81_FR_73364 81 FR 73159 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc.; Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule Change Amending NYSE Arca Equities Rules 7.35 (Auctions), 7.10 (Clearly Erroneous Executions), 7.31 (Orders and Modifiers), and 7.11 (Limit Up-Limit Down Plan and Trading Pauses in Individual Securities Due to Extraordinary Market Volatility)

81 FR 73159 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc.; Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule Change Amending NYSE Arca Equities Rules 7.35 (Auctions), 7.10 (Clearly Erroneous Executions), 7.31 (Orders and Modifiers), and 7.11 (Limit Up-Limit Down Plan and Trading Pauses in Individual Securities Due to Extraordinary Market Volatility)

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 205 (October 24, 2016)

Page Range73159-73166
FR Document2016-25572

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 205 (Monday, October 24, 2016)
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 205 (Monday, October 24, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73159-73166]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-25572]



[[Page 73159]]

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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-79107; File No. SR-NYSEArca-2016-130]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc.; Notice of Filing 
of Proposed Rule Change Amending NYSE Arca Equities Rules 7.35 
(Auctions), 7.10 (Clearly Erroneous Executions), 7.31 (Orders and 
Modifiers), and 7.11 (Limit Up--Limit Down Plan and Trading Pauses in 
Individual Securities Due to Extraordinary Market Volatility)

October 18, 2016.
    Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) \1\ of the Securities Exchange Act of 
1934 (``Act'') \2\ and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,\3\ notice is hereby given 
that, on October 4, 2016, NYSE Arca, Inc. (``Exchange'' or ``NYSE 
Arca'') filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission 
(``Commission'') the proposed rule change as described in Items I and 
II below, which Items have been prepared by the self-regulatory 
organization. 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\ 15 U.S.C. 78a.
    \3\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4.
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I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance 
of the Proposed Rule Change

    The Exchange proposes to amend NYSE Arca Equities Rule 7.35 
(Auctions) to enhance the information available before an auction and 
revise its procedures for Trading Halt Auctions, NYSE Arca Equities 
Rule 7.10 (Clearly Erroneous Executions) to exclude Trading Halt 
Auctions from being reviewed as clearly erroneous, NYSE Arca Equities 
Rule 7.31 (Orders and Modifiers) to add a new Imbalance Only Order, and 
NYSE Arca Equities Rule 7.11.
    The proposed rule change is available on the Exchange's Web site at 
www.nyse.com, at the principal office of the Exchange, and at the 
Commission's Public Reference Room.

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

    In its filing with the Commission, the self-regulatory organization 
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 those 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 parts of such statements.

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

1. Purpose
    The Exchange proposes to amend NYSE Arca Equities Rule 7.35 
(Auctions) (``Rule 7.35'') to enhance the information available before 
an auction and revise its procedures for Trading Halt Auctions, NYSE 
Arca Equities Rule 7.10 (``Rule 7.10'') to exclude Trading Halt 
Auctions from being reviewed as a clearly erroneous execution, NYSE 
Arca Equities Rule 7.31 (Orders and Modifiers) (``Rule 7.31'') to add a 
new Imbalance Only Order, and NYSE Arca Equities Rule 7.11 (Limit Up--
Limit Down Plan and Trading Pauses in Individual Securities Due to 
Extraordinary Market Volatility) (``Rule 7.11'') to conform the rule to 
proposed changes to the Regulation NMS Plan to Address Extraordinary 
Market Volatility (``Plan'').\4\
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    \4\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 77679 (April 21, 
2016), 81 FR 24908 (April 27, 2016) (File No. 4-631) (Order 
approving 10th Amendment to the LULD Plan).
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Overview
    The Operating Committee for the Plan with input from the Advisory 
Committee to the Plan and staff of the Securities and Exchange 
Commission (``SEC'' or ``Commission''), has identified a number of 
enhancements to the reopening process following a Trading Pause that 
will be addressed in a combination of a proposed amendment to the Plan 
and amendments to the rules of the Primary Listing Exchanges.\5\ The 
Exchange is a Participant of the Plan and a member of the Operating 
Committee.
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    \5\ Unless otherwise specified, capitalized terms used herein 
have the same meaning as set forth in the Plan or in Exchange rules.
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    With respect to the Plan, the Participants submitted a proposal to 
amend the Plan to provide that a Trading Pause will continue until the 
Primary Listing Exchange reopens trading using its established 
reopening procedures and reports a Reopening Price.\6\ The Participants 
further proposed to eliminate the current allowance for a trading 
center to resume trading in an NMS Stock following a Trading Pause if 
the Primary Listing Exchange has not reported a Reopening Price within 
ten minutes after the declaration of a Trading Pause and has not 
declared a Regulatory Halt. In addition, to close any gaps of potential 
scenarios when trading may resume without Price Bands, the Participants 
proposed to amend the Plan to provide that a trading center may not 
resume trading in an NMS Stock following a Trading Pause without Price 
Bands in such NMS Stock. To address potential scenarios of when there 
may not be a Reopening Price from the Primary Listing Exchange from 
which to calculate Price Bands, the Participants proposed to make 
related amendments to the Plan to address when trading may resume if 
the Primary Listing Exchange is unable to reopen due to a systems or 
technology issue and how the Reference Price would be determined either 
under such circumstances or if the Primary Listing Exchange reopens 
trading on a zero bid or zero quote, or both.
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    \6\ On September 19, 2016, the Participants filed with the 
Commission the twelfth amendment to the Plan.
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    In connection with the proposed Plan amendments, the Participants 
have agreed on a standardized approach for how the Primary Listing 
Exchanges should conduct certain aspects of an automated reopening 
following a Trading Pause. Specifically, because trading centers would 
not be permitted to resume trading in an NMS Stock until there is a 
Reopening Price, the Participants believe it is appropriate for the 
Primary Listing Exchanges to adopt uniform standards for determining 
whether and when to conduct such automated reopenings, including what 
price collar thresholds would be applicable to such automated 
reopenings and how to provide for extensions of when a reopening 
auction would be conducted. The goal of such changes would be to ensure 
that all Market Order interest could be satisfied in an automated 
reopening auction.
    More specifically, the Participants have agreed that if there is an 
imbalance of market orders, or if the Reopening Price would be outside 
of specified price collar thresholds, the Trading Pause would be 
extended an additional five minutes in order to provide additional time 
to attract offsetting liquidity. If at the end of such extension, 
Market Orders still cannot be satisfied within price collar thresholds 
or if the reopening auction would be priced outside of the applicable 
price collar thresholds, the Primary Listing Exchange would extend the 
Trading Pause an additional five minutes. With each such extension, the 
Participants have agreed that it would be appropriate to widen the 
price collar threshold on the side of the market on which there is 
buying or selling pressure.

