80_FR_70498 80 FR 70279 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NASDAQ OMX BX, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change Regarding NASDAQ Last Sale Plus

80 FR 70279 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NASDAQ OMX BX, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change Regarding NASDAQ Last Sale Plus

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 219 (November 13, 2015)

Page Range70279-70282
FR Document2015-28807

Federal Register, Volume 80 Issue 219 (Friday, November 13, 2015)
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 219 (Friday, November 13, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70279-70282]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-28807]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-76383; File No. SR-BX-2015-063]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; NASDAQ OMX BX, Inc.; Notice of 
Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change Regarding 
NASDAQ Last Sale Plus

November 6, 2015.
    Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 
(``Act''),\1\ and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,\2\ notice is hereby given that 
on October 27, 2015, NASDAQ OMX BX, Inc. (``BX'' or ``Exchange'') filed 
with the Securities and Exchange Commission (``SEC'' or ``Commission'') 
the proposed rule change as described in Items I, II, and III, below, 
which Items have been prepared by the Exchange. The Commission is 
publishing this notice to solicit comments on the proposed rule change 
from interested persons.
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    \1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
    \2\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4.
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I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance 
of the Proposed Rule Change

    The Exchange proposes to amend BX Rule 7039 (BX Last Sale and 
NASDAQ Last Sale Plus Data Feeds) with language clarifying that the 
data consolidation component of the fees for NASDAQ Last Sale Plus 
(``NLS Plus''), a comprehensive data feed offered by NASDAQ OMX 
Information LLC,\3\ will be charged solely to firms that are Internal 
Distributors and External Distributors (collectively, ``Distributors'' 
of the data feed) that receive a NLS Plus direct data feed.\4\
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    \3\ NASDAQ OMX Information LLC is a subsidiary of Nasdaq, Inc. 
(formerly, The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc.), separate and apart from The 
NASDAQ Stock Market LLC. The primary purpose of NASDAQ OMX 
Information LLC is to combine publicly available data from the three 
filed last sale products of the exchange subsidiaries of Nasdaq, 
Inc. and from the network processors for the ease and convenience of 
market data users and vendors, and ultimately the investing public. 
In that role, the function of NASDAQ OMX Information LLC is 
analogous to that of other market data vendors, and it has no 
competitive advantage over other market data vendors; NASDAQ OMX 
Information LLC performs precisely the same functions as Bloomberg, 
Thomson Reuters, and other market data vendors.
    \4\ ``Internal Distributors'' are Distributors that receive 
NASDAQ Last Sale Plus data and then distribute that data to one or 
more Subscribers within the Distributor's own entity. ``External 
Distributors'' are Distributors that receive NASDAQ Last Sale Plus 
data and then distribute that data to one or more Subscribers 
outside the Distributor's own entity. Internal Distributors and 
External Distributors are together known as ``Distributors''. 
Proposed BX Rule 7039(b)(1).
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    The text of the proposed rule change is available on the Exchange's 
Web site at http://nasdaqomxbx.cchwallstreet.com, at the principal 
office of the Exchange, and at the Commission's Public Reference Room.

II. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and 
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

    In its filing with the Commission, the Exchange included statements 
concerning the purpose of and basis for the proposed rule change and 
discussed any comments it received on the proposed rule change. The 
text of these statements may be examined at the places specified in 
Item IV below. The Exchange has prepared summaries, set forth in 
sections A, B, and C below, of the most significant aspects of such 
statements.

A. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and 
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

1. Purpose
    The purpose of this proposal is to amend BX Rule 7039 with language 
clarifying that the data consolidation component of the fees for NLS 
Plus will be charged solely to firms that are

[[Page 70280]]

