[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 240 (Friday, December 14, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64419-64421]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-27083]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-84773; File No. SR-NYSEARCA-2018-89]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc.; Notice of Filing 
and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change To Extend the Pilot 
Period for the Exchange's Retail Liquidity Program Until June 30, 2019

December 10, 2018.
    Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) \1\ of the Securities Exchange Act of 
1934 (``Act'') \2\ and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,\3\ notice is hereby given 
that, on November 30, 2018, NYSE Arca, Inc. (``Exchange'' or ``NYSE 
Arca'') filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission 
(``Commission'') the proposed rule change as described in Items I, II, 
and III below, which Items have been prepared by the self-regulatory 
organization. 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\ 15 U.S.C. 78a.
    \3\ 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 extend the pilot period for the Exchange's 
Retail Liquidity Program (the ``Retail Liquidity Program'' or the 
``Program''), which is currently scheduled to expire on December 31, 
2018, until June 30, 2019. The proposed rule change is available on the 
Exchange's website at www.nyse.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 self-regulatory organization 
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 those 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.

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

1. Purpose
    The Exchange proposes to extend the pilot period for the Retail 
Liquidity Program, currently scheduled to expire on December 31, 
2018,\4\ until June 30, 2019.
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    \4\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 83538 (June 28, 
2018), 83 FR 31210 (July 3, 2018) (SR-NYSEArca-2018-46).
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Background
    In July 2012, the Commission approved the Retail Liquidity Program 
on a pilot basis.\5\ The Program is designed to attract retail order 
flow to the Exchange, and allows such order flow to receive potential 
price improvement. The Program is currently limited to trades occurring 
at prices equal to or greater than $1.00 per share. Under the Program, 
Retail Liquidity Providers (``RLPs'') are able to provide potential 
price improvement in the form of a non-displayed order that is priced 
better than the Exchange's best protected bid or offer (``PBBO''), 
called a Retail Price Improvement Order (``RPI''). When there is an RPI 
in a particular security, the Exchange disseminates an indicator, known 
as the Retail Liquidity Identifier, indicating that such interest 
exists. Retail Member Organizations (``RMOs'') can submit a Retail 
Order to the Exchange, which would interact, to the extent possible, 
with available contra-side RPIs.
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    \5\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 71176 (December 23, 
2013), 78 FR 79524 (December 30, 2013) (SR-NYSEArca-2013-107) (``RLP 
Approval Order'').
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    The Retail Liquidity Program was approved by the Commission on a 
pilot basis. Pursuant to NYSE Arca Rule 7.44-E(m), the pilot period for 
the Program is scheduled to end on December 31, 2018.
Proposal To Extend the Operation of the Program
    The Exchange established the Retail Liquidity Program in an attempt 
to attract retail order flow to the Exchange by potentially providing 
price improvement to such order flow. The Exchange believes that the 
Program promotes competition for retail order flow by allowing Exchange 
members to submit RPIs to interact with Retail Orders. Such competition 
has the ability to promote efficiency by facilitating the price 
discovery process and generating additional investor interest in 
trading securities, thereby promoting capital formation. The Exchange 
believes that

[[Page 64420]]

extending the pilot is appropriate because it will allow the Exchange 
and the Commission additional time to analyze data regarding the 
Program that the Exchange has committed to provide.\6\ As such, the 
Exchange believes that it is appropriate to extend the current 
operation of the Program.\7\ Through this filing, the Exchange seeks to 
amend NYSE Arca Rule 7.44-E(m) and extend the current pilot period of 
the Program until June 30, 2019.
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    \6\ See id., 78 FR at 79529.
    \7\ Concurrently with this filing, the Exchange has submitted a 
request for an extension of the exemption under Regulation NMS Rule 
612 previously granted by the Commission that permits it to accept 
and rank the undisplayed RPIs. See Letter from Martha Redding, 
Associate General Counsel and Asst. Corporate Secretary, NYSE Group, 
Inc. to Brent J. Fields, Secretary, Securities and Exchange 
Commission, dated November 30, 2018.
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2. Statutory Basis
    The Exchange believes that the proposed rule change is consistent 
with Section 6(b) of the Act,\8\ in general, and furthers the 
objectives of Section 6(b)(5) of the Act,\9\ 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.
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    \8\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
    \9\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
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    The Exchange believes that extending the pilot period for the 
Retail Liquidity Program is consistent with these principles because 
the Program is reasonably designed to attract retail order flow to the 
exchange environment, while helping to ensure that retail investors 
benefit from the better price that liquidity providers are willing to 
give their orders. Additionally, as previously stated, the competition 
promoted by the Program may facilitate the price discovery process and 
potentially generate additional investor interest in trading 
securities. The extension of the pilot period will allow the Commission 
and the Exchange to continue to monitor the Program for its potential 
effects on public price discovery, and on the broader market structure.

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 that is not necessary or appropriate 
in furtherance of the purposes of the Act. The proposed rule change 
simply extends an established pilot program for an additional six 
months, thus allowing the Retail Liquidity Program to enhance 
competition for retail order flow and contribute to the public price 
discovery process.

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

    No written comments were solicited or received with respect to the 
proposed rule change.

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

    The Exchange has filed the proposed rule change pursuant to Section 
19(b)(3)(A)(iii) of the Act \10\ and Rule 19b-4(f)(6) thereunder.\11\ 
Because the 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 prior to 
30 days from the date on which it was filed, or such shorter time as 
the Commission may designate, if consistent with the protection of 
investors and the public interest, the proposed rule change has become 
effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act and Rule 19b-
4(f)(6)(iii) thereunder.
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    \10\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(iii).
    \11\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).
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    A proposed rule change filed under Rule 19b-4(f)(6) \12\ normally 
does not become operative prior to 30 days after the date of the 
filing. However, pursuant to Rule 19b4(f)(6)(iii),\13\ the Commission 
may designate a shorter time if such action is consistent with the 
protection of investors and the public interest. The Exchange has asked 
the Commission to waive the 30-day operative delay so that the proposal 
may become operative immediately upon filing.
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    \12\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).
    \13\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6)(iii).
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    At any time within 60 days of the filing of such 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 under 
Section 19(b)(2)(B) \14\ of the Act to determine whether the proposed 
rule change should be approved or disapproved.
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    \14\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2)(B).
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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-NYSEArca-2018-89 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-NYSEArca-2018-89. 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-NYSEArca-2018-89 and should be submitted 
on or before January 4, 2019.


[[Page 64421]]


    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\15\
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    \15\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Eduardo A. Aleman,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2018-27083 Filed 12-13-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P