[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 111 (Thursday, June 10, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32975-32976]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-13930]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-62224; File No. SR-NYSEAmex-2010-47]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Amex LLC; Notice of Filing 
and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Changes Deleting Rules 
352(e)-(g)--NYSE Amex Equities and Adopting New Rule 3240--NYSE Amex 
Equities To Correspond With Rule Changes Filed by the Financial 
Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.

June 4, 2010.
    Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) \1\ of the Securities Exchange Act of 
1934 (the ``Act'') \2\ and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,\3\ notice is hereby 
given that on May 17, 2010, NYSE Amex LLC (the ``Exchange'' or ``NYSE 
Amex'') filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the 
``Commission'') the proposed rule changes as described in Items I, II, 
and III below, which Items have been substantially prepared by the 
Exchange. The Commission is publishing this notice to solicit comments 
on the proposed rule changes from interested persons.
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    \1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
    \2\ 15 U.S.C. 78a.
    \3\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4.
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I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance 
of the Proposed Rule Changes

    The Exchange proposes to delete Rules 352(e)-(g)--NYSE Amex 
Equities and adopt new Rule 3240--NYSE Amex Equities to correspond with 
rule changes filed by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. 
(``FINRA'') and approved by the Commission.\4\ The text of the proposed 
rule changes is available at the Exchange, the Commission's Public 
Reference Room, and http://www.nyse.com.
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    \4\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 61537 (February 18, 
2010), 75 FR 8772 (February 25, 2010) (order approving SR-FINRA-
2009-095).
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II. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and 
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Changes

    In its filing with the Commission, the Exchange included statements 
concerning the purpose of, and basis for, the proposed rule changes and 
discussed any comments it received on the proposed rule changes. 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 Changes

1. Purpose
    The purpose of the proposed rule changes is to delete Rules 352(e)-
(g)--NYSE Amex Equities (Guarantees, Sharing in Accounts, and Loan 
Arrangements) and adopt new Rule 3240--NYSE Amex Equities (Borrowing 
From or Lending to Customers) to correspond with rule changes filed by 
FINRA and approved by the Commission.
Background
    On July 30, 2007, FINRA's predecessor, the National Association of 
Securities Dealers, Inc. (``NASD''), and NYSE Regulation, Inc. 
(``NYSER'') consolidated their member firm regulation operations into a 
combined organization, FINRA. Pursuant to Rule 17d-2 under the Act, the 
New York Stock Exchange LLC (``NYSE''), NYSER and FINRA entered into an 
agreement (the ``Agreement'') to reduce regulatory duplication for 
their members by allocating to FINRA certain regulatory 
responsibilities for certain NYSE rules and rule interpretations 
(``FINRA Incorporated NYSE Rules''). The Exchange became a party to the 
Agreement effective December 15, 2008.\5\
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    \5\ See Securities Exchange Act Release Nos. 56148 (July 26, 
2007), 72 FR 42146 (August 1, 2007) (order approving the Agreement); 
56147 (July 26, 2007), 72 FR 42166 (August 1, 2007) (SR-NASD-2007-
054) (order approving the incorporation of certain NYSE Rules as 
``Common Rules''); and 60409 (July 30, 2009), 74 FR 39353 (August 6, 
2009) (order approving the amended and restated Agreement, adding 
NYSE Amex LLC as a party). Paragraph 2(b) of the Agreement sets 
forth procedures regarding proposed changes by FINRA, NYSE or NYSE 
Amex to the substance of any of the Common Rules.
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    As part of its effort to reduce regulatory duplication and relieve 
firms that are members of FINRA, NYSE and NYSE Amex of conflicting or 
unnecessary regulatory burdens, FINRA is now engaged in the process of 
reviewing and amending the NASD and FINRA Incorporated NYSE Rules in 
order to create a consolidated FINRA rulebook.\6\
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    \6\ FINRA's rulebook currently has three sets of rules: (1) NASD 
Rules, (2) FINRA Incorporated NYSE Rules, and (3) consolidated FINRA 
Rules. The FINRA Incorporated NYSE Rules apply only to those members 
of FINRA that are also members of the NYSE, while the consolidated 
FINRA Rules apply to all FINRA members. For more information about 
the FINRA rulebook consolidation process, see FINRA Information 
Notice, March 12, 2008.
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Proposed Conforming Amendments to NYSE Amex Equities Rules
    FINRA adopted NASD Rule 2370 (Borrowing From or Lending to 
Customers), which governs lending arrangements between registered 
persons and their customers, as consolidated FINRA Rule 3240, subject 
to certain modifications.\7\ Because they are substantially similar to 
consolidated FINRA Rule 3240, FINRA also deleted FINRA Incorporated 
NYSE Rules 352(e)-(g).\8\
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    \7\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 61537 (February 18, 
2010), 75 FR 8772 (February 25, 2010).
    \8\ Id.
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    To harmonize the NYSE Amex Equities Rules with the approved 
consolidated FINRA Rules, the Exchange correspondingly proposes to 
delete Rules 352(e)-(g)--NYSE Amex Equities and replace them with 
proposed Rule 3240--NYSE Amex Equities, which is substantially similar 
to the new FINRA Rule.\9\ As proposed, Rule 3240--NYSE Amex Equities 
adopts the same language as FINRA Rule 3240, except for substituting 
for or adding to, as needed, the term ``member organization'' for the 
term ``member,'' and making corresponding technical changes. In 
addition, in order to ensure that both proposed Rule 3240--NYSE Amex 
Equities and FINRA Rule 3240 are fully harmonized, the Exchange also 
proposes to add Supplementary Material .02 to Rule 3240--NYSE Amex 
Equities to provide that, for the purposes of the rule, the term 
``person associated with a member organization'' shall have the same 
meaning as the terms ``person associated with a member'' or 
``associated person of a member'' as defined in Article I (rr) of the 
FINRA By-Laws.
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    \9\ The NYSE has submitted a companion rule filing amending its 
rules in accordance with FINRA's rule changes. See SR-NYSE-2010-40.
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2. Statutory Basis
    The Exchange believes that the proposed rule changes are consistent

