[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 186 (Tuesday, September 26, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49654-49658]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-23758]



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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
[Release No. 34-26253; International Series Release No. 856; File No. 
SR-CBOE-95-41]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; Order Granting Accelerated 
Approval of a Proposed Rule Change and Notice of Filing and Order 
Granting Accelerated Approval of Amendment Nos. 1, 2, and 3 to the 
Proposed Rule Change by the Chicago Board Options Exchange, 
Incorporated, Relating to Warrants on the Japanese Export Stock Index

September 19, 1995.

I. Introduction

    On August 7, 1995, the Chicago Board Options Exchange, Incorporated 
(``CBOE'' or ``Exchange'') filed a proposed rule change with the 
Securities and Exchange Commission (``SEC'' or ``Commission''), 
pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities 

[[Page 49655]]
Exchange Act of 1934 (``Act'') \1\ and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,\2\ to 
list and trade warrants on the Japanese Export Stock Index (``Japan 
Export Index'' or ``Index'').

    \1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
    \2\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4.
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    Notice of the proposal was published for comment and appeared in 
the Federal Register on August 28, 1995.\3\ On September 14, 1995, the 
Exchange filed Amendment No. 1 to the proposed rule change.\4\ On 
September 15, 1995, the Exchange filed Amendment No. 2 to the proposed 
rule change.\5\ On September 19, 1995, the Exchange file Amendment No. 
3 to the proposed rule change.\6\ No comment letters were received on 
the proposed rule change. This order approves the Exchange's proposal, 
as amended, on an accelerated basis.

    \3\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 36128 (August 21, 
1995), 60 FR 44529 (``Release No. 36128'').
    \4\ See Letter from Joe Levin, Vice President, Research 
Department, CBOE, to John Ayanian, Attorney, Office of Market 
Supervision (``OMS''), Division of Market Regulation (``Market 
Regulation''), Commission, dated September 14, 1995 (``Amendment No. 
1''). In Amendment No. 1, the CBOE represents that the Japan Export 
Index value was set equal to 100 on March 31, 1984, the base date. 
As of September 13, 1995 the value of the Index was 206.56. 
Additionally, the CBOE represents that the Index will be re-balanced 
annually as of the last trading day of last trading day of the 
calendar year, and not at the time of the initial issuance of the 
warrants. The CBOE further proposes that the initial offering price 
for the warrants will be based on an index around the time of 
issuance.
    \5\ See Letter from Eileen Smith, Director, Research & Product 
Development, CBOE, to John Ayanian, Attorney, OMS, Market 
Regulation, Commission, dated September 19, 1995 (``Amendment No. 
2''). In Amendment No. 2 the CBOE outlines several additional 
procedures regarding Index calculation, dissemination, and 
maintenance.
    \6\ See Letter from Eileen Smith, Director, Research & Product 
Development, CBOE, to John Ayanian, Attorney, OMS, Market 
Regulation, Commission, dated September 19, 1995 (``Amendment No. 
3''). Amendment No. 3 to CBOE's proposal states that the CBOE will 
monitor the weighings of the components of the Japan Export Index 
and if at any time the top 5 stocks account for more than 33\1/3\% 
of the total wright of the Index, CBOE will re-balance the Index 
within the next thirty calendar days.
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II. Description of the Proposal

    The Exchange represents that it is permitted to list and trade 
index warrants under CBOE Rule 31.5E. The Exchange is now proposing to 
list and trade index warrants based upon the Japan Export Index.

