E9-6961. Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Alternext US LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change Extending the Operative Date of Rule 92(c)(3) From March 31, 2009 to July 31, 2009

March 23, 2009.

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 March 13, 2009, NYSE Alternext US LLC ^[3] (“NYSE Alternext” 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 Exchange filed the proposed rule change pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act ^[4] and Rule 19b-4(f)(6) thereunder,^[5] which renders the proposed rule change 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

The Exchange proposes to extend the operative date of Rule 92(c)(3) from March 31, 2009 to July 31, 2009. The text of the proposed rule change is available at NYSE Alternext, the Commission's Public Reference Room, and http://www.nyse.com.

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. 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 Exchange is proposing to extend the delayed operative date of Rule 92(c)(3) from March 31, 2009 to July 31, 2009. The Exchange believes that this extension will provide the time necessary for the Exchange, the New York Stock Exchange LLC (“NYSE”), and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) to harmonize their respective rules concerning customer order protection to achieve a standardized industry practice.^[6]

Merger Background

As described more fully in a related rule filing,^[7] NYSE Euronext acquired The Amex Membership Corporation (“AMC”) pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated January 17, 2008 (the “Merger”). In connection with the Merger, the Exchange's predecessor, the American Stock Exchange LLC (“Amex”), a subsidiary of AMC, became a subsidiary of NYSE Euronext and was renamed NYSE Alternext US LLC (“NYSE Alternext” or the “Exchange”), and continues to operate as a national securities exchange registered under Section 6 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Act”).^[8] The effective date of the Merger was October 1, 2008.

In connection with the Merger, on December 1, 2008, the Exchange relocated all equities trading conducted on the Exchange legacy trading systems and facilities located at 86 Trinity Place, New York, New York, to trading systems and facilities located at 11 Wall Street, New York, New York (the “Equities Relocation”). The Exchange's equity trading systems and facilities at 11 Wall Street (the “NYSE Alternext Trading Systems”) are operated by the NYSE on behalf of the Exchange.^[9]

As part of the Equities Relocation, NYSE Alternext adopted NYSE Rules 1-1004, subject to such changes as necessary to apply the Rules to the Exchange, as the NYSE Alternext Equities Rules to govern trading on the NYSE Alternext Trading Systems.^[10] The NYSE Alternext Equities Rules, which became operative on December 1, 2008, are substantially identical to the current NYSE Rules 1-1004 and the Exchange continues to update the NYSE Alternext Equities Rules as necessary to conform with rule changes to corresponding NYSE Rules filed by the NYSE.

Rule 92 Background

On July 5, 2007, the Commission approved amendments to NYSE Rule 92 to permit riskless principal trading at the NYSE.^[11] These amendments were filed in part to begin the harmonization process between NYSE Rule 92 and FINRA's Manning Rule.^[12] In connection with those amendments, the NYSE implemented for an operative date of January 16, 2008, NYSE Rule 92(c)(3), which permits NYSE member organizations to submit riskless principal orders to the NYSE, but requires them to submit to a designated NYSE database a report of the execution of the facilitated order. That rule also requires members to submit to that same database sufficient information to provide an electronic link of the execution of the facilitated order to all of the underlying orders.

For purposes of NYSE Rule 92(c)(3), the NYSE informed member organizations that when executing riskless principal transactions, firms must submit order execution reports to the NYSE's Front End Systemic Capture (“FESC”) database linking the execution of the riskless principal order on the NYSE to the specific underlying orders. The information provided must be sufficient for both member firms and the NYSE to reconstruct in a time-sequenced manner all orders, including allocations to the underlying orders, with respect to which a member organization is claiming the riskless principal exception.

Because the rule change required both the NYSE and member organizations to make certain changes to their trading and order management systems, the NYSE filed for immediate effectiveness to delay to May 14, 2008 the operative date of the NYSE Rule 92(c)(3) requirements, including submitting end-of-day allocation reports for riskless principal transactions and using the riskless principal account type indicator.^[13] The NYSE filed for an additional extension of the operative date of Rule 92(c)(3) to March 31, 2009.^[14] Because NYSE Alternext adopted NYSE Rule 92 in its then current form, the delayed operative date of March 31, 2009 for the NYSE Rule 92(c)(3) reporting requirements also applies for NYSE Alternext Equities Rule 92(c)(3) reporting requirements.

Request for Extension

FINRA, NYSE, and the Exchange have been working diligently on fully harmonizing their respective rules, including reviewing the possibilities for a uniform reporting standard for riskless principal transactions. However, because of the complexity of the existing customer order protection rules, including the need for input from industry participants as well as Commission approval, the Exchange, NYSE, and FINRA will not have harmonized their respective customer order protection rules by March 31, 2009.

The Exchange notes that it has reached agreement with NYSE and FINRA on a harmonized approach to customer order protection rules. As authorized by their respective Boards, FINRA and NYSE Regulation, Inc. have each published a Notice to Members/Information Memo that solicit comments from their respective member participants on the proposed harmonized approach to customer order protection.^[15] Because industry participants need to code their trading systems to comply with customer order protection rules, the Exchange believes that industry input is vital to ensuring that the approach to customer order protection both meets regulatory needs of protecting customer orders, but is also feasible technologically.

