[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 115 (Friday, June 14, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27824-27826]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-12545]
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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
[Release No. 34-86078; File No. SR-CboeBZX-2019-051]
Self-Regulatory Organizations; Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc.; Notice of
Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed Rule Change To Extend
Through December 31, 2019, the Penny Pilot Program (``Penny Pilot'') in
Options Classes in Certain Issues (``Pilot Program'') Previously
Approved by the Commission
June 10, 2019.
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 May 31, 2019, Cboe 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, 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 BZX Exchange, Inc. (the ``Exchange'' or ``BZX'') is filing
with the Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission'') a proposal
for the Cboe BZX Options Market (``BZX Options'') to extend through
December 31, 2019, the Penny Pilot Program (``Penny Pilot'') in options
classes in certain issues (``Pilot Program'') previously approved by
the Commission. The text of the proposed rule change is below.
(additions are italicized; deletions are [bracketed])
* * * * *
Rules of Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc.
* * * * *
Rule 21.5. Minimum Increments
(a)-(c) (No changes).
Interpretations and Policies
.01 The Exchange will operate a pilot program set to expire on
[June 30]December 31, 2019 to permit options classes to be quoted and
traded in increments as low as $.01. The Exchange will specify which
options trade in such pilot, and in what increments, in Information
Circulars distributed to Members and posted on the Exchange's website.
The Exchange may replace any penny pilot issues that have been delisted
with the next most actively traded multiply listed options classes that
are not yet included in the penny pilot, based on trading activity in
the previous six months. The replacement issues may be added to the
penny pilot on the second trading day in the first month of each
quarter.
* * * * *
The text of the proposed rule change is also available on the
Exchange's website (http://markets.cboe.com/us/equities/regulation/rule_filings/bzx/), 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
[[Page 27825]]
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 Pilot Program is scheduled to expire on June 30, 2019. The
Exchange proposes to extend the Pilot Program until December 31, 2019.
The Exchange believes that extending the Pilot Program will allow for
further analysis of the Pilot Program and a determination of how the
Pilot Program should be structured in the future. The Exchange is
specifically authorized to act jointly with the other options exchanges
participating in the Pilot Program in identifying any replacement
class. The Exchange lastly represents that the Exchange has the
necessary system capacity to continue to support operation of the Pilot
Program.
The Exchange represents that the Exchange has the necessary system
capacity to continue to support operation of the Pilot Program. The
Exchange believes the benefits to public customers and other market
participants who will be able to express their true prices to buy and
sell options have been demonstrated to outweigh the increase in quote
traffic.
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.\5\ Specifically, the
Exchange believes the proposed rule change is consistent with the
Section 6(b)(5) \6\ 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) \7\ 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 allows for
an extension of the Pilot Program prior to its expiration on June 30,
2019 for the benefit of market participants. The Exchange believes that
the Pilot Program promotes just and equitable principles of trade by
enabling public customers and other market participants to express
their true prices to buy and sell options. The Exchange notes that this
proposal does not propose any new policies or provisions that are
unique or unproven, but instead relates to the continuation of an
existing program that operates on a pilot basis.
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\5\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
\6\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
\7\ Id.
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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 that is not necessary or appropriate
in furtherance of the purposes of the Act. In this regard, the Exchange
notes that the rule change is being proposed in order to continue the
Pilot Program, which is a competitive response to analogous programs
offered by other options exchanges. The Exchange believes this proposed
rule change is necessary to permit fair competition among the options
exchanges.
C. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed
Rule Change Received From Members, Participants, or Others
The Exchange has not solicited, and does not intend to solicit,
comments on this proposed rule change. The Exchange has not received
any written comments from members or other interested parties.
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 \8\ and
Rule 19b-4(f)(6) \9\ thereunder.
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\8\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
\9\ 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 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-CboeBZX-2019-051 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-CboeBZX-2019-051. 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 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
[[Page 27826]]
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-CboeBZX-2019-
051 and should be submitted on or before July 5, 2019.
For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets,
pursuant to delegated authority.\10\
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\10\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Eduardo A. Aleman,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2019-12545 Filed 6-13-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P