Pioneer ETF Series Trust I, et al., 28361-28363 [2019-12778]
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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 117 / Tuesday, June 18, 2019 / Notices
POSTAL SERVICE
Product Change—Priority Mail
Negotiated Service Agreement
Postal ServiceTM.
Notice.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
SUMMARY: The Postal Service gives
notice of filing a request with the Postal
Regulatory Commission to add a
domestic shipping services contract to
the list of Negotiated Service
Agreements in the Mail Classification
Schedule’s Competitive Products List.
DATES: Date of required notice: June 18,
2019.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Elizabeth Reed, 202–268–3179.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
United States Postal Service® hereby
gives notice that, pursuant to 39 U.S.C.
3642 and 3632(b)(3), on June 13, 2019,
it filed with the Postal Regulatory
Commission a USPS Request to Add
Priority Mail Contract 533 to
Competitive Product List. Documents
are available at www.prc.gov, Docket
Nos. MC2019–151, CP2019–168.
Elizabeth Reed,
Attorney, Corporate and Postal Business Law.
[FR Doc. 2019–12824 Filed 6–17–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710–12–P
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
[SEC File No. 270–332, OMB Control No.
3235–0378]
Proposed Collection; Comment
Request
Upon Written Request Copies Available
From: Securities and Exchange
Commission, Office of FOIA Services,
100 F Street NE, Washington, DC
20549–2736
jbell on DSK3GLQ082PROD with NOTICES
Extension:
Form F–8
Notice is hereby given that, pursuant
to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), the Securities
and Exchange Commission
(‘‘Commission’’) is soliciting comments
on the collection of information
summarized below. The Commission
plans to submit this existing collection
of information to the Office of
Management and Budget for extension
and approval.
Form F–8 (17 CFR 239.38) may be
used to register securities of certain
Canadian issuers under the Securities
Act of 1933 (15 U.S.C. 77a et seq.) that
will be used in an exchange offer or
business combination. The information
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collected is intended to ensure that the
information required to be filed by the
Commission permits verification of
compliance with securities law
requirements and assures the public
availability of such information. We
estimate that Form F–8 takes
approximately one hour per response to
prepare and is filed by approximately 5
respondents. We estimate that 25% of
one hour per response (15 minutes) is
prepared by the company for a total
annual reporting burden of one hour (15
minutes/60 minutes per response × 5
responses = 1.25 hours rounded to the
nearest whole number one hour).
Written comments are invited on: (a)
Whether this proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the
agency, including whether the
information will have practical utility;
(b) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate
of the burden imposed by the collection
of information; (c) ways to enhance the
quality, utility, and clarity of the
information collected; and (d) ways to
minimize the burden of the collection of
information on respondents, including
through the use of automated collection
techniques or other forms of information
technology. Consideration will be given
to comments and suggestions submitted
in writing within 60 days of this
publication.
An agency may not conduct or
sponsor, and a person is not required to
respond to, a collection of information
unless it displays a currently valid
control number.
Please direct your written comment to
Charles Riddle, Acting Director/Chief
Information Officer, Securities and
Exchange Commission, c/o Candace
Kenner, 100 F Street NE, Washington,
DC 20549 or send an email to: PRA_
Mailbox@sec.gov.
Dated: June 13, 2019
Eduardo A. Aleman,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2019–12889 Filed 6–17–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
[Investment Company Act Release No.
33506; File No. 812–15018]
Pioneer ETF Series Trust I, et al.
June 12, 2019.
Securities and Exchange
Commission (‘‘Commission’’).
