81_FR_63430 81 FR 63252 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; International Securities Exchange, LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change To Add Specificity to the Definition of a Professional in the Exchange's Rules

81 FR 63252 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; International Securities Exchange, LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change To Add Specificity to the Definition of a Professional in the Exchange's Rules

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 178 (September 14, 2016)

Page Range63252-63257
FR Document2016-22029

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 178 (Wednesday, September 14, 2016)
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 178 (Wednesday, September 14, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63252-63257]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-22029]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-78788; File No. SR-ISE-2016-19]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; International Securities Exchange, 
LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule 
Change To Add Specificity to the Definition of a Professional in the 
Exchange's Rules

September 8, 2016.
    Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 
(``Act''),\1\ and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,\2\ notice is hereby given that 
on August 30, 2016, the International Securities Exchange, LLC (``ISE'' 
or ``Exchange'') filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission 
(``SEC'' or ``Commission'') the proposed rule change as described in 
Items I, II, and III, below, which Items have been prepared by the 
Exchange. The Commission is publishing this notice to solicit comments 
on the proposed rule change from interested persons.
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    \1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
    \2\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4.
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I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of the 
Substance of the Proposed Rule Change

    The Exchange proposes to amend Exchange Rule 100(a)(37C) 
(Definitions) to add specificity to the definition of a Professional 
with respect to the manner in which the volume threshold will be 
calculated by the Exchange.
    The text of the proposed rule change is available on the Exchange's 
Web site at www.ise.com, at the principal office

[[Page 63253]]

of the Exchange, and at the Commission's Public Reference Room.

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

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

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

1. Purpose
    The Exchange proposes to amend the definition of ``Professional'' 
in Rule 100(a)(37C) to specify the manner in which the Exchange 
calculates orders to determine if an order should be treated as 
Professional Order.
Background
    Exchange Rule 100(a)(37C) currently states, that the term 
Professional Order means an order that is for the account of a person 
or entity that is not a Priority Customer. A Priority Customer means a 
person or entity that (i) is not a broker or dealer in securities, and 
(ii) does not place more than 390 orders in listed options per day on 
average during a calendar month for its own beneficial account(s).\3\ 
In order to properly represent orders entered on the Exchange, members 
are required to indicate whether orders are ``Professional Orders.'' To 
comply with this requirement, members are required to review their 
Priority Customers' activity on at least a quarterly basis to determine 
whether orders that are not for the account of a broker-dealer should 
be represented as Priority Customer Orders or Professional Orders.\4\
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    \3\ Rule 100(a)(37A).
    \4\ Orders for any customer that had an average of more than 390 
orders per day during any month of a calendar quarter must be 
represented as Professional Orders for the next calendar quarter. 
Members will be required to conduct a quarterly review and make any 
appropriate changes to the way in which they are representing orders 
within five days after the end of each calendar quarter. While 
Members only will be required to review their accounts on a 
quarterly basis, if during a quarter the Exchange identifies a 
customer for which orders are being represented as Priority Customer 
Orders but that has averaged more than 390 orders per day during a 
month, the Exchange will notify the Member and the Member will be 
required to change the manner in which it is representing the 
customer's orders within five days. See Securities Exchange Act 
Release No. 57254 (February 1, 2008), 73 FR 7345 (February 7, 2008) 
(SR-ISE-2006-26).
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    The Exchange accepts orders routed from other markets that are 
marked Professional Orders. The designation of Professional Order does 
not result in any different treatment of such orders for purposes of 
Exchange rules concerning away market protection. That is, all non-
broker or dealer orders, including those that meet the definition of 
Professional Orders, are treated equally for purposes of Exchange away 
market protection rules.\5\ The Exchange continues to believe that 
identifying Professional Orders based upon the average number of orders 
entered in qualified accounts is an appropriately objective approach to 
reasonably distinguish such persons and entities from retail investors 
or market participants.
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    \5\ See Exchange Rules 1901, 1902 and 1903.
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Proposal
    The Exchange proposes to count each Professional Order, regardless 
of the options exchange to which the order was routed in determining 
Professional Orders.\6\
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    \6\ All order types count toward the 390 orders on average per 
day.
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Cancel and Replace
    A cancel and replace order is a type of order that replaces a prior 
order. The Exchange believes that the second order (the replacement 
order) should be counted as a new order. Complex Orders \7\ consisting 
of eight legs or fewer will be counted as a single order, and with 
Complex Orders of nine options \8\ legs or more, each leg will count as 
a separate order. With respect to ``single-strike algorithms,'' which 
are a series of cancel and replace orders in an individual strike which 
track the Best Bid and Offer (``BBO'') or National Best Bid and Offer 
(``NBBO''), these orders shall be counted as new orders.\9\ The 
Exchange believes that because the Priority Customer is specifically 
instructing the executing broker in the ``single-strike algorithm'' 
scenario to cancel and replace these orders, that this type of activity 
is akin to market making in a Priority Customer account and should be 
counted, as a new order.
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    \7\ A Complex Order is any order involving the simultaneous 
purchase and/or sale of two or more different options series in the 
same underlying security, for the same account, in a ratio that is 
equal to or greater than one-to-three (.333) and less than or equal 
to three-to-one (3.00) and for the purpose of executing a particular 
investment strategy. Rule 722(a)(1).
    \8\ Orders that have nine legs, where one leg is a stock, will 
be considered one order. Stock orders shall not count toward the 
number of legs.
    \9\ Cancel messages do not count as an order.
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Parent/Child Orders
    An order that converts into multiple subordinate orders to achieve 
an execution strategy shall be counted as one order per side and 
series, even if the order is routed away.\10\ An order that cancels and 
replaces a resulting subordinate order and results in multiple sides/
series shall be counted as a new order on each side and series. For 
purposes of counting Professional Orders, the manner in which the 
Priority Customer submitted the order and whether the order was on the 
same side and series will determine if the order will count as one 
order. If one Priority Customer order on the same side and series is 
subsequently broken-up by a broker into multiple orders for purposes of 
execution or routed away, this order will count as one order. The 
Exchange believes that the proposed amendment will provide more 
certainty to market participants in determining the manner in which the 
Exchange will compute the number of orders in listed options per day on 
average during a calendar month for its own beneficial account(s) to 
determine the Professional Order designation.
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    \10\ An order which is placed for the beneficial account(s) of a 
person or entity that is not a broker or dealer in securities that 
is broken into multiple parts by a broker or dealer or by an 
algorithm housed at a broker or dealer or by an algorithm licensed 
from a broker or dealer. Strategies include Complex Orders and 
volatility orders, for example.
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    In order to make clear when orders will count as new orders, the 
Exchange offers the following scenarios as examples.
     The Exchange proposes to count multiple orders that were 
submitted by the member as separate orders as multiple orders.
     The Exchange proposes to count a single order submitted by 
a member, which was automatically executed in multiple parts by the 
trading system, as one order, because the member did not intervene to 
create multiple orders. Another example is where an order was entered 
in the trading system and only partially filled, the order would count 
as one order. The subsequent fills, which could be multiple executions, 
would not count as additional orders in determining the 390 limit. The 
manner in which the order is ultimately executed, as one order or 
multiple orders, should not itself determine whether the activity 
qualified as a Professional Order; also the member did not intervene in 
that circumstance.

