Self-Regulatory Organizations; Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing of a Proposed Rule Change To List and Trade Shares of the Cboe Vest S&P 500® Premium Income ETF Under Rule 14.11(c)(5), 3807-3812 [2018-01354]
Download as PDF
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 18 / Friday, January 26, 2018 / Notices
certain potentially erroneous ETF
Instructions (whether due to mistakes in
manual entry or otherwise) in a pending
status until confirmed by the submitting
ETF agent. Holding potentially
erroneous ETF Instructions in a
‘‘pending’’ status would help minimize
the potential impact of erroneous ETF
Instructions on Members’ Required
Deposits by preventing such ETF
Instructions from being processed
without confirmation from the
submitting ETF agent. Thus, the
automated threshold value reasonability
check would help to ensure that
Members are subject to Required
Deposits that more closely reflect the
Members’ intended trading activity and
not erroneously entered information
because Members would be required to
confirm that the entered information is
in fact correct. Therefore, the
Commission finds that the proposed
change to add the automated threshold
value reasonability check would help
promote the prompt and accurate
clearance and settlement of securities
transactions, consistent with Section
17A(b)(3)(F) of the Act.76
Finally, the Commission finds that
NSCC’s proposal to remove the
repetitive language regarding next-day
settling creates and redeems would
promote the prompt and accurate
clearance and settlement of securities
transactions, consistent with Section
17A(b)(3)(F) of the Act.77 Removing
such repetitive language would help
make the Rules more accurate and clear.
Maintaining accurate and clear Rules
would enable Members and other
stakeholders to better understand their
respective rights and obligations
regarding NSCC’s clearance and
settlement of securities transactions.
Accordingly, the Commission finds that
the proposed change to remove
repetitive language from the Rules
would promote the prompt and accurate
clearance and settlement of securities
transactions, consistent with the
requirements of Section 17A(b)(3)(F) of
the Act.78
Rule 17Ad–22(e)(6)(i) under the Act
requires NSCC to cover its credit
exposures to its Members by
establishing a risk-based margin system
that, at a minimum considers, and
produces margin levels commensurate
with, the risks and particular attributes
of each relevant product, portfolio, and
market.79 As described above, ETF
agents submit ETF Instructions to NSCC
using a standardized input file, which
76 Id.
involves manual data entry that poses
an inherent risk of communicating
potentially erroneous information. The
proposed Intraday Cycle and
Supplemental Cycle would enable ETF
agents to submit new ETF Instructions
to correct previously submitted ETF
Instructions before Members need to
satisfy their next Required Deposit.
Similarly, the automated threshold
value reasonability check would help
minimize the potential impact of
erroneous ETF Instructions on
Members’ Required Deposits by
preventing such ETF Instructions from
being processed absent confirmation
from the submitting ETF agent. Thus,
the proposed cycles and automated
threshold value reasonability check are
ETF-specific proposals designed to
better produce margin levels
commensurate with the risk and
particular attributes of ETFs.
Accordingly, the Commission finds that
the proposed cycles and automated
threshold value reasonability check
would enhance NSCC’s risk-based
margin system in a manner that
considers the risks and particular
attributes specific to ETFs, consistent
with Rule 17Ad–22(e)(6)(i).80
Rule 17Ad–22(e)(21) under the Act
requires NSCC to be efficient and
effective in meeting the requirements of
its Members and the markets it serves,
and regularly review the efficiency and
effectiveness of its (1) clearing and
settlement arrangements, (2) operating
structure, including risk management
policies, procedures, and systems, and
(3) use of technology and
communication procedures.81 As stated
above, the proposed cycles would
enable ETF agents to submit new ETF
Instructions to correct previously
submitted ETF Instructions before
Members need to satisfy their next
Required Deposit. Similarly, the
automated threshold value reasonability
check would help minimize the
potential impact of erroneous ETF
Instructions on Members’ Required
Deposits by preventing such ETF
Instructions from being processed
absent confirmation from the submitting
ETF agent. The Intraday Cycle also
would enable NSCC to receive same-day
settling ETF Instructions (corrections or
otherwise), and thereby allow such
same-day settling ETF Instructions to
receive the benefits of NSCC processing.
The proposed cycles and automated
threshold reasonability check constitute
changes designed to improve the
efficiency and effectiveness of NSCC’s
ETF clearance and settlement
77 Id.
78 Id.
79 17
80 Id.
CFR 240.17Ad–22(e)(6)(i).
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81 17
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CFR 240.17Ad–22(e)(21).
Frm 00135
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3807
arrangements, NSCC’s related operating
structure, and NSCC’s communications
with ETF agents and authorized
participants via the input and output
reports. The proposal would enhance
the efficiency and effectiveness of
NSCC’s provision of ETF-related
services by (1) enabling ETF agents to
correct previously submitted errors
before additional Required Deposits are
required, (2) preventing potentially
erroneous ETF Instructions from being
processing until confirmed, and (3)
enabling same-day settling ETF
Instructions to receive the benefits of
NSCC processing. Accordingly, the
Commission finds that the proposal
would enhance NSCC’s efficiency and
effectiveness in meeting the
requirements of its Members, as well as
the efficiency and effectiveness of
NSCC’s ETF-related clearing and
settlement arrangements, operating
structure, and communication
procedures, consistent with Rule 17Ad–
22(e)(21).82
III. Conclusion
On the basis of the foregoing, the
Commission finds that the proposal is
consistent with the requirements of the
Act, in particular the requirements of
Section 17A of the Act 83 and the rules
and regulations thereunder.
It is therefore ordered, pursuant to
Section 19(b)(2) of the Act, that
proposed rule change SR–NSCC–2017–
019 be, and hereby is, approved.84
For the Commission, by the Division of
Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated
authority.85
Eduardo A. Aleman,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2018–01359 Filed 1–25–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
[Release No. 34–82538; File No. SR–
CboeBZX–2018–005]
Self-Regulatory Organizations; Cboe
BZX Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing of
a Proposed Rule Change To List and
Trade Shares of the Cboe Vest S&P
500® Premium Income ETF Under Rule
14.11(c)(5)
January 19, 2018.
Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the
82 Id.
83 15
U.S.C. 78q–1.
approving the proposed rule change, the
Commission considered the proposals’ impact on
efficiency, competition, and capital formation. 15
U.S.C. 78c(f).
85 17 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).
84 In
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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 18 / Friday, January 26, 2018 / Notices
‘‘Act’’),1 and Rule 19b–4 thereunder,2
notice is hereby given that on January
10, 2018, Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc.
(‘‘Exchange’’ or ‘‘BZX’’) filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission
(‘‘Commission’’) the proposed rule
change as described in Items I and II
below, which Items have been prepared
by the Exchange. The Commission is
publishing this notice to solicit
comments on the proposed rule change
from interested persons.
I. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement of the Terms of Substance of
the Proposed Rule Change
The Exchange filed a proposal to list
and trade shares of the Cboe Vest S&P
500® Premium Income ETF (formerly
known as the Cboe Vest S&P 500®
Market-Neutral Option Income ETF), a
series of ETF Series Solutions (the
‘‘Trust’’), under Rule 14.11(c)(5) (‘‘Index
Fund Shares’’).
The text of the proposed rule change
is available at the Exchange’s website at
www.markets.cboe.com, at the principal
office of the Exchange, and at the
Commission’s Public Reference Room.
II. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement of the Purpose of, and
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule
Change
In its filing with the Commission, the
Exchange included statements
concerning the purpose of and basis for
the proposed rule change and discussed
any comments it received on the
proposed rule change. The text of these
statements may be examined at the
places specified in Item IV below. The
Exchange has prepared summaries, set
forth in Sections A, B, and C below, of
the most significant parts of such
statements.
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES
A. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement of the Purpose of, and
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule
Change
1. Purpose
The Exchange proposes to list and
trade shares (‘‘Shares’’) of Cboe Vest
S&P 500® Premium Income ETF (the
‘‘Fund’’) under Rule 14.11(c)(5), which
governs the listing and trading of Index
Fund Shares based on equity and fixed
income securities indexes on the
Exchange. The Fund will be an indexbased exchange traded fund (‘‘ETF’’).
The Fund will track the Cboe S&P 500®
Volatility Risk Premia Index (the
‘‘Index’’).3
1 15
U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
CFR 240.19b–4.
