80_FR_8950 80 FR 8917 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; The Options Clearing Corporation; Order Approving Proposed Rule Change Concerning Extended and Overnight Trading Sessions

80 FR 8917 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; The Options Clearing Corporation; Order Approving Proposed Rule Change Concerning Extended and Overnight Trading Sessions

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 33 (February 19, 2015)

Page Range8917-8921
FR Document2015-03403

Federal Register, Volume 80 Issue 33 (Thursday, February 19, 2015)
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 33 (Thursday, February 19, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8917-8921]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-03403]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-74268; File No. SR-OCC-2014-24]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; The Options Clearing Corporation; 
Order Approving Proposed Rule Change Concerning Extended and Overnight 
Trading Sessions

February 12, 2015.
    On December 12, 2014, The Options Clearing Corporation (``OCC'') 
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission'') the 
proposed rule change SR-OCC-2014-24 pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the 
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (``Act'') \1\ and Rule 19b-4 
thereunder.\2\ The proposed rule change was published for comment in 
the Federal Register on December 30, 2014.\3\ The Commission did not 
receive any comments on the proposed rule change. This order approves 
the proposed rule change.
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    \1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
    \2\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4. OCC also filed this change as an advance 
notice under Section 806(e)(1) of the Payment, Clearing, and 
Settlement Supervision Act of 2010. 12 U.S.C. 5465(e)(1). Securities 
Exchange Act Release No. 74073 (January 15, 2015), 80 FR 3287 
(January 22, 2014) (SR-OCC-2014-812). The Commission did not receive 
any comments on the advance notice.
    \3\ Securities Exchange Act Release No. 73907 (December 22, 
2014), 79 FR 78543 (December 30, 2014) (SR-OCC-2014-24).
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I. Description

    This rule change was filed in connection with OCC's proposed change 
to its operations concerning the clearance of confirmed trades executed 
in overnight trading sessions offered by exchanges for which OCC 
provides clearance and settlement services. OCC currently clears 
overnight trading activity for CBOE Futures Exchange, LLC (``CFE'').\4\ 
The total number of trades submitted to OCC from overnight trading 
sessions is nominal, typically less than 3,000 contracts per session. 
However, OCC has recently observed an industry trend whereby exchanges 
are offering overnight trading sessions beyond traditional hours. 
Exchanges offering overnight trading sessions have indicated to OCC 
that such sessions benefit market participants by providing additional 
price transparency and hedging opportunities for products traded in 
such sessions, which, in turn, promotes market stability.\5\ In light 
of this trend, OCC proposed to implement a framework for clearing 
trades executed in such sessions that includes: (1) Qualification 
criteria used to approve clearing members for overnight trading 
sessions, (2) systemic controls to identify trades executed during 
overnight trading sessions by clearing members not approved for such 
sessions, (3) enhancements to OCC's overnight monitoring of trades 
submitted by exchanges during overnight trading sessions, (4) 
enhancements to OCC's credit controls with respect to monitoring 
clearing members' credit risk during overnight trading sessions, 
including procedures for contacting an exchange offering overnight 
trading sessions in order to invoke use of the exchange's kill switch, 
and (5) taking appropriate disciplinary action against clearing members 
who attempt to clear during the overnight trading sessions without 
first obtaining requisite approvals. These changes (described in 
greater detail below) are designed to reduce and mitigate the

[[Page 8918]]

risks associated with clearing trades executed in overnight trading 
sessions. In addition, the only products that will be eligible for 
clearing in the overnight trading sessions are index options and index 
futures products.
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    \4\ ELX Futures LP (``ELX'') previously submitted overnight 
trading activity to OCC, but currently does not submit trades from 
overnight trading sessions to OCC. OCC will re-evaluate ELX's risk 
controls in the event ELX re-institutes its overnight trading 
sessions.
    \5\ See CFE-2014-010 at http://cfe.cboe.com/publish/CFErulefilings/SR-CFE-2014-010.pdf.
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    OCC's framework for determining whether to provide clearing 
services for overnight trading sessions offered by an exchange is 
designed to work in conjunction with the risk controls of the exchange 
that offers overnight trading sessions. OCC will confirm an exchange's 
risk controls as well as its staffing levels as they relate to 
overnight trading sessions to determine if OCC may reasonably rely on 
such risk controls to the reduce risk presented to OCC by the 
exchange's overnight trading sessions. Such exchange risk controls will 
consist of: (1) Price reasonability checks; (2) controls to prevent 
orders from being executed beyond a certain percentage (determined by 
the exchange) from the initial execution price; (3) activity based 
protections which focus on risk beyond price, such as a high number of 
trades occurring in a set period of time; and (4) kill switch 
capabilities, which may be initiated by the exchange and can cancel all 
open quotes or all orders of a particular participant. OCC believes 
that confirming the existence of applicable pre-trade risk controls as 
well as overnight staffing at the relevant exchanges is essential to 
mitigating risks presented to OCC from overnight trading sessions.\6\ 
OCC believes that providing clearing services to exchanges offering 
such sessions is consistent with OCC's mission to provide market 
participants with clearing and risk management solutions that respond 
to changes in the marketplace.
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    \6\ Comparable controls are applied to futures and future option 
trades executed in overnight trading sessions currently cleared by 
OCC, although such controls have been implemented by clearing 
futures commission merchants (``clearing FCMs'') pursuant to 
Commodity Futures Trading Commission (``CFTC'') Regulation 1.73. 
This requires clearing FCMs to monitor for adherence to such 
controls during regular and overnight trading sessions. Some of the 
risk control measures are similar to those proposed by OCC for use 
in clearing securities trades in overnight trading sessions. For 
instance, OCC confirmed that CFE maintains kill switch capabilities.
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Qualification Criteria

    In order to mitigate risks associated with clearing for overnight 
trading sessions, clearing members that participate in such trading 
sessions will be required to provide contact information to OCC for 
operational and risk personnel available to be contacted by OCC during 
such sessions. In addition, OCC will require that clearing members 
participating in an overnight trading session post additional margin in 
a designated account in order to mitigate the risk that OCC cannot 
draft a clearing member's bank account during an overnight trading 
session.\7\ OCC also will adopt a procedure whereby, on a quarterly 
basis, it confirms its record of clearing members eligible for 
overnight trading sessions with a similar record maintained by 
exchanges offering such overnight trading sessions.
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    \7\ Clearing members will be required to designate a firm 
account to ensure that OCC has a general lien on the assets in the 
account and can use them to satisfy any obligation of the clearing 
member to OCC.
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    With respect to providing operational and risk contacts, under OCC 
Rule 201, each clearing member is required to maintain facilities for 
conducting business with OCC and to have a representative authorized in 
the name of the clearing member to take all action necessary for 
conducting business with OCC be available at the facility during such 
hours as may be specified from time-to-time by OCC. Similarly, OCC 
Rules 214(c) and (d) require clearing members to ensure that they have 
the appropriate number of qualified personnel and to maintain the 
ability to process anticipated volumes and values of transactions. OCC 
will use this existing authority to require clearing members trading 
during overnight trading sessions to maintain operational and risk 
staff that may be contacted by OCC during such sessions.
    OCC will impose upon clearing members qualified to participate in 
overnight trading sessions additional margin requirement in an amount 
of the lesser of $10 million or 10% of the clearing member's net 
capital (``Additional Margin''), which will be equal to the first 
monitoring risk threshold (described below) and which will be collected 
the morning before each overnight trading sessions. Clearing members 
must identify the proprietary account that would be charged the 
Additional Margin amount. The Additional Margin requirement is intended 
to provide OCC with additional margin assets should a clearing member's 
credit risk increase during overnight trading sessions.\8\ OCC will 
adopt a process whereby each morning OCC Financial Risk Management 
staff will assess the Additional Margin requirement prior to 
participating in any future overnight trading sessions against clearing 
members eligible to participate in overnight trading sessions. Clearing 
members that do not have sufficient excess margin on deposit with OCC 
to meet the Additional Margin amount will be required to deposit 
additional funds with OCC to satisfy the Additional Margin 
requirement.\9\ This process will be adopted under existing rule 
authority.
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    \8\ Clearing members approved for overnight trading sessions who 
do not meet the Additional Margin requirement for a given overnight 
trading session will be treated like a clearing member not approved 
overnight trading sessions, as described below.
    \9\ Under OCC Rule 601, OCC has the discretion to fix the margin 
requirement for any account at an amount that it deems necessary or 
appropriate under the circumstances to protect the interests of 
clearing members, OCC and the public.
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    Moreover, OCC also will confirm that an exchange offering overnight 
trading sessions has adopted a procedure whereby such exchange would 
contact OCC when a trader requests trading privileges during overnight 
trading sessions. The purpose of this contact is to verify that the 
trader's clearing firm (i.e., the OCC clearing member) is approved for 
overnight trading sessions. If the applicable OCC clearing member is 
not approved for overnight trading sessions, then the clearing member 
must receive OCC's approval for overnight trading sessions, or the 
exchange will not provide the trader trading privileges during 
overnight trading sessions. Moreover, OCC will confirm that an exchange 
offering overnight trading sessions has implemented a procedure to 
periodically (i.e., quarterly) validate its record of approved clearing 
firms against OCC's record of clearing members approved for overnight 
trading sessions.\10\ Any discrepancies between the two records will be 
promptly resolved by either the clearing member obtaining approval from 
OCC for overnight trading sessions, or by the exchange revoking the 
clearing firm's trading privileges for overnight trading sessions.
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    \10\ As discussed in more detail below, clearing members that 
attempt to participate in overnight trading sessions without the 
necessary approval will be subject to a minor rule violation fine.
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Systemic Controls

