[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 26 (Thursday, February 7, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7336-7338]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-2204]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-57250; File No. SR-CBOE-2008-11]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; Chicago Board Options Exchange, 
Incorporated; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed 
Rule Change Relating to CBOE's Holdback Timer

February 1, 2008.
    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 January 29, 2008, 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 substantially prepared by 
the CBOE. The Exchange filed the proposal as a ``non-controversial'' 
proposed rule change pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A)

[[Page 7337]]

of the Act \3\ and Rule 19b-4(f)(6) thereunder,\4\ which rendered 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

    CBOE proposes to amend its rules relating to the usage of its 
holdback timer. The text of the proposed rule change is available at 
CBOE, the Commission's Public Reference Room, and http://www.cboe.org/Legal.

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 proposal. The text of these 
statements may be examined at the places specified in Item IV below. 
CBOE 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
    On May 16, 2007, the Commission approved CBOE's proposed rule 
change, which implemented an additional quote mitigation strategy, 
namely, a holdback timer.\5\ In its filing, CBOE stated that it would 
utilize a holdback timer that delays quotation updates to OPRA for no 
longer than one (1) second, and that it would be used in option classes 
trading on the Hybrid Trading System and Hybrid 2.0 Platform. 
Subsequently, CBOE implemented a new trading platform, the Hybrid 3.0 
Platform, which allows a single quoter to submit an electronic quote 
which represents the aggregate Market-Maker quoting interest in a 
series in the trading crowd.\6\
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    \5\ See Securities Exchange Act Release 55772 (May 16, 2007), 72 
FR 28732 (May 22, 2007) (SR-CBOE-2007-45).
    \6\ See CBOE Rule 1.1(aaa).
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    CBOE now proposes to clarify that it may utilize the holdback timer 
in any option classes traded on CBOE, including option classes traded 
on the Hybrid 3.0 Platform. CBOE believes that the holdback timer is an 
appropriate and useful tool in mitigating quotations, as it reduces the 
number of quotations that CBOE disseminates to OPRA, without negatively 
impacting transparency. CBOE also notes that the holdback timer has 
been endorsed by the Securities Information and Financial Markets 
Association. CBOE is not proposing to change the manner in which the 
holdback timer functions, as described in its original rule filing SR-
CBOE-2007-45.
2. Statutory Basis
    The Exchange believes that its proposal 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 it is designed to prevent 
fraudulent and manipulative acts and practices, promote just and 
equitable principles of trade, 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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    \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 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 either solicited or received by the 
Exchange.

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

    The proposed rule change has become effective pursuant to Section 
19(b)(3)(A) of the Act \9\ and Rule 19b-4(f)(6) thereunder,\10\ because 
the foregoing proposed rule does not: (i) significantly affect the 
protection of investors or the public interest; (ii) impose any 
significant burden on competition; and (iii) become operative for 30 
days from the date on which it was filed, or such shorter time as the 
Commission may designate if consistent with the protection of investors 
and the public interest.
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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 Rule 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) permits the Commission to designate a 
shorter time if such action is consistent with the protection of 
investors and the public interest.\12\ 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 such waiver 
will allow CBOE to implement the holdback timer in Hybrid 3.0 option 
classes immediately, and thus reduce the number of quotations it 
disseminates to OPRA. Furthermore, the proposed rule change does not 
present any novel regulatory issues as the holdback timer is already 
implemented with respect to options classes trading on the Hybrid 
Trading System and Hybrid 2.0 Platform. For these reasons, the 
Commission designates the proposal to be operative upon filing with the 
Commission.\13\
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    \11\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6)(iii). In addition, Rule 19b-
4(f)(6)(iii) requires the self-regulatory organization to give 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. CBOE has satisfied the five-day pre-filing requirement.
    \12\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6)(iii).
    \13\ For purposes only of waiving the 30-day operative delay, 
the Commission has considered the proposed rule's impact on 
efficiency, competition, and capital formation. 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 purposes of the Act.\14\
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    \14\ See 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(C).
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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
     Send an e-mail to [email protected]. Please include 
File Number SR-CBOE-2008-11 on the subject line.

[[Page 7338]]

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-CBOE-2008-11. 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 the 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 Number SR-CBOE-2008-11 and should be 
submitted on or before February 28, 2008.
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    \15\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\15\
Florence E. Harmon,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. E8-2204 Filed 2-6-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P