E9-14972. Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed Rule Change Relating to the Listing and Trading of Shares of the iShares® MSCI All Peru Capped Index Fund  

  • Start Preamble June 18, 2009.

    Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) [1] of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Act”) [2] and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,[3] notice is hereby given that on June 17, 2009, NYSE Arca, Inc. (“NYSE Arca” 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 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 list and trade shares (“Shares”) of the following fund of the iShares® Trust (“Trust”): iShares® MSCI All Peru Capped Index Fund (“Fund”). The text of the proposed rule change is available on the Exchange's Web site at http://www.nyse.com,, at the Exchange's principal office and at the Public Reference Room of the Commission.

    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 Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

    1. Purpose

    The Exchange proposes to list and trade the Shares of the following fund under NYSE Arca Equities Rule 5.2(j)(3), the Exchange's listing standards for Investment Company Units (“ICUs”):[4] iShares® MSCI All Peru Capped Index Fund.[5]

    According to the Registration Statement, the Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the MSCI All Peru Capped Index (the “Index”).

    The Index is sponsored by MSCI, Inc., the Index Provider, that is independent of the Fund and Barclays Global Fund Advisors, the investment adviser to the Fund. The Index Provider determines the composition and relative weightings of the securities in the Index and publishes information regarding the market value of the Index.

    The Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization index with approximately 25 components. Any single security with a free float-adjusted market capitalization weight greater than 22.5% will have its weight capped in the Index at 22.5%. All single securities with a weight greater than 4.5% will have their weights capped such that, in the aggregate, these securities do not have a weight greater than 45% of the Index. The Index is designed to measure the performance of the “Broad Peru Equity Universe.” MSCI defines the Broad Peru Equity Universe by identifying Peruvian equity securities that are classified in Peru according to the MSCI Global Investable Market Indices Methodology (a methodology employed by MSCI to construct its Global Investable Market Indices, which classifies eligible securities according to their country of listing) as well as securities of companies that are headquartered in Peru and have the majority of their operations based in Peru. As of May 31, 2009, the Index's three largest constituents were Compania de Minas Buenaventura S.A., Southern Copper Corporation, and Credicorp Ltd.

    The Exchange is submitting this proposed rule change because the Index for the Fund does not meet all of the “generic” listing requirements of Commentary .01(a)(B) to NYSE Arca Equities Rule 5.2(j)(3) applicable to listing of ICUs based on international or global indexes. The Index meets all such requirements except for those set forth in Commentary .01(a)(B)(2).[6] The Exchange represents that: (1) Except for the requirement under Commentary .01(a)(B)(2) to NYSE Arca Equities Rule 5.2(j)(3) that component stocks that in the aggregate account for at least 90% of the weight of the index each shall have a minimum monthly trading volume during each of the last six months of at least 250,000 shares, the Shares of the Fund currently satisfy all of the generic listing standards under NYSE Arca Equities Rule 5.2(j)(3); (2) the continued listing standards under NYSE Arca Equities Rules 5.2(j)(3) and 5.5(g)(2) applicable to ICUs shall apply to the Shares; and (3) the Trust is required to comply with Rule 10A-3 [7] under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Act”) [8] for the initial and continued listing of the Shares. In addition, the Exchange represents that the Shares will comply with all other requirements applicable to ICUs including, but not limited to, requirements relating to the dissemination of key information such as the Index value and Intraday Indicative Value, rules governing the trading of equity securities, trading hours, trading halts, surveillance,[9] and Information Bulletin to ETP Holders, as set forth in Exchange rules applicable to ICUs and in prior Commission orders Start Printed Page 30341approving the generic listing rules applicable to the listing and trading of ICUs.[10]

    Detailed descriptions of the Fund, the Index, the Index Provider, procedures for creating and redeeming Shares, transaction fees and expenses, risks, dividends, distributions, taxes, and reports to be distributed to beneficial owners of the Shares can be found in the Trust's Registration Statement or on the Web site for the Fund (http://www.ishares.com), as applicable.

    2. Statutory Basis

    The proposed rule change is consistent with Section 6(b) [11] of the Act, in general, and furthers the objectives of Section 6(b)(5),[12] 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. The proposed rule change will allow the listing and trading of the Fund on the Exchange, which the Exchange believes will enhance competition among market participants, to the benefit of investors and the marketplace.

