2010-6150. Self-Regulatory Organizations; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change by NYSE Amex LLC Amending Rule 390

March 15, 2010.

Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) ^[1] of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Act”) ^[2] and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,^[3] notice is hereby given that, on March 5, 2010, NYSE Amex LLC (“NYSE Amex” or the “Exchange”) 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 self-regulatory organization. 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

The Exchange proposes to amend its sharing in accounts rule to harmonize its requirements with those of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”). A copy of this filing is available on the Exchange's Web site at http://www.nyse.com,, at the Exchange's principal office and at the Commission's Public Reference Room. The text of the proposed rule change is below. Proposed new language is in italics and proposed deletions are in [brackets].

Rules of NYSE Amex, Inc.

* * * * *

Rule 390. [Assumption of Loss Prohibited] Prohibition Against Guarantees and Sharing in Accounts

(a) Prohibition Against Guarantees

No member or member organization shall guarantee any customer against loss in his account . [or take or receive directly or indirectly a share in the profits of any customer's account or share in any losses sustained in any such account. For the purposes of this rule the term customer shall not be deemed to include the member or member organization or any joint, group, or syndicate account with such member or member organization.]

(b) Sharing in Accounts; Extent Permissible

(1)(A) Except as provided in paragraph (2) no member or person associated with a member shall share directly or indirectly in the profits or losses in any account of a customer carried by the member or any other member; provided, however, that a member or person associated with a member may share in the profits or losses in such an account if

(i) such person associated with a member obtains prior written authorization from the member employing the associated person;

(ii) such member or person associated with a member obtains prior written authorization from the customer; and

(iii) such member or person associated with a member shares in the profits or losses in any account of such customer only in direct proportion to the financial contributions made to such account by either the member or person associated with a member.

(B) Exempt from the direct proportionate share limitation of paragraph (1)(A)(iii) are accounts of the immediate family of such member or person associated with a member. For purposes of this Rule, the term “immediate family” shall include parents, mother-in-law or father-in-law, husband or wife, children or any relative to whose support the member or person associated with a member otherwise contributes directly or indirectly.

(2) Notwithstanding the prohibition of paragraph (1), a member or person associated with a member that is acting as an investment adviser (whether or not registered as such) may receive compensation based on a share in profits or gains in an account if

(A) such person associated with a member seeking such compensation obtains prior written authorization from the member employing the associated person;

(B) such member or person associated with a member seeking such compensation obtains prior written authorization from the customer; and

(C) all of the conditions in Rule 205-3 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (as the same may be amended from time to time) are satisfied.

* * * * *

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

Pursuant to Rule 17d-2 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the American Stock Exchange, LLC (n/k/a NYSE Amex, LLC), the Boston Stock Exchange, Inc., the Chicago Board Options Exchange, Inc., the International Securities Exchange, LLC, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC, the New York Stock Exchange, LLC, NYSE Arca, Inc., and the Philadelphia Stock Exchange, Inc. (collectively the “Options Self Regulatory Council”), entered into an agreement dated June 5, 2008 (the “17d-2 Agreement”) to allocate regulatory responsibility for common rules. By this proposal, the Exchange seeks to harmonize its `Sharing in Accounts' rule with FINRA's rule for purposes of the 17d-2 Agreement.

In order to maintain substantial similarity with FINRA rules, the Exchange proposes to delete the language of NYSE Amex Rule 390 related to sharing in the profits and losses of a customer account, and replace it with the language of FINRA 2150(c), Sharing in Accounts; Extent Permissible. FINRA Rule 2150(c) contains the same prohibition against sharing in accounts as NYSE Amex Rule 390, but with additional limited exceptions. The general prohibition contained in NYSE Amex Rule 390 against sharing in the profits or losses of a customer account is currently covered by the 17d-2 Agreement. However, the limited exceptions of FINRA Rule 2150(c) are not covered by the 17d-2 Agreement. The Exchange proposes to add those limited exceptions in order to harmonize its rule with the FINRA rule and add those limited exceptions to the 17d-2 Agreement. The portion of the rule prohibiting the guarantee of a customer against loss will remain in place.

2. Statutory Basis

The proposed rule change is consistent with Section 6(b) ^[4] of the Act, in general, and furthers the objectives of Section 6(b)(5) ^[5] in particular in that it is 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 facilitating transactions in securities, and to remove impediments to and perfect the mechanisms of a free and open market and a national market system. Specifically, the changes proposed herein, by harmonizing NYSE Amex rules with FINRA rules, provide NYSE Amex Members with a clearer regulatory scheme. The Exchange further notes that the changes proposed herein are neither novel nor controversial and are modeled on existing FINRA rules.

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 filed the proposed rule change pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A)(iii) of the Act ^[6] and Rule 19b-4(f)(6) thereunder.^[7] 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 ^[8] and Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii) thereunder.^[9]

A proposed rule change filed under Rule 19b-4(f)(6) ^[10] normally does not become operative prior to 30 days after the date of the filing. However, pursuant to Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii),^[11] the Commission may designate a shorter time if such action is consistent with the protection of investors and the public interest.

The Exchange requests that the Commission waive the 30-day pre-operative waiting period contained in Exchange Act Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii).^[12] The Exchange requests this waiver so that these changes can be both immediately effective and operative, thus minimizing any possible confusion. The Exchange believes that by harmonizing NYSE Amex rules with FINRA rules, NYSE Amex Members will be provided with a clearer regulatory scheme. The Commission believes that waiving the 30-day operative delay will permit the Exchange to harmonize its rules with the corresponding FINRA rule immediately, thus promoting clarity with respect and minimizing confusion with respect to the requirements regarding guarantees and sharing in accounts.^[13] The Commission notes that the FINRA financial responsibility rules are currently in operation. For these reasons, the Commission designates the proposed rule change as operative upon filing. At any time within 60 days of the filing of the proposed rule change, the Commission may summarily abrogate 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.

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-NYSEAmex-2010-23 on the subject line.

Paper Comments

• Send paper comments in triplicate to Elizabeth M. Murphy, Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street, NE., Washington, DC 20549-1090.

All submissions should refer to File Number SR-NYSEAmex-2010-23. 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 Web site viewing and printing in the Commission's Public Reference Section, 100 F Street, NE., Washington, DC 20549 on official business days between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Copies of the filing will also be available for inspection and copying at the NYSE's principal office and on its Internet Web site at http://www.nyse.com. 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-NYSEAmex-2010-23 and should be submitted on or before April 12, 2010.

For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated authority.^[14]

Florence E. Harmon,

Deputy Secretary.

Footnotes

1.  15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).

2.  15 U.S.C. 78a.

3.  17 CFR 240.19b-4.

4.  15 U.S.C. 78f(b).

5.  15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).

6.  15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(iii).

7.  17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).

8.  15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).

9.  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 the pre-filing requirement.

10.  17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).

11.  17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6)(iii).

12.  17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6)(iii).

13.  For purposes only of waiving the 30-day operative delay of this proposal, the Commission has considered the proposed rule's impact on efficiency, competition, and capital formation. 15 U.S.C. 78c(f).

14.  17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).