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
Notice of an application for an order
under section 6(c) of the Investment
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28361
Company Act of 1940 (the ‘‘Act’’) for an
exemption from sections 2(a)(32),
5(a)(1), 22(d), and 22(e) of the Act and
rule 22c–1 under the Act, under
sections 6(c) and 17(b) of the Act for an
exemption from sections 17(a)(1) and
17(a)(2) of the Act, and under section
12(d)(1)(J) of the Act for an exemption
from sections 12(d)(1)(A) and
12(d)(1)(B) of the Act. The requested
order would permit (a) activelymanaged series of certain open-end
management investment companies
(‘‘Funds’’) to issue shares redeemable in
large aggregations only (‘‘Creation
Units’’); (b) secondary market
transactions in Fund shares to occur at
negotiated market prices rather than at
net asset value (‘‘NAV’’); (c) certain
Funds to pay redemption proceeds,
under certain circumstances, more than
seven days after the tender of shares for
redemption; (d) certain affiliated
persons of a Fund to deposit securities
into, and receive securities from, the
Fund in connection with the purchase
and redemption of Creation Units; (e)
certain registered management
investment companies and unit
investment trusts outside of the same
group of investment companies as the
Funds (‘‘Funds of Funds’’) to acquire
shares of the Funds; and (f) certain
Funds (‘‘Feeder Funds’’) to create and
redeem Creation Units in-kind in a
master-feeder structure.
APPLICANTS: Pioneer ETF Series Trust I
(the ‘‘Trust’’), a Delaware statutory trust
registered under the Act as an open-end
management investment company with
multiple series, Amundi Pioneer Asset
Management, Inc. (the ‘‘Initial
Adviser’’), a Delaware corporation
registered as an investment adviser
under the Investment Advisers Act of
1940, and Amundi Pioneer Distributor,
Inc. (the ‘‘Distributor’’), a Massachusetts
corporation and a registered brokerdealer under the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 (the ‘‘Exchange Act’’).
FILING DATES: The application was filed
on April 9, 2019.
HEARING OR NOTIFICATION OF HEARING: An
order granting the requested relief will
be issued unless the Commission orders
a hearing. Interested persons may
request a hearing by writing to the
Commission’s Secretary and serving
applicants with a copy of the request,
personally or by mail. Hearing requests
should be received by the Commission
by 5:30 p.m. on July 5, 2019, and should
be accompanied by proof of service on
applicants, in the form of an affidavit,
or for lawyers, a certificate of service.
Pursuant to rule 0–5 under the Act,
hearing requests should state the nature
of the writer’s interest, any facts bearing
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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 117 / Tuesday, June 18, 2019 / Notices
upon the desirability of a hearing on the
matter, the reason for the request, and
the issues contested. Persons who wish
to be notified of a hearing may request
notification by writing to the
Commission’s Secretary.
ADDRESSES: Secretary, Securities and
Exchange Commission, 100 F Street NE,
Washington, DC 20549–1090;
Applicants: 60 State Street, Boston, MA
02109.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Bruce R. MacNeil, Senior Counsel, at
(202) 551–6817, or Kaitlin C. Bottock,
Branch Chief, at (202) 551–6825
(Division of Investment Management,
Chief Counsel’s Office).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
following is a summary of the
application. The complete application
may be obtained via the Commission’s
website by searching for the file
number, or for an applicant using the
Company name box, at https://
www.sec.gov/search/search.htm or by
calling (202) 551–8090.
Summary of the Application
jbell on DSK3GLQ082PROD with NOTICES
1. Applicants request an order that
would allow Funds to operate as
actively-managed exchange traded
funds (‘‘ETFs’’).1 Fund shares will be
purchased and redeemed at their NAV
in Creation Units only. All orders to
purchase Creation Units and all
redemption requests will be placed by
or through an ‘‘Authorized Participant’’,
which will have signed a participant
agreement with the Distributor. Shares
will be listed and traded individually on
a national securities exchange, where
share prices will be based on the current
bid/offer market. Certain Funds may
operate as Feeder Funds in a masterfeeder structure. Any order granting the
requested relief would be subject to the
terms and conditions stated in the
application.
2. Each Fund will consist of a
portfolio of securities and other assets
and investment positions (‘‘Portfolio
Instruments’’). Each Fund will disclose
on its website the identities and
1 Applicants request that the order apply to the
new series of the Trust as well as to additional
series of the Trust and any other open-end
management investment company or series thereof
that currently exist or that may be created in the
future (each, included in the term ‘‘Fund’’), each of
which will operate as an actively-managed ETF.
Any Fund will (a) be advised by the Initial Adviser
or an entity controlling, controlled by, or under
common control with the Initial Adviser (each such
entity and any successor thereto is included in the
term ‘‘Adviser’’) and (b) comply with the terms and
conditions of the application. For purposes of the
requested order, the term ‘‘successor’’ is limited to
an entity that results from a reorganization into
another jurisdiction or a change in the type of
business organization.