[[Page 73160]]

    With respect to price collar thresholds, the Participants have 
agreed that the reference price for calculating price collar thresholds 
would be the price of the limit state that preceded the Trading Pause, 
i.e., either the Lower or Upper Price Band price. For NMS Stocks priced 
more than $3.00,
     If there is selling pressure, the lower collar for the 
auction would be the Lower Price Band minus five percent and the upper 
collar would be the Upper Price Band;
     if there is buying pressure, the upper collar for the 
auction would be the Upper Price Band plus five percent and the lower 
collar would be the Lower Price Band.
    For each extension, the collars would be widened an additional five 
percent, but only on the side of the imbalance.\7\ The Participants 
believe that widening collars only in the direction of the imbalance 
would address issues relating to the concept of mean reversion.
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    \7\ For NMS Stocks that are priced $3.00 and under, the price 
collar threshold would be $0.15.
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    Finally, the Participants have agreed that the proposed new 
procedures for reopening trading following a Trading Pause reduces the 
potential that an order or orders entered by one or more ETP Holders 
caused such execution to be clearly erroneous. Specifically, the 
Participants believe that the proposed standardized procedures for 
reopening trading following a Trading Pause incorporates a methodology 
that allows for widened collars, which may result in a reopening price 
away from prior trading prices, but which reopening price would be a 
result of a measured and transparent process that eliminates the 
potential that such trade would be considered erroneous.
    As a Primary Listing Exchange, the Exchange proposes to amend Rule 
7.35 to implement the proposed uniform trading practices with respect 
to reopening a security following a Trading Pause, as described above. 
In addition, the Exchange proposes to implement changes for automated 
reopenings following a market-wide circuit breaker under Rule 7.12 and 
any regulatory halts triggered in an Exchange-listed security. The 
Exchange further proposes to amend Rule 7.10 to preclude ETP Holders 
from requesting a review of a Trading Halt Auction as a clearly 
erroneous execution. Finally, in connection with these proposed 
changes, the Exchange proposes additional enhancements to its auction 
processes, including adding a new Imbalance Only Order, an Auction 
Freeze period before a Trading Halt Auction, and enhanced information 
to be disseminated before an auction.
Uniform Primary Listing Exchange Proposed Rule Changes
    To effect the proposed enhancements that would be implemented by 
all Primary Listing Exchanges, the Exchange proposes to add new sub-
paragraphs (5)-(10) to Rule 7.35(e), which governs Trading Halt 
Auctions, re-number current Rule 7.35(e)(5) as new Rule 7.35(e)(11), 
and amend Rule 7.35(e)(2). The Exchange proposes to implement these 
changes for all Trading Halt Auctions. The proposed standardized 
trading practices agreed upon by the Operating Committee are intended 
for Trading Halt Auctions following a trading pause under Rule 7.11. 
However, the Exchange believes that these proposed procedures would be 
beneficial following all halts, including regulatory halts and halts 
due to extraordinary market volatility.
    Rule 7.35(e)(2) currently provides that after trading in a security 
has been halted or paused, the NYSE Arca Marketplace will disseminate 
the estimated time at which trading in that security will re-open 
(``Re-Opening Time''). The Exchange proposes to add to this rule that 
the initial Re-Opening Time for a Trading Halt Auction following a 
trading pause under Rule 7.11 (``Trading Pause'') or trading halt due 
to extraordinary market volatility under Rule 7.12 (``MWCB Halt'') will 
be at the scheduled end of the Trading Pause or MWCB Halt. This 
proposed rule text clarifies that for Trading Pauses and MWCB Halts, 
the length of the initial pause or halt period is as specified in those 
rules. As specified in the LULD Plan, the scheduled end of the Trading 
Pause is five minutes after a Trading Pause has been declared. As 
specified in Rule 7.12(b), the scheduled end of a Level 1 or Level 2 
Market Decline is 15 minutes. If there is a Level 3 Market Decline, the 
Exchange will not re-open.
    Proposed Rule 7.35(e)(5) would provide that a Trading Halt Auction 
would not be conducted if the Indicative Match Price, before being 
adjusted based on Auction Collars, is below (above) the Lower (Upper) 
Auction Collar or if there is a sell (buy) Market Imbalance, either of 
which would be defined as an ``Impermissible Price.'' \8\ This proposed 
rule text would implement the proposed standardized enhancement that 
the Exchange would not conduct a Trading Halt Auction if there are 
either unsatisfied Market Orders, or if the Indicative Match Price 
would be outside the applicable Auction Collars.
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    \8\ The term ``Indicative Match Price'' is defined in Rule 
7.35(a)(8) to mean the best price at which the maximum volume of 
shares, including the non-displayed quantity of Reserve Orders, is 
tradable in the applicable auction, subject to Auction Collars. For 
purposes of proposed Rule 7.35(e)(5), the Indicative Match Price 
would not be calculated subject to Auction Collars. The term 
``Auction Collars'' is defined in Rule 7.35(a)(10) to mean the price 
collar thresholds for the Indicative Match Price for the Core Open 
Auction, Trading Halt Auction, or Closing Auction. The term ``Market 
Imbalance'' is defined in Rule 7.35(a)(7)(B) means the imbalance of 
any buy (sell) Market Orders that are not matched for trading in the 
applicable auction.
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    Extensions: Proposed Rule 7.35(e)(6) would specify the 
circumstances when the Exchange would extend the Re-Opening Time for a 
Trading Halt Auction, as follows:
     Proposed Rule 7.35(e)(6)(A) would provide that, if there 
is an Impermissible Price at the initial Re-Opening Time, the pause or 
halt would be extended an additional five minutes and a new Re-Opening 
Time would be disseminated, which would be referred to as the ``First 
Extension.'' The proposed rule would further provide that the Exchange 
would not conduct a Trading Halt Auction before the Re-Opening Time for 
the First Extension. As such, if the Exchange disseminates a First 
Extension, consistent with the current Plan, which provides that if the 
Primary Listing Exchange does not reopen, trading centers may not 
resume trading until ten minutes after the beginning of the Trading 
Pause, the Trading Pause would continue for ten minutes and trading 
would not resume before that ten-minute marker.
     Proposed Rule 7.35(e)(6)(B) would provide that if there is 
an Impermissible Price at the end of the First Extension, the pause or 
halt would be extended an additional five minutes and a new Re-Opening 
Time would be disseminated (``Subsequent Extension''). As further 
proposed, the Exchange would conduct a Trading Halt Auction before the 
Re-Opening Time for a Subsequent Extension if the Indicative Match 
Price, before being adjusted based on Auction Collars, would be within 
the applicable Auction Collars and there is no Market Imbalance. This 
proposed change would implement the Participant's proposal that for 
Subsequent Extensions, if equilibrium of prices is reached, the 
Exchange would conduct the Trading Halt Auction immediately and would 
not extend the Trading Pause any further.
     Proposed Rule 7.35(e)(6)(C) would provide that the trading 
pause or halt would continue to be extended if there is an 
Impermissible Price at the Re-

