80_FR_30850 80 FR 30747 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; New York Stock Exchange, LLC; Notice of Filing of Amendment No. 1 and Order Granting Accelerated Approval of a Proposed Rule Change, as Modified by Amendment No. 1, Adopting New NYSE Rule 124 To Conduct a Midday Auction and Amending NYSE Rule 104 To Codify the Obligation of Designated Market Makers To Facilitate the Midday Auction

80 FR 30747 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; New York Stock Exchange, LLC; Notice of Filing of Amendment No. 1 and Order Granting Accelerated Approval of a Proposed Rule Change, as Modified by Amendment No. 1, Adopting New NYSE Rule 124 To Conduct a Midday Auction and Amending NYSE Rule 104 To Codify the Obligation of Designated Market Makers To Facilitate the Midday Auction

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 103 (May 29, 2015)

Page Range30747-30752
FR Document2015-12968

Federal Register, Volume 80 Issue 103 (Friday, May 29, 2015)
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 103 (Friday, May 29, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30747-30752]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-12968]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-75038; File No. SR-NYSE-2015-06]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; New York Stock Exchange, LLC; 
Notice of Filing of Amendment No. 1 and Order Granting Accelerated 
Approval of a Proposed Rule Change, as Modified by Amendment No. 1, 
Adopting New NYSE Rule 124 To Conduct a Midday Auction and Amending 
NYSE Rule 104 To Codify the Obligation of Designated Market Makers To 
Facilitate the Midday Auction

May 22, 2015.

I. Introduction

    On February 2, 2015, New York Stock Exchange LLC (``NYSE'' or 
``Exchange'') filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission 
(``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 institute a daily, single-price auction during 
the trading day in certain lower-volume securities (``Midday Auction'') 
and to amend NYSE Rule 104 to address the responsibilities and duties 
of Designated Market Makers (``DMMs'') to facilitate the Midday 
Auction. The proposed rule change was published in the Federal Register 
on February 23, 2015.\3\ The Commission has received one comment letter 
on the proposal.\4\ On April 6, 2015, pursuant to Section 19(b)(2) of 
the Act,\5\ the Commission designated a longer period within which to 
approve the proposed rule change, disapprove the proposed rule change, 
or institute proceedings to determine whether to disapprove the 
proposed rule change.\6\ On May 20,

[[Page 30748]]

2015, the Exchange filed Amendment No. 1 to the proposed rule 
change.\7\ The Commission is publishing this notice to solicit comments 
on Amendment No. 1 from interested persons and is approving the 
proposed rule change, as modified by Amendment No. 1, on an accelerated 
basis.
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    \1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
    \2\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4.
    \3\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 74281 (Feb. 17, 
2015), 80 FR 9496 (``Notice''). In the Notice, the Exchange stated 
its intention to submit a request for exemptive relief, pursuant to 
Rule 611(d) of Regulation NMS, 17 CFR 242.611(d), from the 
requirements of Rule 611 of Regulation NMS. See Notice, 80 FR at 
9497 n.21. In Amendment No. 1, see infra, note 7, the Exchange 
stated that it will no longer submit a request for exemptive relief 
because the Exchange believes that the proposed Midday Auction fits 
within the exception provided by Rule 611(b)(3) of Regulation NMS, 
17 CFR 242.611(b)(3). See infra, Section III.
    \4\ See Letter from Theodore R. Lazo, Managing Director and 
Associate General Counsel, Securities Industry and Financial Markets 
Association, to Brent J. Fields, Secretary, Commission (Mar. 20, 
2015).
    \5\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2).
    \6\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 74648, 80 FR 19385 
(Apr. 10, 2015). The Commission designated May 24, 2015, as the date 
by which it should approve, disapprove, or institute proceedings to 
determine whether to disapprove the proposed rule change.
    \7\ Amendment No. 1 is publicly available on the Exchange's Web 
site at: https://www.nyse.com/publicdocs/nyse/markets/nyse/rule-filings/filings/2015/NYSE%202015-06,%20Pt.Am.%201.pdf. In Amendment 
No. 1, the Exchange proposes to: (1) Allow a member organization to 
designate an order to cancel at the beginning of the Midday Auction 
Pause (see, infra, note 12 and the accompanying text for the 
definition of Midday Auction Pause); (2) allow a member organization 
to designate an order to route to an away market quote that locks or 
crosses the previously displayed price of the order, during the 
Midday Auction Pause, in which case the returned quantity of a 
routed order would also route; (3) have the Exchange cancel, during 
the Midday Auction Pause, resting and arriving Non-Displayed Reserve 
Orders and Non-Display Reserve e-Quotes, which the Exchange 
specifies are not eligible to participate in the Midday Auction; (4) 
clarify that only orders that are eligible to participate in the 
Midday Auction would continue to be repriced during the Midday 
Auction Pause; and (5) prevent the Midday Auction from executing at 
a price outside of the Limit-Up-Limit-Down Bands or the Exchange's 
Trading Collars (see, infra, note 33 and the accompanying text), 
whichever is lower (for a buy imbalance) or higher (for a sell 
imbalance). Furthermore, the Exchange proposes to make a technical 
change to Exhibit 5 to correct an errant cross reference in Proposed 
NYSE Rule 124(e). The Exchange also proposes to add additional text 
to the filing to explain the revisions contained in Amendment No. 1, 
to further explain other aspects of the proposed rule change, and to 
remove from the filing text stating that the Exchange intends to 
submit separately a request for exemptive relief pursuant to Rule 
611(d) of Regulation NMS.
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II. Description of the Proposal, as Modified by Amendment No. 1

    The Exchange proposes to adopt new NYSE Rule 124 to conduct a daily 
Midday Auction in certain lower-volume securities. Under the proposal, 
the Exchange would conduct one Midday Auction per trading day \8\ for 
each security that the Exchange designates as a Midday Auction Stock. 
Only NYSE-listed securities that have a consolidated average daily 
trading volume (``CADV'') of 1,000,000 shares or less would be eligible 
to be designated as a Midday Auction Stock.\9\
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    \8\ See Proposed NYSE Rule 124(a)(3).
    \9\ See Proposed NYSE Rule 124(a). The Exchange has represented 
that approximately 16 percent of the consolidated volume of all 
NYSE-listed securities consists of NYSE-listed securities with a 
CADV of 1,000,000 shares or less. See Notice, 80 FR at 9496 n.4.
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    The Exchange proposes to update the list of Midday Auction Stocks 
at least quarterly.\10\ The Exchange would not conduct a Midday Auction 
on trading days when the Exchange is scheduled to close before 4:00 
p.m. ET, and the Exchange would not conduct a Midday Auction in a 
Midday Auction Stock if that stock is halted, paused, suspended, or not 
opened at the time of the Midday Auction.\11\
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    \10\ See Proposed NYSE Rule 124(a)(1).
    \11\ See Proposed NYSE Rule 124(a)(2). In the Notice, the 
Exchange represents that, if trading for a Midday Auction Stock is 
halted, paused, suspended, or not opened at the time of the Midday 
Auction, the Exchange would not conduct a Midday Auction for that 
security. See Notice, 80 FR at 9496. Instead, under those 
circumstances, the Exchange would reopen trading for that security 
pursuant to the applicable procedures, such as those for a reopening 
following a National Market System Plan to Address Extraordinary 
Market Volatility (``LULD Plan'') pause or following a regulatory 
halt. See id.; see also Securities Exchange Act Release No. 68876 
(Feb. 8, 2013), 78 FR 10643 (Feb. 14, 2013) (SR-NYSE-2013-09) 
(Notice of filing and immediate effectiveness of proposed rule 
change to establish Exchange rules to comply with the requirements 
of the LULD Plan).
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    To initiate the Midday Auction, the Exchange would pause trading in 
Midday Auction Stocks on the Exchange for five minutes (``Midday 
Auction Pause'') by suspending automatic executions and publishing a 
zero quote.\12\ The Midday Auction Pause would occur between 11:00 a.m. 
ET and 2:00 p.m. ET at a time specified by the Exchange and 
communicated to market participants in advance through a Trader 
Update.\13\ The Exchange has stated that the Midday Auction Pause is 
intended to provide market participants with an opportunity to enter 
interest intended for the auction.\14\
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    \12\ See Proposed NYSE Rule 124(b). The Exchange has represented 
that it would publish a zero quote on both the public and 
proprietary data feeds. See Notice, 80 FR at 9496.
    \13\ See Proposed NYSE Rule 124(b); see also Notice, 80 FR at 
9496 n.9.
    \14\ See Notice, 80 FR at 9496.
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    During the Midday Auction Pause, the Exchange would: (i) Maintain 
resting orders on the Exchange's book that would be eligible to 
participate in the Midday Auction; (ii) accept new orders that would be 
eligible to participate in the Midday Auction, including Market On-the-
Open orders (``MOO Orders'') \15\ and Limit On-the-Open orders (``LOO 
Orders''); \16\ (iii) cancel resting and arriving Non-Displayed Reserve 
Orders \17\ and Non-Display Reserve e-Quotes,\18\ which are not 
eligible to participate in the Midday Auction; \19\ (iv) accept and 
process cancellations of new and resting orders; \20\ (v) continue to 
re-price sell short orders, including MOO Orders and LOO Orders, 
consistent with NYSE Rule 440B(e), which is the NYSE rule governing 
short sales; (vi) continue to re-price and/or cancel orders eligible to 
participate in the Midday Auction,\21\ including MOO Orders and LOO 
Orders, consistent with NYSE Rule 80C(a)(5); \22\ (vii) publish Order 
Imbalance Information, as defined in NYSE Rule 15(c),\23\ approximately 
every five seconds during the Midday Auction Pause until the Midday 
Auction Stock reopens; (viii) cancel resting and arriving orders 
designated to cancel at the start of the Midday Auction Pause; \24\ and 
(ix) route orders designated to route if the order becomes locked or 
crossed by an away market quote and to route the returned quantity of a 
routed order.\25\
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    \15\ Under the Exchange's rules, an MOO Order is ``a market 
order in a security that is to be executed in its entirety on the 
opening or reopening trade of the security on the Exchange. A MOO 
order will be immediately and automatically cancelled if the 
security opens on a quote or if it is not executed due to tick 
restrictions. MOO orders can be entered before the open to 
participate on the opening trade or during a trading halt or pause 
to participate on a reopening trade.'' See NYSE Rule 13.
    \16\ Under the Exchange's rules, an LOO Order is ``a limit order 
in a security that is to be executed on the opening or reopening 
trade of the security on the Exchange. A LOO order, or part thereof, 
will be immediately and automatically cancelled if by its terms it 
is not marketable at the opening price, it is not executed on the 
opening trade of the security on the Exchange, or if the security 
opens on a quote. LOO orders can be entered before the open to 
participate on the opening trade or during a trading halt or pause 
to participate on a reopening trade.'' See NYSE Rule 13.
    \17\ Under Exchange Rules, a Non-Displayed Reserve Order is a 
limit order that is not displayed, but remains available for 
potential execution against all incoming automatically executing 
orders until executed in full or cancelled. See NYSE Rule 13.
    \18\ Under Exchange Rules, ``e-Quotes'' are broker agency 
interest files that a Floor Broker places within the Exchange's 
Display Book with respect to orders the Floor Broker is 
representing. See NYSE Rule 70(a). A Reserve e-Quote is an e-Quote 
with reserve interest. See NYSE Rule 70(f). A Non-Display Reserve e-
Quote is a Reserve e-Quote without a displayable portion. See NYSE 
Rule 70(f)(ii).
    \19\ See Amendment No. 1, supra note 7.
    \20\ The Exchange has represented that it processes orders in 
the same manner during a trading halt or a pause pursuant to the 
LULD Plan. See Notice, 80 FR at 9497.
    \21\ See Amendment No. 1, supra note 7.
    \22\ NYSE Rule 80C(a)(5) sets forth the LULD rules for the 
repricing and cancellation of trading interests.
    \23\ Order Imbalance Information disseminated by Exchange 
systems prior to the opening transaction is the data feed 
disseminated by Exchange systems of real-time order imbalances that 
accumulate prior to the opening transaction on the Exchange and of 
the price at which interest eligible to participate in the opening 
transaction may be executed in full. Order Imbalance Information 
includes all interest eligible for execution in the opening 
transaction of the security in Exchange systems. See NYSE Rule 
15(c)(1). Order Imbalance Information is disseminated on the 
Exchange's proprietary data feeds. See Securities Exchange Act 
Release No. 74837 (Apr. 29, 2015), 80 FR 25741, 25741 n.4 (May 5, 
2015) (SR-NYSE-2015-19).
    \24\ See Amendment No. 1, supra note 7.
    \25\ See id. See also Proposed NYSE Rule 124(b)(1)-(9).
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    At the end of the Midday Auction Pause, the Exchange would conduct 
the Midday Auction.\26\ DMMs registered in

