[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 86 (Friday, May 2, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24338-24339]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-9693]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-57730; File No. SR-NYSE-2008-31]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; New York Stock Exchange LLC; 
Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change to 
Reduce Its Routing Fee for Floor Brokers

April 28, 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 April 22, 2008, the New York Stock Exchange LLC (``NYSE'' or 
``Exchange'') 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\ 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

    The Exchange proposes to reduce the routing fee charged to floor 
brokers from $0.0030 per share to $0.0029 per share. While the change 
to the Exchange's 2008 Price List pursuant to this proposal will be 
effective upon filing, the fee change will be implemented on May 1, 
2008. The text of the proposed rule change is available at http://www.nyse.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, NYSE included statements 
concerning

[[Page 24339]]

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. 
NYSE 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 reduce the fee charged to floor brokers in 
connection with the routing of their orders to other markets from 
$0.0030 per share to $0.0029 per share. The routing fee charged to all 
other market participants will remain at $0.0030 per share.\5\ While 
the change to the Exchange's 2008 Price List pursuant to this proposal 
will be effective upon filing, the change will become operative on May 
1, 2008.
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    \5\ The Exchange represents that: (i) these routing fees are 
charged only to Exchange member organizations; and (ii) customers 
have the ability to submit an order that can only be executed at the 
Exchange itself and may not be routed to other markets, and 
therefore the possibility that an order would be routed is within 
the customer's control. See e-mail from John Carey, Assistant 
General Counsel, Exchange, to Nathan Saunders, Special Counsel, 
Division of Trading and Markets, Commission, dated April 28, 2008.
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    The Exchange believes that it is justified in charging a slightly 
lower routing fee to floor brokers because of their importance to the 
continuation of the floor as an integral part of the Exchange's market 
model, which integrates the auction market with automated trading. 
Essential to this model is the interaction between the specialists, 
floor brokers and orders in the Display Book system, which creates 
opportunities for price improvement, provides information about 
changing market conditions and serves as a catalyst to trading. The 
Exchange believes that this decrease in the routing fee will assist 
floor brokers in remaining competitive.
2. Statutory Basis
    The Exchange believes that the proposed rule change is consistent 
with the provisions of Section 6 of the Act \6\ in general, and 
furthers the objectives of Section 6(b)(4) of the Act \7\ in 
particular, in that it is designed to provide for the equitable 
allocation of reasonable dues, fees, and other charges among its 
members and other persons using its facilities. The Exchange believes 
that the proposed reduction in the routing fee for floor brokers 
represents an equitable allocation of reasonable dues, fees, and other 
charges because floor brokers are integral to the Exchange's market 
model and the proposed fee reduction will assist floor brokers in 
remaining competitive.
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    \6\ 15 U.S.C. 78f.
    \7\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(4).
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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 purpose of the Exchange Act.

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

    Written comments 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 \8\ and subparagraph (f)(2) of Rule 19b-4 
thereunder \9\ 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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    \8\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(ii).
    \9\ 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
     Send an e-mail to [email protected]. Please include 
File Number SR-NYSE-2008-31 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-NYSE-2008-31. 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 NYSE. 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-NYSE-2008-31 and should be 
submitted on or before May 23, 2008.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\10\
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    \10\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Florence E. Harmon,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. E8-9693 Filed 5-1-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8010-01-P