[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 32 (Friday, February 16, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7698-7699]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-2765]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-55266; File No. SR-CBOE-2007-12]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; Chicago Board Options Exchange, 
Incorporated; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed 
Rule Change Relating to the Extension of a Pilot Program that Increases 
the Standard Position and Exercise Limits for Certain Options Traded on 
the Exchange

February 9, 2007.
    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 February 6, 2007, the Chicago Board Options Exchange, Incorporated 
(``CBOE'' or ``Exchange'') filed with the Securities and Exchange 
Commission (``Commission'') the proposed rule change as described in 
Items I and II below, which Items have been prepared by CBOE. The 
Exchange has filed the proposal as a ``non-controversial'' rule change 
pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act \3\ and Rule 19b-4(f)(6) 
thereunder,\4\ which renders it 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).
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I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance 
of the Proposed Rule Change

    CBOE proposes to extend an existing pilot program that increases 
the standard position and exercise limits for certain options traded on 
the Exchange (``Pilot Program''). The text of the proposed rule change 
is available at CBOE, the Commission's Public Reference Room, and 
http://www.cboe.com.

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

    In its filing with the Commission, CBOE 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 Pilot Program, as previously approved by the Commission, 
provides for an increase to the standard position and exercise limits 
for equity option contracts and for options on QQQQs for a six-month 
period.\5\ Specifically, the Pilot Program increased the applicable 
position and exercise limits for equity options and options on the QQQQ 
in accordance with the following levels:
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    \5\ The Pilot Program was approved by the Commission on 
February23, 2005. See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 51244 
(February 23, 2005), 70 FR 10010 (March 1, 2005) (SR-CBOE-2003-30) 
(``Pilot Program Order''). The Pilot Program has been extended three 
times and is due to expire on March 1, 2007. See Securities Exchange 
Act Release Nos. 52262 (August 15, 2005), 70 FR 48995 (August 22, 
2005) (SR-CBOE-2005-61); 53348 (February 22, 2006), 71 FR 10574 
(March 1, 2006) (SR-CBOE-2006-11); and 54336 (August 18, 2006), 71 
FR 50952 (August 28, 2006) (SR-CBOE-2006-69).

 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Current equity option contract limit     Pilot program equity option
                  \6\                             contract limit
------------------------------------------------------------------------
13,500 contracts.......................  25,000 contracts.
22,500 contracts.......................  50,000 contracts.
31,500 contracts.......................  75,000 contracts.
60,000 contracts.......................  200,000 contracts.
75,000 contracts.......................  250,000 contracts.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Current QQQQ option contract limit       Pilot program QQQQ option
                                          contract limit
------------------------------------------------------------------------
300,000 contracts......................  900,000 contracts.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The purpose of the proposed rule change is to extend the Pilot 
Program for an additional six-month period, through September 1, 2007. 
The Exchange believes that extending the Pilot Program for six months 
is warranted due to the positive feedback from members and for the 
reasons cited in the original rule filing that proposed the

[[Page 7699]]

adoption of the Pilot Program.\7\ Also, the Exchange has not 
encountered any problems or difficulties relating to the Pilot Program 
since its inception. For these reasons, the Exchange requests that the 
Commission extend the Pilot Program for the aforementioned additional 
period.
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    \6\ Except when the Pilot Program is in effect.
    \7\ See Pilot Program Order, supra note 5.
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2. Statutory Basis
    The Exchange believes that the proposed rule change is consistent 
with the requirements provided under Section 6(b)(5) \8\ of the Act 
that the rules of an exchange be designed to promote just and equitable 
principles of trade, to prevent fraudulent and manipulative acts and, 
in general, to protect investors and the public interest.
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    \8\ 15 U.S.C. 78f (b)(5).
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B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition

    CBOE does not believe that the proposed rule change will impose any 
burden on competition that is not necessary or appropriate in 
furtherance of the purposes of the Act.

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

    No written comments were solicited or received with respect to the 
proposed rule change.

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

    Because the forgoing rule change does not: (1) Significantly affect 
the protection of investors or the public interest; (2) impose any 
significant burden on competition; and (3) become operative for 30 days 
after the date of this filing, 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\
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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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    A proposed rule change filed under 19b-4(f)(6) normally may not 
become operative prior to 30 days after the date of filing.\11\ 
However, Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii) \12\ permits the Commission to designate 
a shorter time if such action is consistent with the protection of 
investors and the public interest. The Exchange has requested that the 
Commission waive the 30-day operative delay. The Commission believes 
that waiving the 30-day operative delay is consistent with the 
protection of investors and in the public interest because it will 
allow the Pilot Program to continue uninterrupted.\13\
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    \11\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6)(iii). In addition, Rule 19b-
4(f)(6)(iii)requires that a self-regulatory organization submit to 
the Commission written notice of its intent to file the proposed 
rule change, along with a brief description and text of the proposed 
rule change, at least five business days prior to the date of filing 
of the proposed rule change, or such shorter time as designated by 
the Commission. CBOE has satisfied the five-day pre-filing 
requirement.
    \12\ Id.
    \13\ For the purposes only of waiving the operative delay, 
theCommission has considered the proposed rule's impact on 
efficiency, competition, and capital formation. See 15 U.S.C. 
78c(f).
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    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 Act.

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. 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-CBOE-2007-12 on the subject line.

Paper Comments

     Send paper comments in triplicate to Nancy M. Morris, 
Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, Station Place, 100 F 
Street, NE., Washington, DC 20549-1090.

All submissions should refer to File No. SR-CBOE-2007-12. 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 Room. Copies of such 
filing will also be available for inspection and copying at the 
principal office of CBOE. 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-
CBOE-2007-12 and should be submitted on or before March 9, 2007.

For the Commission, by the Division of Market Regulation, pursuant 
to delegated authority.\14\
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    \14\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Florence E. Harmon,
Deputy Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E7-2765 Filed 2-15-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8010-01-P