[[Page 63254]]

     The Exchange proposes to count orders, which result in 
multiple orders due to cancel and replacement orders, as new orders. 
This is because in this situation the member did intervene to create 
the subsequent orders.
     The Exchange proposes to count an order submitted by the 
Priority Customer as a single order, on the same side and series, as a 
single order despite the fact that a broker broke-up the order into 
multiple orders for purposes of execution.
    The Exchange previously issued a notice which described the manner 
in which it believed thresholds should be computed for determining if 
an order qualifies as a Professional Order.\11\ This rule supersedes 
the Exchange's notice.
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    \11\ See International Securities Exchange LLC's Regulatory 
Information Circular (2009-179) dated June 23, 2009.
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    The Exchange believes that there has been industry confusion as to 
which orders count toward the 390 contract threshold. The Exchange's 
proposal is intended to provide clarity and to continue to promote 
consistency in the treatment of orders as Professional Orders by filing 
a rule change similar to other options exchanges.\12\
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    \12\ NASDAQ BX, Inc, and NASDAQ Options Market LLC have similar 
rules in place for computing Professional orders. See BX Rules at 
Chapter I, Section 1(49). See NOM Rules at Chapter I, Section 1(48).
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    Below are some examples of the calculation of Professional Orders.
Example #1
    A Priority Customer has an order to buy 100 calls at a volatility 
level of 35. The order then generates a child order resulting in a 1.00 
bid for 100 options which is sent to Exchange A. After the underlying 
stock price ticks up 2 cents the child order is then adjusted to 
reflect a 35 level volatility which in this case (50 delta) results in 
a 1.01 bid sent to Exchange A replacing the current 1.00 bid.
    In determining the number of orders that attribute to the 390 order 
count, in this case, because the child order is being canceled and 
replaced in the ``same series'' this would only count as one (1) order 
for purposes of Professional designation calculation.
Example #2
    A Priority Customer has an order to buy 20k Vega at a 35 volatility 
level in symbol XYZ. The order then generates 50 child orders across 
different strikes. Throughout the day those 50 orders are adjusted as 
the stock moves resulting in the replacement of child orders to the 
tune of 5 times per order (50 x 5 cancels) resulting in 250 total 
orders generated to Exchange A.
    In determining the number of orders that attribute to the 390 order 
count, in this case, because the child orders generated are across 
multiple series it would be necessary to count all 250 orders
    In addition to the above examples, the Exchange provides the below 
chart to demonstrate the manner in which it will count orders.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Single                      Multiple
--------------------------------------------------------
                         Single Strike Activity
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Priority Customer Order posted to 1                  x   ...............
 SRO order Book.......................
Priority Customer Order posted to                    x   ...............
 Multiple SRO order Books
 simultaneously.......................
Cancel/Replace Activity...............               x   ...............
Cancel/Replace Activity tracking BBO    ...............               x
 or NBBO..............................
rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr---------------------------------
           Complex Order Activity (8 option strikes or fewer)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Priority Customer Order posted to 1                  x   ...............
 SRO order book.......................
Priority Customer Order posted to                    x   ...............
 Multiple SRO Complex Order books
 simultaneously.......................
Cancel/Replace Activity...............               x   ...............
Cancel/Replace Activity tracking BBO                 x   ...............
 or NBBO..............................
------------------------------------------------------------------------
          Complex Order Activity (9 option strikes or greater)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Priority Customer Order posted to 1     ...............               x
 SRO order book.......................
Priority Customer Order posted to       ...............               x
 Multiple SRO Complex Order Books
 simultaneously.......................
Cancel/Replace Activity...............  ...............               x
Cancel/Replace Activity tracking BBO    ...............               x
 or NBBO..............................
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Singular--counts as a single order towards the 390 count
Multiple--each order applies towards the 390 count
    The Exchange proposes to implement this rule on October 3, 2016 to 
provide market participants with advance notice for their quarterly 
calculations. The Exchange will issue a Market Information Circular in 
advance to inform market participants of such date.
2. Statutory Basis
    The Exchange believes that its proposal is consistent with Section 
6(b) of the Act,\13\ in general, and furthers the objectives of Section 
6(b)(5) of the Act,\14\ in particular, in that it is designed to 
promote just and equitable principles of trade, to remove impediments 
to and perfect the mechanism of a free and open market and a national 
market system, and, in general to protect investors and the public 
interest, by promoting the consistent application of its rules by 
further defining the manner in which the Exchange will compute the 
number of orders in listed options per day on average during a calendar 
month for its own beneficial account(s) for purposes of determining the 
Professional Order designation. Furthermore, the Exchange believes that 
specifying the manner in which the 390 threshold will be calculated 
within its Rules will provide members with certainty and provide them 
with insight as they conduct their own quarterly reviews for purposes 
of designating orders.
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    \13\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
    \14\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
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    The Exchange believes that counting all orders toward the number of 
orders, regardless of the options exchange to which the order was 
routed, will promote the consistent application of its rules by making 
clear that all order types shall be counted as well as all orders for 
the purpose of determining whether the definition of Professional Order 
has been met. The Exchange

[[Page 63255]]

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previously noted in its filing which created Professional Orders that,

    The Exchange believes that identifying professional account 
holders based upon the average number of orders entered for a 
beneficial account is an appropriately objective approach that will 
reasonably distinguish such persons and entities from retail 
investors. The Exchange proposes the threshold of 390 orders per day 
on average over a calendar month because it believes it far exceeds 
the number of orders that are entered by retail investors in a 
single day, while being a sufficiently low number of orders to cover 
the professional account holders that are competing with broker-
dealers in the ISE marketplace. In addition, basing the standard on 
the number of orders that are entered in listed options for a 
beneficial account(s) assures that professional account holders 
cannot inappropriately avoid the purpose of the rule by spreading 
their trading activity over multiple exchanges, and using an average 
number over a calendar month will prevent gaming of the 390 order 
threshold.\15\
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    \15\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 57254 (February 1, 
2008), 73 FR 7345 (February 7, 2008) (SR-ISE-2006-26).
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Cancel and Replace
    With respect to determining the Professional Order designation, a 
cancel and replace order which replaces a prior order shall be counted 
as a second order. An order that is filled partially or in its entirety 
or is a replacement order that is automatically canceled or reduced by 
the number of contracts that were executed will not count as second 
order because it was not replaced. The Exchange believes that counting 
the replacement order as a second order is consistent with Exchange 
Rules because the replacement order is viewed as a new order with its 
own unique identifier.
    The Exchange believes that counting cancel and replace orders with 
``single-strike algorithms,'' which are a series of cancel and replace 
orders in an individual strike which track the BBO or NBBO, as new 
orders is consistent with the Act because the Priority Customer is 
specifically instructing the executing broker in the ``single-strike 
algorithm'' scenario to cancel and replace these orders. Tracking the 
BBO or NBBO \16\ is akin to market making on the Exchange in a Priority 
Customer account and should be counted as new orders. The Exchange 
believes that the Priority Customers order designation should be 
reserved for a Priority Customer.
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    \16\ Tracking the BBO or NBBO shall mean any parent order that 
consumes any self-regulatory organization order book data feed, or 
the OPRA feed, to generate automated child orders, and move with, or 
follow the Bid or Offer of the series in question.
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    Further, the Exchange's interpretation that Complex Orders 
consisting of eight legs or fewer will be counted as a single order, 
and respecting Complex Orders of nine options legs or more, each leg 
will count as a separate order is consistent with the Act, because the 
Exchange believes that nine or more options legs is sufficient quantity 
to justify counting these orders separately toward the volume count. 
The initial purpose of the rule change was to distinguish retail 
investors over market Professionals. The Exchange believes that 
typically Priority Customer Orders will not be as complex as to have 
nine legs and therefore using nine as the threshold reasonably 
differentiates Priority Customer Orders from Professional Orders. The 
Exchange believes that nine or more options legs evidences the 
distinction between the trading behavior of a retail investors as 
compared to a market Professional that would engaged in Complex Orders 
with nine or more options legs.
Parent/Child Orders
    The Exchange's adoption of the Professional Order was to treat 
orders in listed options per day on average during a calendar month in 
his or her own beneficial account differently from Priority Customer 
Orders for purposes of priority within the order book and pricing.\17\ 
For this reason, the Exchange is adopting rules concerning the 
computation of orders which convert into multiple subordinate orders 
for the purpose of determining the Professional Order designation. The 
Exchange's proposal to count multiple subordinate orders that achieve 
an execution strategy as one order per side and series and count an 
order that cancels and replaces a resulting subordinate order and 
results in multiple sides/series as a new order is consistent with the 
Act, because the Exchange is distinguishing where the member is 
actively entering orders that result in multiple orders and canceling 
and replacing orders that result in multiple orders versus where the 
member had no control of the resulting executions. Allowing orders on 
the same side of the market to be counted as a single order is 
consistent with the original intent of the Professional Order 
designation. The same side of market distinction protects Priority 
Customers. This practice is typically the type of transaction Priority 
Customers execute versus a Professional trader. Multiple related orders 
resulting from a large order filled in part, or an order which is 
cancelled and replaced several times are considered part of a related 
order. The Exchange does not desire to count large orders filled in 
part as multiple orders because the member did not intervene in the 
outcome of the execution. An order that results in several separate and 
unrelated orders would be counted as multiple orders because the member 
intervened in this circumstance.
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    \17\See Exchange Rule 713 and the Exchange's Fee Schedule.
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    The Exchange believes that the proposed amendment will provide more 
certainty to market participants in determining the computation of the 
number of orders in listed options per day on average during a calendar 
month for its own beneficial account(s) to determine the Professional 
Order designation. The Exchange believes that there is confusion as to 
which orders count toward the 390 contract threshold. The Exchange 
proposes to provide clarity to its Rules with specific guidance as to 
the computation of Professional Orders, which it believes will promote 
consistency in the treatment of orders as Professional orders. The 
Exchange believes that this proposed guidance will promote consistency 
and permit the proper calculation of options orders to prevent members 
with high volume from receiving benefits reserved for Priority Customer 
Orders. The Professional Order designation focuses specifically on the 
number of orders generated.
    Priority is one of the marketplace advantages provided to Priority 
Customer orders on the Exchange. Priority Customer orders are given 
execution priority over non-Customer orders and quotations of market 
makers at the same price. Another marketplace advantage afforded to 
Priority Customer Orders on the Exchange is that members are generally 
not assessed transaction fees for the execution of Priority Customer 
Orders. The purpose of these marketplace advantages is to attract 
retail order flow to the Exchange by leveling the playing field for 
retail investors over market Professionals.\18\ The Exchange believes 
that permitting certain types of orders to be counted as a single order 
and other types of orders to be counted as multiple orders is 
consistent with the original intent of the Professional Order 
designation which was to continue to provide Priority Customer accounts 
with marketplace advantages and distinguish those

