Browse: Departments Dates Agencies
DOCUMENT ID: [Release No. 34-58942; File No. SR-BSE-2008-49]
SUBJECT CATEGORY: Self-Regulatory Organizations; Boston Stock Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change To Extend a Pilot Program That Allows for No Minimum Size Order Requirement for the Price Improvement Period Process on the Boston Options Exchange Facility
DOCUMENT SUMMARY: November 13, 2008.
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 November 5, 2008 the Boston Stock Exchange, Inc. (``BSE'' 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 selfregulatory
organization. The Exchange filed the proposed rule change pursuant to
Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act,\3\ and Rule 19b4(f)(6) thereunder,\4\
which renders the proposal effective upon filing with the Commission.
The Commission is publishing this notice to solicit comments on the proposed rule from interested persons.
\1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
\2\ 17 CFR 240.19b4.
\3\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
\4\ 17 CFR 240.19b4(f)(6).
[[Page 70395]]
I. SelfRegulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance of the Proposed Rule Change
The Exchange proposes to amend the Supplementary Material to
Section 18 (The Price Improvement Period ``PIP'') of Chapter V of the
Rules of the Boston Options Exchange Group, LLC (``BOX'') to extend a
pilot program that permits BOX to have no minimum size requirement for
orders entered into the PIP and under certain circumstances permits the
premature termination of the PIP process (``PIP Pilot Program''). The
text of the proposed rule change is available from the principal office
of the Exchange, at the Commission's Public Reference Room and also on
the Exchange's Internet Web site at http://nasdaqtrader.com/ Trader.aspx?id=Boston_Stock_Exchange.
II. SelfRegulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change
In its filing with the Commission, the selfregulatory 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 these statements may be examined at
the places specified in Item IV below. The selfregulatory organization
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
The purpose of the proposed rule change is to extend the PIP Pilot
Program under the BOX Rules for eight (8) additional months. The PIP
Pilot Program allows BOX to have no minimum size requirement for orders
entered into the PIP process and under certain circumstances permits
the premature termination of the PIP process.\5\ The proposed rule
change reflects change to the text of Supplementary Material .01 to
Section 18 of Chapter V of the BOX Rules and seeks to extend the
operation of the PIP Pilot Program until July 18, 2009. In two places,
BOXR will be replaced with BOX to reflect that BOX is submitting the
data to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission'').
Although, BOX is submitting the reports, the Exchange notes that it is
also responsible for the timeliness and the accuracy of the information.
\5\ The Pilot Program is currently set to expire on November 18,
2008. See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 58195 (July 18, 2008),
73 FR 43801 (July 28, 2008) (SRBSE200839); See also Securities
Exchange Act Release No. 55999 (July 2, 2007), 72 FR 37549 (July 10,
2007) (SRBSE200727); See also Securities Exchange Act Release No.
54066 (June 29, 2006), 71 FR 38434 (July 6, 2006) (SRBSE200624);
See also Securities Exchange Act Release No. 52149 (July 28, 2005),
70 FR 44704 (August 3, 2005) (SRBSE200522); See also Securities
Exchange Act Release No. 49068 (January 13, 2004), 69 FR 2775
(January 20, 2004) (SRBSE200215) (``Original PIP Pilot Program
Approval Order''). See also Securities Exchange Act Release No.
51821 (June 10, 2005), 70 FR 35143 (June 16, 2005) (SRBSE200451)
(Order approving, among other things, under certain circumstances the premature termination of a PIP process).
The Exchange notes that the PIP Pilot Program provides small customer orders with benefits not available under the rules of some other exchanges. One of the important factors of the PIP Pilot Program is that it guarantees Participants the right to trade with their customer orders that are less than 50 contracts. In particular, any order entered into the PIP is guaranteed an execution at the end of the auction at a price at least one penny better than the national best bid or offer.
In further support of this proposed rule change, and as required by the Original PIP Pilot Program Approval Order, BOX has represented to both BSE and to the Commission that it has been submitting to BSE and to the Commission a PIP Pilot Program Report, offering detailed data from, and analysis of, the PIP Pilot Program.
