[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 93 (Tuesday, May 13, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27603-27605]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-10572]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-57778; File No. SR-NYSEArca-2008-45]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc.; Notice of Filing 
and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change To List and Trade 
Shares of the iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Eastern Europe Index Fund

May 5, 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 25, 2008, NYSE Arca, Inc. (``NYSE Arca'' or ``Exchange''), 
through its wholly owned subsidiary, NYSE Arca Equities, Inc. (``NYSE 
Arca Equities''), 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. 
NYSE Arca filed the proposal pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act 
\3\ and Rule 19b-4(f)(6) 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).
    \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

    NYSE Arca proposes to list and trade shares (``Shares'') of the 
iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Eastern Europe Index Fund (``Fund''). The 
text of the proposed rule change is available at the Exchange, the 
Commission's Public Reference Room, and http://www.nyse.com.

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 proposes to list and trade the Shares under NYSE Arca 
Equities Rule 5.2(j)(3), the Exchange's listing standards for 
Investment Company Units (``ICUs'').\5\ The investment objective of the 
Fund is to provide investment results that correspond generally to the 
price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the MSCI 
Emerging Markets Eastern Europe Index (``Index'' or ``Underlying 
Index''). The Index is a free float adjusted market capitalization 
index designed to measure the equity performance of companies domiciled 
in four Eastern European emerging market nations: The Czech Republic, 
Hungary, Poland and Russia.
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    \5\ An ICU is a security that represents an interest in a 
registered investment company that holds securities comprising, or 
otherwise based on or representing an interest in, an index or 
portfolio of securities (or holds securities in another registered 
investment company that holds securities comprising, or otherwise 
based on or representing an interest in, an index or portfolio of 
securities). See NYSE Arca Equities Rule 5.2(j)(3)(A).
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    The Exchange is submitting this proposed rule change because the 
Underlying Index does not meet all of the ``generic'' listing 
requirements of Commentary .01(a)(B) to NYSE Arca Equities Rule 
5.2(j)(3) applicable to listing of ICUs based on international or 
global indexes. The Underlying Index meets all such requirements except 
for those set forth in Commentary .01(a)(B)(3).\6\ Specifically, the 
Underlying Index fails to meet the requirement that the most heavily 
weighted component stock shall not exceed 25% of the weight of the 
index or portfolio. As of April 2, 2008, Gazprom (Russia) represented 
27.28% of the weight of the Underlying Index.
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    \6\ Commentary .01(a)(B)(3) to NYSE Arca Equities Rule 5.2(j)(3) 
provides that the most heavily weighted component stock shall not 
exceed 25% of the weight of the index or portfolio, and the five 
most heavily weighted component stocks shall not exceed 60% of the 
weight of the index or portfolio.
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    The Exchange represents that: (1) Except for the requirement under 
Commentary .01(a)(B)(3) to NYSE Arca Equities Rule 5.2(j)(3) relating 
to the most heavily weighted component stock, the Shares of the Fund 
currently satisfy all of the generic listing standards under NYSE Arca 
Equities Rule 5.2(j)(3); \7\ (2) the continued listing standards under 
NYSE Arca Equities Rules 5.2(j)(3) and 5.5(g)(2) applicable to ICUs 
shall apply to the Shares; and (3) the Trust is required to comply with 
Rule 10A-3 under the Act \8\ for the initial and continued listing of 
the Shares. In addition, the Exchange represents that the Shares will 
comply with all other requirements applicable to ICUs including, but 
not limited to, requirements relating to the dissemination of key 
information such as the Index value and Intraday Indicative Value, 
rules governing the trading of equity securities, trading hours, 
trading halts, surveillance, and Information Bulletin to ETP Holders, 
as set forth in prior Commission orders approving the generic listing 
rules