A. Composition of the Index

    The Japan Export Index was designed by CBOE. The CBOE represents 
that Index component stocks were selected for their high market 
capitalizations, and their high degree of liquidity, and are 
representative of the relative distribution of companies within 
Japanese export industries. The Index is composed of 40 of the largest 
Japanese export companies, as measured by yen-denominated export 
revenue, listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (``TSE'').
    Business sector representation in the Index as of June 30, 1995, 
was as follows: (1) Autos and auto parts (25%) (10 issues); (2) 
Electric Machinery--diversified (22.5%) (9 issues); (3) Consumer 
Electronics (20%) (8 issues); (4) Iron and Steel (7.50%) (3 issues); 
(5) Precision instruments (7.5%) (3 issues); (6) Shipbuilding (5%) (2 
issues); (7) Chemical (5%) (2 issues); (8) Machinery (2.5%) (1 issue); 
(9) Computers and semiconductors (2.5%) (1 issue); and (10) Services 
(2.5% (1 issue).
    As of June 30, 1995, the CBOE represents that the 40 stocks 
contained in the Index range in market capitalization from $1.59 
billion to $74.76 billion. The median capitalization of the component 
securities in the Index was $7.6 billion. Total market capitalization 
for the Index was approximately $451 billion.\7\ In addition, the 
average daily trading volume of the stocks in the Index, for the six-
month period ending June 30, 1995, ranged from a high of 6,640,000 
shares to a low of 102,220 shares, with a mean and median of 
approximately 1,440,000 and 844,000 shares, respectively.

    \7\ Based on the exchange rate of 85 yen/US$ 1 prevailing on 
June 30, 1995.
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B. Calculation and Dissemination of the Index Value

    The Japan Export Index is an ``equal dollar weighted'' broad-based 
index comprising 40 of the largest Japanese export companies, and 
measured by total yen-denominated export revenue, listed on the 
TSE.8 The Index is calculated using an ``equal dollar weighting'' 
methodology designed to ensure that each of the component securities is 
represented in an approximately ``equal'' dollar amount in the Index at 
each rebalancing. The Index value was set equal to 100 on March 31, 
1984. As of September 13, 1995 the value of the Index was 206.56.\9\ In 
the event that a security does not trade on a given day, the previous 
day's last sale price is used for purposes of calculating the Index. In 
the event that a given security has not traded for more than one day, 
then the last sale price on the last day on which the security was 
traded will be used.

    \8\ The components of the Index are as follows: Aiwa; 
Bridgestone Corp.; Canon; Casio Computer; Citizen Watch; Fuji Heavy 
Inds.; Fuji Photo Film; Hitachi; Honda Motor; Isuzu Motor; Kawasaki 
Heavy Ind.; Kawasaki Steel; Komatsu Ltd.; Konica Corp.; Kyocera 
Corp.; Kyushu Matsushita; Matsu-Kotob Eltr.; Matsushita Elect I; 
Mazda Motor; Mitsubishi Heavy; Mitsubishi Motors; NEC; Nikon Corp.; 
Nintendo; Nippon Steel; Nissan Motor; OKI Electric Ind.; Pioneer 
Eltr.; Ricoh Co. Ltd.; Sanyo Electric; Sega Enterprises; Sharp 
Corp.; Sony; Sumitomo Mtl. Ind.; Suzuki Motor; TDK Corporation; 
Toshiba; Toyota Motor; Victor Co. of Japan; and Yamaha Motor.
    \9\ See Amendment No. 1, Supra note 4. The initial offering 
price for the warrants will be based on an index level as of the 
date and time of issuance.
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    Because trading does not occur on the TSE during the CBOE's trading 
hours, the daily dissemination of the Index value is calculated by the 
CBOE once each day based on the just recent official closing price of 
each Index component security as reported by the TSE. This closing 
value is disseminated prior to the opening of trading in the U.S. via 
Options Price Reporting Authority. These values are also expected to be 
carried by the major quote vendors such as Quotron, ADP, ILX and 
Bloomberg, and thereby will be accessible to investors throughout the 
trading day.\10\

    \10\ See Amendment No. 2, supra note 5.
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C. Maintenance of the Index