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quantities of the Portfolio Instruments
that will form the basis for the Fund’s
calculation of NAV at the end of the
day.
3. Shares will be purchased and
redeemed in Creation Units and
generally on an in-kind basis. Except
where the purchase or redemption will
include cash under the limited
circumstances specified in the
application, purchasers will be required
to purchase Creation Units by
depositing specified instruments
(‘‘Deposit Instruments’’), and
shareholders redeeming their shares
will receive specified instruments
(‘‘Redemption Instruments’’). The
Deposit Instruments and the
Redemption Instruments will each
correspond pro rata to the positions in
the Fund’s portfolio (including cash
positions) except as specified in the
application.
4. Because shares will not be
individually redeemable, applicants
request an exemption from section
5(a)(1) and section 2(a)(32) of the Act
that would permit the Funds to register
as open-end management investment
companies and issue shares that are
redeemable in Creation Units only.
5. Applicants also request an
exemption from section 22(d) of the Act
and rule 22c–1 under the Act as
secondary market trading in shares will
take place at negotiated prices, not at a
current offering price described in a
Fund’s prospectus, and not at a price
based on NAV. Applicants state that (a)
secondary market trading in shares does
not involve a Fund as a party and will
not result in dilution of an investment
in shares, and (b) to the extent different
prices exist during a given trading day,
or from day to day, such variances occur
as a result of third-party market forces,
such as supply and demand. Therefore,
applicants assert that secondary market
transactions in shares will not lead to
discrimination or preferential treatment
among purchasers. Finally, applicants
represent that share market prices will
be disciplined by arbitrage
opportunities, which should prevent
shares from trading at a material
discount or premium from NAV.
6. With respect to Funds that hold
non-U.S. Portfolio Instruments and that
effect creations and redemptions of
Creation Units in kind, applicants
request relief from the requirement
imposed by section 22(e) in order to
allow such Funds to pay redemption
proceeds within fifteen calendar days
following the tender of Creation Units
for redemption. Applicants assert that
the requested relief would not be
inconsistent with the spirit and intent of
section 22(e) to prevent unreasonable,
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undisclosed or unforeseen delays in the
actual payment of redemption proceeds.
7. Applicants request an exemption to
permit Funds of Funds to acquire Fund
shares beyond the limits of section
12(d)(1)(A) of the Act; and the Funds,
and any principal underwriter for the
Funds, and/or any broker or dealer
registered under the Exchange Act, to
sell shares to Funds of Funds beyond
the limits of section 12(d)(1)(B) of the
Act. The application’s terms and
conditions are designed to, among other
things, help prevent any potential (i)
undue influence over a Fund through
control or voting power, or in
connection with certain services,
transactions, and underwritings, (ii)
excessive layering of fees, and (iii)
overly complex fund structures, which
are the concerns underlying the limits
in sections 12(d)(1)(A) and (B) of the
Act.
8. Applicants request an exemption
from sections 17(a)(1) and 17(a)(2) of the
Act to permit persons that are affiliated
persons, or second-tier affiliates, of the
Funds, solely by virtue of certain
ownership interests, to effectuate
purchases and redemptions in-kind. The
deposit procedures for in-kind
purchases of Creation Units and the
redemption procedures for in-kind
redemptions of Creation Units will be
the same for all purchases and
redemptions and Deposit Instruments
and Redemption Instruments will be
valued in the same manner as those
Portfolio Instruments currently held by
the Funds. Applicants also seek relief
from the prohibitions on affiliated
transactions in section 17(a) to permit a
Fund to sell its shares to and redeem its
shares from a Fund of Funds, and to
engage in the accompanying in-kind
transactions with the Fund of Funds.2
The purchase of Creation Units by a
Fund of Funds directly from a Fund will
be accomplished in accordance with the
policies of the Fund of Funds and will
be based on the NAVs of the Funds.
