliance with
the continued listing requirements. Therefore, the
31 The
E:\FR\FM\19JAN1.SGM
19JAN1
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 13 / Friday, January 19, 2018 / Notices
compliance with the continued listing
requirements. If the Fund is not in
compliance with the applicable listing
requirements, the Exchange will
commence delisting procedures under
NYSE Arca Rule 5.5–E(m).
This approval order is based on all of
the Exchange’s statements and
representations, including those set
forth above and in Amendment No. 6.
For the foregoing reasons, the
Commission finds that the proposed
rule change, as modified by Amendment
No. 6, is consistent with Section 6(b)(5)
of the Act 32 and Section
11A(a)(1)(C)(iii) of the Act 33 and the
rules and regulations thereunder
applicable to a national securities
exchange.
IV. Conclusion
It is therefore ordered, pursuant to
Section 19(b)(2) of the Act,34 that the
proposed rule change (SR–NYSEArca–
2017–87), as modified by Amendment
No. 6, be, and it hereby is, approved.
For the Commission, by the Division of
Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated
authority.35
Eduardo A. Aleman,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2018–00849 Filed 1–18–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
[Release No. 34–82496; File No. SR–ICEEU–
2017–016]
Self-Regulatory Organizations; ICE
Clear Europe Limited; Notice of
Proposed Rule Change, SecurityBased Swap Submission or Advance
Notice Relating to the ICE Clear
Europe Recovery Plan
January 12, 2018.
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES
Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(‘‘Act’’),1 and Rule 19b–4 thereunder,2
notice is hereby given that on December
29, 2017, ICE Clear Europe Limited
(‘‘ICE Clear Europe’’) filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission
(‘‘Commission’’) the proposed rule
changes described in Items I, II and III
below, which Items have been prepared
by ICE Clear Europe. The Commission is
publishing this notice to solicit
Commission does not view ‘‘monitor’’ as a more or
less stringent obligation than ‘‘surveil’’ with respect
to the continued listing requirements.
32 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
33 15 U.S.C. 78k–1(a)(1)(C)(iii).
34 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2).
35 17 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).
1 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
2 17 CFR 240.19b–4.
17:05 Jan 18, 2018
Jkt 244001
I. Clearing Agency’s Statement of the
Terms of Substance of the Proposed
Rule Change, Security-Based Swap
Submission, or Advance Notice
Consistent with its obligations under
applicable laws and regulations,3 ICEU
has adopted a Recovery Plan identifying
certain critical clearing services it
provides and addressing its tools,
mechanisms and options for addressing
scenarios that threaten its ability to
continue to provide such services.
II. Clearing Agency’s Statement of the
Purpose of, and Statutory Basis for, the
Proposed Rule Change, Security-Based
Swap Submission or Advance Notice
In its filing with the Commission, ICE
Clear Europe 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. ICE
Clear Europe has prepared summaries,
set forth in sections (A), (B), and (C)
below, of the most significant aspects of
such statements.
(A) Clearing Agency’s Statement of the
Purpose of, and Statutory Basis for, the
Proposed Rule Change, Security-Based
Swap Submission or Advance Notice
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
VerDate Sep<11>2014
comments on the proposed rule change
from interested persons.
(a) Purpose
Consistent with its obligations under
applicable laws and regulations, ICE
Clear Europe has adopted a Recovery
Plan. The Recovery Plan is based on,
and is intended to be consistent with,
ICEU’s Clearing Rules (the ‘‘Rules’’) 4
and Procedures, as well as its existing
risk management frameworks, policies
and procedures.
Overview of the Recovery Plan
The Recovery Plan identifies the
critical services that ICEU provides, and
3 As discussed in further detail herein, ICE Clear
Europe is required to establish a recovery plan
under relevant provisions of the UK Financial
Services and Markets Act 2000 (Recognition
Requirements for Investment Exchanges and
Clearing Houses) Regulations 2001 (SI/2001/1995)
and Commission Rule 17Ad–22(e)(3)(ii), 17 CFR
240.17Ad–22(e)(3)(ii).
The Plan is also designed to be consistent with
the Committee on Payments and Market
Infrastructures (‘‘CPMI’’)—International
Organization of Securities Commissions (‘‘IOSCO’’)
Principles for Financial Market Infrastructures
(‘‘PFMIs’’), including supplemental guidance from
CPMI–IOSCO which includes its report on
‘‘Recovery of financial market infrastructures’’
published in October 2014 and revised July 2017
(the ‘‘Recovery Guidance’’).
4 Capitalized terms used but not defined herein
have the meanings specified in the Rules.