[[Page 30749]]

each Midday Auction Security would be responsible for facilitating the 
Midday Auction for that security, by providing liquidity as needed 
(under NYSE Rule 104(a)(2)) \27\ and, under NYSE Rule 123D(1),\28\ by 
conducting the Midday Auction either manually or electronically.\29\
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    \26\ See Proposed NYSE Rule 124(c).
    \27\ NYSE Rule 104(a)(2) sets forth a DMM's responsibilities and 
duties to facilitate openings and reopenings for each of the 
securities in which the DMM is registered under Exchange rules. See 
NYSE Rule 104(a)(2). NYSE Rule 104(a)(2) also requires DMMs to 
supply liquidity on the opening and reopening, as needed, for each 
security in which the DMM is registered. See id. The Exchange is 
proposing to add these liquidity provisions for Midday Auctions to 
the DMM's responsibilities and duties under NYSE Rule 104(a)(2).
    \28\ NYSE Rule 123D(1) provides that openings may be effectuated 
manually or electronically. See NYSE Rule 123D(1).
    \29\ See Notice, 80 FR at 9497.
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    The Midday Auction would reopen the Midday Auction Stocks at a 
single equilibrium price in the same manner as set forth in NYSE Rule 
123D (Openings and Halts in Trading), with two exceptions.\30\ The 
first proposed exception to NYSE Rule 123D would conform the Midday 
Auction to the way in which the Exchange reopens securities following a 
LULD Plan pause, as set forth in NYSE Rule 80C(b)(2)(A).\31\ NYSE Rule 
123D(1) requires the dissemination of an ``indication'' (i.e., an 
indication of anticipated price) in connection with any delayed 
opening, and all indications pursuant to NYSE Rule 123D require the 
supervision and approval of an Exchange Floor Official. During a Midday 
Auction Pause, as with an LULD Pause, indications would be permitted, 
but not required, and prior approval by Exchange officials would not be 
required before publishing an indication. If an indication were 
published, it would not need to be updated before the Midday Auction, 
and the Midday Auction would be permitted to occur outside of any prior 
indication. Furthermore, as with reopenings after a LULD Pause, a 
Midday Auction would not be subject to the NYSE Rule 123D requirements 
that: (i) A minimum of three minutes must elapse between the first 
indication and a stock's reopening; or (ii) if more than one indication 
is published, a minimum of one minute must elapse before a stock's 
reopening.\32\
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    \30\ See Proposed NYSE Rule 124(c).
    \31\ See Notice, 80 FR at 9497.
    \32\ See Proposed NYSE Rule 124(c)(1). See NYSE Rule 123D(1) 
(``Generally, a minimum of three minutes must elapse between the 
first indication and a stock's opening as measured by the time the 
indication appears on the PDU. However, when more than one 
indication is disseminated, a stock may open one minute after the 
last indication provided that at least three minutes must have 
elapsed from the dissemination of the first indication.''). An 
indication published pursuant to NYSE Rule 123D is published to the 
Consolidated Tape. See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 74837 
(Apr. 29, 2015), 80 FR 25741, 25741 n.5 (May 5, 2015) (SR-NYSE-2015-
19).
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    The second proposed exception to NYSE Rule 123D would provide that 
the Midday Auction would not execute at a price outside (i) the LULD 
Price Bands in effect at the time of the Midday Auction, as provided 
for in NYSE Rule 80C(a)(4), or (ii) the Exchange's Trading Collars, as 
provided for in NYSE Rule 1000(c)(i), whichever price threshold is 
lower (for a buy imbalance) or higher (for a sell imbalance) at the 
time of the Midday Auction.\33\
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    \33\ See Proposed NYSE Rule 124(c)(2); see also Amendment No. 1, 
supra note 7.
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    Orders would participate in the Midday Auction in the same way they 
would participate in openings or reopenings, subject to the two 
exceptions explained above.\34\ Additionally, as noted above, the 
Exchange would cancel resting and arriving Non-Displayed Reserve Orders 
and Non-Display Reserve e-Quotes during the Midday Auction pause.\35\ 
Orders that are not eligible to participate in openings or reopenings 
pursuant to NYSE rules would not participate in the Midday Auction.\36\ 
Finally, if there were a significant imbalance in a Midday Auction 
Stock at the end of the Midday Auction Pause, the Midday Auction Pause 
could, with the approval of a Floor Governor or two Floor Officials, be 
converted to an order imbalance halt.\37\ If a Midday Auction Pause 
were converted into an order imbalance halt, each order that had been 
re-priced would be re-filed according to the order's original 
instructions, and the security would be reopened pursuant to the 
procedures set forth in NYSE Rule 123D.\38\
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    \34\ See Proposed NYSE Rule 124(d).
    \35\ See supra, note 19 and the accompanying text. The Exchange 
also proposes to continue to re-price sell short orders, including 
MOO and LOO Orders, consistent with NYSE Rule 440B(e), see Proposed 
NYSE Rule 124(b)(5), and to continue to re-price and/or cancel 
orders eligible to participate in the Midday Auction, including MOO 
and LOO Orders, consistent with the LULD Plan, see Proposed NYSE 
Rule 124(b)(6).
    \36\ See Proposed NYSE Rule 124(d).
    \37\ See Proposed NYSE Rule 124(e).
    \38\ See Proposed NYSE Rule 124(e).
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III. Summary of Comment Letter and NYSE's Response

    The Commission has received one comment letter on the Exchange's 
proposal. The commenter asserts that broad-based, significant changes 
to equity market structure should be conducted through the Commission 
rulemaking process, not through a single exchange's rulemaking process. 
The commenter argues that the Commission should carry out market 
structure changes in a manner designed to benefit the entire market, 
rather than approving a self-regulatory organization rulemaking 
proposal that is designed to improve the market share for a single 
market participant.
    Further, the commenter states that the proposal should not be 
approved before both the Exchange and the Commission confirm that a 
member firm that relies on NYSE's displayed book for compliance with 
the limit order display requirement of Rule 604 of Regulation NMS 
(``Limit Order Display Rule''),\39\ and whose order is blacked out 
during the Midday Auction Pause, would still be considered to be in 
compliance with the Limit Order Display Rule.
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    \39\ 17 CFR 242.604.
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    Finally, the commenter objects to the Exchange's statement that it 
will request an exemption under Rule 611(d) of Regulation NMS \40\ for 
the Midday Auction process. The commenter asserts that the Midday 
Auction should be designed so that it operates within and in compliance 
with existing regulatory requirements. The commenter argues that, if 
the Commission determines that periodic intraday auctions are a 
beneficial way to improve trading quality in lower-volume securities, 
the Commission should apply the same rules or relief for those auctions 
to all market participants. The commenter asserts that the Midday 
Auction does not qualify for an exemption from Rule 611 of Regulation 
NMS because the Midday Auction would be substantially different than 
the operation of a single-priced reopening transaction. The commenter 
states that a single-priced reopening transaction, as the term is used 
in Rule 611 of Regulation NMS, is a price discovery event on a single 
venue that generally occurs when the entire market has halted trading 
in that security to address unusual market, operational, or regulatory 
situations. The commenter states that the single-priced reopening 
transaction exception under Rule 611 of Regulation NMS would not be 
applicable to a daily auction mechanism whose purpose is to increase 
the market share of a single exchange.
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    \40\ 17 CFR 242.611(d).
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    In Amendment No. 1, the Exchange responds that, to address the 
commenter's concerns regarding the Limit Order Display Rule and a 
member organization's best-execution requirements, it has amended the 
proposal. First, the Exchange has amended the proposal to allow a 
member organization to designate an