3 This filing was originally submitted on January
10, 2018 as SR–CboeBZX–2018–004. SR–CboeBZX–
2 17
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The Shares will be offered by the
Trust, which was established as a
Delaware statutory trust on February 9,
2012. The Trust is registered with the
Commission as an open-end investment
company and has filed a registration
statement on behalf of the Fund on
Form N–1A (‘‘Registration Statement’’)
with the Commission.4 The Fund’s
adviser, Cboe Vest Financial, LLC (the
‘‘Adviser’’), and index provider, Cboe
Exchange, Inc. (‘‘Cboe Options’’ or the
‘‘Index Provider’’), are affiliates and
have implemented and will maintain a
‘‘fire wall’’ with respect to their
respective personnel regarding access to
information concerning the composition
and/or changes to the underlying index
or portfolio, as applicable. The Adviser
and the Index Provider are not
registered as broker-dealers, but are
affiliated with a broker-dealer. The
Index Provider has implemented and
will maintain a ‘‘fire wall’’ with respect
to such broker-dealer and its personnel
regarding access to information
concerning the composition and/or
changes to the Index. In addition, Index
Provider personnel who make decisions
regarding the Index composition or
methodology are subject to procedures
designed to prevent the use and
dissemination of material nonpublic
information regarding the Index,
pursuant to Rule 14.11(c)(5)(A)(iii). The
Adviser has also implemented and will
maintain a ‘‘fire wall’’ with respect to
such broker-dealer and its personnel
regarding access to information
concerning the composition and/or
changes to the portfolio. In addition,
Adviser personnel who make decisions
regarding the Fund’s portfolio are
subject to procedures designed to
prevent the use and dissemination of
material nonpublic information
regarding the Fund’s portfolio. In the
event that (a) the Adviser becomes
registered as a broker-dealer or newly
affiliated with another broker-dealer; or
(b) any new adviser or sub-adviser is a
registered broker-dealer or becomes
affiliated with a broker-dealer; it will
implement a fire wall with respect to its
relevant personnel or such broker-dealer
affiliate, as applicable, regarding access
2018–004 was subsequently withdrawn on January
10, 2018 and replaced by this filing.
4 See Registration Statement on Form N–1A for
the Trust, dated September 28, 2017 (File Nos. 333–
179562 and 811–22668). The descriptions of the
Fund and the Shares contained herein are based, in
part, on information in the Registration Statement.
The Commission has not yet issued an order
granting exemptive relief to the Trust under the
Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a–
1) applicable to the activities of the Fund, but the
Fund will not be listed on the Exchange until such
an order is issued and any conditions contained
therein are satisfied.
PO 00000
Frm 00136
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
to information concerning the
composition and/or changes to the
portfolio, and will be subject to
procedures designed to prevent the use
and dissemination of material nonpublic information regarding such
portfolio. The Exchange also notes that
the Adviser is a BZX Affiliate as defined
in Rule 14.3(e)(1)(A),5 but the Fund is
not an Affiliate Security, as defined in
Rule 14.11(e)(1)(B),6 and is therefore not
subject to the additional requirements
applicable to Affiliate Securities
because such definition explicitly
excludes Index Fund Shares. The Fund
intends to qualify each year as a
regulated investment company under
Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986, as amended.
The Exchange is submitting this
proposed rule change because the Index
for the Fund does not meet the listing
requirements of Rule 14.11(c)(5)
applicable to an index that consists of
both equity securities and Fixed Income
Securities,7 which requires that the
equity and fixed income component
securities in an index or portfolio
separately meet the criteria set forth in
Rules 14.11(c)(3) and 14.11(c)(4),
respectively. As further described
below, the Index consists of options on
an index that consists of ‘‘U.S.
Component Stocks’’ as defined in Rule
14.11(c)(1)(D),8 and Fixed Income
Securities. The Fixed Income Security
component of the Index, which consists
of only Treasury bills, meets the
‘‘generic’’ listing requirements of Rule
14.11(c)(4). However, because the Index
consists partially of options based on an
index of U.S. Component Stocks (the
5 As defined in Rule 14.3(e)(1)(A), the term ‘‘BZX
Affiliate’’ means the Exchange and any entity that
directly or indirectly, through one or more
intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is
under common control with the Exchange, where
‘‘control’’ means that one entity possesses, directly
or indirectly, voting control of the other entity
either through ownership of capital stock or other
equity securities or through majority representation
on the board of directors or other management body
of such entity.
6 As defined in Rule 14.3(e)(1)(B), the term
‘‘Affiliate Security’’ means any security issued by
a BZX Affiliate or any Exchange-listed option on
any such security, with the exception of Portfolio
Depository Receipts as defined in Rule 14.11(b) and
Index Fund Shares as defined in Rule 14.11(c).
7 As defined in Rule 14.11(c)(4), the term ‘‘Fixed
Income Security’’ shall mean debt securities that are
notes, bonds, debentures or evidence of
indebtedness that include, but are not limited to,
Treasury bills, government-sponsored entity
securities (‘‘GSE Securities’’), municipal securities,
trust preferred securities, supranational debt and
debt of a foreign country or subdivision thereof.
8 As defined in Rule 14.11(c)(1)(D), the term ‘‘U.S.
Component Stock’’ shall mean an equity security
that is registered under Sections 12(b) or 12(g) of
the Act, or an American Depositary receipt, the
underlying equity security of which is registered
under Sections 12(b) or 12(g) of the Act.
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S&P 500 Index) and Rule
14.11(c)(3)(A)(i) applies only to U.S.
Component Stocks (that is, the rule
provides criteria for an index composed
of equity securities and not for an index
that includes options on an index of
equity securities), it does not meet the
criteria set forth in Rule 14.11(c)(3) and,
thus, does not meet Rule 14.11(c)(5).
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES
Cboe S&P 500® Volatility Risk Premia
Index
The Index is a rules-based options
index created by the Index Provider, an
affiliate of the Adviser, and designed to
capture the ‘‘volatility risk premium’’ in
standardized options on the S&P 500
Index (‘‘S&P 500 Index Options’’) by
writing one-month call and put S&P 500
Index Options (‘‘Sold SPX Options’’)
and buying an identical number of onemonth call and put S&P 500 Index
Options (together, the ‘‘Bought SPX
Options’’) with a lesser market value
(i.e., buying call options with a higher
strike price and put options with a
lower strike price).9 The ‘‘volatility risk
premium’’ in S&P 500 Index Options is
based on the premise that the expected
level of volatility of the S&P 500 Index
priced into such options (the options’
‘‘implied volatility’’) is, on average,
higher than the volatility actually
experienced by the S&P 500 Index (the
‘‘realized volatility’’). The Index will
only include S&P 500 Index Options
and Treasury bills.
On the last trading day of each month,
the Index writes (sells) and buys call
and put S&P 500 Index Options with an
expiration date of the last trading day of
the following month. The strike prices
for the Sold SPX Options will be ‘‘outof-the-money’’ (i.e., the strike price of
the sold put options will be less than
the level of S&P 500 Index and the strike
price of the sold call options will be
more than the level of the S&P 500
Index). The strike prices for the Bought
SPX Options will be higher and lower,
respectively, than the strike price for the
Sold SPX Options, which offsets some
of the Index’s risk from the Sold SPX
Options. The difference between the
strike prices of the Sold SPX Options
and the Bought SPX Options represents
the net liability for the Index, and the
Index maintains an allocation to oneand three-month Treasury bills at least
equal to such net liability. The Index
receives premiums from the sale of the
9 For purposes of this filing, when describing the
Index, the terms ‘‘buy,’’ ‘‘sell,’’ ‘‘write,’’ ‘‘hold,’’ or
any other term related to the acquisition,
disposition, or issuance of an asset are intended to
describe a theoretical transaction conducted by the
Index that will be reflected in the Index
constituents, rather than to imply that the Index is
actually transacting.
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Jkt 244001
Sold SPX Options and pays premiums
to buy the Bought SPX Options. The
Index invests the net premium
difference between the Sold SPX
Options and the Bought SPX Options in
one- and three-month Treasury bills.
The Index holds each option until its
expiration.
If the value of the S&P 500 Index rises
above the strike price of the put S&P 500
Index Options (the ‘‘SPX Puts’’) or falls
below the strike price of the call S&P
500 Index Options (the ‘‘SPX Calls’’)
sold by the Index, the Sold SPX Options
will not be exercised and will expire
worthless, resulting in a gain to the
Index equal to the premiums received
from the Sold SPX Options. If the value
of the S&P 500 Index falls below the
strike price of the SPX Puts or rises
above the strike price of the SPX Calls
sold by the Index, the Sold SPX Options
will finish ‘‘in-the-money’’ and the
Index incurs a loss equal to the
difference between the Sold SPX
Options’ strike price and the value of
the S&P 500 Index, less the value of the
premiums received from the Sold SPX
Options.
If the value of the S&P 500 Index rises
above the strike price of the SPX Puts
or falls below the strike price of the SPX
Calls bought by the Index, the Bought
SPX Options will not be exercised and
will expire worthless, resulting in a loss
to the Index equal to the premiums paid
for the Bought SPX Options. If the value
of the S&P 500 Index falls below the
strike price of the SPX Puts or rises
above the strike price of the SPX Calls
sold by the Index, the Bought SPX
Options will finish ‘‘in-the-money’’ and
the Index receives a gain equal to the
difference between the Bought SPX
Options’ strike price and the value of
the S&P 500 Index, less the value of the
premiums paid for the Bought SPX
Options.
