Federal Register: June 12, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 112)
DOCID: fr12jn07-80 FR Doc E7-11268
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Securities and Exchange Commission
DOCUMENT ID: [Release No. 34-55864; File No. SR-ISE-2007-35]
NOTICE: NOTICES
DOCID: fr12jn07-80
ACTION: Self-regulatory organizations; proposed rule changes:
SUBJECT CATEGORY:
Self-Regulatory Organizations; International Securities Exchange, LLC; Notice of Filing and Order Granting Accelerated Approval of a Proposed Rule Change to Permanently Extend the Pilot Program for Preferenced Orders
DOCUMENT SUMMARY:
June 5, 2007.
Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(``Act''),\1\ and Rule 19b4 thereunder,\2\ notice is hereby given that
on May 9, 2007, the International Securities Exchange, LLC (``ISE'' or
``Exchange'') 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 and is approving the proposal on an accelerated basis.
\1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
\2\ 17 CFR 240.19b4.
I. SelfRegulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance of the Proposed Rule Change
The ISE is proposing to make permanent its pilot program for
Preferenced Orders. The text of the proposed rule change is available
on ISE's Web site at http://www.ise.com, at the Exchange's principal office, and at the Commission's Public Reference Room.
II. SelfRegulatory 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 III below. The Exchange has prepared summaries, set forth in
Sections A, B, and C below, of the most significant aspects of such statements.
A. SelfRegulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change
1. Purpose
The purpose of the proposed rule change is to make permanent the
Exchange's pilot program for preferenced orders as provided in
paragraph .03 of the Supplementary Material to Rule 713. The proposal
amends ISE's procedure for allocating trades among market makers and
noncustomer orders under Rule 713 to provide an enhanced allocation to
a ``Preferred Market Maker'' when it is quoting at the national best
bid or offer (``NBBO''). Specifically, an Electronic Access Member may
designate any market maker appointed to an options class to be a
Preferred Market Maker on orders it enters into the Exchange's system
(``Preferenced Orders''). If the Preferred Market Maker is not quoting
at the NBBO at the time the Preferenced Order is received, the
Exchange's existing allocation and execution procedures will be applied
to the execution.\3\ The proposed rule is subject to a pilot program that is currently set to expire on June 10, 2007.\4\
\3\ Marketable customer orders are not automatically executed at
prices inferior to the NBBO. If the ISE best bid or offer is
inferior to the NBBO, it is handled by the Primary Market Maker according to Rule 803(c).
\4\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 53921 (June 1, 2006), 71 FR 33019 (June 7, 2006).
Under the proposal, if a Preferred Market Maker is quoting at the
NBBO at the time a Preferenced Order is received, the allocation
procedure is modified so that the Preferred Market Maker will receive
an enhanced allocation instead of the Primary Market Maker \5\ equal to
the greater of: (i) The proportion of the total size at the best price
represented by the size of its quote; or (ii) sixty percent of the
contracts to be allocated if there is only one other NonCustomer Order
or market maker quotation at the best price and forty percent if there
are two or more other NonCustomer Orders and/or market maker quotes at
the best price.\6\ Unexecuted contracts remaining after the Preferred
Market Maker's allocation would be allocated prorata based on size as described above.
\5\ A Primary Market Maker may be the Preferenced Market Maker,
in which case such market maker would receive the enhanced allocation for Preferenced Market Makers.
\6\ All allocations are automatically performed by the Exchange's system.
Pursuant to this proposed rule change seeking permanent approval of
the pilot program, the Exchange also proposes to delete from the Notes
section in its Schedule of Fees a reference to the Preferenced Orders
pilot program that was adopted when the Exchange initiated a payment for order flow program for Competitive Market Makers.\7\
\7\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 53127 (January 13,
2006), 71 FR 3582 (January 23, 2006) (Notice of Filing and Immediate
Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change Relating to Payment for Order Flow Fee Changes).
