[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 149 (Friday, August 3, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43305-43306]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-15068]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-56156; File No. SR-ISE-2007-66]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; International Securities Exchange, 
LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule 
Change Relating to an Extension for the Price Improvement Mechanism 
Pilot Program

July 27, 2007.
    Pursuant to section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 
(the ``Act''),\1\ and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,\2\ notice is hereby given 
that on July 24, 2007, the International Securities Exchange, LLC 
(``ISE'' 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 substantially prepared by 
the ISE. The ISE has designated the proposed rule change 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 the proposed rule 
change 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

    The Exchange is proposing to extend two pilot programs related to 
its Price Improvement Mechanism (``PIM'') contained in paragraphs .03 
and .05 of the Supplemental Material to Rule 723. The text of the 
proposed rule change is available on ISE's Web site at http://www.ise.com, at ISE's principal office, and at the Commission's Public 
Reference Room.

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 ISE 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 ISE 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 Exchange currently has two pilot programs related to its 
PIM.\5\ The current pilot period provided in paragraphs .03 and .05 of 
the Supplementary Material to Rule 723 was due to expire on July 18, 
2007 and was extended until July 25, 2007.\6\ The Exchange now proposes 
to extend the two pilot programs until July 18, 2008. Paragraph .03 
provides that there is no minimum size requirement for orders to be 
eligible for the Price Improvement Mechanism. Paragraph .05 concerns 
the termination of the exposure period by unrelated orders. The 
Exchange proposes to extend these pilots until July 18, 2008 to give 
the Exchange and the Commission additional time to evaluate the effects 
of the provisions before requesting permanent approval of the rules.
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    \5\ See Securities Exchange Act Release Nos. 50819 (December 8, 
2004), 69 FR 75093 (December 15, 2004) (approving the PIM Pilot (the 
``Approval Order'')); and 52027 (July 13, 2005), 70 FR 41804 (July 
20, 2005) (extending the PIM Pilot for an additional Year).
    \6\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 56106 (July 19, 
2007), 72 FR 40914 (July 25, 2007) (Notice of Filing and Immediate 
Effectiveness of SR-ISE-2007-62).
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2. Statutory Basis
    The Exchange believes that the proposed rule change is consistent 
with section 6(b) of the Act,\7\ in general, and furthers the 
objectives of section 6(b)(5) of the Act,\8\ in particular, in that the 
proposed rule change is designed to promote just and equitable 
principles of trade, remove impediments to and perfect the mechanisms 
of a free and open market and a national market system and, in general, 
to protect investors and the public interest. Since the PIM has only 
been operating for a relatively short period of time, the Exchange 
believes it is appropriate to extend the pilot periods to provide the 
Exchange and Commission more data upon which to evaluate the rules.
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    \7\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
    \8\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
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B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition

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

[[Page 43306]]

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

    The Exchange has not solicited, and does not intend to solicit, 
comments on this proposed rule change. The Exchange has not received 
any written comments from members or other interested parties.

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

    Because the foregoing proposed rule change: (1) Does not 
significantly affect the protection of investors or the public 
interest; (2) does not impose any significant burden on competition; 
and (3) by its terms does not become operative for 30 days after the 
date of this filing, or such shorter time as the Commission may 
designate if consistent with the protection of investors and the public 
interest, provided that the Exchange has given the Commission 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.\9\
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    \9\ The Exchange has requested that the Commission waive the 
five-day pre-filing notice requirement, and the Commission has 
agreed to waive the requirement.
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    A proposed rule change filed under Rule 19b-4(f)(6) \10\ normally 
may not become operative prior to 30 days after the date of filing. 
However, Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii) \11\ permits the Commission to designate 
a shorter time if such action is consistent with the protection of 
investors and the public interest. The ISE requests that the Commission 
waive the 30-day operative delay, as specified in Rule 19b-
4(f)(6)(iii),\12\ which would make the rule change effective and 
operative upon filing. The Commission believes that waiving the 30-day 
operative delay is consistent with the protection of investors and the 
public interest because such waiver would allow the pilot periods to 
continue without interruption until July 18, 2008.\13\ Accordingly, the 
Commission designates the proposed rule change operative upon filing 
with the Commission.
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    \10\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).
    \11\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6)(iii).
    \12\ Id.
    \13\ For purposes only of waiving the operative delay for this 
proposal, the Commission 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 such 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.

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 Number SR-ISE-2007-66 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 Number SR-ISE-2007-66. 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, 100 F Street, NE., 
Washington, DC 20549, on official business days between the hours of 10 
a.m. and 3 p.m. Copies of such filing also will be available for 
inspection and copying at the principal office of the ISE. 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 Number SR-ISE-2007-66 and should be 
submitted on or before August 24, 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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Nancy M. Morris,
Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E7-15068 Filed 8-2-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8010-01-P