2010-14675. Self-Regulatory Organizations; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change by NYSE Amex LLC Amending NYSE Amex Equities Rule 80C To Clarify Reopening Procedures

June 11, 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 June 10, 2010, NYSE Amex LLC (the “Exchange” or “NYSE Amex”) 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 NYSE Amex Equities Rule 80C to clarify reopening procedures. The text of the proposed rule change is available at the Exchange, 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 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

The Exchange proposes to amend NYSE Amex Equities Rule 80C to clarify the procedures applicable during a Trading Pause for the reopening of a security on the Exchange following the invocation of a Trading Pause.^[4] Rule 80C was approved by the Commission on June 10, 2010.^[5]

Currently, Rule 80C states that indications “shall” be published as close to the beginning of the Trading Pause as possible and should be updated. While the clause “as possible” is intended to provide for those circumstances where it is not feasible to publish an indication prior to a reopening, to avoid confusion, the Exchange believes that section (b)(i) of the Rule should be clarified to state instead that indications may be published to the Consolidated Tape during a Trading Pause.

The rule would be further amended to clarify that Floor Official approval is not required before publishing an indication, an indication does not need to be updated before reopening the security, and the security may reopen outside any prior indication. The Exchange also proposes to add a subsection to Rule 80C(b) to clarify that Floor Official approval under Rule 79A.20 is not required when reopening a security following a Trading Pause.

The Exchange believes that these clarifications are necessary to avoid inconsistent regulatory obligations. Similar in concept to Rule 48, which suspends the requirements for published indications or Floor Official approval during a market-wide volatility condition at the open, Rule 80C would suspend the same requirements on a security-by-security basis because of the volatility that the security is already experiencing. The Exchange notes that notwithstanding whether an indication is published, order imbalance information and indicative price information will be disseminated by the Exchange pursuant to Rule 15(c) as Order Imbalance Information. Additionally, a DMM may publish and update indications and may consult with a Floor Official concerning the reopening process.

The Exchange also proposes to amend Rule 80C to provide that in the event of an early scheduled close, the rule would be in effect until 25 minutes before such scheduled close.

2. Statutory Basis

The statutory basis for the proposed rule change is Section 6(b)(5) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Act”),^[6] which requires the rules of an exchange 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 proposed rule change also is designed to support the principles of Section 11A(a)(1) ^[7] of the Act in that it seeks to assure fair competition among brokers and dealers and among exchange markets. The Exchange believes that the proposed amendments provide the Exchange with the necessary tools to ensure a fair and orderly reopening of a security following a market-wide Trading Pause.

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 ^[8] and Rule 19b-4(f)(6) thereunder.^[9] 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 and Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii) thereunder.

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 19b4(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 has asked the Commission to waive the 30-day operative delay so that the proposal may become operative immediately upon filing. The Commission notes that the proposed rule change is clarifying how the Exchange handles Trading Pauses in the case of an early scheduled closing of the Exchange, and how indications will be published during all Trading Pauses. The proposed rule change does not raise any new substantive issues. For these reasons, the Commission believes that the waiver of the 30-day operative date is consistent with the protection of investors and the public interest.^[12]

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-2010-56 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-2010-56. 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 copying in the Commission's Public Reference Section, 100 F Street, NE., Washington, DC 20549-1090. 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-2010-56 and should be submitted on or before July 8, 2010.

For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated authority.¹³

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.  The Exchange notes that parallel changes are proposed to be made to the rules of the NYSE Exchange. See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 62284 (June 11, 2010) (SR-NYSE-2010-45).

5.  See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 62252 (June 10, 2010).

6.  15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).

7.  15 U.S.C. 78k-1(a)(1).

8.  15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(iii).

9.  17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).

10.  17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).

11.  17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6)(iii).

12.  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).

13.  17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).