The strike prices of the SPX Puts and
SPX Calls are calculated such that the
Index is equity-market-neutral, meaning
that it seeks to earn a total return in
most equity market conditions
regardless of general market direction as
measured by the move in value of the
S&P 500 Index. The cash and net option
premium proceeds will be invested in
short-term Treasury bills which will be
rolled at maturity. This makes the Index
bond-market-neutral, meaning that as
interest rates and the yield for Treasury
bills go up or down, the short duration
of the Treasury bills will result in
minimal effect on the Index.
PO 00000
3809
Fund Holdings
Under Normal Market Conditions,10
the Fund will invest all, or substantially
all, of its assets in the S&P 500 Index
Options that make up the Index, as well
as the Treasury bills included in the
Index. Under Normal Market
Conditions, at least 80% of the Fund’s
total assets (exclusive of any collateral
held from securities lending) will be
invested in the S&P 500 Index Options
or Treasury bills that make up the
Index. In addition to the S&P 500 Index
Options and Treasury bills that make up
the Index, the Fund may invest up to
20% of its total assets in U.S. exchangelisted options based on one or more
ETFs that track the performance of the
S&P 500 Index (‘‘Comparable ETF
Options’’). The Fund will hold only S&P
500 Index Options, Comparable ETF
Options, Treasury bills included in the
Index, and other cash and cash
equivalents.11
Additional Discussion
The Exchange believes that sufficient
protections are in place to protect
against market manipulation of the
Fund’s Shares and S&P 500 Index
Options and Comparable ETF Options
for the following reasons: (i) The
diversity, liquidity, and market cap of
the securities underlying the S&P 500
Index; 12 (ii) the liquidity of the S&P 500
Index Options; 13 and (iii) surveillance
10 The term ‘‘Normal Market Conditions’’
includes, but is not limited to, the absence of
trading halts in the applicable financial markets
generally; operational issues causing dissemination
of inaccurate market information or system failures;
or force majeure type events such as natural or manmade disaster, act of God, armed conflict, act of
terrorism, riot or labor disruption, or any similar
intervening circumstance.
11 For purposes of this filing, cash equivalents are
short-term instruments with maturities of less than
three months, including: (i) U.S. Government
securities, including bills, notes, and bonds
differing as to maturity and rates of interest, which
are either issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury
or by U.S. Government agencies or
instrumentalities; (ii) certificates of deposit issued
against funds deposited in a bank or savings and
loan association; (iii) bankers acceptances, which
are short-term credit instruments used to finance
commercial transactions; (iv) repurchase
agreements and reverse repurchase agreements; (v)
bank time deposits, which are monies kept on
deposit with banks or savings and loan associations
for a stated period of time at a fixed rate of interest;
(vi) commercial paper, which are short-term
unsecured promissory notes; and (vii) money
market funds.
12 The Exchange notes that the diversity,
liquidity, and market cap of the components of the
S&P 500 Index are such that the S&P 500 Index
would meet the generic listing standards applicable
to an index composed of U.S. Component Stocks in
Rule 14.11(c)(3)(A)(i).
13 The market for S&P 500 Index Options traded
on Cboe Options is among the most liquid markets
in the world. In 2016, 1,023,623 options contracts
on the S&P 500 Index were traded per day on Cboe
Continued
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daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES
by the Exchange, Cboe Options and the
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority
(‘‘FINRA’’) designed to detect violations
of the federal securities laws and selfregulatory organization (‘‘SRO’’) rules.
Trading in the Shares and the
underlying investments will be subject
to the federal securities laws and
Exchange, Cboe Options, FINRA, and,
with respect to the Comparable ETF
Options, other U.S. options exchanges’
rules and surveillance programs.14
The Exchange has in place a
surveillance program for transactions in
ETFs to ensure the availability of
information necessary to detect and
deter potential manipulations and other
trading abuses, thereby making the
Shares less readily susceptible to
manipulation. Further, the Exchange
believes that because the assets in the
Fund’s portfolio, which are comprised
primarily of S&P 500 Index Options,
will be acquired in extremely liquid and
highly regulated markets,15 the Shares
are less readily susceptible to
manipulation.
The Exchange believes that its
surveillance procedures are adequate to
properly monitor the trading of the
Shares on the Exchange during all
trading sessions and to deter and detect
violations of Exchange rules and the
applicable federal securities laws.
Trading of the Shares through the
Exchange will be subject to the
Exchange’s surveillance procedures for
derivative products, including Index
Fund Shares. FINRA conducts certain
cross-market surveillances on behalf of
the Exchange pursuant to a regulatory
services agreement. The Exchange is
responsible for FINRA’s performance
under this regulatory services
agreement.
All statements and representations
made in this filing regarding the index
composition, the description of the
portfolio or reference assets, limitations
on portfolio holdings or reference assets,
dissemination and availability of index,
Options, which is more than $200 billion in
notional volume traded on a daily basis.
14 The Exchange notes that Cboe Options is a
member of the Option Price Regulatory Surveillance
Authority, which was established in 2006, to
provide efficiencies in looking for insider trading
and serves as a central organization to facilitate
collaboration in insider trading and investigations
for the U.S. options exchanges. For more
information, see https://www.cboe.com/aboutcboe/
legal/departments/orsareg.aspx.
15 All exchange-listed securities that the Fund
may hold will trade on a market that is a member
of the Intermarket Surveillance Group (‘‘ISG’’) and
the Fund will not hold any non-exchange-listed
options, however, not all of the components of the
portfolio for the Fund may trade on exchanges that
are members of the ISG or with which the Exchange
has in place a comprehensive surveillance sharing
agreement. For a list of the current members of ISG,
see www.isgportal.org.
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20:14 Jan 25, 2018
Jkt 244001
reference asset, and intraday indicative
values (as applicable), or the
applicability of Exchange listing rules
shall constitute continued listing
requirements for listing the Shares on
the Exchange. The issuer has
represented to the Exchange that it will
advise the Exchange of any failure by
the Fund or Shares to comply with the
continued listing requirements, and,
pursuant to its obligations under
Section 19(g)(1) of the Act, the Exchange
will surveil for compliance with the
continued listing requirements. If the
Fund or Shares are not in compliance
with the applicable listing requirements,
then, with respect to such Fund or
Shares, the Exchange will commence
delisting procedures under Exchange
Rule 14.12.
The Exchange or FINRA, on behalf of
the Exchange, will communicate as
needed regarding trading in the Shares
and exchange-traded options contracts
with other markets and other entities
that are members of the ISG and may
obtain trading information regarding
trading in the Shares and exchangetraded options contracts from such
markets and other entities. The
Exchange is also able to access, as
needed, trade information for certain
fixed income instruments reported to
FINRA’s Trade Reporting and
Compliance Engine (‘‘TRACE’’). In
addition, the Exchange may obtain
information regarding trading in the
Shares and exchange-traded options
contracts from markets and other
entities that are members of ISG or with
which the Exchange has in place a
comprehensive surveillance sharing
agreement. In addition, the Exchange
also has a general policy prohibiting the
distribution of material, non-public
information by its employees.
As noted above, S&P 500 Index
Options are among the most liquid
options in the world and derive their
value from the actively traded S&P 500
Index components. The contracts are
cash-settled with no delivery of stocks
or ETFs, and trade in competitive
auction markets with price and quote
transparency. The Exchange believes the
highly regulated options markets and
the broad base and scope of the S&P 500
Index make securities that derive their
value from that index less susceptible to
market manipulation in view of market
capitalization and liquidity of the S&P
500 Index components, price and quote
transparency, and arbitrage
opportunities.
The Exchange believes that the
liquidity of the markets for S&P 500
Index securities, S&P 500 Index
Options, and other related derivatives is
sufficiently great to deter fraudulent or
PO 00000
Frm 00138
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
manipulative acts associated with the
price of the Shares. The Exchange also
believes that such liquidity are [sic]
sufficient to support the creation and
redemption mechanism. Coupled with
the surveillance programs of the SROs
described above, the Exchange does not
believe that trading in the Fund’s Shares
would present manipulation concerns.
The Fund’s investments 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).16 The Fund’s
investments will not be used to seek
performance that is the multiple or
inverse multiple (i.e. 2x or -2x) of the
Index. The Fund’s use of derivative
instruments will be collateralized.