    OCC will implement system changes so that trades submitted to OCC 
during overnight trading sessions that have been executed by clearing 
members not approved for such trading sessions will be reviewed by OCC 
staff after acceptance but before being processed (each such trade 
being a ``Reviewed Trade''). OCC will contact the submitting exchange 
regarding each Reviewed Trade in order to determine if the trade is a 
valid trade. If the exchange determines that the Reviewed Trade was in 
error such that, as provided in Article VI, Section 7(c) of OCC's By-
laws, new

[[Page 8919]]

or revised trade information is required to properly clear the 
transaction, OCC expects the exchange would instruct OCC to disregard 
or ``bust'' the trade. If the exchange determines that the Reviewed 
Trade was not in error, then OCC will clear the Reviewed Trade and take 
appropriate disciplinary action against the non-approved clearing 
member, as described below. OCC believes that clearing the Reviewed 
Trade is appropriate in order to avoid potentially harming the clearing 
member approved for overnight trading sessions that is on the opposite 
side of the transaction.

Overnight Monitoring

    OCC will implement additional overnight monitoring in order to 
better monitor clearing members' credit risk during overnight trading 
sessions. Such monitoring of credit risk is similar to existing OCC 
practices concerning futures cleared during overnight trading hours and 
includes automated processes within OCC's clearing ENCORE to measure, 
by clearing member: (i) The aggregate mark-to-market amounts of a 
clearing member's positions, including positions created during 
overnight trading, based on current prices using OCC's Portfolio 
Revaluation System; (ii) the aggregate incremental margin produced by 
all positions resulting from transactions executed during overnight 
trading; and (iii) with respect to options cleared during overnight 
trading hours, the aggregate net trade premium positions resulting from 
trades executed during overnight trading (each of these measures being 
a ``Credit Risk Number''). Hourly credit reports would be generated by 
ENCORE containing the Credit Risk Numbers expressed in terms of both 
dollars and, except for the mark-to-market position values, as a 
percentage of net capital for each clearing member trading during 
overnight trading sessions. The Credit Risk Numbers are the same 
information used by OCC staff to evaluate clearing member exposure 
during regular trading hours and, in addition to OCC's knowledge of its 
clearing members' businesses, are effective measures of the risk 
presented to OCC by each clearing member. OCC's Operations staff will 
review such reports as they are generated and, in the event that any of 
the Credit Risk Numbers for positions established by a clearing member 
during an overnight trading session exceed established thresholds, 
staff will alert OCC's Market Risk staff \11\ of the exceedance in 
accordance with established procedures, as described below.
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    \11\ OCC's Member Services staff will also receive alerts in 
order to contact clearing members as may be necessary.
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    Market Risk staff will follow a standardized process concerning 
such exceedances, including escalation to OCC's management, if required 
by such process. Given the nominal volume of trades executed in 
overnight trading sessions that are presently submitted for clearance, 
OCC does not contemplate changes in its current staffing levels that 
support overnight clearing activities at this time, however, OCC will 
periodically assess and adjust such staffing levels, as appropriate. As 
part of the overnight clearing activities, OCC has, however, designated 
an on-call Market Risk duty officer who would be responsible for 
reviewing issues that arise when clearing for overnight trading session 
and determining what measures to be taken as well as additional 
escalation, if necessary.
    With respect to OCC's escalation thresholds, if any Credit Risk 
Number of a clearing member approved for overnight trading sessions is 
$10 million or more, or any Credit Risk Number equals 10% or more of 
the clearing member's net capital, OCC's Operations staff will be 
required to provide email notification to Market Risk and Member 
Services staff. If any Credit Risk Number of a clearing member not 
approved for overnight trading sessions is $10 million or more, or any 
Credit Risk Number equals 10% or more of the clearing member's net 
capital, OCC's Operations will also notify Market Risk and Member 
Services staff as well as its senior management. Such departments will 
take action to prevent additional trading by the non-approved clearing 
member, including contacting the exchange to invoke use of the 
exchange's kill switch.
    If any Credit Risk Number of a clearing member approved for 
overnight trading sessions is $50 million or more, or equals 25% or 
more of the clearing member's net capital, Operations staff will be 
required to contact, by telephone: (i) Market Risk and Member Services, 
(ii) the applicable exchange for secondary review, and (iii) the 
clearing member's designated contacts. The on-call Market Risk duty 
officer also will consider if additional action is necessary, which may 
include contacting a designated executive officer in order to issue an 
intra-day margin call, increase the clearing member's margin 
requirement in order to prevent the withdrawal of a specified amount of 
excess margin collateral, if any, the clearing member has on deposit 
with OCC or contacting the exchange in order to invoke the use of its 
kill switch.
    If any Credit Risk Number is $75 million or more, or equals 50% or 
more of the clearing member's net capital, Operations staff will be 
required to contact, by telephone, Market Risk staff, the on-call 
Market Risk duty officer and a designated executive officer. Such 
officer will be responsible for reviewing the situation and determining 
whether to implement credit controls, which are described in greater 
detail below and include: Issuing an intra-day margin call, increasing 
a clearing member's margin requirement in order to prevent the 
withdrawal of a specified amount of excess margin collateral, if any, 
the clearing member has on deposit with OCC, whether further escalation 
is warranted in order for OCC to take protective measures pursuant to 
OCC Rule 305, or contact the exchange in order to invoke use of its 
kill switch. OCC stated that it chose the above described escalation 
thresholds based on its analysis of historical overnight trading 
activity across the futures industry. OCC believes that these 
thresholds strike an appropriate balance between effective risk 
monitoring and operational efficiency.