[[Page 30750]]

order not to participate in the Midday Auction (by designating that 
order to cancel at the beginning of the Midday Auction Pause). The 
Exchange has further amend the proposal to allow a member organization 
to designate an order to route to an away market quote that locks or 
crosses the previously displayed price of the order during the Midday 
Auction Pause. To further address concerns regarding execution 
opportunities during the Midday Auction Pause, the Exchange has amended 
the proposal to cancel Non-Displayed Reserve Orders and Non-Display 
Reserve e-Quotes resting on the Exchange's book during the Midday 
Auction Pause and to reject Non-Displayed Reserve Orders and Non-
Display Reserve e-Quotes entered during the Midday Auction Pause.
    With respect to the applicability of Rule 611 of Regulation NMS, 
the Exchange states in Amendment No. 1 that it will not be submitting a 
request for exemptive relief. The Exchange states its belief that the 
exception under Rule 611(b)(3) of Regulation NMS \41\ would apply to 
the single-priced trade at the conclusion of the Midday Auction 
conducted pursuant to proposed NYSE Rule 124, because the Midday 
Auction would result in a single-priced reopening transaction after a 
trading halt conducted pursuant to Exchange rules and, thus, would be 
excepted from the Order Protection Rule pursuant to Rule 611(b)(3) 
under Regulation NMS.
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    \41\ See 17 CFR 242.611(b)(3) (providing an exception from the 
Order Protection Rule under Rule 611 of Regulation NMS when the 
``transaction that constituted the trade-through was a single-priced 
opening, reopening, or closing transaction by the trading center'').
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IV. Discussion and Commission Findings

    After careful review and consideration of the Exchange's proposal 
and the comment letter, the Commission finds that the proposed rule 
change, as modified by Amendment No. 1, is consistent with the 
requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations thereunder that 
are applicable to a national securities exchange.\42\ In particular, 
the Commission finds that the proposed rule change is consistent with 
Section 6(b)(5) of the Act,\43\ which requires, among other things, 
that the rules of a national securities exchange be designed 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, 
and that the rules of a national securities exchange not be designed to 
permit unfair discrimination between customers, issuers, brokers or 
dealers.
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    \42\ In approving this proposed rule change, as amended, the 
Commission notes that it has considered the proposed rule's impact 
on efficiency, competition, and capital formation. See 15 U.S.C. 
78c(f).
    \43\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
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    The Commission believes that the proposal, as modified by Amendment 
No. 1, is reasonably designed to potentially improve market quality in 
thinly traded securities, including securities issued by small-to-
medium-sized issuers, by aggregating intra-day liquidity on the 
Exchange through an auction process. The Midday Auction would be 
limited to NYSE-listed stocks that have a consolidated average daily 
trading volume of 1,000,000 shares or less, and it would provide market 
participants with a new alternative for seeking liquidity in these 
stocks. Market participants could participate in the Midday Auction, 
but they would also be free to route orders to participate in 
continuous trading on other competing exchanges and trading venues.
    The commenter argues that broad-based, significant changes to 
equity market structure should be conducted through Commission 
rulemaking and not through a single exchange's self-regulatory 
organization rulemaking process. The question before the Commission, 
however, is whether the Exchange's proposal is consistent with the Act. 
If the Commission finds that the Exchange's proposal is consistent with 
the Act, the Commission must approve the proposal,\44\ and, if the 
Commission is unable to find that the Exchange's proposal is consistent 
with the Act, the Commission must disapprove the proposal.\45\
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    \44\ See 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2)(C)(i) (``The Commission shall 
approve a proposed rule change of a self-regulatory organization if 
it finds that such proposed rule change is consistent with the 
requirements of this chapter and the rules and regulations issued 
under this chapter that are applicable to such organization.'').
    \45\ See 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2)(C)(ii) (``The Commission shall 
disapprove a proposed rule change of a self-regulatory organization 
if it does not make a finding described in clause (i) [i.e., that 
the proposed rule change is consistent with the Act].'').
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    As noted above, the Exchange has proposed an alternative means of 
aggregating intra-day liquidity--adapting an existing auction mechanism 
to function during the trading day--and the Commission believes that 
the Act permits exchanges to experiment with new trading mechanisms, so 
long as those mechanisms are consistent with the Act and the 
regulations thereunder. The mere fact that a single exchange proposes, 
consistent with the Act, to operate differently from another exchange, 
or even all other exchanges, or that it seeks to gain market share from 
its competitors by doing so, does not mean that the exchange's proposed 
rule change constitutes a broad-based change to equity market structure 
that should only be accomplished by Commission rulemaking. The current 
equity market structure features, and the Act permits, fierce 
competition among numerous national securities exchanges, alternative 
trading systems, and other trading venues, each of which seeks to gain 
market share by differentiating itself through offering, among other 
things, different order types, data products, and trading fees and 
rebates. The Commission believes that the Exchange's proposal fits 
comfortably within the bounds of existing competition between trading 
venues and that it is consistent with the Act.
    The commenter has also raised questions with respect to Exchange 
member firms' obligations under the Limit Order Display Rule. The 
Exchange has responded to these questions, and broader best-execution 
concerns, by filing Amendment No. 1, which would: (1) Allow a member 
organization to designate an order to cancel at the beginning of the 
Midday Auction Pause; (2) allow a member organization to designate an 
order to route to an away market quote that locks or crosses the 
previously displayed price of that order during the Midday Auction 
Pause; and (3) cancel resting and arriving Non-Displayed Reserve Orders 
and Non-Display Reserve e-Quotes during the Midday Auction Pause.
    The Commission notes that the proposal, as modified by Amendment 
No. 1, would allow Exchange member organizations to affirmatively opt 
out of participating in the Midday Auction by designating orders to be 
canceled at the start of the Midday Auction Pause and to conditionally 
opt out of the Midday Auction by designating an order to route to away 
markets that lock or cross the order during the Midday Auction Pause. 
The Commission believes that the operation of the Midday Auction, 
including the Midday Auction Pause, would not conflict with the ability 
of member organizations to comply with their obligations under the 
Limit Order Display Rule \46\ or their best-execution obligations to 
their customers.
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    \46\ The Commission notes that Rule 604(b)(5) under Regulation 
NMS, 17 CFR 242.604(b)(5), exempts from the requirements of the 
Limit Order Display Rule any customer limit order that is delivered 
immediately upon receipt to a national securities exchange or 
national securities association-sponsored system, or an electronic 
communications network that complies with the requirements of Sec.  
242.602(b)(5)(ii) with respect to that order.

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[[Page 30751]]

    Finally, the commenter asserts that the Midday Auction does not 
qualify for an exemption from the requirements of Rule 611 of 
Regulation NMS because the Midday Auction would be substantially 
different from the operation of a single-priced reopening transaction. 
The commenter argues that the Rule 611 exception for reopening auctions 
was intended to apply in very specific, limited circumstances to 
address unusual market, operational, or regulatory situations, not to 
permit daily auction mechanism whose purpose is to increase the market 
share of a single exchange.
    In response, the Exchange has clarified that it will not be 
submitting a request for exemptive relief under Rule 611 of Regulation 
NMS because it believes that the Midday Auction would qualify for the 
single-priced reopening exception of Rule 611(b)(3). The Exchange 
explains, in Amendment No. 1, that ``the single-priced trade at the 
conclusion of the Midday Auction is a single-priced reopening 
transaction after a trading halt conducted pursuant to Exchange rules 
and would be excepted under paragraph (b)(3) of Rule 611 under 
Regulation NMS from the trade-through requirements under Rule 611.'' 
\47\
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    \47\ Amendment No. 1, supra note 7.
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    The Commission agrees that the proposal falls within the exception 
for single-priced reopening transactions pursuant to Rule 611(b)(3) of 
Regulation NMS.\48\ Pursuant to Rule 611(a) under Regulation NMS,\49\ 
the Order Protection Rule requires a trading center to have written 
policies and procedures reasonably designed to prevent trade-throughs 
on that trading center of protected quotations in NMS stocks.\50\ Rule 
611(b)(3) under Regulation NMS excepts from the Order Protection Rule a 
single-priced opening, reopening, or closing transaction by the trading 
center.\51\ In adopting Regulation NMS, the Commission directly 
addressed concerns that a trading center might attempt to use the Rule 
611(b)(3) exception to halt trading and then reopen solely to enable it 
to trade-through other trading centers.\52\ The Commission therefore 
specified in the Regulation NMS Adopting Release that the exception 
provided by Rule 611(b)(3) applies ``only to single-priced reopenings 
and therefore requires that a trading center conduct, pursuant to its 
rules or written procedures, a formalized and transparent process for 
executing orders during reopening after a trading halt that involves 
the queuing and ultimate execution of multiple orders at a single 
equilibrium price.'' \53\ Neither the text of Rule 611(b)(3), nor the 
Commission's discussion in the Regulation NMS Adopting Release, 
requires that the relevant trading halt be a market-wide regulatory 
halt or that it necessarily address unusual market, operational, or 
regulatory situations.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \48\ 17 CFR 242.611(b)(3).
    \49\ 17 CFR 242.611(a).
    \50\ A trade-through occurs when one trading center executes an 
order at a price that is inferior to the price of a protected 
quotation displayed by another trading center. See Securities 
Exchange Act Release No. 51808 (June 9, 2005), 70 FR 37496, 37501 
(June 29, 2005) (File No. S7-10-04) (``Regulation NMS Adopting 
Release''). An ``NMS stock'' means any security or class of 
securities, other than an option, for which transaction reports are 
collected, processed, and made available pursuant to an effective 
transaction reporting plan. See 17 CFR 242.600(b)(46), (47).
    \51\ See 17 CFR 242.611(b)(3).
    \52\ See Regulation NMS Adopting Release, 70 FR at 37520.
    \53\ See Regulation NMS Adopting Release, 70 FR at 37521. In 
addition, the Commission stated that the trading center must have 
formally declared a trading halt, pursuant to its rules or written 
procedures, to fall within the Rule 611(b)(3) exception. Id.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    As proposed, the Midday Auction would be conducted once per day, 
pursuant to Exchange rules and at a time that would be publicly 
announced in advance. The Midday Auction would halt trading on the 
Exchange in Midday Auction Securities for five minutes to allow market 
participants an opportunity to enter, cancel, or modify trading 
interest. During this five-minute pause, the Exchange would publish 
Order Imbalance Information, and would be permitted to publish 
``indications,'' to attract liquidity. At the conclusion of the five-
minute pause, the Exchange would reopen each of the Midday Auction 
Stocks, executing the queued orders at a single equilibrium price in 
the same manner as NYSE Rule 123D reopenings.
    The Commission believes that the proposal is not designed to permit 
the Exchange to declare a trading halt merely to be able to circumvent 
the operation of the Order Protection Rule upon reopening. Instead, the 
Exchange has proposed a formalized and transparent process for the 
Midday Auction that would involve the queuing and execution of multiple 
orders at a single equilibrium price, pursuant to a trading halt 
declared pursuant to its own rules. The Commission therefore believes 
that the proposal falls within the exception for single-priced 
reopenings pursuant to Rule 611(b)(3) of Regulation NMS.\54\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \54\ See 17 CFR 242.611(b)(3).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    For the above reasons, the Commission finds that the proposal, as 
modified by Amendment No. 1, is consistent with the requirements of the 
Act.

