[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 228 (Tuesday, November 27, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59293-59294]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-29402]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-45078; File No. SR-Phlx-2001-101]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; Notice of Filing and Immediate 
Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change by the Philadelphia Stock 
Exchange, Inc. Relating to Automatic Price Improvement for Equities 
Trading in Decimals

November 19, 2001.
    Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 
(``Act''),\1\ and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,\2\ notice is hereby given that 
on November 5, 2001, 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 Exchange. The 
Exchange filed this proposal under Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act,\3\ 
and Rule 19b-4(f)(6) \4\ thereunder, which renders the proposal 
effective upon filing with the Commission. The Commission is publishing 
this notice to solicit comments on the proposed rule change from 
interested persons.
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    \1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
    \2\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4.
    \3\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
    \4\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6). The Phlx requested that the 
Commission waive the 5-day pre-filing notice requirement, and the 
30-day operative delay.
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Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance 
of the Proposed Rule Change

    The Exchange proposes to extend through January 14, 2002 its 
Philadelphia Stock Exchange Automated Communication and Execution 
System (``PACE'')\5\ price improvement pilot program (``pilot 
program''). The pilot program, which is found in Supplementary Material 
.07 to Phlx Rule 229, consists of an automated price improvement 
feature based on decimal quoting, including a percentage of the spread 
between the bid and the offer. The current pilot program, established 
in SR-Phlx-2001-12, has been in effect since January 29, 2001.\6\ The 
only substantive change the Phlx proposes at this time is to extend the 
pilot program through January 14, 2001. The text of the proposed rule 
change is available at the Phlx and at the Commission.
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    \5\ PACE is the Exchange's automated order delivery, routing, 
execution and reporting system for equities.
    \6\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 43901 (January 30, 
2001), 66 FR 8988 (February 5, 2001).
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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 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 
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

1. Purpose
    The Phlx proposes to extend, through January 14, 2002, the Phlx's 
pilot program that incorporates automatic price improvement for 
equities quoting in decimals based on certain decimal parameters, 
including a percentage of the spread between the bid and offer. The 
Phlx proposes no substantive changes to the pilot program other than 
extending its date of operation through January 14, 2002.
2. Statutory Basis
    The Exchange believes that the proposed rule change is consistent 
with Section 6 of the Act \7\ in general, and in particular, with 
Section 6(b)(5),\8\ in that it is designed to promote just and 
equitable principles of trade, remove impediments to and perfect the 
mechanism of a free and open market

[[Page 59294]]

and protect investors and the public interest by extending automatic 
price improvement more widely to equities trading in decimals.
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    \7\ 15 U.S.C. 78f.
    \8\ 15 U.S.c. 78f(b)(5).
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B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition

    The Exchange 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

    Because the foregoing proposed rule change does not:
    (i) Significantly affect the protection of investors or the public 
interest;
    (ii) Impose any significant burden on competition; and
    (iii) Become operative for 30 days from the date on which it was 
filed, or such shorter time as the Commission may designate, it has 
become effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act \9\ and 
Rule 19b-4(f)(6) thereunder.\10\ At any time within 60 days of the 
filing of the proposed rule change, 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.
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    \9\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
    \10\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).
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    The Exchange has requested that the Commission accelerate the 
operative date. The Commission finds good cause to designate the 
proposal to be both effective and operative upon filing because such 
designation is consistent with the protection of investors and the 
public interest. Waiver of the 30-day operative delay will allow the 
pilot program to continue uninterrupted through January 14, 2002. For 
these reasons, the Commission finds good cause to designate that the 
proposal is both effective and operative upon filing with the 
Commission.\11\
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    \11\ For purposes only of accelerating the operative date of 
this proposal, the Commission has considered the proposed rule's 
impact on efficiency, competition, and capital formation. 15 U.S.C. 
78c(f).
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IV. Solicitation of Comments

    Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views, and 
arguments concerning the foregoing, including whether the proposal 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 Exchange. All 
submissions should refer to file number SR-Phlx-2001-101, and should be 
submitted by December 18, 2001.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Market Regulation, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\12\
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    \12\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Margaret H. McFarland,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 01-29402 Filed 11-26-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8010-01-M