Credit Controls

    In order to address credit risk associated with trading during 
overnight trading sessions, and as described above, OCC will collect 
Additional Margin from clearing members as well as monitor and analyze 
the impact that positions established during such sessions have on a 
clearing member's overall exposure. Should the need arise based on 
threshold breaches described above, and pursuant to OCC Rule 609, OCC 
may require the deposit of additional margin (``intra-day margin'') by 
any clearing member that increases its incremental risk as a result of 
trading activity during overnight trading sessions. Accordingly, a 
clearing member's positions established during such sessions will be 
incorporated into OCC's intra-day margin process. Further, if a 
clearing member's exposure significantly increases during a time when 
settlement banks are not open to process an intra-day margin call, OCC 
will use its current authority under OCC Rule 601 to increase a 
clearing member's margin requirement, which will restrict the clearing 
member's ability to withdraw excess margin collateral. The 
implementation of these measures is discussed more fully below.
    In the event that a clearing member's exposure during overnight 
trading sessions causes a clearing member to exceed OCC's intra-day 
margin call threshold for overnight trading sessions, OCC will require 
the clearing member to

[[Page 8920]]

deposit intra-day margin equal to the increased incremental risk 
presented by the clearing member. Specifically, if a clearing member 
has a total risk charge \12\ exceeding 25% (a reduction of the usual 
figure of 50%), as computed overnight by OCC's STANS system, and a loss 
of greater than $50,000 from an overnight trading session(s), as 
computed by Portfolio Revaluation, OCC will initiate an intra-day 
margin call. OCC will know at approximately 8:30 a.m. (Central Time) if 
an intra-day margin call on a clearing member will be initiated based 
on breaches of these thresholds. This ``start of business'' margin call 
is in addition to daily margin OCC collects from clearing members 
pursuant to OCC Rule 605, any intra-day margin call that OCC may 
initiate as a result of regular trading sessions or special margin call 
that OCC may initiate.
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    \12\ Total risk charge is a number derived from STANS outputs 
and is the sum of expected shortfall, stress test charges and any 
add-on charges computed by STANS. STANS is OCC's proprietary margin 
methodology.
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    In addition to, or instead of, requiring additional intra-day 
margin, OCC Rule 601 \13\ and OCC's Clearing Member Margin Call Policy 
will work together to authorize Market Risk staff to increase a 
clearing member's margin requirement which may be in an amount equal to 
an intra-day margin call.\14\ (Any increased margin requirement will 
remain in effect until the next business day.) This action will 
immediately prevent clearing members from withdrawing any excess margin 
collateral (in the amount of the increased margin requirement) the 
clearing member has deposited with OCC. With respect to clearing trades 
executed in overnight trading sessions, and in the event OCC requires 
additional margin from a clearing member, Market Risk staff may use 
increased margin requirements as a means of collateralizing the 
increase in incremental risk a clearing member incurred during such 
sessions without having to wait for banks to open to process an intra-
day margin call.\15\ Such action may be taken by OCC instead of, or in 
addition to, issuing an intra-day margin call depending on the amount 
of excess margin a clearing member has on deposit with OCC and the 
amount of the incremental risk presented by such clearing member. OCC 
believes that the expansion of its intra-day margin call process as 
described in the preceding paragraph, including OCC's ability to 
manually increase clearing members' margin requirements, will mitigate 
the risk that OCC is under-collateralized as a result of overnight 
trading hours.
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    \13\ In addition, OCC Rule 601 provides OCC with the authority 
to fix the margin requirement for any account or any class of 
cleared contracts at such amount as it deems necessary or 
appropriate under the circumstances to protect the respective 
interests of clearing members, OCC and the public.
    \14\ Clearing members frequently deposit margin at OCC in excess 
of requirements.
    \15\ Clearing members will be able to substitute the locked-up 
collateral during normal time frames (i.e., 6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 
(Central Time) for equity securities).
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    Moreover, a designated executive officer may call an exchange 
offering overnight trading sessions to invoke the use of its kill 
switch. The kill switch prevents a clearing member (or the market 
participant clearing through a clearing member) from executing trades 
on the exchange during a given overnight trading session or, if needed, 
stop all trading during a given overnight trading session. Finally, 
pursuant to OCC Rule 305, the Executive Chairman or the President of 
OCC, in certain situations, has the authority to impose limitations and 
restrictions on the transactions, positions and activities of a 
clearing member. This authority will be used, as needed, in the event a 
clearing member accumulates significant credit risk during overnight 
trading sessions, or a clearing member's activities during such trading 
sessions otherwise warrant OCC taking protective action.

Rule Enforcement Actions

    In order to deter clearing members from attempting to participate 
in overnight trading sessions without authorization as well as 
appropriately enforce the above described processes, OCC will ensure 
that any attempt by a clearing member to participate in overnight 
trading sessions without first obtaining the necessary approval will 
result in the initiation of a rule enforcement action against such 
clearing member. As described above, clearing members not approved for 
overnight trading sessions that trade during such overnight sessions 
will have their trades reviewed by OCC staff. Clearing members that 
attempt to participate in overnight trading sessions but not obtain the 
necessary approval to do so will be subject to a minor rule violation 
fine.\16\ In addition, if a clearing member's operational or risk 
contacts for overnight trading sessions were unavailable had OCC 
attempted to contact such individuals, the clearing member will be 
subject to a minor rule violation fine. OCC has existing processes in 
place to monitor for clearing member violations of OCC's rules and such 
processes will also apply to clearing member activity during overnight 
trading sessions.
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    \16\ See OCC Rule 1201(b).
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II. Discussion and Commission Findings

    Section 19(b)(2)(C) of the Act \17\ directs the Commission to 
approve a proposed rule change of a self-regulatory organization if it 
finds that the proposed rule change is consistent with the requirements 
of the Act and the rules and regulations thereunder applicable to such 
organization.
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    \17\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2)(C).
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    The Commission finds that the proposed rule change is consistent 
with Section 17A(b)(3)(F) of the Act,\18\ which requires, among other 
things, that the rules of a clearing agency are designed to assure the 
safeguarding of securities and funds which are in the custody or 
control of the clearing agency or for which it is responsible. Although 
clearing transactions executed in overnight trading sessions may 
present additional risk to OCC and the markets in general, OCC's 
proposal is designed to monitor and mitigate these risks and thus 
assure the safeguarding of securities and funds which are in OCC's 
custody or control or for which it is responsible.
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    \18\ 15 U.S.C. 78q-1(b)(3)(F).
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    By limiting the product set eligible for overnight trading sessions 
to index options and index futures products and by instituting 
qualification criteria for determining whether to provide clearing 
services for overnight trading sessions offered by a particular 
exchange, OCC should be able to better assure the safeguarding of 
securities and funds which are in its custody or control. In addition, 
in order to address the risks associated with extended trading hours, 
including those associated with OCC and clearing members' inability to 
transfer funds to satisfy margin during overnight hours, OCC's proposed 
framework, which includes a number of mechanisms designed to further 
control the risks and safeguard securities and funds, should also 
facilitate the safeguarding of securities and funds. These mechanisms 
include (i) clearing member qualification criteria; (ii) systemic 
controls to identify trades executed by clearing members not approved 
for overnight trading; (iii) enhancements to OCC's overnight monitoring 
of trades submitted by exchanges during overnight trading sessions; 
(iv) enhancements to OCC's credit controls with respect to monitoring 
clearing members' credit risk during overnight trading sessions; and 
(v) disciplinary actions for unapproved clearing members who

[[Page 8921]]

attempt to clear during overnight trading sessions.
    In particular, OCC's overnight monitoring and escalation mechanism, 
which includes the ability for OCC to require additional intra-day 
margin, increase a clearing member's margin requirement, invoke an 
exchange's kill switch, or use any combination thereof, should provide 
OCC with the necessary mechanisms to ensure securities and funds which 
are in its custody or control. The obligation for OCC and clearing 
members to maintain and enforce adequate staffing by employing the use 
of a designated an on-call Market Risk duty officer should also help 
assure that clearing activities and margin levels are being adequately 
monitoring during the overnight trading hours, which in turn should 
facilitate the safeguarding of securities and funds which are in the 
custody or control of OCC or for which it is responsible.

