2012-10752. Self-Regulatory Organizations; NASDAQ OMX BX, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change To Modify Pricing for BX Members Using the NASDAQ OMX BX Equities System

April 30, 2012.

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 April 26, 2012, NASDAQ OMX BX, Inc. (“BX” or “Exchange”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) the proposed rule change as described in Items I, II, and III below, which Items have been prepared by BX. 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

BX proposes to modify pricing for BX members using the NASDAQ OMX BX Equities System. BX will implement the proposed change on May 1, 2012. The text of the proposed rule change is available at http://nasdaqomxbx.cchwallstreet.com, at BX'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, BX 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. BX 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 Changes

1. Purpose

BX is proposing to modify its rebate schedule with respect to orders that access liquidity at BX.^[3] Currently, BX pays a rebate of $0.0014 per share executed with respect to:

• An order entered by a member through a BX Equities System Market Participant Identifier (“MPID”) through which the member (i) accesses an average daily volume of 3.5 million or more shares of liquidity, or (ii) provides an average daily volume of 25,000 or more shares of liquidity during the month; or
• A BSTG, BSCN, BMOP, BTFY or BCRT order that accesses liquidity in the NASDAQ OMX BX Equities System.

BX pays a rebate of $0.0005 with respect to all other liquidity-accessing orders. BX is proposing to eliminate the rebate with respect to all orders that access liquidity provided by a midpoint pegged order.^[4] Because such orders access liquidity at the midpoint between the best bid and offer, they receive price improvement of at least $0.005 per share. Accordingly, BX does not believe that it is necessary also to pay a rebate to encourage the submission of such orders. Rather, the execution of such orders will be free of charge.

2. Statutory Basis

BX believes that the proposed rule change is consistent with the provisions of Section 6 of the Act,^[5] in general, and with Sections 6(b)(4) and (5) of the Act,^[6] in particular, in that it provides for the equitable allocation of reasonable dues, fees and other charges among members and issuers and other persons using any facility or system which BX operates or controls, and is not designed to permit unfair discrimination between customers, issuers, brokers or dealers. All similarly situated members are subject to the same fee structure, and access to BX is offered on fair and non-discriminatory terms.

The elimination of the rebate for orders that access liquidity provided by midpoint pegged orders is reasonable because the execution of such orders is free of charge. Moreover, the change is consistent with an equitable allocation of fees because such orders invariably receive price improvement of at least $0.005 per share, and therefore do not need an additional rebate of $0.0005 to $0.0014 to encourage their submission to BX. Finally, BX believes that the change is not unfairly discriminatory because the price improvement provided to these orders provides a rational basis for treating them differently from other orders that access liquidity at BX.

Finally, BX notes that it operates in a highly competitive market in which market participants can readily favor competing venues if they deem fee levels at a particular venue to be excessive. In such an environment, BX must continually adjust its fees to remain competitive with other exchanges and with alternative trading systems that have been exempted from compliance with the statutory standards applicable to exchanges. Because numerous alternatives exist to the execution and routing services offered by BX, if BX increases its fees to an excessive extent, it will lose customers to its competitors. Accordingly, BX believes that competitive market forces help to ensure that the fees it charges for execution and routing are reasonable, equitably allocated, and non-discriminatory.

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

BX does not believe that the proposed rule change will result in any burden on competition that is not necessary or appropriate in furtherance of the purposes of the Act, as amended. Because the market for order execution and routing is extremely competitive, members may readily opt to disfavor BX's execution and routing services if they believe that alternatives offer them better value. For these reasons and the reasons discussed in connection with the statutory basis for the proposed rule change, BX does not believe that the proposed changes will unfairly affect the ability of members or competitors to maintain their competitive standing in the financial markets.

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

Written comments were neither solicited nor received.

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

The foregoing rule change has become effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A)(ii) of the Act.^[7] 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. If the Commission takes such action, the Commission shall institute proceedings to determine whether the proposed rule should be approved or disapproved.

IV. Solicitation of Comments

Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views and arguments concerning the foregoing, including whether the proposal 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 [e-mail]. Please include File Number SR-BX-2012-028 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-BX-2012-028. 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 on official business days between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Copies of such filing will also be available for inspection and copying at the principal offices 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-BX-2012-028 and should be submitted on or before May 25, 2012.

For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated authority.^[8]

Kevin M. O'Neill,

Deputy Secretary.

Footnotes

1.  15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).

2.  17 CFR 240.19b-4.

3.  The change applies to securities priced at $1 or more per share. Fees and rebates for lower-priced securities are unchanged.

4.  “Pegged Orders” are orders that, after entry, have their price automatically adjusted by the System in response to changes in either the NASDAQ OMX BX Equities Market inside bid or offer or bids or offers in the national market system, as appropriate. A Pegged Order can specify that its price will equal the inside quote on the same side of the market (“Primary Peg”), the opposite side of the market (“Market Peg”), or the midpoint of the national best bid and offer (“Midpoint Peg”). A Midpoint Peg Order is priced based upon the national best bid and offer, excluding the effect that the Midpoint Peg Order itself has on the inside bid or inside offer. Midpoint Pegged Orders will never be displayed. A Midpoint Pegged Order may be executed in sub-pennies if necessary to obtain a midpoint price. A new timestamp is created for the order each time it is automatically adjusted.

5.  15 U.S.C. 78f.

6.  15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(4) and (5).

7.  15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(a)(ii).

8.  17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).