V. Solicitation of Comments on Amendment No. 1

    Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views, and 
arguments concerning the foregoing, including whether Amendment No. 1 
to 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 [email protected]. Please include 
File Number SR-NYSE-2015-06 on the subject line.

Paper Comments

     Send paper comments in triplicate to Brent J. Fields, 
Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street NE., 
Washington, DC 20549-1090.

All submissions should refer to File Number SR-NYSE-2015-06. 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 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-NYSE-2015-06 and should be 
submitted on or before June 19, 2015.

[[Page 30752]]

VI. Accelerated Approval of Proposed Rule Change, as Modified by 
Amendment No. 1

    The Commission finds good cause to approve the proposed rule 
change, as modified by Amendment No. 1, prior to the 30th day after the 
date of publication of notice of Amendment No. 1 in the Federal 
Register. As discussed above, in Amendment No. 1, the Exchange proposes 
to: (1) Allow a member organization to designate an order to cancel at 
the beginning of the Midday Auction Pause; (2) allow a member 
organization to designate an order to route to an away market quote 
that locks or crosses the previously displayed price of the order 
during the Midday Auction Pause, in which case the returned quantity of 
a routed order would also route; (3) have the Exchange cancel, during 
the Midday Auction Pause, resting and arriving Non-Displayed Reserve 
Orders and Non-Display Reserve e-Quotes, which the Exchange specifies 
are not eligible to participate in the Midday Auction; (4) clarify that 
only orders that are eligible to participate in the Midday Auction 
would continue to be repriced during the Midday Auction Pause; (5) 
prevent the Midday Auction from executing at a price outside of the 
LULD Bands or the Exchange's Trading Collars, whichever is lower (for a 
buy imbalance) or higher (for a sell imbalance). Furthermore, the 
Exchange proposes to make a technical change to Exhibit 5 to correct an 
errant cross reference in Proposed NYSE Rule 124(e). The Exchange has 
also added additional text to the filing to explain the revisions 
contained in Amendment No. 1, further explained other aspects of the 
proposed rule change, and removed from the filing text stating that the 
Exchange intends to submit separately a request for exemptive relief 
pursuant to Rule 611(d) of Regulation NMS.
    The Commission believes that Amendment No. 1 provides market 
participants with the option to opt out of the Midday Auction, provides 
that non-displayed orders would not participate in the Midday Auction, 
and addresses the price limitations within which the Midday Auction 
would occur. In particular, the Commission believes that permitting 
member organizations to designate orders to cancel when the Midday 
Auction Pause begins, or to route when an order becomes locked or 
crossed by an away market quote during the Midday Auction Pause, should 
provide Exchange member organizations with appropriate options to help 
them comply with their best-execution duties to their customers. 
Furthermore, the Commission believes that providing for the 
cancellation or rejection of non-displayed orders during the Midday 
Auction Pause provides clarity as to how the Exchange intends the 
proposed auction to operate in regard to order execution. Additionally, 
the Commission believes that limiting the Midday Auction execution 
price to the lower (for a buy imbalance) or higher (for a sell 
imbalance) of the Exchange's LULD Band or Trading Collar Band, at the 
time of the Midday Auction, should mitigate the risk of an execution at 
prices that are too far away from the prevailing price of a given 
security in continuous trading on other national securities exchanges 
and trading venues. Finally, the Commission believes that the 
Exchange's proposed technical revisions, and additional explanation 
regarding the proposal, will provide market participants more clarity 
regarding how the proposed rule is intended to operate.
    The Commission finds that Amendment No. 1 is consistent with the 
protection of investors and the public interest. Accordingly, the 
Commission finds good cause, pursuant to Section 19(b)(2) of the 
Act,\55\ to approve the proposed rule change, as modified by Amendment 
No. 1, on an accelerated basis.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \55\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

VI. Conclusion

    It is therefore ordered that, pursuant to Section 19(b)(2) of the 
Act,\56\ the proposed rule change, as modified by Amendment No. 1, (SR-
NYSE-2015-06) be, and hereby is, approved on an accelerated basis.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \56\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2).

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\57\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \57\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Robert W. Errett,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2015-12968 Filed 5-28-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 8011-01-P



                                                                             Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 103 / Friday, May 29, 2015 / Notices                                                      30747

                                             income and employment tax purposes.                     which does not unfairly discriminate                  SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
                                             The Incentive Plan provides that the                    against the stockholders of the Company               COMMISSION
                                             delivery of any shares, or the lifting or               because all purchases of Common Stock
                                             lapse of restrictions on any Award, shall                                                                     [Release No. 34–75038; File No. SR–NYSE–
                                                                                                     will be at the closing sales price of the             2015–06]
                                             be subject to the Participant’s                         Common Stock on the NASDAQ Global
                                             satisfaction of all applicable federal,                 Select Market on the relevant date (i.e.,             Self-Regulatory Organizations; New
                                             state and local income and employment                   the public market price on the date of                York Stock Exchange, LLC; Notice of
                                             tax withholding obligations.                            vesting of the Restricted Shares, the date            Filing of Amendment No. 1 and Order
                                                3. The Incentive Plan, as amended
                                                                                                     of exercise of Non-Statutory Stock                    Granting Accelerated Approval of a
                                             and restated effective June 20, 2014, was
                                                                                                     Options, and the date of a disqualifying              Proposed Rule Change, as Modified by
                                             approved by the Company’s board of
                                                                                                     disposition with respect to Incentive                 Amendment No. 1, Adopting New
                                             directors (‘‘Board’’), including the
                                                                                                     Stock Options). The Company further                   NYSE Rule 124 To Conduct a Midday
                                             required majority of the Company’s
                                                                                                     states that no transactions will be                   Auction and Amending NYSE Rule 104
                                             directors with the meaning of section
                                                                                                     conducted pursuant to the requested                   To Codify the Obligation of Designated
                                             57(o) of the Act. The Company states
                                                                                                     order on days where there are no                      Market Makers To Facilitate the Midday
                                             that the Board is permitted to allow the
                                                                                                     reported market transactions involving                Auction
                                             Company to withhold shares of
                                             Common Stock or purchase shares of                      the Common Stock. The Company                         May 22, 2015.
                                             Common stock from the Company’s                         submits that because all transactions
                                             Employees to satisfy tax withholding                    would take place at the public market                 I. Introduction
                                             obligations related to the vesting of                   price for the Company’s common stock,                    On February 2, 2015, New York Stock
                                             Restricted Stock, or the exercise of                    the transactions would not be                         Exchange LLC (‘‘NYSE’’ or ‘‘Exchange’’)
                                             options to acquire Common Stock or                      significantly different than could be                 filed with the Securities and Exchange
                                             Restricted Stock granted pursuant to the                achieved by any stockholder selling in                Commission (‘‘Commission’’), pursuant
                                             Incentive Plan. The Company states that                 a market transaction.                                 to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities
                                             the Incentive Plan further provides the                                                                       Exchange Act of 1934 (‘‘Act’’) 1 and Rule
                                             Board with discretion to permit the                       4. The Company submits that the
                                                                                                                                                           19b–4 thereunder,2 a proposed rule
                                             Company’s Employees to pay the                          proposed purchases do not raise
                                                                                                                                                           change to institute a daily, single-price
                                             exercise price of options to purchase                   concerns about preferential treatment of
                                                                                                                                                           auction during the trading day in certain
                                             shares of Common Stock or Restricted                    the Company’s insiders because the                    lower-volume securities (‘‘Midday
                                             Stock with shares of Common Stock                       Incentive Plan is a bona fide                         Auction’’) and to amend NYSE Rule 104
                                             already held by them or pursuant to net                 compensation plan of the type that is                 to address the responsibilities and
                                             share settlement.                                       common among corporations generally.                  duties of Designated Market Makers
                                                Applicant’s Legal Analysis:                          Further, the Company argues that the                  (‘‘DMMs’’) to facilitate the Midday
                                                1. Section 23(c) of the Act, which is                vesting schedule is determined at the                 Auction. The proposed rule change was
                                             made applicable to BDCs by section 63                   time of the initial grant of the Restricted           published in the Federal Register on
                                             of the Act, generally prohibits a BDC                   Stock and the option exercise price is                February 23, 2015.3 The Commission
                                             from purchasing any securities of which                 determined at the time of the initial                 has received one comment letter on the
                                             it is the issuer except in the open                     grant of the options. The Company                     proposal.4 On April 6, 2015, pursuant to
                                             market, pursuant to tender offers or                    represents that that all purchases may                Section 19(b)(2) of the Act,5 the
                                             under other circumstances as the                        be made only as permitted by the                      Commission designated a longer period
                                             Commission may permit to ensure that                                                                          within which to approve the proposed
                                                                                                     Incentive Plan and in the discretion of
                                             the purchase is made on a basis that                                                                          rule change, disapprove the proposed
                                                                                                     the Board, which is composed of at least
                                             does not unfairly discriminate against                                                                        rule change, or institute proceedings to
                                             any holders of the class or classes of                  a majority of ‘‘non-interested’’ persons
                                                                                                     within the meaning of section 2(a)(19) of             determine whether to disapprove the
                                             securities to be purchased. The                                                                               proposed rule change.6 On May 20,
                                             Company states that the withholding or                  the Act. The Company argues that
                                             purchase of shares of Restricted Stock                  granting the requested relief would be
                                                                                                                                                             1 15  U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
                                             and Common Stock in payment of                          consistent with policies underlying the                 2 17  CFR 240.19b–4.
                                             applicable withholding tax obligations                  provisions of the Act permitting the use                 3 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 74281

