[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 186 (Wednesday, September 26, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54704-54705]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-18955]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-56461; File No. SR-NASDAQ-2007-077]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC; 
Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change To 
Modify Fees for Members Using the Nasdaq Market Center

 September 18, 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 September 4, 2007, The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC (``Nasdaq'') filed 
with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the ``Commission'') the 
proposed rule change as described in Items I, II, and III below, which 
Items have been substantially prepared by the Exchange. The Exchange 
filed the proposed rule change pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the 
Act \3\ and Rule 19b-4(f)(2) 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)(2).
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I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance 
of the Proposed Rule Change

    Nasdaq proposes to modify pricing for Nasdaq members using the 
Nasdaq Market Center. Nasdaq will implement this proposed rule change 
on September 4, 2007. The text of the proposed rule change is available 
at the Exchange's Web site, http://www.nasdaq.complinet.com, the 
Exchange and 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, Nasdaq 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. Nasdaq 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
    Nasdaq is adding a new fee tier for orders routed to the New York 
Stock Exchange (``NYSE'') through the Nasdaq Market Center. The new 
tier recognizes that some market participants use Nasdaq as a preferred 
means to route orders to NYSE, but less frequently access liquidity on 
the Nasdaq book. Nevertheless, Nasdaq believes that offering a modest 
price reduction for firms that make significant use of Nasdaq as a 
router is appropriate in light of the overall level of fees paid by 
such firms. Specifically, the reduced fee would apply to members with 
an average daily volume in all securities during the month of more than 
60 million shares of liquidity routed to the NYSE without attempting to 
execute in the Nasdaq Market Center in any respect. Directed 
Intermarket Sweep Orders would not count toward the 60 million share 
requirement, nor would orders that access only displayed quotes in 
Nasdaq prior to routing. The fee for routing to NYSE in such cases 
would be $0.0003 per share executed, which compares favorably to fees 
of $0.000325 and $0.00035 for firms that provide up to 35 million 
shares of liquidity through Nasdaq (but which are higher than the fee 
of $0.000275 for firms providing more liquidity). Firms in the new tier 
would continue to pay a fee of $0.00035 for Directed Intermarket Sweep 
Orders and orders that access only displayed size in Nasdaq, and 0.3% 
of the total transaction cost for routed orders in securities priced at 
less than $1 per share.
2. Statutory Basis
    Nasdaq believes that the proposed rule change is consistent with 
the provisions of Section 6 of the Act,\5\ in general, and with Section 
6(b)(4) of the Act,\6\ in particular, in that the change provides for 
the equitable allocation of reasonable dues, fees and other charges 
among members and issuers and other persons using any facility or 
system which Nasdaq operates or controls. Nasdaq believes that the fee 
change reflects an allocation of fees that recognizes the preference of 
some market participants to use Nasdaq as their primary means of 
routing orders to NYSE for execution.
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    \5\ 15 U.S.C. 78f.
    \6\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(4).
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B. Self Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition

    Nasdaq does not believe that the proposed rule change will result 
in any burden on competition that is not necessary or appropriate in 
furtherance of the purposes of the Act, as amended.

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

    Written comments on the proposed rule change were neither solicited 
nor received.

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

    The foregoing proposed rule change is filed pursuant to Section 
19(b)(3)(A)(ii) of the Act \7\ and subparagraph (f)(2) of Rule 19b-4 
thereunder \8\ because it establishes or changes a due, fee, or other 
charge applicable only to a member imposed by a self-regulatory 
organization. Accordingly, the proposal is effective upon Commission 
receipt of the filing. 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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    \7\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(ii).
    \8\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(2).
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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 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

[[Page 54705]]

     Send an e-mail to [email protected]. Please include 
File Number SR-NASDAQ-2007-077 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-NASDAQ-2007-077. 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 Nasdaq. 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-NASDAQ-2007-077 and should 
be submitted on or before October 17, 2007.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Market Regulation, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\9\
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    \9\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Florence E. Harmon,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. E7-18955 Filed 9-25-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8010-01-P