E5-6250. Self-Regulatory Organizations; American Stock Exchange, LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change Revising the Implementation Date for the ANTE System and Increased Floor Broker Functionality in the ANTE ...

November 4, 2005.

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 October 27, 2005, the American Stock Exchange LLC (“Amex” 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 Amex. Amex has filed the proposed rule change pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act ^[3] and Rule 19b-4(f)(6) thereunder,^[4] which renders the proposal effective upon filing with the Commission. The Commission is publishing this notice to solicit comments on the proposed rule change from interested persons.

I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance of the Proposed Rule Change

Amex proposes to amend (1) Rule 900—ANTE to provide a revised date for the completion of the implementation of the ANTE System to all option classes; and (2) Rule 935—ANTE, Commentary .01 to establish a revised date for increased floor broker functionality in the ANTE System. The text of the proposed rule change is available on Amex's Web site (http://www.amex.com), at Amex'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, Amex 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. Amex 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

Revised Implementation Date—Rule 900—ANTE

On May 20, 2004, the Commission approved the Amex's proposal to implement a new options trading platform known as the Amex New Trading Environment (“ANTE”). On May 25, 2004, the Amex began rolling out the ANTE System on its trading floor on a specialist's post-by-specialist's post basis. At that time it was anticipated the roll-out would be completed by the end of the second quarter of 2005. The implementation date for the full roll-out of the ANTE System was extended to October 31, 2005.^[5] The Amex has rolled out the ANTE System to all its option classes except two—the Nasdaq 100 Index (“NDX”) and the Mini Nasdaq Index (“MNX”). There are specific reasons why these products have not been rolled out on the ANTE System. The specialist in these products is concerned that the theoretical price calculator provided by the ANTE System may not accurately price the options on these indexes. The specialist is currently waiting for his own theoretical index price calculator, which has been installed and is currently being tested, to successfully calculate prices for these indexes and the options. It is expected that the MNX/NDX specialist will have its proprietary calculator in place by November 30, 2005.

The Amex is now proposing to further revise its implementation schedule to provide that the remaining two option classes will be on the ANTE System by November 30, 2005. Maintaining two systems for the trading of options—the legacy system (XTOPS, AODB and Auto-Ex) and ANTE—is costly. As a result the Exchange is working diligently to have all option classes on the ANTE System by November 30, 2005 so that it can retire its legacy systems.

Increased Floor Broker Functionality—Rule 935—ANTE

Amex Rule 935—ANTE (b) provides for the post trade allocation of contracts executed as the result of the submission of orders to trade with orders in the ANTE Central Book. If more than one ANTE Participant ^[6] and/or a floor broker representing a customer order submits an order to trade with an order in the ANTE Central book within a period not to exceed five seconds after the initial ANTE Participant has submitted its order, all those ANTE Participants and the floor broker's customer will be entitled to participate in the allocation of any executed contracts. The ANTE System is currently unable to provide the functionality necessary for floor brokers representing customer orders in the trading crowd to directly participate in the post trade allocation of orders taken off the Central Book. Commentary .01 to Amex Rule 935—ANTE provides a temporary methodology for the specialist to disengage the post trade allocation system in a specific series, which allows the floor broker to alert the specialist within the five second timeframe whenever his customer wants to participate in post trade allocation, and allows the specialist to provide for the customer's participation in post trade allocation when appropriate. The Commission approved the procedures set forth in Commentary .01 as a “reasonable, temporary solution” ^[7] . Commentary .01 to Amex Rule 935—ANTE also provides that the ANTE System will give floor brokers greater functionality accessing the Central Book on March 31, 2005, or such other date as established by the Exchange and submitted to the Commission pursuant to Section 19(b) of the Act. The Exchange subsequently established October 31, 2005, as the date the increased functionality would be available in the ANTE System. Due to a delay in the roll out of the increased floor broker functionality, the Exchange now proposes to establish November 30, 2005, as the date set forth in Commentary .01 to Amex Rule 935—ANTE for such increased functionality.

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 prevent fraudulent and manipulative acts and practices and 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; and is designed to prohibit unfair discrimination between customers, issuers, brokers and dealers.

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.

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 designated the proposed rule change as a “non-controversial” rule change pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A)(iii) of the Act ^[10] and subparagraph (f)(6) thereunder.^[11] Amex represents that the proposed rule change: (1) Does not significantly affect the protection of investors or the public interest; (2) does not impose any significant burden on competition; and (3) does not become operative for thirty 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.

A proposed rule change filed under Rule 19b-4(f)(6) ^[12] normally does not become operative prior to thirty days after the date of filing. The Exchange has requested that the Commission waive the five-day pre-filing requirement and the 30-day operative delay, as specified in Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii), and designate the proposed rule change to become operative upon filing.

The Commission hereby grants the request.^[13] The Commission notes that Amex has represented that the theoretical price calculators for the final two options classes are not installed and/or functioning properly and that it has not yet implemented the functionality for floor brokers customer orders. The Commission believes that extending the deadline for implementing Amex Rules 900—ANTE and 935—ANTE by a month should afford Amex the time needed to install and test the theoretical price calculators and to implement the floor broker customer order functionality. For these reasons, the Commission designates the proposed rule change as effective and operative immediately.

At any time within 60 days of the filing of the proposed rule change the Commission may summarily abrogate such proposed 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.

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 e-mail to [e-mail]. Please include File Number SR-Amex-2005-109 on the subject line.

Paper Comments

• Send paper comments in triplicate to Jonathan G. Katz, Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street, NE., Washington, DC 20549-9303.

All submissions should refer to File Number SR-Amex-2005-109. This file number should be included on the subject line if e-mail 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 inspection and copying in the Commission's Public Reference Room. Copies of such 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-Amex-2005-109 and should be submitted on or before December 5, 2005.

For the Commission, by the Division of Market Regulation, pursuant to delegated authority.^[14]

Jonathan G. Katz,

Secretary.

Footnotes

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).

5.  See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 52504 (September 23, 2005) 70 FR 57632 (October 3, 2005).

6.  Amex Rule 900—ANTE (b)(45) defines an ANTE Participant as either the specialist and/or registered options trader(s) assigned to trade a specific options class on the ANTE System.

7.  See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 49747 (May 20, 2004) 69 FR 30344 (May 27, 2004).

8.  15 U.S.C. 78f(b).

9.  15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).

10.  15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(iii).

11.  17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).

12.  Id.

13.  For purposes only of waiving the operative delay for this proposal, the Commission has considered the proposed rule's impact on efficiency, competition, and capital formation. See 15 U.S.C. 78c(f).

14.  17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).