[[Page 63256]]

accounts non-Professional retail investors from the Professionals 
accounts some non-broker-dealer individuals and entities have access to 
information and technology that enables them to Professionally trade 
listed options in the same manner as a broker or dealer in 
securities.\19\
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    \18\ Market Professionals have access to sophisticated trading 
systems that contain functionality not available to retail 
customers, including things such as continuously updated pricing 
models based upon real-time streaming data, access to multiple 
markets simultaneously and order and risk management tools.
    \19\ For example, some broker-dealers provided their 
Professional customers with multi-screened trading stations equipped 
with trading technology that allows the trader to monitor and place 
orders on all six options exchanges simultaneously. These trading 
stations also provide compliance filters, order managements tools, 
the ability to place orders in the underlying securities, and market 
data feeds.
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    Finally, the proposed guidance is being issued to stem confusion as 
to the manner in which options exchanges compute the Professional Order 
volume.

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

    The Exchange does not believe that the proposed rule change will 
impose any burden on competition not necessary or appropriate in 
furtherance of the purposes of the Act because the Exchange will 
uniformly apply the rules to calculate volume on all members in 
determining Professional Orders. The designation of Professional Orders 
would not result in any different treatment of such orders for purposes 
of the Exchange's Rules concerning order protection or routing to away 
exchanges. The guidance is being issued to stem confusion as to the 
manner in which options exchanges compute the Professional Order 
volume.
Counting All Orders
    The Exchange believes that counting all orders entered by a 
Professional toward the number of orders, regardless of the options 
exchange to which the order was routed, does not create an undue burden 
on intra-market competition because this proposed rule change will be 
consistently applied to all members in determining Professional Orders.
Cancel and Replace
    The Exchange believes that its application of cancel and replace 
orders does not create an undue burden on intra-market competition 
because this application is consistent with Exchange Rules, where the 
replacement order is viewed as a new order. This treatment is 
consistent with the manner in which this order type is applied today 
within the order Book.
    The Exchange's interpretation that Complex Orders consisting of 
eight legs or fewer will be counted as a single order, and respecting 
Complex Orders of nine legs or more, each leg will count as a separate 
order does not create an undue burden on intra-market competition 
because the Exchange will apply this method of calculation uniformly 
among its member organizations.
Parent/Child Orders
    The Exchange's treatment of subordinate orders does not create an 
undue burden on intra-market competition because allowing orders on the 
same side of the market to be counted as a single order is consistent 
with the original intent of the Professional Order designation which is 
to count distinct orders and focus on the number of orders generated.
    The Exchange does not believe that the proposed rule change will 
impose an undue burden on inter-market competition because other 
exchanges have adopted similar guidance.\20\ The Exchange believes that 
disparate rules regarding Professional Order designation, and a lack of 
uniform application of such rules, does not promote the best regulation 
and may, in fact, encourage regulatory arbitrage. The Exchange believes 
that it is therefore prudent and necessary to conform its rules to that 
of other options exchanges for purposes of calculating the threshold 
volume of orders to be designated as a Professional Order. This is 
particularly true where the Exchange's third-party routing broker-
dealers are members of several exchanges that have rules requiring 
Professional Order designations.
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    \20\ NASDAQ PHLX LLC has a similar rule in place for computing 
Professional orders. See Rule 1000(b)(14).
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C. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed 
Rule Change Received From Members, Participants, or Others

    No written comments were either solicited or received.

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

    Because the foregoing proposed rule change does not: (i) 
Significantly affect the protection of investors or the public 
interest; (ii) impose any significant burden on competition; and (iii) 
become operative for 30 days from the date on which it was filed, or 
such shorter time as the Commission may designate, it has become 
effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A)(iii) of the Act \21\ and 
subparagraph (f)(6) of Rule 19b-4 thereunder.\22\
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    \21\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(a)(iii).
    \22\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6). In addition, Rule 19b-4(f)(6) 
requires a self-regulatory organization to give the Commission 
written notice of its intent to file the proposed rule change at 
least five business days prior to the date of filing of the proposed 
rule change, or such shorter time as designated by the Commission. 
The Exchange has satisfied this requirement.
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    At any time within 60 days of the filing of the proposed rule 
change, the Commission summarily may temporarily suspend such rule 
change if it appears to the Commission that such action is: (i) 
Necessary or appropriate in the public interest; (ii) for the 
protection of investors; or (iii) otherwise in furtherance of the 
purposes of the Act. If the Commission takes such action, the 
Commission shall institute proceedings to determine whether the 
proposed rule should be approved or disapproved.

IV. Solicitation of Comments

    Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views, and 
arguments concerning the foregoing, including whether the proposed rule 
change is consistent with the Act. Comments may be submitted by any of 
the following methods:

Electronic Comments

     Use the Commission's Internet comment form (http://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml); or
     Send an email to [email protected]. Please include 
File No. SR-ISE-2016-19 on the subject line.

Paper Comments

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

All submissions should refer to File No. SR-ISE-2016-19. This file 
number should be included on the subject line if email is used. To help 
the Commission process and review your comments more efficiently, 
please use only one method. The Commission will post all comments on 
the Commission's Internet Web site (http://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the submission, all subsequent amendments, all 
written statements with respect to the proposed rule change that are 
filed with the Commission, and all written communications relating to 
the proposed rule change between the Commission and any person, other 
than those that may be withheld from the public in accordance with the 
provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be available for Web site viewing and 
printing in the Commission's Public Reference Room, 100 F Street NE., 
Washington, DC 20549 on official business days between the hours of 
10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Copies of such

[[Page 63257]]

filing also will be available for inspection and copying at the 
principal office of the Exchange. All comments received will be posted 
without change; the Commission does not edit personal identifying 
information from submissions. You should submit only information that 
you wish to make available publicly. All submissions should refer to 
File No. SR-ISE-2016-19, and should be submitted on or before October 
5, 2016.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\23\
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    \23\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Brent J. Fields,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-22029 Filed 9-13-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P



                                                    63252                     Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 178 / Wednesday, September 14, 2016 / Notices

