[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 80 (Tuesday, April 26, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23349-23351]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-9970]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-64311; File No. SR-NASDAQ-2011-052]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC; 
Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change To 
Eliminate the Expire Time

April 20, 2011.
    Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 
(``Act''),\1\ and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,\2\ notice is hereby given that 
on April 14, 2011, The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC (``NASDAQ'' or the 
``Exchange'') filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission 
(``Commission'') the proposed rule change as described in Items I, II, 
and III 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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[[Page 23350]]

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

    NASDAQ is filing with the Commission a proposal for the NASDAQ 
Options Market (``NOM'') to amend Chapter VI, Trading Systems, Section 
1, Definitions, and Section 6, Acceptance of Quotes and Orders, to 
eliminate the ``Time in Force'' designation called ``Expire Time.''
    This change is scheduled to be implemented on NOM on or about 
August 1, 2011; the Exchange will announce the implementation schedule 
by Options Trader Alert, once the rollout schedule is finalized.
    The text of the proposed rule change is available at 
nasdaq.cchwallstreet.com, at NASDAQ's principal office, 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, NASDAQ 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. NASDAQ 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 the proposed rule change is to eliminate the Expire 
Time. Currently, Chapter VI, Section 1(g) provides that the term ``Time 
in Force'' means the period of time that the System will hold an order 
for potential execution. Time in force conditions, which are listed in 
subsections 1(g)(1)--(5), include Expire Time, Immediate or Cancel, 
Good-till-Cancelled and WAIT. At this time, ``Expire Time'' (or 
``EXPR'') is being eliminated. Expire Time means that, for orders so 
designated, that if after entry into the System, the order is not fully 
executed, the order (or the unexecuted portion thereof) shall remain 
available for potential display and/or execution for the amount of time 
specified by the entering Participant unless canceled by the entering 
party. EXPR Orders are currently available for entry from the time 
prior to market open specified by the Exchange on its Web site until 
market close Eastern Time and for execution from 9:30 a.m. until market 
close. Chapter VI, Section 6, Acceptance of Quotes and Orders, also 
currently refers to Expire Time in subsection (a)(1), which is also 
proposed to be amended to eliminate the reference to Expire Time.
    The Exchange proposes to eliminate Expire Time, as part of some 
technological changes to NOM's trading system intended to enhance the 
system as a whole. The Exchange has determined not to incorporate this 
functionality into its enhanced trading system, because the same result 
can be achieved by Participants cancelling their orders directly. Also, 
the Exchange believes that this proposed rule change as well as other 
notification to Participants will serve to notify Participants of this 
change. The other Time in Force conditions will continue to be 
available.
2. Statutory Basis
    The Exchange believes that its proposal is consistent with Section 
6(b) of the Act \3\ in general, and furthers the objectives of Section 
6(b)(5) of the Act \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 mechanisms 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 
proposal is appropriate and reasonable, because, although it eliminates 
a time in force condition, this functionality is not required under the 
Act; the Exchange has determined to eliminate it and believes that this 
should have no detrimental effect, because it is not widely used.
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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

    NASDAQ does not believe that the proposed rule change will result 
in any burden on competition that is not necessary or appropriate in 
furtherance of the purposes of the Act, as amended.

C. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed 
Rule Change Received From Members, Participants, or Others

    Written comments were neither solicited nor received.

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 after the date of the filing, or such 
shorter time as the Commission may designate, it has become effective 
pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act \5\ and Rule 19b-4(f)(6) \6\ 
thereunder.
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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 a self-regulatory organization to give the Commission 
written notice of its intent to file 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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    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. If the Commission 
takes such action, the Commission shall institute proceedings to 
determine whether the proposed rule should be approved or disapproved.

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-2011-052 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-2011-052. 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

[[Page 23351]]

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 offices 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-2011-052 and 
should be submitted on or before May 17, 2011.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\7\
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    \7\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Cathy H. Ahn,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2011-9970 Filed 4-25-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P