    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 foregoing proposed rule change: (1) Does not significantly affect the protection of investors or the public interest; (2) does not impose any significant burden on competition; and (3) by its terms does not become operative for 30 days after the date of this 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) [13] of the Act and subparagraph (f)(6) of Rule 19b-4 [14] thereunder.

    A proposed rule change filed under Rule 19b-4(f)(6) [15] normally does not become operative for 30 days after the date of filing. However, Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii),[16] permits the Commission to 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 operative delay so that the proposal may become operative immediately upon filing. The Exchange states that the proposed rule change does not significantly affect the protection of investors or the public interest and does not impose any significant burden on competition.

    The Commission believes waiving the 30-day operative delay is consistent with the protection of investors and the public interest. Recently, NYSE Arca proposed to list another series of ICUs based on an index that is very similar to the Index.[17] The Commission believes that the listing and trading of the Shares do not present any novel or significant issues or impose any significant burden on competition, and that waiving the 30-day operative delay will benefit the market and investors by providing market participants with additional investing choices. For the reasons described above, the Commission designates the proposal to be effective and operative upon filing with the Commission.[18]

    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

    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-NYSEArca-2009-54. 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, 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 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-NYSEArca-2009-54 and Start Printed Page 30342should be submitted on or before July 16, 2009.

    Start Signature

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated authority. 19

    Florence E. Harmon,

    Deputy Secretary.

    End Signature End Preamble

    Footnotes

    4.  An Investment Company Unit is a security that represents an interest in a registered investment company that holds securities comprising, or otherwise based on or representing an interest in, an index or portfolio of securities (or holds securities in another registered investment company that holds securities comprising, or otherwise based on or representing an interest in, an index or portfolio of securities). See NYSE Arca Equities Rule 5.2(j)(3)(A).

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    5.  See the Trust's Registration Statement for the Fund on Form N-1A, dated June 17, 2009 (File Nos. 333-92935 and 811-09729).

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    6.  The Exchange states that the Index fails to meet the requirement of Commentary .01(a)(B)(2) to NYSE Arca Equities Rule 5.2(j)(3) that component stocks that in the aggregate account for at least 90% of the weight of the index each shall have a minimum monthly trading volume of at least 250,000 shares. The Exchange states that, as of May 31, 2009, component stocks that in the aggregate account for 86.23% of the Index weight had a minimum monthly trading volume of at least 250,000 shares.

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    9.  The Exchange may obtain information for surveillance purposes via the Intermarket Surveillance Group (“ISG”) from other exchanges who are members of ISG. The Exchange notes that the Index component stocks do not trade on markets that are ISG members and the Exchange does not have a comprehensive surveillance agreement with such markets. For a list of the current members of ISG, see http://www.isgportal.org.

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    10.  See, e.g., Securities Exchange Act Release No. 55621 (April 12, 2007), 72 FR 19571 (April 18, 2007) (SR-NYSEArca-2006-86) (order approving generic listing standards for ICUs based on international or global indexes); Securities Exchange Act Release No. 44551 (July 12, 2001), 66 FR 37716 (July 19, 2001) (SR-PCX-2001-14) (order approving generic listing standards for ICUs and Portfolio Depositary Receipts); Securities Exchange Act Release No. 41983 (October 6, 1999), 64 FR 56008 (October 15, 1999) (SR-PCX-98-29) (order approving rules for listing and trading of ICUs).

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    14.  17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6). In addition, Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii) requires a self-regulatory organization to provide the Commission with 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 satisfied this requirement.

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    17.  Compare the Index with the MSCI All Peru Index, which is described in Securities Exchange Act Release No. 59471 (February 27, 2009), 74 FR 9862 (March 6, 2009).

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

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    [FR Doc. E9-14972 Filed 6-24-09; 8:45 am]

    BILLING CODE 8010-01-P

Document Information

Comments Received:
0 Comments
Published:
06/25/2009
Department:
Securities and Exchange Commission
Entry Type:
Notice
Document Number:
E9-14972
Pages:
30340-30342 (3 pages)
Docket Numbers:
Release No. 34-60137, File No. SR-NYSEArca-2009-54
EOCitation:
of 2009-06-18
PDF File:
e9-14972.pdf