[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 59 (Monday, March 28, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17178-17180]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-7167]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-64107; File No. SR-NYSEAmex-2011-15]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Amex LLC; Notice of Filing 
and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change To Extend the 
Operation of Its Pilot Program Regarding Minimum Value Sizes for 
Flexible Exchange Options

March 22, 2011.
    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 March 11, 2011, 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.
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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 Change

    The Exchange proposes to amend its option trading rules to extend 
the operation of its pilot program (``Pilot Program'') regarding 
minimum value sizes for flexible exchange options (``FLEX Options''), 
currently scheduled to expire on March 28, 2011, until March 30, 2012. 
The text of the proposed rule change is available at the Exchange; on 
the Exchange's Web site (http://www.nyse.com); on the Commission's Web 
site at http://www.sec.gov; and 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 hereby proposes to amend its option trading rules to 
extend the operation of its Pilot Program regarding minimum value sizes 
for FLEX Options, currently scheduled to expire on March 28, 2011,\4\ 
until March 30, 2012. This filing does not propose any substantive 
changes to the Pilot Program and contemplates that all other terms of 
FLEX Options will remain the same. The Exchange believes that extending 
the Pilot Program will benefit public customers and other market 
participants who will be able to use FLEX Options to manage risk for 
smaller portfolios.
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    \4\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 62084 (May 12, 
2010), 75 FR 28091 (May 19, 2010) (SR-NYSEAmex-2010-40).
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    In support of the proposed extension of the Pilot Program, and as 
required by the terms of the Pilot Program's implementation,\5\ the 
Exchange has submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission 
(``SEC'' or ``Commission'') a Pilot Program Report that provides an 
analysis of the Pilot Program covering the period during which the 
Pilot Program has been in effect. This Pilot Program Report includes 
(i) data and analysis on the open interest and trading volume in (a) 
FLEX Equity Options that have opening transactions with a minimum size 
of 0 to 249 contracts and less than $1 million in underlying value; (b) 
FLEX Index Options that have opening transactions with a minimum 
opening size of less than $10 million in underlying equivalent value; 
and (ii) analysis on the types of investors that initiated opening FLEX 
Equity and Index Options transactions (i.e., institutional, high net 
worth, or retail). The report has been submitted to the Commission on a 
confidential basis.
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    \5\ Id.
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    The Exchange believes that there is sufficient investor interest 
and demand in the Pilot Program to warrant extension for an additional 
year. The Exchange believes that the Pilot Program has provided 
investors with additional means of managing their risk exposures and 
carrying out their investment objectives. The Exchange has not 
experienced any adverse market effects with respect to the Pilot 
Program.
    If, in the future, the Exchange proposes an additional extension of 
the Pilot Program, or should the Exchange propose to make the Pilot 
Program

[[Page 17179]]

permanent, the Exchange will submit, along with any filing proposing 
such amendments to the Pilot Program, an additional Pilot Program 
Report covering the period during which the Pilot Program was in effect 
and including the details referenced above, along with the nominal 
dollar value of the underlying security of each trade. The Pilot 
Program Report would be submitted to the Commission at least two months 
prior to the expiration date of the Pilot Program and would be provided 
on a confidential basis.
    The Exchange notes that any positions established under this Pilot 
Program would not be impacted by the expiration of the Pilot Program. 
For example, a 10-contract FLEX Equity Option opening position that 
overlies less than $1 million in the underlying security and expires in 
January 2015 could be established during the Pilot Program. If the 
Pilot Program were not extended, the position would continue to exist 
and any further trading in the series would be subject to the minimum 
value size requirements for continued trading in that series.
2. Statutory Basis
    The proposed rule change is consistent with Section 6(b) of the 
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the ``Act''),\6\ in general, and 
furthers the objectives of Section 6(b)(5),\7\ 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. 
Specifically, the Exchange believes that the proposed extension of the 
Pilot Program, which eliminates the minimum value size applicable to 
FLEX Options, would provide greater opportunities for investors to 
manage risk through the use of FLEX Options. Further, the Exchange 
notes that it has not experienced any adverse effects from the 
operation of the Pilot Program.
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    \6\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
    \7\ 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

    The Exchange has filed the proposed rule change pursuant to Section 
19(b)(3)(A)(iii) of the Act \8\ and Rule 19b-4(f)(6) thereunder.\9\ 
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 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 change has become 
effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act and Rule 19b-
4(f)(6)(iii) thereunder. The Exchange provided 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 the proposed rule 
change.
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    \8\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(iii).
    \9\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).
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    The Exchange has requested that the Commission waive the 30-day 
operative delay to permit the current pilot to continue uninterrupted. 
The Commission finds that waiver of the operative delay is consistent 
with the protection of investors and the public interest. The 
Commission notes in waiving the 30 day operative delay that NYSE Amex's 
original pilot was published for comment in the Federal Register and 
the Commission did not receive any comments on the proposed rule 
change.\10\
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    \10\ See note 4, supra.
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    Further, NYSE Amex is proposing to extend the existing pilot on the 
same terms and conditions as they were originally approved by the 
Commission. This includes, as described in more detail above, a 
representation that NYSE Amex will continue to monitor the pilot and 
submit certain interim reports during the extended pilot period, as 
well as a final report covering the pilot period should the Exchange 
decide to extend or file for permanent approval of the pilot. Finally, 
the Commission notes that the Exchange has represented that it has not 
experienced any adverse market effects with respect to the pilot 
program.
    Based on the above, the Commission finds that it is consistent with 
investor protection and the public interest to waive the 30 day 
operative delay in accordance with Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii) so that the 
pilot can continue on an uninterrupted basis, and therefore designates 
the proposal operative upon filing.\11\
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    \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 such 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-2011-15 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-2011-15. 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

[[Page 17180]]

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-2011-15 and should be submitted on or before 
April 18, 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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Cathy H. Ahn,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2011-7167 Filed 3-25-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P