[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 174 (Thursday, September 9, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54935-54937]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-22445]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-62820; File No. SR-NYSEAmex-2010-86]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; Notice of Filing and Immediate 
Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change by NYSE Amex LLC Extending the 
Operation of Its New Market Model Pilot Until the Earlier of Securities 
and Exchange Commission Approval to Make Such Pilot Permanent or 
January 31, 2011

September 1, 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 August 26, 2010, NYSE Amex LLC (the ``Exchange'' or 
``NYSE Amex'') 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 self-regulatory 
organization. The Commission is publishing this notice to solicit 
comments on the proposed rule change from interested persons.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
    \2\ 15 U.S.C. 78a.
    \3\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance 
of the Proposed Rule Change

    The Exchange proposes to extend the operation of its New Market 
Model Pilot, currently scheduled to expire on September 30, 2010, until 
the earlier of Securities and Exchange Commission (``SEC'' or 
``Commission'') approval to make such pilot permanent or January 31, 
2011. The text of the proposed rule change is available at the 
Exchange, the Commission's Public Reference Room, on the Commission's 
website at http://www.sec.gov, 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 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 
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

1. Purpose
    The Exchange proposes to extend the operation of its New Market 
Model Pilot (``NMM Pilot'') that was adopted pursuant to its merger 
with the New York Stock Exchange LLC.\4\ The NMM Pilot was approved to 
operate until October 1, 2009. The Exchange filed to extend the 
operation of the Pilot to November 30, 2009, March 30, 2010 and 
September 30, 2010, respectively.\5\ The Exchange now seeks to extend 
the operation of the NMM Pilot, currently scheduled to expire on 
September 30, 2010, until the earlier of Commission approval to make 
such pilot permanent or January 31, 2011.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \4\ NYSE Euronext acquired The Amex Membership Corporation 
(``AMC'') pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated January 
17, 2008 (the ``Merger''). In connection with the Merger, the 
Exchange's predecessor, the American Stock Exchange LLC (``Amex''), 
a subsidiary of AMC, became a subsidiary of NYSE Euronext called 
NYSE Alternext US LLC. See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 58673 
(September 29, 2008), 73 FR 57707 (October 3, 2008) (SR-NYSE-2008-60 
and SR-Amex-2008-62) (approving the Merger). Subsequently NYSE 
Alternext US LLC was renamed NYSE Amex LLC and continues to operate 
as a national securities exchange registered under Section 6 of the 
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the ``Act''). See 
Securities Exchange Act Release No. 59575 (March 13, 2009), 74 FR 
11803 (March 19, 2009) (SR-NYSEALTR-2009-24).
    \5\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 60758 (October 1, 
2009), 74 FR 51639 (October 7, 2009) (SR-NYSEAmex-2009-65). See also 
Securities Exchange Act Release No. 61030 (November 19, 2009), 74 FR 
62365 (November 27, 2009) (SR-NYSEAmex-2009-83). See also Securities 
Exchange Act Release No. 61725 (March 17, 2010), 75 FR 14223 (March 
24, 2010) (SR-NYSEAmex-2010-28).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Exchange notes that parallel changes are proposed to be made to 
the rules of New York Stock Exchange LLC.\6\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \6\ See SR-NYSE-2010-61.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Background \7\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \7\ The information contained herein is a summary of the NMM 
Pilot. For a fuller description of the pilot see Securities Exchange 
Act Release No. 58845 (October 24, 2008), 73 FR 64379 (October 29, 
2008) (SR-NYSE-2008-46).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    In December 2008, NYSE Amex implemented significant changes to its 
market rules, execution technology and the rights and obligations of 
its market participants all of which were designed to improve execution 
quality on the Exchange. These changes are all elements of the 
Exchange's enhanced market model that it implemented through the NMM 
Pilot.
    As part of the NMM Pilot, NYSE Amex eliminated the function of 
specialists on the Exchange creating a new category of market 
participant, the Designated Market Maker or DMM.\8\ The DMMs, like 
specialists, have affirmative obligations to make an orderly market, 
including continuous quoting requirements and obligations to re-enter 
the market when reaching across to execute against trading interest. 
Unlike specialists, DMMs have a minimum quoting requirement \9\ in 
their assigned securities and no longer have a negative obligation. 
DMMs are also no longer agents for public customer orders.\10\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \8\ See NYSE Amex Equities Rule 103.
    \9\ See NYSE Amex Equities Rule 104.
    \10\ See NYSE Amex Equities Rule 60; See also NYSE Amex Equities 
Rules 104 and 1000.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    In addition, the Exchange implemented a system change that allowed 
DMMs to create a schedule of additional non-displayed liquidity at 
various price points where the DMM is willing to interact with interest 
and provide price improvement to orders in the Exchange's system. This 
schedule is known as the DMM Capital Commitment Schedule (``CCS'').\11\ 
CCS