    The Index is maintained by the CBOE. The Index will be rebalanced 
on the last trading day of the calendar year such that the components 
again represent an equal percentage (2.5%) of the Index. The Exchange 
staff will periodically review the Index to ensure that it continues to 
encompass a broad cross-section of Japanese export industries. The 
components of the Index will remain unchanged unless it becomes 
necessary to maintain the continuity of the Index by removing a 
component security due to a merger, takeover, or some other event where 
the issuer of the component security is not the surviving entity. If a 
component security is removed, the CBOE will attempt to find a 
replacement security taking into account liquidity of the replacement 
security, industry grouping, capitalization and the amount of the 
company's export revenue. The Exchange represents that the Index will 
not be permitted to fall below 35 component stocks.\11\ Additionally, 
the Exchange represents that it will monitor the weighings of the 
components of the Index and if at any time the top 5 stocks account for 
more than 33\1/3\% of the total weight of the Index, the Exchange will 
re-balance the Index within the next thirty calendar days.\12\ To 
ensure continuity in the Index's value, the index divisor will be 
adjusted to reflect, among other things, certain rights 

[[Page 49656]]
issuances, stock splits, rebalancing, and component security changes.

    \11\Id.
    \12\See Amendment No. 3, supra note 6.
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D. Index Warrant Trading

    The proposed warrants will be direct obligations of their issuer 
subject to cash-settlement in U.S. dollars, and either exercisable 
throughout their life (i.e., American-style) or exercisable only 
immediately prior to their expiration date (i.e., European-style). Upon 
exercise, the holder of a warrant structured as a ``put'' would receive 
payment in U.S. dollars to the extent that the index value has declined 
below a pre-stated cash settlement value. Conversely, upon exercise, 
the holder of a warrant structured as a ``call'' would receive payment 
in U.S. dollars to the extent that the index value has increased above 
the pre-stated cash settlement value. Warrants that are ``out-or-the-
money'' at the time of expiration will expire worthless.

E. Warrant Listing Standards and Customer Safeguards

    The Exchange has established uniform listing and trading guidelines 
for index warrants (``Generic Warrant Listing Standards'').\13\ The 
Exchange represents that the Generic Warrant Listing Standards will be 
applicable to the listing and trading of index warrants generally, 
including Japan Export Index warrants. These standards will govern all 
aspects of the listing and trading of index warrants, including, issuer 
eligibility,\14\ position and exercise limits,\15\ reportable 
positions,\16\ automatic exercise,\17\ settlement,\18\ margin,\19\ and 
trading halts and suspensions.\20\

    \13\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 36169 (August 29, 
1995), 60 FR 46644 (September 7, 1995) (``Generic Warrant Approval 
Order'').
    \14\ See CBOE Rule 31.5E(1) and (4). Issuers are required to 
have a minimum tangible net worth in excess of $250 million or, in 
the alternative, have a minimum tangible net worth in excess of $150 
million, provided that the issuer does not have (including as a 
result of the proposed issuance) issued and outstanding warrants 
where the aggregate original issue price of all such warrant 
offerings (combined with offerings by its affiliates) listed on a 
national securities exchange or that are National Market securities 
traded through NASDAQ exceeds 25% of the issuer's net worth.
    \15\ See CBOE Rule 30.35. In particular, under CBOE Rule 30.35, 
no member can control an aggregate position in a stock index warrant 
issue, or in all warrants issued on the same stock index, on the 
same side of the market, in excess of 15,000,000 warrants 
(12,500,000 warrants with respect to warrants on the Russell 2000 
Index) with an original issue price of ten dollars or less. Stock 
index warrants with an original issue price greater than ten dollars 
will be weighted more heavily in calculating position limits.
    CBOE Rule 30.35 also establishes exercise limits on stock index 
warrants which are analagous to those found in stock index options. 
The rule prohibits holders from exercising, within any five 
consecutive business days, long positions in warrants in excess of 
the base position limit set forth above.
    \16\ See CBOE Rules 30.50(d) and 4.13.
    \17\ See CBOE Rule 31.5E(6).
    \18\ See CBOE Rule 31.5E(5).
    \19\ See CBOE Rule 30.53. In general, the margin requirements 
for long and short positions in stock index warrants are the same as 
margin requirements for long and short positions in stock index 
options. Accordingly, all purchases of warrants will require payment 
in full, and short sales of stock index warrants will require 
initial margin of: (i) 100 percent of the current value of the 
warrant plus (ii) 15 percent of the current value of the underlying 
broad stock index less the amount by which the warrant is out of the 
money, but with a minimum of ten percent of the index value.
    \20\ See CBOE Rules 30.36 and 24.7.
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    Additionally, these warrants will be sold only to accounts approved 
for the trading of standardized options \21\ and, the Exchange's 
options suitability standards will apply to recommendations in Index 
warrants.\22\ The Exchange's rules regarding discretionary orders will 
also apply to transactions in Index warrants.\23\ Finally, prior to the 
commencement of trading, the Exchange will distribute a circular to its 
membership calling attention to certain compliance responsibilities 
when handling transactions in the Japan Export Index warrants.\24\