PO 00000
Frm 00089
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
2855
the business functions that support
those services. In ICEU’s view, its
clearing services (for both the F&O and
CDS product categories), and its related
treasury and banking services, represent
its critical services. The Recovery Plan
outlines a number of firm-specific and
market-wide stress scenarios that, in
ICEU’s determination, may result in
significant losses or liquidity shortfall,
suspension or failure of its critical
services and related functions and
systems, and damage to other market
infrastructure, with resulting
uncertainty in the markets for which
ICEU clears. These include both losses
from Clearing Member default and nondefault loss scenarios. The Recovery
Plan further evaluates different impact
categories and severity levels of these
stress scenarios. The Recovery Plan then
addresses the tools, mechanisms and
options (‘‘Recovery Options’’) upon
which ICEU may draw (based on its
existing Rules, Procedures and policies
and frameworks) in order to address a
stress scenario and continue to provide
its critical services, and the actions to
implement those options (including
appropriate escalation and early
warning procedures). The Recovery Plan
also addresses communication with
regulators and other relevant
stakeholders and related governance
issues. The Recovery Plan further
considers the implications of certain
situations that may be beyond its
control, such as interdependencies with
other institutions.
The Recovery Plan also addresses the
roles and responsibility of ICEU Board,
management and other personnel,
including with respect to development,
review and approval, testing and
maintenance and liaison with relevant
regulatory authorities. The Recovery
Plan also includes a description of
ICEU, its organizational structure, its
applicable regulatory regime and the
standards and guidelines that have
informed the Recovery Plan. The
Recovery Plan is based on the Rules and
Procedures of the clearing house as they
are in effect, and does not itself change
the rights and obligations of the clearing
house or its Clearing Members
thereunder.
Critical Services and Functions
As noted above, ICEU has determined
that both its F&O and CDS product
category clearing services, as well as its
related treasury and banking services,
are critical services. The Recovery Plan
sets out the methodology used by the
clearing house in assessing the
criticality of services for this purpose.
ICEU has also identified the front-end
business functions and support areas
E:\FR\FM\19JAN1.SGM
19JAN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 13 (Friday, January 19, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2850-2855]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-00849]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
[Release No. 34-82492; File No. SR-NYSEArca-2017-87]
Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc.; Order Granting
Approval of a Proposed Rule Change, as Modified by Amendment No. 6, To
List and Trade Shares of the JPMorgan Long/Short ETF Under NYSE Arca
Rule 8.600-E
January 12, 2018.
I. Introduction
On September 26, 2017, NYSE Arca, Inc. (``Exchange'' or ``NYSE
Arca'') filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(``Commission''), pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (``Act'') \1\ and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,\2\ a
proposed rule change to list and trade shares (``Shares'') of the
JPMorgan Long/Short ETF (``Fund'') under NYSE Arca Rule 8.600-E. The
proposed rule change was published for comment in the Federal Register
on October 16, 2017.\3\ On November 17, 2017, the Exchange filed
Amendment No. 1 to the proposed rule change, and on November 27, 2017,
the Exchange filed Amendment No. 2 to the proposed rule change. On
November 29, 2017, pursuant to Section 19(b)(2) of the Act,\4\ the
Commission designated a longer period within which to approve the
proposed rule change, disapprove the proposed rule change, or institute
proceedings to determine whether to disapprove the proposed rule
change.\5\ On December 4, 2017, the Exchange filed Amendment No. 3 to
the proposed rule change. On December 6, 2017, the Exchange filed
Amendment No. 4 to the proposed rule change. On December 26, 2017, the
Exchange filed Amendment No. 5 to the proposed rule change. On January
3, 2018, the Exchange filed Amendment No. 6 to the proposed rule
change.\6\ The Commission has received no comments on the proposed rule
change. This order approves the proposed rule change, as modified by
Amendment No. 6.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
\2\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4.
\3\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 81842 (October 10,
2017), 82 FR 48127.
\4\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2).
\5\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 82176, 82 FR 57497
(December 5, 2017). The Commission designated January 14, 2018, as
the date by which it shall approve or disapprove, or institute
proceedings to determine whether to disapprove, the proposed rule
change.
\6\ In Amendment No. 6, which amended and superseded the
proposed rule change as modified by Amendment Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5,
the Exchange: (1) Changed the name of the Fund; (2) represented that
the Trust will file an amendment to the Registration Statement (as
defined herein) as necessary to conform to the representations in
the filing; (3) clarified the definitions of certain return factors
the Adviser (as defined herein) may utilize as part of the Fund's
investment strategy; (4) moved cash and cash equivalents from the
``other investments'' category to the ``principal investments''
category; (5) provided that the Fund may purchase and sell foreign
exchange-traded futures on foreign equities and foreign stock
indexes and foreign exchange-traded options on foreign equity
futures as part of its principal investments; (6) clarified that no
more than 10% of the equity weight of the Fund's portfolio will be
invested in non-exchange-traded American Depositary Receipts; (7)
provided additional information regarding the Fund's holding of non-
exchange-traded contingent value rights, including that such
holdings would be limited to 0.5% of the Fund's assets by market
value and that such holdings would not meet the criteria of
Commentary .01(a)(1)(E) and (a)(2)(E) to NYSE Arca Rule 8.600-E, as
further described herein; (8) provided that the Fund's investment in
sovereign obligations and obligations of supranational entities each
is not expected to exceed 5% of the Fund's assets; (9) provided
additional information regarding the availability of information for
the Shares; and (10) made other clarifications, corrections, and
technical changes. Amendment No. 6 is not subject to notice and
comment because it does not materially alter the substance of the
proposed rule change or raise unique or novel regulatory issues. All
of the amendments to the proposed rule change are available at
https://www.sec.gov/comments/sr-nysearca-2017-87/nysearca201787.htm.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Page 2851]]
II. The Exchange's Description of the Proposed Rule Change, as Modified
by Amendment No. 6 \7\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\7\ For more information regarding the Fund and the Shares, see
Amendment No. 6, supra note 6.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Exchange proposes to list and trade Shares of the Fund under
NYSE Arca Rule 8.600-E, which governs the listing and trading of
Managed Fund Shares on the Exchange. The Fund is a series of J.P.