                                             or of Common Stock in payment for the                   of equity compensation as well as prior               (Feb. 17, 2015), 80 FR 9496 (‘‘Notice’’). In the
                                             exercise price of a stock option might be               exemptive relief granted by the                       Notice, the Exchange stated its intention to submit
                                                                                                     Commission for relief under section                   a request for exemptive relief, pursuant to Rule
                                             deemed to be purchases by the                                                                                 611(d) of Regulation NMS, 17 CFR 242.611(d), from
                                             Company of its own securities within                    23(c) of the Act.                                     the requirements of Rule 611 of Regulation NMS.
                                             the meaning of section 23(c) and                          For the Commission, by the Division of              See Notice, 80 FR at 9497 n.21. In Amendment No.
                                             therefore prohibited by the Act.                                                                              1, see infra, note 7, the Exchange stated that it will
                                                                                                     Investment Management, pursuant to                    no longer submit a request for exemptive relief
                                                2. Section 23(c)(3) provides that the                delegated authority.                                  because the Exchange believes that the proposed
                                             Commission may issue an order that                                                                            Midday Auction fits within the exception provided
                                                                                                     Robert W. Errett,
                                             would permit a BDC to purchase its                                                                            by Rule 611(b)(3) of Regulation NMS, 17 CFR
                                             shares in circumstances in which the                    Deputy Secretary.                                     242.611(b)(3). See infra, Section III.
                                                                                                                                                              4 See Letter from Theodore R. Lazo, Managing
                                             purchase is made in a manner or on a                    [FR Doc. 2015–12970 Filed 5–28–15; 8:45 am]
                                                                                                                                                           Director and Associate General Counsel, Securities
                                             basis that does not unfairly discriminate               BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
                                                                                                                                                           Industry and Financial Markets Association, to
Lhorne on DSK2VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                             against any holders of the class or                                                                           Brent J. Fields, Secretary, Commission (Mar. 20,
                                             classes of securities to be purchased.                                                                        2015).
                                                                                                                                                              5 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2).
                                             The Company states that it believes that
                                                                                                                                                              6 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 74648,
                                             the requested relief meets the standards
                                                                                                                                                           80 FR 19385 (Apr. 10, 2015). The Commission
                                             of section 23(c)(3).                                                                                          designated May 24, 2015, as the date by which it
                                                3. The Company states that these                                                                           should approve, disapprove, or institute
                                             purchases will be made on a basis                                                                                                                          Continued




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                                             30748                            Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 103 / Friday, May 29, 2015 / Notices

                                             2015, the Exchange filed Amendment                       close before 4:00 p.m. ET, and the                       arriving Non-Displayed Reserve
                                             No. 1 to the proposed rule change.7 The                  Exchange would not conduct a Midday                      Orders 17 and Non-Display Reserve e-
                                             Commission is publishing this notice to                  Auction in a Midday Auction Stock if                     Quotes,18 which are not eligible to
                                             solicit comments on Amendment No. 1                      that stock is halted, paused, suspended,                 participate in the Midday Auction; 19
                                             from interested persons and is                           or not opened at the time of the Midday                  (iv) accept and process cancellations of
                                             approving the proposed rule change, as                   Auction.11                                               new and resting orders; 20 (v) continue
                                             modified by Amendment No. 1, on an                         To initiate the Midday Auction, the                    to re-price sell short orders, including
                                             accelerated basis.                                       Exchange would pause trading in                          MOO Orders and LOO Orders,
                                                                                                      Midday Auction Stocks on the Exchange                    consistent with NYSE Rule 440B(e),
                                             II. Description of the Proposal, as                      for five minutes (‘‘Midday Auction                       which is the NYSE rule governing short
                                             Modified by Amendment No. 1                              Pause’’) by suspending automatic                         sales; (vi) continue to re-price and/or
                                                The Exchange proposes to adopt new                    executions and publishing a zero                         cancel orders eligible to participate in
                                             NYSE Rule 124 to conduct a daily                         quote.12 The Midday Auction Pause                        the Midday Auction,21 including MOO
                                             Midday Auction in certain lower-                         would occur between 11:00 a.m. ET and                    Orders and LOO Orders, consistent with
                                             volume securities. Under the proposal,                   2:00 p.m. ET at a time specified by the                  NYSE Rule 80C(a)(5); 22 (vii) publish
                                             the Exchange would conduct one                           Exchange and communicated to market                      Order Imbalance Information, as defined
                                             Midday Auction per trading day 8 for                     participants in advance through a                        in NYSE Rule 15(c),23 approximately
                                             each security that the Exchange                          Trader Update.13 The Exchange has                        every five seconds during the Midday
                                             designates as a Midday Auction Stock.                    stated that the Midday Auction Pause is                  Auction Pause until the Midday
                                             Only NYSE-listed securities that have a                  intended to provide market participants                  Auction Stock reopens; (viii) cancel
                                             consolidated average daily trading                       with an opportunity to enter interest                    resting and arriving orders designated to
                                             volume (‘‘CADV’’) of 1,000,000 shares or                 intended for the auction.14                              cancel at the start of the Midday
                                             less would be eligible to be designated                    During the Midday Auction Pause, the                   Auction Pause; 24 and (ix) route orders
                                             as a Midday Auction Stock.9                              Exchange would: (i) Maintain resting                     designated to route if the order becomes
                                                The Exchange proposes to update the                   orders on the Exchange’s book that                       locked or crossed by an away market
                                             list of Midday Auction Stocks at least                   would be eligible to participate in the                  quote and to route the returned quantity
                                             quarterly.10 The Exchange would not                      Midday Auction; (ii) accept new orders                   of a routed order.25
                                             conduct a Midday Auction on trading                      that would be eligible to participate in                    At the end of the Midday Auction
                                             days when the Exchange is scheduled to                   the Midday Auction, including Market                     Pause, the Exchange would conduct the
                                                                                                      On-the-Open orders (‘‘MOO Orders’’) 15                   Midday Auction.26 DMMs registered in
                                             proceedings to determine whether to disapprove the       and Limit On-the-Open orders (‘‘LOO
                                             proposed rule change.                                    Orders’’); 16 (iii) cancel resting and
                                                7 Amendment No. 1 is publicly available on the
                                                                                                                                                               open to participate on the opening trade or during
                                                                                                                                                               a trading halt or pause to participate on a reopening
                                             Exchange’s Web site at: https://www.nyse.com/                                                                     trade.’’ See NYSE Rule 13.
                                                                                                         11 See Proposed NYSE Rule 124(a)(2). In the
                                             publicdocs/nyse/markets/nyse/rule-filings/filings/                                                                   17 Under Exchange Rules, a Non-Displayed
                                             2015/NYSE%202015-06,%20Pt.Am.%201.pdf. In                Notice, the Exchange represents that, if trading for
                                                                                                      a Midday Auction Stock is halted, paused,                Reserve Order is a limit order that is not displayed,
                                             Amendment No. 1, the Exchange proposes to: (1)
                                                                                                      suspended, or not opened at the time of the Midday       but remains available for potential execution
                                             Allow a member organization to designate an order
                                                                                                      Auction, the Exchange would not conduct a Midday         against all incoming automatically executing orders
                                             to cancel at the beginning of the Midday Auction
                                                                                                      Auction for that security. See Notice, 80 FR at 9496.    until executed in full or cancelled. See NYSE Rule
                                             Pause (see, infra, note 12 and the accompanying
                                                                                                      Instead, under those circumstances, the Exchange         13.
                                             text for the definition of Midday Auction Pause); (2)                                                                18 Under Exchange Rules, ‘‘e-Quotes’’ are broker
                                             allow a member organization to designate an order        would reopen trading for that security pursuant to
                                             to route to an away market quote that locks or           the applicable procedures, such as those for a           agency interest files that a Floor Broker places
                                             crosses the previously displayed price of the order,     reopening following a National Market System Plan        within the Exchange’s Display Book with respect to
                                             during the Midday Auction Pause, in which case           to Address Extraordinary Market Volatility (‘‘LULD       orders the Floor Broker is representing. See NYSE
                                             the returned quantity of a routed order would also       Plan’’) pause or following a regulatory halt. See id.;   Rule 70(a). A Reserve e-Quote is an e-Quote with
                                             route; (3) have the Exchange cancel, during the          see also Securities Exchange Act Release No. 68876       reserve interest. See NYSE Rule 70(f). A Non-
                                             Midday Auction Pause, resting and arriving Non-          (Feb. 8, 2013), 78 FR 10643 (Feb. 14, 2013) (SR–         Display Reserve e-Quote is a Reserve e-Quote
                                             Displayed Reserve Orders and Non-Display Reserve         NYSE–2013–09) (Notice of filing and immediate            without a displayable portion. See NYSE Rule
                                             e-Quotes, which the Exchange specifies are not           effectiveness of proposed rule change to establish       70(f)(ii).
                                                                                                      Exchange rules to comply with the requirements of           19 See Amendment No. 1, supra note 7.
                                             eligible to participate in the Midday Auction; (4)
                                             clarify that only orders that are eligible to            the LULD Plan).                                             20 The Exchange has represented that it processes

                                             participate in the Midday Auction would continue            12 See Proposed NYSE Rule 124(b). The Exchange        orders in the same manner during a trading halt or
                                             to be repriced during the Midday Auction Pause;          has represented that it would publish a zero quote       a pause pursuant to the LULD Plan. See Notice, 80
                                             and (5) prevent the Midday Auction from executing        on both the public and proprietary data feeds. See       FR at 9497.
                                             at a price outside of the Limit-Up-Limit-Down            Notice, 80 FR at 9496.                                      21 See Amendment No. 1, supra note 7.

                                             Bands or the Exchange’s Trading Collars (see, infra,        13 See Proposed NYSE Rule 124(b); see also               22 NYSE Rule 80C(a)(5) sets forth the LULD rules

                                             note 33 and the accompanying text), whichever is         Notice, 80 FR at 9496 n.9.                               for the repricing and cancellation of trading
                                             lower (for a buy imbalance) or higher (for a sell           14 See Notice, 80 FR at 9496.                         interests.
                                             imbalance). Furthermore, the Exchange proposes to           15 Under the Exchange’s rules, an MOO Order is           23 Order Imbalance Information disseminated by
                                             make a technical change to Exhibit 5 to correct an       ‘‘a market order in a security that is to be executed    Exchange systems prior to the opening transaction
                                             errant cross reference in Proposed NYSE Rule             in its entirety on the opening or reopening trade of     is the data feed disseminated by Exchange systems
                                             124(e). The Exchange also proposes to add                the security on the Exchange. A MOO order will be        of real-time order imbalances that accumulate prior
                                             additional text to the filing to explain the revisions   immediately and automatically cancelled if the           to the opening transaction on the Exchange and of
                                             contained in Amendment No. 1, to further explain         security opens on a quote or if it is not executed       the price at which interest eligible to participate in
                                             other aspects of the proposed rule change, and to        due to tick restrictions. MOO orders can be entered      the opening transaction may be executed in full.
                                             remove from the filing text stating that the             before the open to participate on the opening trade      Order Imbalance Information includes all interest
                                             Exchange intends to submit separately a request for      or during a trading halt or pause to participate on      eligible for execution in the opening transaction of
                                             exemptive relief pursuant to Rule 611(d) of              a reopening trade.’’ See NYSE Rule 13.                   the security in Exchange systems. See NYSE Rule
                                             Regulation NMS.                                                                                                   15(c)(1). Order Imbalance Information is
Lhorne on DSK2VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                                                                         16 Under the Exchange’s rules, an LOO Order is
                                                8 See Proposed NYSE Rule 124(a)(3).
                                                                                                      ‘‘a limit order in a security that is to be executed     disseminated on the Exchange’s proprietary data
                                                9 See Proposed NYSE Rule 124(a). The Exchange
                                                                                                      on the opening or reopening trade of the security        feeds. See Securities Exchange Act Release No.
                                             has represented that approximately 16 percent of         on the Exchange. A LOO order, or part thereof, will      74837 (Apr. 29, 2015), 80 FR 25741, 25741 n.4 (May
                                             the consolidated volume of all NYSE-listed               be immediately and automatically cancelled if by         5, 2015) (SR–NYSE–2015–19).
                                                                                                                                                                  24 See Amendment No. 1, supra note 7.
                                             securities consists of NYSE-listed securities with a     its terms it is not marketable at the opening price,
                                             CADV of 1,000,000 shares or less. See Notice, 80 FR      it is not executed on the opening trade of the              25 See id. See also Proposed NYSE Rule

                                             at 9496 n.4.                                             security on the Exchange, or if the security opens       124(b)(1)–(9).
                                                10 See Proposed NYSE Rule 124(a)(1).                  on a quote. LOO orders can be entered before the            26 See Proposed NYSE Rule 124(c).




