80_FR_22325 80 FR 22249 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC; Order Approving a Proposed Rule Change To List and Trade Shares of the AlphaMark Actively Managed Small Cap ETF of ETF Series Solutions

80 FR 22249 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC; Order Approving a Proposed Rule Change To List and Trade Shares of the AlphaMark Actively Managed Small Cap ETF of ETF Series Solutions

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 76 (April 21, 2015)

Page Range22249-22251
FR Document2015-09064

Federal Register, Volume 80 Issue 76 (Tuesday, April 21, 2015)
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 76 (Tuesday, April 21, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22249-22251]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-09064]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-74728; File No. SR-NASDAQ-2015-013]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC; Order 
Approving a Proposed Rule Change To List and Trade Shares of the 
AlphaMark Actively Managed Small Cap ETF of ETF Series Solutions

April 15, 2015.

I. Introduction

    On February 17, 2015, The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC (the ``Exchange'' 
or ``Nasdaq'') filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission 
(``Commission''), pursuant to section 19(b)(1) \1\ of the Securities 
Exchange Act of 1934 (``Act'' or ``Exchange Act'') \2\ and Rule 19b-4 
thereunder,\3\ a proposed rule change to list and trade the shares 
(``Shares'') of the AlphaMark Actively Managed Small Cap ETF (the 
``Fund'') of ETF Series Solutions (the ``Trust'') under Nasdaq Rule 
5735. The proposed rule change was published for comment in the Federal 
Register on March 3, 2015.\4\ The Commission received no comments on 
the proposed rule change. This order approves the proposed rule change.
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    \1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
    \2\ 15 U.S.C. 78a.
    \3\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4.
    \4\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 74377 (February 25, 
2015), 80 FR 11502 (``Notice'').
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II. Description of the Proposal

    The Exchange proposes to list and trade the Shares under Nasdaq 
Rule 5735, which governs the listing and trading of Managed Fund Shares 
on the Exchange. The Fund will be an actively-managed exchange-traded 
fund (``ETF''). The Shares will be offered by the Trust.\5\ The Trust 
is registered with the Commission as an investment company and has 
filed a registration statement on Form N-1A (``Registration 
Statement'') with the Commission.\6\ The Fund is a series of the Trust.
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    \5\ The Trust has obtained an order from the Commission granting 
certain exemptive relief to the Trust under the 1940 Act. See 
Investment Company Act Release No. 31469 (February 24, 2015) (File 
No. 812-14402).
    \6\ See Post- Effective Amendment No. 43 to the Registration 
Statement on Form N-1A for the Trust, dated February 4, 2015 (File 
Nos. 333-179562 and 811-22668).
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    AlphaMark Advisors, LLC will be the investment adviser 
(``Adviser'') to the Fund. Quasar Distributors, LLC (the 
``Distributor'') will be the principal underwriter and distributor of 
the Fund's Shares. U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC will act as the 
administrator, accounting agent, and transfer agent to the Fund. U.S. 
Bank National Association will act as the custodian to the Fund. The 
Exchange states that the Adviser is not a broker-dealer, and is not 
affiliated with any broker-dealer.\7\ The Exchange has made the 
following representations and statements regarding the Fund.\8\
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    \7\ See Notice, supra note 4, 80 FR at 11503. In addition, the 
Exchange states that, in the event (a) the Adviser becomes 
affiliated with a broker-dealer or registers as a broker-dealer, or 
(b) any new adviser or sub-adviser is a registered broker-dealer or 
becomes affiliated with a broker-dealer, it will implement a fire 
wall with respect to its relevant personnel and/or such broker-
dealer affiliate, as applicable, regarding access to information 
concerning the composition and/or changes to the portfolio and will 
be subject to procedures designed to prevent the use and 
dissemination of material nonpublic information regarding such 
portfolio. According to the Exchange, the Adviser has no present 
intent or arrangement to become affiliated with any broker-dealer, 
and the Fund does not currently intend to use a sub-adviser. Id.
    \8\ Additional information regarding, among other things, the 
Fund, the Shares, the Fund's investment objectives, the Fund's 
strategies, the Fund's holdings, risks, fees and expenses associated 
with the Shares, creations and redemptions of Shares, availability 
of information, trading rules and halts, and surveillance procedures 
can be found in the Notice and the Registration Statement. See 
Notice, supra note 4, and Registration Statement, supra note 6, 
respectively.
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Principal Investments

    The Fund's primary investment objective is to seek long-term growth 
of capital. The Fund will pursue its objectives by investing 
primarily--i.e., at least 80% of its assets under normal market 
conditions \9\--in a portfolio of equity securities of small cap 
companies listed on a U.S. exchange.
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    \9\ The term ``under normal market conditions'' as used herein 
includes, but is not limited to, the absence of adverse market, 
economic, political or other conditions, including extreme 
volatility or trading halts in the securities markets or the 
financial markets generally; operational issues causing 
dissemination of inaccurate market information; or force majeure 
type events such as systems failure, natural or man-made disaster, 
act of God, armed conflict, act of terrorism, riot or labor 
disruption or any similar intervening circumstance.
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    The Fund defines ``equity securities'' to include common and 
preferred stock, American Depositary Receipts (``ADRs''), real estate 
investment trusts, and ETFs that under normal circumstances invest at 
least 80% of their net assets in equity securities of small cap 
companies (``Small Cap ETFs''). The Fund may invest up to 30% of its 
net assets in foreign equity securities of small cap companies traded 
on a U.S. exchange as ADRs, which may include companies in emerging 
markets. The Adviser expects that there will generally be between 25 
and 40 stocks in the Fund's portfolio.
    The Fund is non-diversified, and therefore may invest a larger 
percentage of its assets in the securities of a single

