2012-14623. Self-Regulatory Organizations; Chicago Mercantile Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change To Amend CME Rules Relating to Acceptable Performance Bond Deposits

June 11, 2012.

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 June 5, 2012, Chicago Mercantile Exchange, Inc. (“CME”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) the proposed rule change described in Items I, II and III below, which items have been prepared primarily by CME. CME filed the proposed rule change pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) ^[3] of the Act and Rule 19b-4(f)(4)(ii) ^[4] thereunder, so that the proposed rule change was effective upon filing with the Commission. The Commission is publishing this notice to solicit comments on the proposed rule change from interested parties.

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

CME proposes to adopt revisions that would amend CME's rules relating to acceptable performance bond deposits for futures trading. The text of the proposed changes is as follows with additions italicized and deletions in brackets.

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Rule 100—Rule 930.B—No Change

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Rule 930.C ACCEPTABLE PERFORMANCE BOND DEPOSITS

1. Non-Security Futures and OTC Derivatives

Clearing members may accept from their account holders as performance bond cash currencies of any denomination, readily marketable securities (as defined by SEC Rule 15c3-1(c)(11) and applicable SEC interpretations), money market mutual funds allowable under CFTC Regulation 1.25, bank-issued letters of credit, warrants, warehouse receipts and shipping certificates that are registered as deliverable for commodities traded on Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc., Chicago Board of Trade Inc., New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc. or Commodity Exchange, Inc., and “London Good Delivery” gold, as defined by the London Bullion Market Association.

Clearing members shall not accept as performance bond from an account holder securities that have been issued , sponsored or otherwise guaranteed by the account holder or an affiliate of the account holder unless the clearing member files a petition with and receives permission from Clearing House staff.

Bank-issued letters of credit must be in a form acceptable to the Clearing House. Such letters of credit must be drawable in the United States. Clearing members shall not accept as performance bond from an account holder letters of credit issued by the account holder, an affiliate of the account holder, the clearing member, or an affiliate of the clearing member.

All assets deposited by account holders to meet performance bond requirements must be and remain unencumbered by third party claims against the depositing account holder.

Except to the extent that Clearing House staff shall prescribe otherwise, cash currency performance bond deposits shall be valued at market value. All other performance bond deposits other than letters of credit , warrants, warehouse receipts and shipping certificates shall be valued at an amount not to exceed market value less applicable haircuts as set forth in SEC Rule 240.15c3-1. Warrants, warehouse receipts and shipping certificates shall be valued at an amount not to exceed the market value of the commodities represented by the warrants, warehouse receipts or shipping certificates, less a deduction in the same amount as the inventory haircut specified in Commission Regulation 1.17(c)(5)(ii).

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Rule 930.C(2)—End—No Change

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

In its filing with the Commission, CME included statements concerning the purpose 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. CME has prepared summaries, set forth in sections A, B, and C below, of the most significant aspects of such statements.^[5]

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

CME proposes to amend certain rules that relate to the forms of acceptable performance bond deposits it will accept for futures trading. More specifically, CME proposes to amend CME Rule 930.C (Acceptable Performance Bond Deposits) to allow warrants, shipping certificates and warehouse receipts registered as deliverable on commodities traded at CME, CBOT, NYMEX and the Commodity Exchange (“COMEX”) to be acceptable performance bond deposits at all of these Exchanges at the account-holder level. For example, under the revised Rule, a clearing member could accept COMEX warrants that are registered as deliverable to satisfy a customer's performance bond requirements for positions on CME, CBOT, COMEX and/or NYMEX. This revision will broaden the acceptability of performance bond deposits for customers trading at multiple Exchanges within CME Group Inc.

CME certified the proposed changes that are the subject of this filing to the CFTC in CME Submission 12-178.

The proposed CME changes are limited to CME's activities as a derivatives clearing organization clearing futures transactions. As such, the proposed CME changes do not significantly affect the security-based swap clearing operations of CME or any related rights or obligations of CME security-based swap clearing participants. The proposed change is therefore properly filed under Section 19(b)(3)(A) and Rule 19b-4(f)(4)(ii) thereunder because it effects a change in an existing service of a registered clearing agency that primarily affects the futures clearing operations of the clearing agency with respect to futures that are not security futures and does not significantly affect any securities clearing operations of the clearing agency or any related rights or obligations of the clearing agency or persons using such service.

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

CME does not believe that the proposed rule change will have any impact, or impose any burden, on competition.

C. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed Rule Change Received From Members, Participants, or Others

CME has not solicited, and does not intend to solicit, comments regarding this proposed rule change. CME has not received any unsolicited written comments from interested parties.

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

The foregoing rule change was filed pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) ^[6] of the Act and Rule 19b-4(f)(4)(ii) ^[7] thereunder and thus became effective upon filing because it effects a change in an existing service of a registered clearing agency that primarily affects the futures clearing operations of the clearing agency with respect to futures that are not security futures and does not significantly affect any securities clearing operations of the clearing agency or any related rights or obligations of the clearing agency or persons using such service. At any time within sixty days of the filing of such 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.

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 may be submitted by using the Commission's Internet comment form (http://www.sec.gov/​rules/​sro.shtml), or send an email to [e-mail]. Please include File No. SR-CME-2012-23 on the subject line.
• Paper comments should be sent 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-CME-2012-23. 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 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 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 such filing also will be available for inspection and copying at the principal office of CME. 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-CME-2012-23 and should be submitted on or before July 6, 2012.

For the Commission by the Division of Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated authority.⁸

Kevin M. O'Neill,

Deputy 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)(4)(ii).

5.  The Commission has modified the text of the summaries prepared by CME.

6.  15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(ii).

7.  17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(4)(ii).

8.  17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).