[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 162 (Monday, August 22, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52374-52375]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-21320]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-65140; File No. SR-Phlx-2011-116]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; NASDAQ OMX PHLX LLC; Notice of 
Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change Extending 
the Pilot Period To Receive Inbound Routes of Orders From NASDAQ 
Options Services

August 16, 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 August 11, 2011, NASDAQ OMX PHLX LLC (``Phlx'' or ``Exchange'') 
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission'') the 
proposed rule change as described in Items I and II 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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I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance 
of the Proposed Rule Change

    Phlx submits this proposed rule change to extend the pilot period 
of Phlx's prior approval to receive inbound routes of certain option 
orders from Nasdaq Options Services, LLC (``NOS'') through November 25, 
2011.

II. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and 
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

    In its filing with the Commission, Phlx 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. Phlx 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
    Currently, NOS is the approved outbound routing facility of The 
NASDAQ Stock Market LLC (``NASDAQ'') for options, providing outbound 
routing from The NASDAQ Option Market (``NOM'') to other market 
centers.\3\ Phlx also has been previously approved to receive inbound 
routes of certain option orders by NOS in its capacity as an order 
routing facility of NASDAQ for NOM on a pilot basis.\4\ The Exchange 
hereby seeks to extend the previously approved pilot period for such 
inbound routing (with the attendant obligations and conditions) for an 
additional 3 months through November 25, 2011.\5\
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    \3\ NOM Rule Chapter VI, Section 11; See Securities Exchange Act 
Release No. 57478 (March 12, 2008), 73 FR 14521 (March 18, 2008) 
(SR-NASDAQ-2007-004; SR-NASDAQ-2007-080).
    \4\ See Securities Exchange Act Release Nos. 58179 (July 17, 
2008), 73 FR 42874 (July 23, 2008) (SR-Phlx-2008-31); 61667 (March 
5, 2010), 75 FR 11964 (March 12, 2010) (SR-Phlx-2010-36); 61668 
(March 5, 2010), 75 FR 12323 (March 15, 2010) (SR-NASDAQ-2010-028); 
63873 (February 9, 2011), 76 FR 8798 (February 15, 2011) (SR-Phlx-
2011-16).
    \5\ The Exchange has filed a separate proposal with the 
Commission seeking permanent approval of the Phlx and NOS routing 
relationship. See SR-Phlx-2011-111.
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2. Statutory Basis
    The Exchange believes that the proposed rule change is consistent 
with the provisions of Section 6 of the Act,\6\ in general, and with 
Section 6(b)(5) of the Act,\7\ in particular, in that the proposal 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 regulating, clearing, 
settling, processing information with respect to, and facilitating 
transactions in securities, 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. Specifically, 
the proposed rule change will allow the Exchange to continue receiving 
inbound routes of option orders from NOS acting in its capacity as a 
facility of NASDAQ for NOM, in a manner consistent with prior approvals 
and established protections. The Exchange believes that extending the 
previously approved pilot period for three months is of sufficient 
length to permit both the Exchange and the

[[Page 52375]]

Commission to assess the impact of the Exchange's authority to receive 
direct inbound routes of option orders via NOS (including the attendant 
obligations and conditions) while the Commission evaluates the 
Exchange's pending rule change to make the pilot program permanent.
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    \6\ 15 U.S.C. 78f.
    \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 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

    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 \8\ and Rule 19b-
4(f)(6) thereunder.\9\
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    \8\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
    \9\ 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 Exchange believes that the proposed rule change 
does not significantly affect the protection of investors or the public 
interest because it seeks to extend for a limited period a currently 
operating pilot program so as to allow the Exchange and Commission to 
assess whether to make the pilot permanent in accordance with its 
attendant obligations and conditions.\10\ The Commission believes that 
waiver of the operative delay is consistent with the protection of 
investors and the public interest because such waiver would allow the 
pilot period to be extended without undue delay through November 25, 
2011 while the Exchange's proposal to make the pilot permanent is under 
consideration. Therefore, the Commission designates the proposal 
operative upon filing.\11\
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    \10\ See SR-Phlx-2011-116, Item 7.
    \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-Phlx-2011-116 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-Phlx-2011-116. 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 on official business 
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 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-
Phlx-2011-116, and should be submitted on or before September 12, 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. 2011-21320 Filed 8-19-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P