[[Page 22250]]

company than diversified funds. The Fund's investment in various 
sectors may change significantly over time. The Fund's investment in 
foreign equity securities will be in the form of ADRs and may include 
ADRs representing companies in emerging markets. With respect to its 
investments as part of its principal investment strategies in exchange-
listed securities, the Fund will invest in such securities that trade 
in markets that are members of the Intermarket Surveillance Group 
(``ISG'').\10\
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    \10\ See Notice, supra note 4, 80 FR at 11504.
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Other Investments

    Although the Fund under normal circumstances will invest at least 
80% of its assets in U.S. exchange-listed equity securities, the Fund 
may invest the remaining assets in: Equity securities traded over-the-
counter; \11\ money market instruments; securities of open-end mutual 
funds, money market mutual funds, and ETFs other than Small Cap ETFs; 
and non-exchange-listed ADRs.
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    \11\ The Exchange states that not more than 10% of the net 
assets of the Fund, in the aggregate, will be invested in unlisted 
equity securities or equity securities not listed on an exchange 
that is a member of the ISG or a party to a comprehensive 
surveillance sharing agreement with the Exchange. See id. at 11504, 
n.12.
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III. Discussion and Commission Findings

    After careful review, the Commission finds that the Exchange's 
proposal to list and trade the Shares is consistent with the Exchange 
Act and the rules and regulations thereunder applicable to a national 
securities exchange.\12\ In particular, the Commission finds that the 
proposed rule change is consistent with section 6(b)(5) of the Exchange 
Act,\13\ which requires, among other things, that the Exchange's rules 
be designed to prevent fraudulent and manipulative acts and practices, 
to promote just and equitable principles of trade, to remove 
impediments to and perfect the mechanism of a free and open market and 
a national market system, and, in general, to protect investors and the 
public interest.
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    \12\ In approving this proposed rule change, the Commission has 
considered the proposed rule's impact on efficiency, competition, 
and capital formation. See 15 U.S.C. 78c(f).
    \13\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
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    The Commission finds that the proposal to list and trade the Shares 
on the Exchange is consistent with section 11A(a)(1)(C)(iii) of the 
Exchange Act,\14\ which sets forth Congress' finding that it is in the 
public interest and appropriate for the protection of investors and the 
maintenance of fair and orderly markets to assure the availability to 
brokers, dealers and investors of information with respect to 
quotations for and transactions in securities. Quotation and last-sale 
information for the Shares will be available via Nasdaq proprietary 
quote and trade services and via the Consolidated Tape Association 
(``CTA'') plans for the Shares. Information regarding market price and 
volume of the Shares will be continually available on a real-time basis 
throughout the day on brokers' computer screens and other electronic 
services. Information regarding the previous day's closing price and 
trading volume information for the Shares will be published daily in 
the financial section of newspapers. Quotation and last-sale 
information for any underlying exchange-traded products will also be 
available via the quote and trade services of their respective primary 
exchanges, as well as in accordance with the Unlisted Trading 
Privileges and the CTA plans, as applicable.
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    \14\ 15 U.S.C. 78k-1(a)(1)(C)(iii).
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    Intraday, executable price quotations on the securities and other 
assets held by the Fund (other than investment company securities that 
are not exchange-listed) will be available from major broker-dealer 
firms and through subscription or free services that can be accessed by 
authorized participants and other investors. Intraday price information 
for exchange-traded securities will be publicly available from the Web 
sites of the exchanges on which they trade, on public financial Web 
sites, and through subscription services. Intraday price information 
regarding over-the-counter equities (including certain investment 
company securities) and money market instruments, will be available 
through subscription services.
    The Commission also believes that the proposal to list and trade 
the Shares is reasonably designed to promote fair disclosure of 
information that may be necessary to price the Shares appropriately and 
to prevent trading when a reasonable degree of transparency cannot be 
assured. On each business day, before commencement of trading in Shares 
in the Regular Market Session \15\ on the Exchange, the Fund will 
disclose on its Web site the identities and quantities of the portfolio 
of securities and other assets (the ``Disclosed Portfolio'') held by 
the Fund that will form the basis for the Fund's calculation of NAV at 
the end of the business day. The Web site information will be publicly 
available at no charge. The NAV of the Fund's Shares generally will be 
calculated once daily Monday through Friday as of the close of regular 
trading on the New York Stock Exchange, generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern 
Time. The Exchange will obtain a representation from the issuer of the 
Shares that the NAV per Share will be calculated daily and that the NAV 
and the Disclosed Portfolio will be made available to all market 
participants at the same time.\16\ The intraday indicative value, 
available on the NASDAQ OMX Information LLC proprietary index data 
service,\17\ will be based upon the current value for the components of 
the Disclosed Portfolio and will be updated and widely disseminated and 
broadly displayed at least every 15 seconds during the Regular Market 
Session.\18\ The Web site for the Fund will include the prospectus for 
the Fund and additional data relating to NAV and other applicable 
quantitative information.\19\
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    \15\ See Nasdaq Rule 4120(b)(4) (describing the three trading 
sessions on the Exchange: (1) Pre-Market Session from 4 a.m. to 9:30 
a.m. Eastern time; (2) Regular Market Session from 9:30 a.m. to 4 
p.m. or 4:15 p.m. Eastern time; and (3) Post-Market Session from 4 
p.m. or 4:15 p.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern time).
    \16\ See Notice, supra note 4, 80 FR at 11507.
    \17\ Currently, the NASDAQ OMX Global Index Data Service 
(``GIDS'') is the NASDAQ OMX global index data feed service. The 
Exchange represents that GIDS offers real-time updates, daily 
summary messages, and access to widely followed indexes and Intraday 
Indicative Values for ETFs, and that GIDS provides investment 
professionals with the daily information needed to track or trade 
NASDAQ OMX indexes, listed ETFs, or third-party partner indexes and 
ETFs.
    \18\ See id. at 11506.
    \19\ See id. at 11509.
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    The Exchange represents that it may consider all relevant factors 
in exercising its discretion to halt or suspend trading in the Shares 
of the Fund. Nasdaq will halt or pause trading in the Shares under the 
conditions specified in Nasdaq Rules 4120 and 4121, including the 
trading pauses under Nasdaq Rules 4120(a)(11) and (12). Trading also 
may be halted because of market conditions or for reasons that, in the 
view of the Exchange, make trading in the Shares inadvisable.\20\ 
Trading in the Shares also will be subject to Rule 5735(d)(2)(D), which 
sets forth circumstances under which Shares of the Fund may be halted.
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    \20\ These may include: (1) The extent to which trading is not 
occurring in the securities and/or the financial instruments 
constituting the Disclosed Portfolio of the Fund; or (2) whether 
other unusual conditions or circumstances detrimental to the 
maintenance of a fair and orderly market are present. See id. at 
11507.
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    The Exchange states that it has a general policy prohibiting the 
distribution of material, non-public

