[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 107 (Monday, June 6, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-13607]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: June 6, 1994]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
[Release No. 34-34131; File No. SR-PSE-93-26]

 

Self-Regulatory Organizations; Pacific Stock Exchange, Inc.; 
Order Approving and Notice of Filing and Order Granting Accelerated 
Approval of Amendment No. 4 to a Proposed Rule Change Relating to the 
Size of Orders Eligible for Entry in the Auto-Ex System

May 27, 1994.
    On October 15, 1993, the Pacific Stock Exchange, Inc. (``PSE'' or 
``Exchange'') submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission 
(``Commission'' or ``SEC''), pursuant to section 19(b)(1) of the 
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (``Act'')\1\ and Rule 19b-4 
thereunder,\2\ a proposed rule change to permit the PSE's Options Floor 
Trading Committee (``OFTC'') to increase, in one or more classes of 
multiply-traded equity options, the size of orders eligible for entry 
into the PSE's Automatic Execution System (``Auto-Ex'') to the extent 
necessary to match the size of orders eligible for entry into any other 
exchange's automated execution system.\3\ Notice of the proposed rule 
change appeared in the Federal Register on December 22, 1993.\4\ No 
comments were received on the proposed rule change. The PSE 
subsequently filed Amendments Nos. 1 and 2 to the proposed rule change 
on December 21, 1993, Amendment No. 3 on March 28, 1994, and Amendment 
No. 4 on May 25, 1994.\5\ This order approves the proposal, as amended.
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    \1\15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1) (1982).
    \2\17 CFR 240.19b-4 (1993).
    \3\Under Auto-Ex, eligible small public customer market or 
marketable limit orders are routed through the system and 
automatically executed at the prevailing market quote. Currently, 
Auto-Ex applies to orders of 10 contracts or less.
    \4\See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 33340 (December 15, 
1993), 58 FR 67887 (December 22, 1993).
    \5\Amendment Nos. 1, 2, and 3, contained various changes to the 
proposed rule change as originally filed; however, these changes 
were withdrawn and superseded by Amendment No. 4 to the proposed 
rule change. See Letter from Michael Pierson, Senior Attorney, PSE, 
to Brad Ritter, Attorney, Office of Derivatives and Equity 
Oversight, Division of Market Regulation, Commission, dated May 25, 
1994 (``Amendment No. 4''). In Amendment No. 4, the PSE also 
proposes to adopt Rule 6.87(c) which would provide that firms 
entering orders for execution on Auto-Ex may not divide them up in 
order to make their parts eligible for entry into Auto-Ex.
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    The PSE proposal adds Commentary .01 to PSE Rule 6.87(a) relating 
to the operation of Auto-Ex in equity options. Interpretation .01 would 
permit the OFTC to increase, in one or more classes of multiply-traded 
equity options, the size of orders eligible for entry into Auto-Ex to 
the extent that other options exchanges permit such larger-size orders 
in multiply-traded equity options of the same class or classes to be 
entered into their own automated execution systems.\6\ The proposal 
further provides that any such increase in the order eligibility size 
will be conditioned on PSE's filing the specific terms of the increase 
for immediate effectiveness under section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act. The 
proposal requires that the PSE include in any such filing, 
representations that Auto-Ex has the capacity to accommodate the 
increase in the order eligibility size. Such representations shall 
cover systems capacity as well as the market-making capacity of market-
makers participating in Auto-Ex.\7\ Any proposed increase that is 
initiated by the PSE and not made in response to matching an increase 
effectuated by another market would have to be filed with the 
Commission for review under section 19(b) of the Act.
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    \6\Any proposed increase that is initiated by the PSE and not 
made in response to matching an increase effectuated by another 
market would have to be filed pursuant to sections 19(b)(1) or 
19(b)(2) of the Act.
    \7\The PSE represents that it has more than adequate market-
making capacity to handle any reasonably expected increase in 
orders. Telephone conversation between Michael Pierson, Senior 
Attorney, Market Regulation, PSE, and Brad Ritter, Attorney, Office 
of Derivatives Regulation, Division of Market Regulation, SEC, on 
March 15, 1994.
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    Finally, the proposal would add Rule 6.87(c) which would prohibit 
the splitting of orders for purposes of making the parts eligible for 
entry into Auto-Ex. The Exchange believes this is necessary in order to 
comply with the purpose behind the Auto-Ex system which is to allow for 
the execution of small customer orders. Additionally, when large orders 
are split and then routed through Auto-Ex, market makers do not have 
the opportunity to adjust their markets to reflect the order flow. 
Finally, the PSE believes that this provision is consistent with the 
rule adopted by the Chicago Board Options Exchange (``CBOE'') regarding 
orders routed through its Retail Automatic Execution System 
(``RAES'').\8\