The Exchange represents that, except
as described above, the Fund will meet
each of the initial and continued listing
criteria in BZX Rule 14.11(c)(5) with the
exception of meeting the requirements
of Rule 14.11(c)(3)(A)(i), applicable to
the listing of Index Fund Shares based
upon an index of ‘‘U.S. Component
Stocks,’’ as required under Rule
14.11(c)(5). Further to this point, the
three-month Treasury bills that compose
the entirety of the fixed income portion
of the Index will satisfy all requirements
of Rule 14.11(c)(4). The Trust is
required to comply with Rule 10A–3
under the Act for the initial and
continued listing of the Shares of the
Fund. A minimum of 100,000 Shares
will be outstanding at the
commencement of trading on the
Exchange. In addition, the Exchange
represents that the Shares of the Fund
will comply with all other requirements
applicable to Index Fund Shares, which
includes requirements relating to the
dissemination of key information such
as the Net Asset Value, Index value, and
the Intraday Indicative Value, rules
governing the trading of equity
securities, trading hours, trading halts,
firewalls for the Index Provider and
Adviser, surveillance, and the
information circular, as set forth in
Exchange rules applicable to Index
Fund Shares and the orders approving
such rules.
16 The Fund will include appropriate risk
disclosure in its offering documents, including
leveraging risk. Leveraging risk is the risk that
certain transactions of a fund, including a fund’s
use of derivatives, may give rise to leverage, causing
a fund to be more volatile than if it had not been
leveraged. To mitigate leveraging risk, the Adviser
will segregate or earmark liquid assets or otherwise
cover the transactions that give rise to such risk. See
15 U.S.C. 80a–18; Investment Company Act Release
No. 10666 (April 18, 1979), 44 FR 25128 (April 27,
1979); Dreyfus Strategic Investing, Commission NoAction Letter (June 22, 1987); Merrill Lynch Asset
Management, L.P., Commission No-Action Letter
(July 2, 1996).
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Quotation and last sale information
for S&P 500 Index Options will be
available via the Options Price
Reporting Authority. The intra-day,
closing and settlement prices of
exchange-traded options will be readily
available from the options exchanges,
automated quotation systems, published
or other public sources, or online
information services such as Bloomberg
or Reuters. Price information on
Treasury bills and other cash
equivalents is available from major
broker-dealer firms or market data
vendors, as well as from automated
quotation systems, published or other
public sources, or online information
services.
2. Statutory Basis
The Exchange believes that the
proposal is consistent with Section 6(b)
of the Act 17 in general and Section
6(b)(5) of the Act 18 in particular in that
it is designed to prevent fraudulent and
manipulative acts and practices, to
promote just and equitable principles of
trade, to foster cooperation and
coordination with persons engaged in
facilitating transactions in securities, to
remove impediments to and perfect the
mechanism of a free and open market
and a national market system and, in
general, to protect investors and the
public interest.
The Exchange believes that the
proposed rule change is designed to
prevent fraudulent and manipulative
acts and practices, to promote just and
equitable principles of trade, to foster
cooperation and coordination with
persons engaged in facilitating
transactions in securities, to remove
impediments to and perfect the
mechanism of a free and open market
and a national market system and, in
general, to protect investors and the
public interest in that the Shares of the
Fund will meet each of the initial and
continued listing criteria required by
BZX Rule 14.11(c)(5), which includes
the listing requirements for an index
that is composed of both equity
securities and fixed income securities,
with the exception of the requirement
that the equity portion of the Index
meets the criteria set forth in Rule
14.11(c)(3). Specifically, the Index does
not meet the requirements of Rule
14.11(c)(3) because the equity portion of
the Index consists of options on U.S.
Component Stocks and Rule
14.11(c)(3)(A)(i) applies only to U.S.
Component Stocks (that is, the rule
provides criteria for an index composed
of equity securities and not for an index
17 15
18 15
U.S.C. 78f.
U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
VerDate Sep<11>2014
20:14 Jan 25, 2018
Jkt 244001
that includes options on an index of
equity securities), it does not meet the
criteria set forth in Rule 14.11(c)(3) and,
thus, does not meet Rule 14.11(c)(5).19
The Exchange believes that the concerns
that Rule 14.11(c)(3)(A)(i) are intended
to address are mitigated and that
sufficient protections are in place to
protect against market manipulation of
the Fund’s Shares and S&P 500 Index
Options and Comparable ETF Options
for the following reasons: (i) The
diversity, liquidity, and market cap of
the securities underlying the S&P 500
Index; 20 (ii) the liquidity of the S&P 500
Index Options; 21 and (iii) surveillance
by the Exchange, Cboe Options and
FINRA designed to detect violations of
the federal securities laws and selfregulatory organization (‘‘SRO’’) rules.
The Exchange has in place a
surveillance program for transactions in
ETFs to ensure the availability of
information necessary to detect and
deter potential manipulations and other
trading abuses, thereby making the
Shares less readily susceptible to
manipulation. Further, the Exchange
believes that because the assets in the
Fund’s portfolio, which are comprised
primarily of S&P 500 Index Options,
will be acquired in extremely liquid and
highly regulated markets, the Shares are
less readily susceptible to manipulation.
The Exchange believes that its
surveillance procedures are adequate to
properly monitor the trading of the
Shares on the Exchange during all
trading sessions and to deter and detect
violations of Exchange rules and the
applicable federal securities laws.
Trading of the Shares through the
Exchange will be subject to the
Exchange’s surveillance procedures for
19 Rule 14.11(c)(3)(A)(i)(e) provides that all
securities in the applicable index or portfolio shall
be U.S. Component Stocks listed on a national
securities exchange and shall be NMS Stocks as
defined in Rule 600 under Regulation NMS of the
Act. Each component stock of the S&P 500 Index
is a U.S. Component Stock that is listed on a
national securities exchange and is an NMS Stock.
Options are excluded from the definition of NMS
Stock. The Fund and the Index meet all of the
requirements of the listing standards for Index Fund
Shares in Rule 14.11(c)(3), except the requirements
in Rule 14.11(c)(3)(A)(i)(a)–(e), as the Index consists
of options on the S&P 500 Index. The S&P 500
Index consists of U.S. Component Stocks and
satisfies the requirements of Rule
14.11(c)(3)(A)(i)(a)–(e).
20 The Exchange notes that the diversity,
liquidity, and market cap of the components of the
S&P 500 Index are such that the S&P 500 Index
would meet the generic listing standards applicable
to an index composed of U.S. Component Stocks in
Rule 14.11(c)(3)(A)(i).
21 The market for S&P 500 Index Options traded
on Cboe Options is among the most liquid markets
in the world. In 2016, 1,023,623 options contracts
on the S&P 500 Index were traded per day on Cboe
Options, which is more than $200 billion in
notional volume traded on a daily basis.
PO 00000
Frm 00139
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
3811
derivative products, including Index
Fund Shares. All statements and
representations made in this filing
regarding the index composition, the
description of the portfolio or reference
assets, limitations on portfolio holdings
or reference assets, dissemination and
availability of index, reference asset,
and intraday indicative values (as
applicable), or the applicability of
Exchange listing rules shall constitute
continued listing requirements for
listing the Shares on the Exchange. .
[sic] The issuer has represented to the
Exchange that it will advise the
Exchange of any failure by the Fund or
Shares to comply with the continued
listing requirements, and, pursuant to
its obligations under Section 19(g)(1) of
the Act, the Exchange will surveil for
compliance with the continued listing
requirements. If the Fund or Shares are
not in compliance with the applicable
listing requirements, then, with respect
to such Fund or Shares, the Exchange
will commence delisting procedures
under Exchange Rule 14.12. FINRA
conducts certain cross-market
surveillances on behalf of the Exchange
pursuant to a regulatory services
agreement. The Exchange is responsible
for FINRA’s performance under this
regulatory services agreement. If the
Fund is not in compliance with the
applicable listing requirements, the
Exchange will commence delisting
procedures with respect to such Fund
under Exchange Rule 14.12.
The Exchange or FINRA, on behalf of
the Exchange, will communicate as
needed regarding trading in the Shares
and exchange-traded options contracts
with other markets and other entities
that are members of the ISG and may
obtain trading information regarding
trading in the Shares and exchangetraded options contracts from such
markets and other entities. The
Exchange is also able to access, as
needed, trade information for certain
fixed income instruments reported to
TRACE. In addition, the Exchange may
obtain information regarding trading in
the Shares and exchange-traded options
contracts from markets and other
entities that are members of ISG or with
which the Exchange has in place a
comprehensive surveillance sharing
agreement. In addition, the Exchange
also has a general policy prohibiting the
distribution of material, non-public
information by its employees.
As noted above, S&P 500 Index
Options are among the most liquid
options in the world and derive their
value from the actively traded S&P 500
Index components. The contracts are
cash-settled with no delivery of stocks
or ETFs, and trade in competitive
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daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES
auction markets with price and quote
transparency. The Exchange believes the
highly regulated options markets and
the broad base and scope of the S&P 500
Index make securities that derive their
value from that index less susceptible to
market manipulation in view of market
capitalization and liquidity of the S&P
500 Index components, price and quote
transparency, and arbitrage
opportunities.