                                                    viewed as a new order. This treatment                        At any time within 60 days of the                   10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Copies of such
                                                    is consistent with the manner in which                    filing of the proposed rule change, the                filing also will be available for
                                                    this order type is applied today within                   Commission summarily may                               inspection and copying at the principal
                                                    the order Book.                                           temporarily suspend such rule change if                office of the Exchange. All comments
                                                                                                              it appears to the Commission that such                 received will be posted without change;
                                                    Parent/Child Orders
                                                                                                              action is: (i) Necessary or appropriate in             the Commission does not edit personal
                                                      The Exchange’s treatment of                             the public interest; (ii) for the protection           identifying information from
                                                    subordinate orders does not create an                     of investors; or (iii) otherwise in                    submissions. You should submit only
                                                    undue burden on intra-market                              furtherance of the purposes of the Act.                information that you wish to make
                                                    competition because allowing orders on                    If the Commission takes such action, the               available publicly. All submissions
                                                    the same side of the market to be                         Commission shall institute proceedings                 should refer to File No. SR–
                                                    counted as a single order is consistent                   to determine whether the proposed rule                 ISEMercury–2016–14, and should be
                                                    with the original intent of the                           should be approved or disapproved.                     submitted on or before October 5, 2016.
                                                    Professional Order designation which is
                                                                                                              IV. Solicitation of Comments                             For the Commission, by the Division of
                                                    to count distinct orders and focus on the                                                                        Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated
                                                    number of orders generated.                                 Interested persons are invited to                    authority.20
                                                      The Exchange does not believe that                      submit written data, views, and
                                                                                                                                                                     Brent J. Fields,
                                                    the proposed rule change will impose                      arguments concerning the foregoing,
                                                                                                              including whether the proposed rule                    Secretary.
                                                    an undue burden on inter-market
                                                                                                              change is consistent with the Act.                     [FR Doc. 2016–22032 Filed 9–13–16; 8:45 am]
                                                    competition because other exchanges
                                                    have adopted similar guidance.17 The                      Comments may be submitted by any of                    BILLING CODE 8011–01–P

                                                    Exchange believes that disparate rules                    the following methods:
                                                    regarding Professional Order                              Electronic Comments                                    SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
                                                    designation, and a lack of uniform
                                                    application of such rules, does not                          • Use the Commission’s Internet                     COMMISSION
                                                    promote the best regulation and may, in                   comment form (http://www.sec.gov/
                                                                                                                                                                     [Release No. 34–78788; File No. SR–ISE–
                                                    fact, encourage regulatory arbitrage. The                 rules/sro.shtml); or
                                                                                                                                                                     2016–19]
                                                                                                                 • Send an email to rule-comments@
                                                    Exchange believes that it is therefore
                                                                                                              sec.gov. Please include File No. SR–                   Self-Regulatory Organizations;
                                                    prudent and necessary to conform its
                                                                                                              ISEMercury–2016–14 on the subject                      International Securities Exchange,
                                                    rules to that of other options exchanges
                                                                                                              line.                                                  LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate
                                                    for purposes of calculating the threshold
                                                    volume of orders to be designated as a                    Paper Comments                                         Effectiveness of Proposed Rule
                                                    Professional Order. This is particularly                    • Send paper comments in triplicate                  Change To Add Specificity to the
                                                    true where the Exchange’s third-party                     to Brent J. Fields, Secretary, Securities              Definition of a Professional in the
                                                    routing broker-dealers are members of                     and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street                  Exchange’s Rules
                                                    several exchanges that have rules                         NE., Washington, DC 20549–1090.                        September 8, 2016.
                                                    requiring Professional Order
                                                                                                              All submissions should refer to File No.                  Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the
                                                    designations.
                                                                                                              SR–ISEMercury–2016–14. This file                       Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                                                    C. Self-Regulatory Organization’s                         number should be included on the                       (‘‘Act’’),1 and Rule 19b–4 thereunder,2
                                                    Statement on Comments on the                              subject line if email is used. To help the             notice is hereby given that on August
                                                    Proposed Rule Change Received From                        Commission process and review your                     30, 2016, the International Securities
                                                    Members, Participants, or Others                          comments more efficiently, please use                  Exchange, LLC (‘‘ISE’’ or ‘‘Exchange’’)
                                                      No written comments were either                         only one method. The Commission will                   filed with the Securities and Exchange
                                                    solicited or received.                                    post all comments on the Commission’s                  Commission (‘‘SEC’’ or ‘‘Commission’’)
                                                                                                              Internet Web site (http://www.sec.gov/                 the proposed rule change as described
                                                    III. Date of Effectiveness of the                         rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the                        in Items I, II, and III, below, which Items
                                                    Proposed Rule Change and Timing for                       submission, all subsequent                             have been prepared by the Exchange.
                                                    Commission Action                                         amendments, all written statements                     The Commission is publishing this
                                                       Because the foregoing proposed rule                    with respect to the proposed rule                      notice to solicit comments on the
                                                    change does not: (i) Significantly affect                 change that are filed with the                         proposed rule change from interested
                                                    the protection of investors or the public                 Commission, and all written                            persons.
                                                    interest; (ii) impose any significant                     communications relating to the
                                                                                                              proposed rule change between the                       I. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
                                                    burden on competition; and (iii) become                                                                          Statement of the Terms of the Substance
                                                    operative for 30 days from the date on                    Commission and any person, other than
                                                                                                              those that may be withheld from the                    of the Proposed Rule Change
                                                    which it was filed, or such shorter time
                                                    as the Commission may designate, it has                   public in accordance with the                             The Exchange proposes to amend
                                                    become effective pursuant to section                      provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be                    Exchange Rule 100(a)(37C) (Definitions)
                                                    19(b)(3)(A)(iii) of the Act 18 and                        available for Web site viewing and                     to add specificity to the definition of a
                                                    subparagraph (f)(6) of Rule 19b–4                         printing in the Commission’s Public                    Professional with respect to the manner
                                                                                                              Reference Room, 100 F Street NE.,
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                                                    thereunder.19                                                                                                    in which the volume threshold will be
                                                                                                              Washington, DC 20549 on official                       calculated by the Exchange.
                                                       17 NASDAQ BX, Inc, and NASDAQ Options                  business days between the hours of                        The text of the proposed rule change
                                                    Market LLC have similar rules in place for                                                                       is available on the Exchange’s Web site
                                                    computing Professional orders. See BX Rules at            the Commission written notice of its intent to file    at www.ise.com, at the principal office
                                                    chapter I, section 1(49). See NOM Rules at chapter        the proposed rule change at least five business days
                                                    I, section 1(48).                                         prior to the date of filing of the proposed rule
                                                       18 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(a)(iii).                                                                                 20 17 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).
                                                                                                              change, or such shorter time as designated by the
                                                       19 17 CFR 240.19b–4(f)(6). In addition, Rule 19b–                                                               1 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
                                                                                                              Commission. The Exchange has satisfied this
                                                    4(f)(6) requires a self-regulatory organization to give   requirement.                                             2 17 CFR 240.19b–4.




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                                                                            Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 178 / Wednesday, September 14, 2016 / Notices                                                       63253