To aid the Commission in its evaluation of the PIP Pilot Program, BOX has represented to BSE that BOX will provide the following additional information each month: (1) The number of orders of 50 contracts or greater entered into the PIP auction; (2) The percentage of all orders of 50 contracts or greater sent to BOX that are entered into BOX's PIP auction; (3) The spread in the option, at the time an order of 50 contracts or greater is submitted to the PIP auction; (4) Of PIP trades for orders of fewer than 50 contracts, the percentage done at the National Best Bid or Offer (``NBBO'') plus $.01, plus $.02, plus $.03, etc.; (5) Of PIP trades for orders of 50 contracts or greater, the percentage done at the NBBO plus $.01, plus $.02, plus $.03, etc.; (6) The number of orders submitted by Order Flow Providers (``OFPs'') when the spread was $.05, $.10, $.15, etc. For each spread, BOX will specify the percentage of contracts in orders of fewer than 50 contracts submitted to BOX's PIP that were traded by: (a) the OFP that submitted the order to the PIP; (b) BOX Market Makers assigned to the class; (c) other BOX Participants; (d) Public Customer Orders (including Customer PIP Orders (``CPOs'')); and (e) unrelated orders (orders in standard increments entered during PIP). For each spread, BOX will also specify the percentage of contracts in orders of 50 contracts or greater submitted to BOX's PIP that were traded by: (a) The OFP that submitted the order to the PIP; (b) BOX Market Makers assigned to the class; (c) other BOX Participants; (d) Public Customer Orders (including CPOs); and (e) unrelated orders (orders in standard increments entered during PIP); (7) For the first Wednesday of each month: (a) The total number of PIP auctions on that date; (b) the number of PIP auctions where the order submitted to the PIP was fewer than 50 contracts; (c) the number of PIP auctions where the order submitted to the PIP was 50 contracts or greater; (d) the number of PIP auctions (for orders of fewer than 50 contracts) with 0 participants (excluding the initiating participant), 1 participant (excluding the initiating participant), 2 participants (excluding the initiating participant), 3 participants (excluding the initiating participant), 4 participants (excluding the initiating participant), etc., and (e) the number of PIP auctions (for orders of 50 contracts or greater) with 0 participants (excluding the initiating participant), 1 participant (excluding the initiating participant), 2 participants (excluding the initiating participant), 3 participants (excluding the initiating participant), 4 participants (excluding the initiating participant), etc.; and (8) For the third Wednesday of each month: (a) The total number of PIP auctions on that date; (b) the number of PIP auctions where the order submitted to the PIP was fewer than 50 contracts; (c) the number of PIP auctions where the order submitted to the PIP was 50 contracts or greater; (d) the number of PIP auctions (for orders of fewer than 50 contracts) with 0 participants (excluding the initiating participant), 1 participant (excluding the initiating participant), 2 participants (excluding the initiating participant), 3 participants (excluding the initiating participant), 4 participants (excluding the initiating participant), etc., and (e) the number of PIP auctions (for orders of 50 contracts or greater) with 0 participants (excluding the initiating participant), 1 participant (excluding the initiating participant), 2 participants (excluding the initiating participant), 3 participants (excluding the initiating participant), 4 participants (excluding the initiating participant), etc.
The Exchange believes that the proposal is consistent with the [[Page 70396]]
requirements of Section 6(b) of the Act,\6\ in general, and Section
6(b)(5) of the Act,\7\ in particular, in that it is designed to promote
just and equitable principles of trade, to prevent fraudulent and
manipulative acts, 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 data demonstrates that there is sufficient investor interest
and demand to extend the PIP Pilot Program for an additional eight (8)
months. The Exchange represents that the Pilot Program is designed to
provide investors with real and significant price improvement regardless of the size of the order.
