[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 243 (Wednesday, December 18, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76691-76693]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-30040]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-71056; File No. SR-BOX-2013-56]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; BOX Options Exchange LLC; Notice 
of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed Rule Change To 
Extend the Penny Pilot Program

December 12, 2013.
    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 December 3, 2013, BOX Options Exchange LLC (the ``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

    The Exchange proposes to amend Rule 7260 to extend, through June 
30, 2014, the pilot program that permits certain classes to be quoted 
in penny increments (``Penny Pilot Program''). The text of the proposed 
rule change is available from the principal office of the

[[Page 76692]]

Exchange, on the Exchange's Internet Web site at http://boxexchange.com, 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 Exchange 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 Exchange 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 the 
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

1. Purpose
    The Exchange proposes to extend the effective time period of the 
Penny Pilot Program that is currently scheduled to expire on December 
31, 2013, for an additional six months, through June 30, 2014.\3\ The 
Penny Pilot Program permits certain classes to be quoted in penny 
increments. The minimum price variation for all classes included in the 
Penny Pilot Program, except for the QQQs, SPY and IWM, will continue to 
be $0.01 for all quotations in options series that are quoted at less 
than $3 per contract and $0.05 for all quotations in options series 
that are quoted at $3 per contract or greater. The QQQs, SPY and IWM, 
will continue to be quoted in $0.01 increments for all options series.
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    \3\ The Penny Pilot Program has been in effect on the Exchange 
since its inception in May 2012. See Securities Exchange Act Release 
Nos. 66871 (April 27, 2012) 77 FR 26323 (May 3, 2012) (File No.10-
206, In the Matter of the Application of BOX Options Exchange LLC 
for Registration as a National Securities Exchange Findings, 
Opinion, and Order of the Commission), 67328 (June 29, 2012) 77 FR 
40123 (July 6, 2012) (SR-BOX-2012-007), 68425 (December 13, 2012) 77 
FR 75234 (December 19, 2013) (SR-BOX-2012-021) and 69789 (June 18, 
2013) 78 FR 37854 (June 24, 2013) (SR-BOX-2013-31). The extension of 
the effective date is the only change to the Penny Pilot Program 
being proposed at this time.
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    The Exchange may replace any Pilot Program classes that have been 
delisted on the second trading day following January 1, 2014. The 
replacement classes will be selected based on trading activity for the 
six month period beginning June 1, 2013, and ending November 30, 2013. 
The Exchange will employ the same parameters to prospective replacement 
classes as approved and applicable under the Pilot Program, including 
excluding high-priced underlying securities. The Exchange will 
distribute a Regulatory Circular notifying Participants which 
replacement classes shall be included in the Penny Pilot Program.
2. Statutory Basis
    The Exchange believes that the proposal is consistent with the 
requirements of Section 6(b) of the Act,\4\ in general, and Section 
6(b)(5) of the Act,\5\ in particular, in that it is designed 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 for a free and open market and a national market 
system and, in general, to protect investors and the public interest. 
In particular, the proposed extension will allow the Penny Pilot 
Program to remain in effect without interruption.
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    \4\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
    \5\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
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B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition

    Because the proposed rule change does not impose any new or 
additional burden on BOX Options Participants, and only extends the 
current Penny Pilot Program, 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

    The Exchange has neither solicited nor received comments on 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 \6\ and Rule 19b-4(f)(6) thereunder.\7\ 
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 \8\ and Rule 19b-
4(f)(6)(iii) thereunder.\9\
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    \6\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(iii).
    \7\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).
    \8\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
    \9\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6)(iii).
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    A proposed rule change filed under Rule 19b-4(f)(6) normally does 
not become operative prior to 30 days after the date of the filing.\10\ 
However, pursuant to Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii),\11\ the Commission may 
designate a shorter time if such action is consistent with the 
protection of investors and the public interest. The Exchange has asked 
the Commission to waive the 30-day operative delay so that the proposal 
may become operative immediately upon filing. The Commission believes 
that waiving the 30-day operative delay is consistent with the 
protection of investors and the public interest because doing so will 
allow the Pilot Program to continue without interruption in a manner 
that is consistent with the Commission's prior approval of the 
extension and expansion of the Pilot Program and will allow the 
Exchange and the Commission additional time to analyze the impact of 
the Pilot Program.\12\ Accordingly, the Commission designates the 
proposed rule change as operative upon filing with the Commission.\13\
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    \10\ 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 the 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 pre-filing requirement.
    \11\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6)(iii).
    \12\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 61061 (November 24, 
2009), 74 FR 62857 (December 1, 2009) (SR-NYSEArca-2009-44). See 
also supra note 3.
    \13\ For purposes only of waiving the operative delay for this 
proposal, 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:

[[Page 76693]]

Electronic Comments

     Use the Commission's Internet comment form (http://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml); or
     Send an email to [email protected]. Please 
include File Number SR-BOX-2013-56 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-BOX-2013-56. This file 
number should be included on the subject line if email 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 
10:00 a.m. and 3:00 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-BOX-2013-56 and should be 
submitted on or before January 8, 2014.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\14\
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    \14\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Kevin M. O'Neill,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2013-30040 Filed 12-17-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P