2013-16934. Self-Regulatory Organizations; Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change Regarding a Change to Interest Rate Swap Margin Calculation Parameters

July 10, 2013.

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 June 28, 2013, Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. (“CME”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) the proposed rule change described in Items I, II and III below, which Items have been prepared primarily by CME. CME filed the proposed rule change pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act ^[3] and Rule 19b-4(f)(4)(ii)^[4] thereunder, so that the proposal was 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 text of the proposed change is below. Italicized text indicates additions; bracketed text indicates deletions.

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TO: Clearing Member Firms; Back Office Managers

FROM: CME Clearing

DATE: July__, 2013

ADVISORY #: 13-XXX

SUBJECT: Update to Interest Rate Swap Margin Parameters

Please be advised that beginning 7/15/2013, CME Clearing will utilize a revised set of parameters for the margining of CME cleared Interest Rate Swap Products.

The current margin model utilizes 1,260 business days (scenarios).

The IRS margin model will change parameters through an extended look back of margins beyond 1,260 scenarios. The change, pending regulatory review, will preserve key historical dates from the 2008 financial crisis.

If you have questions, please email the Risk Research team at [e-mail] or call 312-338-2069.

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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 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 Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

CME is registered as a derivatives clearing organization with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and currently offers clearing services for interest rate swaps (“IRS”). With this filing, CME proposes to issue a Clearing Advisory Notice announcing a change to CME's current Interest Rate Swap margin calculation parameters effective July 15, 2013.

The proposed CME Clearing Advisory Notice would inform clearing members and market participants that CME Clearing would, beginning on July 15, 2013, make a change in CME's Interest Rate Swap Margin Calculation Parameters. The change would peg the current look-back period to September 1, 2008. The current look-back period employs a five year methodology. By pegging the look back methodology to September 1, 2008, rather than maintaining the current five year look back, a number of scenarios stemming from the 2008 financial crisis will be maintained. These scenarios would have otherwise rolled off under the current five year methodology. Thus, after the changes are employed, the look back methodology would now include each new business day as a new scenario on a rolling basis.

The changes that are described in this filing are limited to CME's IRS clearing offering and do not materially impact CME's credit default swap clearing business in any way. CME notes that it has also submitted the proposed rule changes that are the subject of this filing to its primary regulator, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”), in CME Submission 13-263.

CME believes the proposed rule changes are consistent with the requirements of the Exchange Act including Section 17A of the Exchange Act. The proposed rule changes involve enhancements to CME's interest rate swap product offering for investors, and as such are designed to promote the prompt and accurate clearance and settlement of securities transactions and derivatives agreements, contracts and transactions, and to assure the safeguarding of securities and funds which are in the custody or control of the clearing agency and, in general, help to protect investors and the public interest. Furthermore, the proposed changes are limited in their effect to CME's existing IRS clearing offering. IRS is under the exclusive jurisdiction of the CFTC. As such, the proposed CME changes are limited to CME's activities as a derivatives clearing organization clearing swaps that are not security-based swaps; CME notes that the policies of the CFTC with respect to administering the Commodity Exchange Act are comparable to a number of the policies underlying the Exchange Act, such as promoting market transparency for over-the-counter derivatives markets, promoting the prompt and accurate clearance of transactions and protecting investors and the public interest. In summary, the proposed CME changes do not significantly affect the security-based swap clearing operations of CME or any related rights or obligations of CME security-based swap clearing participants. The changes are therefore consistent with the requirements of Section 17A of the Exchange and are properly filed under Section 19(b)(3)(A) and Rule 19b-4(f)(4)(ii) thereunder.

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

CME does not believe that the proposed rule change will have any impact, or impose any burden, on competition. The rule changes simply announce one technical enhancement to CME's current IRS clearing offering, that is, a change to CME's current IRS margin calculation parameters.

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

CME has not solicited, and does not intend to solicit, comments regarding this proposed rule change. CME has not received any unsolicited written comments from interested parties.

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

The foregoing rule change has been filed pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) ^[5] of the Act and paragraph (f)(4)(ii) of Rule 19b-4 ^[6] thereunder and will become effective on filing. 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 [e-mail]. Please include File Number SR-CME-2013-10 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-CME-2013-10. 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 such filing also will be available for inspection and copying at the principal office of CME and on CME's Web site (http://www.cmegroup.com/​market-regulation/​files/​sec_​19b-4_​13-10.pdf).

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-CME-2013-10 and should be submitted on or before August 6, 2013.

For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated authority.^[7]

Kevin M. O'Neill,

Deputy Secretary.

Footnotes

1.  15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).

2.  17 CFR 240.19b-4.

3.  15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).

4.  17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(4)(ii).

5.  Supra note 3.

6.  Supra note 4.

7.  17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).