[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 107 (Wednesday, June 4, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32353-32354]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-12946]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-72278; File No. SR-ISEGemini-2014-14]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; ISE Gemini, LLC; Notice of Filing 
and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change To Extend the Penny 
Pilot Program

May 29, 2014.
    Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 
(the ``Act''),\1\ and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,\2\ notice is hereby given 
that on May 28, 2014, ISE Gemini, LLC (the ``Exchange'' or ``ISE 
Gemini'') filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission the 
proposed rule change as described in Items I, II, and III 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\ 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

    ISE Gemini proposes to amend its rules relating to a pilot program 
to quote and to trade certain options in pennies (``Penny Pilot 
Program''). The text of the proposed rule change is available on the 
Exchange's Web site www.ise.com, at the principal office of the 
Exchange, 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
    Under the Penny Pilot Program, the minimum price variation for all 
participating options classes, except for the Nasdaq-100 Index Tracking 
Stock (``QQQQ''), the SPDR S&P 500 Exchange Traded Fund (``SPY'') and 
the iShares Russell 2000 Index Fund (``IWM''), is $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. QQQQ, SPY and IWM are quoted in $0.01 
increments for all options series. The Penny Pilot Program is currently 
scheduled to expire on June 30, 2014.\3\ The Exchange proposes to 
extend the time period of the Penny Pilot Program through December 31, 
2014, and to provide revised dates for adding replacement issues to the 
Penny Pilot Program. The Exchange proposes that any Penny Pilot Program 
issues that have been delisted may be replaced on the second trading 
day following July 1, 2014. The replacement issues will be selected 
based on trading activity for the six month period beginning December 
1, 2013, and ending May 31, 2014. This filing does not propose any 
substantive changes to the Penny Pilot Program: all classes currently 
participating will remain the same and all minimum increments will 
remain unchanged. The Exchange believes the benefits to public 
customers and other market participants who will be able to express 
their true prices to buy and sell options have been demonstrated to 
outweigh the increase in quote traffic.
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    \3\ See Exchange Act Release No. 71141 (December 19, 2013), 78 
FR 78457 (December 26, 2013) (SR-TOPAZ-2013-21).
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2. Basis
    The basis under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the ``Exchange 
Act'') for this proposed rule change is found in Section 6(b)(5), in 
that the proposed rule change is designed to promote just and equitable 
principles of trade, 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. In particular, the proposed 
rule change, which extends the Penny Pilot Program for an additional 
six months, will enable public customers and other market participants 
to express their true prices to buy and sell options for the benefit of 
all market participants.

B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition

    This proposed rule change does not impose any burden on 
competition. Specifically, the Exchange believes that, by extending the 
expiration of the Penny Pilot Program, the proposed rule change will 
allow for further analysis of

[[Page 32354]]

the Penny Pilot Program and a determination of how the Penny Pilot 
Program should be structured in the future. In doing so, the proposed 
rule change will also serve to promote regulatory clarity and 
consistency, thereby reducing burdens on the marketplace and 
facilitating investor protection.

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

    The Exchange has not solicited, and does not intend to solicit, 
comments on this proposed rule change. The Exchange has not received 
any written comments from members or other interested parties.

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 \4\ and Rule 19b-
4(f)(6) thereunder.\5\ 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 
as required by Rule 19b-4(f)(6).
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    \4\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
    \5\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).
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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. 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 Email to [email protected]. Please include 
File No. SR-ISEGemini-2014-14 on the subject line.

Paper Comments

     Send paper comments in triplicate to Secretary, Securities 
and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street NE., Washington, DC 20549-1090.

All submissions should refer to File Number SR-ISEGemini-2014-14. 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 ISE Gemini. 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-ISEGemini-2014-14 and should 
be submitted by June 25, 2014.
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    \6\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\6\
Kevin M. O'Neill,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2014-12946 Filed 6-3-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P