Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change Amending Commentary .02 To Exchange Rule 6.72 in Order to Extend the Penny Pilot in Options Classes in Certain Issues Through June 30, 2015

Federal Register, Volume 79 Issue 239 (Friday, December 12, 2014)

Federal Register Volume 79, Number 239 (Friday, December 12, 2014)

Notices

Pages 73913-73914

From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office www.gpo.gov

FR Doc No: 2014-29104

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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Release No. 34-73777; File No. SR-NYSEARCA-2014-136

Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change Amending Commentary .02 To Exchange Rule 6.72 in Order to Extend the Penny Pilot in Options Classes in Certain Issues Through June 30, 2015

December 8, 2014.

Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) \1\ of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the ``Act'') \2\ and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,\3\ notice is hereby given that, on November 26, 2014, NYSE Arca, Inc. (the ``Exchange'' or ``NYSE Arca'') filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the ``Commission'') the proposed rule change as described in Items I, II, and III below, which Items have been prepared by the self-regulatory organization. The Commission is publishing this notice to solicit comments on the proposed rule change from interested persons.

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\1\ 15 U.S.C.78s(b)(1).

\2\ 15 U.S.C. 78a.

\3\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4.

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  1. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance of the Proposed Rule Change

    The Exchange proposes to amend Commentary .02 to Exchange Rule 6.72 in order to extend the Penny Pilot in options classes in certain issues (``Pilot Program'') previously approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission'') through June 30, 2015. The text of the proposed rule change is available on the Exchange's Web site at www.nyse.com, at the principal office of the Exchange, and at the Commission's Public Reference Room.

  2. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

    In its filing with the Commission, the self-regulatory organization 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 those 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.

    1. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and the Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

      1. Purpose

        The Exchange hereby proposes to amend Commentary .02 to Exchange Rule 6.72 to extend the time period of the Pilot Program,\4\ which is currently scheduled to expire on December 31, 2014, through June 30, 2015. The Exchange also proposes that the dates to replace issues in the Pilot Program that have been delisted be revised to the second trading day following January 1, 2015.\5\

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        \4\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 72192 (May 20, 2014), 79 FR 30209 (May 27, 2014) (SR-NYSEArca-2014-60).

        \5\ The month immediately preceding a replacement class's addition to the Pilot Program (i.e., December) would not be used for purposes of the analysis for determining the replacement class. Thus, a replacement class to be added on the second trading day following January 1, 2015 would be identified based on The Option Clearing Corporation's trading volume data from June 1, 2014 through November 30, 2014. The Exchange will announce the replacement issues to the Exchange's membership through a Trader Update.

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        This filing does not propose any substantive changes to the Pilot Program: all classes currently participating will remain the same and all minimum increments will remain unchanged. The Exchange believes the benefits to public customers and other market participants who will be able to express their true prices to buy and sell options have been demonstrated to outweigh the increase in quote traffic.

      2. Statutory Basis

        The proposed rule change is consistent with Section 6(b) \6\ of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the ``Act''), in general, and furthers the objectives of Section 6(b)(5),\7\ in particular, in that it is designed to prevent fraudulent and manipulative acts and practices, to promote just and

        Page 73914

        equitable principles of trade, to foster cooperation and coordination with persons engaged in facilitating transactions in securities, and to remove impediments to and perfect the mechanisms of a free and open market and a national market system. The Exchange believes that the Pilot Program promotes just and equitable principles of trade by enabling public customers and other market participants to express their true prices to buy and sell options. The proposal to extend the Pilot Program is designed to promote just and equitable principles of trade, to foster cooperation and coordination with persons engaged in facilitating transactions in securities, and to remove impediments to and perfect the mechanisms of a free and open market and a national market system, by allowing the Exchange and the Commission additional time to analyze the impact of the Pilot Program while also allowing the Exchange to continue to compete for order flow with other exchanges in option issues trading as part of the Pilot Program.

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        \6\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).

        \7\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).

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    2. 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 purposes of the Act. Specifically, the Exchange believes that, by extending the expiration of the Pilot Program, the proposed rule change will allow for further analysis of the Pilot Program and a determination of how the Program should be structured in the future. In doing so, the proposed rule change will also serve to promote regulatory clarity and consistency, thereby reducing burdens on the marketplace and facilitating investor protection. The Pilot Program is an industry wide initiative supported by all other option exchanges. The Exchange believes that extending the Pilot Program will allow for continued competition between Exchange market participants trading similar products as their counterparts on other exchanges, while at the same time allowing the Exchange to continue to compete for order flow with other exchanges in option issues trading as part of the Pilot Program.

    3. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed Rule Change Received From Members, Participants, or Others

      No written comments were solicited or received with respect to the proposed rule change.

  3. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed Rule Change and Timing for Commission Action

    The Exchange has filed the proposed rule change pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A)(iii) of the Act \8\ and Rule 19b-4(f)(6) thereunder.\9\ Because the proposed rule change does not: (i) Significantly affect the protection of investors or the public interest; (ii) impose any significant burden on competition; and (iii) become operative prior to 30 days from the date on which it was filed, or such shorter time as the Commission may designate if consistent with the protection of investors and the public interest, the proposed rule change has become effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act and Rule 19b-

    4(f)(6)(iii) thereunder.

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    \8\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(iii).

    \9\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).

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    A proposed rule change filed under Rule 19b-4(f)(6) \10\ normally does not become operative prior to 30 days after the date of the filing.\11\ However, pursuant to Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii),\12\ the Commission may designate a shorter time if such action is consistent with the protection of investors and the public interest.

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    \10\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).

    \11\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6). In addition, Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii) requires the Exchange to give the Commission written notice of the Exchange's intent to file the proposed rule change along with a brief description and the text of the proposed rule change, at least five business days prior to the date of filing of the proposed rule change, or such shorter time as designated by the Commission. The Exchange has satisfied this pre-filing requirement.

    \12\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6)(iii).

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    At any time within 60 days of the filing of such proposed rule change, the Commission summarily may temporarily suspend such rule change if it appears to the Commission that such action is necessary or appropriate in the public interest, for the protection of investors, or otherwise in furtherance of the purposes of the Act. If the Commission takes such action, the Commission shall institute proceedings under Section 19(b)(2)(B) \13\ of the Act to determine whether the proposed rule change should be approved or disapproved.

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    \13\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2)(B).

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  4. 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 (http://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml); or

    Send an email to rule-comments@sec.gov. Please include File Number SR-NYSEARCA-2014-136 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-NYSEARCA-2014-136. 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 Web site (http://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 Web site viewing and printing in the Commission's Public Reference Section, 100 F Street NE., Washington, DC 20549-1090, on official business days between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Copies of the filing will also be available for inspection and copying at the NYSE's principal office and on its Internet Web site at www.nyse.com. All comments received will be posted without change; the Commission does not edit personal identifying information from submissions. You should submit only information that you wish to make available publicly. All submissions should refer to File Number SR-NYSEARCA-2014-136 and should be submitted on or before January 2, 2015.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated authority.\14\

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    \14\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).

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    Kevin M. O'Neill,

    Deputy Secretary.

    FR Doc. 2014-29104 Filed 12-11-14; 8:45 am

    BILLING CODE 8011-01-P

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