Morgan Exchange-Traded Fund Trust (``Trust''), a Delaware statutory
trust.\8\ J.P. Morgan Investment Management Inc. (``Adviser'') will be
the investment adviser to the Fund and will also provide administrative
services for and oversee the other service providers for the Fund.\9\
JPMorgan Distribution Services, Inc. will be the distributor of the
Fund's Shares.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\8\ The Trust is registered under the Investment Company Act of
1940 (``1940 Act''). On July 18, 2017, the Trust filed with the
Commission an amendment to its registration statement on Form N-1A
under the Securities Act of 1933 and the 1940 Act relating to the
Fund (File Nos. 333-191837 and 811-22903) (``Registration
Statement''). The Exchange represents that the Trust will file an
amendment to the Registration Statement as necessary to conform to
representations in the Exchange's filing. In addition, the
Commission has issued an order granting certain exemptive relief to
the Trust under the 1940 Act. See Investment Company Act Release No.
31990 (February 9, 2016) (``Exemptive Order''). The Exchange
represents that investments made by the Fund will comply with the
conditions set forth in the Exemptive Order.
\9\ The Adviser is a wholly-owned subsidiary of JPMorgan Asset
Management Holdings Inc., which is an indirect, wholly-owned
subsidiary of JPMorgan Chase & Co., a bank holding company. The
Adviser is not registered as a broker-dealer, but is affiliated with
a broker-dealer and has implemented and will maintain a fire wall
with respect to such broker-dealer affiliate regarding access to
information concerning the composition of and/or changes to the
Fund's portfolio. In the event (a) the Adviser becomes registered as
a broker-dealer or newly affiliated with one or more broker-dealers,
or (b) any new adviser or sub-adviser is a registered broker-dealer
or becomes affiliated with a broker-dealer, it will implement and
maintain a fire wall with respect to its relevant personnel or its
broker-dealer affiliate regarding access to information concerning
the composition of 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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
According to the Exchange, the Fund will seek to provide long-term
total return. Under normal market conditions,\10\ the Fund will employ
the ``Equity Long/Short'' strategy to access certain return
factors.\11\ The strategy will involve simultaneously investing in
equities (investing long) that the Adviser believes are attractive
based on relevant return factors and selling equities (selling short)
that the Adviser believes are unattractive based on relevant return
factors. The Fund will generally invest its assets globally to gain
exposure, either directly or through the use of derivatives, to equity
securities (across market capitalizations) in developed markets.\12\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\10\ The term ``normal market conditions'' is defined in NYSE
Arca Rule 8.600-E(c)(5).
\11\ Each return factor represents a potential source of
investment return that results from, among other things, assuming a
particular risk or taking advantage of a behavioral bias. The
exposure to individual return factors may vary based on the market
opportunity of the individual return factors. For example, the
return factors that the Adviser may utilize include, but are not
limited to: Value (seek to purchase ``cheap'' stocks based on the
ratios of their price to certain company characteristics and sell
short stocks that are relatively more expensive based on the same
considerations); Momentum (seek to capture the tendency that a
security's recent performance may continue in the near future); Size
(seek to purchase small cap stocks and sell short large cap stocks);
Quality (seek to buy high quality stocks and sell short lower ranked
stocks).
\12\ Under normal market conditions, the Adviser currently
expects that a significant portion of the Fund's exposure will be
attained through the use of derivatives in addition to its exposure
through direct investment. Derivatives will primarily be used as an
efficient means of implementing a particular strategy in order to
gain exposure to a desired return factor. Derivatives may also be
used to increase gain, to effectively gain targeted exposure from
cash positions, to hedge various investments, and/or for risk
management.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
A. Principal Investments
According to the Exchange, under normal market conditions, at least
80% of the Fund's assets will be invested in the securities and
financial instruments described below.
The Fund may invest in U.S. and foreign exchange-listed common
stocks of U.S. and foreign corporations, U.S. and foreign exchange-
listed preferred stocks of U.S. and foreign corporations, U.S. and
foreign exchange-listed warrants of U.S. and foreign corporations, U.S.
and foreign exchange-listed rights of U.S. and foreign corporations,
and U.S. and foreign exchange-listed master limited partnerships
(``MLPs'').