                                                    of the Exchange, and at the                                The Exchange accepts orders routed                   this type of activity is akin to market
                                                    Commission’s Public Reference Room.                     from other markets that are marked                      making in a Priority Customer account
                                                                                                            Professional Orders. The designation of                 and should be counted, as a new order.
                                                    II. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
                                                                                                            Professional Order does not result in
                                                    Statement of the Purpose of, and                                                                                Parent/Child Orders
                                                                                                            any different treatment of such orders
                                                    Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule
                                                                                                            for purposes of Exchange rules                            An order that converts into multiple
                                                    Change
                                                                                                            concerning away market protection.                      subordinate orders to achieve an
                                                       In its filing with the Commission, the               That is, all non-broker or dealer orders,               execution strategy shall be counted as
                                                    Exchange included statements                            including those that meet the definition                one order per side and series, even if the
                                                    concerning the purpose of and basis for                 of Professional Orders, are treated                     order is routed away.10 An order that
                                                    the proposed rule change and discussed                  equally for purposes of Exchange away                   cancels and replaces a resulting
                                                    any comments it received on the                         market protection rules.5 The Exchange                  subordinate order and results in
                                                    proposed rule change. The text of these                 continues to believe that identifying                   multiple sides/series shall be counted as
                                                    statements may be examined at the                       Professional Orders based upon the                      a new order on each side and series. For
                                                    places specified in Item IV below. The                  average number of orders entered in                     purposes of counting Professional
                                                    Exchange has prepared summaries, set                    qualified accounts is an appropriately                  Orders, the manner in which the
                                                    forth in sections A, B, and C below, of                 objective approach to reasonably                        Priority Customer submitted the order
                                                    the most significant aspects of such                    distinguish such persons and entities                   and whether the order was on the same
                                                    statements.                                             from retail investors or market                         side and series will determine if the
                                                    A. Self-Regulatory Organization’s                       participants.                                           order will count as one order. If one
                                                    Statement of the Purpose of, and                                                                                Priority Customer order on the same
                                                                                                            Proposal
                                                    Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule                                                                          side and series is subsequently broken-
                                                    Change                                                    The Exchange proposes to count each                   up by a broker into multiple orders for
                                                                                                            Professional Order, regardless of the                   purposes of execution or routed away,
                                                    1. Purpose                                              options exchange to which the order                     this order will count as one order. The
                                                       The Exchange proposes to amend the                   was routed in determining Professional                  Exchange believes that the proposed
                                                    definition of ‘‘Professional’’ in Rule                  Orders.6                                                amendment will provide more certainty
                                                    100(a)(37C) to specify the manner in                    Cancel and Replace                                      to market participants in determining
                                                    which the Exchange calculates orders to                                                                         the manner in which the Exchange will
                                                    determine if an order should be treated                    A cancel and replace order is a type                 compute the number of orders in listed
                                                    as Professional Order.                                  of order that replaces a prior order. The               options per day on average during a
                                                                                                            Exchange believes that the second order                 calendar month for its own beneficial
                                                    Background                                              (the replacement order) should be                       account(s) to determine the Professional
                                                       Exchange Rule 100(a)(37C) currently                  counted as a new order. Complex                         Order designation.
                                                    states, that the term Professional Order                Orders 7 consisting of eight legs or fewer                In order to make clear when orders
                                                    means an order that is for the account                  will be counted as a single order, and                  will count as new orders, the Exchange
                                                    of a person or entity that is not a Priority            with Complex Orders of nine options 8                   offers the following scenarios as
                                                    Customer. A Priority Customer means a                   legs or more, each leg will count as a                  examples.
                                                    person or entity that (i) is not a broker               separate order. With respect to ‘‘single-                 • The Exchange proposes to count
                                                    or dealer in securities, and (ii) does not              strike algorithms,’’ which are a series of              multiple orders that were submitted by
                                                    place more than 390 orders in listed                    cancel and replace orders in an                         the member as separate orders as
                                                    options per day on average during a                     individual strike which track the Best                  multiple orders.
                                                    calendar month for its own beneficial                   Bid and Offer (‘‘BBO’’) or National Best
                                                                                                                                                                      • The Exchange proposes to count a
                                                    account(s).3 In order to properly                       Bid and Offer (‘‘NBBO’’), these orders
                                                                                                                                                                    single order submitted by a member,
                                                    represent orders entered on the                         shall be counted as new orders.9 The
                                                                                                                                                                    which was automatically executed in
                                                    Exchange, members are required to                       Exchange believes that because the
                                                                                                                                                                    multiple parts by the trading system, as
                                                    indicate whether orders are                             Priority Customer is specifically
                                                                                                                                                                    one order, because the member did not
                                                    ‘‘Professional Orders.’’ To comply with                 instructing the executing broker in the
                                                                                                                                                                    intervene to create multiple orders.
                                                    this requirement, members are required                  ‘‘single-strike algorithm’’ scenario to
                                                                                                                                                                    Another example is where an order was
                                                    to review their Priority Customers’                     cancel and replace these orders, that
                                                                                                                                                                    entered in the trading system and only
                                                    activity on at least a quarterly basis to                                                                       partially filled, the order would count as
                                                    determine whether orders that are not                   will notify the Member and the Member will be
                                                                                                            required to change the manner in which it is            one order. The subsequent fills, which
                                                    for the account of a broker-dealer should               representing the customer’s orders within five days.    could be multiple executions, would not
                                                    be represented as Priority Customer                     See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 57254           count as additional orders in
                                                    Orders or Professional Orders.4                         (February 1, 2008), 73 FR 7345 (February 7, 2008)
                                                                                                                                                                    determining the 390 limit. The manner
                                                                                                            (SR–ISE–2006–26).
                                                      3 Rule
                                                                                                               5 See Exchange Rules 1901, 1902 and 1903.            in which the order is ultimately
                                                             100(a)(37A).
                                                      4 Orders
                                                                                                               6 All order types count toward the 390 orders on     executed, as one order or multiple
                                                               for any customer that had an average of
                                                    more than 390 orders per day during any month of        average per day.                                        orders, should not itself determine
                                                    a calendar quarter must be represented as
                                                                                                               7 A Complex Order is any order involving the
                                                                                                                                                                    whether the activity qualified as a
                                                                                                            simultaneous purchase and/or sale of two or more
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                                                    Professional Orders for the next calendar quarter.                                                              Professional Order; also the member did
                                                    Members will be required to conduct a quarterly         different options series in the same underlying
                                                                                                            security, for the same account, in a ratio that is      not intervene in that circumstance.
                                                    review and make any appropriate changes to the
                                                    way in which they are representing orders within        equal to or greater than one-to-three (.333) and less
                                                    five days after the end of each calendar quarter.       than or equal to three-to-one (3.00) and for the           10 An order which is placed for the beneficial

                                                    While Members only will be required to review           purpose of executing a particular investment            account(s) of a person or entity that is not a broker
                                                    their accounts on a quarterly basis, if during a        strategy. Rule 722(a)(1).                               or dealer in securities that is broken into multiple
                                                                                                               8 Orders that have nine legs, where one leg is a
                                                    quarter the Exchange identifies a customer for                                                                  parts by a broker or dealer or by an algorithm
                                                    which orders are being represented as Priority          stock, will be considered one order. Stock orders       housed at a broker or dealer or by an algorithm
                                                    Customer Orders but that has averaged more than         shall not count toward the number of legs.              licensed from a broker or dealer. Strategies include
                                                    390 orders per day during a month, the Exchange            9 Cancel messages do not count as an order.          Complex Orders and volatility orders, for example.



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                                                    63254                           Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 178 / Wednesday, September 14, 2016 / Notices

                                                       • The Exchange proposes to count                                     continue to promote consistency in the                                  one (1) order for purposes of
                                                    orders, which result in multiple orders                                 treatment of orders as Professional                                     Professional designation calculation.
                                                    due to cancel and replacement orders,                                   Orders by filing a rule change similar to
                                                                                                                                                                                                    Example #2
                                                    as new orders. This is because in this                                  other options exchanges.12
                                                    situation the member did intervene to                                      Below are some examples of the                                         A Priority Customer has an order to
                                                    create the subsequent orders.                                           calculation of Professional Orders.                                     buy 20k Vega at a 35 volatility level in
                                                       • The Exchange proposes to count an                                                                                                          symbol XYZ. The order then generates
                                                                                                                            Example #1                                                              50 child orders across different strikes.
                                                    order submitted by the Priority
                                                    Customer as a single order, on the same                                    A Priority Customer has an order to                                  Throughout the day those 50 orders are
                                                    side and series, as a single order despite                              buy 100 calls at a volatility level of 35.                              adjusted as the stock moves resulting in
                                                    the fact that a broker broke-up the order                               The order then generates a child order                                  the replacement of child orders to the
                                                    into multiple orders for purposes of                                    resulting in a 1.00 bid for 100 options                                 tune of 5 times per order (50 x 5
                                                    execution.                                                              which is sent to Exchange A. After the                                  cancels) resulting in 250 total orders
                                                       The Exchange previously issued a                                     underlying stock price ticks up 2 cents                                 generated to Exchange A.
                                                    notice which described the manner in                                    the child order is then adjusted to                                       In determining the number of orders
                                                    which it believed thresholds should be                                  reflect a 35 level volatility which in this                             that attribute to the 390 order count, in
                                                    computed for determining if an order                                    case (50 delta) results in a 1.01 bid sent                              this case, because the child orders
                                                    qualifies as a Professional Order.11 This                               to Exchange A replacing the current                                     generated are across multiple series it
                                                    rule supersedes the Exchange’s notice.                                  1.00 bid.                                                               would be necessary to count all 250
                                                       The Exchange believes that there has                                    In determining the number of orders                                  orders
                                                    been industry confusion as to which                                     that attribute to the 390 order count, in                                 In addition to the above examples, the
                                                    orders count toward the 390 contract                                    this case, because the child order is                                   Exchange provides the below chart to
                                                    threshold. The Exchange’s proposal is                                   being canceled and replaced in the                                      demonstrate the manner in which it will
                                                    intended to provide clarity and to                                      ‘‘same series’’ this would only count as                                count orders.