[[Page 73161]]

Opening Time for a Subsequent Extension. This proposed rule text makes 
clear that a halt or pause would continue to be extended until a 
Trading Halt Auction can be conducted, as provided for in proposed Rule 
7.35(e)(5).
    Auction Collars: Proposed Rule 7.35(e)(7) would describe how 
Auction Collars would function for Trading Halt Auctions. As provided 
for in Rule 7.35(a)(10), Auction Collars mean the price collar 
thresholds for the Indicative Match Price for the Core Open Auction, 
Trading Halt Auction, or Closing Auction. Currently, the price collar 
thresholds for the Trading Halt Auction are 10% for securities with an 
Auction Reference Price of $25.00 or less, 5% for securities with an 
Auction Reference Price of greater than $25.00 and less than or equal 
to $50.00, or 3% for securities with an Auction Reference Price greater 
than $50.00. These price collar thresholds are based on the percentage 
parameters for determining a clearly erroneous execution under Rule 
7.10(c) and are in effect until January 31, 2017.
    The Exchange proposes that the price collar threshold for Auction 
Collars for securities with an Auction Reference Price above $3.00 
would be the Auction Reference Price multiplied by five percent. The 
price collar threshold for securities with an Auction Reference Price 
$3.00 and below would be $0.15. This value would be defined as the 
``Price Collar Threshold.'' For securities priced above $3.00, once 
calculated, the Price Collar Threshold would be applicable for each 
Subsequent Extension, described below. For securities with an Auction 
Reference Price of $3.00 and under, the Price Collar Threshold would be 
a static $0.15 for each Subsequent Extension. The Exchange believes 
that using a 5 percent multiplier for stocks priced $3.00 or less would 
result in too narrow of an Auction Collar. Similar to the LULD Plan, 
which provides for wider percentage parameters for stocks priced $3.00 
or less, the Exchange proposes a wider Price Collar Threshold for 
stocks with an Auction Reference Price of $3.00 or less.
    The Exchange believes that the proposed Price Collar Thresholds are 
designed to align the Auction Collars with the existing percentage 
parameters as specified in the LULD Plan. The Exchange proposes to use 
the single 5% threshold for all securities priced above $3.00 and $0.15 
for all securities priced $3.00 or less, and not apply separate a [sic] 
percentage parameter based on the tiers specified in the LULD Plan, 
because the Exchange believes it would be simpler and more transparent. 
Moreover, the Exchange believes that because the proposed rule changes 
would provide for the widening of collars, and would prevent trades at 
an Impermissible Price, the specific size of the Price Collar Threshold 
becomes less meaningful. For example, if the Market Imbalance is so 
large that the proposed five percent price collar threshold is too 
narrow to permit a Trading Halt Auction, the proposed extensions and 
widening of Auction Collars, as described below, would provide for a 
measured manner by which the collars would be widened either to permit 
a trade at a permissible price or to attract additional offsetting 
interest. If, at a later date, the LULD Plan is amended and the 
applicable tiers and percentage parameters are adjusted, the Exchange 
will reevaluate the Price Collar Thresholds for Trading Halt Auctions 
and if they should be changed, will file a separate proposed rule 
change.
    Because the Price Collar Thresholds for Auction Collars applicable 
to a Trading Halt Auction would be specified in proposed Rule 
7.35(e)(7), the Exchange proposes to amend Rule 7.35(a)(10)(A) to 
delete the reference to Trading Halt Auctions. The Exchange further 
proposes to delete the following text: ``* The price collar thresholds 
specified in this paragraph applicable to Trading Halt Auctions are in 
effect until January 31, 2017.'' The Exchange believes that proposed 
Rule 7.35(e)(7) obviates the current price collar thresholds specified 
for Trading Halt Auctions, which were adopted on an interim basis 
pending the outcome of the review that resulted in the proposed 
amendments to the Plan and standardized trading practices among the 
Primary Listing Exchange for how to resume trading following a Trading 
Pause.
    Trading Halt Auction Reference Price: Proposed Rule 7.35(e)(7)(A) 
would specify the Auction Reference Price that would be used for a 
Trading Halt Auction following a Trading Pause. As provided for in Rule 
7.35(a)(8)(A), the Auction Reference Price for the Trading Halt Auction 
is the last consolidated round-lot price of that trade day, and if 
none, the prior day's Official Closing Price. As proposed, the Auction 
Reference Price for a Trading Halt Auction following a Trading Pause 
would be determined as follows: if the Limit State that preceded the 
Trading Pause was at the Lower (Upper) Price Band, the Auction 
Reference Price would be the Lower (Upper) Price Band. This proposed 
change implements the standardized enhancement to use the Limit State 
price as the Auction Reference Price for a Trading Halt Auction 
following a Trading Pause.
    The Exchange proposes to make a related change to Rule 
7.35(a)(8)(A) to amend the chart that specifies Auction Reference 
Prices for the Trading Halt Auction. As proposed, the Exchange would 
add the clause ``except as provided for in Rule 7.35(e)(7)(A)'' to 
specify that the Auction Reference Price would be determined under that 
subparagraph of the rule instead of the Auction Reference Price 
specified in Rule 7.35(a)(8)(A). For a Trading Halt Auction following a 
MWCB Halt or regulatory halt, the Auction Reference Price would 
continue to be as specified in Rule 7.35(a)(8)(A).
    Initial Auction Collars: Proposed Rule 7.35(e)(7)(B) would specify 
the Auction Collars if a Trading Halt Auction is conducted at the 
initial Re-Opening Time. Currently, as provided for in Rule 
7.35(a)(10)(A), the upper (lower) boundary of Auction Collars is the 
Auction Reference Price increased (decreased) by the specified 
percentage. As such, the price collar thresholds are applied on both 
sides of the Auction Reference Price. The Exchange proposes to modify 
how Auction Collars are calculated as proposed:
     Proposed Rule 7.35(e)(7)(B)(i) would specify how Auction 
Collars would be determined for a Trading Halt Auction following a 
Trading Pause. As proposed, if the Auction Reference Price is the Lower 
(Upper) Price Band, the lower (upper) Auction Collar would be the 
Auction Reference Price decreased (increased) by the Price Collar 
Threshold, rounded down to the nearest MPV,\9\ and the upper (lower) 
Auction Collar would be the Upper (Lower) Price Band. This proposed 
rule implements the proposed standardized trading practice that, for 
Trading Halt Auctions following a Trading Pause, the Auction Collars 
should be widened only in the direction of the trading that invoked the 
Trading Pause. For example, if a Trading Pause is triggered following a 
Limit State at the Lower Price Band, this would indicate selling 
pressure in that NMS Stock. Accordingly, the proposed lower boundary 
Auction Collar would be widened by subtracting the Price Collar 
Threshold from the Auction Reference Price, i.e., the Lower Price Band. 
To address the concept of mean reversion, i.e., that prices may revert 
back to the mean or average price of the NMS Stock, and to avoid a 
security from trading outside of where it would have been permitted to 
trade before the

