2019-11804. Self-Regulatory Organizations; Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed Rule Change Amending Rule 21.7 Concerning Openings Following Trading Halts
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May 31, 2019.
Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Act”),[1] and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,[2] notice is hereby given that on May 22, 2019, Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc. (the “Exchange” or “BZX”) 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 Exchange. The Exchange filed the proposal as a “non-controversial” proposed rule change pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A)(iii) of the Act [3] and Rule 19b-4(f)(6) thereunder.[4] 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
Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc. (the “Exchange” or “BZX Options”) proposes to amend Rule 21.7. The text of the proposed rule change is provided in Exhibit 5.
The text of the proposed rule change is also available on the Exchange's website (http://markets.cboe.com/us/equities/regulation/rule_filings/bzx/), at the Exchange's Office of the Secretary, and at the Commission's Public Reference Room.Start Printed Page 26497
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 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. 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 proposed rule change harmonizes how the opening auction process will be used following all trading halts. Currently, the Exchange opens trading following a Regulatory Halt (as defined below) in a different manner than it opens trading following a non-Regulatory Halt. Specifically, current Rule 21.7(a) provides that the Exchange will accept market and limit orders and quotes for inclusion in the opening process (the “Opening Process”) immediately upon trading being halted in an option series due to the primary listing market for the applicable underlying security declaring a regulatory trading halt, suspension, or pause with respect to such security (a “Regulatory Halt”), with respect to equity options. For equity options, where a User has entered instructions not to cancel its open orders upon a halt pursuant to Rule 20.3(b), such orders will be queued for participation in the Opening Process for a Regulatory Halt or will be cancelled for a halt that is not a Regulatory Halt. Where trading is halted pursuant to Rule 20.3, but it is not due to a Regulatory Halt, there will be no Order Entry Period and trading shall be resumed upon the determination by the Exchange that the conditions which led to the halt are no longer present or that the interests of a fair and orderly market are best served by a resumption of trading.
The Exchange has determined to eliminate the distinction between how the opening auction process applies following a Regulatory Halt and a non-Regulatory Halt. The proposed rule change provides that the opening auction process following any trading halt will apply in the manner it currently applies following a Regulatory Halt. In other words, following a non-Regulatory Halt, there will be an Order Entry Period that begins immediately when the Exchange halts trading in a class. Additionally, in the event of a non-Regulatory Halt, the System will queue a User's orders and quotes resting on the book at the time of the trading halt for participation in the Opening Process following the trading halt, unless the User entered instructions to cancels its resting orders and quotes. This will provide Users with the ability to decide how its resting orders and quotes should be handled in the event of a non-Regulatory Halt, as they are currently able to do in the event of a Regulatory Halt. The Exchange also believes elimination of this distinction will eliminate potential investor confusion regarding how the System will handle orders and quotes in the event of a trading halt.[5]
2. Statutory Basis
The Exchange believes the proposed rule change is consistent with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Act”) and the rules and regulations thereunder applicable to the Exchange and, in particular, the requirements of Section 6(b) of the Act.[6] Specifically, the Exchange believes the proposed rule change is consistent with the Section 6(b)(5) [7] requirements that the rules of an exchange be 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 regulating, clearing, settling, processing information with respect to, and facilitating transactions in securities, 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. Additionally, the Exchange believes the proposed rule change is consistent with the Section 6(b)(5) [8] requirement that the rules of an exchange not be designed to permit unfair discrimination between customers, issuers, brokers, or dealers. In particular, the proposed rule change will protect investors by eliminating potential confusion regarding how the Exchange will open series following trading halts, and by providing Users with flexibility regarding how the System will handle their orders and quotes following a non-Regulatory Halt (as they currently have following a Regulatory Halt).
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. The proposed rule change will not impose any burden on intramarket competition that is not necessary or appropriate in furtherance of the purposes of the Act. All Users will have the same flexibility regarding how the System will handle their orders and quotes following non-Regulatory Halts, which is the same flexibility currently available to Users following Regulatory Halts. If a User wants its orders and quotes to be handled following a non-Regulatory Halt in the manner they are today, that User can instruct the Exchange to do so. The proposed rule change will not impose any burden on intermarket competition that is not necessary or appropriate in furtherance of the purposes of the Act. The proposed rule change only impacts how the Exchange will open series following a non-Regulatory Halt. The proposed change is not intended to be a competitive change, but rather to provide Users with flexibility with respect to the handling of their orders and quotes following a non-Regulatory Halt.
C. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed Rule Change Received From Members, Participants, or Others
The Exchange neither solicited nor received comments on the proposed rule change.
III. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed Rule Change and Timing for Commission Action
Because the foregoing 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 for 30 days from the date on which it was filed, or such shorter time as the Commission may designate, it has become effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A)(iii) of the Act [9] and subparagraph (f)(6) of Rule 19b-4 thereunder.[10]
Start Printed Page 26498If the Commission takes such action, the Commission will institute proceedings to determine whether the proposed rule change should be approved or disapproved.
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 email to rule-comments@sec.gov. Please include File Number SR-CboeBZX-2019-046 on the subject line.
Paper Comments
- Send paper comments in triplicate to Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549-1090.
All submissions should refer to File Number SR-CboeBZX-2019-046. 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 website (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 website 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 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. Persons submitting comments are cautioned that we do not redact or edit personal identifying information from comment submissions. You should submit only information that you wish to make available publicly. All submissions should refer to File Number SR-CboeBZX-2019-046 and should be submitted on or before June 27, 2019.
Start SignatureFor the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated authority.[11]
Eduardo A. Aleman,
Deputy Secretary.
Footnotes
5. The proposed rule change also makes conforming changes throughout Rule 21.7, and other nonsubstantive changes to Rule 21.7.
Back to Citation8. Id.
Back to Citation10. 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6). In addition, Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii) requires a self-regulatory organization to give 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 requirement.
Back to Citation[FR Doc. 2019-11804 Filed 6-5-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P
Document Information
- Published:
- 06/06/2019
- Department:
- Securities and Exchange Commission
- Entry Type:
- Notice
- Document Number:
- 2019-11804
- Pages:
- 26496-26498 (3 pages)
- Docket Numbers:
- Release No. 34-85985, File No. SR-CboeBZX-2019-046
- PDF File:
- 2019-11804.pdf