9. Applicants also request relief to
permit a Feeder Fund to acquire shares
of another registered investment
company managed by the Adviser
having substantially the same
investment objectives as the Feeder
Fund (‘‘Master Fund’’) beyond the
limitations in section 12(d)(1)(A) and
2 The requested relief would apply to direct sales
of shares in Creation Units by a Fund to a Fund of
Funds and redemptions of those shares. Applicants,
moreover, are not seeking relief from section 17(a)
for, and the requested relief will not apply to,
transactions where a Fund could be deemed an
Affiliated Person, or a Second-Tier Affiliate, of a
Fund of Funds because an Adviser or an entity
controlling, controlled by or under common control
with an Adviser provides investment advisory
services to that Fund of Funds.
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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 117 / Tuesday, June 18, 2019 / Notices
permit the Master Fund, and any
principal underwriter for the Master
Fund, to sell shares of the Master Fund
to the Feeder Fund beyond the
limitations in section 12(d)(1)(B).
10. Section 6(c) of the Act permits the
Commission to exempt any persons or
transactions from any provision of the
Act if such exemption is necessary or
appropriate in the public interest and
consistent with the protection of
investors and the purposes fairly
intended by the policy and provisions of
the Act. Section 12(d)(1)(J) of the Act
provides that the Commission may
exempt any person, security, or
transaction, or any class or classes of
persons, securities, or transactions, from
any provision of section 12(d)(1) if the
exemption is consistent with the public
interest and the protection of investors.
Section 17(b) of the Act authorizes the
Commission to grant an order
permitting a transaction otherwise
prohibited by section 17(a) if it finds
that (a) the terms of the proposed
transaction are fair and reasonable and
do not involve overreaching on the part
of any person concerned; (b) the
proposed transaction is consistent with
the policies of each registered
investment company involved; and (c)
the proposed transaction is consistent
with the general purposes of the Act.
For the Commission, by the Division of
Investment Management, under delegated
authority.
Eduardo A. Aleman,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2019–12778 Filed 6–17–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
[SEC File No. 270–536, OMB Control No.
3235–0596]
Proposed Collection; Comment
Request
Upon Written Request, Copies Available
From: Securities and Exchange
Commission, Office of FOIA Services,
100 F Street NE, Washington, DC
20549–2736
jbell on DSK3GLQ082PROD with NOTICES
Extension:
Rule 204A–1
Notice is hereby given that, pursuant
to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), the Securities
and Exchange Commission (the
‘‘Commission’’) is soliciting comments
on the collections of information
summarized below. The Commission
plans to submit these existing
collections of information to the Office
of Management and Budget for
extension and approval.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:40 Jun 17, 2019
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The title for the collection of
information is ‘‘Rule 204A–1 (17 CFR
275.204A–1) under the Investment
Advisers Act of 1940’’ (15 U.S.C. 80b–
1 et seq.) Rule 204A–1 (the ‘‘Code of
Ethics Rule’’) requires investment
advisers registered with the Commission
to (i) set forth standards of conduct
expected of advisory personnel
(including compliance with the federal
securities laws); (ii) safeguard material
nonpublic information about client
transactions; and (iii) require the
adviser’s ‘‘access persons’’ to report
their personal securities transactions,
including transactions in any mutual
fund managed by the adviser. The Code
of Ethics Rule requires access persons to
obtain the adviser’s approval before
investing in an initial public offering or
private placement. The Code of Ethics
Rule also requires prompt reporting, to
the adviser’s chief compliance officer or
another person designated in the code of
ethics, of any violations of the code.
Finally, the Code of Ethics Rule requires
the adviser to provide each supervised
person with a copy of the code and any
amendments, and require the
supervised persons to acknowledge, in
writing, their receipt of these copies.
The purposes of the information
collection requirements are to: (i)
Ensure that advisers maintain codes of
ethics applicable to their supervised
persons; (ii) provide advisers with
information about the personal
securities transactions of their access
persons for purposes of monitoring such
transactions; (iii) provide advisory
clients with information with which to
evaluate advisers’ codes of ethics; and
(iv) assist the Commission’s
examination staff in assessing the
adequacy of advisers’ codes of ethics
and assessing personal trading activity
by advisers’ supervised persons.
The respondents to this information
collection are investment advisers
registered with the Commission. The
Commission has estimated that
compliance with rule 204A–1 imposes a
burden of approximately 91 hours per
adviser annually for an estimated total
annual burden of 1,194,133 hours.