    \21\ See CBOE Rules 30.52(c) and 9.7.
    \22\ See CBOE Rules 30.52(d) and 9.9.
    \23\ See CBOE Rule 30.50, Interpretation .03 (requiring that the 
standards of Rule 9.10 be applied to index warrant transactions).
    \24\ Telephone conversation between Eileen Smith, Director, 
Research & Product Development, CBOE, and John Ayanian, Attorney, 
OMS, Market Regulation, Commission, on August 17, 1995.
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F. Surveillance

    The Exchange will apply its existing index warrant surveillance 
procedures to Japan Export Index warrants. The Exchange has a market 
surveillance agreement with the TSE which was obtained in connection 
with CBOE trading of options of the Nikkei 300 Index (``Nikkei 300''). 
Approximately 73% (29) of the stocks in the Index are also components 
of the Nikkei 300 Index. The Exchange notes that the TSE is under the 
regulatory oversight of the Ministry of Finance (``MOF'') and believes 
that the ongoing oversight of all securities trading activity on the 
TSE by the MOF will help to ensure that trading of the component 
securities included in the Japan Export Index will be appropriately 
monitored. Finally, the Exchange believes that the Memorandum of 
Understanding (``MOU'') between the Commission and the MOF will provide 
a framework for mutual assistance in investigatory and regulatory 
matters.

III. Commission Finding and Conclusions

    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(b)(5) of the Act.\25\ 
Specifically, the Commission finds that the trading of warrants based 
on the Japan Export Index will serve to protect investors, promote the 
public interest, and help to remove impediments to a free and open 
securities market by providing investors with a means to hedge exposure 
to market risk associated with securities in Japanese export industries 
and provide a surrogate instrument for trading in the Japanese 
securities market.\26\ The trading of warrants based on the Japan 
Export Index should provide investors with a valuable hedging vehicle 
that should reflect accurately the overall movement of securities in 
Japanese export industries.

    \25\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
    \26\ Pursuant to Section 6(b)(5) of the Act, the Commission must 
predicate approval of any new securities product upon a finding that 
the introduction of such product is in the public interest. Such a 
finding would be difficult with respect to a warrant that served no 
hedging or other economic function, because any benefits that might 
be derived by market participants likely would be outweighed by the 
potential for manipulation, diminished public confidence in the 
integrity of the markets, and other valid regulatory concerns.
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    In addition, the Commission believes, for the reasons discussed 
below, that the CBOE has adequately addressed issues related to 
customer protection, index design, surveillance, and market impact of 
Japan Export Index warrants.