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                                                                             Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 103 / Friday, May 29, 2015 / Notices                                           30749

                                             each Midday Auction Security would be                      The second proposed exception to                   commenter argues that the Commission
                                             responsible for facilitating the Midday                 NYSE Rule 123D would provide that the                 should carry out market structure
                                             Auction for that security, by providing                 Midday Auction would not execute at a                 changes in a manner designed to benefit
                                             liquidity as needed (under NYSE Rule                    price outside (i) the LULD Price Bands                the entire market, rather than approving
                                             104(a)(2)) 27 and, under NYSE Rule                      in effect at the time of the Midday                   a self-regulatory organization
                                             123D(1),28 by conducting the Midday                     Auction, as provided for in NYSE Rule                 rulemaking proposal that is designed to
                                             Auction either manually or                              80C(a)(4), or (ii) the Exchange’s Trading             improve the market share for a single
                                             electronically.29                                       Collars, as provided for in NYSE Rule                 market participant.
                                                The Midday Auction would reopen                      1000(c)(i), whichever price threshold is                 Further, the commenter states that the
                                             the Midday Auction Stocks at a single                   lower (for a buy imbalance) or higher                 proposal should not be approved before
                                             equilibrium price in the same manner as                 (for a sell imbalance) at the time of the             both the Exchange and the Commission
                                             set forth in NYSE Rule 123D (Openings                   Midday Auction.33                                     confirm that a member firm that relies
                                             and Halts in Trading), with two                            Orders would participate in the                    on NYSE’s displayed book for
                                             exceptions.30 The first proposed                        Midday Auction in the same way they                   compliance with the limit order display
                                             exception to NYSE Rule 123D would                       would participate in openings or                      requirement of Rule 604 of Regulation
                                             conform the Midday Auction to the way                   reopenings, subject to the two                        NMS (‘‘Limit Order Display Rule’’),39
                                             in which the Exchange reopens                           exceptions explained above.34                         and whose order is blacked out during
                                             securities following a LULD Plan pause,                 Additionally, as noted above, the                     the Midday Auction Pause, would still
                                             as set forth in NYSE Rule 80C(b)(2)(A).31               Exchange would cancel resting and                     be considered to be in compliance with
                                             NYSE Rule 123D(1) requires the                          arriving Non-Displayed Reserve Orders                 the Limit Order Display Rule.
                                             dissemination of an ‘‘indication’’ (i.e.,               and Non-Display Reserve e-Quotes                         Finally, the commenter objects to the
                                             an indication of anticipated price) in                  during the Midday Auction pause.35                    Exchange’s statement that it will request
                                             connection with any delayed opening,                    Orders that are not eligible to participate           an exemption under Rule 611(d) of
                                             and all indications pursuant to NYSE                    in openings or reopenings pursuant to                 Regulation NMS 40 for the Midday
                                             Rule 123D require the supervision and                   NYSE rules would not participate in the               Auction process. The commenter asserts
                                             approval of an Exchange Floor Official.                 Midday Auction.36 Finally, if there were              that the Midday Auction should be
                                             During a Midday Auction Pause, as with                  a significant imbalance in a Midday                   designed so that it operates within and
                                             an LULD Pause, indications would be                     Auction Stock at the end of the Midday                in compliance with existing regulatory
                                             permitted, but not required, and prior                  Auction Pause, the Midday Auction                     requirements. The commenter argues
                                             approval by Exchange officials would                    Pause could, with the approval of a                   that, if the Commission determines that
                                             not be required before publishing an                    Floor Governor or two Floor Officials,                periodic intraday auctions are a
                                             indication. If an indication were                       be converted to an order imbalance                    beneficial way to improve trading
                                             published, it would not need to be                      halt.37 If a Midday Auction Pause were                quality in lower-volume securities, the
                                             updated before the Midday Auction,                      converted into an order imbalance halt,               Commission should apply the same
                                             and the Midday Auction would be                         each order that had been re-priced                    rules or relief for those auctions to all
                                             permitted to occur outside of any prior                 would be re-filed according to the                    market participants. The commenter
                                             indication. Furthermore, as with                        order’s original instructions, and the                asserts that the Midday Auction does
                                             reopenings after a LULD Pause, a                        security would be reopened pursuant to                not qualify for an exemption from Rule
                                             Midday Auction would not be subject to                  the procedures set forth in NYSE Rule                 611 of Regulation NMS because the
                                             the NYSE Rule 123D requirements that:                   123D.38                                               Midday Auction would be substantially
                                             (i) A minimum of three minutes must                                                                           different than the operation of a single-
                                                                                                     III. Summary of Comment Letter and                    priced reopening transaction. The
                                             elapse between the first indication and                 NYSE’s Response
                                             a stock’s reopening; or (ii) if more than                                                                     commenter states that a single-priced
                                             one indication is published, a minimum                     The Commission has received one                    reopening transaction, as the term is
                                             of one minute must elapse before a                      comment letter on the Exchange’s                      used in Rule 611 of Regulation NMS, is
                                             stock’s reopening.32                                    proposal. The commenter asserts that                  a price discovery event on a single
                                                                                                     broad-based, significant changes to                   venue that generally occurs when the
                                                27 NYSE Rule 104(a)(2) sets forth a DMM’s            equity market structure should be                     entire market has halted trading in that
                                             responsibilities and duties to facilitate openings      conducted through the Commission                      security to address unusual market,
                                             and reopenings for each of the securities in which      rulemaking process, not through a single              operational, or regulatory situations.
                                             the DMM is registered under Exchange rules. See                                                               The commenter states that the single-
                                             NYSE Rule 104(a)(2). NYSE Rule 104(a)(2) also
                                                                                                     exchange’s rulemaking process. The
                                             requires DMMs to supply liquidity on the opening                                                              priced reopening transaction exception
                                             and reopening, as needed, for each security in          indication.’’). An indication published pursuant to   under Rule 611 of Regulation NMS
                                             which the DMM is registered. See id. The Exchange       NYSE Rule 123D is published to the Consolidated       would not be applicable to a daily
                                             is proposing to add these liquidity provisions for      Tape. See Securities Exchange Act Release No.
                                                                                                     74837 (Apr. 29, 2015), 80 FR 25741, 25741 n.5 (May
                                                                                                                                                           auction mechanism whose purpose is to
                                             Midday Auctions to the DMM’s responsibilities and
                                             duties under NYSE Rule 104(a)(2).                       5, 2015) (SR–NYSE–2015–19).                           increase the market share of a single
                                                28 NYSE Rule 123D(1) provides that openings may         33 See Proposed NYSE Rule 124(c)(2); see also      exchange.
                                             be effectuated manually or electronically. See NYSE     Amendment No. 1, supra note 7.                           In Amendment No. 1, the Exchange
                                             Rule 123D(1).                                              34 See Proposed NYSE Rule 124(d).
                                                                                                                                                           responds that, to address the
                                                29 See Notice, 80 FR at 9497.                           35 See supra, note 19 and the accompanying text.
                                                                                                                                                           commenter’s concerns regarding the
                                                30 See Proposed NYSE Rule 124(c).                    The Exchange also proposes to continue to re-price
                                                31 See Notice, 80 FR at 9497.                        sell short orders, including MOO and LOO Orders,      Limit Order Display Rule and a member
                                                                                                     consistent with NYSE Rule 440B(e), see Proposed       organization’s best-execution
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                                                32 See Proposed NYSE Rule 124(c)(1). See NYSE

                                             Rule 123D(1) (‘‘Generally, a minimum of three           NYSE Rule 124(b)(5), and to continue to re-price      requirements, it has amended the
                                             minutes must elapse between the first indication        and/or cancel orders eligible to participate in the   proposal. First, the Exchange has
                                             and a stock’s opening as measured by the time the       Midday Auction, including MOO and LOO Orders,
                                                                                                     consistent with the LULD Plan, see Proposed NYSE      amended the proposal to allow a
                                             indication appears on the PDU. However, when
                                             more than one indication is disseminated, a stock       Rule 124(b)(6).                                       member organization to designate an
                                                                                                        36 See Proposed NYSE Rule 124(d).
                                             may open one minute after the last indication
                                                                                                        37 See Proposed NYSE Rule 124(e).                    39 17   CFR 242.604.
                                             provided that at least three minutes must have
                                             elapsed from the dissemination of the first                38 See Proposed NYSE Rule 124(e).                    40 17   CFR 242.611(d).



