2012-12584. Self-Regulatory Organizations; The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC; Notice of Designation of a Longer Period for Commission Action on Proposed Rule Change, as Modified by Amendment No. 1 Thereto, To Establish the Market Quality Program

May 18, 2012.

On March 23, 2012, The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC (“NASDAQ”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC” or “Commission”), pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Act”) ^[1] and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,^[2] a proposed rule change to establish the Market Quality Program. On March 29, 2012, the Exchange submitted Amendment No. 1 to the proposed rule change.^[3] The proposed rule change, as modified by Amendment No. 1, was published for comment in the Federal Register on April 12, 2012.^[4] The Commission received fifteen comment letters on the proposal.^[5]

Section 19(b)(2) of the Act ^[6] provides that, within 45 days of the publication of notice of the filing of a proposed rule change, or within such longer period up to 90 days as the Commission may designate if it finds such longer period to be appropriate and publishes its reasons for so finding or as to which the self-regulatory organization consents, the Commission shall either approve the proposed rule change, disapprove the proposed rule change, or institute proceedings to determine whether the proposed rule change should be disapproved. The 45th day for this filing is May 27, 2012. The Commission is extending this 45-day time period.

The Commission finds that it is appropriate to designate a longer period within which to take action on the proposed rule change so that it has sufficient time to consider the proposed rule change, the comments received, and any response to the comments submitted by NASDAQ. The proposed rule change would, among other things, add new Rule 5950 to establish the Market Quality Program and exempt the Market Quality Program from NASDAQ Rule 2460 (Payment for Market Making).

Accordingly, the Commission, pursuant to Section 19(b)(2) of the Act,^[7] designates July 11, 2012, as the date by which the Commission should either approve or disapprove or institute proceedings to determine whether to disapprove the proposed rule change (File Number SR-NASDAQ-2012-043).

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.  In Amendment No. 1, the Exchange made a technical amendment to Item I of Exhibit 1 to delete an erroneous reference to the NASDAQ Options Market and replace it with a reference to the Exchange.

4.  Securities Exchange Act Release No. 66765 (April 6, 2012), 77 FR 22042.

5.  See Letter from Frank Choi, dated April 13, 2012; Letter from Christopher J. Csicsko, dated April 14, 2012; Letter from Jeremiah O'Connor III, dated April 14, 2012; Letter from Dezso J. Szalay, dated April 15, 2012; Letter from Kathryn Keita, dated April 18, 2012; Letter, Anonymous, dated April 18, 2012; Letter from Mark Connell, dated April 19, 2012; Letter from Timothy Quast, Managing Director, Modern Networks IR LLC, dated April 26, 2012; Letter from Daniel G. Weaver, Ph.D., Professor of Finance, Rutgers Business School, dated April 26, 2012; Letter from Amber Anand, Associate Professor of Finance, Syracuse University, dated April 29, 2012; Letter from Albert J. Menkveld, Associate Professor of Finance, VU University Amsterdam, dated May 2, 2012; Letter from James J. Angel, Associate Professor of Finance, Georgetown University, dated May 2, 2012; Letter from Ari Burstein, Senior Counsel, Investment Company Institute, dated May 3, 2012; Letter from Gus Sauter, Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer, Vanguard, dated May 3, 2012; and Letter from Leonard J. Amoruso, General Counsel, Knight Capital Group, Inc., dated May 4, 2012.

6.  15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2).

7.  15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2).

8.  17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(31).