A. Customer Protection

    Special customer protection concerns are presented by Japanese 
Export Index warrants because they are leveraged derivative securities. 
The CBOE has addressed these concerns, however, by imposing the special 
suitability, account approval, disclosure, and compliance requirements, 
as discussed above.\27\ Moreover, the CBOE plans to distribute a 
circular to their members identifying the specific risks associated 
with warrants on the Japan Export Index. Finally, pursuant to the 
Exchange's listing guidelines, only substantial companies capable of 
meeting CBOE index warrant issuer standards will be eligible to issue 
Japan Export Index warrants.

    \27\ See Generic Warrant Approval Order, supra note 6.

[[Page 49657]]


B. Index Design and Structure

    The Commission finds that it is appropriate and consistent with the 
Act for the CBOE to designate the Index as a broad-based index. 
Specifically, the Commission believes the Index is broad-based because 
it reflects a substantial segment of the Japanese equity market. First, 
the Index consists of 40 actively traded stocks listed on the TSE, 
representing 10 different industry groups in Japan. Second, the market 
capitalization of the stocks comprising the Index are very large. 
Specifically, the total capitalization of the Index, as of June 30, 
1995, was approximately U.S. $455 billion, with the market 
capitalization of the individual stocks in the Index ranging from a 
high of $74.76 billion to a low of $1.59 billion, with a mean value of 
$11 billion.\28\ Third, no one particular stock or group of stocks 
dominates the weight of the Index. Specifically, as of September 13, 
1995, no single stock accounted for more than 4.14% of the Index's 
total value, and the percentage weighting of the five largest issues in 
the Index accounted for 16.98% of the Index's value. Additionally, the 
lowest weighted stock in the Index accounted for 1.98% of the Index's 
value.\29\ Accordingly, the Commission believes it is appropriate to 
classify the Index as broad-based.

    \28\ These figures are based on the Japanese yen values of as 
June 30, 1995, but converted to dollars using the current exchange 
rate of approximately JY 85/U.S. $1.00.
    \29\ See Letter from Eileen Smith, Director, Research & Product 
Development, CBOE, to John Ayanian, Attorney, OMS, Market 
Regulation, Commission, dated September 18, 1995. Upon each annual 
rebalancing of the Index, each component of the Index will account 
for no more than 2.5% of the Index (based on 40 stocks comprising 
the Index).
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C. Surveillance

    As a general matter, the Commission believes that comprehensive 
surveillance sharing agreements between the relevant foreign and 
domestic exchanges are important where an index derivative product 
based on foreign securities is to be traded in the United States.\30\ 
In most cases, in the absence of such a comprehensive surveillance 
sharing agreement, the Commission believes that it would not be 
possible to conclude that a derivative product, such as the Japan 
Export Index warrant, was not readily susceptible to manipulation.

    \30\ A comprehensive surveillance sharing agreement would allow 
the parties to the agreement to obtain relevant surveillance 
information, including, among other things, the identity of the 
purchasers and sellers of securities.
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    Although the CBOE and the TSE do not yet have a written 
comprehensive surveillance sharing agreement that covers the trading of 
Japan Export Index warrants, a number of factors support approval of 
the proposal at this time. First, while the size of an underlying 
market is not determinative of whether a particular derivative product 
based on that market is readily susceptible to manipulation, the size 
of the market for the securities underlying the Japan Export Index 
makes it less likely that the proposed Index warrants are readily 
susceptible to manipulation.\31\ In addition, the Commission notes that 
the TSE is under the regulatory oversight of the MOF. The MOF has 
responsibility for both the Japanese securities and derivatives 
markets. Accordingly, the Commission believes that the ongoing 
oversight of the trading activities on the TSE by the MOF will help to 
ensure that the trading of the underlying components of the Japan 
Export Index warrants will be carefully monitored with a view toward 
preventing unnecessary market disruptions.

