[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 43 (Friday, March 4, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11634-11635]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-04709]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-77252; File No. SR-BX-2016-012]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; NASDAQ BX, Inc.; Notice of Filing 
and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change To Amend BX Options 
Chapter VII, Section 6

February 29, 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 February 17, 2016, NASDAQ BX, Inc. (``Exchange'') 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 amend BX Options Chapter VII, Section 6.
    The text of the proposed rule change is below; proposed new 
language is italicized; proposed deletions are in brackets.

Sec. 6 Market Maker Quotations

    (a)-(c) No change.
    (d) Continuous Quotes. A Market Maker must enter continuous bids 
and offers for the options to which it is registered, as follows:
    i. No change.
    ii. Bid/ask Differentials (Quote Spread Parameters). Options on 
equities (including Exchange-Traded Fund Shares), and on index options 
must be quoted with a difference not to exceed $5 between the bid and 
offer regardless of the price of the bid, including before and during 
the opening. However, respecting in-the-money series where the market 
for the underlying security is wider than $5, the bid/ask differential 
may be as wide as the quotation for the underlying security on the 
primary market. The Exchange may establish differences other than the 
above for one or more series or classes of options.
    iii. No change.
    (e)-(f) No change.

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 purpose of the proposal is to harmonize BX Options Chapter VII, 
Section 6(d)(ii) with similar provisions of the Exchange's affiliated 
exchanges regarding bid/ask differentials (also known as quote spread 
parameters). Quote spread parameters establish the maximum permissible 
width between the bid and the offer in a particular option series. 
Quote spreads apply to quotes, not orders, and are thus only applicable 
to the BX Options Market Makers who are required to submit two-sided 
quotes.\3\
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    \3\ See Chapter I, Section (a)(9) and Chapter VII, Sections 5 
and 6.
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    Specifically, the Exchange proposes to add language to its rule 
regarding bid/ask differentials to permit the Exchange to establish 
bid/ask differentials other than what is specified in the rule. Both 
the NASDAQ Options Market and the

[[Page 11635]]

NASDAQ PHLX have this provision.\4\ Some of the circumstances that may 
result in wider quote spread parameters include volatility in the 
underlying, recent news affecting the underlying and heavy volume in 
the underlying or the overlying option.
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    \4\ See NOM Chapter VII, Section 6 and PHLX Rule 
1014(c)(i)(A)(1)(a). PHLX recently amended its rules to add the same 
language respecting U.S. dollar-settled foreign currency options. 
Securities Exchange Act Release No. 76966 (January 22, 2016), 81 FR 
4724 (January 27, 2016) (SR-Phlx-2016-06).
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2. Statutory Basis
    The Exchange believes that its proposal is consistent with Section 
6(b) of the Act \5\ in general, and furthers the objectives of Section 
6(b)(5) of the Act \6\ 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, 
by permitting different quote spread parameters to be established by 
the Exchange to address specific requests as well as general market 
events. This should promote just and equitable principles of trade and 
protect investors by having quote spread parameters reflect potential 
volatility and activity in the underlying security, and thereby 
encourage robust market making that reflects current market conditions.
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    \5\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
    \6\ 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. With respect to intra-market 
competition, the proposed language will apply to all quoting market 
participants equally. With respect to inter-market competition, market 
participants who disagree with the quote spread parameters that the 
Exchange establishes may choose to trade on another options exchange.

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 \7\ and 
subparagraph (f)(6) of Rule 19b-4 thereunder.\8\
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    \7\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(a)(iii) [sic].
    \8\ 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-BX-2016-012 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-BX-2016-012. 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 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-BX-2016-012 and 
should be submitted on or before March 25, 2016.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\9\
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    \9\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Robert W. Errett,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-04709 Filed 3-3-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P