[[Page 73162]]

Trading Pause, the Exchange proposes that the Auction Collar on the 
opposite side of the trading pressure should be the Price Band in place 
before the Trading Pause was triggered. Taking the above example, the 
Upper Auction Collar would therefore be the Upper Price Band. This way, 
if during the trading pause, the selling pressure reverses and becomes 
buying pressure, the Auction Collars would not permit a trade higher 
than would have been permitted under the Price Bands before the Trading 
Pause.
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    \9\ See Rules 7.6 and 7.46 (specifying the minimum price 
variation (``MPV'') for quoting and entry of orders).
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     Proposed Rule 7.35(e)(7)(B)(ii) would specify how Auction 
Collars would be determined for a Trading Halt Auction following a MWCB 
Halt or regulatory halt. In this case, because there would not be a 
security-specific pricing direction reason for the halt, the Exchange 
proposes that the Price Collar Threshold would be applied on both sides 
of the Auction Reference Price. Accordingly, for stocks priced above 
$3.00, the upper (lower) boundary of the Auction Collar would be the 
Auction Reference Price (as defined in Rule 7.35(a)(8)(A)), plus 
(minus) the Auction Reference Price multiplied by 5%. For stocks priced 
$3.00 and under, the upper (lower) boundary of the Auction Collar would 
be the Auction Reference Price (as defined in Rule 7.35(a)(8)(A)), plus 
(minus) $0.15. For Trading Halt Auctions following a MWCB Halt or 
regulatory halt, if the Price Collar Threshold calculation results in a 
price that is not in the applicable MPV for the security, the Exchange 
proposes to round down to the nearest price in the applicable MPV.
    Auction Collar for Extensions: Proposed Rule 7.35(e)(7)(C) would 
specify how the Exchange would adjust Auction Collars for each 
Extension. As proposed, the Auction Collar on the side of the 
Impermissible Price would be widened for each Extension. In other 
words, if the Indicative Match Price is below the lower Auction Collar 
for the initial Re-Opening Time or there is a sell Market Imbalance, 
the Exchange would widen only the lower Auction Collar. As further 
proposed, the Auction Collar on the opposite side of the Impermissible 
Price would remain the same as the last-calculated Auction Collar on 
that side. Thus, in the case of selling pressure that would result in 
an Auction Extension, the upper Auction Collar would remain as the last 
Upper Price Band.
     Proposed Rule 7.35(e)(7)(C)(i) would further provide that 
if the Impermissible Price is on the side of the Lower (Upper) Auction 
Collar, the last-calculated Lower (Upper) Auction Collar would be 
decreased (increased) by a Price Collar Threshold and the Upper (Lower) 
Auction Collar would stay the same.
     To address the concept of mean reversion, proposed Rule 
7.35(e)(7)(C)(ii) would provide that if the side of the Impermissible 
Price changes from the Lower (Upper) Auction Collar to the Upper 
(Lower) Auction Collar, the last-calculated Upper (Lower) Auction 
Collar would be widened for that Extension and the last-calculated 
Lower (Upper) Auction Collar will remain the same. Therefore, if, 
during an Extension, the directional trading pressure switches from 
sell to buy, the upper Auction Collar would be widened, and the last-
Lower Auction Collar would remain the same.
    Proposed Rules 7.35(e)(8) and (9) would specify the Exchange's 
proposed handling of orders for a Trading Halt Auction, which are 
discussed in greater detail below.
    Proposed Rule 7.35(e)(10) would specify what the Exchange would do 
if a Re-Opening Time would be in the last ten minutes of trading before 
the end of Core Trading Hours. The Participants are proposing to amend 
the Plan to provide that if an NMS Stock is in a Trading Pause during 
the last ten minutes of trading before the end of Regular Trading 
Hours, the Primary Listing Exchange would not reopen trading and would 
attempt to execute a closing transaction using its established closing 
procedures.\10\ To implement this proposed amendment to the Plan, 
proposed Rule 7.35(e)(10) would provide that, if the Re-Opening Time 
for a Trading Halt Auction is in the last ten minutes of trading before 
the end of Core Trading Hours, the Exchange would not conduct a Trading 
Halt Auction in that security and would not transition to continuous 
trading.\11\ Instead, the Exchange would remain paused or halted and 
would conduct a Closing Auction in such security as provided for in 
Rule 7.35(d).
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    \10\ See supra note 6.
    \11\ Rule 7.12 provides that a MWCB Halt following a Level 1 
Decline or Level 2 Decline will not be declared after 3:25 p.m. 
Eastern Time. However, if, as proposed, a MWCB Halt in an NMS Stock 
that was triggered at or before 3:25 p.m. Eastern Time is extended 
pursuant to proposed Rule 7.35(e)(5) to after 3:50 p.m. Eastern Time 
(or 12:50 p.m. Eastern Time in the case of an early scheduled 
close), the Exchange would not conduct a Trading Halt Auction in 
that NMS Stock.
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    In such circumstances, as specified in proposed Rule 
7.35(e)(10)(A), MOO Orders, LOO Orders, and IO Orders (described below) 
entered during the pause or halt would not participate in the Closing 
Auction and would expire at the end of the Core Trading Session. The 
Exchange proposes to add this rule text to provide transparency to ETP 
Holders of how orders that are designated to participate in a Trading 
Halt Auction only would be handled if the Exchange transitions to a 
Closing Auction without conducting that Trading Halt Auction. The 
Exchange believes this proposed rule text would provide notice for ETP 
Holders to enter closing-only interest, i.e., MOC or LOC Orders, to 
participate in the Closing Auction.
    In addition, as specified in proposed Rule 7.35(e)(10)(B), the 
Auction Collars for the Closing Auction for such security would be the 
most recently widened Auction Collars for the Trading Halt Auction that 
did not occur. Currently, the Auction Collars for Closing Auctions are 
5% for securities with an Auction Reference Price of $25.00 or less, 2% 
for securities with an Auction Reference Price of greater than $25.00 
and less than or equal to $50.00, or 1% for securities with an Auction 
Reference Price greater than $50.00. The Exchange believes that if the 
Exchange goes directly from an unresolved Trading Pause, MWCB Halt, or 
regulatory halt in an NMS Stock to a Closing Auction, the narrower 
price collar thresholds applicable to the Closing Auction would result 
in Auction Collars that do not correlate to the trading condition for 
that NMS Stock.
    The Exchange proposes to make a related amendment to Rule 
7.35(a)(10)(A) to add the clause ``except as provided for in Rule 
7.35(e)(10)(B)''. This proposed rule text makes clear that the price 
collar thresholds for a Closing Auction are defined in Rule 
7.35(a)(10)(A), except as provided for in proposed Rule 7.35(e)(10)(B).
    The Exchange proposes to amend Rule 7.10(a) to provide that ETP 
Holders may not request a review of a Trading Halt Auction under Rule 
7.10(b), which specifies the procedures for an ETP Holder to request a 
review of an execution, as clearly erroneous. The Exchange believes 
that this proposed rule text would implement the proposed standardized 
trading practice that reopening auctions would not be eligible for 
review by ETP Holders as a clearly erroneous execution.\12\
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    \12\ The Participants will be engaging in a more comprehensive 
review of Rule 7.10 in connection with amendments to the Plan 
relating to tiering of securities and applicable percentage 
parameters. The Exchange proposes to make this limited amendment to 
Rule 7.10 as an initial step to eliminating its clearly erroneous 
executions rules in their current form.
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    Finally, the Exchange proposes to amend Rule 7.11 to delete 
obsolete rule text and conform the remaining rule text to the proposed 
amendments to the

