2012-16516. Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed Rule Change To Extend the Penny Pilot Program
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Start Preamble
June 28, 2012.
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 June 19, 2012, BATS Exchange, Inc. (the “Exchange” or “BATS”) 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 Exchange has designated this proposal as a “non-controversial” proposed rule change pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act [4] and Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii) thereunder,[5] which renders it 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 filed a proposal for the BATS Options Market (“BATS Options”) to extend through December 31, 2012, the Penny Pilot Program (“Penny Pilot”) in options classes in certain issues (“Pilot Program”) previously approved by the Commission.[6]
The text of the proposed rule change is available at the Exchange's Web site at http://www.batstrading.com,, at the principal office of the Exchange, 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 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 purpose of this filing is to extend through December 31, 2012, the Penny Pilot in options classes in the Pilot Program as previously approved by the Commission, and to provide a revised date for adding replacement issues to the Pilot Program. The Exchange proposes that any Pilot Program issues that have been delisted may be replaced on the second trading day following July 1, 2012. The replacement issues will be selected based on trading activity for the six month period beginning December 1, 2011, and ending May 31, 2012.
In the Exchange's filing to propose the rules to govern BATS Options,[7] the Exchange proposed commencing operations for BATS Options by trading all options classes that were, as of such date, traded by other options exchanges pursuant to the Penny Pilot and then expanding the Penny Pilot on a quarterly basis, 75 classes at a time, through August 2010. Consistent with this proposal, since it commenced operations the Exchange has twice expanded the options classes subject to the Penny Pilot.[8] The Exchange represents that the Exchange has the necessary system capacity to continue to support operation of the Penny Pilot.
The Exchange believes the benefits to public customers and other market participants who will be able to express their true prices to buy and sell options have been demonstrated to outweigh the increase in quote traffic.
2. Statutory Basis
The Exchange believes that its proposal is consistent with the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations thereunder that are applicable to a national securities exchange, and, in particular, with the requirements of Section 6(b) of the Act.[9] In particular, the proposal is consistent with Section 6(b)(5) of the Act,[10] because it would promote just and equitable principles of trade, remove impediments to, and perfect the mechanism of, a free and open market and a national market system. The Exchange believes that the Pilot Program promotes just and equitable principles of trade by enabling public customers and other market participants to express their true prices to buy and sell options. Accordingly, the Exchange believes that the proposal is consistent with the Act because it will allow the Exchange to extend the Pilot Program prior to its expiration on June 30, 2012. The Exchange notes that this proposal does not propose any new policies or provisions that are unique or unproven, but instead relates to the continuation of an existing program that operates on a pilot basis.
B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition
The Exchange does not believe that the proposed rule change imposes any burden on competition.Start Printed Page 40110
C. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed Rule Change Received From Members, Participants or Others
The Exchange has neither solicited nor received written comments on 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 [11] and Rule 19b-4(f)(6) thereunder.[12] 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 [13] and Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii) thereunder.[14]
A proposed rule change filed under Rule 19b-4(f)(6) normally does not become operative prior to 30 days after the date of the filing.[15] However, pursuant to Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii),[16] 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 is consistent with the protection of investors and the public interest because doing so will allow the Pilot Program to continue without interruption in a manner that is consistent with the Commission's prior approval of the extension and expansion of the Pilot Program and will allow the Exchange and the Commission additional time to analyze the impact of the Pilot Program.[17] Accordingly, the Commission designates the proposed rule change as operative upon filing with the Commission.[18]
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 email to rule-comments@sec.gov. Please include File Number SR-BATS-2012-025 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 Number SR-BATS-2012-025. 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 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 Web site 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; 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-BATS-2012-025 and should be submitted on or before July 27, 2012.
Start SignatureFor the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated authority.[19]
Kevin M. O'Neill,
Deputy Secretary.
Footnotes
6. The rules of BATS Options, including rules applicable to BATS Options' participation in the Penny Pilot, were approved on January 26, 2010. See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 61419 (January 26, 2010), 75 FR 5157 (February 1, 2010) (SR-BATS-2009-031). BATS Options commenced operations on February 26, 2010. The Penny Pilot was extended for BATS Options through June 30, 2012. See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 65965 (December 15, 2011), 76 FR 79244 (December 21, 2011) (SR-BATS-2011-050).
Back to Citation7. See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 61097 (December 2, 2009), 74 FR 64788 (December 8, 2009) (SR-BATS-2009-031) (Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule Change to Establish Rules Governing the Trading of Options on the BATS Options Exchange).
Back to Citation8. See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 62595 (July 29, 2010), 75 FR 47043 (August 4, 2010) (SR-BATS-2010-019); Securities Exchange Act Release No. 62033 (May 4, 2010), 75 FR 26301 (May 11, 2010) (SR-BATS-2010-009).
Back to Citation15. 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 the 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 pre-filing requirement.
Back to Citation17. See supra note 6.
Back to Citation18. For purposes only of waiving the operative delay for this proposal, the Commission has considered the proposed rule's impact on efficiency, competition, and capital formation. See 15 U.S.C. 78c(f).
Back to Citation[FR Doc. 2012-16516 Filed 7-5-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P
Document Information
- Comments Received:
- 0 Comments
- Published:
- 07/06/2012
- Department:
- Securities and Exchange Commission
- Entry Type:
- Notice
- Document Number:
- 2012-16516
- Pages:
- 40109-40110 (2 pages)
- Docket Numbers:
- Release No. 34-67306, File No. SR-BATS-2012-025
- EOCitation:
- of 2012-06-28
- PDF File:
- 2012-16516.pdf