[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 25 (Monday, February 9, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6443-6444]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-2579]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-59341; File No. SR-BX-2009-006]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; NASDAQ OMX BX, Inc.; Notice of 
Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change To Eliminate 
the Market Hours Day Time-in-Force

February 2, 2009.
    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 January 15, 2009, NASDAQ OMX BX, Inc. (the ``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 Exchange. The Exchange has designated the proposed rule 
change as constituting a non-controversial rule change under 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 the 
Substance of the Proposed Rule Change

    The Exchange proposes to eliminate the order time-in-force of 
``Market Hours Day'' (``MDAY'') from the NASDAQ OMX BX Equities Market. 
The Exchange proposes to implement the change as soon as practicable 
following the effectiveness of the filing.
    The text of the proposed rule change is available from the 
principal office of the Exchange, at the Commission's Public Reference 
Room and also on the Exchange's Internet Web site at http://nasdaqtrader.com/Trader.aspx?id=Boston_Stock_Exchange.

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 is proposing to amend the rules governing its new 
equity trading platform, the NASDAQ OMX BX Equities Market (the 
``System''), to eliminate the time-in-force of Market Hours Day for 
orders entered into the System. MDAY orders may be entered beginning at 
7 a.m., but may only execute during the Exchange's regular market hours 
from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Exchange proposes to eliminate this time-
in-force to prevent MDAY orders entered prior to 9:30 a.m. from queuing 
and subsequently attempting to execute simultaneously at 9:30 a.m.
    The Exchange, unlike the NASDAQ Stock Market, does not have an 
opening cross in which stocks' opening prices are established through a 
process that involves dissemination of information about orders being 
entered into the cross in the time immediately prior to market open. 
Eliminating the MDAY order will prevent large numbers of executions 
from occurring at 9:30 a.m. without the benefit of the sort of pricing 
information provided through an opening cross. In keeping with the 
other times-in-force

[[Page 6444]]

available in the System, orders entered prior to 9:30 a.m. will all be 
eligible for execution during the Exchange's pre-market trading 
session, from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Market participants that seek to 
limit their trading activity to regular market hours may do so by 
limiting the times of their order entry to those hours.
2. Statutory Basis
    The Exchange believes that the proposed rule change is consistent 
with the provisions of Section 6 of the Act,\5\ in general and with 
Section 6(b)(5) of the Act,\6\ in particular, in that it would promote 
just and equitable principles of trade, remove impediments to, and 
perfect the mechanism of, a free and open market and a national market 
system, and, in general, protect investors and the public interest by 
prevent [sic] orders from queuing in the System prior to 9:30 a.m. The 
Exchange believes that this will provide for more orderly executions in 
the Exchange at that time.
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    \5\ 15 U.S.C. 78f.
    \6\ 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 
result in 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

    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 rule does not: (i) Significantly affect the 
protection of investors or the public interest; (ii) impose any 
significant burden on competition; or (iii) become operative for 30 
days from the date on which it was filed, 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 \7\ and Rule 19b-4(f)(6) 
thereunder.\8\
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    \7\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
    \8\ 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 satisfied this requirement.
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    The Exchange has asked the Commission to waive the operative delay 
to permit the proposed rule change to become operative prior to the 
30th day after filing. The Commission has determined that waiving the 
30-day operative delay of the Exchange's proposal is consistent with 
the protection of investors and the public interest because such waiver 
will enable the Exchange to promote more orderly executions at the 
beginning of its regular trading hours, without delay.\9\ Therefore, 
the Commission designates the proposal operative upon filing.
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    \9\ For purposes only of waiving the 30-day operative delay, the 
Commission has 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 such 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 No. SR-BX-2009-006 on the subject line.

Paper Comments

     Send paper comments in triplicate to Elizabeth M. Murphy, 
Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street, NE., 
Washington, DC 20549-1090.

All submissions should refer to File Number SR-BX-2009-006. 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 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-BX-2009-006 and should be 
submitted on or before March 2, 2009.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\10\
Florence E. Harmon,
Deputy Secretary.
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    \10\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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 [FR Doc. E9-2579 Filed 2-6-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P