\6\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
\7\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
B. SelfRegulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition
The Exchange does not believe that the proposed rule change will
impose any burden on competition 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 neither solicited nor received comments on the proposed rule change.
III. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed Rule Change and Timing for Commission Action
Because the foregoing proposed rule change: (1) Does not significantly affect the protection of investors or the public interest; (2) does not impose any significant burden on competition; and (3) by its terms does not become operative for 30 days after the date of this filing, 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) \8\ of the Act and Rule 19b4(f)(6) thereunder.\9\ \8\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
A proposed rule change filed under Rule 19b4(f)(6) normally may
not become operative prior to 30 days after the date of filing.
However, Rule 19b4(f)(6)(iii) permits the Commission to designate a
shorter time if such action is consistent with the protection of
investors and the public interest. The Exchange requests that the
Commission waive the 30day operative delay, which would make the rule
change operative upon filing. The Commission believes that waiving the
30day operative delay is consistent with the protection of investors
and the public interest because such waiver will allow the PIP pilot
program to continue without interruption.\10\ Accordingly, the
Commission designates the proposed rule change operative upon filing with the Commission.\11\
\10\ For purposes only of waiving the 30day operative delay for
this proposal, the Commission has considered the proposed rule's
impact on efficiency, competition, and capital formation. See 15 U.S.C. 78c(f).
\11\ As required under Rule 19b4(f)(6)(iii), the Exchange
provided the Commission with written notice of its intent to file
the proposed rule change, along with a brief description and text of
the proposed rule change, at least five business days prior to the date of the filing of the proposed rule change.
At any time within 60 days of the filing of such proposed rule change, the Commission may summarily abrogate 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.
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
For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated authority.\12\
\12\ 17 CFR 200.303(a)(12).
Florence E. Harmon,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. E827600 Filed 111908; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 801101P
SUMMARY: Boston Stock Exchange, Inc.,
DOCUMENT BODY 2: November 13, 2008.
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 November 5, 2008 the Boston Stock Exchange, Inc. (``BSE'' 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 selfregulatory
organization. The Exchange filed the proposed rule change pursuant to
Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act,\3\ and Rule 19b4(f)(6) thereunder,\4\
which renders the proposal effective upon filing with the Commission.
The Commission is publishing this notice to solicit comments on the proposed rule from interested persons.
\1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
\2\ 17 CFR 240.19b4.
\3\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
\4\ 17 CFR 240.19b4(f)(6).
[[Page 70395]]
I. SelfRegulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance of the Proposed Rule Change
The Exchange proposes to amend the Supplementary Material to
Section 18 (The Price Improvement Period ``PIP'') of Chapter V of the
Rules of the Boston Options Exchange Group, LLC (``BOX'') to extend a
pilot program that permits BOX to have no minimum size requirement for
orders entered into the PIP and under certain circumstances permits the
premature termination of the PIP process (``PIP Pilot Program''). The
text of the proposed rule change is available from the principal office
of the Exchange, at the Commission's Public Reference Room and also on
the Exchange's Internet Web site at http://nasdaqtrader.com/ Trader.aspx?id=Boston_Stock_Exchange.
II. SelfRegulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change
In its filing with the Commission, the selfregulatory 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 these statements may be examined at
the places specified in Item IV below. The selfregulatory organization
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
The purpose of the proposed rule change is to extend the PIP Pilot
Program under the BOX Rules for eight (8) additional months. The PIP
Pilot Program allows BOX to have no minimum size requirement for orders
entered into the PIP process and under certain circumstances permits
the premature termination of the PIP process.\5\ The proposed rule
change reflects change to the text of Supplementary Material .01 to
Section 18 of Chapter V of the BOX Rules and seeks to extend the
operation of the PIP Pilot Program until July 18, 2009. In two places,
BOXR will be replaced with BOX to reflect that BOX is submitting the
data to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission'').
Although, BOX is submitting the reports, the Exchange notes that it is
also responsible for the timeliness and the accuracy of the information.