The Exchange continues to believe that pending full harmonization of the respective customer order protection rules, it would be premature to require firms to meet the current Rule 92(c)(3) FESC reporting requirements.^[16] Indeed, having differing reporting standards for riskless principal orders would appear to defeat the overall goal of the harmonization process.

Accordingly, to provide the Exchange, NYSE, and FINRA the time necessary to review their respective rules and develop a harmonized rule set that would apply across their respective marketplaces, the Exchange is proposing to delay the operative date for NYSE Alternext Equities Rule 92(c)(3) from March 31, 2009 to July 31, 2009.

Pending the harmonization of the three rules, the Exchange will continue to require that, as of the date each member organization implements riskless principal routing, the member organization have in place systems and controls that allow them to easily match and tie riskless principal execution on the Exchange to the underlying orders and that they be able to provide this information to the Exchange upon request. To make clear that this requirement continues, the Exchange proposes to add supplementary material to Rule 92 that explains that the Rule 92(c)(3) reporting requirements are suspended until July 31, 2009 and that member organizations are required to have in place such systems and controls relating to their riskless principal executions on the Exchange. Moreover, the Exchange will coordinate with NYSE and FINRA to examine for compliance with the rule requirements.

2. Statutory Basis

The Exchange believes that its proposed rule change is consistent with Section 6(b) of the Act,^[17] in general, and furthers the objectives of Section 6(b)(5) of the Act,^[18] in particular, insofar as it is designed to prevent fraudulent and manipulative acts and practices, 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. The Exchange believes the proposed extension provides the Exchange, NYSE, and FINRA the time necessary to develop a harmonized rule concerning customer order protection that will enable member organizations to participate in the national market system without unnecessary impediments.

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

Because the proposed rule change: (i) Does not significantly affect the protection of investors or the public interest; (ii) does not impose any significant burden on competition; and (iii) does not become operative for 30 days after the date of the filing, 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 ^[19] and Rule 19b-4(f)(6) thereunder.^[20]

A proposed rule change filed under 19b-4(f)(6) normally may not become operative prior to 30 days after the date of filing.^[21] However, Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii) ^[22] 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 waive the 30-day operative delay. The Commission believes that waiving the 30-day operative delay is consistent with the protection of investors and the public interest because such waiver would allow the Exchange to extend the operative date of NYSE Alternext Equities Rule 92(c)(3) without interruption. For this reason, the Commission designates the proposed rule change to be operative upon filing with the Commission.^[23]

At any time within 60 days of the filing of the proposed rule change, the Commission may summarily abrogate the 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-NYSEALTR-2009-29 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-NYSEALTR-2009-29. 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, on official business days between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 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; 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-NYSEALTR-2009-29 and should be submitted on or before April 20, 2009.

For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated authority.^[24]

Florence E. Harmon,

Deputy Secretary.

Footnotes

1.  15 USC. 78s(b)(1).

2.  17 CFR 240.19b-4.

3.  The Commission notes that NYSE Alternext US LLC recently changed its name to NYSE Amex LLC. See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 59575 (March 13, 2009) (SR-NYSEALTR-2009-24).

4.  15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).

5.  17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).

6.  See SR-NYSE-2009-30 (formally submitted on March 13, 2009).

7.  See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 58673 (Sept. 29, 2008), 73 FR 57707 (Oct. 3, 2008) (SR-NYSE-2008-60 and SR-Amex 2008-62) (approving the Merger).

8.  15 U.S.C. 78f.

9.  See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 58705 (Oct. 1, 2008), 73 FR 58995 (Oct. 8, 2008) (SR-Amex-2008-63) (approving the Equities Relocation).

10.  See Securities Exchange Act Release Nos. 58705 (Oct. 1, 2008), 73 FR 58995 (Oct. 8, 2008) (SR-Amex-2008-63); No. 58833 (Oct. 22, 2008), 73 FR 64642 (Oct. 30, 2008) (SR-NYSE-2008-106); No. 58839 (Oct. 23, 2008), 73 FR 64645 (October 30, 2008) (SR-NYSEALTR-2008-03); No. 59022 (Nov. 26, 2008), 73 FR 73683 (Dec. 3, 2008) (SR-NYSEALTR-2008-10); and No. 59027 (Nov. 28, 2008), 73 FR 73681 (Dec. 3, 2008) (SR-NYSEALTR-2008-11).

11.  See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 56017 (Jul. 5, 2007), 72 FR 38110 (Jul. 12, 2007) (SR-NYSE-2007-21).

12.  See NASD Rule 2111 and IM-2110-2.

13.  See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 56968 (Dec. 14, 2007), 72 FR 72432 (Dec. 20, 2007) (SR-NYSE-2007-114).

14.  See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 57682 (Apr. 17, 2008), 73 FR 22193 (Apr. 24, 2008) (SR-NYSE-2008-29).

15.  See NYSE Regulation Information Memo 09-13 (March 12, 2009); FINRA Regulatory Notice 09-15 (March 12, 2009).

16.  The Exchange notes that it would also need to make technological changes to implement the proposed FESC reporting solution for Rule 92(c)(3).

17.  15 U.S.C. 78f(b).

18.  15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).

19.  15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).

20.  17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).

21.  17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6)(iii). In addition, Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii) requires that a self-regulatory organization submit to the Commission written notice of its 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 notice requirement.

22.  Id.

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

24.  17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).