[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 58 (Tuesday, March 25, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15826-15828]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-5966]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-57528; File No. SR-Phlx-2008-18]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; Philadelphia Stock Exchange, Inc.; 
Notice of Filing and Order Granting Accelerated Approval of Proposed 
Rule Change Relating to the Imposition of Fines for Minor Rule Plan 
Violations

 March 19, 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 March 12, 2008, the Philadelphia Stock Exchange, Inc. (``Phlx'' 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 prepared by the Phlx. The Commission is 
publishing this notice to solicit comments on the proposed rule change 
from interested persons and to approve the proposal on an accelerated 
basis.
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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 adopt Phlx Options Floor Procedure Advice 
(``OFPA'') F-35, Violations of Exercise and Exercise Advice Rules for 
Noncash-Settled Equity Option Contracts, to add a summary fine schedule 
for Expiring Exercise Declaration or Contrary Exercise Advice 
violations regarding noncash settled equity options.\3\ The Exchange 
also proposes to modify Phlx Rule 970, Floor Practice Advices: 
Violations, Penalties, and Procedures,\4\ to increase the maximum 
permissible fine to $5,000 for a violation of a Floor Procedure Advice. 
The text of the proposed rule change is available at the Exchange, the 
Commission's Public Reference Room, and http://www.Phlx.com/exchange/phlx-rule-fil.htm.
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    \3\ These declarations or advices indicate, among other things, 
whether at expiration the holder of an in-the-money noncash settled 
equity option intends to waive The Options Clearing Corporation's 
(``OCC'') Exercise-by-Exception procedure or exercise the option. 
See Phlx Rule 1042.
    \4\ Phlx Rule 970 sets forth the criteria for the imposition of 
fines (currently not to exceed $2,500) on any member, member 
organization, or any partner, officer, director, or person employed 
by or associated with any member or member organization, for any 
violation of a Floor Procedure Advice, which violation the Exchange 
shall have determined is minor in nature (known as ``Minor Rule Plan 
Fines''). The fines are imposed in lieu of commencing a 
``disciplinary proceeding'' as that term is used in Phlx Rules 
960.1-960.12. Such Minor Rule Plan Fines are subject to Rule 19d-1 
under the Act. See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 45421 
(February 7, 2002), 67 FR 6961 (February 14, 2002) (SR-Phlx-2001-
114).
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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 Phlx 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 III 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 proposes to (a) implement new OFPA F-35 to establish a 
fine schedule for contrary exercise advice violations, and (b) expand 
Phlx Rule 970 to allow fines not to exceed $5,000, for the purpose of 
increasing and strengthening the sanctions imposed by the Exchange's 
Minor Rule Plan (``MRP''). The Exchange believes that establishing the 
specified fines with respect to individual members and member 
organizations with a 24-month rolling surveillance period should serve 
as an effective deterrent to such violative conduct. The Exchange also 
believes that failure to submit exercise instructions is the type of 
objective requirement that is easy and appropriate to administer.
    In addition, the Exchange, as a member of the Intermarket 
Surveillance Group (``ISG''),\5\ as well as certain other self-
regulatory organizations (``SROs'') executed and filed on October 29, 
2007, with the Commission, a final version of an Agreement pursuant to 
Section 17(d)

[[Page 15827]]

of the Act (the ``17d-2 Agreement'').\6\ As set forth in the 17d-2 
Agreement, the SROs have agreed that their respective rules concerning 
the filing of Expiring Exercise Declarations, also referred to as 
Contrary Exercise Advices, of options contracts, are common rules. As a 
result, the proposal to amend Phlx's MRP will further result in 
consistency in sanctions among the SROs that are signatories to the 
17d-2 Agreement concerning Contrary Exercise Advice violations.
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    \5\ ISG is a regulatory information-sharing organization 
comprised of all U.S. national securities exchanges and national 
securities associations, most U.S. futures exchanges, and certain 
non-U.S. exchanges and associations trading securities and related 
products.
    \6\ See Letter to Richard Holley, Division of Market Regulation, 
Securities and Exchange Commission, from Nyieri Nazarian, Assistant 
General Counsel, American Stock Exchange, October 29, 2007.
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2. Statutory Basis
    The Exchange believes that this 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 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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    \7\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
    \8\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
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    Specifically, the Exchange believes that the proposed rule change 
should strengthen its ability to carry out its oversight 
responsibilities as an SRO and reinforce its surveillance and 
enforcement functions. Additionally, the Exchange believes that the 
proposed rule change should promote consistency in minor rule violation 
fines and respective SRO reporting obligations as set forth pursuant to 
Rule 19d-1(c)(2) under the Act,\9\ which governs minor rule violation 
plans.
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    \9\ 17 CFR 240.19d-1(c)(2).
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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 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.