[[Page 22251]]

information by its employees.\21\ The Exchange states that the Adviser 
is not a broker-dealer, and is not affiliated with any broker-dealer. 
In addition, the Exchange states that in the event (a) the Adviser 
becomes affiliated with a broker-dealer or registers as a broker-
dealer, or (b) any new adviser or sub-adviser is a registered broker-
dealer or becomes affiliated with a broker-dealer, it will implement a 
fire wall with respect to its relevant personnel and/or such broker-
dealer affiliate, as applicable, regarding access to information 
concerning the composition and/or changes to the portfolio and will be 
subject to procedures designed to prevent the use and dissemination of 
material nonpublic information regarding such portfolio.\22\
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    \21\ See id. at 11508.
    \22\ See supra note 7.
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    FINRA, on behalf of the Exchange, will communicate as needed 
regarding trading in the Shares and other exchange-traded securities 
with other markets and other entities that are ISG members, and FINRA, 
on behalf of the Exchange, may obtain trading information regarding 
trading in the Shares and other exchange-traded securities from such 
markets and other entities. In addition, the Exchange may obtain 
information regarding trading in the Shares and other exchange-traded 
securities from markets and other entities that are members of ISG or 
with which the Exchange has in place a comprehensive surveillance 
sharing agreement.\23\
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    \23\ For a list of the current members of ISG, see 
www.isgportal.org.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Commission notes that the Fund and the Shares must comply with 
the requirements of Nasdaq Rule 5735 to be listed and traded on the 
Exchange. Nasdaq deems the Shares to be equity securities, thus 
rendering trading in the Shares subject to Nasdaq's existing rules 
governing the trading of equity securities. In support of this 
proposal, the Exchange represented that:
    (1) The Shares will be subject to Nasdaq Rule 5735, which sets 
forth the initial and continued listing criteria applicable to Managed 
Fund Shares.
    (2) Trading in the Shares will be subject to the existing trading 
surveillances administered by both Nasdaq and FINRA on behalf of the 
Exchange, which are designed to detect violations of Exchange rules and 
applicable federal securities laws, and these procedures are adequate 
to properly monitor Exchange trading of the Shares in all trading 
sessions and to deter and detect violations of Exchange rules and 
applicable federal securities laws.
    (3) The Exchange has appropriate rules to facilitate transactions 
in the Shares during all trading sessions.
    (4) Prior to the commencement of trading, the Exchange will inform 
its members in an Information Circular of the special characteristics 
and risks associated with trading the Shares. Specifically, the 
Information Circular will discuss the following: (a) The procedures for 
purchases and redemptions of Shares in Creation Units (and that Shares 
are not individually redeemable); (b) Nasdaq Rule 2111A, which imposes 
suitability obligations on Nasdaq members with respect to recommending 
transactions in the Shares to customers; (c) the dissemination of 
information regarding the Intraday Indicative Value through major index 
service providers such as NASDAQ OMX proprietary index data services or 
other major market proprietary index services; (d) the risks involved 
in trading the Shares during the Pre-Market and Post-Market Sessions 
when an updated Intraday Indicative Value will not be calculated or 
publicly disseminated; (e) the requirement that members deliver a 
prospectus to investors purchasing newly issued Shares prior to or 
concurrently with the confirmation of a transaction; (f) trading 
information; and (g) the dissemination of the Disclosed Portfolio 
through the Fund's Web site.
    (5) For initial and/or continued listing, the Fund must be in 
compliance with Rule 10A-3 \24\ under the Act.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \24\ See 17 CFR 240.10A-3.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (6) The Fund may invest up to 30% of its net assets in foreign 
equity securities of small cap companies traded on a U.S. exchange as 
ADRs, which may include companies in emerging markets.
    (7) The Fund may hold up to an aggregate amount of 15% of its net 
assets in illiquid securities or other illiquid assets (calculated at 
the time of investment).
    (8) The Fund may not invest more than 25% of the value of its total 
assets in securities of issuers in any one industry or group of 
industries. This restriction does not apply to obligations issued or 
guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities, 
or securities of other registered investment companies.
    (9) Not more than 10% of the net assets of the Fund, in the 
aggregate, will be invested in unlisted equity securities or equity 
securities not listed on an exchange that is a member of the ISG or a 
party to a comprehensive surveillance sharing agreement with the 
Exchange.
    (10) A minimum of 100,000 Shares will be outstanding at the 
commencement of trading on the Exchange.
    This approval order is based on all of the Exchange's 
representations, including those set forth above and in the Notice. For 
the foregoing reasons, the Commission finds that the proposed rule 
change is consistent with section 6(b)(5) of the Act \25\ and the rules 
and regulations thereunder applicable to a national securities 
exchange.
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    \25\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
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IV. Conclusion