The Exchange believes that the
liquidity of the markets for S&P 500
Index securities, S&P 500 Index
Options, and other related derivatives is
sufficiently great to deter fraudulent or
manipulative acts associated with the
price of the Shares. The Exchange also
believes that such efficiency and
liquidity are sufficient to support the
creation and redemption mechanism.
Coupled with the extensive surveillance
programs of the SROs described above,
the Exchange does not believe that
trading in the Fund’s Shares would
present manipulation concerns.
The Exchange represents that, except
as it relates to the options portion of the
Index and the index dissemination
requirements described above, the Fund
will meet and be subject to all other
requirements of Rule 14.11(c)(5) related
to generic listing standards of the Index
and other applicable requirements for
such a series of Index Fund Shares
under Rule 14.11(c) on an initial and
continued listing basis, including those
requirements regarding the
dissemination of key information such
as the Net Asset Value, and the Intraday
Indicative Value, rules governing the
trading of equity securities, trading
hours, trading halts, surveillance, and
the information circular, as set forth in
Exchange rules applicable to Index
Fund Shares and the orders approving
such rules. The Trust is required to
comply with Rule 10A–3 under the Act
for the initial and continued listing of
the Shares of the Fund. Moreover, all of
the options contracts held by the Fund
will trade on markets that are a member
of ISG or affiliated with a member of
ISG or with which the Exchange has in
place a comprehensive surveillance
sharing agreement.
For the above reasons, the Exchange
believes that the proposed rule change
is consistent with the requirements of
Section 6(b)(5) of the Act.
B. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement on Burden on Competition
The Exchange does not believe that
the proposed rule change will impose
any burden on competition that is not
necessary or appropriate in furtherance
of the purpose of the Act. The Exchange
notes that the proposed rule change will
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20:14 Jan 25, 2018
Jkt 244001
facilitate the listing and trading of an
additional type of Index Fund Shares
that will enhance competition among
market participants, to the benefit of
investors and the marketplace.
C. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement on Comments on the
Proposed Rule Change Received From
Members, Participants or Others
The Exchange has neither solicited
nor received written comments on the
proposed rule change.
III. Date of Effectiveness of the
Proposed Rule Change and Timing for
Commission Action
Within 45 days of the date of
publication of this notice in the Federal
Register or 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.
communications relating to the
proposed rule change between the
Commission and any person, other than
those that may be withheld from the
public in accordance with the
provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be
available for website viewing and
printing in the Commission’s Public
Reference Room, 100 F Street NE,
Washington, DC 20549 on official
business days between the hours of
10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Copies of the
filing also will be available for
inspection and copying at the principal
office of the Exchange. 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–CboeBZX–2018–005 and
should be submitted on or before
February 16, 2018.
For the Commission, by the Division of
Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated
authority.22
Eduardo A. Aleman,
Assistant Secretary.
IV. Solicitation of Comments
Interested persons are invited to
submit written data, views, and
arguments concerning the foregoing,
including whether the proposed rule
change is consistent with the Act.
Comments may be submitted by any of
the following methods:
[FR Doc. 2018–01354 Filed 1–25–18; 8:45 am]
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–
CboeBZX–2018–005 on the subject line.
Self-Regulatory Organizations; New
York Stock Exchange LLC; Notice of
Designation of a Longer Period for
Commission Action on Proposed Rule
Change To Amend the NYSE Listed
Company Manual To Modify Its
Requirements With Respect to
Physical Delivery of Proxy Materials to
the Exchange
Paper Comments
• Send paper comments in triplicate
to Secretary, Securities and Exchange
Commission, 100 F Street NE,
Washington, DC 20549–1090.
All submissions should refer to File
Number SR–CboeBZX–2018–005. 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 that are filed with the
Commission, and all written
PO 00000
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BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
[Release No. 34–82565; File No. SR–NYSE–
2017–42]
January 22, 2018.
On November 22, 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
of 1934 (‘‘Act’’) 1 and Rule 19b–4
thereunder,2 a proposed rule change to
amend the NYSE Listed Company
Manual (the ‘‘Manual’’) to modify its
requirements with respect to the
physical delivery of proxy materials to
the Exchange. The proposed rule change
was published for comment in the
22 17
CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).
U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
2 17 CFR 240.19b–4.
1 15
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 18 (Friday, January 26, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3807-3812]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-01354]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
[Release No. 34-82538; File No. SR-CboeBZX-2018-005]
Self-Regulatory Organizations; Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc.; Notice of
Filing of a Proposed Rule Change To List and Trade Shares of the Cboe
Vest S&P 500[supreg] Premium Income ETF Under Rule 14.11(c)(5)
January 19, 2018.
Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(the
[[Page 3808]]
``Act''),\1\ and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,\2\ notice is hereby given that
on January 10, 2018, Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc. (``Exchange'' or ``BZX'')
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission'') the
proposed rule change as described in Items I and II below, which Items
have been prepared by the Exchange. The Commission is publishing this
notice to solicit comments on the proposed rule change from interested
persons.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
\2\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance
of the Proposed Rule Change
The Exchange filed a proposal to list and trade shares of the Cboe
Vest S&P 500[supreg] Premium Income ETF (formerly known as the Cboe
Vest S&P 500[supreg] Market-Neutral Option Income ETF), a series of ETF
Series Solutions (the ``Trust''), under Rule 14.11(c)(5) (``Index Fund
Shares'').
The text of the proposed rule change is available at the Exchange's
website at www.markets.cboe.com, at the principal office of the
Exchange, and at the Commission's Public Reference Room.
II. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change
In its filing with the Commission, the Exchange included statements
concerning the purpose of and basis for the proposed rule change and
discussed any comments it received on the proposed rule change. The
text of these statements may be examined at the places specified in
Item IV below. The Exchange has prepared summaries, set forth in
Sections A, B, and C below, of the most significant parts of such
statements.
A. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change
1. Purpose
The Exchange proposes to list and trade shares (``Shares'') of Cboe
Vest S&P 500[supreg] Premium Income ETF (the ``Fund'') under Rule
14.11(c)(5), which governs the listing and trading of Index Fund Shares
based on equity and fixed income securities indexes on the Exchange.
The Fund will be an index-based exchange traded fund (``ETF''). The
Fund will track the Cboe S&P 500[supreg] Volatility Risk Premia Index
(the ``Index'').\3\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ This filing was originally submitted on January 10, 2018 as
SR-CboeBZX-2018-004. SR-CboeBZX-2018-004 was subsequently withdrawn
on January 10, 2018 and replaced by this filing.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Shares will be offered by the Trust, which was established as a
Delaware statutory trust on February 9, 2012. The Trust is registered
with the Commission as an open-end investment company and has filed a
registration statement on behalf of the Fund on Form N-1A
(``Registration Statement'') with the Commission.\4\ The Fund's
adviser, Cboe Vest Financial, LLC (the ``Adviser''), and index
provider, Cboe Exchange, Inc. (``Cboe Options'' or the ``Index
Provider''), are affiliates and have implemented and will maintain a
``fire wall'' with respect to their respective personnel regarding
access to information concerning the composition and/or changes to the
underlying index or portfolio, as applicable. The Adviser and the Index
Provider are not registered as broker-dealers, but are affiliated with
a broker-dealer. The Index Provider has implemented and will maintain a
``fire wall'' with respect to such broker-dealer and its personnel
regarding access to information concerning the composition and/or
changes to the Index. In addition, Index Provider personnel who make
decisions regarding the Index composition or methodology are subject to
procedures designed to prevent the use and dissemination of material
nonpublic information regarding the Index, pursuant to Rule
14.11(c)(5)(A)(iii). The Adviser has also implemented and will maintain
a ``fire wall'' with respect to such broker-dealer and its personnel
regarding access to information concerning the composition and/or
changes to the portfolio. In addition, Adviser personnel who make
decisions regarding the Fund's portfolio are subject to procedures
designed to prevent the use and dissemination of material nonpublic
information regarding the Fund's portfolio. In the event that (a) the
Adviser becomes registered as a broker-dealer or newly affiliated with
another broker-dealer; or (b) any new adviser or sub-adviser is a
registered broker-dealer or becomes affiliated with a broker-dealer; it
will implement a fire wall with respect to its relevant personnel or
such broker-dealer affiliate, as applicable, regarding access to
information concerning the composition and/or changes to the portfolio,
and will be subject to procedures designed to prevent the use and
dissemination of material non-public information regarding such
portfolio. The Exchange also notes that the Adviser is a BZX Affiliate
as defined in Rule 14.3(e)(1)(A),\5\ but the Fund is not an Affiliate
Security, as defined in Rule 14.11(e)(1)(B),\6\ and is therefore not
subject to the additional requirements applicable to Affiliate
Securities because such definition explicitly excludes Index Fund
Shares. The Fund intends to qualify each year as a regulated investment
company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\4\ See Registration Statement on Form N-1A for the Trust, dated
September 28, 2017 (File Nos. 333-179562 and 811-22668). The
descriptions of the Fund and the Shares contained herein are based,
in part, on information in the Registration Statement. The
Commission has not yet issued an order granting exemptive relief to
the Trust under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-1)
applicable to the activities of the Fund, but the Fund will not be
listed on the Exchange until such an order is issued and any
conditions contained therein are satisfied.