    \31\ In evaluating the manipulative potential of a proposed 
index derivative product, as it relates to the securities that 
comprise the index and the index product itself, the Commission has 
considered several factors, including (1) The number of securities 
comprising the index or group; (2) the capitalizations of those 
securities; (3) the depth and liquidity of the group or index; (4) 
the diversification of the group or index; (5) the manner in which 
the index or group is weighted; and (6) the ability to conduct 
surveillance on the product. See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 
31016 (August 11, 1992), 57 FR 37012 (August 17, 1992).
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    Finally, as noted above, the Commission and the MOF have concluded 
a Memorandum of Understanding that provides a framework for mutual 
assistance in investigatory and regulatory matters.\32\ Moreover, the 
Commission also has a longstanding working relationship with the MOF on 
these matters. Based on the longstanding relationship between the 
Commission and the MOF and the existence of the MOU, the Commission is 
confident that it and the MOF could acquire information from one 
another similar to that which would be available in the event that a 
comprehensive surveillance sharing agreement were executed between the 
CBOE and the TSE with respect to transactions in TSE-traded stocks 
related to Japan Export Index warrant transactions on the CBOE.\33\

    \32\ See Memorandum of Understanding Between the United States 
Securities and Exchange Commission and the Securities Bureau of the 
Japan Ministry of Finance on the Sharing of Information, dated May 
23, 1986.
    \33\ It is the Commission's expectation that this information 
would include transaction, clearing, and customer information 
necessary to conduct an investigation.
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    Nevertheless, the Commission continues to believe strongly that a 
comprehensive surveillance sharing agreement between the TSE and the 
CBOE covering Japan Export Index warrants would be an important measure 
to deter and detect potential manipulations or other improper or 
illegal trading involving Japan Export Index warrants. Accordingly, the 
Commission believes it is critical that the TSE and the CBOE continue 
to work together to consummate a formal comprehensive surveillance 
sharing agreement to cover Japan Export Index warrants and the 
component securities as soon as practicable.

D. Market Impact

    The Commission believes that the listing and trading of Japan 
Export Index warrants on the CBOE will not adversely impact the 
securities markets in the United States or in Japan. First, the 
existing index warrants surveillance procedures of the CBOE will apply 
to warrants on the Index. In addition, the Commission notes that the 
Index is broad-based and diversified and includes highly capitalized 
securities that are actively traded on the TSE. Additionally, the CBOE 
has established reasonable positions and exercise limits for stock 
index warrants, which will serve to minimize potential manipulation and 
other market impact concerns.
    The Commission finds good cause for approving the proposed rule 
change, including Amendment Nos. 1, 2, and 3 prior to the thirtieth day 
after the date of publication of notice of filing thereof in the 
Federal Register. The Commission notes that Japan Export Index warrants 
will be listed pursuant to the Generic Warrant Listing Standards as 
described above. Additionally, the Index's applicable ``equal dollar 
weighting'' methodology is a commonly applied index calculation method. 
Moreover, the Japan Export Index is a broad-based Index designed to 
represent a substantial segment of the Japanese equity market and 
accordingly is similar in design as other Japanese stock market based 
options and/or warrants that have been approved by the Commission for 
U.S. exchange trading.\34\ Finally, no 

[[Page 49658]]
comments were received on the proposal, which was subject to the full 
21 day notice and comment period.\35\