    It is therefore ordered, pursuant to section 19(b)(2) of the 
Exchange Act,\26\ that the proposed rule change (SR-NASDAQ-2015-013) 
be, and it hereby is, approved.
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    \26\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2).

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\27\
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    \27\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Brent J. Fields,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2015-09064 Filed 4-20-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 8011-01-P



                                                                             Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 76 / Tuesday, April 21, 2015 / Notices                                                      22249

                                              prospectus, the Company will not                        SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE                               transfer agent to the Fund. U.S. Bank
                                              exercise any right it may have under the                COMMISSION                                            National Association will act as the
                                              Contract to impose restrictions on                                                                            custodian to the Fund. The Exchange
                                                                                                      [Release No. 34–74728; File No. SR–
                                              transfers between the subaccounts                                                                             states that the Adviser is not a broker-
                                                                                                      NASDAQ–2015–013]
                                              under the Contracts, including                                                                                dealer, and is not affiliated with any
                                              limitations on the future number of                     Self-Regulatory Organizations; The                    broker-dealer.7 The Exchange has made
                                              transfers, for a period beginning at least              NASDAQ Stock Market LLC; Order                        the following representations and
                                              30 days before the Effective Date                       Approving a Proposed Rule Change To                   statements regarding the Fund.8
                                              through at least 30 days following the                  List and Trade Shares of the                          Principal Investments
                                              Effective Date.                                         AlphaMark Actively Managed Small
                                                 7. All Affected Contract Owners will                                                                          The Fund’s primary investment
                                                                                                      Cap ETF of ETF Series Solutions
                                              be notified, at least 30 days before the                                                                      objective is to seek long-term growth of
                                              Effective Date about: (a) The intended                  April 15, 2015.                                       capital. The Fund will pursue its
                                              substitution of Existing Funds with the                                                                       objectives by investing primarily—i.e.,
                                                                                                      I. Introduction                                       at least 80% of its assets under normal
                                              Replacement Funds; (b) the intended
                                              Effective Date; and (c) information with                   On February 17, 2015, The NASDAQ                   market conditions 9—in a portfolio of
                                              respect to transfers as set forth in                    Stock Market LLC (the ‘‘Exchange’’ or                 equity securities of small cap companies
                                              Condition 6 above. In addition, the                     ‘‘Nasdaq’’) filed with the Securities and             listed on a U.S. exchange.
                                              Companies will also deliver, at least 30                Exchange Commission (‘‘Commission’’),                    The Fund defines ‘‘equity securities’’
                                              days before the Effective Date a                        pursuant to section 19(b)(1) 1 of the                 to include common and preferred stock,
                                              prospectus for each applicable                          Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (‘‘Act’’              American Depositary Receipts
                                              Replacement Fund.                                       or ‘‘Exchange Act’’) 2 and Rule 19b–4                 (‘‘ADRs’’), real estate investment trusts,
                                                 8. Companies will deliver to each                    thereunder,3 a proposed rule change to                and ETFs that under normal
                                              Affected Contract Owner within five (5)                 list and trade the shares (‘‘Shares’’) of             circumstances invest at least 80% of
                                              business days of the Effective Date a                   the AlphaMark Actively Managed Small                  their net assets in equity securities of
                                              written confirmation which will                         Cap ETF (the ‘‘Fund’’) of ETF Series                  small cap companies (‘‘Small Cap
                                              include: (a) A confirmation that the                    Solutions (the ‘‘Trust’’) under Nasdaq                ETFs’’). The Fund may invest up to 30%
                                              Substitutions were carried out as                       Rule 5735. The proposed rule change                   of its net assets in foreign equity
                                              previously notified; (b) a restatement of               was published for comment in the                      securities of small cap companies traded
                                              the information set forth in the Pre-                   Federal Register on March 3, 2015.4 The               on a U.S. exchange as ADRs, which may
                                              Substitution Notice; and (c) before and                 Commission received no comments on                    include companies in emerging markets.
                                              after account values.                                   the proposed rule change. This order                  The Adviser expects that there will
                                                 9. After the Effective Date Applicants               approves the proposed rule change.                    generally be between 25 and 40 stocks
                                              agree not to change a Replacement                                                                             in the Fund’s portfolio.
                                                                                                      II. Description of the Proposal                          The Fund is non-diversified, and
                                              Fund’s sub-adviser without first (a)
                                              obtaining shareholder approval of the                      The Exchange proposes to list and                  therefore may invest a larger percentage
                                              sub-adviser change or (b) Voya Variable                 trade the Shares under Nasdaq Rule                    of its assets in the securities of a single
                                              Portfolios Inc. determining that it can                 5735, which governs the listing and
                                              continue to rely on its manager-of-                     trading of Managed Fund Shares on the                    7 See Notice, supra note 4, 80 FR at 11503. In

