[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 8 (Wednesday, January 12, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2188-2189]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-444]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-63657; File No. SR-NASDAQ-2011-002]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; Notice of Filing and Immediate 
Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change by NASDAQ Stock Market, LLC 
Relating to the $5 Strike Price Program

January 6, 2011.
    Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 
(``Act'') \1\ and Rule 19b-4 \2\ thereunder, notice is hereby given 
that on January 3, 2011 The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC (``NASDAQ'' or 
``Exchange'') filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission 
(``SEC'' or ``Commission'') the proposed rule change as described in 
Items I and II below, which Items have been prepared by the NASDAQ. 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 NASDAQ Stock Market LLC proposes to amend Chapter IV, 
Securities Traded on NOM, Section 6, Series of Open Contracts Open for 
Trading, to clarify that the Exchange may list option classes 
designated by other securities exchanges that employ a similar $5 
Strike Price Program under their respective rules.
    The text of the proposed rule change is available on the Exchange's 
Web site at http://www.nasdaq.cchwallstreet.com, at the principal 
office of the Exchange, 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 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 purpose of this proposed rule change is to modify Chapter IV, 
Section 6(d) to allow the Exchange to clarify that the Exchange may 
list and trade series in intervals of $5 or greater where the strike 
price is more than $200 in up to five (5) option classes on individual 
stocks (``$5 Strike Price Program'') or the Exchange may list series on 
any other option classes if those classes are specifically designated 
by other securities exchanges that employ a similar $5 Strike Price 
Program under their respective rules.
    The Exchange recently filed a proposed rule change to list and 
trade series in intervals of $5 or greater where the strike price is 
more than $200 in up to five (5) option classes on individual stocks 
(``$5 Strike Price Program'').\3\ The Exchange is now proposing to 
clarify that the options may be listed and traded in series that are 
listed by the Exchange or other securities exchanges that employ a 
similar $5 Strike Price Program, pursuant to the rules of the other 
securities exchange. Similar reciprocity currently is permitted with 
the Exchange's $1 Strike Program, $.50 Strike Program and $2.50 Strike 
Price Program.\4\
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    \3\ See SR-NASDAQ-2010-001 [sic].
    \4\ See Chapter IV, Section 6.
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2. Statutory Basis
    The Exchange believes that its proposal is consistent with Section 
6(b) of the Act \5\ in general, and furthers the objectives of Section 
6(b)(5) of the Act \6\ in particular, in that it is 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 clarifying that the Exchange may list and 
trade options in series that are listed by the Exchange or other 
securities exchanges that employ a similar $5 Strike Price

[[Page 2189]]

Program will provide its members greater clarity on the types of 
options that may be listed by the Exchange.
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    \5\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
    \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 
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

    No written comments were either solicited or received.

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

    Because the foregoing 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 from the date on which it was filed, 
or such shorter time as the Commission may designate, it 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 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 this requirement.
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    The Exchange has requested that the Commission waive the 30-day 
operative delay. The Commission believes that waiver of the operative 
delay is consistent with the protection of investors and the public 
interest because the proposed reciprocity provision is similar to 
reciprocity provisions in place for other option strike price 
programs,\9\ which have been previously approved by the Commission.\10\ 
Therefore, the Commission designates the proposal operative upon 
filing.\11\
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    \9\ See Chapter IV, Section 6, Supplementary Material .02(a) ($1 
Strike Program), .05 ($0.50 Strike Program), and .03(a) ($2.50 
Strike Program).
    \10\ See, e.g., Securities Exchange Act Release No. 60694 
(September 18, 2009); 74 FR 49048 (September 25, 2009) (SR-Phlx-
2009-65) (approving NASDAQ OMX PHLX's $0.50 Strike Program, with 
reciprocity provision).
    \11\ 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 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-NASDAQ-2011-002 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-NASDAQ-2011-002. 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, 100 F 
Street, NE., Washington, DC 20549, 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-
NASDAQ-2011-002 and should be submitted on or before February 2, 2011.


    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\12\
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    \12\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Elizabeth M. Murphy,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2011-444 Filed 1-11-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P