[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 160 (Monday, August 21, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39641-39643]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-17551]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-81404; File No. SR-BatsBZX-2017-52]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; Bats BZX Exchange, Inc.; Notice of 
Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed Rule Change to Rule 
21.2, Days and Hours of Business

August 15, 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 August 2, 2017, Bats BZX Exchange, Inc. (the ``Exchange'' or 
``BZX'') filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the 
``Commission'') the proposed rule change as described in Items I and II 
below, which Items have been prepared by the Exchange. The Exchange has 
designated this proposal as a ``non-controversial'' proposed rule 
change pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act \3\ and Rule 19b-
4(f)(6)(iii) thereunder,\4\ which renders it effective upon filing with 
the Commission. 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).
    \4\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6)(iii).
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I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance 
of the Proposed Rule Change

    The Exchange filed a proposal to amend Rule 21.2, Days and Hours of 
Business.
    The text of the proposed rule change is available at the Exchange's 
Web site at www.bats.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 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 parts of such 
statements.

[[Page 39642]]

A. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and 
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

1. Purpose
    The purpose of this filing is to amend Rule 21.2 to clarify the 
trading hours for options on fund shares (``ETF's'') and exchange-
traded notes (``ETNs''). Specifically, the Exchange seeks to amend Rule 
21.2 to provide that options on ETF's and ETNs (collectively exchange-
traded products or ``ETPs'') may be traded on the Exchange until 3:15 
p.m. (CT) each business day. The Exchange notes that the proposed rule 
is based on C2 Options Exchange, Incorporated (``C2'') Rule 6.1 and 
NYSE MKT LLC (``NYSE MKT'') Rule 901NY Commentary .02.
    Currently, Rule 21.2 provides that all options on ETPs will be 
traded on the Exchange until 3:15 p.m. (CT); however, industry practice 
and the Exchange's current practice allow the vast majority of options 
on ETPs to be traded until 3:00 p.m. (CT), while allowing certain 
options on ETPs to trade until 3:15 p.m. (CT).\5\ This filing seeks to 
align BZX Rules with industry practice.
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    \5\ See e.g., the trading hours of options on NYSE MKT and NYSE 
Arca Inc., available at, https://www.nyse.com/markets/hours-calendars.
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2. Statutory Basis
    The Exchange believes the proposed rule change is consistent with 
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the ``Act'') and the rules and 
regulations thereunder applicable to the Exchange and, in particular, 
the requirements of Section 6(b) of the Act. Specifically, the Exchange 
believes the proposed rule change is consistent with the Section 
6(b)(5) 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 facilitating 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) requirement that the rules of an exchange not be designed to 
permit unfair discrimination between customers, issuers, brokers, or 
dealers.
    In particular, the proposed rule change will protect investors and 
the public interest by reducing potential confusing regarding BZX's 
trading hours for options on ETPs and aligning BZX's Rules regarding 
trading orders for options on ETPs with industry practice. The Exchange 
notes that the proposed rule is based on C2 Rule 6.1 and NYSE MKT Rule 
901NY Commentary .02.

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

    BZX 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 will 
not impose any burden on intermarket or intramarket competition as the 
proposed rule change will align BZX's Rules regarding trading orders 
for options on ETPs with industry practice. In addition, the proposed 
rule change does not modify the construct for trading hours but simply 
identifies the products that may close at 3:00 p.m. (CT) or 3:15 p.m. 
(CT), which is consistent with the industry.

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: (A) 
Significantly affect the protection of investors or the public 
interest; (B) impose any significant burden on competition; and (C) by 
its terms, 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 \6\ and 
paragraph (f)(6) of Rule 19b-4 thereunder.\7\
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    \6\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
    \7\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4. The Exchange has given 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.
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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: (1) 
Necessary or appropriate in the public interest; (2) for the protection 
of investors; or (3) 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-BatsBZX-2017-52 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-BatsBZX-2017-52. 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-BatsBZX-2017-52 and should 
be submitted on or before September 11, 2017.
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    \8\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).


[[Page 39643]]


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    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\8\
Eduardo A. Aleman,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2017-17551 Filed 8-18-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P