[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 183 (Thursday, September 21, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55247-55248]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-7838]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-54444; File No. SR-NSCC-2006-02]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; National Securities Clearing 
Corporation; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed 
Rule Change Relating to Providing Financial Reports to Participants

September 14, 2006.
    Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 
(``Act''),\1\ notice is hereby given that on February 15, 2006, the 
National Securities Clearing Corporation (``NSCC'') filed a proposed 
rule change with the Securities and Exchange Commission 
(``Commission'') and on July 21, 2006, and August 18, 2006, amended the 
proposed rule change as described in Items I, II, and III below, which 
Items have been prepared primarily by NSCC. NSCC filed the proposed 
rule change pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A)(i) of the Act \2\ and Rule 
19b-4(f)(1) \3\ thereunder so that the proposal was 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\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(i).
    \3\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(1).
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I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance 
of the Proposed Rule Change

    The proposed rule change will clarify NSCC's rules that it will 
provide unaudited quarterly financial statements to its members for the 
first three quarters of the calendar year only.

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

    In its filing with the Commission, NSCC included statements 
concerning the purpose of and basis for the proposed rule change and 
discussed any comments it received on the proposed

[[Page 55248]]

rule change. The text of these statements may be examined at the places 
specified in Item IV below. NSCC has prepared summaries, set forth in 
sections A, B, and C below, of the most significant aspects of such 
statements.\4\
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    \4\ The Commission has modified the text of the summaries 
prepared by NSCC.
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A. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and 
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

    The purpose of the proposed rule change is to further harmonize and 
clarify the rules of The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation's 
clearing agency subsidiaries. In this filing, NSCC proposes to conform 
NSCC Rule 35 concerning providing financial reports to its members to 
the equivalent rule of The Depository Trust Company (``DTC''), DTC Rule 
15. Specifically, the rule change would clarify NSCC's longstanding 
practice of providing unaudited quarterly financial statements to its 
members for the first three quarters of the calendar year only.\5\
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    \5\ Annual audited financial statements are provided to members 
after the last calendar quarter of the year.
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    NSCC believes that the proposed rule change is consistent with the 
requirements of Section 17A of the Act \6\ and the rules and 
regulations thereunder because it constitutes a stated policy, 
practice, or interpretation with respect to the meaning, 
administration, or enforcement of an existing rule of NSCC and as such 
does not adversely affect the safeguarding of securities or funds in 
the custody or control of NSCC or for which it is responsible.

B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition

    NSCC does not believe that the proposed rule change will have any 
impact or impose any burden on competition.
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    \6\ 15 U.S.C. 78q-1.
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C. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed 
Rule Change Received From Members, Participants, or Others

    NSCC has not solicited or received written comments relating to the 
proposed rule change. NSCC will notify the Commission of any written 
comments it receives.

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

    The foregoing rule change has become effective pursuant to Section 
19(b)(3)(A)(i) \7\ of the Act and Rule 19b-4(f)(1) \8\ thereunder 
because it constitutes a stated policy, practice, or interpretation 
with respect to the meaning, administration, or enforcement of an 
existing rule. 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.\9\
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    \7\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(i).
    \8\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(1).
    \9\ For purposes of calculating the 60-day period within which 
the Commission may summarily abrogate the proposed rule change under 
Section 19(b)(3)(C) of the Act, the Commission considers the period 
to commence on August 18, 2006, the date on which the last amendment 
to the proposed rule change was filed with the Commission. 15 U.S.C. 
78s(b)(3)(C).
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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 proposed rule 
change, as amended, is consistent with the Act. Comments may be 
submitted by any of the following methods:

Electronic Comments

     Use the Commission's Internet comment form (http://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml); or
     Send an e-mail to [email protected]. Please include 
File No. SR-NSCC-2006-02 on the subject line.

Paper Comments

     Send paper comments in triplicate to Nancy M. Morris, 
Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street, NE., 
Washington, DC 20549-1090.
    All submissions should refer to File No. SR-NSCC-2006-02. This file 
number should be included on the subject line if e-mail is used. To 
help the Commission process and review your comments more efficiently, 
please use only one method. The Commission will post all comments on 
the Commission's Internet Web site (http://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml). 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, 100 F Street, NE., 
Washington, DC 20549. Copies of such filing also will be available for 
inspection and copying at NSCC's principal office and on NSCC's Web 
site at http://www.nscc.com/legal/index.html. All comments received 
will be posted without change; the Commission does not edit personal 
identifying information from submissions. You should submit only 
information that you wish to make available publicly. All submissions 
should refer to File No. SR-NSCC-2006-02 and should be submitted on or 
before October 12, 2006.

    For the Commission by the Division of Market Regulation, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\10\
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    \10\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Jill M. Peterson,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 06-7838 Filed 9-20-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8010-01-P