                                                                                                      Exchange. The Fund will be an actively-               addition, the Exchange states that, in the event (a)
                                              managers exemptive order.                                                                                     the Adviser becomes affiliated with a broker-dealer
                                                 10. For two years following the                      managed exchange-traded fund (‘‘ETF’’).               or registers as a broker-dealer, or (b) any new
                                              Effective Date the net annual expenses                  The Shares will be offered by the Trust.5             adviser or sub-adviser is a registered broker-dealer
                                              of each Replacement Fund will not                       The Trust is registered with the                      or becomes affiliated with a broker-dealer, it will
                                                                                                      Commission as an investment company                   implement a fire wall with respect to its relevant
                                              exceed the net annual expenses of the                                                                         personnel and/or such broker-dealer affiliate, as
                                              corresponding Existing Fund as of the                   and has filed a registration statement on             applicable, regarding access to information
                                              Fund’s most recent fiscal year. To                      Form N–1A (‘‘Registration Statement’’)                concerning the composition and/or changes to the
                                              achieve this limitation, the Replacement                with the Commission.6 The Fund is a                   portfolio and will be subject to procedures designed
                                                                                                      series of the Trust.                                  to prevent the use and dissemination of material
                                              Fund’s investment adviser will waive                                                                          nonpublic information regarding such portfolio.
                                              fees or reimburse the Replacement Fund                     AlphaMark Advisors, LLC will be the                According to the Exchange, the Adviser has no
                                              in certain amounts to maintain expenses                 investment adviser (‘‘Adviser’’) to the               present intent or arrangement to become affiliated
                                              at or below the limit. Any adjustments                  Fund. Quasar Distributors, LLC (the                   with any broker-dealer, and the Fund does not
                                                                                                      ‘‘Distributor’’) will be the principal                currently intend to use a sub-adviser. Id.
                                              will be made at least on a quarterly                                                                             8 Additional information regarding, among other
                                              basis. In addition, the Companies will                  underwriter and distributor of the
                                                                                                                                                            things, the Fund, the Shares, the Fund’s investment
                                              not increase the Contract fees and                      Fund’s Shares. U.S. Bancorp Fund                      objectives, the Fund’s strategies, the Fund’s
                                              charges including asset based charges                   Services, LLC will act as the                         holdings, risks, fees and expenses associated with
                                              such as mortality expense risk charges                  administrator, accounting agent, and                  the Shares, creations and redemptions of Shares,
                                                                                                                                                            availability of information, trading rules and halts,
                                              deducted from the subaccounts that                        1 15                                                and surveillance procedures can be found in the
                                                                                                             U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
                                              would otherwise be assessed under the                     2 15
                                                                                                                                                            Notice and the Registration Statement. See Notice,
                                                                                                             U.S.C. 78a.                                    supra note 4, and Registration Statement, supra
                                              terms of the Contracts for a period of at                 3 17 CFR 240.19b–4.
                                                                                                                                                            note 6, respectively.
                                              least two years following the Effective                   4 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 74377        9 The term ‘‘under normal market conditions’’ as
                                              Date.                                                   (February 25, 2015), 80 FR 11502 (‘‘Notice’’).        used herein includes, but is not limited to, the
                                                                                                        5 The Trust has obtained an order from the
                                                                                                                                                            absence of adverse market, economic, political or
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                For the Commission, by the Division of
                                                                                                      Commission granting certain exemptive relief to the   other conditions, including extreme volatility or
                                              Investment Management, under delegated                  Trust under the 1940 Act. See Investment Company      trading halts in the securities markets or the
                                              authority.                                              Act Release No. 31469 (February 24, 2015) (File No.   financial markets generally; operational issues
                                              Brent J. Fields,                                        812–14402).                                           causing dissemination of inaccurate market
                                                                                                        6 See Post- Effective Amendment No. 43 to the       information; or force majeure type events such as
                                              Secretary.
                                                                                                      Registration Statement on Form N–1A for the Trust,    systems failure, natural or man-made disaster, act
                                              [FR Doc. 2015–09067 Filed 4–20–15; 8:45 am]             dated February 4, 2015 (File Nos. 333–179562 and      of God, armed conflict, act of terrorism, riot or labor
                                              BILLING CODE 8011–01–P                                  811–22668).                                           disruption or any similar intervening circumstance.



