[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 78 (Monday, April 23, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17690-17691]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-08368]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-83054; File No. SR-NASDAQ-2018-027]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC; 
Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed Rule Change 
To Delete Duplicative Rules Related to the Consolidated Audit Trail 
From Its Rulebook

April 17, 2018.
    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 April 5, 2018, The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (``Nasdaq'' or 
``Exchange'') 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 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 the rules related to the 
Consolidated Audit Trail (``CAT Rules'') currently under Chapter IX, 
Sections 8 and 9 of Nasdaq's Options Rules, as further described below.
    The text of the proposed rule change is available on the Exchange's 
website at http://nasdaq.cchwallstreet.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 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 proposed rule change is to delete the CAT Rules 
currently under Nasdaq's Options Rules, Chapter IX, Sections 8 and 9 
because these rules are already located in General 7, entitled 
``Consolidated Audit Trail Compliance,'' under the ``General Equity and 
Options Rules'' in the Exchange's rulebook's shell structure.\3\ Given 
that the CAT Rules contained in General 7 are non-product specific and 
are identical to the CAT Rules in Nasdaq's Options Rules,\4\ the 
Exchange proposes to delete the duplicative rules in Nasdaq's Options 
Rules as market participants transacting on the Exchange's equity and 
options markets are already governed by the CAT Rules in General 7.
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    \3\ The Exchange added a shell structure to its rulebook with 
the purpose of improving efficiency and readability and to align its 
rules closer to those of its five sister exchanges: Nasdaq BX, Inc.; 
Nasdaq PHLX LLC; Nasdaq ISE, LLC; Nasdaq GEMX, LLC; and Nasdaq MRX, 
LLC (``Affiliated Exchanges''). See Securities Exchange Act Release 
No. 82175 (November 29, 2017), 82 FR 57494 (December 5, 2017) (SR-
NASDAQ-2017-125).
    \4\ As part of its continued effort to promote efficiency and 
conformity of its rules with those of the Affiliated Exchanges, the 
Exchange recently relocated the CAT Rules previously under the 6800 
Series of Nasdaq's Equity Rules to General 7 because the CAT Rules 
apply across all markets and to all products. See Securities 
Exchange Act Release No. 82604 (January 30, 2018), 83 FR 5154 
(February 5, 2018) (SR-NASDAQ-2018-007).
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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 
removing the duplicative CAT Rules from Nasdaq's Options Rules. As 
discussed above, Exchange members are already governed by the CAT Rules 
in General 7 of the rulebook's shell structure. The Exchange believes 
that the proposed changes will make the Exchange's rulebook easier to 
read and eliminate any potential confusion to the benefit of its 
members and investors.
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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. The proposed changes as 
discussed above do not impose a burden on competition because they are 
non-substantive and are intended to clarify the Exchange's rulebook in 
order to eliminate any potential confusion.

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

[[Page 17691]]

subparagraph (f)(6) of Rule 19b-4 thereunder.\8\
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    \7\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(iii).
    \8\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6). In addition, Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii) 
requires the Exchange to give the Commission written notice of the 
Exchange's 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. The 
Exchange has satisfied this requirement.
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    A proposed rule change filed under Rule 19b-4(f)(6) \9\ normally 
does not become operative prior to 30 days after the date of the 
filing. However, Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii) \10\ permits the Commission to 
designate a shorter time if such action is consistent with the 
protection of investors and the public interest. The Exchange has 
requested that the Commission to waive the 30-day operative delay so 
that the proposal will become operative upon filing. The Exchange 
stated that removing the duplicative CAT Rules, as discussed above, 
will bring greater clarity to its rulebook and will eliminate any 
potential confusion to the benefit of its members and investors. 
Therefore, the Commission believes that waiver of the 30-day operative 
delay is consistent with the protection of investors and the public 
interest. Accordingly, the Commission hereby waives the operative delay 
and designates the proposed rule change as operative upon filing.\11\
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    \9\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).
    \10\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6)(iii).
    \11\ For purposes only of waiving the 30-day operative delay, 
the Commission has also considered the proposed rule's impact on 
efficiency, competition, and capital formation. See 15 U.S.C. 
78c(f).
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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-NASDAQ-2018-027 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-NASDAQ-2018-027. 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 website (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 website 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. Persons submitting comments are 
cautioned that we do not redact or edit personal identifying 
information from comment submissions. You should submit only 
information that you wish to make available publicly. All submissions 
should refer to File Number SR-NASDAQ-2018-027 and should be submitted 
on or before May 14, 2018.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\12\
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    \12\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Jill M. Peterson,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2018-08368 Filed 4-20-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 8011-01-P