[[Page 73163]]

Plan, as described above. First, the Exchange proposes to amend Rule 
7.11(b) to delete the text following the heading of Rule 7.11(b) and 
delete Rules 7.11(b)(1), (b)(1)(A)-(C), and (b)(3). This rule text 
governed how trading pauses were triggered before the Plan was 
implemented and is now obsolete. Second, the Exchange proposes that the 
text currently set forth in Rule 7.11(b)(2) would be moved to be the 
rule text for Rule 7.11(b). In moving this rule text, the Exchange 
proposes to delete the second substantive sentence of current Rule 
7.11(b)(2) as inconsistent with the proposed amendments to the Plan, 
described above.\13\ Third, the Exchange proposes to renumber current 
Rule 7.11(b)(4) as proposed Rule 7.11(b)(1) and amend this paragraph to 
add that the Exchange would notify the single plan processor if the 
Exchange is unable to reopen trading at the end of the Trading Pause 
due to a systems or technology issue, which is consistent with the 
proposed amendments to the Plan. Finally, the Exchange proposes to 
renumber current Rule 7.11(b)(5) as proposed Rule 7.11(b)(2) and amend 
the text to provide that if a primary listing market issues an Trading 
Pause, the Exchange would resume trading as provided for in Rule 
7.18(a).\14\ This proposed amendment is consistent with the proposed 
amendments to the Plan, described above.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \13\ The sentence that the Exchange would delete provides that 
``[i]n the event of a significant imbalance at the end of a Trading 
Pause, the Corporation may delay the re-opening of a security. The 
Exchange will issue a notification if it cannot resume trading for a 
reason other than a significant imbalance.''
    \14\ Rule 7.18(a) provides that if the UTP Listing Market 
declares a UTP Regulatory Halt, which includes a Trading Pause, the 
Exchange will halt trading until it receives the first Price Band in 
that security. Accordingly, following a Trading Pause declared by 
another Primary Listing Market, the Exchange already waits to 
receive Price Bands before it resumes trading in that UTP Security. 
The Exchange proposes to delete the current rule text in Rule 
7.11(b)(5) that provides that the Exchange ``will pause trading in 
that security until trading has resumed on the primary listing 
market or notice has been received from the primary listing market 
that trading may resume. If the primary listing market does not 
reopen the security within 10 minutes of notification of a Trading 
Pause, the Corporation may resume trading the security.''
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Other Proposed Rule Changes
    IO Order: The Exchange proposes to add a new order type, an 
Imbalance Only (``IO'') Order, that would be eligible to participate in 
Trading Halt Auctions only. The Exchange proposes to amend Rule 
7.31(c), which specifies the Exchange's Auction-Only Order types, to 
add new subsection (5) to describe an IO Order. As proposed, an IO 
Order would be a Limit Order to buy (sell) that is to be traded only in 
a Trading Halt Auction.
    Proposed Rule 7.31(c)(5)(A) would provide that an IO Order would be 
accepted only during a halt or pause, including any extensions. This 
proposed rule text is consistent with the Exchange's current rules that 
MOO or LOO Orders designated to participate in a Trading Halt Auction 
will be accepted only during the trading halt that precedes such 
Trading Halt Auction.\15\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \15\ See Rule 7.31(c)(1) and (2).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Proposed Rule 7.31(c)(5)(B) would provide that an IO Order would 
participate in a Trading Halt Auction only if: (i) There is an 
imbalance in the security on the opposite side of the market from the 
IO Order after taking into account all other orders eligible to trade 
at the Indicative Match Price; and (ii) the limit price of the IO Order 
to buy (sell) would be at or above (below) the Indicative Match Price. 
Proposed Rule 7.31(c)(5)(C) would provide that the working price of an 
IO Order to buy (sell) would be adjusted to be equal to the Indicative 
Match Price, provided that the working price of the IO Order would not 
be higher (lower) than its limit price. Finally, proposed Rule 
7.31(c)(5)(D) would provide that an IO Order that participates in a 
Trading Halt Auction would be ranked in time priority among IO Orders 
after all other orders eligible to participate in the auction have been 
allocated. The Exchange notes that the proposed IO Order is based in 
part on the Closing Offset (``CO'') Order offered by the New York Stock 
Exchange LLC (``NYSE'').\16\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \16\ See NYSE Rule 13(c)(1) (defining a CO Order as a day Limit 
Order to buy or sell as part of the closing transaction where the 
eligibility to participate in the closing transaction is contingent 
upon: (i) an imbalance in the security on the opposite side of the 
market from the CO Order; (ii) after taking into account all other 
types of interest eligible for execution at the closing price, there 
is still an imbalance in the security on the opposite side of the 
market from the CO Order; and (iii) the limit price of the CO Order 
being at or within the price of the closing transaction. CO Orders 
eligible to participate in the closing transaction are executed in 
time priority of receipt by NYSE systems, up to the size of the 
imbalance in the security, on the opposite side of the market from 
the CO Order. Any eligible CO Orders not executed due to trading 
halt (as defined in Rule NYSE 123D) or insufficient volume of the 
contra side imbalance will be cancelled.)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    For example, assume for a Trading Halt Auction that the lower 
boundary of an Auction Collar is $10.00. Assume further that after 
allocating all other orders eligible to participate in the Trading Halt 
Auction, there is a sell Total Imbalance of 10,000 shares and absent 
Auction Collars, the Indicative Match Price would be below $10.00. As 
provided for in Rule 7.35(a)(10)(B), once the Auction Collars are 
applied, the Indicative Match Price for that Trading Halt Auction would 
be $10.01 (i.e., one MPV above the lower Auction Collar). Assume now 
there are seven IO Orders to buy, each for 2,000 shares, with limit 
prices of $10.00, $10.01, $10.02, $10.03, $10.04, $10.05 and $10.06, 
and they are entered in that order. In this scenario, the IO Order to 
buy with a limit price of $10.00 would not be eligible to participate, 
because the $10.01 Indicative Match Price is higher than the limit 
price of the order. The remaining six IO Orders to buy would be 
assigned a working price of $10.01. However, because the IO Order with 
a limit price of $10.06 was entered last in time, it would not 
participate in the Trading Halt Auction.
    Auction Imbalance Freeze: The Exchange proposes to add an Auction 
Imbalance Freeze before a Trading Halt Auction. As defined in Rule 
7.35(a)(3), the Auction Imbalance Freeze means the period that begins 
before the scheduled time for the Early Open Auction, Core Open 
Auction, or Closing Auction, as specified in paragraphs (b), (c), and 
(d) of Rule 7.35, and that ends once the Auction Processing Period 
begins. To effect the proposed rule change, the Exchange proposes to 
add a reference to Trading Halt Auction and Rule 7.35(e) to Rule 
7.35(a)(3).
    Proposed Rule 7.35(e)(8) would describe how the Trading Halt 
Auction Imbalance Freeze would function. As proposed, the Trading Halt 
Auction Imbalance Freeze would begin five seconds before the Re-Opening 
Time, including Re-Opening Times for each Extension. The Exchange 
proposes to use the same period of time for the Trading Halt Auction 
Imbalance Freeze, five seconds, as provided for in Rule 7.35(c)(3) for 
the Core Open Auction. Specifically, the Exchange believes that the 
proposed five-second time period strikes the appropriate balance for 
providing sufficient time for market participants to enter and cancel 
orders before the Trading Halt Auction while at the same time having a 
short period for any imbalance to stabilize before the auction is 
conducted. The rule would further provide that if a pause or halt is 
extended, the Trading Halt Auction Imbalance Freeze for the prior 
period would end, new orders and order instructions received during the 
prior period's Trading Halt Auction Imbalance Freeze would be 
processed, and the Exchange would accept new order entry and 
cancellation as provided for in Rule 7.18(c) until the next Trading 
Halt Auction Imbalance Freeze. In other words, if at the Re-Opening 
Time, the Exchange extends the Trading Pause for five minutes, the 
restrictions on order