Distributors that receive an NLS Plus direct data feed.\5\
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    \5\ Thus, the fee does not apply to persons that receive the NLS 
Plus data feed indirectly, through an Internal Distributor or 
External Distributor.
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    NLS Plus \6\ allows data distributors to access last sale products 
offered by each of Nasdaq, Inc.'s three U.S. equity exchanges.\7\ NLS 
Plus includes all transactions from these exchanges, as well as FINRA/
NASDAQ TRF data that is included in the current NLS product. In 
addition, NLS Plus features total cross-market volume information at 
the issue level, thereby providing redistribution of consolidated 
volume information (``consolidated volume'') from the securities 
information processors (``SIPs'') for Tape A, B, and C securities.\8\ 
Thus, NLS Plus covers all securities listed on NASDAQ and New York 
Stock Exchange (``NYSE'') (now under the Intercontinental Exchange 
(``ICE'') umbrella), as well as US ``regional'' exchanges such as NYSE 
MKT, NYSE Arca, and BATS (also known as BATS/Direct Edge).\9\
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    \6\ See Securities Exchange Act Release Nos. 75709 (August 14, 
2015), 80 FR 50671 (August 20, 2015) (SR-BX-2015-047) (notice of 
filing and immediate effectiveness regarding NLS Plus on BX); 75830 
(September 3, 2015), 80 FR 54640 (September 10, 2015) (SR-BX-2015-
054) (notice of filing and immediate effectiveness regarding fees 
for NLS Plus on BX); 75257 (June 22, 2015), 80 FR 36862 (June 26, 
2015)(SR-NASDAQ-2015-055) (order approving proposed rule change 
regarding NLS Plus); 75600 (August 4, 2015), 80 FR 47968 (August 10, 
2015)(SR-NASDAQ-2015-088) (notice of filing and immediate 
effectiveness regarding fees for NLS Plus) (the ``NLS Plus fee 
proposal''); 75763 (August 26, 2015), 80 FR 52817 (September 1, 
2015) (SR-Phlx-2015-72) (notice of filing and immediate 
effectiveness regarding NLS Plus on PSX); and 75890 (September 10, 
2015), 80 FR 55692 (September 16, 2015) (SR-Phlx-2015-76) (notice of 
filing and immediate effectiveness regarding fees for NLS Plus on 
PSX).
    \7\ The NASDAQ OMX U.S. equity markets include the Exchange,\,\ 
The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC (``NASDAQ''), and NASDAQ OMX PSX 
(``PSX'') (together known as the ``NASDAQ OMX equity markets''). PSX 
and NASDAQ are filing companion proposals similar to this one. 
NASDAQ's last sale product, NASDAQ Last Sale, includes last sale 
information from the FINRA/NASDAQ Trade Reporting Facility (``FINRA/
NASDAQ TRF''), which is jointly operated by NASDAQ and the Financial 
Industry Regulatory Authority (``FINRA''). See Securities Exchange 
Act Release No. 71350 (January 17, 2014), 79 FR 4218 (January 24, 
2014) (SR-FINRA-2014-002). For proposed rule changes submitted with 
respect to NASDAQ Last Sale, BX Last Sale, and PSX Last Sale, see, 
e.g., Securities Exchange Act Release Nos. 57965 (June 16, 2008), 73 
FR 35178, (June 20, 2008) (SR-NASDAQ-2006-060) (order approving 
NASDAQ Last Sale data feeds pilot); 61112 (December 4, 2009), 74 FR 
65569, (December 10, 2009) (SR-BX-2009-077) (notice of filing and 
immediate effectiveness regarding BX Last Sale data feeds); and 
62876 (September 9, 2010), 75 FR 56624, (September 16, 2010) (SR-
Phlx-2010-120) (notice of filing and immediate effectiveness 
regarding PSX Last Sale data feeds).
    \8\ Tape A and Tape B securities are disseminated pursuant to 
the Security Industry Automation Corporation's (``SIAC'') 
Consolidated Tape Association Plan/Consolidated Quotation System, or 
CTA/CQS (``CTA''). Tape C securities are disseminated pursuant to 
the NASDAQ Unlisted Trading Privileges (``UTP'') Plan. NLS Plus 
reflects real-time trading activity for Tape C securities and 15-
minute delayed information for Tape A and Tape B securities.
    \9\ Registered U.S. exchanges are listed at http://www.sec.gov/divisions/marketreg/mrexchanges.shtml.
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    NLS Plus is currently codified in BX Rule 7039(b). The fees for NLS 
Plus are set forth in BX Rule 7039(b)(1)-(b)(3) as follows:
    (1) Firms that receive NLS Plus shall pay the annual administration 
fees for NLS, BX Last Sale, and PSX Last Sale,\10\ and a data 
consolidation fee of $350 per month.
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    \10\ Annual administrative fees are in BX Rule 7035, NASDAQ Rule 
7035, and NASDAQ OMX PSX Fees Chapter VIII. These remain unchanged 
at: $1,000 for NASDAQ, $1,000 for BX, and $1,000 for PSX. For 
purposes of conformity, ``administration'' is changed to 
``administrative'' in BX Rule 7039(d)(1), discussed below.
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    (2) Firms that receive NLS Plus would either be liable for NLS fees 
or NASDAQ Basic fees.
    (3) In the event that NASDAQ OMX BX and/or NASDAQ OMX PHLX adopt 
user fees for BX Last Sale and/or PSX Last Sale, firms that receive NLS 
Plus would also be liable for such fees.
    The Exchange now proposes to clarify how the data consolidation fee 
in BX Rule 7039(d)(1) will be charged. Specifically, the Exchange 
proposes to clarify that firms that are Distributors that receive a 
NASDAQ Last Sale Plus direct data feed and are Distributors shall pay a 
data consolidation fee of $350 per month. Thus, only Distributors that 
receive NLS Plus would be charged the data consolidation fee. As 
proposed to be amended, BX Rule 7039(b)(1) would state:
    (1) Firms that receive NLS Plus shall pay the annual administrative 
fees for NLS, BX Last Sale, and PSX Last Sale. Additionally, Internal 
Distributors or External Distributors shall pay a data consolidation 
fee of $350 per month.\11\ ``Internal Distributors'' are Distributors 
that receive NLS Plus data and then distribute that data to one or more 
Subscribers within the Distributor's own entity. ``External 
Distributors'' are Distributors that receive NLS Plus data and then 
distribute that data to one or more Subscribers outside the 
Distributor's own entity.\12\
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    \11\ The Exchange notes that those that have received NLS Plus 
directly from the Exchange have all, in fact, been firms. While the 
NLS Plus feed is available to all that subscribe and pay the 
requisite costs, the Exchange believes that in light of such costs 
it will continue to experience only firms receiving the feed 
directly from the Exchange.
    \12\ BX Rule 7039(b)(2) and (b)(3) would remain unchanged.
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    The NLS Plus fee structure as amended continues to be designed to 
ensure that vendors could compete with the Exchange by creating a 
product similar to NLS Plus.\13\ The proposed fee structure reflects 
the cost of the data feeds underlying NLS Plus (including user fees and 
annual administrative fees), as well as the incremental cost of the 
aggregation and consolidation function (the ``consolidation function'') 
for NLS Plus. Accordingly, the Exchange believes that the fee structure 
would not result in charges for NLS Plus that are lower than the cost 
to a vendor creating a competing product, including the cost of 
receiving the underlying data feeds and consolidating them. The data 
consolidation fee recognizes that NLS Plus is created from data derived 
from NASDAQ Last Sale, BX Last Sale, PSX Last Sale, and data from the 
SIPs to which a consolidation function is applied. Charging the 
consolidation fee will not impede an entity receiving the underlying 
direct data feeds from creating a competing product to the NLS Plus 
feed based on combining individual data feeds, and charging its clients 
a fee that it believes reflects the value of the consolidation 
function. The Exchange believes that the incremental cost of 
aggregation to an entity that wants to re-create NLS Plus will be 
factored into the entity's revenue opportunity and may be 
inconsequential where the vendor has in place systems to perform these 
functions as part of creating its proprietary market data products and 
allocating costs over numerous products and customer relationships. For 
these reasons, the Exchange believes that vendors could readily offer a 
product similar to the NLS Plus on a competitive basis at a similar 
cost.
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    \13\ For additional discussion regarding potential competition 
with NLS Plus, see supra note 6 and filings cited therein.
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    The amendment to clarify that the consolidation fee applies to 
Distributors that receive the NLS Plus data feed directly but does not 
apply to persons that receive NLS Plus indirectly through a Distributor 
is designed to ensure that the Exchange charges the fee only to those 
persons that directly benefit from the consolidation function. 
Specifically, if a person wished to combine the products that underlie 
NLS Plus and distribute them to customers or internal users, it would 
incur its own consolidation costs. By purchasing NLS Plus for 
distribution, a Distributor foregoes these costs and instead opts to 
pay the Exchange to perform the consolidation function for it. Thus, 
imposing this fee upon Distributors is a logical corollary to the 
service being provided. By contrast, imposing the fee

[[Page 70281]]