\5\ As defined in Rule 14.3(e)(1)(A), the term ``BZX Affiliate''
means the Exchange and any entity that directly or indirectly,
through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or
is under common control with the Exchange, where ``control'' means
that one entity possesses, directly or indirectly, voting control of
the other entity either through ownership of capital stock or other
equity securities or through majority representation on the board of
directors or other management body of such entity.
\6\ As defined in Rule 14.3(e)(1)(B), the term ``Affiliate
Security'' means any security issued by a BZX Affiliate or any
Exchange-listed option on any such security, with the exception of
Portfolio Depository Receipts as defined in Rule 14.11(b) and Index
Fund Shares as defined in Rule 14.11(c).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Exchange is submitting this proposed rule change because the
Index for the Fund does not meet the listing requirements of Rule
14.11(c)(5) applicable to an index that consists of both equity
securities and Fixed Income Securities,\7\ which requires that the
equity and fixed income component securities in an index or portfolio
separately meet the criteria set forth in Rules 14.11(c)(3) and
14.11(c)(4), respectively. As further described below, the Index
consists of options on an index that consists of ``U.S. Component
Stocks'' as defined in Rule 14.11(c)(1)(D),\8\ and Fixed Income
Securities. The Fixed Income Security component of the Index, which
consists of only Treasury bills, meets the ``generic'' listing
requirements of Rule 14.11(c)(4). However, because the Index consists
partially of options based on an index of U.S. Component Stocks (the
[[Page 3809]]
S&P 500 Index) and Rule 14.11(c)(3)(A)(i) applies only to U.S.
Component Stocks (that is, the rule provides criteria for an index
composed of equity securities and not for an index that includes
options on an index of equity securities), it does not meet the
criteria set forth in Rule 14.11(c)(3) and, thus, does not meet Rule
14.11(c)(5).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\7\ As defined in Rule 14.11(c)(4), the term ``Fixed Income
Security'' shall mean debt securities that are notes, bonds,
debentures or evidence of indebtedness that include, but are not
limited to, Treasury bills, government-sponsored entity securities
(``GSE Securities''), municipal securities, trust preferred
securities, supranational debt and debt of a foreign country or
subdivision thereof.
\8\ As defined in Rule 14.11(c)(1)(D), the term ``U.S. Component
Stock'' shall mean an equity security that is registered under
Sections 12(b) or 12(g) of the Act, or an American Depositary
receipt, the underlying equity security of which is registered under
Sections 12(b) or 12(g) of the Act.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cboe S&P 500[supreg] Volatility Risk Premia Index
The Index is a rules-based options index created by the Index
Provider, an affiliate of the Adviser, and designed to capture the
``volatility risk premium'' in standardized options on the S&P 500
Index (``S&P 500 Index Options'') by writing one-month call and put S&P
500 Index Options (``Sold SPX Options'') and buying an identical number
of one-month call and put S&P 500 Index Options (together, the ``Bought
SPX Options'') with a lesser market value (i.e., buying call options
with a higher strike price and put options with a lower strike
price).\9\ The ``volatility risk premium'' in S&P 500 Index Options is
based on the premise that the expected level of volatility of the S&P
500 Index priced into such options (the options' ``implied
volatility'') is, on average, higher than the volatility actually
experienced by the S&P 500 Index (the ``realized volatility''). The
Index will only include S&P 500 Index Options and Treasury bills.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\9\ For purposes of this filing, when describing the Index, the
terms ``buy,'' ``sell,'' ``write,'' ``hold,'' or any other term
related to the acquisition, disposition, or issuance of an asset are
intended to describe a theoretical transaction conducted by the
Index that will be reflected in the Index constituents, rather than
to imply that the Index is actually transacting.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
On the last trading day of each month, the Index writes (sells) and
buys call and put S&P 500 Index Options with an expiration date of the
last trading day of the following month. The strike prices for the Sold
SPX Options will be ``out-of-the-money'' (i.e., the strike price of the
sold put options will be less than the level of S&P 500 Index and the
strike price of the sold call options will be more than the level of
the S&P 500 Index). The strike prices for the Bought SPX Options will
be higher and lower, respectively, than the strike price for the Sold
SPX Options, which offsets some of the Index's risk from the Sold SPX
Options. The difference between the strike prices of the Sold SPX
Options and the Bought SPX Options represents the net liability for the
Index, and the Index maintains an allocation to one- and three-month
Treasury bills at least equal to such net liability. The Index receives
premiums from the sale of the Sold SPX Options and pays premiums to buy
the Bought SPX Options. The Index invests the net premium difference
between the Sold SPX Options and the Bought SPX Options in one- and
three-month Treasury bills. The Index holds each option until its
expiration.
If the value of the S&P 500 Index rises above the strike price of
the put S&P 500 Index Options (the ``SPX Puts'') or falls below the
strike price of the call S&P 500 Index Options (the ``SPX Calls'') sold
by the Index, the Sold SPX Options will not be exercised and will
expire worthless, resulting in a gain to the Index equal to the
premiums received from the Sold SPX Options. If the value of the S&P
500 Index falls below the strike price of the SPX Puts or rises above
the strike price of the SPX Calls sold by the Index, the Sold SPX
Options will finish ``in-the-money'' and the Index incurs a loss equal
to the difference between the Sold SPX Options' strike price and the
value of the S&P 500 Index, less the value of the premiums received
from the Sold SPX Options.
If the value of the S&P 500 Index rises above the strike price of
the SPX Puts or falls below the strike price of the SPX Calls bought by
the Index, the Bought SPX Options will not be exercised and will expire
worthless, resulting in a loss to the Index equal to the premiums paid
for the Bought SPX Options. If the value of the S&P 500 Index falls
below the strike price of the SPX Puts or rises above the strike price
of the SPX Calls sold by the Index, the Bought SPX Options will finish
``in-the-money'' and the Index receives a gain equal to the difference
between the Bought SPX Options' strike price and the value of the S&P
500 Index, less the value of the premiums paid for the Bought SPX
Options.
The strike prices of the SPX Puts and SPX Calls are calculated such
that the Index is equity-market-neutral, meaning that it seeks to earn
a total return in most equity market conditions regardless of general
market direction as measured by the move in value of the S&P 500 Index.
The cash and net option premium proceeds will be invested in short-term
Treasury bills which will be rolled at maturity. This makes the Index
bond-market-neutral, meaning that as interest rates and the yield for
Treasury bills go up or down, the short duration of the Treasury bills
will result in minimal effect on the Index.
Fund Holdings
Under Normal Market Conditions,\10\ the Fund will invest all, or
substantially all, of its assets in the S&P 500 Index Options that make
up the Index, as well as the Treasury bills included in the Index.
Under Normal Market Conditions, at least 80% of the Fund's total assets
(exclusive of any collateral held from securities lending) will be
invested in the S&P 500 Index Options or Treasury bills that make up
the Index. In addition to the S&P 500 Index Options and Treasury bills
that make up the Index, the Fund may invest up to 20% of its total
assets in U.S. exchange-listed options based on one or more ETFs that
track the performance of the S&P 500 Index (``Comparable ETF
Options''). The Fund will hold only S&P 500 Index Options, Comparable
ETF Options, Treasury bills included in the Index, and other cash and
cash equivalents.\11\
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\10\ The term ``Normal Market Conditions'' includes, but is not
limited to, the absence of trading halts in the applicable financial
markets generally; operational issues causing dissemination of
inaccurate market information or system failures; or force majeure
type events such as natural or man-made disaster, act of God, armed
conflict, act of terrorism, riot or labor disruption, or any similar
intervening circumstance.
\11\ For purposes of this filing, cash equivalents are short-
term instruments with maturities of less than three months,
including: (i) U.S. Government securities, including bills, notes,
and bonds differing as to maturity and rates of interest, which are
either issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury or by U.S.
Government agencies or instrumentalities; (ii) certificates of
deposit issued against funds deposited in a bank or savings and loan
association; (iii) bankers acceptances, which are short-term credit
instruments used to finance commercial transactions; (iv) repurchase
agreements and reverse repurchase agreements; (v) bank time
deposits, which are monies kept on deposit with banks or savings and
loan associations for a stated period of time at a fixed rate of
interest; (vi) commercial paper, which are short-term unsecured
promissory notes; and (vii) money market funds.
