[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 245 (Friday, December 21, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72803-72804]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-24801]



[[Page 72803]]

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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-56974; File No. SR-Amex-2007-132]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; American Stock Exchange LLC; 
Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule Change as Modified by Amendment No. 1 
Thereto To Include Volume Executed by Remote Quoting Towards the 
Earning of Remote Quoting Rights

    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 November 30, 2007, the American Stock Exchange LLC (``Amex'' or the 
``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 Exchange. 
On December 13, 2007, Amex filed Amendment No. 1 to the proposed rule 
change. The Commission is publishing this notice to solicit comments on 
the proposed rule change, as amended, from interested persons.
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    \1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
    \2\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4.
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I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance 
of the Proposed Rule Change

    The Exchange, proposes to include the volume executed by 
specialists and registered options traders (``ROTs'') as a result of 
remote quoting towards the earning of remote quoting rights in the 
Exchange's remote registered options trader (``RROT'') program (the 
``RROT Program'').
    The text of the proposed rule change is available at http://www.amex.com, at the Exchange'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 Exchange 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 Exchange is proposing to include the volume executed by 
specialists and ROTs as a result of remote quoting, towards the earning 
of remote quoting rights in the Exchange's RROT Program.
    The Exchange's RROT Program currently allows members or member 
organizations designated by the Exchange to be awarded remote quoting 
rights to enter bids and offers electronically from locations other 
than the trading crowd where the applicable options class is traded on 
the Exchange's physical trading floor.\3\ ROTs and specialists are 
currently awarded remote quoting rights based on quantitative criteria 
set forth in Amex Rule 994-ANTE. Specifically, specialists are awarded 
remote quoting rights based on Exchange floor volume executed, and 
their percentage of industry market share in the options which they 
specialize. ROTs are awarded remote quoting rights based solely on 
floor volume executed.
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    \3\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 53652 (April 13, 
2006), 71 FR 20422 (April 20, 2006) (approving the Exchange's RROT 
Program).
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    Currently, volume executed as a result of quoting remotely is not 
included in the calculation of remote quoting rights in Rule 994-ANTE. 
However, since the implementation of the RROT Program in May of 2006, 
volume is increasingly executed as a result of remote quotes entered by 
ROTs and specialists. The Exchange believes it is appropriate to reward 
those ROTs and specialists for the volume they execute as a result of 
quoting remotely, by including such volume towards the earning of 
additional remote quoting rights.
2. Statutory Basis
    The Exchange believes the proposed rule change is consistent with 
section 6(b) of the Act,\4\ in general, and section 6(b)(5) of the 
Act,\5\ in particular, in that it is designed to prevent fraudulent and 
manipulative acts and practices, to promote just and equitable 
principles of trade, to remove impediments to and perfect the mechanism 
of a free and open market and a national market system and, in general, 
to protect investors and the public interest.
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    \4\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
    \5\ 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 
result in any burden on competition that is not necessary or 
appropriate in furtherance of the purpose of the Act.

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

    The Exchange has neither solicited nor received written comments on 
the proposed rule change.

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

    Within 35 days of the date of publication of this notice in the 
Federal Register or within such longer period (i) as the Commission may 
designate up to 90 days of such date if it finds such longer period to 
be appropriate and publishes its reasons for so finding, or (ii) as to 
which Amex consents, the Commission will:
    A. By order approve such proposed rule change; or
    B. Institute proceedings to determine whether the proposed rule 
change should be disproved.

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-2007-132 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-2007-132. 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

[[Page 72804]]

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 offices of the Exchange. 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-2007-132 and should be submitted on or before 
January 11, 2008.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\6\
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    \6\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Florence E. Harmon,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. E7-24801 Filed 12-20-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P