E7-7320. Self-Regulatory Organizations; The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change To Create a Pilot Non-Professional Fee for Certain Market Data From the Nasdaq Market Center  

  • Start Preamble April 10, 2007.

    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 30, 2007, The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq” 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 substantially prepared by Nasdaq. The Exchange has filed the proposal as a “non-controversial” rule change pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act[3] and Rule 19b-4(f)(6) thereunder,[4] which renders it 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

    Nasdaq is proposing to establish for a twelve-month pilot period a $1 per month fee for non-professional use of real-time quotation information from the Nasdaq Market Center trading of NYSE and Amex listed stocks. The text of the proposed rule change is available at Nasdaq, the Commission's Public Reference Room, and www.nasdaq.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, Nasdaq 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. Nasdaq has prepared summaries, set forth in Sections A, B, and C below, of the most significant aspects of such statements.Start Printed Page 19568

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

    1. Purpose

    To encourage more competition in the trading and quoting of NYSE and Amex listed stocks, as well as to encourage subscribership to Nasdaq full-depth products, Nasdaq is proposing Rule 7023(c)(2) to establish a $1 per month fee for non-professional subscribers to OpenView, which consists of real-time market participant quotation information regarding Nasdaq's trading of NYSE and Amex listed stocks, currently priced at $6 per month for all subscribers—professional or non-professional. The aggregate best bid and offer is one data element within Nasdaq OpenView, and is available for distribution free of charge. Nasdaq believes that this will promote wider distribution of data and benefit investors wishing to use that data in making investment decisions.

    The establishment of non-professional fees is a well-established practice of the network processors that distribute real-time consolidated data for Nasdaq, NYSE, and Amex stocks. It has also been an approved practice of the Nasdaq with respect to proprietary products, including the Nasdaq Quotation Dissemination Service. As such, Nasdaq believes that non-professional fees have been determined to be consistent with the Act and also to be in the best interests of investors and the public.

    Nasdaq is proposing to establish the non-professional fee for OpenView as a twelve-month pilot to determine whether the proposed fee will in fact spur competition and increase transparency, as non-professional fees have done in the past.

    2. Statutory Basis

    Nasdaq believes that the proposed rule change is consistent with the provisions of Section 6 of the Act,[5] in general, and with Section 6(b)(4) of the Act,[6] in particular, in that establishment of a $1 per month non-professional fee for OpenView will encourage broader dissemination of that data and thereby increase transparency in those securities.

    B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition

    Nasdaq does not believe that the proposed rule change will result in 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

    Written comments were neither solicited nor received.

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

    Because the foregoing rule change does not: (1) Significantly affect the protection of investors or the public interest; (2) impose any significant burden on competition; and (3) become operative for 30 days after the date of this filing, or such shorter time as the Commission may designate, it has become effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act[7] and Rule 19b-4(f)(6) thereunder.[8]

    A proposed rule change filed under 19b-4(f)(6) normally may not become operative prior to 30 days after the date of filing.[9] However, Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii)[10] 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 permit Nasdaq to implement the one-year pilot on April 1, 2007, lowering the charge for the receipt of OpenView by non-professionals from $6 per month to $1 per month, which should expand the distribution of the information. For this reason, the Commission designates the proposed rule change to be operative upon filing with the Commission.[11]

    At any time within 60 days of the filing of such 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

    Paper comments

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

    All submissions should refer to File Number SR-NASDAQ-2007-035. 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 the filing also will be available for inspection and copying at the principal office of Nasdaq. 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-NASDAQ-2007-035 and should be submitted on or before May 9, 2007.

    Start Signature
    Start Printed Page 19569

    For the Commission, by the Division of Market Regulation, pursuant to delegated authority.[12]

    Florence E. Harmon,

    Deputy Secretary.

    End Signature End Preamble

    Footnotes

    9.  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 requested that the Commission waive the 5-day pre-filing notice requirement. The Commission has determined to grant this request.

    Back to Citation

    11.  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).

    Back to Citation

    [FR Doc. E7-7320 Filed 4-17-07; 8:45 am]

    BILLING CODE 8010-01-P

Document Information

Published:
04/18/2007
Department:
Securities and Exchange Commission
Entry Type:
Notice
Document Number:
E7-7320
Pages:
19567-19569 (3 pages)
Docket Numbers:
Release No. 34-55611, File No. SR-NASDAQ-2007-035
EOCitation:
of 2007-04-10
PDF File:
e7-7320.pdf