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                                             30750                           Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 103 / Friday, May 29, 2015 / Notices

                                             order not to participate in the Midday                  impediments to and perfect the                           proposes, consistent with the Act, to
                                             Auction (by designating that order to                   mechanism of a free and open market                      operate differently from another
                                             cancel at the beginning of the Midday                   and a national market system; and, in                    exchange, or even all other exchanges,
                                             Auction Pause). The Exchange has                        general, to protect investors and the                    or that it seeks to gain market share from
                                             further amend the proposal to allow a                   public interest, and that the rules of a                 its competitors by doing so, does not
                                             member organization to designate an                     national securities exchange not be                      mean that the exchange’s proposed rule
                                             order to route to an away market quote                  designed to permit unfair                                change constitutes a broad-based change
                                             that locks or crosses the previously                    discrimination between customers,                        to equity market structure that should
                                             displayed price of the order during the                 issuers, brokers or dealers.                             only be accomplished by Commission
                                             Midday Auction Pause. To further                           The Commission believes that the                      rulemaking. The current equity market
                                             address concerns regarding execution                    proposal, as modified by Amendment                       structure features, and the Act permits,
                                             opportunities during the Midday                         No. 1, is reasonably designed to                         fierce competition among numerous
                                             Auction Pause, the Exchange has                         potentially improve market quality in                    national securities exchanges,
                                             amended the proposal to cancel Non-                     thinly traded securities, including                      alternative trading systems, and other
                                             Displayed Reserve Orders and Non-                       securities issued by small-to-medium-                    trading venues, each of which seeks to
                                             Display Reserve e-Quotes resting on the                 sized issuers, by aggregating intra-day                  gain market share by differentiating
                                             Exchange’s book during the Midday                       liquidity on the Exchange through an                     itself through offering, among other
                                             Auction Pause and to reject Non-                        auction process. The Midday Auction                      things, different order types, data
                                             Displayed Reserve Orders and Non-                       would be limited to NYSE-listed stocks                   products, and trading fees and rebates.
                                             Display Reserve e-Quotes entered                        that have a consolidated average daily                   The Commission believes that the
                                             during the Midday Auction Pause.                        trading volume of 1,000,000 shares or                    Exchange’s proposal fits comfortably
                                                With respect to the applicability of                 less, and it would provide market                        within the bounds of existing
                                             Rule 611 of Regulation NMS, the                         participants with a new alternative for                  competition between trading venues
                                             Exchange states in Amendment No. 1                      seeking liquidity in these stocks. Market                and that it is consistent with the Act.
                                             that it will not be submitting a request                participants could participate in the                       The commenter has also raised
                                             for exemptive relief. The Exchange                      Midday Auction, but they would also be                   questions with respect to Exchange
                                             states its belief that the exception under              free to route orders to participate in                   member firms’ obligations under the
                                             Rule 611(b)(3) of Regulation NMS 41                     continuous trading on other competing                    Limit Order Display Rule. The Exchange
                                             would apply to the single-priced trade                  exchanges and trading venues.                            has responded to these questions, and
                                             at the conclusion of the Midday Auction                    The commenter argues that broad-                      broader best-execution concerns, by
                                             conducted pursuant to proposed NYSE                     based, significant changes to equity                     filing Amendment No. 1, which would:
                                             Rule 124, because the Midday Auction                    market structure should be conducted                     (1) Allow a member organization to
                                             would result in a single-priced                         through Commission rulemaking and                        designate an order to cancel at the
                                             reopening transaction after a trading                   not through a single exchange’s self-                    beginning of the Midday Auction Pause;
                                             halt conducted pursuant to Exchange                     regulatory organization rulemaking                       (2) allow a member organization to
                                             rules and, thus, would be excepted from                 process. The question before the                         designate an order to route to an away
                                             the Order Protection Rule pursuant to                   Commission, however, is whether the                      market quote that locks or crosses the
                                             Rule 611(b)(3) under Regulation NMS.                    Exchange’s proposal is consistent with                   previously displayed price of that order
                                                                                                     the Act. If the Commission finds that the                during the Midday Auction Pause; and
                                             IV. Discussion and Commission
                                                                                                     Exchange’s proposal is consistent with                   (3) cancel resting and arriving Non-
                                             Findings
                                                                                                     the Act, the Commission must approve                     Displayed Reserve Orders and Non-
                                               After careful review and                              the proposal,44 and, if the Commission                   Display Reserve e-Quotes during the
                                             consideration of the Exchange’s                         is unable to find that the Exchange’s                    Midday Auction Pause.
                                             proposal and the comment letter, the                    proposal is consistent with the Act, the                    The Commission notes that the
                                             Commission finds that the proposed                      Commission must disapprove the                           proposal, as modified by Amendment
                                             rule change, as modified by Amendment                   proposal.45                                              No. 1, would allow Exchange member
                                             No. 1, is consistent with the                              As noted above, the Exchange has                      organizations to affirmatively opt out of
                                             requirements of the Act and the rules                   proposed an alternative means of                         participating in the Midday Auction by
                                             and regulations thereunder that are                     aggregating intra-day liquidity—                         designating orders to be canceled at the
                                             applicable to a national securities                     adapting an existing auction mechanism                   start of the Midday Auction Pause and
                                             exchange.42 In particular, the                          to function during the trading day—and                   to conditionally opt out of the Midday
                                             Commission finds that the proposed                      the Commission believes that the Act                     Auction by designating an order to route
                                             rule change is consistent with Section                  permits exchanges to experiment with                     to away markets that lock or cross the
                                             6(b)(5) of the Act,43 which requires,                   new trading mechanisms, so long as                       order during the Midday Auction Pause.
                                             among other things, that the rules of a                 those mechanisms are consistent with                     The Commission believes that the
                                             national securities exchange be                         the Act and the regulations thereunder.                  operation of the Midday Auction,
                                             designed to promote just and equitable                  The mere fact that a single exchange                     including the Midday Auction Pause,
                                             principles of trade; to remove                                                                                   would not conflict with the ability of
                                                                                                       44 See 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2)(C)(i) (‘‘The Commission     member organizations to comply with
                                               41 See  17 CFR 242.611(b)(3) (providing an            shall approve a proposed rule change of a self-          their obligations under the Limit Order
                                             exception from the Order Protection Rule under          regulatory organization if it finds that such
                                             Rule 611 of Regulation NMS when the ‘‘transaction       proposed rule change is consistent with the
                                                                                                                                                              Display Rule 46 or their best-execution
                                             that constituted the trade-through was a single-        requirements of this chapter and the rules and           obligations to their customers.
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                                             priced opening, reopening, or closing transaction by    regulations issued under this chapter that are
                                             the trading center’’).                                  applicable to such organization.’’).                       46 The Commission notes that Rule 604(b)(5)
                                                42 In approving this proposed rule change, as          45 See 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2)(C)(ii) (‘‘The               under Regulation NMS, 17 CFR 242.604(b)(5),
                                             amended, the Commission notes that it has               Commission shall disapprove a proposed rule              exempts from the requirements of the Limit Order
                                             considered the proposed rule’s impact on                change of a self-regulatory organization if it does      Display Rule any customer limit order that is
                                             efficiency, competition, and capital formation. See     not make a finding described in clause (i) [i.e., that   delivered immediately upon receipt to a national
                                             15 U.S.C. 78c(f).                                       the proposed rule change is consistent with the          securities exchange or national securities
                                                43 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).                              Act].’’).                                                association-sponsored system, or an electronic



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                                                                             Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 103 / Friday, May 29, 2015 / Notices                                            30751

                                                Finally, the commenter asserts that                  exception to halt trading and then                      For the above reasons, the
                                             the Midday Auction does not qualify for                 reopen solely to enable it to trade-                  Commission finds that the proposal, as
                                             an exemption from the requirements of                   through other trading centers.52 The                  modified by Amendment No. 1, is
                                             Rule 611 of Regulation NMS because the                  Commission therefore specified in the                 consistent with the requirements of the
                                             Midday Auction would be substantially                   Regulation NMS Adopting Release that                  Act.
                                             different from the operation of a single-               the exception provided by Rule                        V. Solicitation of Comments on
                                             priced reopening transaction. The                       611(b)(3) applies ‘‘only to single-priced             Amendment No. 1
                                             commenter argues that the Rule 611                      reopenings and therefore requires that a
                                             exception for reopening auctions was                    trading center conduct, pursuant to its                 Interested persons are invited to
                                             intended to apply in very specific,                     rules or written procedures, a                        submit written data, views, and
                                             limited circumstances to address                        formalized and transparent process for                arguments concerning the foregoing,
                                             unusual market, operational, or                         executing orders during reopening after               including whether Amendment No. 1 to
                                             regulatory situations, not to permit daily              a trading halt that involves the queuing              the proposed rule change is consistent
                                             auction mechanism whose purpose is to                   and ultimate execution of multiple                    with the Act. Comments may be
                                             increase the market share of a single                   orders at a single equilibrium price.’’ 53            submitted by any of the following
                                             exchange.                                               Neither the text of Rule 611(b)(3), nor               methods:
                                                In response, the Exchange has                        the Commission’s discussion in the                    Electronic Comments
                                             clarified that it will not be submitting a              Regulation NMS Adopting Release,
                                             request for exemptive relief under Rule                                                                         • Use the Commission’s Internet
                                                                                                     requires that the relevant trading halt be
                                             611 of Regulation NMS because it                                                                              comment form (http://www.sec.gov/
                                                                                                     a market-wide regulatory halt or that it
                                             believes that the Midday Auction would                                                                        rules/sro.shtml); or
                                                                                                     necessarily address unusual market,                     • Send an email to rule-comments@
                                             qualify for the single-priced reopening                 operational, or regulatory situations.
                                             exception of Rule 611(b)(3). The                                                                              sec.gov. Please include File Number SR–
                                                                                                        As proposed, the Midday Auction                    NYSE–2015–06 on the subject line.
                                             Exchange explains, in Amendment No.
                                             1, that ‘‘the single-priced trade at the                would be conducted once per day,
                                                                                                     pursuant to Exchange rules and at a                   Paper Comments
                                             conclusion of the Midday Auction is a
                                                                                                     time that would be publicly announced                    • Send paper comments in triplicate
                                             single-priced reopening transaction after
                                                                                                     in advance. The Midday Auction would                  to Brent J. Fields, Secretary, Securities
                                             a trading halt conducted pursuant to
                                                                                                     halt trading on the Exchange in Midday                and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street
                                             Exchange rules and would be excepted
                                                                                                     Auction Securities for five minutes to                NE., Washington, DC 20549–1090.
                                             under paragraph (b)(3) of Rule 611
                                             under Regulation NMS from the trade-                    allow market participants an                          All submissions should refer to File
                                             through requirements under Rule                         opportunity to enter, cancel, or modify               Number SR–NYSE–2015–06. This file
                                             611.’’ 47                                               trading interest. During this five-minute             number should be included on the
                                                The Commission agrees that the                       pause, the Exchange would publish                     subject line if email is used. To help the
                                             proposal falls within the exception for                 Order Imbalance Information, and                      Commission process and review your
                                             single-priced reopening transactions                    would be permitted to publish                         comments more efficiently, please use
                                             pursuant to Rule 611(b)(3) of Regulation                ‘‘indications,’’ to attract liquidity. At the         only one method. The Commission will
                                             NMS.48 Pursuant to Rule 611(a) under                    conclusion of the five-minute pause, the              post all comments on the Commission’s
                                             Regulation NMS,49 the Order Protection                  Exchange would reopen each of the                     Internet Web site (http://www.sec.gov/
                                             Rule requires a trading center to have                  Midday Auction Stocks, executing the                  rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the
                                             written policies and procedures                         queued orders at a single equilibrium                 submission, all subsequent
                                             reasonably designed to prevent trade-                   price in the same manner as NYSE Rule                 amendments, all written statements
                                             throughs on that trading center of                      123D reopenings.                                      with respect to the proposed rule
                                             protected quotations in NMS stocks.50                      The Commission believes that the                   change that are filed with the
                                             Rule 611(b)(3) under Regulation NMS                     proposal is not designed to permit the                Commission, and all written
                                             excepts from the Order Protection Rule                  Exchange to declare a trading halt                    communications relating to the
                                             a single-priced opening, reopening, or                  merely to be able to circumvent the                   proposed rule change between the
                                             closing transaction by the trading                      operation of the Order Protection Rule                Commission and any person, other than
                                             center.51 In adopting Regulation NMS,                   upon reopening. Instead, the Exchange                 those that may be withheld from the
                                             the Commission directly addressed                       has proposed a formalized and                         public in accordance with the
                                             concerns that a trading center might                    transparent process for the Midday                    provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be
                                             attempt to use the Rule 611(b)(3)                       Auction that would involve the queuing                available for Web site viewing and
                                                                                                     and execution of multiple orders at a                 printing in the Commission’s Public
                                             communications network that complies with the           single equilibrium price, pursuant to a               Reference Room, 100 F Street NE.,
                                             requirements of § 242.602(b)(5)(ii) with respect to
                                                                                                     trading halt declared pursuant to its                 Washington, DC 20549, on official
                                             that order.                                                                                                   business days between the hours of
                                                47 Amendment No. 1, supra note 7.                    own rules. The Commission therefore
                                                48 17 CFR 242.611(b)(3).                             believes that the proposal falls within               10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Copies of such
                                                49 17 CFR 242.611(a).                                the exception for single-priced                       filing also will be available for
                                                50 A trade-through occurs when one trading           reopenings pursuant to Rule 611(b)(3) of              inspection and copying at the principal
                                             center executes an order at a price that is inferior    Regulation NMS.54                                     office of the Exchange. All comments
                                             to the price of a protected quotation displayed by                                                            received will be posted without change;
                                             another trading center. See Securities Exchange Act                                                           the Commission does not edit personal
                                                                                                        52 See Regulation NMS Adopting Release, 70 FR
                                             Release No. 51808 (June 9, 2005), 70 FR 37496,
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                                             37501 (June 29, 2005) (File No. S7–10–04)               at 37520.                                             identifying information from
                                             (‘‘Regulation NMS Adopting Release’’). An ‘‘NMS            53 See Regulation NMS Adopting Release, 70 FR      submissions. You should submit only
                                             stock’’ means any security or class of securities,      at 37521. In addition, the Commission stated that     information that you wish to make
                                             other than an option, for which transaction reports     the trading center must have formally declared a      available publicly. All submissions
                                             are collected, processed, and made available            trading halt, pursuant to its rules or written
                                             pursuant to an effective transaction reporting plan.    procedures, to fall within the Rule 611(b)(3)         should refer to File Number SR–NYSE–
                                             See 17 CFR 242.600(b)(46), (47).                        exception. Id.                                        2015–06 and should be submitted on or
                                                51 See 17 CFR 242.611(b)(3).                            54 See 17 CFR 242.611(b)(3).                       before June 19, 2015.