\5\ The Pilot Program is currently set to expire on November 18,
2008. See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 58195 (July 18, 2008),
73 FR 43801 (July 28, 2008) (SRBSE200839); See also Securities
Exchange Act Release No. 55999 (July 2, 2007), 72 FR 37549 (July 10,
2007) (SRBSE200727); See also Securities Exchange Act Release No.
54066 (June 29, 2006), 71 FR 38434 (July 6, 2006) (SRBSE200624);
See also Securities Exchange Act Release No. 52149 (July 28, 2005),
70 FR 44704 (August 3, 2005) (SRBSE200522); See also Securities
Exchange Act Release No. 49068 (January 13, 2004), 69 FR 2775
(January 20, 2004) (SRBSE200215) (``Original PIP Pilot Program
Approval Order''). See also Securities Exchange Act Release No.
51821 (June 10, 2005), 70 FR 35143 (June 16, 2005) (SRBSE200451)
(Order approving, among other things, under certain circumstances the premature termination of a PIP process).
The Exchange notes that the PIP Pilot Program provides small customer orders with benefits not available under the rules of some other exchanges. One of the important factors of the PIP Pilot Program is that it guarantees Participants the right to trade with their customer orders that are less than 50 contracts. In particular, any order entered into the PIP is guaranteed an execution at the end of the auction at a price at least one penny better than the national best bid or offer.
In further support of this proposed rule change, and as required by the Original PIP Pilot Program Approval Order, BOX has represented to both BSE and to the Commission that it has been submitting to BSE and to the Commission a PIP Pilot Program Report, offering detailed data from, and analysis of, the PIP Pilot Program.
To aid the Commission in its evaluation of the PIP Pilot Program, BOX has represented to BSE that BOX will provide the following additional information each month: (1) The number of orders of 50 contracts or greater entered into the PIP auction; (2) The percentage of all orders of 50 contracts or greater sent to BOX that are entered into BOX's PIP auction; (3) The spread in the option, at the time an order of 50 contracts or greater is submitted to the PIP auction; (4) Of PIP trades for orders of fewer than 50 contracts, the percentage done at the National Best Bid or Offer (``NBBO'') plus $.01, plus $.02, plus $.03, etc.; (5) Of PIP trades for orders of 50 contracts or greater, the percentage done at the NBBO plus $.01, plus $.02, plus $.03, etc.; (6) The number of orders submitted by Order Flow Providers (``OFPs'') when the spread was $.05, $.10, $.15, etc. For each spread, BOX will specify the percentage of contracts in orders of fewer than 50 contracts submitted to BOX's PIP that were traded by: (a) the OFP that submitted the order to the PIP; (b) BOX Market Makers assigned to the class; (c) other BOX Participants; (d) Public Customer Orders (including Customer PIP Orders (``CPOs'')); and (e) unrelated orders (orders in standard increments entered during PIP). For each spread, BOX will also specify the percentage of contracts in orders of 50 contracts or greater submitted to BOX's PIP that were traded by: (a) The OFP that submitted the order to the PIP; (b) BOX Market Makers assigned to the class; (c) other BOX Participants; (d) Public Customer Orders (including CPOs); and (e) unrelated orders (orders in standard increments entered during PIP); (7) For the first Wednesday of each month: (a) The total number of PIP auctions on that date; (b) the number of PIP auctions where the order submitted to the PIP was fewer than 50 contracts; (c) the number of PIP auctions where the order submitted to the PIP was 50 contracts or greater; (d) the number of PIP auctions (for orders of fewer than 50 contracts) with 0 participants (excluding the initiating participant), 1 participant (excluding the initiating participant), 2 participants (excluding the initiating participant), 3 participants (excluding the initiating participant), 4 participants (excluding the initiating participant), etc., and (e) the number of PIP auctions (for orders of 50 contracts or greater) with 0 participants (excluding the initiating participant), 1 participant (excluding the initiating participant), 2 participants (excluding the initiating participant), 3 participants (excluding the initiating participant), 4 participants (excluding the initiating participant), etc.; and (8) For the third Wednesday of each month: (a) The total number of PIP auctions on that date; (b) the number of PIP auctions where the order submitted to the PIP was fewer than 50 contracts; (c) the number of PIP auctions where the order submitted to the PIP was 50 contracts or greater; (d) the number of PIP auctions (for orders of fewer than 50 contracts) with 0 participants (excluding the initiating participant), 1 participant (excluding the initiating participant), 2 participants (excluding the initiating participant), 3 participants (excluding the initiating participant), 4 participants (excluding the initiating participant), etc., and (e) the number of PIP auctions (for orders of 50 contracts or greater) with 0 participants (excluding the initiating participant), 1 participant (excluding the initiating participant), 2 participants (excluding the initiating participant), 3 participants (excluding the initiating participant), 4 participants (excluding the initiating participant), etc.