                                                                                                                                Single                                                                                         Multiple

                                                                                                                                              Single Strike Activity

                                                    Priority Customer Order posted to 1 SRO order Book ...........................................................................................                                   x               .......................
                                                    Priority Customer Order posted to Multiple SRO order Books simultaneously ......................................................                                                 x               .......................
                                                    Cancel/Replace Activity ...........................................................................................................................................              x               .......................
                                                    Cancel/Replace Activity tracking BBO or NBBO .....................................................................................................                    ........................             x

                                                                                                                       Complex Order Activity (8 option strikes or fewer)

                                                    Priority Customer Order posted to 1 SRO order book ............................................................................................                                 x                .......................
                                                    Priority Customer Order posted to Multiple SRO Complex Order books simultaneously ......................................                                                        x                .......................
                                                    Cancel/Replace Activity ...........................................................................................................................................             x                .......................
                                                    Cancel/Replace Activity tracking BBO or NBBO .....................................................................................................                              x                .......................

                                                                                                                      Complex Order Activity (9 option strikes or greater)

                                                    Priority Customer Order posted to 1 SRO order book ............................................................................................                       ........................             x
                                                    Priority Customer Order posted to Multiple SRO Complex Order Books simultaneously ......................................                                              ........................             x
                                                    Cancel/Replace Activity ...........................................................................................................................................   ........................             x
                                                    Cancel/Replace Activity tracking BBO or NBBO .....................................................................................................                    ........................             x



                                                    Singular—counts as a single order                                       in particular, in that it is designed to                                threshold will be calculated within its
                                                      towards the 390 count                                                 promote just and equitable principles of                                Rules will provide members with
                                                    Multiple—each order applies towards                                     trade, to remove impediments to and                                     certainty and provide them with insight
                                                      the 390 count                                                         perfect the mechanism of a free and                                     as they conduct their own quarterly
                                                      The Exchange proposes to implement                                    open market and a national market                                       reviews for purposes of designating
                                                    this rule on October 3, 2016 to provide                                 system, and, in general to protect                                      orders.
                                                    market participants with advance notice                                 investors and the public interest, by
                                                                                                                                                                                                       The Exchange believes that counting
                                                    for their quarterly calculations. The                                   promoting the consistent application of
                                                                                                                            its rules by further defining the manner                                all orders toward the number of orders,
                                                    Exchange will issue a Market
                                                                                                                            in which the Exchange will compute the                                  regardless of the options exchange to
                                                    Information Circular in advance to
                                                    inform market participants of such date.                                number of orders in listed options per                                  which the order was routed, will
                                                                                                                            day on average during a calendar month                                  promote the consistent application of its
                                                    2. Statutory Basis                                                      for its own beneficial account(s) for                                   rules by making clear that all order
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                                                      The Exchange believes that its                                        purposes of determining the                                             types shall be counted as well as all
                                                    proposal is consistent with Section 6(b)                                Professional Order designation.                                         orders for the purpose of determining
                                                    of the Act,13 in general, and furthers the                              Furthermore, the Exchange believes that                                 whether the definition of Professional
                                                    objectives of Section 6(b)(5) of the Act,14                             specifying the manner in which the 390                                  Order has been met. The Exchange

                                                      11 See International Securities Exchange LLC’s                          12 NASDAQ BX, Inc, and NASDAQ Options                                 Chapter I, Section 1(49). See NOM Rules at Chapter
                                                    Regulatory Information Circular (2009–179) dated                        Market LLC have similar rules in place for                              I, Section 1(48).
                                                                                                                                                                                                       13 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
                                                    June 23, 2009.                                                          computing Professional orders. See BX Rules at
                                                                                                                                                                                                       14 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).




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                                                                            Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 178 / Wednesday, September 14, 2016 / Notices                                                  63255

                                                    previously noted in its filing which                    should be reserved for a Priority                     order which is cancelled and replaced
                                                    created Professional Orders that,                       Customer.                                             several times are considered part of a
                                                      The Exchange believes that identifying
                                                                                                               Further, the Exchange’s interpretation             related order. The Exchange does not
                                                    professional account holders based upon the
                                                                                                            that Complex Orders consisting of eight               desire to count large orders filled in part
                                                    average number of orders entered for a                  legs or fewer will be counted as a single             as multiple orders because the member
                                                    beneficial account is an appropriately                  order, and respecting Complex Orders of               did not intervene in the outcome of the
                                                    objective approach that will reasonably                 nine options legs or more, each leg will              execution. An order that results in
                                                    distinguish such persons and entities from              count as a separate order is consistent               several separate and unrelated orders
                                                    retail investors. The Exchange proposes the             with the Act, because the Exchange                    would be counted as multiple orders
                                                    threshold of 390 orders per day on average              believes that nine or more options legs               because the member intervened in this
                                                    over a calendar month because it believes it            is sufficient quantity to justify counting            circumstance.
                                                    far exceeds the number of orders that are               these orders separately toward the                       The Exchange believes that the
                                                    entered by retail investors in a single day,            volume count. The initial purpose of the              proposed amendment will provide more
                                                    while being a sufficiently low number of                rule change was to distinguish retail                 certainty to market participants in
                                                    orders to cover the professional account                investors over market Professionals. The              determining the computation of the
                                                    holders that are competing with broker-                 Exchange believes that typically Priority             number of orders in listed options per
                                                    dealers in the ISE marketplace. In addition,            Customer Orders will not be as complex                day on average during a calendar month
                                                    basing the standard on the number of orders             as to have nine legs and therefore using              for its own beneficial account(s) to
                                                    that are entered in listed options for a                nine as the threshold reasonably                      determine the Professional Order
                                                    beneficial account(s) assures that                      differentiates Priority Customer Orders               designation. The Exchange believes that
                                                    professional account holders cannot
                                                                                                            from Professional Orders. The Exchange                there is confusion as to which orders
                                                    inappropriately avoid the purpose of the rule
                                                                                                            believes that nine or more options legs               count toward the 390 contract
                                                    by spreading their trading activity over
                                                    multiple exchanges, and using an average
                                                                                                            evidences the distinction between the                 threshold. The Exchange proposes to
                                                    number over a calendar month will prevent               trading behavior of a retail investors as             provide clarity to its Rules with specific
                                                    gaming of the 390 order threshold.15                    compared to a market Professional that                guidance as to the computation of
                                                                                                            would engaged in Complex Orders with                  Professional Orders, which it believes
                                                    Cancel and Replace                                      nine or more options legs.                            will promote consistency in the
                                                                                                                                                                  treatment of orders as Professional
                                                       With respect to determining the                      Parent/Child Orders
                                                                                                                                                                  orders. The Exchange believes that this
                                                    Professional Order designation, a cancel                   The Exchange’s adoption of the                     proposed guidance will promote
                                                    and replace order which replaces a prior                Professional Order was to treat orders in             consistency and permit the proper
                                                    order shall be counted as a second                      listed options per day on average during              calculation of options orders to prevent
                                                    order. An order that is filled partially or             a calendar month in his or her own                    members with high volume from
                                                    in its entirety or is a replacement order               beneficial account differently from                   receiving benefits reserved for Priority
                                                    that is automatically canceled or                       Priority Customer Orders for purposes                 Customer Orders. The Professional
                                                    reduced by the number of contracts that                 of priority within the order book and                 Order designation focuses specifically
                                                    were executed will not count as second                  pricing.17 For this reason, the Exchange              on the number of orders generated.
                                                    order because it was not replaced. The                  is adopting rules concerning the                         Priority is one of the marketplace
                                                    Exchange believes that counting the                     computation of orders which convert                   advantages provided to Priority
                                                    replacement order as a second order is                  into multiple subordinate orders for the              Customer orders on the Exchange.
                                                    consistent with Exchange Rules because                  purpose of determining the Professional               Priority Customer orders are given
                                                    the replacement order is viewed as a                    Order designation. The Exchange’s                     execution priority over non-Customer
                                                    new order with its own unique                           proposal to count multiple subordinate                orders and quotations of market makers
                                                    identifier.                                             orders that achieve an execution                      at the same price. Another marketplace
                                                       The Exchange believes that counting                  strategy as one order per side and series             advantage afforded to Priority Customer
                                                    cancel and replace orders with ‘‘single-                and count an order that cancels and                   Orders on the Exchange is that members
                                                    strike algorithms,’’ which are a series of              replaces a resulting subordinate order                are generally not assessed transaction
                                                    cancel and replace orders in an                         and results in multiple sides/series as a             fees for the execution of Priority
                                                    individual strike which track the BBO                   new order is consistent with the Act,                 Customer Orders. The purpose of these
                                                    or NBBO, as new orders is consistent                    because the Exchange is distinguishing                marketplace advantages is to attract
                                                    with the Act because the Priority                       where the member is actively entering                 retail order flow to the Exchange by
                                                    Customer is specifically instructing the                orders that result in multiple orders and             leveling the playing field for retail
                                                    executing broker in the ‘‘single-strike                 canceling and replacing orders that                   investors over market Professionals.18
                                                    algorithm’’ scenario to cancel and                      result in multiple orders versus where                The Exchange believes that permitting
                                                    replace these orders. Tracking the BBO                  the member had no control of the                      certain types of orders to be counted as
                                                    or NBBO 16 is akin to market making on                  resulting executions. Allowing orders                 a single order and other types of orders
                                                    the Exchange in a Priority Customer                     on the same side of the market to be                  to be counted as multiple orders is
                                                    account and should be counted as new                    counted as a single order is consistent               consistent with the original intent of the
                                                    orders. The Exchange believes that the                  with the original intent of the                       Professional Order designation which
                                                    Priority Customers order designation                    Professional Order designation. The                   was to continue to provide Priority
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                                                                                                            same side of market distinction protects              Customer accounts with marketplace
                                                      15 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 57254      Priority Customers. This practice is                  advantages and distinguish those
                                                    (February 1, 2008), 73 FR 7345 (February 7, 2008)       typically the type of transaction Priority
                                                    (SR–ISE–2006–26).                                       Customers execute versus a Professional                 18 Market Professionals have access to
                                                      16 Tracking the BBO or NBBO shall mean any                                                                  sophisticated trading systems that contain
                                                                                                            trader. Multiple related orders resulting
                                                    parent order that consumes any self-regulatory                                                                functionality not available to retail customers,
                                                    organization order book data feed, or the OPRA          from a large order filled in part, or an              including things such as continuously updated
                                                    feed, to generate automated child orders, and move                                                            pricing models based upon real-time streaming
                                                    with, or follow the Bid or Offer of the series in         17See Exchange Rule 713 and the Exchange’s Fee      data, access to multiple markets simultaneously and
                                                    question.                                               Schedule.                                             order and risk management tools.



