2010-21930. Self-Regulatory Organizations; International Securities Exchange, LLC; Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule Change To Adopt a Pilot Program To List Additional Expiration Months for Each Class of Options Opened for Trading on the Exchange

August 26, 2010.

Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Act”) ^[1] and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,^[2] notice is hereby given that on August 25, 2010, the International Securities Exchange, LLC (the “Exchange” or “ISE”) 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 Exchange. 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 ISE is proposing to amend its rules to adopt a pilot program to list additional expiration months for each class of options opened for trading on the Exchange. The text of the proposed rule change is provided below (italics indicate additions; [brackets] indicate deletions):

Rule 504. Series of Options Contracts Open for Trading

* * * * *

Supplementary Material to Rule 504

.01-.07 No Change

.08 Additional Expiration Months Pilot Program (“Pilot Program”). For a Pilot Program expiring on [insert date 12 months from the next full month from approval], the Exchange may select up to 20 options classes for which it may list up to two (2) additional expiration months in addition to the expiration months the Exchange currently lists pursuant to Rule 504(e). Additional expiration months listed pursuant to this Supplementary Material .08 will be the nearest months that were not previously listed. The Exchange may also list additional expiration months for option classes that are selected by other securities exchanges that employ a similar program under their respective rules.

* * * * *

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 these statements may be examined at the places specified in Item IV below. The self-regulatory organization 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 the Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

1. Purpose

The Exchange proposes to amend its rules to adopt a pilot program to list additional expiration months for each class of options opened for trading on the Exchange.

Pursuant to ISE Rule 504(e), the Exchange currently opens four expiration months for each class of options open for trading on the Exchange: the first two being the two nearest months, regardless of the quarterly cycle on which that class trades; the third and fourth being the next two months of the quarterly cycle previously designated by the Exchange for that specific class. For example, if the Exchange listed in late May a new equity option on a January-April-July-October quarterly cycle, the Exchange would list the two nearest term months (June and July) and the next two expiration months of the cycle (October and January). When the June series expires, the Exchange would add the August series as the next nearest month. And when the July series expire, the Exchange would add the September series as the next month of the cycle.

The Exchange believes that there is market demand for a greater number of expiration months. The Exchange therefore proposes to adopt a pilot program pursuant to which it will list up to an additional two expiration months, for a total of six expiration months for each class of options open for trading on the Exchange. The proposal will become effective on a pilot basis for a period twelve months to commence on the next full month after approval is received to establish the pilot program. Under the proposal, the additional months listed pursuant to the pilot program will result in four consecutive expiration months plus two months from the quarterly cycle. For example, for option classes in the January cycle that have expiration months of June, July, October, and January, the Exchange would additionally list the August and September series. For option classes in the February quarterly cycle that have expiration months of October, November, February and May, the Exchange would additionally list the December and January series. Under the proposal, no additional LEAP series will be created.

The Exchange seeks to limit the proposed rule change to the 20 most actively traded options classes. By limiting the pilot to a small number of classes, the Exchange will be able to gauge interest in the pilot while limiting any additional demands on system resources. ISE estimates that this pilot could add up to six or seven percent to current quote traffic, although changes in market maker quoting behavior will likely reduce that increase by up to half. The Exchange believes that a limited pilot is a prudent step to determine actual market demand for additional expiration months.

If the Exchange were to propose an extension or an expansion of the pilot program, or should the Exchange propose to make the pilot program permanent, ISE will submit, along with any filing proposing such amendments to the pilot program, a pilot program report (“Report”) that will provide an analysis of the pilot program covering the first nine months of the pilot program and shall submit the Report to the Commission at least sixty (60) days prior to the expiration date of the pilot program. The Report will include, at a minimum: (1) Data and written analysis on the open interest and trading volume in the classes for which additional expiration months 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 on ISE, 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 pilot program and how ISE addressed such problems; (5) any complaints that ISE received during the operation of the pilot program and how ISE addressed them; and (6) any additional information that would assist the Commission in assessing the operation of the pilot program.

Finally, the Exchange represents that it has the necessary systems capacity to support new options series that will result from the introduction of additional expiration months listed pursuant to this proposed rule change.

2. Statutory Basis

The proposed rule change is consistent with Section 6(b) ^[3] of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Act”), in general, and furthers the objectives of Section 6(b)(5) ^[4] in particular, in that it is designed to prevent fraudulent and manipulative acts and practices, to promote just and equitable principles of trade, to foster cooperation and coordination with persons engaged in facilitating transactions in securities, and to remove impediments to and perfect the mechanisms of a free and open market and a national market system in a manner consistent with the protection of investors and the public interest. In particular, the Exchange believes listing additional near-term expiration months will offer investors more variety in trading options series that were previously not available. The Exchange believes this proposed rule change will also generate additional volume in these option classes without significantly taxing system resources.

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

The proposed rule change does not impose any burden on competition.

C. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed Rule Change Received From Members, Participants, or Others

The Exchange has not solicited, and does not intend to solicit, comments on this proposed rule change. The Exchange has not received any unsolicited written comments from members or other interested parties.

III. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed Rule Change and Timing for Commission Action

Within 45 days of the date of publication of this notice in the Federal Register or within such longer period up to 90 days (i) as the Commission may designate 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 or disapprove such 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

• 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 Number SR-ISE-2010-91 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-ISE-2010-91. 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 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-ISE-2010-91 and should be submitted on or before September 23, 2010.

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

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. 78f(b).

4.  15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).

5.  17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).