The Fund may purchase and sell U.S. exchange-traded futures on U.S.
and foreign equities, U.S. exchange-traded options on U.S. and foreign
equity futures, and U.S. exchange-traded futures on U.S. and foreign
stock indexes, foreign exchange-traded futures on foreign equities and
foreign stock indexes, and foreign exchange-traded options on foreign
equity futures.
The Fund may invest in over-the-counter (``OTC'') and U.S.
exchange-traded call and put options on equity securities and equity
securities indexes.
The Fund may invest in OTC total return swaps on U.S. and foreign
equities and U.S. and foreign equity indices.
The Fund may invest in forward currency transactions. Such
investments consist of non-deliverable forwards, foreign forward
currency contracts, caps, and floors.
The Fund may invest in exchange-listed real estate investment
trusts (``REITs'') that will be traded on U.S. national securities
exchanges and on non-U.S. exchanges.
The Fund may invest in U.S. and foreign exchange-listed and OTC
Depositary Receipts.\13\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\13\ Depositary Receipts include American Depositary Receipts
(``ADRs''), Global Depositary Receipts, and European Depositary
Receipts. No more than 10% of the equity weight of the Fund's
portfolio will be invested in non-exchange traded ADRs.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Fund may invest in OTC-traded convertible securities (bonds or
preferred stock that can convert to common stock).
The Fund may invest in cash and cash equivalents, which are
investments in money market funds (including funds for which the
Adviser and/or its affiliates may serve as investment adviser or
administrator), bank obligations,\14\ and commercial paper.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\14\ Bank obligations include bankers' acceptances, certificates
of deposit, and time deposits.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
B. Other Investments
While the Fund, under normal market conditions, will invest at
least 80% of its assets in the securities and financial instruments
described above, the Fund may invest its remaining assets in other
assets and financial instruments, as described below.
The Fund may invest in U.S. Government obligations, which may
include direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, including Treasury
bills, notes, and bonds, all of which are backed as to principal and
interest payments by the full faith and credit of the United States,
and separately traded principal and interest component parts of such
obligations that are transferable through the Federal book-entry system
known as Separate Trading of Registered Interest and Principal of
Securities and Coupons Under Book Entry Safekeeping.
The Fund may invest in U.S. and foreign corporate debt.
The Fund may invest in sovereign obligations, which are investments
in debt obligations issued or guaranteed by a foreign sovereign
government or its agencies, authorities, or political subdivisions. The
Fund may also invest in obligations of supranational entities,
including securities designated or supported by governmental entities
to promote economic reconstruction or development of international
banking institutions and related government agencies.
The Fund may invest in spot currency transactions.
[[Page 2852]]
The Fund may hold non-exchange-traded contingent value rights
(``CVRs'').\15\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\15\ The Exchange states that, for the purposes of the filing,
CVRs are rights provided to shareholders of a company in connection
with a corporate restructuring or acquisition. These rights relate
to additional benefits to shareholders if a certain event occurs.
CVRs frequently have an expiration date relating to the times that
contingent events must occur. CVRs related to a company's stock are
generally related to the price performance of such stock.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Fund may invest in Rule 144A securities and Regulation S
securities.
C. Investment Restrictions
The Fund's investments, including derivatives, will be consistent
with the Fund's investment objective and will not be used to enhance
leverage (although certain derivatives and other investments may result
in leverage). That is, while the Fund will be permitted to borrow as
permitted under the 1940 Act, the Fund's investments will not be used
to seek performance that is the multiple or inverse multiple (e.g., 2Xs
and 3Xs) of the Fund's primary broad-based securities benchmark index
(as defined in Form N-1A).\16\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\16\ The Fund's broad-based securities benchmark index will be
identified in a future amendment to the Registration Statement
following the Fund's first full calendar year of performance.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D. Application of Generic Listing Requirements
According to the Exchange, the Fund's portfolio will not meet all
of the generic listing requirements of Commentary .01 to NYSE Arca Rule
8.600-E. Specifically, the Fund will meet all the requirements of NYSE
Arca Rule 8.600-E except for those set forth in Commentary .01(a)(1)(E)
and Commentary .01(a)(2)(E) relating to non-exchange-traded CVRs,
Commentary .01(e), and Commentary .01(b)(3).
Commentary .01(a)(1)(E) to NYSE Arca Rule 8.600-E requires that, on
both an initial and continuing basis, the component stocks of the
equity portion of a portfolio that are U.S. Component Stocks (as
described in NYSE Arca Rule 5.2-E(j)(3)) be listed on a national
securities exchange and be NMS Stocks as defined in Rule 600 of
Regulation NMS under the Act.\17\ Commentary .01(a)(2)(E) to NYSE Arca
Rule 8.600-E requires that, on both an initial and continuing basis,
the component stocks of the equity portion of a portfolio that are Non-
U.S. Component Stocks (as described in NYSE Arca Rule 5.2-E(j)(3)) be
listed and traded on an exchange that has last-sale reporting. The
Exchange states that the non-exchange-traded CVRs that the Fund may
hold would not be listed on a national securities exchange or an
exchange with last sale reporting, and therefore would not meet the
criteria of Commentary .01(a)(1)(E) and Commentary .01(a)(2)(E). The
Exchange states that the Adviser represents that the Fund may at times
hold a de minimis amount of the Fund's assets (less than 0.5% by market
value) in non-exchange-traded CVRs. The Exchange also states that the
Adviser represents that the Fund will not actively invest in non-
exchange-traded CVRs but may, at times, receive a distribution of such
securities in connection with the Fund's holdings in other securities.