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                                                    63256                   Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 178 / Wednesday, September 14, 2016 / Notices

                                                    accounts non-Professional retail                        as a separate order does not create an                       At any time within 60 days of the
                                                    investors from the Professionals                        undue burden on intra-market                              filing of the proposed rule change, the
                                                    accounts some non-broker-dealer                         competition because the Exchange will                     Commission summarily may
                                                    individuals and entities have access to                 apply this method of calculation                          temporarily suspend such rule change if
                                                    information and technology that enables                 uniformly among its member                                it appears to the Commission that such
                                                    them to Professionally trade listed                     organizations.                                            action is: (i) Necessary or appropriate in
                                                    options in the same manner as a broker                                                                            the public interest; (ii) for the protection
                                                                                                            Parent/Child Orders
                                                    or dealer in securities.19                                                                                        of investors; or (iii) otherwise in
                                                      Finally, the proposed guidance is                       The Exchange’s treatment of                             furtherance of the purposes of the Act.
                                                    being issued to stem confusion as to the                subordinate orders does not create an                     If the Commission takes such action, the
                                                    manner in which options exchanges                       undue burden on intra-market                              Commission shall institute proceedings
                                                    compute the Professional Order volume.                  competition because allowing orders on                    to determine whether the proposed rule
                                                                                                            the same side of the market to be                         should be approved or disapproved.
                                                    B. Self-Regulatory Organization’s                       counted as a single order is consistent
                                                    Statement on Burden on Competition                      with the original intent of the                           IV. Solicitation of Comments
                                                       The Exchange does not believe that                   Professional Order designation which is                     Interested persons are invited to
                                                    the proposed rule change will impose                    to count distinct orders and focus on the                 submit written data, views, and
                                                    any burden on competition not                           number of orders generated.                               arguments concerning the foregoing,
                                                    necessary or appropriate in furtherance                   The Exchange does not believe that                      including whether the proposed rule
                                                    of the purposes of the Act because the                  the proposed rule change will impose                      change is consistent with the Act.
                                                    Exchange will uniformly apply the rules                 an undue burden on inter-market                           Comments may be submitted by any of
                                                    to calculate volume on all members in                   competition because other exchanges                       the following methods:
                                                    determining Professional Orders. The                    have adopted similar guidance.20 The
                                                                                                            Exchange believes that disparate rules                    Electronic Comments
                                                    designation of Professional Orders
                                                                                                            regarding Professional Order                                • Use the Commission’s Internet
                                                    would not result in any different
                                                                                                            designation, and a lack of uniform                        comment form (http://www.sec.gov/
                                                    treatment of such orders for purposes of
                                                                                                            application of such rules, does not                       rules/sro.shtml); or
                                                    the Exchange’s Rules concerning order                                                                               • Send an email to rule-comments@
                                                    protection or routing to away exchanges.                promote the best regulation and may, in
                                                                                                            fact, encourage regulatory arbitrage. The                 sec.gov. Please include File No. SR–ISE–
                                                    The guidance is being issued to stem                                                                              2016–19 on the subject line.
                                                    confusion as to the manner in which                     Exchange believes that it is therefore
                                                    options exchanges compute the                           prudent and necessary to conform its                      Paper Comments
                                                                                                            rules to that of other options exchanges
                                                    Professional Order volume.
                                                                                                            for purposes of calculating the threshold                    • Send paper comments in triplicate
                                                    Counting All Orders                                     volume of orders to be designated as a                    to Brent J. Fields, Secretary, Securities
                                                                                                            Professional Order. This is particularly                  and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street
                                                       The Exchange believes that counting                                                                            NE., Washington, DC 20549–1090.
                                                    all orders entered by a Professional                    true where the Exchange’s third-party
                                                                                                            routing broker-dealers are members of                     All submissions should refer to File No.
                                                    toward the number of orders, regardless                                                                           SR–ISE–2016–19. This file number
                                                    of the options exchange to which the                    several exchanges that have rules
                                                                                                            requiring Professional Order                              should be included on the subject line
                                                    order was routed, does not create an                                                                              if email is used. To help the
                                                    undue burden on intra-market                            designations.
                                                                                                                                                                      Commission process and review your
                                                    competition because this proposed rule                  C. Self-Regulatory Organization’s                         comments more efficiently, please use
                                                    change will be consistently applied to                  Statement on Comments on the                              only one method. The Commission will
                                                    all members in determining Professional                 Proposed Rule Change Received From                        post all comments on the Commission’s
                                                    Orders.                                                 Members, Participants, or Others                          Internet Web site (http://www.sec.gov/
                                                    Cancel and Replace                                        No written comments were either                         rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the
                                                                                                            solicited or received.                                    submission, all subsequent
                                                       The Exchange believes that its
                                                                                                                                                                      amendments, all written statements
                                                    application of cancel and replace orders                III. Date of Effectiveness of the
                                                                                                                                                                      with respect to the proposed rule
                                                    does not create an undue burden on                      Proposed Rule Change and Timing for
                                                                                                                                                                      change that are filed with the
                                                    intra-market competition because this                   Commission Action
                                                                                                                                                                      Commission, and all written
                                                    application is consistent with Exchange                    Because the foregoing proposed rule                    communications relating to the
                                                    Rules, where the replacement order is                   change does not: (i) Significantly affect                 proposed rule change between the
                                                    viewed as a new order. This treatment                   the protection of investors or the public                 Commission and any person, other than
                                                    is consistent with the manner in which                  interest; (ii) impose any significant                     those that may be withheld from the
                                                    this order type is applied today within                 burden on competition; and (iii) become                   public in accordance with the
                                                    the order Book.                                         operative for 30 days from the date on                    provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be
                                                       The Exchange’s interpretation that                   which it was filed, or such shorter time                  available for Web site viewing and
                                                    Complex Orders consisting of eight legs                 as the Commission may designate, it has                   printing in the Commission’s Public
                                                    or fewer will be counted as a single                    become effective pursuant to Section                      Reference Room, 100 F Street NE.,
                                                    order, and respecting Complex Orders of                 19(b)(3)(A)(iii) of the Act 21 and                        Washington, DC 20549 on official
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                                                    nine legs or more, each leg will count                  subparagraph (f)(6) of Rule 19b–4                         business days between the hours of
                                                       19 For example, some broker-dealers provided
                                                                                                            thereunder.22                                             10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Copies of such
                                                    their Professional customers with multi-screened
                                                                                                              20 NASDAQ PHLX LLC has a similar rule in place
                                                    trading stations equipped with trading technology                                                                 the Commission written notice of its intent to file
                                                    that allows the trader to monitor and place orders      for computing Professional orders. See Rule               the proposed rule change at least five business days
                                                    on all six options exchanges simultaneously. These      1000(b)(14).                                              prior to the date of filing of the proposed rule
                                                                                                              21 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(a)(iii).
                                                    trading stations also provide compliance filters,                                                                 change, or such shorter time as designated by the
                                                    order managements tools, the ability to place orders      22 17 CFR 240.19b–4(f)(6). In addition, Rule 19b–       Commission. The Exchange has satisfied this
                                                    in the underlying securities, and market data feeds.    4(f)(6) requires a self-regulatory organization to give   requirement.



