[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 25 (Monday, February 8, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6555-6556]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-02331]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-77015; File No. SR-FINRA-2016-003]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; Financial Industry Regulatory 
Authority, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of a 
Proposed Rule Change to Extend the Implementation Date of the ``No-
Remuneration'' Indicator

February 2, 2016.
    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 January 27, 2016, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. 
(``FINRA'') 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 FINRA. 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

    FINRA is proposing to extend the implementation date of the No-
Remuneration indicator to July 18, 2016. The proposed rule change would 
not make any changes to FINRA rules.
    The text of the proposed rule change is available on FINRA's Web 
site at http://www.finra.org, at the principal office of FINRA 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, FINRA 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. FINRA 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
    On July 20, 2015, FINRA filed a proposed rule change to amend FINRA 
Rule 6730 (Transaction Reporting), which governs the reporting of 
eligible transactions to its Trade Reporting and Compliance Engine 
(``TRACE'').\3\ Rule 6730 sets forth the requirements that apply to 
firms when reporting transactions in TRACE-eligible securities,\4\ and 
provides the specific items of information that must be included in a 
TRACE trade report. Among other things, Rules 6730(c) and (d) require 
that firms report the commission (total dollar amount) separately on 
the TRACE trade report for agency transactions. FINRA then combines the 
dollar amount that is reported as the commission with the amount that 
is reported in the price field, and disseminates to the market this 
aggregate amount as the transaction's price. For principal 
transactions, Rule 6730(d)(1) provides that firms must report a price 
that includes the mark-up/mark-down, and FINRA disseminates this price 
to the market.
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    \3\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 75588 (August 3, 
2015), 80 FR 47546 (August 7, 2015) (Notice of Filing of File No. 
SR-FINRA-2015-026).
    \4\ Rule 6710 generally defines a ``TRACE-eligible security'' 
as: (1) a debt security that is U.S. dollar-denominated and issued 
by a U.S. or foreign private issuer (and, if a ``restricted 
security'' as defined in Securities Act Rule 144(a)(3), sold 
pursuant to Securities Act Rule 144A); or (2) a debt security that 
is U.S. dollar denominated and issued or guaranteed by an ``Agency'' 
as defined in Rule 6710(k) or a ``Government-Sponsored Enterprise'' 
as defined in Rule 6710(n).
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    In SR-FINRA-2015-026, FINRA proposed to amend Rule 6730 to require 
that firms use a ``No-Remuneration'' indicator to identify those 
transactions for which a commission or mark-up/mark-down is not 
reflected in a TRACE trade report. The Commission approved the 
proposal, on October 16, 2015.\5\ In its filing, FINRA represented that 
the implementation date of these amendments would be May 23, 2016. 
FINRA has since determined to extend the implementation date for this 
proposal to July 18, 2016 to provide members additional time to 
complete systems changes necessary to comply with SR-FINRA-2015-026.
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    \5\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 76176 (October 16, 
2015), 80 FR 64039 (October 22, 2015) (Order Approving File No. SR-
FINRA-2015-026).
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    FINRA has filed the proposed rule change for immediate 
effectiveness.
2. Statutory Basis
    FINRA believes that the proposed rule change is consistent with the 
provisions of Section 15A(b)(6) of the Act,\6\ which requires, among 
other things, that FINRA rules must be designed to prevent fraudulent 
and manipulative acts and practices, to promote just and equitable 
principles of trade, and, in general, to protect investors and the 
public interest, and Section 15A(b)(9) of the Act,\7\ which requires 
that FINRA rules not impose any burden on competition that is not 
necessary or appropriate.
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    \6\ 15 U.S.C. 78o-3(b)(6).
    \7\ 15 U.S.C. 78o-3(b)(9).
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    FINRA believes that the extension of the implementation date until 
July 18, 2016, is consistent with the Act in that it would provide 
members with additional time to complete the systems changes necessary 
to comply with SR-FINRA-2015-026.

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

    FINRA 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.

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

    Written comments were neither solicited nor 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) of the Act \8\ and Rule 19b-
4(f)(6) thereunder.\9\
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    \8\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
    \9\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6). In addition, Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii) 
requires a self-regulatory organization to give the Commission 
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 of the proposed 
rule change, or such shorter time as designated by the Commission. 
FINRA has satisfied this requirement.

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[[Page 6556]]

    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. 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-FINRA-2016-003 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-FINRA-2016-003. 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 filing also will be available 
for inspection and copying at the principal office of FINRA. 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-FINRA-2016-003, and should 
be submitted on or before February 29, 2016.
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    \10\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\10\
Robert W. Errett,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-02331 Filed 2-5-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 8011-01-P