An agency may not conduct or
sponsor a collection of information
unless it displays a currently valid OMB
control number. No person shall be
subject to any penalty for failing to
comply with a collection of information
subject to the PRA that does not display
a valid OMB control number.
Written comments are invited on: (a)
Whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the
agency, including whether the
information will have practical utility;
(b) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate
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28363
of the burden of the collection of
information; (c) ways to enhance the
quality, utility, and clarity of the
information collected; and (d) ways to
minimize the burden of the collection of
information on respondents, including
through the use of automated collection
techniques or other forms of information
technology. Consideration will be given
to comments and suggestions submitted
in writing within 60 days of this
publication.
Please direct your written comments
to Charles Riddle, Acting Director/Chief
Information Officer, Securities and
Exchange Commission, C/O Candace
Kenner, 100 F Street NE, Washington,
DC 20549; or send an email to: PRA_
Mailbox@sec.gov.
Dated: June 13, 2019.
Eduardo A. Aleman,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2019–12886 Filed 6–17–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
[Release No. 34–86094; File No. SR–
CboeEDGX–2019–037)
Self-Regulatory Organizations; Cboe
EDGX Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing
and Immediate Effectiveness of a
Proposed Rule Change Relating To
Amend the Fat Finger Check With
Respect to Limit Orders in Rule 21.17
June 12, 2019.
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 June 10,
2019, Cboe EDGX Exchange, Inc. (the
‘‘Exchange’’ or ‘‘EDGX’’) filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission
(the ‘‘Commission’’) the proposed rule
change as described in Items I, and II
below, which Items have been prepared
by the Exchange. The Exchange filed the
proposal as a ‘‘non-controversial’’
proposed rule change pursuant to
Section 19(b)(3)(A)(iii) of the Act 3 and
Rule 19b–4(f)(6) thereunder.4 The
Commission is publishing this notice to
solicit comments on the proposed rule
change from interested persons.
I. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement of the Terms of Substance of
the Proposed Rule Change
Cboe EDGX Exchange, Inc. (the
‘‘Exchange’’ or ‘‘EDGX’’) proposes to
1 15
U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
CFR 240.19b–4.
3 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(iii).
4 17 CFR 240.19b–4(f)(6).
2 17
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 117 (Tuesday, June 18, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28361-28363]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-12778]
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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
[Investment Company Act Release No. 33506; File No. 812-15018]
Pioneer ETF Series Trust I, et al.
June 12, 2019.
AGENCY: Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission'').
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Notice of an application for an order under section 6(c) of the
Investment Company Act of 1940 (the ``Act'') for an exemption from
sections 2(a)(32), 5(a)(1), 22(d), and 22(e) of the Act and rule 22c-1
under the Act, under sections 6(c) and 17(b) of the Act for an
exemption from sections 17(a)(1) and 17(a)(2) of the Act, and under
section 12(d)(1)(J) of the Act for an exemption from sections
12(d)(1)(A) and 12(d)(1)(B) of the Act. The requested order would
permit (a) actively-managed series of certain open-end management
investment companies (``Funds'') to issue shares redeemable in large
aggregations only (``Creation Units''); (b) secondary market
transactions in Fund shares to occur at negotiated market prices rather
than at net asset value (``NAV''); (c) certain Funds to pay redemption
proceeds, under certain circumstances, more than seven days after the
tender of shares for redemption; (d) certain affiliated persons of a
Fund to deposit securities into, and receive securities from, the Fund
in connection with the purchase and redemption of Creation Units; (e)
certain registered management investment companies and unit investment
trusts outside of the same group of investment companies as the Funds
(``Funds of Funds'') to acquire shares of the Funds; and (f) certain
Funds (``Feeder Funds'') to create and redeem Creation Units in-kind in
a master-feeder structure.
APPLICANTS: Pioneer ETF Series Trust I (the ``Trust''), a Delaware
statutory trust registered under the Act as an open-end management
investment company with multiple series, Amundi Pioneer Asset
Management, Inc. (the ``Initial Adviser''), a Delaware corporation
registered as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act
of 1940, and Amundi Pioneer Distributor, Inc. (the ``Distributor''), a
Massachusetts corporation and a registered broker-dealer under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the ``Exchange Act'').