    \34\ See Securities Exchange Act Release Nos. 34821 (October 11, 
1994), 59 FR 52568; and 35184 (December 30, 1994), 60 FR 2616 
(January 10, 1995) (Orders approving proposed rule change by the 
Amex and CBOE, respectively, to list and trade warrants based on the 
Nikkei 300 Index). See also Securities Exchange Act Release No. 
27565 (December 22, 1989), 55 FR 376 (January 4, 1990) (Order 
approving proposed rule change by the Amex to list and trade 
warrants based on the Nikkei 225 Index). See also Securities 
Exchange Act Release Nos. 28475 (September 27, 1990), 55 FR 40492 
(October 3, 1990); and 31016 (August 11, 1992), 57 FR 37012 (August 
17, 1992) (Orders approving proposed rule change by the Amex to list 
and trade options and warrants, respectively, on the Japan Index).
    \35\ See Release No. 36128, supra note 3.
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    Amendment No. 1 to CBOE's proposal sets the Index value equal to 
100 on March 31, 1984, rather than on the date of the first issuance of 
the warrants, as originally proposed. Accordingly, the Index was valued 
at 206.56, as of September 13, 1995, and the initial offering price for 
the warrants will be based on an index level around the time of 
issuance. The Commission notes the Index does not yet underlie any 
warrant trading, therefore the setting of a new starting value for the 
Index does not raise any new regulatory issues.
    The CBOE also indicated in Amendment No. 1 that the Index will not 
be re-balanced at the time of initial issuance of the warrant, rather 
it will be re-balanced annually as of the last trading day of the 
calendar year as originally proposed. The Commission notes that the 
Index was re-balanced on the last trading day of 1994, and will again 
be re-balanced on the last trading day in 1995. Additionally, the Index 
will be re-balanced earlier when necessary as set forth below in CBOE 
Amendment No. 3.
    Amendment No. 2 to CBOE's proposal describes more detailed 
maintenance procedures to be employed by the CBOE.\36\ The Commission 
believes that the Exchange's periodic review of the underlying 
components of the Index for liquidity, capitalization and export 
revenue, and the replacement procedures for underlying components of 
the Index, as described above, will help ensure that the Index 
maintains its intended market character.

    \36\ See Amendment No. 2, supra note 5.
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    In Amendment No. 2, the CBOE further represents that the Index 
values are expected to be carried by the major quote vendors, and 
thereby will be accessible to investors throughout the trading day. The 
Commission believes that in light of CBOE's assurances that the Index 
value will be widely available to investors throughout the trading day, 
and because stock exchange trading in Japan and U.S. markets does not 
overlap, the described amendment relating to Index dissemination is 
appropriate.
    Amendment No. 3 to CBOE's proposal states that the CBOE will 
monitor the weightings of the components of the Japan Export Index and 
if at any time the top 5 stocks account for more than 33\1/3\% of the 
total weight of the Index, CBOE will re-balance the Index within the 
next thirty calendar days. The Commission notes that Amendment No. 3 is 
more restrictive than the original proposal which was published for the 
full 21-day comment period without any comments being received by the 
Commission.\37\ Additionally, the Commission believes that the 
Exchange's interim reblancing procedures will benefit investors and 
help ensure that the Index reflects its intended market character.

    \37\ The Commission believes that the CBOE's amended maintenance 
procedures are more restrictive in that the CBOE will re-balance the 
Index within 30 calendar days if at any time the top 5 stocks 
account for more than 33\1/3\% of the total weight of the Index. The 
proposal as originally filed only contemplated an annual rebalancing 
under all circumstances.
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    Accordingly, the Commission believes it is consistent with Section 
6(b)(5) and 19(b)(2) of the Act to approve the proposed rule change, 
including Amendment Nos. 1, 2 and 3 to the proposed rule change, on an 
accelerated basis.

E. Solicitation of Comments

    Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views and 
arguments concerning the foregoing. 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. Sec. 552, will be available for inspection and copying at 
the Commission's Public Reference Section, 450 Fifth Street, NW., 
Washington, DC 20549. Copies of such filing will also be available for 
inspection and copying at the principal office of the CBOE. All 
submissions should refer to SR-CBOE-95-41 and should be submitted by 
October 17, 1995.

IV. Conclusion

    It is therefore ordered, pursuant to Section 19(b)(2) of the 
Act,\38\ that the proposed rule change (File No. SR-CBOE-95-41), as 
amended, is approved.

    \38\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2).
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    For the Commission, by the Division of Market Regulation, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\39\

    \39\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Margaret H. McFarland,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 95-23758 Filed 9-25-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8010-01-M