According to the Exchange, therefore, the Fund's holdings in non-
exchange-traded CVRs, if any, would not be utilized to further the
Fund's investment objective and would not be acquired as the result of
the Fund's voluntary investment decisions.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\17\ Commentary .01(a)(1)(F) to NYSE Arca Rule 8.600-E provides
that ADRs in a portfolio may be exchange-traded or non-exchange-
traded, but no more than 10% of the equity weight of a portfolio may
consist of non-exchange-traded ADRs.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary .01(e) to NYSE Arca Rule 8.600-E requires that, on both
an initial and continuing basis, no more than 20% of the assets in the
Fund's portfolio may be invested in OTC derivatives (calculated as the
aggregate gross notional value of the OTC derivatives). The Exchange
states that the aggregate gross notional value of the Fund's
investments in OTC derivatives may exceed this limit. The Exchange
states that the Adviser intends to engage in strategies that utilize
OTC foreign currency forward transactions, OTC total return swaps, and
OTC options. According to the Exchange, because foreign currency
forward transactions and total return swaps will be traded OTC, it
would not be possible to implement these strategies efficiently using
listed derivatives. In addition, use of OTC options on equity
securities and equity securities indexes may be an important means to
reduce risk in the Fund's equity investments, or, depending on market
conditions, to enhance returns of such investments. The Exchange states
that if the Fund were limited to investing up to 20% of assets in OTC
derivatives, the Fund would have to exclude or underweight these
strategies and would be less diversified, concentrating risk in the
other strategies it will utilize. In addition, the Exchange states that
the Adviser represents that the Fund will follow an investment strategy
utilized within the JP Morgan Diversified Alternative ETF, shares of
which have previously been approved by the Commission for Exchange
listing and trading.\18\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\18\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 77904 (May 25,
2016), 81 FR 35101 (June 1, 2016) (SR-NYSEArca-2016-17) (order
approving listing and trading of shares of the JPMorgan Diversified
Alternative ETF under NYSE Arca Equities Rule 8.600).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary .01(b)(3) to NYSE Arca Rule 8.600-E provides that a
portfolio (excluding exempted securities) that includes fixed income
securities shall include a minimum of 13 non-affiliated issuers,
provided, however, that there shall be no minimum number of non-
affiliated issuers required for fixed income securities if at least 70%
of the weight of the portfolio consists of equity securities as
described in Commentary .01(a) to NYSE Arca Rule 8.600-E. The Exchange
states that the Fund's investment in fixed income securities will not
meet this requirement. However, the Exchange represents that the Fund's
investment in corporate debt will not exceed 5% of the Fund's assets,
the Fund's investment in OTC-traded convertible securities also will
not exceed 5% of the Fund's assets, and the Fund's investment in
sovereign obligations and obligations of supranational entities each is
not expected to exceed 5% of the Fund's assets. The Exchange also
states the Adviser's belief that it is appropriate to permit a small
investment in corporate debt, OTC-traded convertible securities,
sovereign obligations, and obligations of supranational entities in
order to permit the Fund to diversify its investments to enhance
investor returns. According to the Exchange, because such investments
would be limited and are not expected to exceed 20% of the Fund's
assets in the aggregate, it would be difficult for the Fund to
diversify such investments in order to comply with the requirement that
fixed income securities include at least 13 non-affiliated issuers.
III. Discussion and Commission's Findings
After careful review, the Commission finds that the proposed rule
change, as modified by Amendment No. 6, is consistent with the Act and
the rules and regulations thereunder applicable to a national
securities exchange.\19\ In particular, the Commission finds that the
proposed rule change, as modified by Amendment No. 6, is consistent
with Section 6(b)(5) of the Act,\20\ which requires, among other
things, that the Exchange's rules be designed to prevent fraudulent and
manipulative acts and
[[Page 2853]]
practices, to promote just and equitable principles of trade, to remove
impediments to and perfect the mechanism of a free and open market and
a national market system, and, in general, to protect investors and the
public interest.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\19\ In approving this proposed rule change, the Commission has
considered the proposed rule's impact on efficiency, competition,
and capital formation. See 15 U.S.C. 78c(f).