III. 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 at http://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml; or
     Send an e-mail to [email protected]. Please include 
File No. SR-Phlx-2008-18 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 No. SR-Phlx-2008-18. 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 at 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 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 No. SR-Phlx-2008-18 and should be 
submitted on or before April 15, 2008.

IV. Commission's Findings and Order Granting Accelerated Approval of 
Proposed Rule Change

    After careful consideration, the Commission finds that the 
Exchange's proposed rule change is consistent with the requirements of 
Section 6 of the Act,\10\ and the rules and regulations thereunder 
applicable to a national securities exchange.\11\ In particular, the 
Commission believes that the proposed rule change is consistent with 
Section 6(b)(5) of the Act,\12\ which requires, among other things, 
that the rules of a national securities exchange be designed to prevent 
fraudulent and manipulative acts and practices; to promote just and 
equitable principles of trade; to foster cooperation and coordination 
with persons engaged in regulating, clearing, settling, processing 
information with respect to, and facilitating transactions in 
securities; 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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    \10\ 15 U.S.C. 78f.
    \11\ In approving this proposed rule change, the Commission has 
considered its impact on efficiency, competition, and capital 
formation. See 15 U.S.C. 78c(f).
    \12\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
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    The Commission further believes that Phlx's proposal to sanction 
individuals and member organizations who fail to submit Advice Cancel 
or exercise instructions in a timely manner is consistent with Sections 
6(b)(1) and 6(b)(6) of the Act,\13\ which require that the rules of an 
exchange enforce compliance with, and provide appropriate discipline 
for, violations of Commission and Exchange rules. In addition, the 
Commission finds that the proposal is consistent with the public 
interest, the protection of investors, or otherwise in furtherance of 
the purposes of the Act, as required by Rule 19d-1(c)(2) under the 
Act,\14\ which governs minor rule violation plans. The Commission 
believes that the proposed rule change should strengthen the Exchange's 
ability to carry out its oversight and enforcement responsibilities as 
an SRO in cases where full disciplinary proceedings are unsuitable in 
view of the minor nature of the particular violation.
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    \13\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(1) and 78f(b)(6).
    \14\ 17 CFR 240.19d-1(c)(2).
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    In approving this proposed rule change, the Commission in no way 
minimizes the importance of compliance with the Phlx's rules and all 
other rules subject to the imposition of fines under the MRP. The 
Commission believes that the violation of any SRO rules, as well as 
Commission rules, is a serious matter. However, the MRP provides a 
reasonable means of addressing rule violations that do not rise to the 
level of requiring formal disciplinary proceedings, while providing 
greater flexibility in handling certain violations. The Commission 
expects that the Phlx will continue to conduct surveillance with due 
diligence

[[Page 15828]]

and make a determination based on its findings, on a case-by-case 
basis, whether a fine of more or less than the recommended amount is 
appropriate for a violation under the Phlx MRP or whether a violation 
requires formal disciplinary action.
    The Phlx has requested that the Commission find good cause for 
approving the proposed rule change prior to the thirtieth day after 
publication of the notice thereof in the Federal Register. The 
Commission hereby grants that request. The Phlx's proposal is 
substantially similar to those of other options exchanges, which 
previously have been approved by the Commission.\15\ The Commission 
does not believe that Phlx's proposal raises any novel regulatory 
issues, and no comments were received on any of these earlier 
proposals. Accordingly, the Commission finds good cause, pursuant to 
Section 19(b)(2) of the Act,\16\ for approving the proposed rule change 
prior to the thirtieth day after publication of the notice thereof in 
the Federal Register.
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    \15\ See, e.g., Securities Exchange Act Release No. 57314 
(February 12, 2008), 73 FR 9377 (February 20, 2008) (SR-CBOE-2007-
143).
    \16\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2).
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V. Conclusion

    It is therefore ordered, pursuant to Section 19(b)(2) of the Act 
\17\ and Rule 19d-1(c)(2) under the Act,\18\ that the proposed rule 
change (SR-Phlx-2008-18), be, and hereby is, approved and declared 
effective on an accelerated basis.
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    \17\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2).
    \18\ 17 CFR 240.19d-1(c)(2).

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\19\
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    \19\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12); 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(44).
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Florence E. Harmon,
Deputy Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E8-5966 Filed 3-24-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P