FILING DATES: The application was filed on April 9, 2019.
HEARING OR NOTIFICATION OF HEARING: An order granting the requested
relief will be issued unless the Commission orders a hearing.
Interested persons may request a hearing by writing to the Commission's
Secretary and serving applicants with a copy of the request, personally
or by mail. Hearing requests should be received by the Commission by
5:30 p.m. on July 5, 2019, and should be accompanied by proof of
service on applicants, in the form of an affidavit, or for lawyers, a
certificate of service. Pursuant to rule 0-5 under the Act, hearing
requests should state the nature of the writer's interest, any facts
bearing
[[Page 28362]]
upon the desirability of a hearing on the matter, the reason for the
request, and the issues contested. Persons who wish to be notified of a
hearing may request notification by writing to the Commission's
Secretary.
ADDRESSES: Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street
NE, Washington, DC 20549-1090; Applicants: 60 State Street, Boston, MA
02109.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bruce R. MacNeil, Senior Counsel, at
(202) 551-6817, or Kaitlin C. Bottock, Branch Chief, at (202) 551-6825
(Division of Investment Management, Chief Counsel's Office).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The following is a summary of the
application. The complete application may be obtained via the
Commission's website by searching for the file number, or for an
applicant using the Company name box, at https://www.sec.gov/search/search.htm or by calling (202) 551-8090.
Summary of the Application
1. Applicants request an order that would allow Funds to operate as
actively-managed exchange traded funds (``ETFs'').\1\ Fund shares will
be purchased and redeemed at their NAV in Creation Units only. All
orders to purchase Creation Units and all redemption requests will be
placed by or through an ``Authorized Participant'', which will have
signed a participant agreement with the Distributor. Shares will be
listed and traded individually on a national securities exchange, where
share prices will be based on the current bid/offer market. Certain
Funds may operate as Feeder Funds in a master-feeder structure. Any
order granting the requested relief would be subject to the terms and
conditions stated in the application.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Applicants request that the order apply to the new series of
the Trust as well as to additional series of the Trust and any other
open-end management investment company or series thereof that
currently exist or that may be created in the future (each, included
in the term ``Fund''), each of which will operate as an actively-
managed ETF. Any Fund will (a) be advised by the Initial Adviser or
an entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with
the Initial Adviser (each such entity and any successor thereto is
included in the term ``Adviser'') and (b) comply with the terms and
conditions of the application. For purposes of the requested order,
the term ``successor'' is limited to an entity that results from a
reorganization into another jurisdiction or a change in the type of
business organization.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. Each Fund will consist of a portfolio of securities and other
assets and investment positions (``Portfolio Instruments''). Each Fund
will disclose on its website the identities and quantities of the
Portfolio Instruments that will form the basis for the Fund's
calculation of NAV at the end of the day.
3. Shares will be purchased and redeemed in Creation Units and
generally on an in-kind basis. Except where the purchase or redemption
will include cash under the limited circumstances specified in the
application, purchasers will be required to purchase Creation Units by
depositing specified instruments (``Deposit Instruments''), and
shareholders redeeming their shares will receive specified instruments
(``Redemption Instruments''). The Deposit Instruments and the
Redemption Instruments will each correspond pro rata to the positions
in the Fund's portfolio (including cash positions) except as specified
in the application.
4. Because shares will not be individually redeemable, applicants
request an exemption from section 5(a)(1) and section 2(a)(32) of the
Act that would permit the Funds to register as open-end management
investment companies and issue shares that are redeemable in Creation
Units only.
5. Applicants also request an exemption from section 22(d) of the
Act and rule 22c-1 under the Act as secondary market trading in shares
will take place at negotiated prices, not at a current offering price
described in a Fund's prospectus, and not at a price based on NAV.
Applicants state that (a) secondary market trading in shares does not
involve a Fund as a party and will not result in dilution of an
investment in shares, and (b) to the extent different prices exist
during a given trading day, or from day to day, such variances occur as
a result of third-party market forces, such as supply and demand.
