[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 235 (Thursday, December 6, 2012)] [Notices] [Pages 72902-72904] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 2012-29455] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 34-68329; File No. SR-BYX-2012-022] Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Y-Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change To Expand the Availability of Risk Management Tools November 30, 2012. Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the ``Act''),\1\ and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,\2\ notice is hereby given that on November 19, 2012, BATS Y-Exchange, Inc. (the ``Exchange'' or ``BYX'') filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission'') the proposed rule change as described in Items I, II, and III 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. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1). \2\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of the Substance of the Proposed Rule Change The Exchange filed with the Commission a proposal [sic] codify the availability of a Risk Management Tool (the ``Tool'') currently made available in connection with sponsored access and to expand the availability of the Tool to all Exchange Members.\3\ The Tool is currently available only to Members that provide sponsored access to other market participants, as described below. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \3\ A Member is any registered broker or dealer that has been admitted to membership in the Exchange. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The text of the proposed rule change is available at the Exchange's Web site at http://www.batstrading.com, at the principal office of the Exchange, and at the Commission's Public Reference Room. II. Self-Regulatory 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 IV below. The Exchange has prepared summaries, set forth in Sections A, B, and C below, of the most significant parts of such statements. A. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change 1. Purpose The Exchange defines a ``Sponsored Participant'' as a person who has entered into a sponsorship arrangement with a Sponsoring Member.\4\ A ``Sponsoring Member'' is defined as a broker-dealer that is a Member of the Exchange and has been designated by a Sponsored Participant to execute, clear and settle transactions occurring on the Exchange.\5\ Under BYX Rule 11.3(b), a Sponsoring Member may allow its customers to enter orders directly into the trading systems of the Exchange as Sponsored Participants, without the [[Page 72903]] Sponsoring Member acting as an intermediary. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \4\ See BYX Rule 1.5(w). \5\ See BYX Rule 1.5(x). --------------------------------------------------------------------------- To facilitate the ability of a Sponsoring Member to monitor and oversee the sponsored access activity of its Sponsored Participants, the Exchange offers the Sponsored Access Risk Management Tool.\6\ This optional service acts as a risk filter by causing the orders of Sponsored Participants to be evaluated by the Tool prior to entering the Exchange's matching engine for execution. When a Sponsored Participant's order is evaluated by the Tool, it determines whether the order complies with the order criteria established by the Sponsoring Member for that Sponsored Participant. The order criteria pertain to such matters as the size of the order (e.g., maximum notional value per order and maximum shares per order), the order type (e.g., pre-market, post-market, short sales and ISOs), restricted securities, easy to borrow securities, and order cut-off (e.g., block new orders and cancel all open orders). --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \6\ The Exchange's affiliate, BATS Exchange, Inc., filed a proposal to offer an identical service to its members in connection with sponsored access. See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 60236 (July 2, 2009), 74 FR 34068 (July 14, 2009) (SR-BATS-2009-019) (notice of filing and immediate effectiveness of proposed rule change to establish a Sponsored Access Risk Management Tool) (the ``BATS Exchange Risk Management Filing''). --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Given recent market events, the Exchange proposes to expand the availability of the Tool to all Members. As amended, the Tool can be configured by a Member to provide an Exchange offered risk management solution. Just as the use of the Tool by a Sponsoring Member does not automatically constitute compliance with Exchange Rules, the Exchange does not believe that use of the Tool can replace Member-managed risk management solutions. However, the Exchange does believe that the Tool can be a valuable addition to risk management solutions implemented by Members. As is currently the case, orders subject to the Tool will be validated by the Exchange prior to entering the Exchange's matching engine. Based on parameters provided to the Tool, the order will be immediately passed on to the matching engine or rejected back to the entering Member. The Exchange does not propose to require Members to use the Tool. Members are free to use any appropriate risk-management tool or service. The Exchange will not provide preferential treatment to Members using the Tool. The Exchange proposes to make the Tool available to its Members upon request. The Exchange believes the Tool will offer the Exchange's Members another option in the efficient risk management of its Members' access to BYX. 2. Statutory Basis The rule change proposed in this submission is consistent with the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations thereunder that are applicable to a national securities exchange, and, in particular, with the requirements of Section 6(b) of the Act.\7\ Specifically, the proposed change is consistent with Section 6(b)(5) of the Act,\8\ because it would promote just and equitable principles of trade, remove impediments to, and perfect the mechanism of, a free and open market and a national market system, and, in general, protect investors and the public interest. The proposed rule change also is designed to support the principles of Section 11A(a)(1) \9\ in that it seeks to assure economically efficient execution of securities transactions, make it practicable for brokers to execute investors' orders in the best market, and provide an opportunity for investors' orders to be executed without the participation of a dealer. Specifically, the Exchange believes that the proposed rule change is consistent with all of the aforementioned principles because it fosters competition by providing another option in the efficient risk management of trading on the Exchange. The Exchange notes that a similar functionality has already been found to be consistent with the Act by the Commission.\10\ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \7\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b). \8\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5). \9\ 15 U.S.C. 78k-1(a)(1). \10\ Securities Exchange Act Release No. 59354 (February 3, 2009), 74 FR 6683 (February 10, 2009) (SR-NYSE-2008-101) (Approval of NYSE Risk Management Gateway). --------------------------------------------------------------------------- B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition The Exchange does not believe that the proposed rule change imposes any burden on competition. C. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed Rule Change Received From Members, Participants, or Others The Exchange has neither solicited nor received written 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 does not: (i) Significantly affect the protection of investors or the public interest; (ii) impose any significant burden on competition; and (iii) become operative for 30 days from the date on which it was filed, or such shorter time as the Commission may designate, it has become effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act \11\ and Rule 19b- 4(f)(6)(iii) thereunder.\12\ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \11\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A). \12\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6). --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. 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 CommentsUse the Commission's Internet comment form (http://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml); or Send an email to [email protected]. Please include File Number SR-BYX-2012-022 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. All submissions should refer to File Number SR-BYX-2012-022. 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 Room, 100 F Street NE., [[Page 72904]] Washington, DC 20549, on official business days between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. 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 SR-BYX-2012-022 and should be submitted on or before December 27, 2012. For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated authority.\13\ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \13\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12). --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kevin M. O'Neill, Deputy Secretary. [FR Doc. 2012-29455 Filed 12-5-12; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8011-01-P