III. Conclusion

    On the basis of the foregoing, the Commission finds that the 
proposal is consistent with the requirements of the Act and in 
particular with the requirements of Section 17A of the Act \19\ and the 
rules and regulations thereunder.
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    \19\ In approving this proposed rule change, the Commission has 
considered the proposed rule's impact on efficiency, competition, 
and capital formation. See 15 U.S.C. 78c(f).
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    It is therefore ordered, pursuant to Section 19(b)(2) of the 
Act,\20\ that the proposed rule change (SR-OCC-2014-24) be, and it 
hereby is, approved.
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    \20\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2).

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\21\
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    \21\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Brent J. Fields,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2015-03403 Filed 2-18-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P



                                                                                Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 33 / Thursday, February 19, 2015 / Notices                                                    8917

                                                venues if they deem fee structures to be                  submission, all subsequent                            published for comment in the Federal
                                                unreasonable or excessive.                                amendments, all written statements                    Register on December 30, 2014.3 The
                                                                                                          with respect to the proposed rule                     Commission did not receive any
                                                C. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
                                                                                                          change that are filed with the                        comments on the proposed rule change.
                                                Statement on Comments on the
                                                                                                          Commission, and all written                           This order approves the proposed rule
                                                Proposed Rule Change Received From
                                                                                                          communications relating to the                        change.
                                                Members, Participants, or Others
                                                                                                          proposed rule change between the
                                                  The Exchange has not solicited, and                                                                           I. Description
                                                                                                          Commission and any person, other than
                                                does not intend to solicit, comments on                   those that may be withheld from the                      This rule change was filed in
                                                this proposed rule change. The                            public in accordance with the                         connection with OCC’s proposed change
                                                Exchange has not received any written                     provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be                   to its operations concerning the
                                                comments from members or other                            available for Web site viewing and                    clearance of confirmed trades executed
                                                interested parties.                                       printing in the Commission’s Public                   in overnight trading sessions offered by
                                                                                                          Reference Room, 100 F Street NE.,                     exchanges for which OCC provides
                                                III. Date of Effectiveness of the                                                                               clearance and settlement services. OCC
                                                Proposed Rule Change and Timing for                       Washington, DC 20549, on official
                                                                                                          business days between the hours of                    currently clears overnight trading
                                                Commission Action                                                                                               activity for CBOE Futures Exchange,
                                                                                                          10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Copies of such
                                                   The foregoing rule change has become                   filing also will be available for                     LLC (‘‘CFE’’).4 The total number of
                                                effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A)                 inspection and copying at the principal               trades submitted to OCC from overnight
                                                of the Act 8 and paragraph (f)(2) of Rule                 office of the Exchange. All comments                  trading sessions is nominal, typically
                                                19b–4 thereunder.9 At any time within                     received will be posted without change;               less than 3,000 contracts per session.
                                                60 days of the filing of the proposed rule                the Commission does not edit personal                 However, OCC has recently observed an
                                                change, the Commission summarily may                      identifying information from                          industry trend whereby exchanges are
                                                temporarily suspend such rule change if                   submissions. You should submit only                   offering overnight trading sessions
                                                it appears to the Commission that such                    information that you wish to make                     beyond traditional hours. Exchanges
                                                action is necessary or appropriate in the                 available publicly. All submissions                   offering overnight trading sessions have
                                                public interest, for the protection of                    should refer to File Number SR–BYX–                   indicated to OCC that such sessions
                                                investors, or otherwise in furtherance of                 2015–08 and should be submitted on or                 benefit market participants by providing
                                                the purposes of the Act. If the                           before March 12, 2015.                                additional price transparency and
                                                Commission takes such action, the                                                                               hedging opportunities for products
                                                                                                            For the Commission, by the Division of              traded in such sessions, which, in turn,
                                                Commission shall institute proceedings                    Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated
                                                to determine whether the proposed rule                                                                          promotes market stability.5 In light of
                                                                                                          authority.10
                                                should be approved or disapproved.                                                                              this trend, OCC proposed to implement
                                                                                                          Brent J. Fields,
                                                                                                                                                                a framework for clearing trades executed
                                                IV. Solicitation of Comments                              Secretary.                                            in such sessions that includes: (1)
                                                  Interested persons are invited to                       [FR Doc. 2015–03401 Filed 2–18–15; 8:45 am]           Qualification criteria used to approve
                                                submit written data, views and                            BILLING CODE 8011–01–P                                clearing members for overnight trading
                                                arguments concerning the foregoing,                                                                             sessions, (2) systemic controls to
                                                including whether the proposed rule                                                                             identify trades executed during
                                                change is consistent with the Act.                        SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE                               overnight trading sessions by clearing
                                                Comments may be submitted by any of                       COMMISSION                                            members not approved for such
                                                the following methods:                                    [Release No. 34–74268; File No. SR–OCC–               sessions, (3) enhancements to OCC’s
                                                                                                          2014–24]                                              overnight monitoring of trades
                                                Electronic Comments                                                                                             submitted by exchanges during
                                                  • Use the Commission’s Internet                         Self-Regulatory Organizations; The                    overnight trading sessions, (4)
                                                comment form (http://www.sec.gov/                         Options Clearing Corporation; Order                   enhancements to OCC’s credit controls
                                                rules/sro.shtml); or                                      Approving Proposed Rule Change                        with respect to monitoring clearing
                                                  • Send an email to rule-comments@                       Concerning Extended and Overnight                     members’ credit risk during overnight
                                                sec.gov. Please include File Number SR–                   Trading Sessions                                      trading sessions, including procedures
                                                BYX–2015–08 on the subject line.                                                                                for contacting an exchange offering
                                                                                                          February 12, 2015.
                                                                                                                                                                overnight trading sessions in order to
                                                Paper Comments                                               On December 12, 2014, The Options
                                                                                                                                                                invoke use of the exchange’s kill switch,
                                                  • Send paper comments in triplicate                     Clearing Corporation (‘‘OCC’’) filed with
                                                                                                                                                                and (5) taking appropriate disciplinary
                                                to Secretary, Securities and Exchange                     the Securities and Exchange
                                                                                                                                                                action against clearing members who
                                                Commission, 100 F Street NE.,                             Commission (‘‘Commission’’) the                       attempt to clear during the overnight
                                                Washington, DC 20549–1090.                                proposed rule change SR–OCC–2014–24                   trading sessions without first obtaining
                                                                                                          pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the                   requisite approvals. These changes
                                                All submissions should refer to File
                                                                                                          Securities Exchange Act of 1934                       (described in greater detail below) are
                                                Number SR–BYX–2015–08. This file
                                                                                                          (‘‘Act’’) 1 and Rule 19b–4 thereunder.2               designed to reduce and mitigate the
                                                number should be included on the
                                                                                                          The proposed rule change was
                                                subject line if email is used. To help the
                                                                                                                                                                   3 Securities Exchange Act Release No. 73907
                                                Commission process and review your                          10 17 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).
emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                                                                                                                                (December 22, 2014), 79 FR 78543 (December 30,
                                                comments more efficiently, please use                       1 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
                                                                                                                                                                2014) (SR–OCC–2014–24).
                                                only one method. The Commission will                        2 17 CFR 240.19b–4. OCC also filed this change         4 ELX Futures LP (‘‘ELX’’) previously submitted
                                                post all comments on the Commission’s                     as an advance notice under Section 806(e)(1) of the   overnight trading activity to OCC, but currently
                                                Internet Web site (http://www.sec.gov/                    Payment, Clearing, and Settlement Supervision Act     does not submit trades from overnight trading
                                                                                                          of 2010. 12 U.S.C. 5465(e)(1). Securities Exchange    sessions to OCC. OCC will re-evaluate ELX’s risk
                                                rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the                           Act Release No. 74073 (January 15, 2015), 80 FR       controls in the event ELX re-institutes its overnight
                                                                                                          3287 (January 22, 2014) (SR–OCC–2014–812). The        trading sessions.
                                                  8 15   U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).                             Commission did not receive any comments on the           5 See CFE–2014–010 at http://cfe.cboe.com/
                                                  9 17   CFR 240.19b–4(f)(2).                             advance notice.                                       publish/CFErulefilings/SR-CFE-2014-010.pdf.



