[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 87 (Thursday, May 6, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25019-25020]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-10600]



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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-62006; File No. SR-NYSEArca-2010-36]


 Self-Regulatory Organizations; Notice of Filing and Immediate 
Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change by NYSE Arca, Inc. To Make a 
Technical Adjustment to Its Rules To Allow Sub-Penny Quoting of Certain 
Securities

April 29, 2010.
    Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 
(the ``Act'') \1\ and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,\2\ notice is hereby given 
that, on April 23, 2010, NYSE Arca, Inc. (``NYSE Arca'' or the 
``Exchange'') filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the 
``Commission'') the proposed rule change as described in Items I and II 
below, which Items have been prepared by the Exchange. 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.
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I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance 
of the Proposed Rule Change

    The Exchange proposes to make a technical adjustment to its rules 
to allow sub-penny quoting of certain securities priced less than 
$1.00. The text of the proposed rule change is available on the 
Exchange's Web site at http://www.nyse.com, at the Exchange's principal 
office, on the Commission's Web site at http://www.sec.gov, and at 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, 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 those 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 parts of such statements.

A. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and the 
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

1. Purpose
    The Exchange proposes to make a technical adjustment its rules to 
allow sub-penny quoting of Investment Company Units, Portfolio 
Depositary Receipts, and Managed Fund Shares. Currently, NYSE Arca 
Equities Rule 5.2(j)(3) Commentaries .01(e) and .02(e), NYSE Arca 
Equities Rule 7.6 Commentary .03, Rule 8.100 Commentaries .01(e) and 
.02(e), and NYSE Arca Equities Rule 8.600 Commentary .03 restrict the 
minimum price variation for quoting and order entry to $0.01. 
Consistent with Regulation NMS Rule 612, the Exchange proposes to 
remove these provisions to allow these securities to be quoted in a 
minimum pricing increment of $0.0001 for securities priced less than 
$1.00. The Exchange notes that it has not had any of the aforementioned 
securities quote below a dollar nor does it anticipate such an 
occurrence in the reasonably foreseeable future. The Exchange simply 
seeks to harmonize the minimum price variation in the aforementioned 
products with all other equity securities traded on the Exchange.
    Moreover, the Exchange notes that this approach is substantially 
similar to BATS Rule 11.11 and Nasdaq Rule 4613(a)(1)(B).
2. Statutory Basis
    The proposed rule change is consistent with Section 6(b) \3\ of the 
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the ``Exchange Act''), in general, and 
furthers the objectives of Section 6(b)(5) \4\ 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 amendment is consistent with 
the goal of removing impediments to a free and open market because the 
changes proposed herein will substantially harmonize NYSE Arca's sub-
penny quoting policy with Rule 612 of Regulation NMS which allows a 
minimum pricing increment of $0.0001 for securities priced less than 
$1.00.
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    \3\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
    \4\ 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

    Because the proposed rule change does not: (i) Significantly affect 
the protection of investors or the public interest; (ii) impose any 
significant burden on competition; and (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 \5\ and Rule 19b-
4(f)(6) thereunder.\6\
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    \5\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
    \6\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6). In addition, Rule 19b-4(f)(6) 
requires the Exchange to give the Commission written notice of the 
Exchange's 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 the pre-filing requirement.
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    The Exchange has asked the Commission to waive the 30-day operative 
delay so that the proposal may become operative immediately upon 
filing. The Commission believes that waiving the 30-day operative delay 
is consistent with the protection of investors and the public interest, 
because the proposal is consistent with Rule 612 of Regulation NMS and 
the rules of other self-regulatory organizations previously approved by 
the Commission.\7\ For these reasons, the Commission designates the 
proposed rule change as operative upon filing.\8\
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    \7\ See BATS Rule 11.11 and Nasdaq Rule 4613(a)(1)(B).
    \8\ 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 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

[[Page 25020]]

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-2010-36 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-NYSEArca-2010-36. 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 Web site 
viewing and printing in the Commission's Public Reference Room, 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-2010-36 and should be submitted on or before 
May 27, 2010.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\9\
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    \9\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Florence E. Harmon,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2010-10600 Filed 5-5-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P