[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 245 (Monday, December 22, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76426-76428]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-29816]
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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
[Release No. 34-73847; File No. SR-NYSEMKT-2014-106]
Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE MKT LLC; Notice of Filing and
Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change Amending Commentary .07
to Rule 904 To Extend the Pilot Program That Eliminated the Position
Limits for Options on SPDR S&P 500 ETF
December 16, 2014.
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 December 12, 2014, NYSE MKT LLC (the ``Exchange'' or ``NYSE
MKT'') 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 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\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4.
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I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of the
Substance of the Proposed Rule Change
The Exchange proposes to amend Commentary .07 to Rule 904 to extend
the pilot program that eliminated the position limits for options on
SPDR S&P 500 ETF (``SPY'') (``SPY Pilot Program''). 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.
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 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.
A. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change
1. Purpose
The Exchange proposes to amend Commentary .07 to Rule 904 to extend
the time period of the SPY Pilot Program,\3\ which is currently
scheduled to expire on December 15, 2014, through July 12, 2015.
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\3\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 67672 (August 15,
2012), 77 FR 50750 (August 22, 2012).
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This filing does not propose any substantive changes to the SPY
Pilot Program. In proposing to extend the SPY Pilot Program, the
Exchange reaffirms its consideration of several factors that supported
the original proposal of the SPY Pilot Program, including (1) the
availability of economically equivalent products and their respective
position limits, (2) the liquidity of the option and the underlying
security, (3) the market capitalization of the underlying security and
the related index, (4) the reporting of large positions and
requirements surrounding margin, and (5) the potential for market on
close volatility.
[[Page 76427]]
In the original proposal to establish the SPY Pilot Program, the
Exchange stated that if it were to propose an extension, permanent
approval or termination of the program, the Exchange would submit,
along with any filing proposing such amendments to the program, a
report providing an analysis of the SPY Pilot Program covering the
first twelve (12) months during which the SPY Pilot Program was in
effect (the ``Pilot Report'').\4\ Accordingly, the Exchange is
submitting the Pilot Report detailing the Exchange's experience with
the SPY Pilot Program. The Pilot Report is attached as Exhibit 3 to
this filing. The Exchange notes that it is unaware of any problems
created by the SPY Pilot Program and does not foresee any as a result
of the proposed extension. In extending the SPY Pilot Program, the
Exchange states that if it were to propose another extension, permanent
approval or termination of the program, the Exchange will submit
another Pilot Report covering the period since the previous extension,
which will be submitted at least 30 days before the end of the proposed
extension.
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\4\ Id.
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2. Statutory Basis
The Exchange believes that its proposal is consistent with Section
6(b) of the Act \5\ in general, and furthers the objectives of Section
6(b)(5) of the Act \6\ in particular, in that it is 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 Exchange
believes that extending the SPY Pilot Program promotes just and
equitable principles of trade by permitting market participants,
including market makers, institutional investors and retail investors,
to establish greater positions when pursuing their investment goals and
needs.
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\5\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
\6\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
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B. 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 not necessary or appropriate in
furtherance of the purposes of the Act. The proposed rule change is not
designed to address any aspect of competition, whether between the
Exchange and its competitors, or among market participants. Instead,
the proposed rule change is designed to allow the SPY Pilot Program to
continue as other SROs have adopted similar provisions.
C. 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.
III. 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) of the Act \7\ and Rule 19b-4(f)(6) thereunder.\8\ 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 and Rule 19b-4(f)(6) thereunder.\9\
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\7\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
\8\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).
\9\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6). In addition, Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii)
requires a self-regulatory organization to give the Commission
written notice of its 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 Commission has waived the five-day prefiling
requirement in this case.
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A proposed rule change filed pursuant to Rule 19b-4(f)(6) under the
Act \10\ normally does not become operative for 30 days after the date
of its filing. However, Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii) \11\ permits the
Commission to designate a shorter time if such action is consistent
with the protection of investors and the public interest. The Exchange
has asked the Commission to waive the 30-day operative delay so that
the proposal may become operative immediately upon filing. The Exchange
believes that waiving the 30-day operative delay is appropriate and
will benefit market participants because immediate operability would
allow the SPY Pilot Program to continue without interruption. The
Commission believes that waiving the 30-day operative delay is
consistent with the protection of investors and the public interest.
Therefore, the Commission hereby waives the operative delay and
designates the proposed rule change operative upon filing.\12\
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\10\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).
\11\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6)(iii).
\12\ For purposes only of waiving the 30-day operative delay,
the Commission has considered the proposed rule's impact on
efficiency, competition, and capital formation. See 15 U.S.C.
78c(f).
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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. If the Commission
takes such action, the Commission shall institute proceedings to
determine whether the proposed rule should be approved or disapproved.
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 email to [email protected]. Please include
File Number SR-NYSEMKT-2014-106 on the subject line.
Paper Comments
Send paper comments in triplicate to Brent J. Fields,
Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street NE.,
Washington, DC 20549-1090.
All submissions should refer to File Number SR-NYSEMKT-2014-106. 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.,
Washington, DC 20549 on official
[[Page 76428]]
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-NYSEMKT-2014-106, and should be submitted on or before
January 12, 2015.
For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets,
pursuant to delegated authority.\13\
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\13\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Kevin M. O'Neill,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2014-29816 Filed 12-19-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P