\20\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
As noted above, the Fund's investment in non-exchange-traded CVRs
would not comply with either Commentary .01(a)(1)(E) to NYSE Arca Rule
8.600-E, which requires the U.S. Component Stocks in the portfolio to
be listed on a national securities exchange and to be NMS Stocks, or
Commentary .01(a)(2)(E) to NYSE Arca Rule 8.600-E, which requires the
Non-U.S. Component Stocks in the portfolio to be listed and traded on
an exchange with last sale reporting. As proposed, the Fund may at
times hold a de minimis amount of the Fund's assets (less than 0.5% by
market value) in non-exchange-traded CVRs. Also, the Fund will not
actively invest in non-exchange-traded CVRs but may, at times, receive
a distribution of such securities in connection with the Fund's
holdings in other securities.
In addition, as noted above, the aggregate gross notional value of
the Fund's investments in OTC derivatives may exceed the 20% limit in
Commentary .01(e) to NYSE Arca Rule 8.600-E.\21\ The Exchange states
that the 20% limit could result in the Fund being unable to fully
pursue its investment objective while attempting to sufficiently
mitigate investment risks. According to the Exchange, if the Fund were
limited to investing up to 20% of its assets in OTC derivatives, the
Fund would have to exclude or underweight the strategies utilizing OTC
derivatives and the Fund would be less diversified, concentrating risk
in the other strategies it plans to utilize.\22\ In addition, the
Exchange states that the inability of the Fund to adequately hedge its
holdings would effectively limit the Fund's ability to invest in
certain instruments, or could expose the Fund to additional investment
risk. The Exchange also states that suitable derivative transactions
may be an efficient alternative for the Fund to obtain the desired
asset exposure because the markets for certain assets, or the assets
themselves, may be unavailable or cost prohibitive as compared to
derivative instruments. Furthermore, the Exchange states that OTC
derivatives may be tailored more specifically than the available listed
derivatives to the assets held by the Fund.\23\ As proposed, on a daily
basis, the Fund will disclose on its website the information regarding
the Disclosed Portfolio required under NYSE Arca Rule 8.600-E(c)(2) to
the extent applicable.\24\ The website information will be publicly
available at no charge. The Exchange represents that the Fund's
disclosure of derivative positions in the Disclosed Portfolio will
include information that market participants can use to value the
derivative positions intraday.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\21\ The Exchange states that the Fund's investments in
derivative instruments will be made in accordance with the 1940 Act
and consistent with the Fund's investment objective and policies. To
limit the potential risk associated with such transactions, the Fund
will segregate or ``earmark'' assets determined to be liquid by the
Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Trust's
Board of Trustees and in accordance with the 1940 Act (or, as
permitted by applicable regulation, enter into certain offsetting
positions) to cover its obligations under derivative instruments.
The Exchange states that these procedures have been adopted
consistent with Section 18 of the 1940 Act and related Commission
guidance. In addition, the Fund will include appropriate risk
disclosure in its offering documents, including leveraging risk.
\22\ The Exchange states that the Adviser represents that it is
not possible to implement its strategies efficiently using listed
derivatives because the foreign currency forward transactions and
total return swaps in which the Fund may invest will be traded OTC.
The Exchange also states that use of OTC options on equity
securities and equity securities indexes may be an important means
to reduce risk in the Fund's equity investments.
\23\ As noted above, the Adviser represents that the Fund will
follow an investment strategy utilized by the JP Morgan Diversified
Alternative ETF, shares of which were previously approved for
Exchange listing and trading by the Commission. See supra note 18
and accompanying text.
\24\ NYSE Arca Rule 8.600-E(c)(2) requires that the website for
each series of Managed Fund Shares disclose the following
information regarding the Disclosed Portfolio, to the extent
applicable: (A) Ticker symbol; (B) CUSIP or other identifier; (C)
description of the holding; (D) with respect to holdings in
derivatives, the identity of the security, commodity, index or other
asset upon which the derivative is based; (E) the strike price for
any options; (F) the quantity of each security or other asset held
as measured by (i) par value, (ii) notional value, (iii) number of
shares, (iv) number of contracts, and (v) number of units; (G)
maturity date; (H) coupon rate; (I) effective date; (J) market
value; and (K) percentage weighting of the holding in the portfolio.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Finally, as noted above, the Fund's investment in fixed income
securities will not meet the requirement for 13 non-affiliated issuers
in Commentary .01(b)(3) to NYSE Arca Rule 8.600-E. As proposed, the
Fund's investment in corporate debt will not exceed 5% of the Fund's
assets, the Fund's investment in OTC-traded convertible securities will
not exceed 5% of the Fund's assets, and the Fund's investment in
sovereign obligations and obligations of supranational entities each is
not expected to exceed 5% of the Fund's assets. According to the
Exchange, because these investments would be limited and are not
expected to exceed 20% of the Fund's assets in the aggregate, it would
be difficult for the Fund to diversify such investments in order to
comply this requirement. The Exchange also states the Adviser's belief
that it is appropriate to permit a small investment in corporate debt,
OTC-traded convertible securities, sovereign obligations, and
obligations of supranational entities in order to permit the Fund to
diversify its investments to enhance investor returns.