                                         VerDate Sep<11>2014   18:07 Apr 20, 2015   Jkt 235001   PO 00000   Frm 00088   Fmt 4703   Sfmt 4703   E:\FR\FM\21APN1.SGM   21APN1


                                              22250                           Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 76 / Tuesday, April 21, 2015 / Notices

                                              company than diversified funds. The                     investors and the maintenance of fair                 assets (the ‘‘Disclosed Portfolio’’) held
                                              Fund’s investment in various sectors                    and orderly markets to assure the                     by the Fund that will form the basis for
                                              may change significantly over time. The                 availability to brokers, dealers and                  the Fund’s calculation of NAV at the
                                              Fund’s investment in foreign equity                     investors of information with respect to              end of the business day. The Web site
                                              securities will be in the form of ADRs                  quotations for and transactions in                    information will be publicly available at
                                              and may include ADRs representing                       securities. Quotation and last-sale                   no charge. The NAV of the Fund’s
                                              companies in emerging markets. With                     information for the Shares will be                    Shares generally will be calculated once
                                              respect to its investments as part of its               available via Nasdaq proprietary quote                daily Monday through Friday as of the
                                              principal investment strategies in                      and trade services and via the                        close of regular trading on the New York
                                              exchange-listed securities, the Fund will               Consolidated Tape Association (‘‘CTA’’)               Stock Exchange, generally 4:00 p.m.,
                                              invest in such securities that trade in                 plans for the Shares. Information                     Eastern Time. The Exchange will obtain
                                              markets that are members of the                         regarding market price and volume of                  a representation from the issuer of the
                                              Intermarket Surveillance Group                          the Shares will be continually available              Shares that the NAV per Share will be
                                              (‘‘ISG’’).10                                            on a real-time basis throughout the day               calculated daily and that the NAV and
                                                                                                      on brokers’ computer screens and other                the Disclosed Portfolio will be made
                                              Other Investments                                       electronic services. Information                      available to all market participants at
                                                 Although the Fund under normal                       regarding the previous day’s closing                  the same time.16 The intraday indicative
                                              circumstances will invest at least 80%                  price and trading volume information                  value, available on the NASDAQ OMX
                                              of its assets in U.S. exchange-listed                   for the Shares will be published daily in             Information LLC proprietary index data
                                              equity securities, the Fund may invest                  the financial section of newspapers.                  service,17 will be based upon the current
                                              the remaining assets in: Equity                         Quotation and last-sale information for               value for the components of the
                                              securities traded over-the-counter; 11                  any underlying exchange-traded                        Disclosed Portfolio and will be updated
                                              money market instruments; securities of                 products will also be available via the               and widely disseminated and broadly
                                              open-end mutual funds, money market                     quote and trade services of their                     displayed at least every 15 seconds
                                              mutual funds, and ETFs other than                       respective primary exchanges, as well as              during the Regular Market Session.18
                                              Small Cap ETFs; and non-exchange-                       in accordance with the Unlisted Trading               The Web site for the Fund will include
                                              listed ADRs.                                            Privileges and the CTA plans, as                      the prospectus for the Fund and
                                                                                                      applicable.                                           additional data relating to NAV and
                                              III. Discussion and Commission                             Intraday, executable price quotations
                                              Findings                                                                                                      other applicable quantitative
                                                                                                      on the securities and other assets held               information.19
                                                 After careful review, the Commission                 by the Fund (other than investment
                                              finds that the Exchange’s proposal to list              company securities that are not                          The Exchange represents that it may
                                              and trade the Shares is consistent with                 exchange-listed) will be available from               consider all relevant factors in
                                              the Exchange Act and the rules and                      major broker-dealer firms and through                 exercising its discretion to halt or
                                              regulations thereunder applicable to a                  subscription or free services that can be             suspend trading in the Shares of the
                                              national securities exchange.12 In                      accessed by authorized participants and               Fund. Nasdaq will halt or pause trading