upon persons receiving the product through Distributors would 
effectively impose a duplicative charge, since such persons consume the 
data but are not in the business of distributing it and therefore do 
not forego consolidation costs when receiving the product. The Exchange 
further notes that the consolidation fee for BATS One, an analogous 
product of competing exchanges, is charged solely to external 
distributors of that product.\14\
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    \14\ See, e.g., Securities Exchange Act Release No. 73918 
(December 23, 2014), 79 FR 78920 (December 31, 2014) (SR-BATS-2014-
055; SR-BYX-2014-030; SR-EDGA-2014-25; SR-EDGX-2014-25) (order 
approving market data product called BATS One Feed being offered by 
four affiliated exchanges).
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2. Statutory Basis
    The Exchange believes that the proposed rule change is consistent 
with the provisions of Section 6 of the Act,\15\ in general, and with 
Sections 6(b)(4) and (5) of the Act,\16\ in particular, in that it 
provides for the equitable allocation of reasonable dues, fees, and 
other charges among its members, issuers and other persons using its 
facilities, and does not unfairly discriminate between customers, 
issuers, brokers or dealers. All recipients of the NLS Plus data 
offering continue to pay the underlying data feed fees and annual 
administrative fees for NLS, BX Last Sale, and PSX Last Sale. The 
Exchange is simply clarifying that the data consolidation component of 
the fees for NLS Plus will be charged solely to firms that receive a 
NASDAQ Last Sale Plus direct datafeed and are Distributors.
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    \15\ 15 U.S.C. 78f.
    \16\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(4) and (5).
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    This change is reasonable and consistent with an equitable 
allocation of fees because it is designed to ensure that the Exchange 
charges the fee only to those persons that directly benefit from the 
consolidation function. Specifically, if a person wished to combine the 
products that underlie NLS Plus and distribute them to customers or 
internal users, it would incur its own consolidation costs. By 
purchasing NLS Plus for distribution, a Distributor foregoes these 
costs and instead opts to pay the Exchange to perform the consolidation 
function for it. Thus, imposing this fee upon Distributors is a logical 
corollary to the service being provided. The change is also not 
unfairly discriminatory. Indeed, imposing the fee upon persons 
receiving NLS Plus indirectly through Distributors would effectively 
impose a duplicative charge upon them, since such persons consume the 
data but are not in the business of distributing it and therefore do 
not forego consolidation costs when receiving the product. The Exchange 
further notes that the consolidation fee for BATS One, an analogous 
product of competing exchanges, is charged solely to external 
distributors of that product.\17\ Accordingly, the exchanges that 
distribute BATS One take an analogous approach, in that they do not 
charge a consolidation fee to indirect recipients of the product, but 
rather charge the fee only to a subset of its distributors.
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    \17\ See, e.g., Securities Exchange Act Release No. 73918 
(December 23, 2014), 79 FR 78920 (December 31, 2014) (SR-BATS-2014-
055; SR-BYX-2014-030; SR-EDGA-2014-25; SR-EDGX-2014-25) (order 
approving market data product called BATS One Feed being offered by 
four affiliated exchanges).
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B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition

    The Exchange does not believe that the proposed rule change will 
impose any burden on competition not necessary or appropriate in 
furtherance of the purposes of the Act. The change proposed herein is 
designed to ensure that the consolidation fee for NLS Plus is 
appropriately assessed to Distributors of the product that benefit from 
the consolidation function performed by NASDAQ OMX Information LLC in 
creating the product and insures that a duplicative charge is not also 
assessed against indirect recipients of the product. Thus, the change 
will avoid the imposition of fees on certain product recipients, while 
not increasing fees for any recipients.
    The market for data products is extremely competitive and firms may 
freely choose alternative venues and data vendors based on the 
aggregate fees assessed, the data offered, and the value provided. This 
rule proposal does not burden competition, which is reflected in the 
offerings of other exchanges that sell alternative data products \18\ 
and in the ability of competing data feed vendors to combine underlying 
data feeds in direct competition with NLS Plus. NASDAQ OMX Information 
LLC was constructed specifically to establish a level playing field 
with market data vendors and to preserve fair competition between them. 
NASDAQ OMX Information LLC receives NLS, BX Last Sale, and PSX Last 
Sale from each NASDAQ-operated exchange in the same manner, at the same 
speed, and reflecting the same fees as for all market data vendors. 
Therefore, NASDAQ OMX Information LLC has no competitive advantage with 
respect to these last sale products and NASDAQ commits to maintaining 
this level playing field in the future. In other words, NASDAQ will 
continue to disseminate separately the underlying last sale products to 
avoid creating a latency differential between NASDAQ OMX Information 
LLC and other market data vendors, and to avoid creating a pricing 
advantage for NASDAQ OMX Information LLC.
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    \18\ Id.
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    NLS Plus exists in a market for proprietary last sale data products 
that is currently competitive and inherently contestable because there 
is fierce competition for the inputs necessary to the creation of 
proprietary data and strict pricing discipline for the proprietary 
products themselves. Numerous exchanges compete with each other for 
listings, trades, and market data itself, providing virtually limitless 
opportunities for entrepreneurs who wish to produce and distribute 
their own market data. This proprietary data is produced by each 
individual exchange, as well as other entities, in a vigorously 
competitive market. Similarly, with respect to the FINRA/NASDAQ TRF 
data that is a component of NLS and NLS Plus, allowing exchanges to 
operate TRFs has permitted them to earn revenues by providing 
technology and data in support of the non-exchange segment of the 
market. This revenue opportunity has also resulted in fierce 
competition between the two current TRF operators, with both TRFs 
charging extremely low trade reporting fees and rebating the majority 
of the revenues they receive from core market data to the parties 
reporting trades.
    Transaction execution and proprietary data products are 
complementary in that market data is both an input and a byproduct of 
the execution service. In fact, market data and trade execution are a 
paradigmatic example of joint products with joint costs. The decision 
whether and on which platform to post an order will depend on the 
attributes of the platform where the order can be posted, including the 
execution fees, data quality and price, and distribution of its data 
products. Without trade executions, exchange data products cannot 
exist. Moreover, data products are valuable to many end users only 
insofar as they provide information that end users expect will assist 
them or their customers in making trading decisions.
    The costs of producing market data include not only the costs of 
the data distribution infrastructure, but also the costs of designing, 
maintaining, and operating the exchange's transaction execution 
platform and the cost of regulating the exchange to ensure its fair 
operation and maintain investor confidence. The total return that a

[[Page 70282]]

trading platform earns reflects the revenues it receives from both 
products and the joint costs it incurs. Moreover, the operation of the 
exchange is characterized by high fixed costs and low marginal costs. 
This cost structure is common in content and content distribution 
industries such as software, where developing new software typically 
requires a large initial investment (and continuing large investments 
to upgrade the software), but once the software is developed, the 
incremental cost of providing that software to an additional user is 
typically small, or even zero (e.g., if the software can be downloaded 
over the internet after being purchased).\19\ In NASDAQ's case, it is 
costly to build and maintain a trading platform, but the incremental 
cost of trading each additional share on an existing platform, or 
distributing an additional instance of data, is very low. Market 
information and executions are each produced jointly (in the sense that 
the activities of trading and placing orders are the source of the 
information that is distributed) and are each subject to significant 
scale economies. In such cases, marginal cost pricing is not feasible 
because if all sales were priced at the margin, NASDAQ would be unable 
to defray its platform costs of providing the joint products. 
Similarly, data products cannot make use of TRF trade reports without 
the raw material of the trade reports themselves, and therefore 
necessitate the costs of operating, regulating,\20\ and maintaining a 
trade reporting system, costs that must be covered through the fees 
charged for use of the facility and sales of associated data.
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    \19\ See William J. Baumol and Daniel G. Swanson, ``The New 
Economy and Ubiquitous Competitive Price Discrimination: Identifying 
Defensible Criteria of Market Power,'' Antitrust Law Journal, Vol. 
70, No. 3 (2003).
    \20\ It should be noted that the costs of operating the FINRA/
NASDAQ TRF borne by NASDAQ include regulatory charges paid by NASDAQ 
to FINRA.
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C. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed 
Rule Change Received From Members, Participants, or Others

    No written comments were either solicited or received.