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                                                8918                        Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 33 / Thursday, February 19, 2015 / Notices

                                                risks associated with clearing trades                   members participating in an overnight                  trading sessions against clearing
                                                executed in overnight trading sessions.                 trading session post additional margin                 members eligible to participate in
                                                In addition, the only products that will                in a designated account in order to                    overnight trading sessions. Clearing
                                                be eligible for clearing in the overnight               mitigate the risk that OCC cannot draft                members that do not have sufficient
                                                trading sessions are index options and                  a clearing member’s bank account                       excess margin on deposit with OCC to
                                                index futures products.                                 during an overnight trading session.7                  meet the Additional Margin amount will
                                                   OCC’s framework for determining                      OCC also will adopt a procedure                        be required to deposit additional funds
                                                whether to provide clearing services for                whereby, on a quarterly basis, it                      with OCC to satisfy the Additional
                                                overnight trading sessions offered by an                confirms its record of clearing members                Margin requirement.9 This process will
                                                exchange is designed to work in                         eligible for overnight trading sessions                be adopted under existing rule
                                                conjunction with the risk controls of the               with a similar record maintained by                    authority.
                                                exchange that offers overnight trading                  exchanges offering such overnight                         Moreover, OCC also will confirm that
                                                sessions. OCC will confirm an                           trading sessions.                                      an exchange offering overnight trading
                                                exchange’s risk controls as well as its                    With respect to providing operational               sessions has adopted a procedure
                                                staffing levels as they relate to overnight             and risk contacts, under OCC Rule 201,                 whereby such exchange would contact
                                                trading sessions to determine if OCC                    each clearing member is required to                    OCC when a trader requests trading
                                                may reasonably rely on such risk                        maintain facilities for conducting                     privileges during overnight trading
                                                controls to the reduce risk presented to                business with OCC and to have a                        sessions. The purpose of this contact is
                                                OCC by the exchange’s overnight                         representative authorized in the name of               to verify that the trader’s clearing firm
                                                trading sessions. Such exchange risk                    the clearing member to take all action                 (i.e., the OCC clearing member) is
                                                controls will consist of: (1) Price                     necessary for conducting business with                 approved for overnight trading sessions.
                                                reasonability checks; (2) controls to                   OCC be available at the facility during                If the applicable OCC clearing member
                                                prevent orders from being executed                      such hours as may be specified from                    is not approved for overnight trading
                                                beyond a certain percentage                             time-to-time by OCC. Similarly, OCC                    sessions, then the clearing member must
                                                (determined by the exchange) from the                   Rules 214(c) and (d) require clearing                  receive OCC’s approval for overnight
                                                initial execution price; (3) activity based             members to ensure that they have the                   trading sessions, or the exchange will
                                                protections which focus on risk beyond                  appropriate number of qualified                        not provide the trader trading privileges
                                                price, such as a high number of trades                  personnel and to maintain the ability to               during overnight trading sessions.
                                                occurring in a set period of time; and (4)              process anticipated volumes and values                 Moreover, OCC will confirm that an
                                                kill switch capabilities, which may be                  of transactions. OCC will use this                     exchange offering overnight trading
                                                initiated by the exchange and can cancel                existing authority to require clearing                 sessions has implemented a procedure
                                                all open quotes or all orders of a                      members trading during overnight                       to periodically (i.e., quarterly) validate
                                                particular participant. OCC believes that               trading sessions to maintain operational               its record of approved clearing firms
                                                confirming the existence of applicable                  and risk staff that may be contacted by                against OCC’s record of clearing
                                                pre-trade risk controls as well as                      OCC during such sessions.                              members approved for overnight trading
                                                                                                           OCC will impose upon clearing                       sessions.10 Any discrepancies between
                                                overnight staffing at the relevant
                                                                                                        members qualified to participate in                    the two records will be promptly
                                                exchanges is essential to mitigating risks
                                                                                                        overnight trading sessions additional                  resolved by either the clearing member
                                                presented to OCC from overnight
                                                                                                        margin requirement in an amount of the                 obtaining approval from OCC for
                                                trading sessions.6 OCC believes that
                                                                                                        lesser of $10 million or 10% of the                    overnight trading sessions, or by the
                                                providing clearing services to exchanges
                                                                                                        clearing member’s net capital
                                                offering such sessions is consistent with                                                                      exchange revoking the clearing firm’s
                                                                                                        (‘‘Additional Margin’’), which will be
                                                OCC’s mission to provide market                                                                                trading privileges for overnight trading
                                                                                                        equal to the first monitoring risk
                                                participants with clearing and risk                                                                            sessions.
                                                                                                        threshold (described below) and which
                                                management solutions that respond to                    will be collected the morning before                   Systemic Controls
                                                changes in the marketplace.                             each overnight trading sessions.                         OCC will implement system changes
                                                Qualification Criteria                                  Clearing members must identify the                     so that trades submitted to OCC during
                                                                                                        proprietary account that would be                      overnight trading sessions that have
                                                   In order to mitigate risks associated
                                                                                                        charged the Additional Margin amount.                  been executed by clearing members not
                                                with clearing for overnight trading
                                                                                                        The Additional Margin requirement is                   approved for such trading sessions will
                                                sessions, clearing members that
                                                                                                        intended to provide OCC with                           be reviewed by OCC staff after
                                                participate in such trading sessions will               additional margin assets should a
                                                be required to provide contact                                                                                 acceptance but before being processed
                                                                                                        clearing member’s credit risk increase                 (each such trade being a ‘‘Reviewed
                                                information to OCC for operational and                  during overnight trading sessions.8 OCC
                                                risk personnel available to be contacted                                                                       Trade’’). OCC will contact the
                                                                                                        will adopt a process whereby each                      submitting exchange regarding each
                                                by OCC during such sessions. In                         morning OCC Financial Risk
                                                addition, OCC will require that clearing                                                                       Reviewed Trade in order to determine if
                                                                                                        Management staff will assess the                       the trade is a valid trade. If the exchange
                                                                                                        Additional Margin requirement prior to
                                                   6 Comparable controls are applied to futures and                                                            determines that the Reviewed Trade was
                                                future option trades executed in overnight trading      participating in any future overnight
                                                                                                                                                               in error such that, as provided in Article
                                                sessions currently cleared by OCC, although such
                                                controls have been implemented by clearing futures         7 Clearing members will be required to designate
                                                                                                                                                               VI, Section 7(c) of OCC’s By-laws, new
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                                                commission merchants (‘‘clearing FCMs’’) pursuant       a firm account to ensure that OCC has a general lien
                                                                                                                                                                  9 Under OCC Rule 601, OCC has the discretion to
                                                to Commodity Futures Trading Commission                 on the assets in the account and can use them to
                                                (‘‘CFTC’’) Regulation 1.73. This requires clearing      satisfy any obligation of the clearing member to       fix the margin requirement for any account at an
                                                FCMs to monitor for adherence to such controls          OCC.                                                   amount that it deems necessary or appropriate
                                                during regular and overnight trading sessions. Some        8 Clearing members approved for overnight           under the circumstances to protect the interests of
                                                of the risk control measures are similar to those       trading sessions who do not meet the Additional        clearing members, OCC and the public.
                                                proposed by OCC for use in clearing securities          Margin requirement for a given overnight trading          10 As discussed in more detail below, clearing

                                                trades in overnight trading sessions. For instance,     session will be treated like a clearing member not     members that attempt to participate in overnight
                                                OCC confirmed that CFE maintains kill switch            approved overnight trading sessions, as described      trading sessions without the necessary approval
                                                capabilities.                                           below.                                                 will be subject to a minor rule violation fine.