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                                                                              Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 178 / Wednesday, September 14, 2016 / Notices                                                 63257

                                                    filing also will be available for                         other stakeholders, whether issuing a                   Dated: September 8, 2016.
                                                    inspection and copying at the principal                   Presidential Permit to Otay Water                     Colleen A. Hoey,
                                                    office of the Exchange. All comments                      District authorizing the construction,                Director, Office of Mexican Affairs,
                                                    received will be posted without change;                   connection, operation, and maintenance                Department of State.
                                                    the Commission does not edit personal                     of a cross-border liquid pipeline for the             [FR Doc. 2016–22094 Filed 9–13–16; 8:45 am]
                                                    identifying information from                              importation of desalinated seawater                   BILLING CODE 4710–29–P
                                                    submissions. You should submit only                       would serve the national interest. That
                                                    information that you wish to make                         determination process involves
                                                    available publicly. All submissions                       consideration of many factors, including              DEPARTMENT OF STATE
                                                    should refer to File No. SR–ISE–2016–                     foreign policy; environmental, cultural,              [Public Notice: 9714]
                                                    19, and should be submitted on or                         and economic impacts; compliance with
                                                    before October 5, 2016.                                   applicable law and regulations; and                   60-Day Notice of Proposed Information
                                                      For the Commission, by the Division of                  other issues.                                         Collection: PEPFAR Program
                                                    Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated                  Interested members of the public are                Expenditures
                                                    authority.23                                              invited to submit written comments
                                                    Brent J. Fields,                                          regarding this application. The public                      Notice of request for public
                                                                                                                                                                    ACTION:
                                                    Secretary.                                                comment period will end 30 days from                  comment.
                                                    [FR Doc. 2016–22029 Filed 9–13–16; 8:45 am]               the publication of this notice.                       SUMMARY:    The Department of State is
                                                    BILLING CODE 8011–01–P                                    Comments are not private. They will be                seeking Office of Management and
                                                                                                              posted on the site http://                            Budget (OMB) approval for the
                                                                                                              www.regulations.gov. The comments                     information collection described below.
                                                    DEPARTMENT OF STATE                                       will not be edited to remove identifying              In accordance with the Paperwork
                                                                                                              or contact information, and the State                 Reduction Act of 1995, we are
                                                    [Public Notice: 9713]
                                                                                                              Department cautions against including                 requesting comments on this collection
                                                    Notice of 30 Day Public Comment                           any information that one does not want                from all interested individuals and
                                                    Period Regarding the National Interest                    publicly disclosed. The State                         organizations. The purpose of this
                                                    Determination for Otay Water District’s                   Department requests that any part                     notice is to allow 60 days for public
                                                    Presidential Permit Application                           soliciting or aggregating comments                    comment preceding submission of the
                                                                                                              received from other persons for                       collection to OMB.
                                                    AGENCY:     Department of State.                          submission to the State Department                    DATES: The Department will accept
                                                    ACTION:     Notice.                                       inform those persons that the State                   comments from the public up to
                                                                                                              Department will not edit their                        November 14, 2016.
                                                    SUMMARY:    On November 25, 2013, the                     comments to remove identifying or
                                                    Otay Water District applied for a                                                                               ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
                                                                                                              contact information, and that they                    by any of the following methods:
                                                    Presidential Permit from the Department                   should not include any information in
                                                    of State (‘‘State Department’’)                                                                                    • Web: Persons with access to the
                                                                                                              their comments that they do not want                  Internet may comment on this notice by
                                                    authorizing the construction,                             publicly disclosed.
                                                    connection, operation, and maintenance                                                                          going to www.Regulations.gov. You can
                                                    of a cross-border liquid pipeline for the                 DATES:  Comments must be submitted no                 search for the document by entering
                                                    importation of desalinated seawater at                    later than October 14, 2016 at 11:59 p.m.             ‘‘Docket Number: DOS–2016–0048’’ in
                                                    the international boundary between the                                                                          the Search field. Then click the
                                                                                                              ADDRESSES:   For reasons of efficiency,               ‘‘Comment Now’’ button and complete
                                                    United States and Mexico in San Diego                     the State Department encourages the
                                                    County, California. On September 2,                                                                             the comment form.
                                                                                                              electronic submission of comments                        • Email: ZaidiIF@state.gov.
                                                    2016, after consulting with the public                    through the federal government’s
                                                    and interested agencies, the Office of                                                                             • Regular Mail: Send written
                                                                                                              eRulemaking Portal (http://                           comments to: Office of the US Global
                                                    Environmental Quality and                                 www.regulations.gov), enter the Docket
                                                    Transboundary Issues (OES/EQT) at the                                                                           AIDS Coordinator and Health
                                                                                                              No. DOS–2016–0061, and follow the                     Diplomacy (S/GAC), U.S. Department of
                                                    State Department and the Otay Water                       prompts to submit a comment. The State
                                                    District issued a final environmental                                                                           State, SA–22, 1800 G Street NW., Suite
                                                                                                              Department also will accept comments                  10300, Washington, DC 20006.
                                                    impact report/environmental impact                        submitted in hard copy by mail and
                                                    statement (EIR/EIS). Background                                                                                    • Fax: 202–663–2979.
                                                                                                              postmarked no later than October 14,                  You must include the DS form number
                                                    information related to the application,                   2016. Please note that standard mail
                                                    including the application and the EIR/                                                                          (if applicable), information collection
                                                                                                              delivery to the State Department can be               title, and the OMB control number in
                                                    EIS, may be found at: http://                             delayed due to security screening. To
                                                    www.state.gov/p/wha/rt/permit/app/                                                                              any correspondence.
                                                                                                              submit comments by mail, use the                      FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
                                                    otaypermit/index.htm.                                     following address: U.S.-Mexico Border
                                                      The State Department’s review of this                                                                         Direct requests for additional
                                                                                                              Affairs Office, Room 3924, Department                 information regarding the collection
                                                    application is based upon Executive                       of State, 2201 C St. NW., Washington,
                                                    Order 11423 of August 16, 1968, as                                                                              listed in this notice, including requests
                                                                                                              DC 20520.                                             for copies of the proposed collection
                                                    amended. As provided in E.O. 11423,
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                                                    the Department is circulating this                        FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:                      instrument and supporting documents,
                                                    application to relevant federal agencies                  Office of Mexican Affairs, Bureau of                  to Irum Zaidi, 1800 G St. NW., Suite
                                                    for review and comment. Under E.O.                        Western Hemisphere Affairs, via email                 10300, SA–22, Washington DC 20006,
                                                    11423, the Department has the                             at WHA-BorderAffairs@state.gov; by                    who may be reached on 202–663–2440
                                                    responsibility to determine, taking into                  phone at 202–647–9894; or by mail at                  or at ZaidiIF@state.gov.
                                                    account views from these agencies and                     WHA/MEX—Room 3924, Department of                      SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
                                                                                                              State, 2201 C St. NW., Washington, DC                    • Title of Information Collection:
                                                      23 17   CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).                            20520.                                                PEPFAR Program Expenditures.


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Document Created: 2016-09-14 02:27:16
Document Modified: 2016-09-14 02:27:16
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 Citation81 FR 63252 

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