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

    Pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A)(ii) of the Act,\21\ the Exchange 
has designated this proposal as establishing or changing a due, fee, or 
other charge imposed on any person, whether or not the person is a 
member of the self-regulatory organization, which renders the proposed 
rule change effective upon filing.
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    \21\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(ii).
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    At any time within 60 days of the filing of the proposed rule 
change, the Commission summarily may temporarily suspend such rule 
change if it appears to the Commission that such action is necessary or 
appropriate in the public interest, for the protection of investors, or 
otherwise in furtherance of the purposes of the Act. If the Commission 
takes such action, the Commission shall institute proceedings to 
determine whether the proposed rule should be approved or disapproved.

IV. Solicitation of Comments

    Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views, and 
arguments concerning the foregoing, including whether the 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-BX-2015-063 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-BX-2015-063. 
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 the 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-BX-2015-063 and 
should be submitted on or before December 4, 2015.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\22\
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    \22\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Robert W. Errett,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2015-28807 Filed 11-12-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P



                                                                              Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 219 / Friday, November 13, 2015 / Notices                                                     70279

                                                  30-day operative delay is appropriate                   communications relating to the                        Last Sale Plus Data Feeds) with
                                                  because the proposed rule change                        proposed rule change between the                      language clarifying that the data
                                                  merely adds a reference to Nasdaq Last                  Commission and any person, other than                 consolidation component of the fees for
                                                  Sale Plus Data Feeds to Rule 7640A to                   those that may be withheld from the                   NASDAQ Last Sale Plus (‘‘NLS Plus’’),
                                                  reflect recently approved changes to                    public in accordance with the                         a comprehensive data feed offered by
                                                  NASDAQ’s rules. Based on the                            provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be                   NASDAQ OMX Information LLC,3 will
                                                  foregoing, the Commission believes that                 available for Web site viewing and                    be charged solely to firms that are
                                                  the waiver of the operative delay is                    printing in the Commission’s Public                   Internal Distributors and External
                                                  consistent with the protection of                       Reference Room, 100 F Street NE.,                     Distributors (collectively, ‘‘Distributors’’
                                                  investors and the public interest.16 The                Washington, DC 20549, on official                     of the data feed) that receive a NLS Plus
                                                  Commission hereby grants the waiver                     business days between the hours of 10                 direct data feed.4
                                                  and designates the proposal operative                   a.m. and 3 p.m. Copies of such filing                    The text of the proposed rule change
                                                  upon filing.                                            also will be available for inspection and             is available on the Exchange’s Web site
                                                     At any time within 60 days of the                    copying at the principal office of                    at http://
                                                  filing of the proposed rule change, the                 FINRA. All comments received will be                  nasdaqomxbx.cchwallstreet.com, at the
                                                  Commission summarily may                                posted without change; the Commission                 principal office of the Exchange, and at
                                                  temporarily suspend such rule change if                 does not edit personal identifying                    the Commission’s Public Reference
                                                  it appears to the Commission that such                  information from submissions. You                     Room.
                                                  action is necessary or appropriate in the               should submit only information that                   II. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
                                                  public interest, for the protection of                  you wish to make available publicly. All              Statement of the Purpose of, and
                                                  investors, or otherwise in furtherance of               submissions should refer to File                      Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule
                                                  the purposes of the Act. If the                         Number SR–FINRA–2015–045 and                          Change
                                                  Commission takes such action, the                       should be submitted on or before
                                                  Commission shall institute proceedings                  December 4, 2015.                                        In its filing with the Commission, the
                                                  to determine whether the proposed rule                                                                        Exchange included statements
                                                                                                            For the Commission, by the Division of
                                                  should be approved or disapproved.                      Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated
                                                                                                                                                                concerning the purpose of and basis for
                                                                                                          authority.17                                          the proposed rule change and discussed
                                                  IV. Solicitation of Comments                                                                                  any comments it received on the
                                                                                                          Robert W. Errett,
                                                    Interested persons are invited to                                                                           proposed rule change. The text of these
                                                                                                          Deputy Secretary.
                                                  submit written data, views and                                                                                statements may be examined at the
                                                                                                          [FR Doc. 2015–28809 Filed 11–12–15; 8:45 am]
                                                  arguments concerning the foregoing,                                                                           places specified in Item IV below. The
                                                  including whether the proposed rule                     BILLING CODE 8011–01–P                                Exchange has prepared summaries, set
                                                  change is consistent with the Act.                                                                            forth in sections A, B, and C below, of
                                                  Comments may be submitted by any of                                                                           the most significant aspects of such
                                                                                                          SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
                                                  the following methods:                                                                                        statements.
                                                                                                          COMMISSION
                                                  Electronic Comments                                                                                           A. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
                                                                                                          [Release No. 34–76383; File No. SR–BX–
                                                    • Use the Commission’s Internet                       2015–063]                                             Statement of the Purpose of, and
                                                  comment form (http://www.sec.gov/                                                                             Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule
                                                  rules/sro.shtml); or                                    Self-Regulatory Organizations;                        Change
                                                    • Send an email to rule-comments@                     NASDAQ OMX BX, Inc.; Notice of Filing                 1. Purpose
                                                  sec.gov. Please include File Number SR–                 and Immediate Effectiveness of
                                                                                                          Proposed Rule Change Regarding                           The purpose of this proposal is to
                                                  FINRA–2015–045 on the subject line.
                                                                                                          NASDAQ Last Sale Plus                                 amend BX Rule 7039 with language
                                                  Paper Comments:                                                                                               clarifying that the data consolidation
                                                    • Send paper comments in triplicate                   November 6, 2015.                                     component of the fees for NLS Plus will
                                                  to Brent J. Fields, Secretary, Securities                  Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the                be charged solely to firms that are
                                                  and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street                   Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                                                  NE., Washington, DC 20549–1090.                         (‘‘Act’’),1 and Rule 19b–4 thereunder,2                  3 NASDAQ OMX Information LLC is a subsidiary