[[Page 73164]]

entry and cancellation from the prior freeze would no longer be in 
effect, and any order instructions that were not processed will be 
processed.
    The proposed rule would further provide how order entry and 
cancellation during the Trading Halt Auction Imbalance Freeze would be 
processed:
     As proposed in Rule 7.35(e)(8)(A), MOO Orders and LOO 
Orders that are on the same side as the Imbalance, would flip the 
Imbalance, or would create a new Imbalance would be rejected. This 
proposed rule text is based on how MOC Orders and LOC Orders are 
processed during the Closing Auction Imbalance Freeze, as described in 
Rule 7.35(d)(2)(A).
     As proposed in Rule 7.35(e)(8)(B), Market Orders (other 
than MOO Orders) and Limit Orders would be accepted but would not be 
included in the calculation of the Indicative Match Price or the 
Trading Halt Auction Imbalance Information. Such orders would 
participate in the Trading Halt Auction only to offset the Imbalance 
that would be remaining after all orders entered before the Trading 
Halt Auction Imbalance Freeze, including the non-display quantity of 
Reserve Orders, are allocated in the Trading Halt Auction, and would be 
allocated in price-time priority under Rule 7.36(c)-(g) consistent with 
the priority ranking associated with each order and ahead of any IO 
Orders. This proposed rule text is based on how [sic] Market Orders 
(other than MOO Orders) and Limit Orders that are entered during the 
Core Open Auction Imbalance Freeze, as described in Rule 7.35(c)(3)(B). 
As such, these orders would participate in the Trading Halt Auction 
only to offset the final Imbalance for the auction. Such orders would 
be ranked in price-time priority after all other orders, except for IO 
Orders, have been allocated. Because the Exchange would be accepting IO 
Orders for the Trading Halt Auction and because IO Orders do not 
participate until all other eligible interest has been allocated, the 
Exchange proposes a substantive difference from the rule governing the 
Core Open Auction to address how IO Orders would be processed relative 
to Market Orders (other than MOO Orders) or Limit Orders entered during 
the Trading Halt Auction Imbalance Freeze. As proposed, IO Orders would 
not be allocated until Market Orders (other than MOO Orders) and Limit 
Orders entered during the Trading Halt Auction Imbalance Freeze have 
been allocated.
     Proposed Rule 7.35(e)(8)(C) would provide that requests to 
cancel and requests to cancel and replace Market Orders, LOO Orders, 
Limit Orders, and IO Orders would be accepted but not processed until 
after the Trading Halt Auction concludes, as provided for in Rule 
7.35(h). This proposed rule text is based on Rule 7.35(c)(3)(C) 
governing which order instructions will be accepted but not processed 
during the Core Open Auction Imbalance Freeze. The Exchange proposes a 
substantive difference to reference how requests to cancel IO Orders 
would be processed if received during the freeze period.
     Finally, proposed Rule 7.35(e)(8)(D) would provide that 
all other order instructions would be accepted. This proposed rule text 
is based on Rules 7.35(c)(3)(D) and (d)(2)(C), without any differences.
    Unexecuted Limit Orders: The Exchange proposes to specify how it 
would process Limit Orders that do not participate in the Trading Halt 
Auction. As discussed above, an Impermissible Price would occur if 
there is a Market Imbalance or if the Indicative Match Price were 
outside the specified Price Collar Thresholds. However, if the 
Indicative Match Price were within the specified Price Collar 
Thresholds and there is no Market Imbalance, it is still possible to 
have an imbalance of Limit Orders within the Auction Collars. In such 
case, the Exchange proposes to transition such unexecuted Limit Orders 
to continuous trading. The Exchange believes that because such Limit 
Orders would have a limit price within the Auction Collars, having such 
Limit Orders transition to continuous trading would not have 
significant pricing impact on post-Trading Halt Auction trading. 
Accordingly, proposed Rule 7.35(e)(9) would provide that any Limit 
Orders that were eligible to participate in the Trading Halt Auction, 
but did not participate, would transition to continuous trading as 
provided for in paragraph (h) of this Rule.
    Auction Imbalance Information: The Exchange proposes to enhance the 
Auction Imbalance Information. Rule 7.35(a)(4) defines Auction 
Imbalance Information as the information that is disseminated by the 
Exchange for an auction and includes, if applicable, the Total 
Imbalance, Market Imbalance, Indicative Match Price, and Matched 
Volume.\17\ The Exchange proposes to enhance the Auction Imbalance 
Information to include the following additional information: Auction 
Reference Price, Auction Collar, Book Clearing Price, Far Clearing 
Price, Imbalance Freeze Indicator, and Auction Indicator. The Auction 
Reference Price is defined in Rule 7.35(a)(8)(A) and proposed Rule 
7.35(e)(7)(A), described above. The Auction Collar is defined in Rule 
7.35(a)(10) and proposed Rules 7.35(e)(7) and (e)(10)(B), described 
above. The Exchange proposes to define the additional terms as follows:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \17\ See Rule 7.35(a)(7) (defining the terms Total Imbalance and 
Market Imbalance); 7.35(a)(8) (defining the term Indicative Match 
Price); and 7.35(a)(9) (defining the term Matched Volume).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

