[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 108 (Thursday, June 5, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30918-30919]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-14690]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-38697; File No. SR-MBSCC-97-03]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; MBS Clearing Corporation; Order 
Approving a Proposed Rule Change Relating to the Establishment of the 
Comparison Only System

May 30, 1997.
    On February 18, 1997, the MBS Clearing Corporation (``MBSCC'') 
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission'') a 
proposed rule change (File No. SR-MBSCC-97-03) pursuant to Section 
19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (``Act'').\1\ Notice of 
the proposal was published in the Federal Register on April 7, 1997.\2\ 
No comment letters were received. For the reasons discussed below, the 
Commission is approving the proposed rule change.
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    \1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
    \2\ Securities Exchange Act Release No. 38461 (April 1, 1997), 
62 FR 16634.
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I. Description

    The proposed rule change modifies MBSCC's rules to establish the 
Comparison Only System (``COS'') and to create a new category of 
participant, a ``limited purpose participant,'' eligible to use this 
system. As a result of interest expressed by the Federal National 
Mortgage Association and other organizations, MBSCC developed COS.
    Under current MBSCC rules, MBSCC processes securities through its 
Comparison and Clearing System (``CCS'') which provides a comparison 
and confirmation service, risk management services, and a multilateral 
netting service. The proposed COS is a more limited system than the CCS 
in that it will only provide comparison and confirmation services. COS 
will be a system restricted to those that trade in a principal capacity 
(i.e., as dealers) where specified trade data must exactly and promptly 
compare between like contra-sides.
    Because the COS is limited to comparison, participants will not be 
required to meet specific net capital or net worth financial 
requirements. COS will require each limited purpose participant to 
submit financial information to demonstrate its financial ability to 
meet its cash balance debit obligations to MBSCC, which are limited to 
the fees for using the COS and any late fees imposed. It is expected 
that these fees will be significantly lower than those imposed on 
participants in the CCS; therefore, no basic deposit fee will be 
required of COS participants. MBSCC will bill the limited purpose 
participant on a monthly basis. The bill will be payable to MBSCC via 
the federal funds wire. Similarly, limited purpose participants are not 
subject to margin and participants fund requirements.
    Under COS, after a trade is negotiated by the parties, trade data 
will be submitted electronically by the parties to MBSCC for 
comparison. The submitted trade data will be compared in MBSCC's AM or 
PM processing pass. If a trade compares, MBSCC will issue a purchase 
and sale report to each side of the trade.\3\ The purchase and sale 
report will serve as the sole binding confirmation of the matched 
trade.\4\ Trades compared through COS will be settled outside of the 
MBSCC system. Trades that do not compare will be reported as unmatched 
on a transaction

[[Page 30919]]

summary report sent to the parties. Individually or jointly, the 
parties must then resolve or delete the unmatched trade by taking one 
or more of the following on-line actions: delete, DK (don't know), 
affirm, and new input. Unmatched trades will remain on a transaction 
summary report until resolved. Until an unmatched trade is resolved or 
deleted, the participant(s) that have not taken one or more of the on-
line actions will be subject to the imposition of any associated late 
fees by MBSCC. Late fees are similarly assessed against the 
participant(s) with unmatched trades in CCS. For purposes of computing 
the late fees, each missed processing pass after a two pass grace 
period will result in a separate assessment against the participant(s). 
If the unmatched trade is resolved, MBSCC will compare and confirm it 
with a purchase and sale report as described above.
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    \3\ For a trade to compare in COS, certain trade data will have 
to match exactly. Specifically, the trade data will be buyer 
account, seller account, class code or CUSIP/pool number, price, 
trade type, trade date, settlement date, and par value.
    \4\ Under MBSCC's rules, as the sole confirmation, the purchase 
and sale report will evidence a valid, binding, and enforceable 
contract, and MBSCC will be entitled to rely upon the purchase and 
sale report for all purposes under their rules. MBSCC Rules, Article 
II, Rule 4, Section 2.
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II. Discussion

    Section 17A(b)(3)(F) \5\ of the Act requires that the rules of a 
clearing agency be designed to promote the prompt and accurate 
clearance and settlement of securities transactions. The Commission 
believes that MBSCC's proposed rule change is consistent with MBSCC's 
obligation under the Act because the COS provides a more efficient 
means to compare trade data for mortgage-backed securities.
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    \5\ 15 U.S.C. 78q-1(b)(3)(F).
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    The objective of COS is to improve the means by which trades in 
mortgage-backed securities are compared by providing a centralized and 
automated alternative to the current method of verbal contact and 
physical processing. By automating the means by which trade data is 
compared, MBSCC is fulfilling its statutory obligation of promoting the 
prompt and accurate clearance and settlement of securities 
transactions.

III. Conclusion

    On the basis of the foregoing, the Commission finds that the 
proposal is consistent with the requirements of Section 17A(b)(3)(F) of 
the Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.
    It Is Therefore Ordered, pursuant to Section 19(b)(2) of the Act, 
that the proposed rule change (File No. SR-MBSCC-97-03) be, and hereby 
is, approved.

    For the Commission by the Division of Market Regulation, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\6\
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    \6\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Margaret H. McFarland,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 97-14690 Filed 6-4-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8010-01-M