                                                                                                          notice is hereby given that on October                of Nasdaq, Inc. (formerly, The NASDAQ OMX
                                                  All submissions should refer to File                                                                          Group, Inc.), separate and apart from The NASDAQ
                                                  Number SR–FINRA–2015–045. This file                     27, 2015, NASDAQ OMX BX, Inc. (‘‘BX’’                 Stock Market LLC. The primary purpose of
                                                  number should be included on the                        or ‘‘Exchange’’) filed with the Securities            NASDAQ OMX Information LLC is to combine
                                                  subject line if email is used. To help the              and Exchange Commission (‘‘SEC’’ or                   publicly available data from the three filed last sale
                                                                                                                                                                products of the exchange subsidiaries of Nasdaq,
                                                  Commission process and review your                      ‘‘Commission’’) the proposed rule                     Inc. and from the network processors for the ease
                                                  comments more efficiently, please use                   change as described in Items I, II, and               and convenience of market data users and vendors,
                                                  only one method. The Commission will                    III, below, which Items have been                     and ultimately the investing public. In that role, the
                                                                                                          prepared by the Exchange. The                         function of NASDAQ OMX Information LLC is
                                                  post all comments on the Commission’s                                                                         analogous to that of other market data vendors, and
                                                  Internet Web site (http://www.sec.gov/                  Commission is publishing this notice to               it has no competitive advantage over other market
                                                  rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the                         solicit comments on the proposed rule                 data vendors; NASDAQ OMX Information LLC
                                                  submission, all subsequent                              change from interested persons.                       performs precisely the same functions as
                                                                                                                                                                Bloomberg, Thomson Reuters, and other market
                                                  amendments, all written statements                      I. Self-Regulatory Organization’s                     data vendors.
                                                  with respect to the proposed rule                       Statement of the Terms of Substance of                   4 ‘‘Internal Distributors’’ are Distributors that
jstallworth on DSK7TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                  change that are filed with the                          the Proposed Rule Change                              receive NASDAQ Last Sale Plus data and then
                                                                                                                                                                distribute that data to one or more Subscribers
                                                  Commission, and all written                                The Exchange proposes to amend BX                  within the Distributor’s own entity. ‘‘External
                                                                                                          Rule 7039 (BX Last Sale and NASDAQ                    Distributors’’ are Distributors that receive NASDAQ
                                                     16 For purposes only of waiving the 30-day                                                                 Last Sale Plus data and then distribute that data to
                                                  operative delay, the Commission has also                                                                      one or more Subscribers outside the Distributor’s
                                                                                                            17 17 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).
                                                  considered the proposed rule’s impact on                                                                      own entity. Internal Distributors and External
                                                                                                            1 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
                                                  efficiency, competition, and capital formation. See                                                           Distributors are together known as ‘‘Distributors’’.
                                                  15 U.S.C. 78c(f).                                         2 17 CFR 240.19b–4.                                 Proposed BX Rule 7039(b)(1).



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                                                  70280                       Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 219 / Friday, November 13, 2015 / Notices

