2010-18998. Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc.; Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule Change Amending Rule 6.47  

  • Start Preamble July 28, 2010.

    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 20, 2010, NYSE Arca, Inc. (“NYSE Arca” or the “Exchange”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) the proposed rule change as described in Items I, II, and III 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 Rule 6.47 to describe new procedures for executing a cross transaction. The text of the proposed rule change is attached as Exhibit 5 to the 19b-4 form. A copy of this filing is available on the Exchange's Web site at http://www.nyse.com,, at the Exchange's principal office, on the Commission's Web site at http://www.sec.gov,, 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

    NYSE Arca proposes to modify Rule 6.47(a) to describe new procedures for Floor Brokers wishing to execute a Non-Facilitation cross transaction.[4] Currently, after requesting a market, Floor Brokers are required to disclose the terms of a cross, after which Market Makers are allowed to revise their bids and offers to block the cross.

    NYSE Arca proposes that Market Makers, after being informed of a potential cross, should provide their best bid and best offer, but not be allowed to step ahead of subsequently disclosed trading interest. The Exchange Start Printed Page 45684intends for Market Makers to make markets and not prevent better priced trading interests from interacting with each other.

    The proposed rule change would allow a Floor Broker to request, without revealing the size of the orders, a final quote for a cross from the Trading Crowd, and then to cross above the highest bid, or below the lowest offer, and, if not on a price provided by the Crowd, to execute the cross in its entirety. If the cross were to take place on the price provided by the Crowd, the Floor Broker would be obligated to trade with that interest prior to crossing the orders. The cross would be required to be within the National Best Bid/Offer, and would also be obligated to satisfy any bids or offers in the Consolidated Book equal to or better than the crossing price.

    For example, if the prices of the orders to be crossed allowed for a range of possible crossing prices, and the Trading Crowd provided a final quote that was two or more Minimum Price Variations (“MPV”) wide, the Floor Broker could bid above the Trading Crowd's bid and consummate the cross without trading on a final quote price.

    If, alternatively, the final quote was only one MPV wide, (i.e., 3.10 bid for 20 contracts at 3.20 offer for 50 contracts) the Floor Broker could not meet the obligation to the orders without trading on a final quote price. In this case, the Floor Broker would bid above the final quote bid (i.e., bid 3.20) or offer below the final quote offer (i.e., offer at 3.10), each instance of which is equal to a final quote price. The Floor Broker would then be obligated to trade with the final quote interest at that price (i.e., buy 50 at 3.20 or sell 20 at 3.10) before crossing the balance of the orders.

    Additionally, if, because of movement in the markets while the order was being brought to the crowd, the limit on one of the orders only allowed for a cross to be effected at a final quote price, regardless of the width of the final quote, the Floor Broker would be required to bid above the final quote bid or offer below the final quote offer yet still be at a final quote price. Again, the Floor Broker would be obligated to trade with the final quote interest at that price before crossing the balance of the orders. For instance, the electronic market in the series is 3.00 bid offered at 3.30, and the Floor Broker receives orders to cross at 3.10 or 3.20. When the Floor Broker requests a Final Quote, the crowd responds with a market of 3.20 bid at 3.30. In order to meet the obligation to execute the order, the Floor Broker would have to offer at 3.20, fill the bids in the crowd at 3.20, and then cross the balance of the orders.

    Additionally, the Exchange proposes to add two commentaries to Rule 6.47. Commentary .01 would allow an OTP Holder to submit an order that has been solicited prior to transmittal to the Floor, but would not allow the new procedures to be used to circumvent limitations on principal transactions as described in Rule 6.47A, nor allow the OTP Holder to solicit a contra order from an NYSE Arca Market Maker assigned to the class of options to trade against an agency order.

    Commentary .02 would state it is a violation of a Floor Broker's duty for best execution to cancel an agency order to avoid execution at a better price.

    2. Statutory Basis

    The Exchange believes the proposed rule change is consistent with and furthers the objectives of Section 6(b)(5) of the Act, in that it is designed to promote just and equitable principles of trade, remove impediments to and perfect the mechanisms 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 will provide encouragement for Market Makers to provide their best prices earlier, upon the initial presentation of trading interest to the crowd, and the broker will be required to better the crowd's price in order to execute the cross transaction. The proposed new process should thus increase the possibility of price improvement for Customer orders.

    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

    Within 35 days of the date of publication of this notice in the Federal Register or within such longer period (i) as the Commission may designate up to 90 days of such date if it finds such longer period to be appropriate and publishes its reasons for so finding or (ii) as to which the self-regulatory organization consents, the Commission will:

    (A) By order approve the proposed rule change, or

    (B) Institute proceedings to determine whether the proposed rule change should be 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

    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-NYSEArca-2010-69. 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 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 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 publicly available. All submissions should refer to File Number SR-Start Printed Page 45685NYSEArca-2010-69 and should be submitted on or before August 24, 2010.

    Start Signature

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated authority.[5]

    Florence E. Harmon,

    Deputy Secretary.

    End Signature End Preamble

    Footnotes

    4.  Facilitation Crosses are governed by Rule 6.47(b), and are not affected by this proposal.

    Back to Citation

    [FR Doc. 2010-18998 Filed 8-2-10; 8:45 am]

    BILLING CODE 8010-01-P

Document Information

Comments Received:
0 Comments
Published:
08/03/2010
Department:
Securities and Exchange Commission
Entry Type:
Notice
Document Number:
2010-18998
Pages:
45683-45685 (3 pages)
Docket Numbers:
Release No. 34-62580, File No. SR-NYSEArca-2010-69
EOCitation:
of 2010-07-28
PDF File:
2010-18998.pdf