[[Page 32976]]

with Section 6(b) of the Act,\10\ in general, and further the 
objectives of Section 6(b)(5) of the Act,\11\ in particular, in that 
they are designed to prevent fraudulent and manipulative acts and 
practices, to promote just and equitable principles of trade, to remove 
impediments to and perfect the mechanism of a free and open market and 
a national market system, and, in general, to protect investors and the 
public interest.
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    \10\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
    \11\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
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    The Exchange believes that the proposed rule changes support the 
objectives of the Act by providing greater harmonization between NYSE 
Amex Equities Rules and FINRA Rules of similar purpose, resulting in 
less burdensome and more efficient regulatory compliance for joint 
members. To the extent the Exchange has proposed changes that differ 
from the FINRA version of the Rules, such changes are technical in 
nature and do not change the substance of the proposed NYSE Amex 
Equities Rules.

B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition

    The Exchange does not believe that the proposed rule changes 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 Changes Received From Members, Participants, or Others

    No written comments were solicited or received with respect to the 
proposed rule changes.

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

    The Exchange has filed the proposed rule changes pursuant to 
Section 19(b)(3)(A)(iii) of the Act \12\ and Rule 19b-4(f)(6) 
thereunder.\13\ Because the proposed rule changes do not: (i) 
Significantly affect the protection of investors or the public 
interest; (ii) impose any significant burden on competition; and (iii) 
become operative prior to 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 changes have become effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of 
the Act and Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii) thereunder.
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    \12\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(iii).
    \13\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).
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    A proposed rule change filed under Rule 19b-4(f)(6) \14\ normally 
does not become operative prior to 30 days after the date of the 
filing. However, pursuant to Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii),\15\ the Commission 
may designate a shorter time if such action is consistent with the 
protection of investors and the public interest. 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 notes that 
the proposed rule changes are substantially identical to rule changes 
proposed by FINRA and approved by the Commission after an opportunity 
for public comment, and do not raise any new substantive issues.\16\ 
For these reasons, the Commission believes that waiver of the 30-day 
operative delay is consistent with the protection of investors and the 
public interest because it will promote greater harmonization between 
NYSE Amex Equities Rules and FINRA Rules of similar purpose, resulting 
in less burdensome and more efficient regulatory compliance for joint 
members and greater harmonization between NYSE Amex Equities Rules and 
FINRA Rules. Therefore, the Commission designates the proposed rule 
change effective and operative upon filing.\17\
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    \14\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).
    \15\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6)(iii).
    \16\ See supra note 7.
    \17\ 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 
changes, the Commission may summarily abrogate such rule changes 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 
changes are 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-NYSEAmex-2010-47 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-NYSEAmex-2010-47. 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 changes that 
are filed with the Commission, and all written communications relating 
to the proposed rule changes 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, 100 F 
Street, NE., Washington, DC 20549-1090 on official business days 
between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Copies of the filing will also 
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-
NYSEAmex-2010-47 and should be submitted on or before July 1, 2010.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\18\
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    \18\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Florence E. Harmon,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2010-13930 Filed 6-9-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8010-01-P