The Exchange believes the proposed rule change is a necessary
competitive response to the preferencing rules adopted by other options
exchanges and will help the ISE attract and retain order flow. This
order flow will add depth and liquidity to the Exchange's markets and
enable the Exchange to continue to compete effectively with other options exchanges.
[[Page 32379]]
2. Statutory Basis
The basis under the Act for this proposed rule change is found in
Section 6(b)(5),\8\ in that the proposed rule change is designed to
promote just and equitable principles of trade, remove impediments to
and perfect the mechanisms of a free and open market and a national
market system and, in general, to protect investors and the public interest.
\8\ 15.U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
B. SelfRegulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition
The proposed rule change does not impose any burden on competition
that is not necessary or appropriate in furtherance of the purposes of the Act.
C. SelfRegulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed Rule Change Received From Members, Participants or Others
The Exchange has not solicited, and does not intend to solicit, comments on this proposed rule change. The Exchange has not received any unsolicited written comments from members or other interested parties.
III. 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
Paper Comments
All submissions should refer to File Number SRISE200735. 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 inspection
and copying in the Commission's Public Reference Room. Copies of such
filing also will be available for inspection and copying at the
principal office of the Exchange. 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 SRISE200735 and should be submitted on or before July 3, 2007.
IV. Commission's Findings and Order Granting Accelerated Approval of the Proposed Rule Change
After careful consideration, the Commission finds that the proposed
rule change is consistent with the requirements of Section 6 of the Act
\9\ and the rules and regulations thereunder applicable to a national
securities exchange,\10\ and, in particular, the requirements of
Section 6(b)(5) of the Act.\11\ Section 6(b)(5) requires, among other
things, that the rules of a national securities exchange be designed to
prevent fraudulent and manipulative acts and practices, to promote just
and equitable principles of trade, to remove impediments to and perfect
the mechanism of a free and open market and a national market system,
and, in general, to protect investors and the public interest. The
Commission notes that the Exchange's program for Preferenced Orders was
approved on a pilot basis approximately two years ago.\12\ The Exchange
has asked the Commission to approve the Exchange's program on a
permanent basis. For the reasons noted by the Commission when it
initially approved the Exchange's program for Preferenced Orders on a
pilot basis, the Commission continues to believe that the Exchange's
program does not jeopardize market integrity or the incentive for
market participants to post competitive quotes.\13\ Accordingly, the
Commission finds that the proposal is consistent with the Act. \9\ 15 U.S.C. 78f.
\10\ In approving this proposal, the Commission has considered
the proposed rule's impact on efficiency, competition, and capital formation. 15 U.S.C. 78c(f).
\11\ 15.U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
\12\ The Commission initially approved the Exchange's
preferenced order program on a six week pilot basis while the
Commission sought comment on the proposed rule change. See
Securities Exchange Act Release No. 51818 (June 10, 2005), 70 FR
35146 (June 16, 2005). The Commission subsequently extended to the
pilot period until June 10, 2006, which was one year from the date
the Commission first approved the Exchange's Preferenced Order
program on a pilot basis. See Securities Exchange Act Release No.
52066 (July 20, 2005), 70 FR 43479 (July 27, 2005). On June 1, 2006,
the Commission further extended the pilot period until June 10,
2007. See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 53921 (June 1, 2006), 71 FR 33019 (June 7, 2006).
\13\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 51818 (June 10, 2005), 70 FR 35146 (June 16, 2005).
The Exchange has requested that the Commission find good cause for
approving the proposed rule change prior to the thirtieth day after
publication of notice thereof in the Federal Register. The Commission
believes that granting accelerated approval of the proposed rule change
would allow the Exchange's program for Preferenced Orders to continue
without disruption beyond the June 10, 2007 expiration date of the
current pilot program. Accordingly, the Commission finds good cause,
consistent with Section 19(b)(2) of the Act,\14\ for approving the
proposed rule change prior to the thirtieth day after publication of notice thereof in the Federal Register.
\14\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2).
V. Conclusion
It is therefore ordered, pursuant to Section 19(b)(2) of the Act,\15\ that the proposed rule change (SRISE200735) is hereby approved on an accelerated basis.