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    \8\See CBOE Rule 6.8(a)(i).
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    The Commission finds that the proposed rule change is consistent 
with the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations 
thereunder applicable to a national securities exchange, and, in 
particular, the requirements of section 6 and 11A.\9\ Specifically, the 
Commission notes that the proposed rule change is substantively 
identical to a proposal recently approved by the Commission relating to 
RAES at the CBOE.\10\ The Commission believes that the rationale 
supporting approval of the CBOE proposal applies equally to the PSE's 
proposed rule change. In particular, the Commission continues to 
believe that the development and implementation of the Auto-Ex system 
provides for more efficient handling and reporting of orders in PSE 
equity options through the use of new data processing and 
communications techniques, thereby improving order processing and 
turnaround time.
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    \9\15 U.S.C. 78f and 78k-1 (1988).
    \10\See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 32956 (September 24, 
1993), 58 FR 51893 (October 5, 1993).
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    Further, the Commission believes that providing the PSE with an 
efficient method by which to increase Auto-Ex order size eligibility to 
match another market's increase is consistent with sections 6(b)(5) and 
11A(a)(1)(C) of the Act in that it facilitates transactions in 
securities and promotes fair competition among options markets by 
enhancing the benefits available to investors of a multiple trading 
environment. The Commission also believes that the proposal adequately 
protects investors and the public interest by conditioning the increase 
in order size eligibility on the PSE's filing with the Commission, 
under section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act, of the specific terms of the 
increase. The Commission believes that requiring the PSE to provide it 
with such a filing will provide sufficient opportunity for the 
Commission to determine whether the PSE has adequate system and market 
maker capacity to accommodate the proposed increase and request 
appropriate modification of the increase if necessary. Finally, the 
Commission notes that the PSE has represented that Auto-Ex currently 
has adequate system and market-maker capacity to accommodate any 
reasonably anticipated increase in order size eligibility.\11\
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    \11\See supra note 7.
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    Amendment No. 4 provides that orders may not be split for purposes 
of making the parts eligible for entry into Auto-Ex. The Commission 
agrees with the Exchange that this is necessary in order to assure 
compliance with the purpose of Auto-Ex, which is to allow for a more 
efficient method of executing small market and limit orders.\12\ 
Additionally, the rule change proposed in Amendment No. 4 is consistent 
with CBOE Rule 6.8(a)(i), which the Commission previously approved.\13\
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    \12\See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 32703 (July 30, 
1993), 58 FR 42117, (August 6, 1993).
    \13\See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 28411 (September 6, 
1990), 55 FR 37784 (September 13, 1990).
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    The Commission finds good cause for approving Amendment No. 4 to 
the proposed rule change prior to the thirtieth day after the date of 
publication of notice of filing thereof in the Federal Register.\14\ 
For the reasons stated above, the Commission believes it is consistent 
with section 6(b)(5) of the Act to approve Amendment No. 4 to the PSE's 
proposal on an accelerated basis.
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    \14\As noted previously, Amendment No. 3 withdraws and 
supersedes Amendment Nos. 1, 2, and 3. See Amendment No. 4, supra 
note 5.
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    Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views, and 
arguments concerning Amendment No. 4 to the proposed rule change. 
Persons making written submissions should file six copies thereof with 
the Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 450 Fifth Street 
NW., Washington, DC 20549. 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 inspection and copying in the Commission's Public 
Reference Section, 450 Fifth Street NW., Washington, DC. Copies of such 
filing will also be available for inspection and copying at the 
principal office of the Exchange. All submissions should refer to File 
No. SR-PSE-93-26 and should be submitted by June 27, 1994.
    It is therefore ordered, pursuant to section 19(b)(2) of the 
Act,\15\ that the proposed rule change (SR-PSE-93-26) is approved, as 
amended.

    \15\15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2) (1988).
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    For the Commission, by the Division of Market Regulation, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\16\
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    \16\17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12) (1993).
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Margaret H. McFarland,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 94-13607 Filed 6-3-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8010-01-M