[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 133 (Thursday, July 10, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39746-39747]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-15625]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-58082; File No. SRVBSE-2008-35]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; Boston Stock Exchange, Inc.; 
Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change 
Extending the Current Pilot Program for Linkage Fees on the Boston 
Options Exchange Facility

July 2, 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 June 23, 2008, the Boston Stock Exchange, Inc. (``BSE'' 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 
self-regulatory organization. The Commission is publishing this notice 
to solicit comments on the proposed rule from interested persons.
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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 is proposing to amend the Fee Schedule of the Boston 
Options Exchange (``BOX''), the options trading facility of the BSE, to 
extend until July 31, 2009, the current pilot program applicable to the 
options intermarket linkage (``Linkage'') fees. The text of the 
proposed rule change is available at the Exchange, the Commission's 
Public Reference Room, and http://www.bse.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 self-regulatory organization 
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 self-regulatory organization 
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's fees for Principal (``P'') and Principal Acting as 
Agent (``P/A'') Orders \3\ executed on BOX currently operate under a 
pilot program scheduled to expire on July 31, 2008.\4\ The Exchange 
proposes to extend the current pilot program for such Linkage fees 
through July 31, 2009. The Exchange is not proposing any changes other 
than changing the date. Because all Linkage orders received by BOX are 
for the account of a market maker on another exchange, Linkage fees 
that are applicable to P and P/A orders are the same as fees applicable 
to market makers on other exchanges that submit orders to BOX outside 
of Linkage. The side of a BOX trade opposite an inbound P or P/A order 
would be billed normally as any other BOX trade. Consistent with the 
Linkage Plan, no fees will be charged to a party sending a Satisfaction 
Order to BOX. Rather, a fee will be charged to the BOX Participant that 
was responsible for the trade-through that caused the Satisfaction 
Order to be sent.
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    \3\ Under Section 1(j) of Chapter XII of the BOX Rules, a 
``Linkage Order'' means an Immediate or Cancel order routed through 
Linkage. There are three types of Linkage Orders:
    (i) ``P/A Order,'' which is an order for the principal account 
of a Market Maker (or equivalent entity on another Participant 
Exchange that is authorized to represent Public Customer orders), 
reflecting the terms of a related unexecuted Public Customer order 
for which the Market Maker is acting as agent;
    (ii) ``P Order,'' which is an order for the principal account of 
a market maker (or equivalent entity on another Participant 
exchange) and is not a P/A Order; and
    (iii) ``Satisfaction Order,'' which is an order sent through the 
Linkage to notify a Participant Exchange of a Trade-Through and to 
seek satisfaction of the liability arising from that Trade Through.
    \4\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 56167 (July 30, 
2007), 72 FR 43302 (August 3, 2007) (SR-BSE-2007-33). See also 
Securities Exchange Act Release No. 54225 (July 27, 2006), 71 FR 
44056 (August 3, 2006) (SR-BSE 2006-26); Securities Exchange Act 
Release No. 52147 (July 28, 2005) 70 FR 44706 (August 3, 2005) (SR-
BSE 2005-28).
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    The Exchange believes that extending the Linkage fee pilot program 
until July 31, 2009 will give the Exchange and the Commission 
additional time and opportunity to evaluate the appropriateness of 
Linkage fees.
2. Statutory Basis
    The Exchange believes that the proposal is consistent with the 
requirements of Section 6(b) of the Act,\5\ in general, and Section 
6(b)(4) of the

[[Page 39747]]

Act,\6\ in particular, in that it is designed to provide for the 
equitable allocation of reasonable dues, fees, and other charges among 
its members and issuers and other persons using its facilities. The 
proposed rule change will preserve the status quo of the pilot program 
without interruption as the Commission further reviews the area of 
Linkage fees.
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    \5\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
    \6\ 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 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 has neither solicited nor received comments on the 
proposed rule change.

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

    This proposed rule change is filed pursuant to paragraph (A) of 
section 19(b)(3) of the Exchange Act \7\ and Rule 19b-4(f)(6) 
thereunder.\8\ This proposed rule change does not significantly affect 
the protection of investors or the public interest, does not impose any 
significant burden on competition, and, by its terms, does not become 
operative for 30 days after the date of the filing, or such shorter 
time as the Commission may designate if consistent with the protection 
of investors and the public interest, provided that the self-regulatory 
organization has given the Commission 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.\9\
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    \7\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
    \8\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).
    \9\ The Exchange has satisfied this pre-filing requirement.
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    At any time within 60 days of the filing of the proposed rule 
change, the Commission may summarily abrogate the rule change if it 
appears to the Commission that the action is necessary or appropriate 
in the public interest, for the protection of investors, or would 
otherwise further the purposes of the Exchange 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 No. SR-BSE-2008-35 on the subject line.

Paper Comments

     Send paper comments in triplicate to Secretary, Securities 
and Exchange Commission, Station Place, 100 F Street, NE., Washington, 
DC 20549-1090.
    All submissions should refer to File Number SR-BSE-2008-35. 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, 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 BSE. 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-BSE-2008-35 and should be submitted on or before July 31, 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,
Acting Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E8-15625 Filed 7-9-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8010-01-P