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                                             30752                           Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 103 / Friday, May 29, 2015 / Notices

                                             VI. Accelerated Approval of Proposed                    Commission believes that providing for                      Notice and request for
                                                                                                                                                           ACTION:
                                             Rule Change, as Modified by                             the cancellation or rejection of non-                 comments.
                                             Amendment No. 1                                         displayed orders during the Midday
                                                                                                     Auction Pause provides clarity as to                  SUMMARY:     In accordance with the
                                                The Commission finds good cause to                                                                         Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FAA
                                             approve the proposed rule change, as                    how the Exchange intends the proposed
                                                                                                     auction to operate in regard to order                 invites public comments about our
                                             modified by Amendment No. 1, prior to                                                                         intention to request the Office of
                                             the 30th day after the date of                          execution. Additionally, the
                                                                                                     Commission believes that limiting the                 Management and Budget (OMB)
                                             publication of notice of Amendment No.                                                                        approval to renew an information
                                             1 in the Federal Register. As discussed                 Midday Auction execution price to the
                                                                                                     lower (for a buy imbalance) or higher                 collection. Approval is needed for
                                             above, in Amendment No. 1, the                                                                                security reasons such as mortgages
                                             Exchange proposes to: (1) Allow a                       (for a sell imbalance) of the Exchange’s
                                                                                                     LULD Band or Trading Collar Band, at                  submitted by the public for recording
                                             member organization to designate an                                                                           against aircraft, engines, propellers, and
                                             order to cancel at the beginning of the                 the time of the Midday Auction, should
                                                                                                     mitigate the risk of an execution at                  spare parts locations.
                                             Midday Auction Pause; (2) allow a
                                                                                                     prices that are too far away from the                 DATES: Written comments should be
                                             member organization to designate an
                                             order to route to an away market quote                  prevailing price of a given security in               submitted by July 28, 2015.
                                             that locks or crosses the previously                    continuous trading on other national                  ADDRESSES: Send comments to the FAA
                                             displayed price of the order during the                 securities exchanges and trading                      at the following address: Ronda
                                             Midday Auction Pause, in which case                     venues. Finally, the Commission                       Thompson, Room 300, Federal Aviation
                                             the returned quantity of a routed order                 believes that the Exchange’s proposed                 Administration, ASP–110, 950 L’Enfant
                                             would also route; (3) have the Exchange                 technical revisions, and additional                   Plaza SW., Washington, DC 20024.
                                             cancel, during the Midday Auction                       explanation regarding the proposal, will                 Public Comments Invited: You are
                                             Pause, resting and arriving Non-                        provide market participants more clarity              asked to comment on any aspect of this
                                             Displayed Reserve Orders and Non-                       regarding how the proposed rule is                    information collection, including (a)
                                             Display Reserve e-Quotes, which the                     intended to operate.                                  Whether the proposed collection of
                                             Exchange specifies are not eligible to                     The Commission finds that                          information is necessary for FAA’s
                                             participate in the Midday Auction; (4)                  Amendment No. 1 is consistent with the                performance; (b) the accuracy of the
                                             clarify that only orders that are eligible              protection of investors and the public                estimated burden; (c) ways for FAA to
                                             to participate in the Midday Auction                    interest. Accordingly, the Commission                 enhance the quality, utility and clarity
                                             would continue to be repriced during                    finds good cause, pursuant to Section                 of the information collection; and (d)
                                             the Midday Auction Pause; (5) prevent                   19(b)(2) of the Act,55 to approve the                 ways that the burden could be
                                             the Midday Auction from executing at a                  proposed rule change, as modified by                  minimized without reducing the quality
                                             price outside of the LULD Bands or the                  Amendment No. 1, on an accelerated                    of the collected information. The agency
                                             Exchange’s Trading Collars, whichever                   basis.                                                will summarize and/or include your
                                             is lower (for a buy imbalance) or higher                                                                      comments in the request for OMB’s
                                                                                                     VI. Conclusion
                                             (for a sell imbalance). Furthermore, the                                                                      clearance of this information collection.
                                             Exchange proposes to make a technical                     It is therefore ordered that, pursuant              FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
                                             change to Exhibit 5 to correct an errant                to Section 19(b)(2) of the Act,56 the                 Ronda Thompson at (202) 267–1416, or
                                             cross reference in Proposed NYSE Rule                   proposed rule change, as modified by                  by email at: Ronda.Thompson@faa.gov.
                                             124(e). The Exchange has also added                     Amendment No. 1, (SR–NYSE–2015–06)
                                                                                                                                                           SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
                                             additional text to the filing to explain                be, and hereby is, approved on an                        OMB Control Number: 2120–0043
                                             the revisions contained in Amendment                    accelerated basis.                                       Title: Recording of Aircraft
                                             No. 1, further explained other aspects of                 For the Commission, by the Division of              Conveyances and Security Documents
                                             the proposed rule change, and removed                   Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated               Form Numbers: FAA Form 8050–41.
                                             from the filing text stating that the                   authority.57                                             Type of Review: Renewal of an
                                             Exchange intends to submit separately a                 Robert W. Errett,                                     information collection.
                                             request for exemptive relief pursuant to                Deputy Secretary.                                        Background: Title 49, U. S. C. Section
                                             Rule 611(d) of Regulation NMS.                          [FR Doc. 2015–12968 Filed 5–28–15; 8:45 am]           44108 provides for establishing and
                                                The Commission believes that                         BILLING CODE 8011–01–P                                maintaining a system for the recording
                                             Amendment No. 1 provides market                                                                               of security conveyances affecting title
                                             participants with the option to opt out                                                                       to, or interest in U.S. civil aircraft, as
                                             of the Midday Auction, provides that                                                                          well as certain specifically identified
                                             non-displayed orders would not                          DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION                          engines, propellers, or spare parts
                                             participate in the Midday Auction, and                                                                        locations, and for recording of releases
                                             addresses the price limitations within                  Federal Aviation Administration                       relating to those conveyances. The
                                             which the Midday Auction would                                                                                original security conveyance is
                                                                                                     Agency Information Collection
                                             occur. In particular, the Commission                                                                          examined by the Civil Aviation Registry
                                                                                                     Activities: Requests for Comments;
                                             believes that permitting member                                                                               to insure that it meets recording
                                                                                                     Clearance of Renewed Approval of
                                             organizations to designate orders to                                                                          requirements as set forth in FAR Part 49.
                                                                                                     Information Collection: Recording of
                                             cancel when the Midday Auction Pause                                                                          If it does, it is given a recording number
                                                                                                     Aircraft Conveyances and Security
                                             begins, or to route when an order                                                                             and made a permanent part of the
                                                                                                     Documents
Lhorne on DSK2VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                             becomes locked or crossed by an away                                                                          aircraft record.
                                             market quote during the Midday                          AGENCY:Federal Aviation                                  Respondents: Approximately 45,469
                                             Auction Pause, should provide                           Administration (FAA), DOT                             lienholders.
                                             Exchange member organizations with                                                                               Frequency: Information is collected
                                             appropriate options to help them                          55 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2).                             on occasion.
                                             comply with their best-execution duties                   56 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2).                                Estimated Average Burden per
                                             to their customers. Furthermore, the                      57 17 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).                          Response: 1 hour.


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Document Created: 2015-12-15 15:31:36
Document Modified: 2015-12-15 15:31:36
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 30747 

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