Credit by brokers and dealers (Regulation T): Foreign margin stocks; list,

[Federal Register: March 8, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 45)]

[Rules and Regulations]

[Page 10601-10602]

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

[DOCID:fr08mr04-2]

FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM

12 CFR Part 220

[Regulation T]

Credit by Brokers and Dealers; List of Foreign Margin Stocks

AGENCY: Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

ACTION: Final rule.

SUMMARY: The List of Foreign Margin Stocks (List) is composed of certain foreign equity securities that qualify as margin securities under Regulation T. The Foreign List has been published twice a year by the Board since 1999. The Board is removing all 51 stocks from the current List because they have not been recertified as required under procedures approved by the Board in 1990. The Board will publish a new List if eligible securities are identified pursuant to these listing procedures.

EFFECTIVE DATE: April 15, 2004.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peggy Wolffrum, Financial Analyst, Division of Banking Supervision and Regulation, (202) 452-2837, or Scott Holz, Senior Counsel, Legal Division, (202) 452-2966, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Washington, DC 20551.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Stocks that appear on the List are by definition foreign margin stocks under Regulation T, making them also margin securities and therefore eligible for credit at brokers and dealers on the same basis as domestic margin securities. The List was last published on September 4, 2003 (68 FR 8993), and became effective September 15, 2003.

The List is composed of foreign equity securities that qualify as margin securities under Regulation T by meeting the financial requirements of Sec. 220.11(c) and (d). In determining the qualification of particular foreign equity securities, the Board has relied on a list of proposed foreign margin stocks submitted by the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) based on certification of the securities' eligibility by at least two NYSE members under procedures adopted by the NYSE and approved by the Board in 1990. These procedures include periodic recertification of the stocks on the List by at least two NYSE member firms.

Foreign securities may also qualify as margin securities if they are deemed by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to have a ``ready market'' under SEC Rule 15c3-1 (17 CFR 240.15c3-1) or a ``no- action'' position issued thereunder. This includes all foreign stocks in the FTSE World Index Series.

The New York Stock Exchange has informed the Board that the member firms who usually recertify the stocks on the list have declined to do so, and plan to rely on the ``ready market'' test instead. The Board is therefore removing the 51 stocks on the current List because it is no longer able to determine that the securities substantially meet the provisions of section 220.11(d) of Regulation T, which is necessary for the securities' continued inclusion on the List.

The Board will publish a List in the future if it receives the required information under the approved procedures to establish the qualification of specific foreign equity securities pursuant to section 220.11(c) of Regulation T, which is necessary for initial inclusion on the List.

Public Comment

The Board finds that the requirements of 5 U.S.C. 553 with respect to notice and public participation are unnecessary. No additional useful information would be gained by public participation, given the objective character of the criteria for continued inclusion on the Foreign List specified in Sec. 220.11(d) of Regulation T.

List of Subjects in 12 CFR Part 220

Brokers, Credit, Margin, Margin requirements, Investments, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Securities.

0 Accordingly, pursuant to the authority of sections 7 and 23 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (15 U.S.C. 78g and 78w), and in accordance with 12 CFR 220.2 and 220.11, the Board is removing the following stocks from the Foreign List:

Akita Bank, Ltd., 1/87/21/53/850 par common Aomori Bank, Ltd., 1/87/21/53/850 par common Asatsu-DK Inc., 1/87/21/53/850 par common Bank of Nagoya, Ltd., 1/87/21/53/850 par common Chudenko Corp., 1/87/21/53/850 par common Chugoku Bank, Ltd. 1/87/21/53/850 par common Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd., 1/87/21/53/850 par common Dainippon Screen MFG. Co., Ltd., 1/87/21/53/850 par common Denki Kagaku Kogyo, 1/87/21/53/850 par common Eighteenth Bank, Ltd., 1/87/21/53/850 par common Futaba Corp., 1/87/21/53/850 par common Futaba Industrial Co., Ltd. 1/87/21/53/850 par common Higo Bank, Ltd., 1/87/21/53/850 par common Hitachi Software Engneering Co., Ltd., 1/87/21/53/850 par common Hokkoku Bank, Ltd., 1/87/21/53/850 par common Hokuetsu Paper Mills, Ltd., 1/87/21/53/850 par common Iyo Bank, Ltd., 1/87/21/53/850 par common Japan Airport Terminal Co., Ltd., 1/87/21/53/850 par common Juroku Bank, Ltd., 1/87/21/53/850 par common Kagoshima Bank, Ltd., 1/87/21/53/850 par common Kamigumi Co., Ltd., 1/87/21/53/850 par common Katokichi Co., Ltd., 1/87/21/53/850 par common Keisei Electric Railway Co., Ltd., 1/87/21/53/850 par common Keiyo Bank, Ltd., 1/87/21/53/850 par common Komori Corp., 1/87/21/53/850 par common Konami Co., Ltd., 1/87/21/53/850 par common Michinoku Bank, Ltd., 1/87/21/53/850 par common Musashino Bank, Ltd., 1/87/21/53/8500 par common Namco, Ltd., 1/87/21/53/850 par common Nichicon Corp., 1/87/21/53/850 par common Nihon Unisys, Ltd., 1/87/21/53/850 par common Nishi-Nippon Bank, Ltd., 1/87/21/53/850 par common Nishi-Nippon Railroad Co., Ltd., 1/87/21/53/850 par common Nissan Chemical Industries, Ltd., 1/87/21/53/850 par common Ogaki Kyoritsu Bank, Ltd., 1/87/21/53/850 par common Q.P. Corp., 1/87/21/53/850 par common Rinnai Corp., 1/87/21/53/850 par common Sagami Railway Co., Ltd., 1/87/21/53/850 par common Sakata Seed Corp., 1/87/21/53/850 par common Santen Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., 1/87/21/53/850 par common Shimadzu Corp., 1/87/21/53/850 par common Shimamura Co., Ltd., 1/87/21/53/850 par common

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Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd., 1/87/21/53/850 par common Taiyo Yuden Co., Ltd., 1/87/21/53/850 par common Takara Standard Co., Ltd., 1/87/21/53/850 par common Toho Bank, Ltd., 1/87/21/53/850 par common Toho Gas Co., Ltd., 1/87/21/53/850 par common Tokyo Ohka Kogyo Co., Ltd., 1/87/21/53/850 par common Uni-Charm Corp., 1/87/21/53/850 par common Ushio, Inc., 1/87/21/53/850 par common Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd., 1/87/21/53/850 par common

By order of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, acting by its Director of the Division of Banking Supervision and Regulation pursuant to delegated authority (12 CFR 265.7(f)(10)), March 2, 2004. Jennifer J. Johnson, Secretary of the Board.

[FR Doc. 04-5103 Filed 3-5-04; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6210-01-P