[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 26 (Wednesday, February 7, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4694-4695]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-2542]



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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
[Release No. 34-36784; File No. SR-Phlx-95-79]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule 
Change by the Philadelphia Stock Exchange, Inc., Relating to the Bid 
Test Exemption

January 29, 1996.
    Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 
(``Act''),\1\ notice is hereby given that on January 2, 1996, the 
Philadelphia Stock Exchange, Inc. (``Phlx'' or ``Exchange'') 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 self-regulatory organization. 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) (1988).
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I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance 
of the Proposed Rule Change

    The Phlx proposes to amend its Rule 1072, Reporting Requirements 
Applicable to Short Sales in NASD/NM Securities, to permit affiliated 
Registered Option Traders (``ROTs'') to trade for each other's account 
pursuant to the market maker exemption contained therein. Rule 1072 
establishes specific criteria exempting Phlx specialists and ROTs from 
the NASD's ``bid test'' applicable to Nasdaq/National Market (``NM'') 
securities. The NASD bid test, with certain exception, prohibits short 
sales at or below the current inside bid when that bid is below the 
previous inside bid.\2\ Specifically, the Phlx proposes to extend its 
market maker exemption to include short sales by affiliated ROTs as 
``by or for a qualified options market maker'' consistent with Rule 
1072(c)(2). The proposed language in Rule 1072(c)(2)(iii)(A) would thus 
permit ROTs of the same member organization to trade pursuant to the 
exemption, even when the ROT trading the account has not designated 
that NM issue.

    \2\ NASD Rules of Fair Practices, Art. III, Section 48.
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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 these statements may be examined at 
the places specified in Item IV below. The self-regulatory organization 
has prepared summaries, set forth in Sections (A), (B), and (C) below, 
of the most significant aspects of such statements.

(A) Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and 
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

    In 1994, the NASD adopted a bid test rule applicable to NM 
securities traded through Nasdaq prohibiting short sales of NM 
securities at or below the current inside bid when that bid is below 
the previous inside bid.\3\ An exemption from this rule exists for 
option market makers hedging options positions with the related 
underlying securities, and the qualifying short sales are referred to 
as ``exempt hedge transactions.'' Pursuant to this market maker 
exemption, the Phlx adopted Rule 1072 establishing specific criteria 
for a short sale to qualify as an ``exempt hedge transaction'' in 
``designated'' NM issues.\4\ Generally, option specialists may rely on 
the exemption for short sales in NM securities underlying their 
specialist equity options, and index options if at least 10% of the 
value of the index is comprised of NM securities. In addition, ROTs 
must be assigned in that option to rely on the exemption and may only 
use the exemption in 20 designated NM issues.

    \3\ Securities Exchange Act Release No. 34277 (June 6, 1994), 59 
FR 34885 (granting temporary approval).
    \4\ Securities Exchange Act Release No. 34632 (September 2, 
1994), 59 FR 46999. The other options exchanges adopted rules 
similar to Phlx Rule 1072. See Chicago Board Options Exchange 
(``CBOE'') Rule 15.10, New York Stock Exchange (``NYSE'') Rule 759A, 
American Stock Exchange (``Amex'') Rule 957, and Pacific Stock 
Exchange (``PSE'') Rule 4.19. Id.
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    The Phlx now proposes to permit affiliated ROTs to trade one 
another's accounts pursuant to Rule 1072. Specifically, the amendment 
would allow an ROT to effect bid test exempt short sales in a Nasdaq/NM 
security which that ROT has not designated as qualifying for the 
exemption, provided that the security is a designated Nasdaq/NM 
security of another ROT of the same member organization, and further 
provided that such other ROT is not also present or represented by a 
Floor Broker in the same trading crowd at the time of the bid test 
exempt sale. The Exchange notes that this amendment is similar to a 
CBOE proposal to permit nominees of a market maker organization to 
qualify for the exemption.\5\

    \5\ Securities Exchange Act Release No. 35281 (January 26, 
1995), 60 FR 6575.
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    The Phlx believes that the proposed amendment should facilitate ROT 
activity by allowing member organizations to manage better their market 
making activities. Managing these obligations and monitoring positions 
is especially critical when a ROT is absent from the trading floor. The 
Exchange also believes that the proposed provision is consistent with 
the intent of the market maker exemption to the short sale rule, in 
that the exemption continues to be limited to those Nasdaq/NM 
securities which are 

[[Page 4695]]
used to hedge option transactions in the primary classes in which the 
member organization makes markets.
    For these reasons, the Exchange believes that its proposal is 
consistent with Section 6 of the Act in general, and in particular with 
Section 6(b)(5) in that it is designed to promote just and equitable 
principals of trade, and remove impediments to and perfect the 
mechanism of a free and open market while preventing fraudulent and 
manipulative acts and practices.

(B) Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition

    The Phlx does not believe that the proposed rule change will impose 
any inappropriate burden on competition.

(C) Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the 
Proposed Rule Change Received From Members, Participants, or Others

    Written comments on the proposed rule change were neither solicited 
nor received.

III. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed Rule Change and Timing for 
Commission Action

    Within 35 days of the date of publication of this notice in the 
Federal Register or within such longer period (i) as the Commission may 
designate up to 90 days of such date if it finds such longer period to 
be appropriate and publishes its reasons for so finding or (ii) as to 
which the self-regulatory organization consents, the Commission will:
    (a) By order approve such proposed rule change, or
    (b) Institute proceedings to determine whether the proposed rule 
change should be disapproved.

IV. 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. 552, will be available for inspection and copying in the 
Commission's Public Reference Section, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., 
Washington, DC. Copies of such filing will also be available for 
inspection and copying at the principal office of the above-mentioned 
self-regulatory organization. All submissions should refer to File No. 
SR-Phlx-95-79 and should be submitted by February 28, 1996.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Market Regulation, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\6\

    \6\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12)(1994).
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Margaret H. McFarland,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 96-2542 Filed 2-6-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8010-01-M