[[Page 27604]]

applicable to the listing and trading of ICUs.\9\
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    \7\ See e-mail dated May 5, 2008 from Michael Cavalier, 
Associate General Counsel, NYSE Euronext, to Christopher W. Chow, 
Special Counsel, Commission.
    \8\ 17 CFR 240.10A-3.
    \9\ See, e.g., Securities Exchange Act Release Nos. 55621 (April 
12, 2007), 72 FR 19571 (April 18, 2007) (SR-NYSEArca-2006-86) (order 
approving generic listing standards for ICUs based on international 
or global indexes); 44551 (July 12, 2001), 66 FR 37716 (July 19, 
2001) (SR-PCX-2001-14) (order approving generic listing standards 
for ICUs and Portfolio Depositary Receipts); and 41983 (October 6, 
1999), 64 FR 56008 (October 15, 1999) (SR-PCX-98-29) (order 
approving rules for listing and trading of ICUs).
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    Detailed descriptions of the Fund, the Underlying Index, procedures 
for creating and redeeming Shares, transaction fees and expenses, 
dividends, distributions, taxes, risks, and reports to be distributed 
to beneficial owners of the Shares can be found in the Registration 
Statement \10\ or on the Web site for the Fund (http://www.ishares.com), as applicable.
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    \10\ See the iShares, Inc. Registration Statement on Form N-1A, 
dated April 2, 2008 (File Nos. 333-97598 and 811-09102) 
(``Registration Statement'').
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2. Statutory Basis
    The Exchange believes that the proposed rule change is consistent 
with Section 6(b) of the Act,\11\ in general, and furthers the 
objectives of Section 6(b)(5) of the Act,\12\ in particular, in that it 
is 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 facilitating 
transactions in securities, and to remove impediments to and perfect 
the mechanism of a free and open market and a national market system. 
The Exchange believes that the proposed rule change will facilitate the 
listing and trading of an additional type of exchange-traded product 
that will enhance competition among market participants, to the benefit 
of investors and the marketplace.
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    \11\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
    \12\ 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

    The Exchange states that written comments on the proposed rule 
change were neither solicited nor received.

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

    Because the foregoing proposed rule change: (1) Does not 
significantly affect the protection of investors or the public 
interest; (2) does not impose any significant burden on competition; 
and (3) by its terms does not become operative for 30 days after the 
date of this filing, or such shorter time as the Commission may 
designate if consistent with the protection of investors and the public 
interest, the proposed rule change has become effective pursuant to 
Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act \13\ and Rule 19b-4(f)(6) 
thereunder.\14\
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    \13\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
    \14\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6). In addition, Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii) 
requires a self-regulatory organization to provide the Commission 
with written 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. The Exchange has fulfilled this requirement.
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    A proposed rule change filed under Rule 19b-4(f)(6) normally does 
not become operative for 30 days after the date of filing. 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. The Exchange requests that the Commission waive 
the 30-day operative delay so that the Exchange can list and trade the 
Shares immediately. The Exchange states that the proposed rule change 
does not significantly affect the protection of investors or the public 
interest and does not impose any significant burden on competition. The 
Exchange also believes that the proposal is non-controversial because, 
although the Underlying Index fails to meet the requirements set forth 
in Commentary .01(a)(B)(3) to NYSE Arca Equities Rule 5.2(j)(3) by a 
small amount (2.28%), the Shares currently satisfy all of the other 
applicable generic listing standards under NYSE Arca Equities Rule 
5.2(j)(3), and will be subject to all of the continued listing 
standards under NYSE Arca Equities Rules 5.2(j)(3) and 5.5(g)(2) 
applicable to ICUs. Additionally, the Exchange represents that the 
Shares will comply with all other requirements applicable to ICUs.
    The Commission believes that waiving the 30-day operative delay is 
consistent with the protection of investors and the public 
interest.\15\ Given that the Shares comply with all of the NYSE Arca 
Equities generic listing standards for ICUs (except for narrowly 
missing the requirement that the most heavily weighted component not 
exceed 25% of the weight of the Underlying Index), the listing and 
trading of the Shares by NYSE Arca does not appear to present any novel 
or significant regulatory issues or impose any significant burden on 
competition. For these reasons, the Commission designates the proposed 
rule change as operative upon filing.
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    \15\ For purposes only of waiving the 30-day operative delay, 
the Commission has also considered the proposed rule's impact on 
efficiency, competition, and capital formation. See 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.

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-2008-45 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-2008-45. 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

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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 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-NYSEArca-2008-45 and should be submitted 
on or before June 3, 2008.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\16\
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    \16\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Florence E. Harmon,
Deputy Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E8-10572 Filed 5-12-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8010-01-P