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Additional Discussion
The Exchange believes that sufficient protections are in place to
protect against market manipulation of the Fund's Shares and S&P 500
Index Options and Comparable ETF Options for the following reasons: (i)
The diversity, liquidity, and market cap of the securities underlying
the S&P 500 Index; \12\ (ii) the liquidity of the S&P 500 Index
Options; \13\ and (iii) surveillance
[[Page 3810]]
by the Exchange, Cboe Options and the Financial Industry Regulatory
Authority (``FINRA'') designed to detect violations of the federal
securities laws and self-regulatory organization (``SRO'') rules.
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\12\ The Exchange notes that the diversity, liquidity, and
market cap of the components of the S&P 500 Index are such that the
S&P 500 Index would meet the generic listing standards applicable to
an index composed of U.S. Component Stocks in Rule
14.11(c)(3)(A)(i).
\13\ The market for S&P 500 Index Options traded on Cboe Options
is among the most liquid markets in the world. In 2016, 1,023,623
options contracts on the S&P 500 Index were traded per day on Cboe
Options, which is more than $200 billion in notional volume traded
on a daily basis.
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Trading in the Shares and the underlying investments will be
subject to the federal securities laws and Exchange, Cboe Options,
FINRA, and, with respect to the Comparable ETF Options, other U.S.
options exchanges' rules and surveillance programs.\14\
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\14\ The Exchange notes that Cboe Options is a member of the
Option Price Regulatory Surveillance Authority, which was
established in 2006, to provide efficiencies in looking for insider
trading and serves as a central organization to facilitate
collaboration in insider trading and investigations for the U.S.
options exchanges. For more information, see https://www.cboe.com/aboutcboe/legal/departments/orsareg.aspx.
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The Exchange has in place a surveillance program for transactions
in ETFs to ensure the availability of information necessary to detect
and deter potential manipulations and other trading abuses, thereby
making the Shares less readily susceptible to manipulation. Further,
the Exchange believes that because the assets in the Fund's portfolio,
which are comprised primarily of S&P 500 Index Options, will be
acquired in extremely liquid and highly regulated markets,\15\ the
Shares are less readily susceptible to manipulation.
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\15\ All exchange-listed securities that the Fund may hold will
trade on a market that is a member of the Intermarket Surveillance
Group (``ISG'') and the Fund will not hold any non-exchange-listed
options, however, not all of the components of the portfolio for the
Fund may trade on exchanges that are members of the ISG or with
which the Exchange has in place a comprehensive surveillance sharing
agreement. For a list of the current members of ISG, see
www.isgportal.org.
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The Exchange believes that its surveillance procedures are adequate
to properly monitor the trading of the Shares on the Exchange during
all trading sessions and to deter and detect violations of Exchange
rules and the applicable federal securities laws. Trading of the Shares
through the Exchange will be subject to the Exchange's surveillance
procedures for derivative products, including Index Fund Shares. FINRA
conducts certain cross-market surveillances on behalf of the Exchange
pursuant to a regulatory services agreement. The Exchange is
responsible for FINRA's performance under this regulatory services
agreement.
All statements and representations made in this filing regarding
the index composition, the description of the portfolio or reference
assets, limitations on portfolio holdings or reference assets,
dissemination and availability of index, reference asset, and intraday
indicative values (as applicable), or the applicability of Exchange
listing rules shall constitute continued listing requirements for
listing the Shares on the Exchange. The issuer has represented to the
Exchange that it will advise the Exchange of any failure by the Fund or
Shares to comply with the continued listing requirements, and, pursuant
to its obligations under Section 19(g)(1) of the Act, the Exchange will
surveil for compliance with the continued listing requirements. If the
Fund or Shares are not in compliance with the applicable listing
requirements, then, with respect to such Fund or Shares, the Exchange
will commence delisting procedures under Exchange Rule 14.12.
The Exchange or FINRA, on behalf of the Exchange, will communicate
as needed regarding trading in the Shares and exchange-traded options
contracts with other markets and other entities that are members of the
ISG and may obtain trading information regarding trading in the Shares
and exchange-traded options contracts from such markets and other
entities. The Exchange is also able to access, as needed, trade
information for certain fixed income instruments reported to FINRA's
Trade Reporting and Compliance Engine (``TRACE''). In addition, the
Exchange may obtain information regarding trading in the Shares and
exchange-traded options contracts from markets and other entities that
are members of ISG or with which the Exchange has in place a
comprehensive surveillance sharing agreement. In addition, the Exchange
also has a general policy prohibiting the distribution of material,
non-public information by its employees.
As noted above, S&P 500 Index Options are among the most liquid
options in the world and derive their value from the actively traded
S&P 500 Index components. The contracts are cash-settled with no
delivery of stocks or ETFs, and trade in competitive auction markets
with price and quote transparency. The Exchange believes the highly
regulated options markets and the broad base and scope of the S&P 500
Index make securities that derive their value from that index less
susceptible to market manipulation in view of market capitalization and
liquidity of the S&P 500 Index components, price and quote
transparency, and arbitrage opportunities.
The Exchange believes that the liquidity of the markets for S&P 500
Index securities, S&P 500 Index Options, and other related derivatives
is sufficiently great to deter fraudulent or manipulative acts
associated with the price of the Shares. The Exchange also believes
that such liquidity are [sic] sufficient to support the creation and
redemption mechanism. Coupled with the surveillance programs of the
SROs described above, the Exchange does not believe that trading in the
Fund's Shares would present manipulation concerns. The Fund's
investments 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).\16\ The Fund's investments
will not be used to seek performance that is the multiple or inverse
multiple (i.e. 2x or -2x) of the Index. The Fund's use of derivative
instruments will be collateralized.
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\16\ The Fund will include appropriate risk disclosure in its
offering documents, including leveraging risk. Leveraging risk is
the risk that certain transactions of a fund, including a fund's use
of derivatives, may give rise to leverage, causing a fund to be more
volatile than if it had not been leveraged. To mitigate leveraging
risk, the Adviser will segregate or earmark liquid assets or
otherwise cover the transactions that give rise to such risk. See 15
U.S.C. 80a-18; Investment Company Act Release No. 10666 (April 18,
1979), 44 FR 25128 (April 27, 1979); Dreyfus Strategic Investing,
Commission No-Action Letter (June 22, 1987); Merrill Lynch Asset
Management, L.P., Commission No-Action Letter (July 2, 1996).
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The Exchange represents that, except as described above, the Fund
will meet each of the initial and continued listing criteria in BZX
Rule 14.11(c)(5) with the exception of meeting the requirements of Rule
14.11(c)(3)(A)(i), applicable to the listing of Index Fund Shares based
upon an index of ``U.S. Component Stocks,'' as required under Rule
14.11(c)(5). Further to this point, the three-month Treasury bills that
compose the entirety of the fixed income portion of the Index will
satisfy all requirements of Rule 14.11(c)(4). The Trust is required to
comply with Rule 10A-3 under the Act for the initial and continued
listing of the Shares of the Fund. A minimum of 100,000 Shares will be
outstanding at the commencement of trading on the Exchange. In
addition, the Exchange represents that the Shares of the Fund will
comply with all other requirements applicable to Index Fund Shares,
which includes requirements relating to the dissemination of key
information such as the Net Asset Value, Index value, and the Intraday
Indicative Value, rules governing the trading of equity securities,
trading hours, trading halts, firewalls for the Index Provider and
Adviser, surveillance, and the information circular, as set forth in
Exchange rules applicable to Index Fund Shares and the orders approving
such rules.
[[Page 3811]]
Quotation and last sale information for S&P 500 Index Options will
be available via the Options Price Reporting Authority. The intra-day,
closing and settlement prices of exchange-traded options will be
readily available from the options exchanges, automated quotation
systems, published or other public sources, or online information
services such as Bloomberg or Reuters. Price information on Treasury
bills and other cash equivalents is available from major broker-dealer
firms or market data vendors, as well as from automated quotation
systems, published or other public sources, or online information
services.
2. Statutory Basis
The Exchange believes that the proposal is consistent with Section
6(b) of the Act \17\ in general and Section 6(b)(5) of the Act \18\ in
particular in that it is designed to prevent fraudulent and
manipulative acts and practices, to promote just and equitable
principles of trade, to foster cooperation and coordination with
persons engaged in facilitating transactions in securities, to remove
impediments to and perfect the mechanism of a free and open market and
a national market system and, in general, to protect investors and the
public interest.
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\17\ 15 U.S.C. 78f.