\15\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2).
For the Commission, by the Division of Market Regulation, pursuant to delegated authority.\16\
\16\ 17 CFR 200.303(a)(12).
Florence E. Harmon,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. E711268 Filed 61107; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 801001P
SUMMARY:
International Securities Exchange, LLC,
DOCUMENT BODY 2:
June 5, 2007.
Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(``Act''),\1\ and Rule 19b4 thereunder,\2\ notice is hereby given that
on May 9, 2007, the International Securities Exchange, LLC (``ISE'' or
``Exchange'') 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 and is approving the proposal on an accelerated basis.
\1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
\2\ 17 CFR 240.19b4.
I. SelfRegulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance of the Proposed Rule Change
The ISE is proposing to make permanent its pilot program for
Preferenced Orders. The text of the proposed rule change is available
on ISE's Web site at http://www.ise.com, at the Exchange's principal office, and at the Commission's Public Reference Room.
II. SelfRegulatory 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 III below. The Exchange has prepared summaries, set forth in
Sections A, B, and C below, of the most significant aspects of such statements.
A. SelfRegulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change
1. Purpose
The purpose of the proposed rule change is to make permanent the
Exchange's pilot program for preferenced orders as provided in
paragraph .03 of the Supplementary Material to Rule 713. The proposal
amends ISE's procedure for allocating trades among market makers and
noncustomer orders under Rule 713 to provide an enhanced allocation to
a ``Preferred Market Maker'' when it is quoting at the national best
bid or offer (``NBBO''). Specifically, an Electronic Access Member may
designate any market maker appointed to an options class to be a
Preferred Market Maker on orders it enters into the Exchange's system
(``Preferenced Orders''). If the Preferred Market Maker is not quoting
at the NBBO at the time the Preferenced Order is received, the
Exchange's existing allocation and execution procedures will be applied
to the execution.\3\ The proposed rule is subject to a pilot program that is currently set to expire on June 10, 2007.\4\
\3\ Marketable customer orders are not automatically executed at
prices inferior to the NBBO. If the ISE best bid or offer is
inferior to the NBBO, it is handled by the Primary Market Maker according to Rule 803(c).
\4\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 53921 (June 1, 2006), 71 FR 33019 (June 7, 2006).
Under the proposal, if a Preferred Market Maker is quoting at the
NBBO at the time a Preferenced Order is received, the allocation
procedure is modified so that the Preferred Market Maker will receive
an enhanced allocation instead of the Primary Market Maker \5\ equal to
the greater of: (i) The proportion of the total size at the best price
represented by the size of its quote; or (ii) sixty percent of the
contracts to be allocated if there is only one other NonCustomer Order
or market maker quotation at the best price and forty percent if there
are two or more other NonCustomer Orders and/or market maker quotes at
the best price.\6\ Unexecuted contracts remaining after the Preferred
Market Maker's allocation would be allocated prorata based on size as described above.
\5\ A Primary Market Maker may be the Preferenced Market Maker,
in which case such market maker would receive the enhanced allocation for Preferenced Market Makers.
\6\ All allocations are automatically performed by the Exchange's system.
Pursuant to this proposed rule change seeking permanent approval of
the pilot program, the Exchange also proposes to delete from the Notes
section in its Schedule of Fees a reference to the Preferenced Orders
pilot program that was adopted when the Exchange initiated a payment for order flow program for Competitive Market Makers.\7\
\7\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 53127 (January 13,
2006), 71 FR 3582 (January 23, 2006) (Notice of Filing and Immediate
Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change Relating to Payment for Order Flow Fee Changes).
The Exchange believes the proposed rule change is a necessary
competitive response to the preferencing rules adopted by other options
exchanges and will help the ISE attract and retain order flow. This
order flow will add depth and liquidity to the Exchange's markets and
enable the Exchange to continue to compete effectively with other options exchanges.
