[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 244 (Monday, December 21, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 79394-79396]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-31928]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-76657; File No. SR-Phlx-2015-104]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; NASDAQ OMX PHLX LLC; Notice of 
Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change To Delete 
Rule 108

December 15, 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 December 9, 2015, 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, II,

[[Page 79395]]

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 delete Rule 108, Bids and Offers to Be 
Made Within Six Feet of Post.
    The text of the proposed rule change is below; proposed new 
language is in italics; proposed deletions are in brackets.
* * * * *
Rule 108. Reserved. [Bids and Offers to Be Made Within Six Feet of Post
    All bids and offers in any security on the floor shall be made 
within six feet of the post assigned to such security by the Exchange.]
* * * * *

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 
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

1. Purpose
    The Exchange proposes to update its rules to delete Rule 108, Bids 
and Offers to Be Made Within Six Feet of Post. Rule 108 applied to both 
the equity and options trading floors for a long time. Now, there is no 
equity trading floor and the options trading floor is configured in a 
way that this provision does not make sense. The number of people on 
the options floor has decreased over time due to increased automation 
such that the layout of the floor is more compact. The Exchange does 
not believe that the number of feet is the relevant measure of where 
bids and offers should be made, because the number of feet is not 
determinative of whether crowd participants are aware of and can 
reasonably participate in crowd trades.
    Instead, the Exchange relies on a number of other rules to ensure 
that the options trading floor operates in a fair and orderly manner. 
Specifically, Rules 110 and 1000(g) provide that bids and offers must 
be made in an audible tone of voice. In addition, Options Floor 
Procedure Advice C-7(b) provides that a Floor Broker must be loud and 
audible when representing a market and/or representing an order in the 
trading crowd. A Floor Broker must make reasonable efforts to position 
himself in the trading crowd to be heard by the majority of the trading 
crowd. A number of other provisions also refer to similar requirements, 
such as the loud and audible requirement.\3\
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    \3\ See Rules 1014(g)(v)(D)(1)(a) and 1064(a)(i).
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    Accordingly, the Exchange believes that the rules relating to 
exposing orders in the options trading crowd in an audible manner are 
sufficient and that Rule 108 can be deleted.
2. Statutory Basis
    The Exchange believes that its proposal is consistent with Section 
6(b) of the Act \4\ in general, and furthers the objectives of Section 
6(b)(5) of the Act \5\ in particular, in that it is designed to promote 
just and equitable principles of trade and to protect investors and the 
public interest by making clear that the bids and offers made on the 
options trading floor are not subject to a ``six foot'' rule but rather 
to the requirement that bids and offers occur in a loud and audible 
fashion. This should promote just and equitable principles of trade by 
helping ensure maximum participation from the trading crowd, including 
the opportunity for price improvement. The opportunity for price 
improvement should, in turn, protect investors and the public interest.
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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

    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. The proposal applies equally to 
all participants in the options trading crowd.

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)(iii) of the Act \6\ and 
subparagraph (f)(6) of Rule 19b-4 thereunder.\7\
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    \6\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(iii).
    \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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    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: (i) 
Necessary or appropriate in the public interest; (ii) for the 
protection of investors; or (iii) 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 Number SR-Phlx-2015-104 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-Phlx-2015-104. 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/

[[Page 79396]]

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-2015-104 and should be submitted on or before January 11, 2016.
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    \8\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\8\
Robert W. Errett,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2015-31928 Filed 12-18-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P