E7-13958. Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change To Extend the One Week Option Series Pilot Program  

  • Start Preamble July 11, 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 July 3, 2007, NYSE Arca, Inc. (“Exchange” or “NYSE Arca”) 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 is proposing to amend its rules to extend the One Week Option Series pilot program (“Pilot Program”) for an additional one-year period, through July 12, 2008. The text of the proposed rule change is available on the Exchange's Web site (http://www.nysearca.com), at the Exchange's principal office, and at the Commission's Public Reference Room.

    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

    On July 12, 2005, the Commission approved the Pilot Program,[5] which allows NYSE Arca to list and trade One Week Option Series. Under the terms of the Pilot Program, the Exchange can select up to five options classes on which One Week Option Series may be opened on any One Week Option Opening Date. The Exchange is also allowed to list One Week Option Series on any option class that is selected by other securities exchanges that employ a similar Pilot Program under their respective rules.

    The Pilot Program currently expires on July 12, 2007.[6] The purpose of this proposal is to extend the Pilot Program for one year, through July 12, 2008. The Exchange believes that the Pilot Program provides 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. While NYSE Arca has not listed any One Week Option Series during the Pilot Program, there has been investor interest in trading short-term options at the Chicago Board Options Exchange. In order to have the ability to respond to customer interest if warranted, the Exchange proposes the continuation of the Pilot Program at NYSE Arca.

    In the original proposal to establish the Pilot Program, the Exchange stated that if it were to propose an extension or an expansion of the program, the Exchange would submit, along with any filing proposing such amendments to the program, a Pilot Program report (“Report”). The Report would provide an analysis of the Pilot Program covering the entire period during which the Pilot Program was in effect. Since the Exchange did not have any One Week Option Series listed during the preceding year of the Pilot Program, there is no data available to compile such a report at this time. Therefore, there is no Report associated with the program included with this proposal to extend the pilot Program.

    The Exchange represents that it has the necessary system capacity needed to support any additional option series listed under the Pilot Program.

    2. Statutory Basis

    The Exchange believes that the One Week Option Series can stimulate customer interest in options and provide 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. For these reasons, the Exchange believes the proposed rule change is consistent with the requirements of Section 6(b) of the Act [7] in general, and furthers the objectives of Section 6(b)(5) of the Act [8] in particular, in that it is designed to promote just and equitable principles of trade, to prevent fraudulent and manipulative acts, to remove impediments to and perfect the mechanism for a free and open market and a national market system, and, in general, to protect investors and the public interest.

    B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition

    The Exchange believes that the proposed rule change will not 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

    Written comments on the proposed rule change were neither solicited nor received.

    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 Start Printed Page 39654significant 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 [9] and subparagraph (f)(6) of Rule 19b-4 thereunder.[10] The Exchange has asked the Commission to waive the operative delay to permit the Pilot Program extension to become operative prior to the 30th day after filing.[11]

    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.[12] Therefore, the Commission designates the proposal operative upon filing.[13]

    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

    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-NYSEArca-2007-62. 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 Commissions 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-NYSEArca-2007-62 and should be submitted on or before August 9, 2007.

    Start Signature

    For the Commission, by the Division of Market Regulation, pursuant to delegated authority.[14]

    Nancy M. Morris,

    Secretary.

    End Signature End Preamble

    Footnotes

    5.  See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 34-52013 (July 12, 2005), 70 FR 41471 (July 19, 2005) (File No. SR-PCX-2005-32).

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    6.  See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 34-54052 (June 27, 2006), 71 FR 38679 (July 7, 2006) (File No. SR-NYSEArca-2006-29).

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    11.  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 before doing so.

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    12.  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).

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    13.  As set forth in the Exchange's original filing proposing 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: (1) Data and written analysis on the open interest and trading volume in the classes for which One Week Option Series were opened; (2) an assessment of the appropriateness of the option classes selected for the Pilot Program; (3) an assessment of the impact of the Pilot Program on the capacity of the Exchange, OPRA, and 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 Pilot Program and how the Exchange addressed such problems; (5) any complaints that the Exchange received during the operation of the Pilot Program and how the Exchange addressed them; and (6) any additional information that would assist in assessing the operation of the Pilot Program. The report must be submitted to the Commission at least sixty (60) days prior to the expiration date of the Pilot Program. See Form 19b-4 for File No. SR-PCX-2005-32, filed March 7, 2005.

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    [FR Doc. E7-13958 Filed 7-18-07; 8:45 am]

    BILLING CODE 8010-01-P

Document Information

Comments Received:
0 Comments
Published:
07/19/2007
Department:
Securities and Exchange Commission
Entry Type:
Notice
Document Number:
E7-13958
Pages:
39653-39654 (2 pages)
Docket Numbers:
Release No. 34-56048, File No. SR-NYSEArca-2007-62
EOCitation:
of 2007-07-11
PDF File:
e7-13958.pdf