                                              particular, the Commission finds that                   other investors. Intraday price                       in the Shares under the conditions
                                              the proposed rule change is consistent                  information for exchange-traded                       specified in Nasdaq Rules 4120 and
                                              with section 6(b)(5) of the Exchange                    securities will be publicly available                 4121, including the trading pauses
                                              Act,13 which requires, among other                      from the Web sites of the exchanges on                under Nasdaq Rules 4120(a)(11) and
                                              things, that the Exchange’s rules be                    which they trade, on public financial                 (12). Trading also may be halted because
                                              designed to prevent fraudulent and                      Web sites, and through subscription                   of market conditions or for reasons that,
                                              manipulative acts and practices, to                     services. Intraday price information                  in the view of the Exchange, make
                                              promote just and equitable principles of                regarding over-the-counter equities                   trading in the Shares inadvisable.20
                                              trade, to remove impediments to and                     (including certain investment company                 Trading in the Shares also will be
                                              perfect the mechanism of a free and                     securities) and money market                          subject to Rule 5735(d)(2)(D), which sets
                                              open market and a national market                       instruments, will be available through                forth circumstances under which Shares
                                              system, and, in general, to protect                     subscription services.                                of the Fund may be halted.
                                              investors and the public interest.                         The Commission also believes that the                 The Exchange states that it has a
                                                 The Commission finds that the                        proposal to list and trade the Shares is              general policy prohibiting the
                                              proposal to list and trade the Shares on                reasonably designed to promote fair                   distribution of material, non-public
                                              the Exchange is consistent with section                 disclosure of information that may be
                                              11A(a)(1)(C)(iii) of the Exchange Act,14                necessary to price the Shares                           16 See  Notice, supra note 4, 80 FR at 11507.
                                              which sets forth Congress’ finding that                 appropriately and to prevent trading                    17 Currently,   the NASDAQ OMX Global Index
                                              it is in the public interest and                        when a reasonable degree of                           Data Service (‘‘GIDS’’) is the NASDAQ OMX global
                                                                                                                                                            index data feed service. The Exchange represents
                                              appropriate for the protection of                       transparency cannot be assured. On                    that GIDS offers real-time updates, daily summary
                                                                                                      each business day, before                             messages, and access to widely followed indexes
                                                10 See Notice, supra note 4, 80 FR at 11504.          commencement of trading in Shares in                  and Intraday Indicative Values for ETFs, and that
                                                11 The  Exchange states that not more than 10% of                                                           GIDS provides investment professionals with the
                                                                                                      the Regular Market Session 15 on the
                                              the net assets of the Fund, in the aggregate, will be                                                         daily information needed to track or trade NASDAQ
                                              invested in unlisted equity securities or equity
                                                                                                      Exchange, the Fund will disclose on its               OMX indexes, listed ETFs, or third-party partner
                                              securities not listed on an exchange that is a          Web site the identities and quantities of             indexes and ETFs.
                                              member of the ISG or a party to a comprehensive         the portfolio of securities and other                    18 See id. at 11506.
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                                              surveillance sharing agreement with the Exchange.                                                                19 See id. at 11509.
                                              See id. at 11504, n.12.                                   15 See Nasdaq Rule 4120(b)(4) (describing the          20 These may include: (1) The extent to which
                                                12 In approving this proposed rule change, the
                                                                                                      three trading sessions on the Exchange: (1) Pre-      trading is not occurring in the securities and/or the
                                              Commission has considered the proposed rule’s           Market Session from 4 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Eastern       financial instruments constituting the Disclosed
                                              impact on efficiency, competition, and capital          time; (2) Regular Market Session from 9:30 a.m. to    Portfolio of the Fund; or (2) whether other unusual
                                              formation. See 15 U.S.C. 78c(f).                        4 p.m. or 4:15 p.m. Eastern time; and (3) Post-       conditions or circumstances detrimental to the
                                                13 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
                                                                                                      Market Session from 4 p.m. or 4:15 p.m. to 8 p.m.     maintenance of a fair and orderly market are
                                                14 15 U.S.C. 78k–1(a)(1)(C)(iii).                     Eastern time).                                        present. See id. at 11507.