Therefore, applicants assert that secondary market transactions in
shares will not lead to discrimination or preferential treatment among
purchasers. Finally, applicants represent that share market prices will
be disciplined by arbitrage opportunities, which should prevent shares
from trading at a material discount or premium from NAV.
6. With respect to Funds that hold non-U.S. Portfolio Instruments
and that effect creations and redemptions of Creation Units in kind,
applicants request relief from the requirement imposed by section 22(e)
in order to allow such Funds to pay redemption proceeds within fifteen
calendar days following the tender of Creation Units for redemption.
Applicants assert that the requested relief would not be inconsistent
with the spirit and intent of section 22(e) to prevent unreasonable,
undisclosed or unforeseen delays in the actual payment of redemption
proceeds.
7. Applicants request an exemption to permit Funds of Funds to
acquire Fund shares beyond the limits of section 12(d)(1)(A) of the
Act; and the Funds, and any principal underwriter for the Funds, and/or
any broker or dealer registered under the Exchange Act, to sell shares
to Funds of Funds beyond the limits of section 12(d)(1)(B) of the Act.
The application's terms and conditions are designed to, among other
things, help prevent any potential (i) undue influence over a Fund
through control or voting power, or in connection with certain
services, transactions, and underwritings, (ii) excessive layering of
fees, and (iii) overly complex fund structures, which are the concerns
underlying the limits in sections 12(d)(1)(A) and (B) of the Act.
8. Applicants request an exemption from sections 17(a)(1) and
17(a)(2) of the Act to permit persons that are affiliated persons, or
second-tier affiliates, of the Funds, solely by virtue of certain
ownership interests, to effectuate purchases and redemptions in-kind.
The deposit procedures for in-kind purchases of Creation Units and the
redemption procedures for in-kind redemptions of Creation Units will be
the same for all purchases and redemptions and Deposit Instruments and
Redemption Instruments will be valued in the same manner as those
Portfolio Instruments currently held by the Funds. Applicants also seek
relief from the prohibitions on affiliated transactions in section
17(a) to permit a Fund to sell its shares to and redeem its shares from
a Fund of Funds, and to engage in the accompanying in-kind transactions
with the Fund of Funds.\2\ The purchase of Creation Units by a Fund of
Funds directly from a Fund will be accomplished in accordance with the
policies of the Fund of Funds and will be based on the NAVs of the
Funds.
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\2\ The requested relief would apply to direct sales of shares
in Creation Units by a Fund to a Fund of Funds and redemptions of
those shares. Applicants, moreover, are not seeking relief from
section 17(a) for, and the requested relief will not apply to,
transactions where a Fund could be deemed an Affiliated Person, or a
Second-Tier Affiliate, of a Fund of Funds because an Adviser or an
entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with an
Adviser provides investment advisory services to that Fund of Funds.
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9. Applicants also request relief to permit a Feeder Fund to
acquire shares of another registered investment company managed by the
Adviser having substantially the same investment objectives as the
Feeder Fund (``Master Fund'') beyond the limitations in section
12(d)(1)(A) and
[[Page 28363]]
permit the Master Fund, and any principal underwriter for the Master
Fund, to sell shares of the Master Fund to the Feeder Fund beyond the
limitations in section 12(d)(1)(B).
10. Section 6(c) of the Act permits the Commission to exempt any
persons or transactions from any provision of the Act if such exemption
is necessary or appropriate in the public interest and consistent with
the protection of investors and the purposes fairly intended by the
policy and provisions of the Act. Section 12(d)(1)(J) of the Act
provides that the Commission may exempt any person, security, or
transaction, or any class or classes of persons, securities, or
transactions, from any provision of section 12(d)(1) if the exemption
is consistent with the public interest and the protection of investors.
Section 17(b) of the Act authorizes the Commission to grant an order
permitting a transaction otherwise prohibited by section 17(a) if it
finds that (a) the terms of the proposed transaction are fair and
reasonable and do not involve overreaching on the part of any person
concerned; (b) the proposed transaction is consistent with the policies
of each registered investment company involved; and (c) the proposed
transaction is consistent with the general purposes of the Act.
For the Commission, by the Division of Investment Management,
under delegated authority.
Eduardo A. Aleman,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2019-12778 Filed 6-17-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P