\18\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
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The Exchange believes that the proposed rule change is designed to
prevent fraudulent and manipulative acts and practices, to promote just
and equitable principles of trade, to foster cooperation and
coordination with persons engaged in facilitating transactions in
securities, to remove impediments to and perfect the mechanism of a
free and open market and a national market system and, in general, to
protect investors and the public interest in that the Shares of the
Fund will meet each of the initial and continued listing criteria
required by BZX Rule 14.11(c)(5), which includes the listing
requirements for an index that is composed of both equity securities
and fixed income securities, with the exception of the requirement that
the equity portion of the Index meets the criteria set forth in Rule
14.11(c)(3). Specifically, the Index does not meet the requirements of
Rule 14.11(c)(3) because the equity portion of the Index consists of
options on U.S. Component Stocks and Rule 14.11(c)(3)(A)(i) applies
only to U.S. Component Stocks (that is, the rule provides criteria for
an index composed of equity securities and not for an index that
includes options on an index of equity securities), it does not meet
the criteria set forth in Rule 14.11(c)(3) and, thus, does not meet
Rule 14.11(c)(5).\19\ The Exchange believes that the concerns that Rule
14.11(c)(3)(A)(i) are intended to address are mitigated and that
sufficient protections are in place to protect against market
manipulation of the Fund's Shares and S&P 500 Index Options and
Comparable ETF Options for the following reasons: (i) The diversity,
liquidity, and market cap of the securities underlying the S&P 500
Index; \20\ (ii) the liquidity of the S&P 500 Index Options; \21\ and
(iii) surveillance by the Exchange, Cboe Options and FINRA designed to
detect violations of the federal securities laws and self-regulatory
organization (``SRO'') rules.
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\19\ Rule 14.11(c)(3)(A)(i)(e) provides that all securities in
the applicable index or portfolio shall be U.S. Component Stocks
listed on a national securities exchange and shall be NMS Stocks as
defined in Rule 600 under Regulation NMS of the Act. Each component
stock of the S&P 500 Index is a U.S. Component Stock that is listed
on a national securities exchange and is an NMS Stock. Options are
excluded from the definition of NMS Stock. The Fund and the Index
meet all of the requirements of the listing standards for Index Fund
Shares in Rule 14.11(c)(3), except the requirements in Rule
14.11(c)(3)(A)(i)(a)-(e), as the Index consists of options on the
S&P 500 Index. The S&P 500 Index consists of U.S. Component Stocks
and satisfies the requirements of Rule 14.11(c)(3)(A)(i)(a)-(e).
\20\ The Exchange notes that the diversity, liquidity, and
market cap of the components of the S&P 500 Index are such that the
S&P 500 Index would meet the generic listing standards applicable to
an index composed of U.S. Component Stocks in Rule
14.11(c)(3)(A)(i).
\21\ The market for S&P 500 Index Options traded on Cboe Options
is among the most liquid markets in the world. In 2016, 1,023,623
options contracts on the S&P 500 Index were traded per day on Cboe
Options, which is more than $200 billion in notional volume traded
on a daily basis.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Exchange has in place a surveillance program for transactions
in ETFs to ensure the availability of information necessary to detect
and deter potential manipulations and other trading abuses, thereby
making the Shares less readily susceptible to manipulation. Further,
the Exchange believes that because the assets in the Fund's portfolio,
which are comprised primarily of S&P 500 Index Options, will be
acquired in extremely liquid and highly regulated markets, the Shares
are less readily susceptible to manipulation.
The Exchange believes that its surveillance procedures are adequate
to properly monitor the trading of the Shares on the Exchange during
all trading sessions and to deter and detect violations of Exchange
rules and the applicable federal securities laws. Trading of the Shares
through the Exchange will be subject to the Exchange's surveillance
procedures for derivative products, including Index Fund Shares. All
statements and representations made in this filing regarding the index
composition, the description of the portfolio or reference assets,
limitations on portfolio holdings or reference assets, dissemination
and availability of index, reference asset, and intraday indicative
values (as applicable), or the applicability of Exchange listing rules
shall constitute continued listing requirements for listing the Shares
on the Exchange. . [sic] The issuer has represented to the Exchange
that it will advise the Exchange of any failure by the Fund or Shares
to comply with the continued listing requirements, and, pursuant to its
obligations under Section 19(g)(1) of the Act, the Exchange will
surveil for compliance with the continued listing requirements. If the
Fund or Shares are not in compliance with the applicable listing
requirements, then, with respect to such Fund or Shares, the Exchange
will commence delisting procedures under Exchange Rule 14.12. FINRA
conducts certain cross-market surveillances on behalf of the Exchange
pursuant to a regulatory services agreement. The Exchange is
responsible for FINRA's performance under this regulatory services
agreement. If the Fund is not in compliance with the applicable listing
requirements, the Exchange will commence delisting procedures with
respect to such Fund under Exchange Rule 14.12.
The Exchange or FINRA, on behalf of the Exchange, will communicate
as needed regarding trading in the Shares and exchange-traded options
contracts with other markets and other entities that are members of the
ISG and may obtain trading information regarding trading in the Shares
and exchange-traded options contracts from such markets and other
entities. The Exchange is also able to access, as needed, trade
information for certain fixed income instruments reported to TRACE. In
addition, the Exchange may obtain information regarding trading in the
Shares and exchange-traded options contracts from markets and other
entities that are members of ISG or with which the Exchange has in
place a comprehensive surveillance sharing agreement. In addition, the
Exchange also has a general policy prohibiting the distribution of
material, non-public information by its employees.
As noted above, S&P 500 Index Options are among the most liquid
options in the world and derive their value from the actively traded
S&P 500 Index components. The contracts are cash-settled with no
delivery of stocks or ETFs, and trade in competitive
[[Page 3812]]
auction markets with price and quote transparency. The Exchange
believes the highly regulated options markets and the broad base and
scope of the S&P 500 Index make securities that derive their value from
that index less susceptible to market manipulation in view of market
capitalization and liquidity of the S&P 500 Index components, price and
quote transparency, and arbitrage opportunities.
The Exchange believes that the liquidity of the markets for S&P 500
Index securities, S&P 500 Index Options, and other related derivatives
is sufficiently great to deter fraudulent or manipulative acts
associated with the price of the Shares. The Exchange also believes
that such efficiency and liquidity are sufficient to support the
creation and redemption mechanism. Coupled with the extensive
surveillance programs of the SROs described above, the Exchange does
not believe that trading in the Fund's Shares would present
manipulation concerns.
The Exchange represents that, except as it relates to the options
portion of the Index and the index dissemination requirements described
above, the Fund will meet and be subject to all other requirements of
Rule 14.11(c)(5) related to generic listing standards of the Index and
other applicable requirements for such a series of Index Fund Shares
under Rule 14.11(c) on an initial and continued listing basis,
including those requirements regarding the dissemination of key
information such as the Net Asset Value, and the Intraday Indicative
Value, rules governing the trading of equity securities, trading hours,
trading halts, surveillance, and the information circular, as set forth
in Exchange rules applicable to Index Fund Shares and the orders
approving such rules. The Trust is required to comply with Rule 10A-3
under the Act for the initial and continued listing of the Shares of
the Fund. Moreover, all of the options contracts held by the Fund will
trade on markets that are a member of ISG or affiliated with a member
of ISG or with which the Exchange has in place a comprehensive
surveillance sharing agreement.
For the above reasons, the Exchange believes that the proposed rule
change is consistent with the requirements of Section 6(b)(5) of the
Act.
B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition
The Exchange does not believe that the proposed rule change will
impose any burden on competition that is not necessary or appropriate
in furtherance of the purpose of the Act. The Exchange notes that the
proposed rule change will facilitate the listing and trading of an
additional type of Index Fund Shares that will enhance competition
among market participants, to the benefit of investors and the
marketplace.
C. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed
Rule Change Received From Members, Participants or Others
The Exchange has neither solicited nor received written comments on
the proposed rule change.
III. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed Rule Change and Timing for
Commission Action
Within 45 days of the date of publication of this notice in the
Federal Register or up to 90 days (i) as the Commission may designate
if it finds such longer period to be appropriate and publishes its
reasons for so finding or (ii) as to which the self-regulatory
organization consents, the Commission will:
(A) By order approve or disapprove the proposed rule change, or
(B) Institute proceedings to determine whether the proposed rule
change should be disapproved.
IV. Solicitation of Comments
Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views, and
arguments concerning the foregoing, including whether the proposed rule
change is consistent with the Act. Comments may be submitted by any of
the following methods:
Electronic Comments
Use the Commission's internet comment form (https://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml); or
Send an email to [email protected]. Please include
File Number SR-CboeBZX-2018-005 on the subject line.
Paper Comments
Send paper comments in triplicate to Secretary, Securities
and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549-1090.
All submissions should refer to File Number SR-CboeBZX-2018-005. 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 that are filed with
the Commission, and all written communications relating to the proposed
rule change between the Commission and any person, other than those
that may be withheld from the public in accordance with the provisions
of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be available for website viewing and printing in
the Commission's Public Reference Room, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC
20549 on official business days between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and
3:00 p.m. Copies of the filing also will be available for inspection
and copying at the principal office of the Exchange. 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-CboeBZX-2018-005 and should be submitted
on or before February 16, 2018.
For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets,
pursuant to delegated authority.\22\
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\22\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Eduardo A. Aleman,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2018-01354 Filed 1-25-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P