     Proposed Rule 7.35(a)(11) would define the term ``Book 
Clearing Price'' to mean the price at which all interest eligible to 
participate in an auction could be traded if not subject to an Auction 
Collar. The rule would further provide that the Book Clearing Price 
would be zero if a sell (buy) imbalance cannot be filled by any buy 
(sell) orders. For example, if there are only sell orders and no buy 
orders, the Book Clearing Price would be zero.
     Proposed Rule 7.35(a)(12) would define the term ``Far 
Clearing Price'' to mean the price at which Auction-Only Orders could 
be traded within the Auction Collar. Auction-Only Orders are defined in 
Rule 7.31(c).
     Proposed Rule 7.35(a)(13) would define the term ``Auction 
Indicator'' to mean an indicator of whether an auction could be 
conducted, based on the applicable Auction Collar and Imbalance. This 
information would be relevant for the Trading Halt Auction and provide 
transparency regarding whether a Trading Pause, MWCB Halt, or 
regulatory halt would be eligible to be conducted. If an Auction 
Indicator is ``no,'' market participants would be on notice that 
submitting offsetting interest may reduce the possibility of the 
Exchange extending a Trading Halt Auction.
     Proposed Rule 7.35(a)(14) would define the term 
``Imbalance Freeze Indicator'' to mean an indicator of whether a 
security is currently in an Auction Imbalance Freeze. This indicator 
would put market participants on notice of whether there are order 
entry and cancellation restrictions in place at any given time before 
an auction.
* * * * *
    The Exchange proposes to implement the proposed rule change 
following the Commission's approval of Amendment 12 to the Plan. The 
Exchange will announce the implementation date via Trader Update to be 
issued after this proposed rule change is approved.
2. Statutory Basis
    The proposed rule change is consistent with Section 6(b) of the 
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the

[[Page 73165]]