                                                  Distributors that receive an NLS Plus                   under the Intercontinental Exchange                     ensure that vendors could compete with
                                                  direct data feed.5                                      (‘‘ICE’’) umbrella), as well as US                      the Exchange by creating a product
                                                     NLS Plus 6 allows data distributors to               ‘‘regional’’ exchanges such as NYSE                     similar to NLS Plus.13 The proposed fee
                                                  access last sale products offered by each               MKT, NYSE Arca, and BATS (also                          structure reflects the cost of the data
                                                  of Nasdaq, Inc.’s three U.S. equity                     known as BATS/Direct Edge).9                            feeds underlying NLS Plus (including
                                                  exchanges.7 NLS Plus includes all                          NLS Plus is currently codified in BX                 user fees and annual administrative
                                                  transactions from these exchanges, as                   Rule 7039(b). The fees for NLS Plus are                 fees), as well as the incremental cost of
                                                  well as FINRA/NASDAQ TRF data that                      set forth in BX Rule 7039(b)(1)–(b)(3) as               the aggregation and consolidation
                                                  is included in the current NLS product.                 follows:                                                function (the ‘‘consolidation function’’)
                                                  In addition, NLS Plus features total                       (1) Firms that receive NLS Plus shall                for NLS Plus. Accordingly, the
                                                  cross-market volume information at the                  pay the annual administration fees for                  Exchange believes that the fee structure
                                                  issue level, thereby providing                          NLS, BX Last Sale, and PSX Last Sale,10                 would not result in charges for NLS Plus
                                                  redistribution of consolidated volume                   and a data consolidation fee of $350 per                that are lower than the cost to a vendor
                                                  information (‘‘consolidated volume’’)                   month.                                                  creating a competing product, including
                                                  from the securities information                            (2) Firms that receive NLS Plus would                the cost of receiving the underlying data
                                                  processors (‘‘SIPs’’) for Tape A, B, and                either be liable for NLS fees or NASDAQ                 feeds and consolidating them. The data
                                                  C securities.8 Thus, NLS Plus covers all                Basic fees.                                             consolidation fee recognizes that NLS
                                                  securities listed on NASDAQ and New                        (3) In the event that NASDAQ OMX                     Plus is created from data derived from
                                                  York Stock Exchange (‘‘NYSE’’) (now                     BX and/or NASDAQ OMX PHLX adopt                         NASDAQ Last Sale, BX Last Sale, PSX
                                                                                                          user fees for BX Last Sale and/or PSX                   Last Sale, and data from the SIPs to
                                                     5 Thus, the fee does not apply to persons that       Last Sale, firms that receive NLS Plus                  which a consolidation function is
                                                  receive the NLS Plus data feed indirectly, through      would also be liable for such fees.                     applied. Charging the consolidation fee
                                                  an Internal Distributor or External Distributor.
                                                     6 See Securities Exchange Act Release Nos. 75709
                                                                                                             The Exchange now proposes to clarify                 will not impede an entity receiving the
                                                  (August 14, 2015), 80 FR 50671 (August 20, 2015)        how the data consolidation fee in BX                    underlying direct data feeds from
                                                  (SR–BX–2015–047) (notice of filing and immediate        Rule 7039(d)(1) will be charged.                        creating a competing product to the NLS
                                                  effectiveness regarding NLS Plus on BX); 75830          Specifically, the Exchange proposes to                  Plus feed based on combining
                                                  (September 3, 2015), 80 FR 54640 (September 10,         clarify that firms that are Distributors                individual data feeds, and charging its
                                                  2015) (SR–BX–2015–054) (notice of filing and
                                                  immediate effectiveness regarding fees for NLS Plus     that receive a NASDAQ Last Sale Plus                    clients a fee that it believes reflects the
                                                  on BX); 75257 (June 22, 2015), 80 FR 36862 (June        direct data feed and are Distributors                   value of the consolidation function. The
                                                  26, 2015)(SR–NASDAQ–2015–055) (order                    shall pay a data consolidation fee of                   Exchange believes that the incremental
                                                  approving proposed rule change regarding NLS            $350 per month. Thus, only Distributors                 cost of aggregation to an entity that
                                                  Plus); 75600 (August 4, 2015), 80 FR 47968 (August
                                                  10, 2015)(SR–NASDAQ–2015–088) (notice of filing         that receive NLS Plus would be charged                  wants to re-create NLS Plus will be
                                                  and immediate effectiveness regarding fees for NLS      the data consolidation fee. As proposed                 factored into the entity’s revenue
                                                  Plus) (the ‘‘NLS Plus fee proposal’’); 75763 (August    to be amended, BX Rule 7039(b)(1)                       opportunity and may be inconsequential
                                                  26, 2015), 80 FR 52817 (September 1, 2015) (SR-         would state:                                            where the vendor has in place systems
                                                  Phlx-2015–72) (notice of filing and immediate
                                                  effectiveness regarding NLS Plus on PSX); and
                                                                                                             (1) Firms that receive NLS Plus shall                to perform these functions as part of
                                                  75890 (September 10, 2015), 80 FR 55692                 pay the annual administrative fees for                  creating its proprietary market data
                                                  (September 16, 2015) (SR-Phlx-2015–76) (notice of       NLS, BX Last Sale, and PSX Last Sale.                   products and allocating costs over
                                                  filing and immediate effectiveness regarding fees for   Additionally, Internal Distributors or                  numerous products and customer
                                                  NLS Plus on PSX).
                                                     7 The NASDAQ OMX U.S. equity markets include
                                                                                                          External Distributors shall pay a data                  relationships. For these reasons, the
                                                  the Exchange,, The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC              consolidation fee of $350 per month.11                  Exchange believes that vendors could
                                                  (‘‘NASDAQ’’), and NASDAQ OMX PSX (‘‘PSX’’)              ‘‘Internal Distributors’’ are Distributors              readily offer a product similar to the
                                                  (together known as the ‘‘NASDAQ OMX equity              that receive NLS Plus data and then                     NLS Plus on a competitive basis at a
                                                  markets’’). PSX and NASDAQ are filing companion         distribute that data to one or more
                                                  proposals similar to this one. NASDAQ’s last sale
                                                                                                                                                                  similar cost.
                                                  product, NASDAQ Last Sale, includes last sale           Subscribers within the Distributor’s own                   The amendment to clarify that the
                                                  information from the FINRA/NASDAQ Trade                 entity. ‘‘External Distributors’’ are                   consolidation fee applies to Distributors
                                                  Reporting Facility (‘‘FINRA/NASDAQ TRF’’), which        Distributors that receive NLS Plus data                 that receive the NLS Plus data feed
                                                  is jointly operated by NASDAQ and the Financial         and then distribute that data to one or
                                                  Industry Regulatory Authority (‘‘FINRA’’). See
                                                                                                                                                                  directly but does not apply to persons
                                                  Securities Exchange Act Release No. 71350 (January      more Subscribers outside the                            that receive NLS Plus indirectly through
                                                  17, 2014), 79 FR 4218 (January 24, 2014) (SR–           Distributor’s own entity.12                             a Distributor is designed to ensure that
                                                  FINRA–2014–002). For proposed rule changes                 The NLS Plus fee structure as                        the Exchange charges the fee only to
                                                  submitted with respect to NASDAQ Last Sale, BX          amended continues to be designed to
                                                  Last Sale, and PSX Last Sale, see, e.g., Securities
                                                                                                                                                                  those persons that directly benefit from
                                                  Exchange Act Release Nos. 57965 (June 16, 2008),                                                                the consolidation function. Specifically,
                                                                                                             9 Registered U.S. exchanges are listed at http://
                                                  73 FR 35178, (June 20, 2008) (SR–NASDAQ–2006–                                                                   if a person wished to combine the
                                                  060) (order approving NASDAQ Last Sale data feeds       www.sec.gov/divisions/marketreg/
                                                                                                          mrexchanges.shtml.
                                                                                                                                                                  products that underlie NLS Plus and
                                                  pilot); 61112 (December 4, 2009), 74 FR 65569,
                                                  (December 10, 2009) (SR–BX–2009–077) (notice of            10 Annual administrative fees are in BX Rule         distribute them to customers or internal
                                                  filing and immediate effectiveness regarding BX         7035, NASDAQ Rule 7035, and NASDAQ OMX                  users, it would incur its own
                                                  Last Sale data feeds); and 62876 (September 9,          PSX Fees Chapter VIII. These remain unchanged at:       consolidation costs. By purchasing NLS
                                                  2010), 75 FR 56624, (September 16, 2010) (SR-Phlx-      $1,000 for NASDAQ, $1,000 for BX, and $1,000 for        Plus for distribution, a Distributor
                                                  2010–120) (notice of filing and immediate               PSX. For purposes of conformity, ‘‘administration’’
                                                  effectiveness regarding PSX Last Sale data feeds).      is changed to ‘‘administrative’’ in BX Rule             foregoes these costs and instead opts to
                                                     8 Tape A and Tape B securities are disseminated      7039(d)(1), discussed below.                            pay the Exchange to perform the
jstallworth on DSK7TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                  pursuant to the Security Industry Automation               11 The Exchange notes that those that have           consolidation function for it. Thus,
                                                  Corporation’s (‘‘SIAC’’) Consolidated Tape              received NLS Plus directly from the Exchange have       imposing this fee upon Distributors is a
                                                  Association Plan/Consolidated Quotation System,         all, in fact, been firms. While the NLS Plus feed is
                                                                                                          available to all that subscribe and pay the requisite
                                                                                                                                                                  logical corollary to the service being
                                                  or CTA/CQS (‘‘CTA’’). Tape C securities are
                                                  disseminated pursuant to the NASDAQ Unlisted            costs, the Exchange believes that in light of such      provided. By contrast, imposing the fee
                                                  Trading Privileges (‘‘UTP’’) Plan. NLS Plus reflects    costs it will continue to experience only firms
                                                  real-time trading activity for Tape C securities and    receiving the feed directly from the Exchange.             13 For additional discussion regarding potential

                                                  15-minute delayed information for Tape A and               12 BX Rule 7039(b)(2) and (b)(3) would remain        competition with NLS Plus, see supra note 6 and
                                                  Tape B securities.                                      unchanged.                                              filings cited therein.