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                                                                            Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 33 / Thursday, February 19, 2015 / Notices                                            8919

                                                or revised trade information is required                exceedance in accordance with                            If any Credit Risk Number is $75
                                                to properly clear the transaction, OCC                  established procedures, as described                  million or more, or equals 50% or more
                                                expects the exchange would instruct                     below.                                                of the clearing member’s net capital,
                                                OCC to disregard or ‘‘bust’’ the trade. If                 Market Risk staff will follow a                    Operations staff will be required to
                                                the exchange determines that the                        standardized process concerning such                  contact, by telephone, Market Risk staff,
                                                Reviewed Trade was not in error, then                   exceedances, including escalation to                  the on-call Market Risk duty officer and
                                                OCC will clear the Reviewed Trade and                   OCC’s management, if required by such                 a designated executive officer. Such
                                                take appropriate disciplinary action                    process. Given the nominal volume of                  officer will be responsible for reviewing
                                                against the non-approved clearing                       trades executed in overnight trading                  the situation and determining whether
                                                member, as described below. OCC                         sessions that are presently submitted for             to implement credit controls, which are
                                                believes that clearing the Reviewed                     clearance, OCC does not contemplate                   described in greater detail below and
                                                Trade is appropriate in order to avoid                  changes in its current staffing levels that           include: Issuing an intra-day margin
                                                potentially harming the clearing                        support overnight clearing activities at              call, increasing a clearing member’s
                                                member approved for overnight trading                   this time, however, OCC will                          margin requirement in order to prevent
                                                sessions that is on the opposite side of                periodically assess and adjust such                   the withdrawal of a specified amount of
                                                the transaction.                                        staffing levels, as appropriate. As part of           excess margin collateral, if any, the
                                                                                                        the overnight clearing activities, OCC                clearing member has on deposit with
                                                Overnight Monitoring                                    has, however, designated an on-call                   OCC, whether further escalation is
                                                   OCC will implement additional                        Market Risk duty officer who would be                 warranted in order for OCC to take
                                                overnight monitoring in order to better                 responsible for reviewing issues that                 protective measures pursuant to OCC
                                                monitor clearing members’ credit risk                   arise when clearing for overnight                     Rule 305, or contact the exchange in
                                                during overnight trading sessions. Such                 trading session and determining what                  order to invoke use of its kill switch.
                                                monitoring of credit risk is similar to                 measures to be taken as well as                       OCC stated that it chose the above
                                                existing OCC practices concerning                       additional escalation, if necessary.                  described escalation thresholds based
                                                futures cleared during overnight trading                   With respect to OCC’s escalation                   on its analysis of historical overnight
                                                hours and includes automated processes                  thresholds, if any Credit Risk Number of              trading activity across the futures
                                                within OCC’s clearing ENCORE to                         a clearing member approved for                        industry. OCC believes that these
                                                measure, by clearing member: (i) The                    overnight trading sessions is $10 million             thresholds strike an appropriate balance
                                                aggregate mark-to-market amounts of a                   or more, or any Credit Risk Number                    between effective risk monitoring and
                                                clearing member’s positions, including                  equals 10% or more of the clearing                    operational efficiency.
                                                positions created during overnight                      member’s net capital, OCC’s Operations
                                                                                                        staff will be required to provide email               Credit Controls
                                                trading, based on current prices using
                                                OCC’s Portfolio Revaluation System; (ii)                notification to Market Risk and Member                   In order to address credit risk
                                                the aggregate incremental margin                        Services staff. If any Credit Risk Number             associated with trading during overnight
                                                produced by all positions resulting from                of a clearing member not approved for                 trading sessions, and as described
                                                transactions executed during overnight                  overnight trading sessions is $10 million             above, OCC will collect Additional
                                                trading; and (iii) with respect to options              or more, or any Credit Risk Number                    Margin from clearing members as well
                                                cleared during overnight trading hours,                 equals 10% or more of the clearing                    as monitor and analyze the impact that
                                                the aggregate net trade premium                         member’s net capital, OCC’s Operations                positions established during such
                                                positions resulting from trades executed                will also notify Market Risk and                      sessions have on a clearing member’s
                                                during overnight trading (each of these                 Member Services staff as well as its                  overall exposure. Should the need arise
                                                measures being a ‘‘Credit Risk                          senior management. Such departments                   based on threshold breaches described
                                                Number’’). Hourly credit reports would                  will take action to prevent additional                above, and pursuant to OCC Rule 609,
                                                be generated by ENCORE containing the                   trading by the non-approved clearing                  OCC may require the deposit of
                                                Credit Risk Numbers expressed in terms                  member, including contacting the                      additional margin (‘‘intra-day margin’’)
                                                of both dollars and, except for the mark-               exchange to invoke use of the                         by any clearing member that increases
                                                to-market position values, as a                         exchange’s kill switch.                               its incremental risk as a result of trading
                                                percentage of net capital for each                         If any Credit Risk Number of a                     activity during overnight trading
                                                clearing member trading during                          clearing member approved for overnight                sessions. Accordingly, a clearing
                                                overnight trading sessions. The Credit                  trading sessions is $50 million or more,              member’s positions established during
                                                Risk Numbers are the same information                   or equals 25% or more of the clearing                 such sessions will be incorporated into
                                                used by OCC staff to evaluate clearing                  member’s net capital, Operations staff                OCC’s intra-day margin process.
                                                member exposure during regular trading                  will be required to contact, by                       Further, if a clearing member’s exposure
                                                hours and, in addition to OCC’s                         telephone: (i) Market Risk and Member                 significantly increases during a time
                                                knowledge of its clearing members’                      Services, (ii) the applicable exchange for            when settlement banks are not open to
                                                businesses, are effective measures of the               secondary review, and (iii) the clearing              process an intra-day margin call, OCC
                                                risk presented to OCC by each clearing                  member’s designated contacts. The on-                 will use its current authority under OCC
                                                member. OCC’s Operations staff will                     call Market Risk duty officer also will               Rule 601 to increase a clearing
                                                review such reports as they are                         consider if additional action is                      member’s margin requirement, which
                                                generated and, in the event that any of                 necessary, which may include                          will restrict the clearing member’s
                                                the Credit Risk Numbers for positions                   contacting a designated executive officer             ability to withdraw excess margin
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                                                established by a clearing member during                 in order to issue an intra-day margin                 collateral. The implementation of these
                                                an overnight trading session exceed                     call, increase the clearing member’s                  measures is discussed more fully below.
                                                established thresholds, staff will alert                margin requirement in order to prevent                   In the event that a clearing member’s
                                                OCC’s Market Risk staff 11 of the                       the withdrawal of a specified amount of               exposure during overnight trading
                                                                                                        excess margin collateral, if any, the                 sessions causes a clearing member to
                                                  11 OCC’s Member Services staff will also receive      clearing member has on deposit with                   exceed OCC’s intra-day margin call
                                                alerts in order to contact clearing members as may      OCC or contacting the exchange in order               threshold for overnight trading sessions,
                                                be necessary.                                           to invoke the use of its kill switch.                 OCC will require the clearing member to


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                                                8920                        Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 33 / Thursday, February 19, 2015 / Notices

