[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 225 (Tuesday, November 21, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69984-69986]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-29747]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-43558; File No. SR-Phlx-00-85]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule 
Change and Amendment No. 1 by the Philadelphia Stock Exchange, Inc. 
Relating to Equity Option Transaction Charges For Broker-Dealers and 
Firms

November 14, 2000.
    Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 
(``Act''), 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1), notice is hereby given that on November 
3, 2000, the Philadelphia Stock Exchange, Inc. (``Phlx'' or 
``Exchange'') filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission 
(``SEC'' or ``Commission'') the amended proposed rule change as 
described in Items I, II, and III below, which Items have been prepared 
by the Exchange.\1\ On October 4, 2000, the Phlx filed the original 
proposed rule change. The Commission is publishing this notice to 
solicit comments on the proposed rule change from interested persons.
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    \1\ See Amendment No. 1 dated November 2, 2000 from Cynthia K. 
Hoekstra, Philadelphia Stock Exchange to Madge M. Hamilton, Esq., 
Division of Market Regulation, SEC (``Amendment No. 1''). This 
release incorporates all changes made in Amendment No. 1.
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I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of 
Substance of the Proposed Rule Change

    The Phlx, pursuant to Rule 19b-4 of the Act, proposes to adopt a 
$.20 equity

[[Page 69985]]

option transaction charge on off-floor members for broker-dealer 
transactions, as defined herein, including a related definition of 
``firm/proprietary'' for the purpose of the Summary of Equity Option 
Charges that appears in the Exchange's schedule of dues, fees and 
charges.\2\
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    \2\ Equity Option Charges are comprised of the Option Comparison 
charge, Option Transaction charge, Option Floor Brokerage Assessment 
and the Floor Brokerage Transaction Fee.
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    A copy of the text of the Summary of Equity Option Charges may be 
obtained from the Exchange or the Commission.

II. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statements of the Purpose of, 
and Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

    In its filing with the Commission, the Exchange 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 Exchange has prepared summaries, set forth in 
section 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

1. Purpose
    Currently, the Exchange imposes a transaction charge on equity 
options transactions executed on the Exchange. The charges vary 
depending on whether the transaction involves a firm, Registered 
Options Trader (``ROT'') or specialist. Previously, equity option 
transaction charges were also imposed on customer executions, but on 
August 31, 2000, the Exchange eliminated all equity option transaction 
charges for customer executions.\3\ Other exchanges also eliminated 
similar customer equity option fees.\4\
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    \3\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 43343 (SR-Phlx-00-
80) (September 26, 2000), 65 FR 59243 (October 4, 2000).
    \4\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 42676 (SR-AMEX-00-
15) (April 13, 2000), 65 FR 21223 (April 20, 2000); Securities 
Exchange Act Release No. 42850 (SR-CBOE-00-06) (May 30, 2000), 65 FR 
36187 (June 7, 2000); and Securities Exchange Act Release No. 43115 
(SR-PCX-00-16) (August 3, 2000), 65 FR 49280 (August 11, 2000). See 
also Securities Exchange Act Release No. 43020 (SR-PCX-00-14) (July 
10, 2000), 65 FR 44558 (July 18, 2000).
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    To offset the elimination of the customer equity option transaction 
and comparison charges, the Exchange proposes to impose a fee on its 
members of $.20 per contract for all off-floor broker-dealer orders 
routed to the Exchange. This category would include ROTs who are 
trading from off-floor and broker-dealer routing orders through firm, 
customer or market maker accounts carried by a member clearing firm, 
but not firm/proprietary orders, as defined below. All other equity 
option transaction charges will remain unchanged. Thus, the purpose of 
the proposal is to offset the recently waived equity option customer 
charges.
    For purposes of the equity option transaction charge, the term 
broker-dealer charge is defined as a charge that is applied to members 
for orders, entered from other than the floor of the Exchange, for any 
account (i) in which the holder of beneficial interest is a member of 
non-member broker-dealer or (ii) in which the holder of beneficial 
interest is a person associated with or employed by a member or non-
member broker-dealer. This includes orders for the account of an ROT 
entered from off-floor. The Exchange believes the proposed fee is 
reasonable and equitable, as the next-highest equity option transaction 
charge is $.19 for ROTs ($.16 transaction charge + $.03 comparison 
charge) and $.18 per contract for specialists. Thus, the proposed $.20 
fee is only slightly higher.
    Because the proposed $.20 fee does not apply to firm orders, (which 
may otherwise be captured in the proposed broker-dealer definition), 
the Exchange proposes a corresponding change to the definition of firm 
for purposes of the firm/proprietary comparison and transaction charges 
that would now limit these fees to a certain category of firm trades--
firm/proprietary trades. According to the proposal, a firm/proprietary 
transaction or comparison charge applies to members for orders for the 
proprietary account of any member or non-member broker-dealer that 
derives more than 35 percent of its annual, gross revenues from 
commissions and principal transactions with customers. Firms will be 
required to verify this amount to the Exchange by certifying that they 
have reached this threshold and by submitting a copy of their annual 
report, which was prepared in accordance with Generally Accepted 
Accounting Principles (``GAAP''). In the event that a firm has not been 
in business for one year, the most recent quarterly reports, prepared 
in accordance with GAAP, will be accepted. This definition applies to 
both the option comparison charge and the transaction charge, and would 
appear on the summary of equity option charges as a footnote. 
Currently, a definition of ``firm'' does not appear on the summary. In 
addition, the footnote text that reads ``(Non-clearing firm members' 
proprietary transactions are eligible for the ``firm'' rate based upon 
submission of a Phlx rebate request form with supportive documentation 
within thirty (30) days of invoice date.)'' will be deleted as it is no 
longer necessary now that the category of broker-dealer is specifically 
included in the option transaction charge.
2. Statutory Basis
    The Exchange believes that the proposed rule change is consistent 
with Section 6(b) of the Act in general and furthers the objectives of 
Section 6(b)(4) of the Act, in particular, by providing for the 
equitable allocation of reasonable dues, fees and other charges among 
members and other Exchange participants. The Exchange believes that the 
proposed increase in the Equity Option transaction charge for broker-
dealers is not unreasonable, as stated above. In addition, the Exchange 
notes that members will be charged the same option transaction charge 
for trades on behalf of both member and non-member broker-dealers 
trading off the floor (including ROTs trading from off-floor) of the 
Exchange. The Exchange emphasizes that only members/member 
organizations are billed transaction fees, whether for their own 
trading or their customers.

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

    No written comments were either solicited or received.

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

    The foregoing proposed rule change has been designated as a fee 
change pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act and Rule 19b-4(f)(2) 
thereunder. Accordingly, the proposal will take effect upon filing of 
Amendment No. 1 with the Commission. At any time within 60 days of the 
filing of Amendment No. 1, the Commission may summarily abrogate such 
rule change if it appears to the Commission that such action is 
necessary or appropriate in the public interest, for the protection of 
investors, or otherwise in furtherance of the purposes of the Act.

[[Page 69986]]

IV. Solicitation of Comments

    Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views and 
arguments concerning the foregoing including whether the proposed rule 
change is consistent with the Act. Persons making written submissions 
should file six copies thereof with the Secretary, Securities and 
Exchange Commission, 450 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20549-0609. 
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 Room. Copies of such filing will also be 
available for inspection and copying at the principal office of the 
Phlx. All submissions should refer to File No. SR-Phlx-00-85 and should 
be submitted by December 12, 2000.

    For the Commission by the Division of Market Regulation, 
pursuant to delegated authority.
Margaret H. McFarland,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 00-29747 Filed 11-20-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8010-01-M