[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 132 (Wednesday, July 12, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32219-32221]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-14555]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-81083; File No. SR-CBOE-2017-051]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; Chicago Board Options Exchange, 
Incorporated; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of a 
Proposed Rule Change To Extend the Credit Option Margin Pilot Program 
Through July 18, 2018

July 6, 2017.
    Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 
(the ``Act''),\1\ and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,\2\ notice is hereby given 
that on June 22, 2017, Chicago Board Options Exchange, Incorporated 
(the ``Exchange'' or ``CBOE'') filed with the Securities and Exchange 
Commission (the ``Commission'') the proposed rule change as described 
in Items I, II, and III below, which Items have been prepared by the 
Exchange. The Exchange filed the proposal as a ``non-controversial'' 
proposed rule change pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A)(iii) of the Act 
\3\ and Rule 19b-4(f)(6) thereunder.\4\ 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.
    \3\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(iii).
    \4\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).
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I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance 
of the Proposed Rule Change

    CBOE proposes to amend Rule 12.3 by extending the Credit Option 
Margin Pilot Program through July 18, 2018.
    The text of the proposed rule change is available on the Exchange's 
Web site (http://www.cboe.com/AboutCBOE/CBOELegalRegulatoryHome.aspx), 
at the Exchange's Office of the Secretary, 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 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
    On February 2, 2011, the Commission approved the Exchange's 
proposal to establish a Credit Option Margin Pilot Program 
(``Program'').\5\ The proposal became effective on a pilot basis to run 
on a parallel track with Financial

[[Page 32220]]

Industry Regulatory Authority (``FINRA'') Rule 4240 that similarly 
operates on an interim pilot basis.\6\
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    \5\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 63819 (February 2, 
2011), 76 FR 6838 (February 8, 2011) order approving (SR-CBOE-2010-
106). To implement the Program, the Exchange amended Rule 12.3(l), 
Margin Requirements, to make CBOE's margin requirements for Credit 
Options consistent with Financial Industry Regulatory Authority 
(``FINRA'') Rule 4240, Margin Requirements for Credit Default Swaps. 
CBOE's Credit Options (i.e., Credit Default Options and Credit 
Default Basket Options) are analogous to credit default swaps.
    \6\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 59955 (May 22, 
2009), 74 FR 25586 (May 28, 2009) (Notice of Filing and Order 
Granting Accelerated Approval of Proposed Rule Change; SR-FINRA-
2009-012).
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    On January 17, 2012, the Exchange filed a rule change to, among 
other things, decouple the Program with the FINRA program and to extend 
the expiration date of the Program to January 17, 2013.\7\ The Program, 
however, continues to be substantially similar to the provisions of the 
FINRA program. Subsequently, the Exchange filed rule changes to extend 
the program until January 17, 2014, January 16, 2015, January 15, 2016, 
January 17, 2017, and July 18, 2017, respectively.\8\ The Exchange 
believes that extending the expiration date of the Program further will 
allow for further analysis of the Program and a determination of how 
the Program should be structured in the future. Thus, the Exchange is 
now currently proposing to extend the duration of the Program for an 
additional year until July 18, 2018.
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    \7\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 66163 (January 17, 
2012), 77 FR 3318 (January 23, 2012) (SR-CBOE-2012-007).
    \8\ See Securities Exchange Act Release Nos. 68539 (December 27, 
2012), 78 FR 138 (January 2, 2013) (SR-CBOE-2012-125), 71124 
(December 18, 2013), 78 FR 77754 (December 24, 2013) (SR-CBOE-2013-
123), 73837 (December 15, 2014), 79 FR 75850 (December 19, 2014) 
(SR-CBOE-2014-091), 76824 (January 5, 2016), 81 FR 1255 (January 11, 
2016) (SR-CBOE-2015-118), and 79621 (December 14, 2016) 81 FR 95236 
(December 27, 2016) (SR-CBOE-2016-089).
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    Additionally, the Exchange believes that it is in the public 
interest to extend the expiration date of the Program because it will 
continue to allow the Exchange to list Credit Options for trading. As a 
result, the Exchange will remain competitive with the Over-the-Counter 
Market with respect to swaps and security-based swaps. In the future, 
if the Exchange proposes an additional extension of the Credit Option 
Margin Pilot Program or proposes to make the Program permanent, then 
the Exchange will submit a filing proposing such amendments to the 
Program.
2. Statutory Basis
    The Exchange believes the proposed rule change is consistent with 
the Act and the rules and regulations thereunder applicable to the 
Exchange and, in particular, the requirements of Section 6(b) of the 
Act.\9\ Specifically, the Exchange believes the proposed rule change is 
consistent with the Section 6(b)(5) \10\ requirements that the rules of 
an exchange be 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 
facilitation 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. 
Additionally, the Exchange believes the proposed rule change is 
consistent with the Section 6(b)(5) \11\ requirement that the rules of 
an exchange not be designed to permit unfair discrimination between 
customers, issuers, brokers, or dealers.
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    \9\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
    \10\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
    \11\ Id.
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    In particular, the Exchange believes that the proposed rule change 
will further the purposes of the Act because, consistent with the goals 
of the Commission at the initial adoption of the program, the margin 
requirements set forth by the proposed rule change will help to 
stabilize the financial markets. In addition, the proposed rule change 
is substantially similar to existing FINRA Rule 4240.

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

    CBOE 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. Specifically, the Exchange 
believes that, by extending the expiration of the Program, the proposed 
rule change will allow for further analysis of the Program and a 
determination of how the Program shall be structured in the future. In 
doing so, the proposed rule change will also serve to promote 
regulatory clarity and consistency, thereby reducing burdens on the 
marketplace and facilitating investor protection.

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

    The Exchange neither solicited nor received comments on the 
proposed rule change.

III. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed Rule Change and Timing for 
Commission Action

    Because the foregoing proposed rule change does not:
    A. Significantly affect the protection of investors or the public 
interest;
    B. impose any significant burden on competition; and
    C. 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 \12\ and 
Rule 19b-4(f)(6) \13\ thereunder.
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    \12\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
    \13\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).
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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. If the Commission 
takes such action, the Commission will institute proceedings to 
determine whether the proposed rule change 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-CBOE-2017-051 on the subject line.

Paper Comments

     Send paper comments in triplicate to Robert W. Errett, 
Deputy Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street NE., 
Washington, DC 20549-1090.

All submissions should refer to File Number SR-CBOE-2017-051. 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

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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-CBOE-2017-051 and should be submitted on or before 
August 2, 2017.

    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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Eduardo A. Aleman,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2017-14555 Filed 7-11-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P