                                                deposit intra-day margin equal to the                   incremental risk presented by such                      to clearing member activity during
                                                increased incremental risk presented by                 clearing member. OCC believes that the                  overnight trading sessions.
                                                the clearing member. Specifically, if a                 expansion of its intra-day margin call                  II. Discussion and Commission
                                                clearing member has a total risk                        process as described in the preceding                   Findings
                                                charge 12 exceeding 25% (a reduction of                 paragraph, including OCC’s ability to
                                                the usual figure of 50%), as computed                   manually increase clearing members’                        Section 19(b)(2)(C) of the Act 17
                                                overnight by OCC’s STANS system, and                    margin requirements, will mitigate the                  directs the Commission to approve a
                                                a loss of greater than $50,000 from an                  risk that OCC is under-collateralized as                proposed rule change of a self-
                                                overnight trading session(s), as                        a result of overnight trading hours.                    regulatory organization if it finds that
                                                computed by Portfolio Revaluation,                                                                              the proposed rule change is consistent
                                                                                                           Moreover, a designated executive                     with the requirements of the Act and the
                                                OCC will initiate an intra-day margin
                                                                                                        officer may call an exchange offering                   rules and regulations thereunder
                                                call. OCC will know at approximately
                                                                                                        overnight trading sessions to invoke the                applicable to such organization.
                                                8:30 a.m. (Central Time) if an intra-day
                                                margin call on a clearing member will                   use of its kill switch. The kill switch                    The Commission finds that the
                                                be initiated based on breaches of these                 prevents a clearing member (or the                      proposed rule change is consistent with
                                                thresholds. This ‘‘start of business’’                  market participant clearing through a                   Section 17A(b)(3)(F) of the Act,18 which
                                                margin call is in addition to daily                     clearing member) from executing trades                  requires, among other things, that the
                                                margin OCC collects from clearing                       on the exchange during a given                          rules of a clearing agency are designed
                                                members pursuant to OCC Rule 605, any                   overnight trading session or, if needed,                to assure the safeguarding of securities
                                                intra-day margin call that OCC may                      stop all trading during a given overnight               and funds which are in the custody or
                                                initiate as a result of regular trading                 trading session. Finally, pursuant to                   control of the clearing agency or for
                                                sessions or special margin call that OCC                OCC Rule 305, the Executive Chairman                    which it is responsible. Although
                                                may initiate.                                           or the President of OCC, in certain                     clearing transactions executed in
                                                   In addition to, or instead of, requiring             situations, has the authority to impose                 overnight trading sessions may present
                                                additional intra-day margin, OCC Rule                   limitations and restrictions on the                     additional risk to OCC and the markets
                                                601 13 and OCC’s Clearing Member                        transactions, positions and activities of               in general, OCC’s proposal is designed
                                                Margin Call Policy will work together to                a clearing member. This authority will                  to monitor and mitigate these risks and
                                                authorize Market Risk staff to increase a               be used, as needed, in the event a                      thus assure the safeguarding of
                                                clearing member’s margin requirement                    clearing member accumulates                             securities and funds which are in OCC’s
                                                which may be in an amount equal to an                   significant credit risk during overnight                custody or control or for which it is
                                                intra-day margin call.14 (Any increased                 trading sessions, or a clearing member’s                responsible.
                                                margin requirement will remain in                       activities during such trading sessions                    By limiting the product set eligible for
                                                effect until the next business day.) This               otherwise warrant OCC taking                            overnight trading sessions to index
                                                action will immediately prevent                         protective action.                                      options and index futures products and
                                                clearing members from withdrawing any                                                                           by instituting qualification criteria for
                                                excess margin collateral (in the amount                 Rule Enforcement Actions                                determining whether to provide clearing
                                                of the increased margin requirement)                                                                            services for overnight trading sessions
                                                                                                           In order to deter clearing members                   offered by a particular exchange, OCC
                                                the clearing member has deposited with                  from attempting to participate in
                                                OCC. With respect to clearing trades                                                                            should be able to better assure the
                                                                                                        overnight trading sessions without                      safeguarding of securities and funds
                                                executed in overnight trading sessions,                 authorization as well as appropriately
                                                and in the event OCC requires                                                                                   which are in its custody or control. In
                                                                                                        enforce the above described processes,                  addition, in order to address the risks
                                                additional margin from a clearing
                                                                                                        OCC will ensure that any attempt by a                   associated with extended trading hours,
                                                member, Market Risk staff may use
                                                                                                        clearing member to participate in                       including those associated with OCC
                                                increased margin requirements as a
                                                                                                        overnight trading sessions without first                and clearing members’ inability to
                                                means of collateralizing the increase in
                                                                                                        obtaining the necessary approval will                   transfer funds to satisfy margin during
                                                incremental risk a clearing member
                                                                                                        result in the initiation of a rule                      overnight hours, OCC’s proposed
                                                incurred during such sessions without
                                                having to wait for banks to open to                     enforcement action against such                         framework, which includes a number of
                                                process an intra-day margin call.15 Such                clearing member. As described above,                    mechanisms designed to further control
                                                action may be taken by OCC instead of,                  clearing members not approved for                       the risks and safeguard securities and
                                                or in addition to, issuing an intra-day                 overnight trading sessions that trade                   funds, should also facilitate the
                                                margin call depending on the amount of                  during such overnight sessions will                     safeguarding of securities and funds.
                                                excess margin a clearing member has on                  have their trades reviewed by OCC staff.                These mechanisms include (i) clearing
                                                deposit with OCC and the amount of the                  Clearing members that attempt to                        member qualification criteria; (ii)
                                                                                                        participate in overnight trading sessions               systemic controls to identify trades
                                                  12 Total risk charge is a number derived from         but not obtain the necessary approval to                executed by clearing members not
                                                STANS outputs and is the sum of expected                do so will be subject to a minor rule                   approved for overnight trading; (iii)
                                                shortfall, stress test charges and any add-on charges   violation fine.16 In addition, if a clearing
                                                computed by STANS. STANS is OCC’s proprietary                                                                   enhancements to OCC’s overnight
                                                margin methodology.
                                                                                                        member’s operational or risk contacts                   monitoring of trades submitted by
                                                  13 In addition, OCC Rule 601 provides OCC with        for overnight trading sessions were                     exchanges during overnight trading
                                                the authority to fix the margin requirement for any     unavailable had OCC attempted to                        sessions; (iv) enhancements to OCC’s
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                                                account or any class of cleared contracts at such       contact such individuals, the clearing
                                                amount as it deems necessary or appropriate under                                                               credit controls with respect to
                                                the circumstances to protect the respective interests
                                                                                                        member will be subject to a minor rule                  monitoring clearing members’ credit
                                                of clearing members, OCC and the public.                violation fine. OCC has existing                        risk during overnight trading sessions;
                                                  14 Clearing members frequently deposit margin at      processes in place to monitor for                       and (v) disciplinary actions for
                                                OCC in excess of requirements.                          clearing member violations of OCC’s
                                                  15 Clearing members will be able to substitute the
                                                                                                                                                                unapproved clearing members who
                                                                                                        rules and such processes will also apply
                                                locked-up collateral during normal time frames (i.e.,
                                                                                                                                                                  17 15   U.S.C. 78s(b)(2)(C).
                                                6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Central Time) for equity
                                                securities).                                              16 See   OCC Rule 1201(b).                              18 15   U.S.C. 78q–1(b)(3)(F).



