[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 48 (Thursday, March 12, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13047-13049]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-05607]
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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
[Release No. 34-74455; File No. SR-NYSEMKT-2015-14]
Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE MKT LLC; Notice of Filing and
Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change To Extend the Pilot
Period for the Exchange's Retail Liquidity Program, Which Is Currently
Scheduled To Expire on March 31, 2015, Until September 30, 2015
March 6, 2015.
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 February 27, 2015, NYSE MKT LLC (the ``Exchange'' or ``NYSE MKT'')
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (``SEC'' or
``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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I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance
of the Proposed Rule Change
The Exchange proposes to extend the pilot period for the Exchange's
Retail Liquidity Program (the ``Retail Liquidity Program'' or the
``Program''), which is currently scheduled to expire on March 31, 2015,
until September 30, 2015. The text of the proposed rule change is
available on the Exchange's Web site at www.nyse.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 those 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 parts 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 purpose of this filing is to extend the pilot period of the
Retail Liquidity Program,\3\ currently scheduled to expire on March 31,
2015, until September 30, 2015.
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\3\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 72625 (July 16,
2014), 79 FR 42566 (July 22, 2014) (SR-NYSEMKT-2014-60).
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Background
In July 2012, the Commission approved the Retail Liquidity Program
on a pilot basis.\4\ The Program is designed to attract retail order
flow to the Exchange, and allows such order flow to receive potential
price improvement. The Program is currently limited to trades occurring
at prices equal to or greater than $1.00 per share. Under the Program,
Retail Liquidity Providers (``RLPs'') are able to provide potential
price improvement in the form of a non-displayed order that is priced
better than the Exchange's best protected bid or offer (``PBBO''),
called a Retail Price Improvement Order (``RPI''). When there is an RPI
in a particular security, the Exchange disseminates an indicator, known
as the Retail Liquidity Identifier, indicating that such interest
exists. Retail Member Organizations (``RMOs'') can submit a Retail
Order to the Exchange, which would interact, to the extent possible,
with available contra-side RPIs.
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\4\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 67347 (July 3,
2012), 77 FR 40673 (July 10, 2012) (``RLP Approval Order'') (SR-
NYSEAmex-2011-84).
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[[Page 13048]]
The Retail Liquidity Program was approved by the Commission on a
pilot basis. Pursuant to NYSE MKT Rule 107C(m)--Equities, the pilot
period for the Program is scheduled to end on March 31, 2015.
Proposal To Extend the Operation of the Program
The Exchange established the Retail Liquidity Program in an attempt
to attract retail order flow to the Exchange by potentially providing
price improvement to such order flow. The Exchange believes that the
Program promotes competition for retail order flow by allowing Exchange
members to submit RPIs to interact with Retail Orders. Such competition
has the ability to promote efficiency by facilitating the price
discovery process and generating additional investor interest in
trading securities, thereby promoting capital formation. The Exchange
believes that extending the pilot is appropriate because it will allow
the Exchange and the Commission additional time to analyze data
regarding the Program that the Exchange has committed to provide.\5\ As
such, the Exchange believes that it is appropriate to extend the
current operation of the Program.\6\ Through this filing, the Exchange
seeks to amend NYSE MKT Rule 107C(m)--Equities and extend the current
pilot period of the Program until September 30, 2015.
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\5\ See id. at 40681.
\6\ Concurrently with this filing, the Exchange has submitted a
request for an extension of the exemption under Regulation NMS Rule
612 previously granted by the Commission that permits it to accept
and rank the undisplayed RPIs. See Letter from Martha Redding,
Senior Counsel, NYSE Group, Inc. to Brent J. Fields, Secretary,
Securities and Exchange Commission, dated February 27, 2015.
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2. Statutory Basis
The proposed rule change is consistent with Section 6(b) of the
Act,\7\ in general, and furthers the objectives of Section 6(b)(5),\8\
in particular, in that it is designed to promote just and equitable
principles of trade, 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. The Exchange
believes that extending the pilot period for the Retail Liquidity
Program is consistent with these principles because the Program is
reasonably designed to attract retail order flow to the exchange
environment, while helping to ensure that retail investors benefit from
the better price that liquidity providers are willing to give their
orders. Additionally, as previously stated, the competition promoted by
the Program may facilitate the price discovery process and potentially
generate additional investor interest in trading securities. The
extension of the pilot period will allow the Commission and the
Exchange to continue to monitor the Program for its potential effects
on public price discovery, and on the broader market structure.
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\7\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
\8\ 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 that is not necessary or appropriate
in furtherance of the purposes of the Act. The proposed rule change
simply extends an established pilot program for an additional six
months, thus allowing the Retail Liquidity Program to enhance
competition for retail order flow and contribute to the public price
discovery process.
C. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed
Rule Change Received From Members, Participants, or Others
No written comments were solicited or received with respect to 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 \9\ and Rule 19b-4(f)(6) thereunder.\10\
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 and Rule 19b-
4(f)(6)(iii) thereunder.
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\9\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(iii).
\10\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).
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A proposed rule change filed under Rule 19b-4(f)(6) \11\ normally
does not become operative prior to 30 days after the date of the
filing. However, pursuant to Rule 19b4(f)(6)(iii),\12\ the Commission
may designate a shorter time if such action is consistent with the
protection of investors and the public interest.
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\11\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).
\12\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6)(iii).
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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 under
Section 19(b)(2)(B) \13\ of the Act to determine whether the proposed
rule change should be approved or disapproved.
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\13\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2)(B).
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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-NYSEMKT-2015-14 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-NYSEMKT-2015-14. 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 such
[[Page 13049]]
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-NYSEMKT-2015-14, and should be submitted on or before
April 2, 2015.
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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Jill M. Peterson,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2015-05607 Filed 3-11-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P