The Commission notes that, other than Commentary .01(a)(1)(E) and
Commentary .01(a)(2)(E) relating to non-exchange-traded CVRs,
Commentary .01(e), and Commentary .01(b)(3), the Fund will meet all the
requirements of NYSE Arca Rule 8.600-E.
The Commission also finds that the proposal is consistent with
Section 11A(a)(1)(C)(iii) of the Act,\25\ which sets forth Congress's
finding that it is in the public interest and appropriate for the
protection of investors and the maintenance of fair and orderly markets
to assure the availability to brokers, dealers, and investors of
information with respect to quotations for, and transactions in,
securities. Quotation and last-sale information for the Shares will be
available via the CTA high-speed line. The Portfolio Indicative Value
(``PIV'') for the Fund, as defined in NYSE Arca Rule 8.600-E(c)(3),
will be widely disseminated by one or more major market data vendors at
least every 15 seconds during the Exchange's Core Trading Session.\26\
Information regarding market price and trading volume for the Shares
will be continually available on a real-time basis throughout the day
on brokers' computer screens and other electronic services. Information
regarding the previous day's closing price and trading volume
information for the Shares will be published daily in the financial
section of newspapers.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\25\ 15 U.S.C. 78k-1(a)(1)(C)(iii).
\26\ Currently, it is the Exchange's understanding that several
major market data vendors display and/or make widely available PIVs
taken from the CTA or other data feeds.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quotation and last sale information for portfolio holdings of the
Fund that are U.S. exchange-listed, including common stocks, warrants,
rights, MLPs, preferred stocks, REITs, and Depositary Receipts will be
available via the CTA high speed line. Quotation and last sale
information for such U.S. exchange-listed securities, as well as U.S.
and foreign exchange-traded futures and options on futures, will be
available from the exchanges on which they are listed. Quotation and
last sale information for exchange-listed options cleared via the
Options Clearing Corporation will be available via the Options Price
Reporting Authority.
[[Page 2854]]
Quotation and last sale information for foreign exchange-listed equity
securities will be available from the exchanges on which they trade and
from major market data vendors, as applicable. Price information for
preferred stocks and non-exchange-traded CVRs will be available from
one or more major market data vendors or from broker-dealers. Quotation
information for OTC options, cash equivalents, swaps, obligations of
supranational agencies, money market funds, U.S. Government
obligations, U.S. Government agency obligations, sovereign obligations,
repurchase and reverse repurchase agreements, and U.S. and foreign
corporate debt may be obtained from brokers and dealers who make
markets in such securities or through nationally recognized pricing
services through subscription agreements. The U.S. dollar value of
foreign securities, instruments, and currencies can be derived by using
foreign currency exchange rate quotations obtained from nationally
recognized pricing services. Forwards and spot currency price
information will be available from major market data vendors. Price
information for OTC Depositary Receipts, convertible securities, 144A
securities and Regulation S securities is available from major market
data vendors. In addition, the Fund's website, which will be publicly
available prior to the public offering of the Shares, will include a
form of the prospectus for the Fund and additional data relating to NAV
and other applicable quantitative information.
The Commission also believes that the proposal is reasonably
designed to promote fair disclosure of information that may be
necessary to price the Shares appropriately and to prevent trading when
a reasonable degree of transparency cannot be assured. 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. Trading in the Shares will be halted if the circuit-breaker
parameters in NYSE Arca Rule 7.12-E have been reached. Trading also may
be halted because of market conditions or for reasons that, in the view
of the Exchange, make trading in the Shares inadvisable. Moreover,
trading in the Shares will be subject to NYSE Arca Rule 8.600-
E(d)(2)(D), which sets forth circumstances under which Shares may be
halted.
The Exchange states that it has a general policy prohibiting the
distribution of material, non-public information by its employees. The
Exchange states that the Adviser is not registered as a broker-dealer
but is affiliated with a broker-dealer and has implemented and will
maintain a fire wall with respect to that broker-dealer affiliate
regarding access to information concerning the composition of and/or
changes to the Fund's portfolio.\27\ Further, the Commission notes that
the Reporting Authority that provides the Disclosed Portfolio must
implement and maintain, or be subject to, procedures designed to
prevent the use and dissemination of material, non-public information
regarding the actual components of the portfolio.\28\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\27\ The Exchange also represents that an investment adviser to
an open-end fund is required to be registered under the Investment
Advisers Act of 1940.
\28\ See NYSE Arca Rule 8.600-E(d)(2)(B)(ii).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
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. In support of this
proposal, the Exchange represents that:
(1) Other than Commentary .01(a)(1)(E) and Commentary
.01(a)(2)(E) with respect to investments in non-exchange-traded
CVRs, Commentary .01(e), and Commentary .01(b)(3), the Fund will
meet all other requirements of NYSE Arca Rule 8.600-E.
(2) A minimum of 100,000 Shares of the Fund will be outstanding
at the commencement of trading on the Exchange.
