[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 63 (Tuesday, April 1, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17392-17393]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-6656]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-57559; File No. SR-NYSEArca-2008-34]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc.; Notice of Filing 
and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change Relating to the 
Implementation of Phase Two of the Options Penny Pilot

March 26, 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 25, 2008, NYSE Arca, Inc. (``NYSE Arca'' or ``Exchange'') 
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission'') the 
proposed rule change as described in Items I, II, and III below, which 
Items have been substantially prepared by the Exchange. NYSE Arca has 
designated this proposal as one constituting a stated policy, practice, 
or interpretation with respect to the meaning, administration, or 
enforcement of an existing rule under section 19(b)(3)(A)(i) of the Act 
\3\ and Rule 19b-4(f)(1) 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)(i).
    \4\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(1).
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I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance 
of the Proposed Rule Change

    NYSE Arca is proposing to implement the next phase of the Penny 
Pilot in options classes (``Pilot Program''), by identifying the 
additional issues to be added to the Pilot Program. The text of the 
proposed rule change is available on the Exchange's Web site (http://www.nysearca.com), at NYSE Arca's principal office, and at the 
Commission's Public Reference Room.\5\
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    \5\ Exhibit 3 to the filing contains a Regulatory Bulletin that 
constitutes the text of the proposed rule change.
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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, NYSE Arca 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
    On September 27, 2007, the Commission approved the Exchange's 
proposal to (i) extend the Pilot Program through March 27, 2009, and 
(ii) expand the Pilot Program to include an additional twenty-eight 
underlying

[[Page 17393]]

issues on March 28, 2008 (``Phase II'').\6\ The Exchange hereby 
proposes to implement Phase II of the Pilot Program on March 28, 2008, 
by adding twenty-eight additional issues, bringing the total number of 
issues included in the Pilot Program to sixty-three. These twenty-eight 
new options classes are among the most actively traded, multiply-listed 
options classes. A Regulatory Bulletin, attached to the proposed rule 
change as Exhibit 3 and disseminated to NYSE Arca's members, identifies 
these additional twenty-eight underlying securities. Pursuant to NYSE 
Arca Rule 6.72, this Regulatory Bulletin will also be published by the 
Exchange on its Web site. The thirty-five classes currently in the 
Pilot Program will continue to be quoted as they are today.
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    \6\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 56568 (September 27, 
2007), 72 FR 56422 (October 3, 2007) (SR-NYSEArca-2007-88).
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2. Statutory Basis
    The Exchange believes the proposed rule change is consistent with 
and furthers the objectives of Section 6(b)(5) of the Act,\7\ 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 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)(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

    The proposed rule change has become effective pursuant to section 
19(b)(3)(A)(i) of the Act\8\ and Rule 19b-4(f)(1) thereunder,\9\ 
because it constitutes a stated policy, practice, or interpretation 
with respect to the meaning, administration, or enforcement of an 
existing rule of the Exchange.
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    \8\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(i).
    \9\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(1).
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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.\10\
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    \10\ 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-NYSEArca-2008-34 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-NYSEArca-2008-34. 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 NYSE Arca. 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-NYSEArca-2008-34 and should 
be submitted on or before April 22, 2008.
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    \11\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\11\
Florence E. Harmon,
Deputy Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E8-6656 Filed 3-31-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P