[[Page 54936]]

provides the Display Book[supreg] \12\ with the amount of shares that 
the DMM is willing to trade at price points outside, at and inside the 
Exchange Best Bid or Best Offer (``BBO''). CCS interest is separate and 
distinct from other DMM interest in that it serves as the interest of 
last resort.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \11\ See NYSE Amex Equities Rule 1000.
    \12\ The Display Book system is an order management and 
execution facility. The Display Book system receives and displays 
orders to the DMMs, contains the order information, and provides a 
mechanism to execute and report transactions and publish the results 
to the Consolidated Tape. The Display Book system is connected to a 
number of other Exchange systems for the purposes of comparison, 
surveillance, and reporting information to customers and other 
market data and national market systems.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The NMM Pilot further modified the logic for allocating executed 
shares among market participants having trading interest at a price 
point upon execution of incoming orders. The modified logic rewards 
displayed orders that establish the Exchange's BBO. During the 
operation of the NMM Pilot orders, or portions thereof, that establish 
priority \13\ retain that priority until the portion of the order that 
established priority is exhausted. Where no one order has established 
priority, shares are distributed among all market participants on 
parity.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \13\ See NYSE Amex Equities Rule 72(a)(ii).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The NMM Pilot was originally scheduled to end operation on October 
1, 2009, or such earlier time as the Commission may determine to make 
the rules permanent. The Exchange filed to extend the operation of the 
Pilot on three occasions \14\ in order to prepare a rule filing seeking 
permission to make the above described changes permanent. The Exchange 
is currently still preparing such formal submission but does not expect 
that filing to be completed and approved by the Commission before 
September 30, 2010.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \14\ See supra note 2 [sic].
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Proposal to Extend the Operation of the NMM Pilot
    NYSE Amex established the NMM Pilot to provide incentives for 
quoting, to enhance competition among the existing group of liquidity 
providers and add a new competitive market participant. The Exchange 
believes that the NMM Pilot allows the Exchange to provide its market 
participants with a trading venue that utilizes an enhanced market 
structure to encourage the addition of liquidity, facilitate the 
trading of larger orders more efficiently and operates to reward 
aggressive liquidity providers. As such, the Exchange believes that the 
rules governing the NMM Pilot should be made permanent. Through this 
filing the Exchange seeks to extend the current operation of the NMM 
Pilot until January 31, 2011, in order to allow the Exchange time to 
formally submit a filing to the Commission to convert the pilot rules 
to permanent rules.
2. Statutory Basis
    The basis under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the ``Act'') 
for this proposed rule change is the requirement under Section 6(b)(5) 
that an exchange have rules that are designed 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. The Exchange 
believes that the instant filing is consistent with these principles 
because the NMM Pilot provides its market participants with a trading 
venue that utilizes an enhanced market structure to encourage the 
addition of liquidity, facilitate the trading of larger orders more 
efficiently and operates to reward aggressive liquidity providers. 
Moreover, the instant filing requesting an extension of the NMM Pilot 
will permit adequate time for: (i) The Exchange to prepare and submit a 
filing to make the rules governing the NMM Pilot permanent; (ii) public 
notice and comment; and (iii) completion of the 19b-4 approval process.

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 foregoing 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, it 
has become effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act \15\ 
and Rule 19b-4(f)(6) thereunder.\16\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \15\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
    \16\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6). In addition, Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii) 
requires the self-regulatory organization to submit to 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. The Exchange has satisfied this requirement.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    At any time within 60 days of the filing of the proposed rule 
change, the Commission summarily may temporarily suspend 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-NYSEAmex-2010-86 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-2010-86. 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 website (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

[[Page 54937]]

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 informationthat you wish to make 
available publicly. All submissions should refer to File Number SR-
NYSEAmex-2010-86 and should be submitted on or before September 30, 
2010.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\17\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \17\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Florence E. Harmon,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2010-22445 Filed 9-8-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8010-01-P