(3) Trading in the Shares will be subject to the existing
trading surveillances administered by the Exchange, as well as
cross-market surveillances administered by the Financial Industry
Regulatory Authority (``FINRA'') on behalf of the Exchange, and
these procedures are adequate to properly monitor Exchange trading
of the Shares in all trading sessions and to deter and detect
violations of Exchange rules and applicable federal securities
laws.\29\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\29\ The Exchange states that FINRA conducts cross-market
surveillances on behalf of the Exchange pursuant to a regulatory
services agreement, and that the Exchange is responsible for FINRA's
performance under this regulatory services agreement.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(4) The Exchange or FINRA, on behalf of the Exchange, or both,
will communicate as needed regarding trading in the Shares, certain
exchange-listed equity securities, certain futures, and certain
exchange-traded options with other markets and other entities that
are members of the Intermarket Surveillance Group (``ISG''), and the
Exchange or FINRA, on behalf of the Exchange, or both, may obtain
trading information regarding trading such securities and financial
instruments from such markets and other entities. In addition, the
Exchange may obtain information regarding trading in such securities
and financial instruments from markets and other entities that are
members of ISG or with which the Exchange has in place a
comprehensive surveillance sharing agreement. FINRA, on behalf of
the Exchange, is able to access, as needed, trade information for
certain fixed income securities held by the Fund reported to FINRA's
Trade Reporting and Compliance Engine.
(5) Prior to the commencement of trading, the Exchange will
inform its Equity Trading Permit Holders in an Information Bulletin
of the special characteristics and risks associated with trading the
Shares. Specifically, the Information Bulletin will discuss: (a) The
procedures for purchases and redemptions of Shares in creation units
(and that Shares are not individually redeemable); (b) NYSE Arca
Rule 9.2-E(a), which imposes a duty of due diligence on its Equity
Trading Permit Holders to learn the essential facts relating to
every customer prior to trading the Shares; (c) the risks involved
in trading the Shares during the Early and Late Trading Sessions
when an updated PIV will not be calculated or publicly disseminated;
(d) how information regarding the PIV and the Disclosed Portfolio is
disseminated; (e) the requirement that Equity Trading Permit Holders
deliver a prospectus to investors purchasing newly issued Shares
prior to or concurrently with the confirmation of a transaction; and
(f) trading information.
(6) The Exchange has appropriate rules to facilitate
transactions in the Shares during all trading sessions.
(7) For initial and continued listing, the Fund will be in
compliance with Rule 10A-3 under the Act.\30\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\30\ See 17 CFR 240.10A-3.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(8) The Fund's investments, including derivatives, will be
consistent with the Fund's investment objective and will not be used
to enhance leverage. That is, while the Fund will be permitted to
borrow as permitted under the 1940 Act, the Fund's investments will
not be used to seek performance that is the multiple or inverse
multiple (e.g., 2Xs and 3Xs) of the Fund's primary broad-based
securities benchmark index (as defined in Form N-1A).
The Exchange represents that all statements and representations
made in the filing regarding: (1) The description of the portfolio
holdings or reference assets; (2) limitations on portfolio holdings or
reference assets; or (3) the applicability of Exchange listing rules
specified in the rule filing constitute continued listing requirements
for listing the Shares on the Exchange. In addition, the issuer has
represented to the Exchange that it will advise the Exchange of any
failure by the Fund to comply with the continued listing requirements
and, pursuant to its obligations under Section 19(g)(1) of the Act, the
Exchange will monitor \31\ for
[[Page 2855]]
compliance with the continued listing requirements. If the Fund is not
in compliance with the applicable listing requirements, the Exchange
will commence delisting procedures under NYSE Arca Rule 5.5-E(m).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\31\ The Commission notes that certain proposals for the listing
and trading of exchange-traded products include a representation
that the exchange will ``surveil'' for compliance with the continued
listing requirements. See, e.g., Securities Exchange Act Release No.
77499 (April 1, 2016), 81 FR 20428, 20432 (April 7, 2016) (SR-BATS-
2016-04). In the context of this representation, it is the
Commission's view that ``monitor'' and ``surveil'' both mean ongoing
oversight of compliance with the continued listing requirements.
Therefore, the Commission does not view ``monitor'' as a more or
less stringent obligation than ``surveil'' with respect to the
continued listing requirements.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
This approval order is based on all of the Exchange's statements
and representations, including those set forth above and in Amendment
No. 6.
For the foregoing reasons, the Commission finds that the proposed
rule change, as modified by Amendment No. 6, is consistent with Section
6(b)(5) of the Act \32\ and Section 11A(a)(1)(C)(iii) of the Act \33\
and the rules and regulations thereunder applicable to a national
securities exchange.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\32\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
\33\ 15 U.S.C. 78k-1(a)(1)(C)(iii).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
IV. Conclusion
It is therefore ordered, pursuant to Section 19(b)(2) of the
Act,\34\ that the proposed rule change (SR-NYSEArca-2017-87), as
modified by Amendment No. 6, be, and it hereby is, approved.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\34\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2).
\35\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets,
pursuant to delegated authority.\35\
Eduardo A. Aleman,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2018-00849 Filed 1-18-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P