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                                                                              Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 219 / Friday, November 13, 2015 / Notices                                           70281

                                                  upon persons receiving the product                      do not forego consolidation costs when                the future. In other words, NASDAQ
                                                  through Distributors would effectively                  receiving the product. The Exchange                   will continue to disseminate separately
                                                  impose a duplicative charge, since such                 further notes that the consolidation fee              the underlying last sale products to
                                                  persons consume the data but are not in                 for BATS One, an analogous product of                 avoid creating a latency differential
                                                  the business of distributing it and                     competing exchanges, is charged solely                between NASDAQ OMX Information
                                                  therefore do not forego consolidation                   to external distributors of that                      LLC and other market data vendors, and
                                                  costs when receiving the product. The                   product.17 Accordingly, the exchanges                 to avoid creating a pricing advantage for
                                                  Exchange further notes that the                         that distribute BATS One take an                      NASDAQ OMX Information LLC.
                                                  consolidation fee for BATS One, an                      analogous approach, in that they do not                  NLS Plus exists in a market for
                                                  analogous product of competing                          charge a consolidation fee to indirect                proprietary last sale data products that
                                                  exchanges, is charged solely to external                recipients of the product, but rather                 is currently competitive and inherently
                                                  distributors of that product.14                         charge the fee only to a subset of its                contestable because there is fierce
                                                                                                          distributors.                                         competition for the inputs necessary to
                                                  2. Statutory Basis                                                                                            the creation of proprietary data and
                                                     The Exchange believes that the                       B. Self-Regulatory Organization’s                     strict pricing discipline for the
                                                  proposed rule change is consistent with                 Statement on Burden on Competition                    proprietary products themselves.
                                                  the provisions of Section 6 of the Act,15                  The Exchange does not believe that                 Numerous exchanges compete with
                                                  in general, and with Sections 6(b)(4) and               the proposed rule change will impose                  each other for listings, trades, and
                                                  (5) of the Act,16 in particular, in that it             any burden on competition not                         market data itself, providing virtually
                                                  provides for the equitable allocation of                necessary or appropriate in furtherance               limitless opportunities for entrepreneurs
                                                  reasonable dues, fees, and other charges                of the purposes of the Act. The change                who wish to produce and distribute
                                                  among its members, issuers and other                    proposed herein is designed to ensure                 their own market data. This proprietary
                                                  persons using its facilities, and does not              that the consolidation fee for NLS Plus               data is produced by each individual
                                                  unfairly discriminate between                           is appropriately assessed to Distributors             exchange, as well as other entities, in a
                                                  customers, issuers, brokers or dealers.                 of the product that benefit from the                  vigorously competitive market.
                                                  All recipients of the NLS Plus data                     consolidation function performed by                   Similarly, with respect to the FINRA/
                                                  offering continue to pay the underlying                 NASDAQ OMX Information LLC in                         NASDAQ TRF data that is a component
                                                  data feed fees and annual administrative                creating the product and insures that a               of NLS and NLS Plus, allowing
                                                  fees for NLS, BX Last Sale, and PSX Last                duplicative charge is not also assessed               exchanges to operate TRFs has
                                                  Sale. The Exchange is simply clarifying                 against indirect recipients of the                    permitted them to earn revenues by
                                                  that the data consolidation component                   product. Thus, the change will avoid the              providing technology and data in
                                                  of the fees for NLS Plus will be charged                imposition of fees on certain product                 support of the non-exchange segment of
                                                  solely to firms that receive a NASDAQ                   recipients, while not increasing fees for             the market. This revenue opportunity
                                                  Last Sale Plus direct datafeed and are                  any recipients.                                       has also resulted in fierce competition
                                                  Distributors.                                              The market for data products is                    between the two current TRF operators,
                                                     This change is reasonable and                        extremely competitive and firms may                   with both TRFs charging extremely low
                                                  consistent with an equitable allocation                 freely choose alternative venues and                  trade reporting fees and rebating the
                                                  of fees because it is designed to ensure                data vendors based on the aggregate fees              majority of the revenues they receive
                                                  that the Exchange charges the fee only                  assessed, the data offered, and the value             from core market data to the parties
                                                  to those persons that directly benefit                  provided. This rule proposal does not                 reporting trades.
                                                  from the consolidation function.                        burden competition, which is reflected                   Transaction execution and proprietary
                                                  Specifically, if a person wished to                     in the offerings of other exchanges that              data products are complementary in that
                                                  combine the products that underlie NLS                  sell alternative data products 18 and in              market data is both an input and a
                                                  Plus and distribute them to customers or                the ability of competing data feed                    byproduct of the execution service. In
                                                  internal users, it would incur its own                  vendors to combine underlying data                    fact, market data and trade execution are
                                                  consolidation costs. By purchasing NLS                  feeds in direct competition with NLS                  a paradigmatic example of joint
                                                  Plus for distribution, a Distributor                    Plus. NASDAQ OMX Information LLC                      products with joint costs. The decision
                                                  foregoes these costs and instead opts to                was constructed specifically to establish             whether and on which platform to post
                                                  pay the Exchange to perform the                         a level playing field with market data                an order will depend on the attributes
                                                  consolidation function for it. Thus,                    vendors and to preserve fair competition              of the platform where the order can be
                                                  imposing this fee upon Distributors is a                between them. NASDAQ OMX                              posted, including the execution fees,
                                                  logical corollary to the service being                  Information LLC receives NLS, BX Last                 data quality and price, and distribution
                                                  provided. The change is also not                        Sale, and PSX Last Sale from each                     of its data products. Without trade
                                                  unfairly discriminatory. Indeed,                        NASDAQ-operated exchange in the                       executions, exchange data products
                                                  imposing the fee upon persons receiving                 same manner, at the same speed, and                   cannot exist. Moreover, data products
                                                  NLS Plus indirectly through Distributors                reflecting the same fees as for all market            are valuable to many end users only
                                                  would effectively impose a duplicative                  data vendors. Therefore, NASDAQ OMX                   insofar as they provide information that
                                                  charge upon them, since such persons                    Information LLC has no competitive                    end users expect will assist them or
                                                  consume the data but are not in the                     advantage with respect to these last sale             their customers in making trading
                                                  business of distributing it and therefore               products and NASDAQ commits to                        decisions.
                                                                                                          maintaining this level playing field in                  The costs of producing market data
                                                                                                                                                                include not only the costs of the data
jstallworth on DSK7TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                    14 See, e.g., Securities Exchange Act Release No.

                                                  73918 (December 23, 2014), 79 FR 78920 (December          17 See, e.g., Securities Exchange Act Release No.   distribution infrastructure, but also the
                                                  31, 2014) (SR–BATS–2014–055; SR–BYX–2014–               73918 (December 23, 2014), 79 FR 78920 (December      costs of designing, maintaining, and
                                                  030; SR–EDGA–2014–25; SR–EDGX–2014–25)                  31, 2014) (SR–BATS–2014–055; SR–BYX–2014–             operating the exchange’s transaction
                                                  (order approving market data product called BATS        030; SR–EDGA–2014–25; SR–EDGX–2014–25)
                                                  One Feed being offered by four affiliated
                                                                                                                                                                execution platform and the cost of
                                                                                                          (order approving market data product called BATS
                                                  exchanges).                                             One Feed being offered by four affiliated             regulating the exchange to ensure its fair
                                                    15 15 U.S.C. 78f.                                     exchanges).                                           operation and maintain investor
                                                    16 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(4) and (5).                         18 Id.                                              confidence. The total return that a


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                                                  70282                       Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 219 / Friday, November 13, 2015 / Notices