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                                                                            Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 33 / Thursday, February 19, 2015 / Notices                                                 8921

                                                attempt to clear during overnight                       October 1, 1999, Delegation of Authority              included in the exhibition ‘‘Ships,
                                                trading sessions.                                       No. 236–3 of August 28, 2000 (and, as                 Clocks & Stars: The Quest for
                                                   In particular, OCC’s overnight                       appropriate, Delegation of Authority No.              Longitude,’’ imported from abroad for
                                                monitoring and escalation mechanism,                    257 of April 15, 2003), I hereby                      temporary exhibition within the United
                                                which includes the ability for OCC to                   determine that the object to be included              States, are of cultural significance. The
                                                require additional intra-day margin,                    in the exhibition ‘‘International Pop,’’              objects are imported pursuant to loan
                                                increase a clearing member’s margin                     imported from abroad for temporary                    agreements with the foreign owners or
                                                requirement, invoke an exchange’s kill                  exhibition within the United States, is               custodians. I also determine that the
                                                switch, or use any combination thereof,                 of cultural significance. The object is               exhibition or display of the exhibit
                                                should provide OCC with the necessary                   imported pursuant to a loan agreement                 objects at the Folger Shakespeare
                                                mechanisms to ensure securities and                     with the foreign owner or custodian. I                Library, Washington, DC, from on or
                                                funds which are in its custody or                       also determine that the exhibition or                 about March 16, 2015, until on or about
                                                control. The obligation for OCC and                     display of the exhibit object at the                  August 23, 2015, the Mystic Seaport
                                                clearing members to maintain and                        Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, MN,                   Museum, Mystic, Connecticut, from on
                                                enforce adequate staffing by employing                  from on or about April 11, 2015, until                or about September 14, 2015, until on or
                                                the use of a designated an on-call                      on or about September 6, 2015, at the                 about March 28, 2016, and at possible
                                                Market Risk duty officer should also                    Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas, TX, from                additional exhibitions or venues yet to
                                                help assure that clearing activities and                on or about October 11, 2015, until on                be determined, is in the national
                                                margin levels are being adequately                      or about January 17, 2016, at the                     interest. I have ordered that Public
                                                monitoring during the overnight trading                 Philadelphia Museum of Art,                           Notice of these Determinations be
                                                hours, which in turn should facilitate                  Philadelphia, PA, from on or about                    published in the Federal Register.
                                                the safeguarding of securities and funds                February 18, 2016, until on or about                  FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
                                                which are in the custody or control of                  May 15, 2016, and at possible additional              further information, including a list of
                                                OCC or for which it is responsible.                     exhibitions or venues yet to be                       the imported objects, contact Paul W.
                                                III. Conclusion                                         determined, is in the national interest.              Manning, Attorney-Adviser, Office of
                                                                                                        I have ordered that Public Notice of                  the Legal Adviser, U.S. Department of
                                                   On the basis of the foregoing, the                   these Determinations be published in                  State (telephone: 202–632–6469). The
                                                Commission finds that the proposal is                   the Federal Register.                                 mailing address is U.S. Department of
                                                consistent with the requirements of the                 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For                  State, SA–5, L/PD, Fifth Floor (Suite
                                                Act and in particular with the                          further information, including the object             5H03), Washington, DC 20522–0505.
                                                requirements of Section 17A of the                      list, contact Julie Simpson, Attorney-
                                                Act 19 and the rules and regulations                                                                             Dated: February 11, 2015.
                                                                                                        Adviser, Office of the Legal Adviser,                 Kelly Keiderling,
                                                thereunder.                                             U.S. Department of State (telephone:
                                                   It is therefore ordered, pursuant to                                                                       Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau
                                                                                                        202–632–6467). The mailing address is                 of Educational and Cultural Affairs,
                                                Section 19(b)(2) of the Act,20 that the                 U.S. Department of State, SA–5, L/PD,
                                                proposed rule change (SR–OCC–2014–                                                                            Department of State.
                                                                                                        Fifth Floor (Suite 5H03), Washington,                 [FR Doc. 2015–03497 Filed 2–18–15; 8:45 am]
                                                24) be, and it hereby is, approved.                     DC 20522–0505.
                                                                                                                                                              BILLING CODE 4710–05–P
                                                  For the Commission, by the Division of
                                                                                                           Dated: February 11, 2015.
                                                Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated
                                                authority.21                                            Kelly Keiderling,
                                                                                                        Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau          DEPARTMENT OF STATE
                                                Brent J. Fields,
                                                                                                        of Educational and Cultural Affairs,                  [Public Notice 9041]
                                                Secretary.
                                                                                                        Department of State.
                                                [FR Doc. 2015–03403 Filed 2–18–15; 8:45 am]
                                                                                                        [FR Doc. 2015–03498 Filed 2–18–15; 8:45 am]           Culturally Significant Objects Imported
                                                BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
                                                                                                        BILLING CODE 4710–05–P                                for Exhibition Determinations:
                                                                                                                                                              ‘‘Sultans of Deccan India, 1500–1700:
                                                                                                                                                              Opulence and Fantasy’’
                                                DEPARTMENT OF STATE                                     DEPARTMENT OF STATE
                                                                                                                                                              SUMMARY:   Notice is hereby given of the
                                                [Public Notice 9043]                                    [Public Notice 9042]                                  following determinations: Pursuant to
                                                Culturally Significant Object Imported                                                                        the authority vested in me by the Act of
                                                                                                        Culturally Significant Objects Imported
                                                for Exhibition Determinations:                                                                                October 19, 1965 (79 Stat. 985; 22 U.S.C.
                                                                                                        for Exhibition Determinations: ‘‘Ships,
                                                ‘‘International Pop’’ Exhibition                                                                              2459), Executive Order 12047 of March
                                                                                                        Clocks & Stars: The Quest for
                                                                                                                                                              27, 1978, the Foreign Affairs Reform and
                                                SUMMARY:   Notice is hereby given of the                Longitude’’
                                                                                                                                                              Restructuring Act of 1998 (112 Stat.
                                                following determinations: Pursuant to                   SUMMARY:   Notice is hereby given of the              2681, et seq.; 22 U.S.C. 6501 note, et
                                                the authority vested in me by the Act of                following determinations: Pursuant to                 seq.), Delegation of Authority No. 234 of
                                                October 19, 1965 (79 Stat. 985; 22 U.S.C.               the authority vested in me by the Act of              October 1, 1999, and Delegation of
                                                2459), Executive Order 12047 of March                   October 19, 1965 (79 Stat. 985; 22 U.S.C.             Authority No. 236–3 of August 28, 2000
                                                27, 1978, the Foreign Affairs Reform and                2459), Executive Order 12047 of March                 (and, as appropriate, Delegation of
                                                Restructuring Act of 1998 (112 Stat.                    27, 1978, the Foreign Affairs Reform and              Authority No. 257 of April 15, 2003), I
emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                2681, et seq.; 22 U.S.C. 6501 note, et                  Restructuring Act of 1998 (112 Stat.                  hereby determine that the objects to be
                                                seq.), Delegation of Authority No. 234 of               2681, et seq.; 22 U.S.C. 6501 note, et                included in the exhibition ‘‘Sultans of
                                                                                                        seq.), Delegation of Authority No. 234 of             Deccan India, 1500–1700: Opulence and
                                                  19 In approving this proposed rule change, the
                                                                                                        October 1, 1999, and Delegation of                    Fantasy,’’ imported from abroad for
                                                Commission has considered the proposed rule’s
                                                impact on efficiency, competition, and capital
                                                                                                        Authority No. 236–3 of August 28, 2000                temporary exhibition within the United
                                                formation. See 15 U.S.C. 78c(f).                        (and, as appropriate, Delegation of                   States, are of cultural significance. The
                                                  20 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2).                               Authority No. 257 of April 15, 2003), I               objects are imported pursuant to a loan
                                                  21 17 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).                            hereby determine that the objects to be               agreement with the foreign owner or


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Document Created: 2018-02-16 11:12:26
Document Modified: 2018-02-16 11:12:26
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 8917 

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