[[Page 32379]]
2. Statutory Basis
The basis under the Act for this proposed rule change is found in
Section 6(b)(5),\8\ in that the proposed rule change is designed to
promote just and equitable principles of trade, remove impediments to
and perfect the mechanisms of a free and open market and a national
market system and, in general, to protect investors and the public interest.
\8\ 15.U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
B. SelfRegulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition
The proposed rule change does not impose any burden on competition
that is not necessary or appropriate in furtherance of the purposes of the Act.
C. SelfRegulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed Rule Change Received From Members, Participants or Others
The Exchange has not solicited, and does not intend to solicit, comments on this proposed rule change. The Exchange has not received any unsolicited written comments from members or other interested parties.
III. 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
Paper Comments
All submissions should refer to File Number SRISE200735. 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 inspection
and copying in the Commission's Public Reference Room. Copies of such
filing also will be available for inspection and copying at the
principal office of the Exchange. 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 SRISE200735 and should be submitted on or before July 3, 2007.
IV. Commission's Findings and Order Granting Accelerated Approval of the Proposed Rule Change
After careful consideration, the Commission finds that the proposed
rule change is consistent with the requirements of Section 6 of the Act
\9\ and the rules and regulations thereunder applicable to a national
securities exchange,\10\ and, in particular, the requirements of
Section 6(b)(5) of the Act.\11\ Section 6(b)(5) requires, among other
things, that the rules of a national securities exchange be designed to
prevent fraudulent and manipulative acts and practices, to promote just
and equitable principles of trade, to remove impediments to and perfect
the mechanism of a free and open market and a national market system,
and, in general, to protect investors and the public interest. The
Commission notes that the Exchange's program for Preferenced Orders was
approved on a pilot basis approximately two years ago.\12\ The Exchange
has asked the Commission to approve the Exchange's program on a
permanent basis. For the reasons noted by the Commission when it
initially approved the Exchange's program for Preferenced Orders on a
pilot basis, the Commission continues to believe that the Exchange's
program does not jeopardize market integrity or the incentive for
market participants to post competitive quotes.\13\ Accordingly, the
Commission finds that the proposal is consistent with the Act. \9\ 15 U.S.C. 78f.
\10\ In approving this proposal, the Commission has considered
the proposed rule's impact on efficiency, competition, and capital formation. 15 U.S.C. 78c(f).
\11\ 15.U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
\12\ The Commission initially approved the Exchange's
preferenced order program on a six week pilot basis while the
Commission sought comment on the proposed rule change. See
Securities Exchange Act Release No. 51818 (June 10, 2005), 70 FR
35146 (June 16, 2005). The Commission subsequently extended to the
pilot period until June 10, 2006, which was one year from the date
the Commission first approved the Exchange's Preferenced Order
program on a pilot basis. See Securities Exchange Act Release No.
52066 (July 20, 2005), 70 FR 43479 (July 27, 2005). On June 1, 2006,
the Commission further extended the pilot period until June 10,
2007. See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 53921 (June 1, 2006), 71 FR 33019 (June 7, 2006).
\13\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 51818 (June 10, 2005), 70 FR 35146 (June 16, 2005).
The Exchange has requested that the Commission find good cause for
approving the proposed rule change prior to the thirtieth day after
publication of notice thereof in the Federal Register. The Commission
believes that granting accelerated approval of the proposed rule change
would allow the Exchange's program for Preferenced Orders to continue
without disruption beyond the June 10, 2007 expiration date of the
current pilot program. Accordingly, the Commission finds good cause,
consistent with Section 19(b)(2) of the Act,\14\ for approving the
proposed rule change prior to the thirtieth day after publication of notice thereof in the Federal Register.
\14\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2).
V. Conclusion
It is therefore ordered, pursuant to Section 19(b)(2) of the Act,\15\ that the proposed rule change (SRISE200735) is hereby approved on an accelerated basis.
\15\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2).
For the Commission, by the Division of Market Regulation, pursuant to delegated authority.\16\
\16\ 17 CFR 200.303(a)(12).
Florence E. Harmon,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. E711268 Filed 61107; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 801001P