                                                  trading platform earns reflects the                     is a member of the self-regulatory                    office of the Exchange. All comments
                                                  revenues it receives from both products                 organization, which renders the                       received will be posted without change;
                                                  and the joint costs it incurs. Moreover,                proposed rule change effective upon                   the Commission does not edit personal
                                                  the operation of the exchange is                        filing.                                               identifying information from
                                                  characterized by high fixed costs and                      At any time within 60 days of the                  submissions. You should submit only
                                                  low marginal costs. This cost structure                 filing of the proposed rule change, the               information that you wish to make
                                                  is common in content and content                        Commission summarily may                              available publicly.
                                                  distribution industries such as software,               temporarily suspend such rule change if                 All submissions should refer to File
                                                  where developing new software                           it appears to the Commission that such                Number SR–BX–2015–063 and should
                                                  typically requires a large initial                      action is necessary or appropriate in the             be submitted on or before December 4,
                                                  investment (and continuing large                        public interest, for the protection of                2015.
                                                  investments to upgrade the software),                   investors, or otherwise in furtherance of
                                                                                                                                                                  For the Commission, by the Division of
                                                  but once the software is developed, the                 the purposes of the Act. If the                       Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated
                                                  incremental cost of providing that                      Commission takes such action, the                     authority.22
                                                  software to an additional user is                       Commission shall institute proceedings                Robert W. Errett,
                                                  typically small, or even zero (e.g., if the             to determine whether the proposed rule
                                                                                                                                                                Deputy Secretary.
                                                  software can be downloaded over the                     should be approved or disapproved.
                                                                                                                                                                [FR Doc. 2015–28807 Filed 11–12–15; 8:45 am]
                                                  internet after being purchased).19 In                   IV. Solicitation of Comments                          BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
                                                  NASDAQ’s case, it is costly to build and
                                                  maintain a trading platform, but the                      Interested persons are invited to
                                                  incremental cost of trading each                        submit written data, views, and
                                                                                                          arguments concerning the foregoing,                   SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
                                                  additional share on an existing platform,
                                                                                                          including whether the proposed rule                   COMMISSION
                                                  or distributing an additional instance of
                                                  data, is very low. Market information                   change is consistent with the Act.
                                                                                                                                                                [Release No. 34–76386; File No. SR–
                                                  and executions are each produced                        Comments may be submitted by any of                   NASDAQ–2015–128]
                                                  jointly (in the sense that the activities of            the following methods:
                                                  trading and placing orders are the                      Electronic comments                                   Self-Regulatory Organizations; The
                                                  source of the information that is                                                                             NASDAQ Stock Market LLC; Notice of
                                                  distributed) and are each subject to                      • Use the Commission’s Internet                     Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of
                                                  significant scale economies. In such                    comment form (http://www.sec.gov/                     Proposed Rule Change To Modify
                                                  cases, marginal cost pricing is not                     rules/sro.shtml); or                                  Chapter XV, Entitled ‘‘Options
                                                                                                            • Send an email to rule-comments@
                                                  feasible because if all sales were priced                                                                     Pricing,’’ at Section 2 Governing
                                                                                                          sec.gov. Please include File Number SR–
                                                  at the margin, NASDAQ would be                                                                                Pricing for NASDAQ Members
                                                                                                          BX–2015–063 on the subject line.
                                                  unable to defray its platform costs of
                                                  providing the joint products. Similarly,                Paper comments                                        November 6, 2015.
                                                  data products cannot make use of TRF                                                                             Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the
                                                                                                             • Send paper comments in triplicate                Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                                                  trade reports without the raw material of               to Brent J. Fields, Secretary, Securities
                                                  the trade reports themselves, and                                                                             (‘‘Act’’),1 and Rule 19b–4 thereunder,2
                                                                                                          and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street                 notice is hereby given that on October
                                                  therefore necessitate the costs of                      NE., Washington, DC
                                                  operating, regulating,20 and maintaining                                                                      27, 2015, The NASDAQ Stock Market
                                                  a trade reporting system, costs that must               All submissions should refer to File                  LLC (‘‘Nasdaq’’ or ‘‘Exchange’’) filed
                                                  be covered through the fees charged for                 Number SR–BX–2015–063. This file                      with the Securities and Exchange
                                                  use of the facility and sales of associated             number should be included on the                      Commission (‘‘SEC’’ or ‘‘Commission’’)
                                                  data.                                                   subject line if email is used. To help the            the proposed rule change as described
                                                                                                          Commission process and review your                    in Items I, II, and III below, which Items
                                                  C. Self-Regulatory Organization’s                       comments more efficiently, please use                 have been prepared by the Exchange.
                                                  Statement on Comments on the                            only one method. The Commission will                  The Commission is publishing this
                                                  Proposed Rule Change Received From                      post all comments on the Commission’s                 notice to solicit comments on the
                                                  Members, Participants, or Others                        Internet Web site (http://www.sec.gov/                proposed rule change from interested
                                                    No written comments were either                       rules/sro.shtml).                                     persons.
                                                  solicited or received.                                     Copies of the submission, all
                                                                                                          subsequent amendments, all written                    I. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
                                                  III. Date of Effectiveness of the                       statements with respect to the proposed               Statement of the Terms of Substance of
                                                  Proposed Rule Change and Timing for                     rule change that are filed with the                   the Proposed Rule Change
                                                  Commission Action                                       Commission, and all written                             The Exchange proposes to amend the
                                                     Pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A)(ii) of               communications relating to the                        Exchange’s transaction fees at Chapter
                                                  the Act,21 the Exchange has designated                  proposed rule change between the                      XV, Section 2 entitled ‘‘NASDAQ
                                                  this proposal as establishing or changing               Commission and any person, other than                 Options Market—Fees and Rebates,’’
                                                  a due, fee, or other charge imposed on                  those that may be withheld from the                   which governs pricing for NASDAQ
                                                  any person, whether or not the person                   public in accordance with the                         members using the NASDAQ Options
                                                                                                          provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be                   Market (‘‘NOM’’), NASDAQ’s facility for
                                                     19 See William J. Baumol and Daniel G. Swanson,
                                                                                                          available for Web site viewing and
jstallworth on DSK7TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                                                                                                                                executing and routing standardized
                                                  ‘‘The New Economy and Ubiquitous Competitive
                                                  Price Discrimination: Identifying Defensible Criteria   printing in the Commission’s Public                   equity and index options.
                                                  of Market Power,’’ Antitrust Law Journal, Vol. 70,      Reference Room, 100 F Street NE.,                       While these amendments are effective
                                                  No. 3 (2003).                                           Washington, DC 20549, on official                     upon filing, the Exchange has
                                                     20 It should be noted that the costs of operating
                                                                                                          business days between the hours of
                                                  the FINRA/NASDAQ TRF borne by NASDAQ
                                                  include regulatory charges paid by NASDAQ to            10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Copies of the                  22 17 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).
                                                  FINRA.                                                  filing also will be available for                       1 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
                                                     21 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(ii).                       inspection and copying at the principal                 2 17 CFR 240.19b–4.




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Document Created: 2018-03-01 11:22:13
Document Modified: 2018-03-01 11:22:13
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 70279 

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