E7-13600. Self-Regulatory Organizations; Philadelphia Stock Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change To Extend the Quarterly Options Series Pilot Program

July 9, 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 June 27, 2007, the Philadelphia Stock Exchange, Inc. (“Exchange” or “Phlx”) 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 the Exchange. The Exchange has designated this proposal as non-controversial under Section 19(b)(3)(A)(iii) of the Act ^[3] and Rule 19b-4(f)(6) thereunder,^[4] which renders the proposed rule change 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

The Exchange proposes to amend its Rules 1012 (Series of Options Open for Trading) and 1101A (Terms of Option Contracts) in order to extend for a period of about one year an Exchange pilot program (the “Phlx Pilot”) to permit the listing and trading of options series that may be opened for trading on any business day and that expire at the close of business on the last business day of a calendar quarter (“Quarterly Options” or “Quarterly Options Series”). The Phlx Pilot continues through July 24, 2007.^[5]

The text of the proposed rule change is available at the Exchange, at the Commission's Public Reference Room, and at the Exchange's Web site at http://www.Phlx.com/​exchange/​phlx-rule-fil.html.

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

In February 2007, the Exchange filed a proposed rule change for immediate effectiveness that allows the listing and trading of Quarterly Options on the Exchange under the Phlx Pilot.^[6] The Exchange now proposes to extend the Phlx Pilot for a period of about one year so that the Exchange can continue to list and trade Quarterly Options, within the parameters specified in its Rules 1012 and 1101A, through July 10, 2008. The terms of the Phlx Pilot will remain unchanged.

In the Pilot Program Release, the Commission indicated that if the Exchange seeks extension, expansion, or permanent approval of the Phlx Pilot, it must submit a Phlx Pilot Report (the “Report”).^[7] In connection with this proposed rule change, the Exchange has submitted a Report covering the period February 21, 2007, through April 30, 2007. The Report reviews the Exchange's experience with the Phlx Pilot and clearly supports the Exchange's belief that extension of the Phlx Pilot is proper. Among other things, the Report shows the strength and efficacy of the Phlx Pilot on the Exchange as reflected by the strong volume of Quarterly Options traded on Phlx since the pilot's inception in February 2007. The Report establishes that the Phlx Pilot has not created, and in the future should not create, capacity problems for the Exchange or the OPRA (Options Price Reporting Authority) system. Moreover, the Exchange represents that it has the necessary systems capacity to support new options series that will result from the introduction of Quarterly Options Series.

The Exchange believes that extending the Phlx Pilot would continue to provide investors with a flexible and valuable tool to manage risk exposure, minimize capital outlays, and be more responsive to the timing of events affecting the securities that underlie option contracts.

2. Statutory Basis

The Exchange believes that the proposed rule change is consistent with Section 6(b) of the Act ^[8] in general and furthers the objectives of Section 6(b)(5) of the Act ^[9] in particular in that it is designed to promote just and equitable principles of trade, to 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 Exchange believes that the proposal would achieve this by allowing continued listing of Quarterly Options, thereby stimulating customer interest in such options and creating greater trading opportunities and flexibility and providing customers with the ability to more closely tailor their investment strategies.

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 designated the proposed rule change as one that: (1) Does not significantly affect the protection of investors or the public interest; (2) does not impose any significant burden on competition; and (3) does not become operative for 30 days from the date of filing, or such shorter time as the Commission may designate if consistent with the protection of investors and the public interest. Therefore, the foregoing rule change has become effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act ^[10] and subparagraph (f)(6) of Rule 19b-4 thereunder.^[11] The Exchange has asked the Commission to waive the operative delay to permit the Pilot Program extension to become effective prior to the 30th day after filing.^[12]

The Commission believes that waiving the 30-day operative delay is consistent with the protection of investors and the public interest because it will allow the benefits of the Pilot Program to continue without interruption.^[13] Therefore, the Commission designates the proposal operative upon filing.^[14]

At any time within 60 days of the filing of the proposed rule change, the Commission may summarily abrogate the 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 No. SR-Phlx-2007-42 on the subject line.

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-Phlx-2007-42. 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 such 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-Phlx-2007-42 and should be submitted on or before August 3, 2007.

For the Commission, by the Division of Market Regulation, pursuant to delegated authority.^[15]

Florence E. Harmon,

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)(iii).

4.  17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).

5.  See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 55301 (February 15, 2007), 72 FR 8238 (February 23, 2007) (File No. SR-Phlx-2007-08) (“Pilot Program Release”). The American Stock Exchange LLC, Chicago Board Options Exchange, the International Stock Exchange, Inc., and NYSE Arca, Inc. (f/k/a the Pacific Stock Exchange, Inc.) have similar Quarterly Options pilot programs that likewise continue through July 2007.

6.  See id.

7.  See Pilot Program Release, supra note 5. The Pilot Program Release indicates that the Report must include, at a minimum: (1) Data and written analysis on the open interest and trading volume in the classes for which Quarterly Option Series were opened; (2) an assessment of the appropriateness of the options classes selected for the Phlx Pilot; (3) an assessment of the impact of the Phlx Pilot on the capacity of the Exchange, OPRA, and on market data vendors (to the extent data from market data vendors is available); (4) any capacity problems or other problems that arose during the operation of the Phlx Pilot and how the Exchange addressed such problems; (5) any complaints that the Exchange received during the operation of the Phlx Pilot and how the Exchange addressed them; and (6) any additional information that would assist in assessing the operation of the Phlx Pilot.

8.  15 U.S.C. 78f(b).

9.  15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).

10.  15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).

11.  17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).

12.  As required under Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii), the Exchange provided the Commission with written notice of its intent to file the proposed rule change at least five business days before doing so.

13.  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. See 15 U.S.C. 78c(f).

14.  As set forth in the Commission's original release providing notice of the Pilot Program, if the Exchange were to propose an extension, an expansion, or permanent approval of the Pilot Program, the Exchange would submit, along with any filing proposing such amendments to the program, a report that would provide an analysis of the Pilot Program covering the entire period during which the Pilot Program was in effect. The report would include, at a minimum, the information set forth in note 7, supra. The report must be submitted to the Commission at least sixty (60) days prior to the expiration date of the Pilot Program. See Pilot Program Release, supra note 5.

15.  17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).