The Exchange believes that the proposal is consistent with the [[Page 70396]]
requirements of Section 6(b) of the Act,\6\ in general, and Section
6(b)(5) of the Act,\7\ in particular, in that it is designed to promote
just and equitable principles of trade, to prevent fraudulent and
manipulative acts, 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 data demonstrates that there is sufficient investor interest
and demand to extend the PIP Pilot Program for an additional eight (8)
months. The Exchange represents that the Pilot Program is designed to
provide investors with real and significant price improvement regardless of the size of the order.
\6\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
\7\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
B. SelfRegulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition
The Exchange does not believe that the proposed rule change will
impose any burden on competition 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 neither solicited nor received comments on the proposed rule change.
III. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed Rule Change and Timing for Commission Action
Because the foregoing proposed rule change: (1) Does not significantly affect the protection of investors or the public interest; (2) does not impose any significant burden on competition; and (3) by its terms does not become operative for 30 days after the date of this filing, 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) \8\ of the Act and Rule 19b4(f)(6) thereunder.\9\ \8\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
A proposed rule change filed under Rule 19b4(f)(6) normally may
not become operative prior to 30 days after the date of filing.
However, Rule 19b4(f)(6)(iii) permits the Commission to designate a
shorter time if such action is consistent with the protection of
investors and the public interest. The Exchange requests that the
Commission waive the 30day operative delay, which would make the rule
change operative upon filing. The Commission believes that waiving the
30day operative delay is consistent with the protection of investors
and the public interest because such waiver will allow the PIP pilot
program to continue without interruption.\10\ Accordingly, the
Commission designates the proposed rule change operative upon filing with the Commission.\11\
\10\ For purposes only of waiving the 30day operative delay for
this proposal, the Commission has considered the proposed rule's
impact on efficiency, competition, and capital formation. See 15 U.S.C. 78c(f).
\11\ As required under Rule 19b4(f)(6)(iii), the Exchange
provided the Commission with written notice of its intent to file
the proposed rule change, along with a brief description and text of
the proposed rule change, at least five business days prior to the date of the filing of the proposed rule change.
At any time within 60 days of the filing of such proposed rule change, the Commission may summarily abrogate 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.
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
For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated authority.\12\
\12\ 17 CFR 200.303(a)(12).
Florence E. Harmon,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. E827600 Filed 111908; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 801101P
14 CFR Part 39 40 CFR Part 52 14 CFR Part 71 33 CFR Part 165 47 CFR Part 73 26 CFR Part 1 50 CFR Part 679 40 CFR Part 180 50 CFR Part 17 33 CFR Part 117 44 CFR Part 67 50 CFR Part 648 14 CFR Part 97 40 CFR Part 63 6 CFR Part 5 33 CFR Part 100 50 CFR Part 622 50 CFR Part 660 26 CFR Part 301 44 CFR Part 65 39 CFR Part 111 40 CFR Part 271 40 CFR Part 300 47 CFR Part 64 40 CFR Parts 52 and 81 50 CFR Part 665 39 CFR Part 3020 50 CFR Part 229 44 CFR Part 64 49 CFR Part 571