[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 228 (Wednesday, November 26, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70605-70607]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-27978]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-73660; File No. SR-Phlx-2014-74]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; NASDAQ OMX PHLX LLC; Notice of 
Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change to Clarify 
the Exchange's Pricing Schedule Under Section VIII With Respect to 
Execution and Routing of Orders in Securities Priced at $1 or More Per 
Share

November 20, 2014.
    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 November 12, 2014, NASDAQ OMX PHLX LLC (``Phlx'' or ``Exchange'') 
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (``SEC'' or 
``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 make a minor clarifying change to Section 
VIII of the Pricing Schedule entitled ``NASDAQ OMX PSX Fees,'' with 
respect to execution and routing of orders in securities priced at $1 
or more per share.
    The text of the proposed rule change is available on the Exchange's 
Web site at http://nasdaqomxphlx.cchwallstreet.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 Exchange included statements 
concerning the purpose of and basis for the proposed rule change and 
discussed

[[Page 70606]]

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 
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

1. Purpose
    The purpose of the proposed rule change is to make a minor 
clarifying change to the Pricing Schedule applicable to shares executed 
on the NASDAQ OMX PSX System (``PSX''). Specifically, the Exchange 
proposes to clarify the definition of Consolidated Volume under Section 
VIII(a) of the Pricing Schedule. The Exchange recently adopted \3\ the 
definition of Consolidated Volume, which is used as a measure in 
determining market participant eligibility for certain credits for 
participation in PSX. Consolidated Volume is currently defined as the 
total consolidated volume reported to all consolidated transaction 
reporting plans by all exchanges and trade reporting facilities during 
a month, excluding executed orders with a size of less than one round 
lot. The Exchange compares a participant's equity transactions in PSX 
to Consolidated Volume to determine how impactful its particular order 
activity in PSX is in relation to overall equity market volume. The 
Exchange notes that the definition of Consolidated Volume does not 
expressly state that it encompasses equity securities only. 
Accordingly, the Exchange is proposing to add language to the 
definition to clarify that the definition under Section VIII(a) applies 
only to equity securities.
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    \3\ See SR-Phlx-2014-70, filed with the Commission on October 
24, 2014 (awaiting publication in the Federal Register).
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2. Statutory Basis
    The Exchange believes that the proposed rule change is consistent 
with Section 6 of the Act,\4\ in general, and furthers the objectives 
of Sections 6(b)(4) and 6(b)(5) of the Act,\5\ in particular, in that 
it provides for the equitable allocation of reasonable dues, fees and 
other charges among members and issuers and other persons using any 
facility or system which the Exchange operates or controls, and 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; and are not 
designed to permit unfair discrimination between customers, issuers, 
brokers, or dealers. Specifically, the proposed change furthers these 
objectives because it clarifies the rule and helps avoid potential 
investor confusion on how the credits that use the definition are 
applied. The Exchange notes that it is not changing how the rule is 
applied, and therefore the credits provided continue to be reasonable 
and equitably allocated among market participants.
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    \4\ 15 U.S.C. 78f.
    \5\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(4) and (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 
result in any burden on competition that is not necessary or 
appropriate in furtherance of the purposes of the Act, as amended. 
Specifically, the change does not alter the meaning or application of 
the Exchange's Pricing Schedule, and therefore does not affect 
competition in any respect.

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: (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 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)(ii) of the Act \6\ and Rule 
19b-4(f)(6) thereunder.\7\
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    \6\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(a)(ii).
    \7\ 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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    A proposed rule change filed under Rule 19b-4(f)(6) \8\ normally 
may not become operative prior to 30 days after the date of filing. 
However, Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii) \9\ permits the Commission to designate 
a shorter time if such action is consistent with the protection of 
investors and the public interest. The Exchange has requested that the 
Commission to waive the 30-day operative delay period to allow the 
Exchange to immediately implement a change in rule language that will 
serve to enhance the clarity and consistency of the Exchange's Pricing 
Schedule. The Commission believes that the proposed rule change will 
enhance clarity and avoid possible misinterpretation of the rule. For 
these reasons, the Commission believes that the proposed rule change 
presents no novel issues and that waiver of the 30-day operative delay 
is consistent with the protection of investors and the public interest. 
Therefore, the Commission hereby designates the proposed rule change to 
be operative upon filing.\10\
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    \8\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).
    \9\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6)(iii).
    \10\ For purposes only of waiving the 30-day 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:

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-Phlx-2014-74 on the subject line.

Paper Comments

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

All submissions should refer to File Number SR-Phlx-2014-74. 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

[[Page 70607]]

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-Phlx-2014-74 and should be 
submitted on or before December 17, 2014.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\11\
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    \11\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Kevin M. O'Neill,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2014-27978 Filed 11-25-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P