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                                                                             Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 76 / Tuesday, April 21, 2015 / Notices                                                  22251

                                              information by its employees.21 The                      rules and applicable federal securities                 (10) A minimum of 100,000 Shares
                                              Exchange states that the Adviser is not                  laws.                                                 will be outstanding at the
                                              a broker-dealer, and is not affiliated                      (3) The Exchange has appropriate                   commencement of trading on the
                                              with any broker-dealer. In addition, the                 rules to facilitate transactions in the               Exchange.
                                              Exchange states that in the event (a) the                Shares during all trading sessions.                     This approval order is based on all of
                                              Adviser becomes affiliated with a                           (4) Prior to the commencement of                   the Exchange’s representations,
                                              broker-dealer or registers as a broker-                  trading, the Exchange will inform its                 including those set forth above and in
                                              dealer, or (b) any new adviser or sub-                   members in an Information Circular of                 the Notice. For the foregoing reasons,
                                              adviser is a registered broker-dealer or                 the special characteristics and risks                 the Commission finds that the proposed
                                              becomes affiliated with a broker-dealer,                 associated with trading the Shares.                   rule change is consistent with section
                                              it will implement a fire wall with                       Specifically, the Information Circular                6(b)(5) of the Act 25 and the rules and
                                              respect to its relevant personnel and/or                 will discuss the following: (a) The                   regulations thereunder applicable to a
                                              such broker-dealer affiliate, as                         procedures for purchases and                          national securities exchange.
                                              applicable, regarding access to                          redemptions of Shares in Creation Units
                                                                                                       (and that Shares are not individually                 IV. Conclusion
                                              information concerning the composition
                                              and/or changes to the portfolio and will                 redeemable); (b) Nasdaq Rule 2111A,                      It is therefore ordered, pursuant to
                                              be subject to procedures designed to                     which imposes suitability obligations on              section 19(b)(2) of the Exchange Act,26
                                              prevent the use and dissemination of                     Nasdaq members with respect to                        that the proposed rule change (SR–
                                              material nonpublic information                           recommending transactions in the                      NASDAQ–2015–013) be, and it hereby
                                              regarding such portfolio.22                              Shares to customers; (c) the                          is, approved.
                                                                                                       dissemination of information regarding                  For the Commission, by the Division of
                                                 FINRA, on behalf of the Exchange,
                                                                                                       the Intraday Indicative Value through                 Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated
                                              will communicate as needed regarding
                                                                                                       major index service providers such as                 authority.27
                                              trading in the Shares and other
                                                                                                       NASDAQ OMX proprietary index data                     Brent J. Fields,
                                              exchange-traded securities with other
                                                                                                       services or other major market                        Secretary.
                                              markets and other entities that are ISG
                                                                                                       proprietary index services; (d) the risks
                                              members, and FINRA, on behalf of the                                                                           [FR Doc. 2015–09064 Filed 4–20–15; 8:45 am]
                                                                                                       involved in trading the Shares during
                                              Exchange, may obtain trading                                                                                   BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
                                                                                                       the Pre-Market and Post-Market
                                              information regarding trading in the
                                                                                                       Sessions when an updated Intraday
                                              Shares and other exchange-traded
                                                                                                       Indicative Value will not be calculated               SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
                                              securities from such markets and other
                                                                                                       or publicly disseminated; (e) the                     COMMISSION
                                              entities. In addition, the Exchange may
                                                                                                       requirement that members deliver a
                                              obtain information regarding trading in                                                                        [Release No. 34–74733; File No. SR–C2–
                                                                                                       prospectus to investors purchasing
                                              the Shares and other exchange-traded                                                                           2015–007]
                                                                                                       newly issued Shares prior to or
                                              securities from markets and other
                                                                                                       concurrently with the confirmation of a
                                              entities that are members of ISG or with                                                                       Self-Regulatory Organizations; C2
                                                                                                       transaction; (f) trading information; and
                                              which the Exchange has in place a                                                                              Options Exchange, Incorporated;
                                                                                                       (g) the dissemination of the Disclosed
                                              comprehensive surveillance sharing                                                                             Notice of Filing and Immediate
                                                                                                       Portfolio through the Fund’s Web site.
                                              agreement.23                                                (5) For initial and/or continued                   Effectiveness of a Proposed Rule
                                                 The Commission notes that the Fund                    listing, the Fund must be in compliance               Change To Amend the Fees Schedule
                                              and the Shares must comply with the                      with Rule 10A–3 24 under the Act.                     April 15, 2015.
                                              requirements of Nasdaq Rule 5735 to be                      (6) The Fund may invest up to 30%
                                              listed and traded on the Exchange.                                                                                Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the
                                                                                                       of its net assets in foreign equity                   Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the
                                              Nasdaq deems the Shares to be equity                     securities of small cap companies traded
                                              securities, thus rendering trading in the                                                                      ‘‘Act’’),1 and Rule 19b–4 thereunder,2
                                                                                                       on a U.S. exchange as ADRs, which may                 notice is hereby given that on April 10,
                                              Shares subject to Nasdaq’s existing rules                include companies in emerging markets.
                                              governing the trading of equity                                                                                2015, C2 Options Exchange,
                                                                                                          (7) The Fund may hold up to an                     Incorporated (the ‘‘Exchange’’ or ‘‘C2’’)
                                              securities. In support of this proposal,                 aggregate amount of 15% of its net
                                              the Exchange represented that:                                                                                 filed with the Securities and Exchange
                                                                                                       assets in illiquid securities or other                Commission (the ‘‘Commission’’) the
                                                 (1) The Shares will be subject to                     illiquid assets (calculated at the time of            proposed rule change as described in
                                              Nasdaq Rule 5735, which sets forth the                   investment).                                          Items I, II, and III below, which Items
                                              initial and continued listing criteria                      (8) The Fund may not invest more
                                                                                                                                                             have been prepared by the Exchange.
                                              applicable to Managed Fund Shares.                       than 25% of the value of its total assets
                                                                                                                                                             The Commission is publishing this
                                                 (2) Trading in the Shares will be                     in securities of issuers in any one
                                                                                                                                                             notice to solicit comments on the
                                              subject to the existing trading                          industry or group of industries. This
                                                                                                                                                             proposed rule change from interested
                                              surveillances administered by both                       restriction does not apply to obligations
                                                                                                                                                             persons.
                                              Nasdaq and FINRA on behalf of the                        issued or guaranteed by the U.S.
                                              Exchange, which are designed to detect                   government, its agencies or                           I. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
                                              violations of Exchange rules and                         instrumentalities, or securities of other             Statement of the Terms of Substance of
                                              applicable federal securities laws, and                  registered investment companies.                      the Proposed Rule Change
                                              these procedures are adequate to                            (9) Not more than 10% of the net                      The Exchange proposes to amend its
                                              properly monitor Exchange trading of                     assets of the Fund, in the aggregate, will            Fees Schedule. The text of the proposed
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                                              the Shares in all trading sessions and to                be invested in unlisted equity securities             rule change is available on the
                                              deter and detect violations of Exchange                  or equity securities not listed on an
                                                                                                       exchange that is a member of the ISG or                 25 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
                                                21 Seeid. at 11508.                                    a party to a comprehensive surveillance                 26 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2).
                                               22 See supra note 7.                                    sharing agreement with the Exchange.                    27 17 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).

                                               23 For a list of the current members of ISG, see                                                                1 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).

                                              www.isgportal.org.                                         24 See   17 CFR 240.10A–3.                            2 17 CFR 240.19b–4.




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Document Created: 2015-12-16 08:34:00
Document Modified: 2015-12-16 08:34:00
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionNotices
FR Citation80 FR 22249 

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