2011-17871. Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change Relating To Amend NYSE Arca Equities Rule 7.31(b) To Add Text Describing How Limit Orders Priced a Specified Percentage ...

July 12, 2011.

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 July 6, 2011, NYSE Arca, Inc. (the “Exchange” or “NYSE Arca”) 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 Arca Equities Rule 7.31(b) to add text describing how limit orders priced a specified percentage away from the national best bid or offer will be rejected by Exchange systems. The text of the proposed rule change is available at the Exchange, the Commission's Public Reference Room, http://www.nyse.com, and http://www.sec.gov.

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 Arca Equities Rule 7.31(b) to add text describing how limit orders priced a specified percentage away from the national best bid or national best offer will be rejected by Exchange systems. The Exchange believes that the proposed treatment of limit orders serves as an additional safeguard that could help limit potential harm from extreme price volatility by preventing executions that could occur at a price significantly away from the contra side national best bid or national best offer.

As proposed, the Exchange will reject limit orders that are priced a specified percentage away from the contra side national best bid or national best offer, as defined in Rule 600(b)(42) of Regulation NMS. As the Exchange receives limit orders, Exchange systems will check the price of the limit order against the contra-side national best bid (“NBB”) or national best offer (“NBO”) at the time of the order entry to determine whether the limit order is within the specified percentage.

As proposed, the specified percentage will be equal to the corresponding “numerical guideline” percentages set forth in paragraph (c)(1) of Rule 7.10 (Clearly Erroneous Executions) that are used for the Core Trading Sessions. Accordingly, the specified percentage will be 10% if the NBB or NBO is $25.00 and below, 5% if the NBB or NBO is between $25.01 and $50.00, and 3% if the NBB or NBO is greater than $50.00. If the limit order is priced outside of the specified percentage, the limit order will be rejected. For example, if the NBB is $26.00, a sell order priced at or below $24.70, which is 5% below the NBB, would be rejected. Likewise, if the NBO is $55.00, a buy order priced at or above $56.65, which is 3% above the NBO, would be rejected.

The Exchange believes that this mechanism will prevent the entry of super-marketable limit orders, i.e., limit orders that in essence act like market orders because they are priced so far away from the prevailing market price that could cause significant price dislocation in the market. The Exchange also believes that this mechanism will further serve to mitigate the potential for clearly erroneous executions to occur.

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”),^[4] 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) ^[5] 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 rule meets these requirements in that it ensures that limit orders will not cause the price of a security to move beyond prices that could otherwise be determined to be a clearly erroneous execution, thereby protecting investors from receiving executions away from the prevailing prices at any given time.

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 ^[6] and Rule 19b-4(f)(6) thereunder.^[7] 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 ^[8] and Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii) thereunder.^[9]

A proposed rule change filed under Rule 19b-4(f)(6) ^[10] normally does not become operative for 30 days after the date of filing. However, pursuant to Rule 19b-4(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 believes that waiving the 30-day operative delay to permit the Exchange to implement this proposal without delay is consistent with the protection of investors and the public interest.^[12] The Exchange noted that it is prepared to deploy this technology change immediately and this change would not require ETP Holders to make system changes. The Commission notes that the proposed rule change may reduce the potential for price dislocation and clearly erroneous executions. Waiving the 30-day delayed operative date will enable the Exchange to implement immediately the proposed functionality to achieve these goals and to enhance investor protection. For these reasons, the Commission designates the proposed rule change as operative upon filing.

At any time within 60 days of the filing of the proposed 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

• 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-NYSEArca-2011-45 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 No. SR-NYSEArca-2011-45. 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 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 a.m. and 3 p.m. Copies of such filing also will be available for inspection and copying at the principal office of NYSE Arca. 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 No. SR-NYSEArca-2011-45 and should be submitted on or before August 5, 2011.

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

Cathy H. Ahn,

Deputy Secretary.

Footnotes

1.  15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).

2.  15 U.S.C. 78a.

3.  17 CFR 240.19b-4.

4.  15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).

5.  15 U.S.C. 78k-1(a)(1).

6.  15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(iii).

7.  17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).

8.  15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).

9.  17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6). In addition, Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii) requires the Exchange to give the Commission written notice of the Exchange's 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.

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, the Commission has also considered the proposed rule's impact on efficiency, competition, and capital formation. See 15 U.S.C. 78c(f).

13.  17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).