[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 47 (Thursday, March 10, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-5479]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: March 10, 1994]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
 

Self-Regulatory Organizations; The Depository Trust Company; 
Order Approving a Proposed Rule Change Relating to the Pledge of 
Government Securities as Collateral

[Release No. 34-33709; File No. SR-DTC-94-02]
March 3, 1994.
    On January 26, 1994, The Depository Trust Company (``DTC'') filed 
with the Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission'') a proposed 
rule change pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act 
of 1934 (``Act''), \1\ that would allow participants to pledge 
government securities to DTC as collateral to cover outstanding short 
positions. On February 15, 1994, the Commission published notice of the 
proposed rule change in the Federal Register.\2\ No comments were 
received. This order approves the proposal.
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    \1\15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1) (1988).
    \2\Securities Exchange Act Release No. 33602 (February 8, 1994), 
59 FR 7273.
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I. Description

    The proposed rule change provides for a procedure to allow 
participants to pledge government securities to DTC as collateral to 
cover outstanding Next-Day Funds Settlement (``NDFS'') short 
positions.\3\ Only short positions aged thirty calendar days or more 
will be eligible for collateralization.\4\
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    \3\The proposed rule change contemplates pledges of the type 
described in DTC Rule 4, Section 1 relating to DTC's Participant's 
Fund. DTC rule 4, Section 1. Letter from Karen G. Lind, Associate 
Counsel, DTC, to Sonia G. Burnett, Attorney-Advisor, Commission 
(February 23, 1994).
    \4\The procedure is available for positions that are aged thirty 
days or more because many short positions that are due to 
administerial errors are cleared up in the first thirty days. The 
new procedure is designed to be utilized in the case of short 
positions that are difficult to cover because the securities are 
thinly traded. Letter from Karen G. Lind to Sonia Burnett, supra.
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    DTC imposes a cash penalty of 130% of the market value of the aged 
short position (``short position penalty'').\5\ The rule change 
provides an alternate means for participants to satisfy their 
obligation to provide DTC with a short position penalty. Participants 
also may continue to make cash deposits.
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    \5\The cash DTC receives is invested and earns interest. The 
interest earned is returned to participants at periodic intervals 
during the year as part of the general refund. The general refund 
allocates back to participants excess operating revenues and 
interest earned calculated by activity levels.
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    Under the proposal, participants may pledge government securities 
residing in their DTC ``free'' accounts.\6\ Initially only DTC-eligible 
U.S. Treasury issues (Treasury bills, bonds, and notes) which are fully 
guaranteed by the U.S. Government will be accepted as collateral. There 
are no plans to expand the program beyond government securities at the 
present time, however, DTC may include other securities as collateral 
in the future.\7\
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    \6\Each participant's DTC ``free'' account contains securities 
that are available for transfer or pledge. other securities, such as 
those that are segregated for customers or pledged to pledgee banks 
do not reside in the ``free'' account. Letter from Karen G. Lind to 
Sonia G. Burnett, note 3 supra.
    \7\Letter from Karen G. Lind to Sonia G. Burnett, note 3 supra. 
In order to expand the types of eligible collateral to include 
securities other than Treasury bonds, notes, and bills, DTC will 
file a proposed rule change with the Commission under Section 
19(b)(2) of the Act and Rule 19b-4 thereunder.
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    Each day, DTC will inform each participant of its short positions 
aged thirty days or older as of the close of business on the previous 
day. The participant can then enter a request over DTC's Participant 
Terminal System (``PTS'') to pledge government securities. The pledge 
system will verify that the securities being pledged are eligible for 
collateralization before the pledge is allowed to update into DTC's 
system.
    DTC will establish a special account on its books that will be used 
to receive book-entry pledges. The government securities will remain in 
DTC's account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.\8\ DTC will 
accept partial pledges that do not cover the entire amount of the short 
position penalty.
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    \8\Letter from Karen G. Lind to Sonia G. Burnett, note 3 supra.
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    The value of a participant's securities short positions and pledged 
securities\9\ will be marked to the market on a daily basis, and short 
charges will be adjusted accordingly. Participants may pledge 
additional securities to cover an increase in their aggregate short 
charges or request a release of pledged securities which are no longer 
needed to cover their aggregate short charges. If the value of the 
pledged position is greater than the short position penalty, the excess 
will not be returned to the participant unless the participant requests 
it.\10\
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    \9\The pledged securities will be valued at full market value. 
DTC will not impose a haircut on the pledged securities but will 
require a short position penalty of 130% of the market value of the 
short position.
    \10\Letter from Karen G. Lind to Sonia G. Burnett, note 3 supra.
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    A participant may substitute pledged securities or request a 
complete release of collateral. In the former instance, after inputting 
the new pledge and the release request, the participant would contact 
the Reconciliation Department prior to 12:30 p.m. to request a release 
approval. The substitution will be made upon approval of the release 
request. In the event the participant requests a release of collateral 
without requesting to pledge substitute collateral, the pledged 
securities would be returned to the ``free'' account at the end of the 
processing day and the short charges would be reinstated the following 
day.
    If pledged securities are redeemed, DTC will hold the redemption 
proceeds in a suspense account until the pledged securities are 
released and moved to the participant's ``free'' account. At that time, 
the redemption proceeds would be credited to the participant's 
settlement account. If pledged government securities are called for 
redemption, the participant must release the pledge and move the 
securities to a ``free'' account. Interest earned on pledged securities 
will be automatically credited to the participant's account.

II. Discussion

    The Commission believes DTC's proposal is consistent with the Act 
and particularly with sections 17A(b)(3)(A) and (F) of the Act.\12\ 
Those sections require that a clearing agency be organized and its 
rules be designed to promote the prompt and accurate clearance and 
settlement of securities transactions and to assure the safeguarding of 
securities and funds which are in its custody or control or for which 
it is responsible.
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    \12\15 U.S.C. 78q-1(b)(3) (A) and (F) (1988).
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    The proposed rule change will give DTC participants greater 
flexibility in collateralizing their short positions. By allowing 
participants to pledge government securities to DTC to replace cash 
deposits, the proposed rule change will improve participants' cash 
management abilities and liquidity.
    At the same time, the proposal will continue to provide DTC with 
high quality collateral for short positions, mitigating the risk 
involved in uncovered short positions.\13\ DTC will accept only 
Treasury notes, bonds, and bills which are backed by the full faith and 
credit of the U.S. Government. DTC therefore will not be subject to the 
credit risk of the obligor. Because the market for Treasury bills is 
extremely large and relatively liquid, DTC believes its liquidation 
risk will be minimal. Furthermore, DTC will employ its usual internal 
controls to segregate pledged positions within the pledge account and 
to minimize the risk of double pledging. By permitting DTC to minimize 
its credit and liquidation risk, the proposal promotes the safeguarding 
of securities and funds in DTC's custody or under its control.
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    \13\Credit risk is the risk that the counterparty to a 
transaction will not fulfill its obligation. Market risk is the risk 
associated with adverse changes in the market price of a security. 
Liquidation risk is the risk that the full value of collateral will 
not be realized upon liquidation of such collateral.
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III. Conclusion

    For the reasons stated above, the Commission finds that the 
proposed rule change (File No. SR-DTC-94-02) is consistent with section 
17A of the Act.
    It is therefore ordered, Pursuant to section 19(b)(2) of the Act, 
that the proposed rule change (SR-DTC-94-02) be, and hereby is 
approved.

    For the Commission by the Division of Market Regulation, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\14\
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    \14\17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12) (1990).
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Margaret H. McFarland,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 94-5479 Filed 3-9-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8010-01-M