[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 112 (Friday, June 10, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34111-34112]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-14388]
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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
[Release No. 34-64604; File No. SR-FICC-2011-04]
Self-Regulatory Organizations; Fixed Income Clearing Corporation;
Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change To
Permit Brokers To Process Specified Pool Trade Activity at the
Mortgage-Backed Securities Division in Broker Accounts
June 6, 2011.
Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(``Act''),\1\ notice is hereby given that on May 31, 2011, the Fixed
Income Clearing Corporation (``FICC'') filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (``Commission'') the proposed rule change described
in Items I, II, and III below, which Items have been prepared primarily
by FICC. FICC filed the proposal pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the
Act \2\ and Rule 19b-4(f)(4) \3\ thereunder so that the proposal was
effective upon filing with the Commission. The Commission is publishing
this notice to solicit comments on the rule change from interested
parties.
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\1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
\2\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
\3\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(4).
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I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance
of the Proposed Rule Change
The proposed rule change will permit brokers to process specified
pool trade (``SPT'') activity at the Mortgage-Backed Securities
Division (``MBSD'') in broker accounts.
II. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change
In its filing with the Commission, FICC 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. FICC has prepared summaries, set forth in sections (A),
(B), and (C) below, of the most significant aspects of these
statements.\4\
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\4\ The Commission has modified the text of the summaries
prepared by FICC.
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(A) Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change
The purpose of this proposed rule change is to implement certain
technical enhancements necessary to permit brokers to process SPT
activity at MBSD in their broker accounts. SPT activity is currently
processed by brokers in their dealer accounts.
MBSD's systems do not currently permit processing of SPT activity
in broker accounts. If, after a broker submits an SPT through its
dealer account the dealer counterparty submits the other side of the
transaction against the broker's broker account (instead of the
broker's dealer account), the dealer is required to make a correction
to trade input to reflect the correct account. By permitting brokers to
process SPT activity in their broker accounts, the proposed change
would eliminate a cause of the corrections to trade input and thereby
improve efficiency and reduce operational risk. The proposed change
enhances FICC's existing services and does not eliminate any of FICC's
existing services.\5\ FICC will notify members of the effective date of
the proposed rule change by Important Notice.
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\5\ MBSD will continue to support the processing of SPT activity
in dealer accounts.
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FICC believes that the proposed rule change is consistent with the
requirements of Section 17A of the Act \6\ and the rules and
regulations thereunder applicable to FICC because it is designed to
promote the prompt and accurate clearance and settlement of securities
transactions by enhancing an existing service offering and eliminating
a cause of corrections to trade input.
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\6\ 15 U.S.C. 78q-1.
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(B) Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition
FICC does not believe that the proposed rule change will have any
impact or impose any burden on competition.
(C) Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the
Proposed Rule Change Received From Members, Participants, or Others
Written comments relating to the proposed rule change have not yet
been solicited or received. FICC will notify the Commission of any
written comments received by FICC.
[[Page 34112]]
III. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed Rule Change and Timing for
Commission Action
The foregoing proposed rule change has become effective upon filing
pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act \7\ and Rule 19b-4(f)(4) \8\
thereunder because the proposed rule change effects a change in an
existing service of a registered clearing agency that: (i) Does not
adversely affect the safeguarding of securities or funds in the custody
or control of the clearing agency or for which it is responsible; and
(ii) does not significantly affect the respective rights or obligations
of the clearing agency or persons using the service. At any time within
60 days of the filing of the 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.
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\7\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
\8\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(4).
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IV. 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 e-mail to [email protected]. Please include
File Number SR-FICC-2011-04 on the subject line.
Paper Comments
Send paper comments in triplicate to Elizabeth M. Murphy,
Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street, NE.,
Washington, DC 20549-1090.
All submissions should refer to File Number SR-FICC-2011-04. This file
number should be included on the subject line if e-mail 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 Room, 100 F Street, NE.,
Washington, DC 20549, on official business days between the hours of 10
a.m. and 3 p.m. Copies of such filings also will be available for
inspection and copying at the principal office of FICC and on FICC's
Web site at http://dtcc.com/downloads/legal/rule_filings/2011/ficc/2011-04.pdf. 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-
FICC-2011-04 and should be submitted on or before July 1, 2011.
For the Commission by the Division of Trading and Markets,
pursuant to delegated authority.\9\
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\9\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Cathy H. Ahn,
Deputy Secretary .
[FR Doc. 2011-14388 Filed 6-9-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P