[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 157 (Wednesday, August 15, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45836-45837]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-15934]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-56219; File No. SR-Amex-2007-78]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; American Stock Exchange LLC; 
Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed Rule Change 
To Amend Rule 520 in Order To Clarify Reporting Requirements

 August 8, 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 August 2, 2007, the American Stock Exchange LLC (``Amex'' 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 Amex. The 
Exchange has filed the proposal pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the 
Act \3\ and Rule 19b-4(f)(6) thereunder,\4\ 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).
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I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance 
of the Proposed Rule Change

    The Exchange proposes to amend Rule 520 (Options and Selling 
Agreements) in order to clarify reporting requirements. The text of the 
proposed rule change is available at Amex, the Commission's Public 
Reference Room, and http://www.amex.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, Amex 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. Amex 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 purpose of the proposed rule change is to clarify the reporting 
requirements of Rule 520. The proposal seeks to amend Rule 520 to make 
clear that it does not apply to standardized options and corporate 
stock options.\5\
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    \5\ The Commission notes that revised Rule 520 requires each 
member and member organization to report to the Exchange such 
information as may be required with respect to any substantial 
option relating to listed securities, or securities admitted to 
unlisted trading privileges on the Exchange, acquired over-the-
counter, in which such member, member organization, or allied member 
therein is directly or indirectly interested or of which such 
member, member organization, or allied member has knowledge by 
reason of transactions executed by or through such member or 
organization.
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    Rule 520 is designed to facilitate the Exchange's surveillance for 
and enforcement of rules against manipulation in connection with 
private or over-the-counter options. Because standardized options and 
corporate stock options are already subject to similar reporting 
requirements, via a prospectus or a registration statement, the 
Exchange believes it is redundant and needlessly burdensome to also 
require each member and member organization to submit reports to the 
Exchange under Rule 520 for standardized options and corporate stock 
options.
    The Exchange submits that the proposed amendment to Rule 520 will 
provide additional transparency and clarity to the Rule. Furthermore, 
the Exchange believes that the proposed amendment to Rule 520 will 
enable Amex standards to be more consistent with those of the New York 
Stock Exchange LLC (``NYSE'') \6\ and the Philadelphia Stock Exchange, 
Inc. (``Phlx''),\7\ and therefore facilitate uniform application of the 
reporting requirements.
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    \6\ See NYSE Rule 424.
    \7\ See Phlx Rule 784.
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2. Statutory Basis
    The Exchange believes the proposed rule change is consistent with 
Section 6(b) of the Act,\8\ in general, and furthers the objectives of 
Section 6(b)(5) of the Act,\9\ in particular, in that it is designed to 
promote just and equitable principles of trade, to remove impediments 
to and perfect the mechanism of a free and

[[Page 45837]]

open market and in general to protect investors and the public 
interest.
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    \8\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
    \9\ 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 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 \10\ and Rule 19b-4(f)(6) thereunder.\11\
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    \10\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
    \11\ 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.\12\ 
However, Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii) \13\ 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 the public interest because the proposal 
raises no new regulatory issues and is consistent with similar rules of 
the NYSE and Phlx. For this reason, the Commission designates the 
proposed rule change to be operative upon filing with the 
Commission.\14\
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    \12\ 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. The Exchange has requested the Commission to waive 
this five-day pre-filing notice requirement. The Commission hereby 
grants this request.
    \13\ Id.
    \14\ For the purposes only of waiving the 30-day operative 
delay, 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-Amex-2007-78 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-Amex-2007-78. 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 the filing also will be available for 
inspection and copying at the principal office of Amex. 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-Amex-2007-78 and should be 
submitted on or before September 5, 2007.
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    \15\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).

    For the Commission, by the Division of Market Regulation, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\15\
Florence E. Harmon,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. E7-15934 Filed 8-14-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8010-01-P