``Act''),\18\ in general, and furthers the objectives of Section 
6(b)(5),\19\ in particular, because it is designed to prevent 
fraudulent and manipulative acts and practices, to promote just and 
equitable principles of trade, to foster cooperation and coordination 
with persons engaged in facilitating transactions in securities, 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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \18\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
    \19\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Exchange believes the proposed changes would 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, because they are designed, together with the proposed 
amendments to the Plan, to address the issues experienced on August 24, 
2015 by reducing the number of repeat Trading Pauses in a single NMS 
Stock. The proposed Plan amendments are an essential component to 
Participants' goal of more standardized processes across Primary 
Listing Exchanges in reopening trading following a Trading Pause, and 
facilitates the production of an equilibrium Reopening Price by 
centralizing the reopening process through the Primary Listing 
Exchange, which would also improve the accuracy of the reopening Price 
Bands. The proposed Plan amendments support this initiative by 
requiring trading centers to wait to resume trading following Trading 
Pause until there is a Reopening Price.
    This proposed rule change further supports this initiative by 
proposing uniform trading practices for reopening trading following a 
Trading Pause. The Exchange believes that the proposed standardized 
approach for how the Primary Listing Exchanges would conduct certain 
aspects of an automated reopening following a Trading Pause would 
remove impediments to and perfect the mechanism of a free and open 
market and a national market system because it would provide certainty 
for market participants regarding how a security would reopen following 
a Trading Pause, regardless of the listing exchange. The Exchange 
further believes that the proposed changes would remove impediments to 
and perfect the mechanism of a free and open market and a national 
market system and protect investors and the public interest because the 
goal of the proposed changes is to ensure that all Market Order 
interest could be satisfied in an automated reopening auction while at 
the same time reducing the potential for multiple Trading Pauses in a 
single security due to a large order imbalance.
    The Exchange further believes that the standardized proposal to 
extend a Trading Pause an additional five minutes would remove 
impediments to and perfect the mechanism of a free and open market and 
a national market system because it would provide additional time to 
attract offsetting liquidity. If at the end of such extension, Market 
Orders still cannot be satisfied within price collar thresholds or if 
the reopening auction would be priced outside of the applicable price 
collar thresholds, the Primary Listing Exchange would extend the 
Trading Pause an additional five minutes, which the Exchange believes 
would further protect investors and the public interest by reducing the 
potential for significant price disparity in post-auction trading, 
which could otherwise trigger another Trading Pause. With each such 
extension, the Exchange believes that widening the price collar 
threshold on the side of the market on which there is buying or selling 
pressure would remove impediments to and perfect the mechanism of a 
free and open market and a national market system because it would 
provide additional time to attract offsetting interest while at the 
same time addressing that an imbalance may not be resolved within the 
prior Auction Collars.
    With respect to price collar thresholds, the Exchange believes that 
using the price of the limit state that preceded the Trading Pause, 
i.e., either the Lower or Upper Price Band price, would better reflect 
the most recent price of the security and therefore should be used as 
the reference price for determining the Auction Collars for such 
Trading Halt Auction. The Exchange believes that widening Auction 
Collars only in the direction of the imbalance would address issues 
relating to the concept of mean reversion, which would protect 
investors and the public interest by reducing the potential for wide 
price swings following a Trading Halt Auction.
    The Exchange believes that applying the proposed changes to its 
Trading Halt Auctions not only following a Trading Pause, but also 
following a MWCB Halt or regulatory halt, would remove impediments to 
and perfect the mechanism of a free and open market and a national 
market system because it would promote consistency in how the Exchange 
conducts its Trading Halt Auctions, thus reducing complexity in the 
marketplace.
    The Exchange believes that precluding ETP Holders from requesting a 
review of a Trading Halt Auction as a clearly erroneous execution would 
remove impediments to and perfect the mechanism of a free and open 
market and a national market system because the proposed new procedures 
for reopening trading following a Trading Pause would reduce the 
possibility that an order(s) from an ETP Holder(s) caused a Trading 
Halt Auction to be clearly erroneous. Specifically, the Exchange 
believes that the proposed standardized procedures for reopening 
trading following a Trading Pause incorporates a methodology that 
allows for widened collars, which may result in a reopening price away 
from prior trading prices, but which reopening price would be a result 
of a measured and transparent process that eliminates the potential 
that such trade would be considered erroneous.
    The Exchange believes that the proposed amendments to Rule 7.11 
would remove impediments to and perfect the mechanism of a free and 
open market and a national market system because the proposed changes 
would remove obsolete rule text and amend the remaining rule text to 
conform to the proposed amendments to the Plan, as described above.
    The Exchange believes that the proposed rule change to add an IO 
Order for Trading Halt Auctions would further remove impediments to and 
perfect the mechanism of a free and open market and a national market 
system because such order type is designed to attract offsetting 
interest that would participate in the Trading Halt Auction. The 
Exchange believes that offering such order type would provide an option 
for market participants that are willing to participate in an auction 
to offset an imbalance, but do not want such orders to participate in 
continuous trading. The proposed order type is based in part on the CO 
Order offered by the NYSE, with the main difference being that the IO 
Order would be offered for the Trading Halt Auction only, whereas the 
CO Order on NYSE is available for the closing transaction only. 
However, in function, the two orders are designed with the same 
purpose--to reduce the imbalance to assist in achieving pricing 
equilibrium.
    The Exchange further believes that the proposed rule change to add 
a Trading Halt Auction Imbalance Freeze would remove impediments to and 
perfect the mechanism of a free and open market and a national market 
system because it

[[Page 73166]]

would provide market participants with a brief period to assess the 
imbalance going into a Trading Halt Auction. During such time, order 
entry and cancellation would be revised in a manner designed to reduce 
the last-published imbalance. The proposed mechanism for the Trading 
Halt Auction Imbalance Freeze is not novel, as it is based in part on 
the existing Core Open Auction Imbalance Freeze, i.e., the length of 
the Auction Imbalance Freeze, and the Closing Auction Imbalance Freeze, 
i.e., how new orders and order instructions would be processed, with a 
proposed substantive difference to address how the proposed new IO 
Order type would be processed during the Auction Imbalance Freeze.
    The Exchange believes that the proposed manner of how it would 
process Limit Orders that do not participate in a Trading Halt Auction, 
but have a limit price within the applicable Auction Collars, in that 
such orders would roll into continuous trading, would remove 
impediments to and perfect the mechanism of a free and open market and 
a national market system. Such Limit Orders likely would not impact the 
pricing of post-auction trading and trigger another Trading Pause 
because the limit price of such orders would be within the same price 
range that trading would otherwise be permitted.
    Finally, the Exchange believes that the proposed amendments to 
enhance the Auction Imbalance Information to add the Auction Reference 
Price, the Auction Collar, the Book Clearing Price, the Far Clearing 
Price, the Imbalance Freeze Indicator, and the Auction Indicator would 
remove impediments to and perfect the mechanism of a free and open 
market and a national market system because they are designed to 
promote additional transparency regarding the Exchange's auctions by 
providing additional detail regarding what Auction Reference Price 
would be used in an auction, the Auction Collars applicable to such 
auction, additional information about potential pricing for such 
auction, and the status of the applicable auction.

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 that is not necessary or appropriate 
in furtherance of the purposes of the Act. The Exchange believes that 
the proposed rule change is not designed to address any competitive 
issues, but rather, to achieve the Participants' goal of more 
standardized processes across Primary Listing Exchanges in reopening 
trading following a Trading Pause, and facilitates the production of an 
equilibrium Reopening Price by centralizing the reopening process 
through the Primary Listing Exchange, which would also improve the 
accuracy of the reopening Price Bands. The Exchange believes that the 
proposed rule change reduces the burden on competition for market 
participants because it promotes a transparent and consistent process 
for reopening trading following a Trading Pause regardless of where a 
security may be listed. The Exchange further believes that the proposed 
rule change would not impose any burden on competition because they are 
designed to increase transparency regarding the Exchange's Trading Halt 
Auction process while at the same time increasing the ability for 
offsetting interest to participate in an auction, which would assist in 
achieving pricing equilibrium for such an auction.

C. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed 
Rule Change Received From Members, Participants, or Others

    No written comments were solicited or received with respect to the 
proposed rule change.

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

    Within 45 days of the date of publication of this notice in the 
Federal Register or within such longer period up to 90 days (i) as the 
Commission may designate if it finds such longer period to be 
appropriate and publishes its reasons for so finding or (ii) as to 
which the self-regulatory organization consents, the Commission will:
    (A) by order approve or disapprove the proposed rule change, or
    (B) institute proceedings to determine whether the proposed rule 
change should be disapproved.

IV. Solicitation of Comments

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

Electronic Comments

     Use the Commission's Internet comment form (http://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml); or
     Send an email to [email protected]. Please include 
File Number SR-NYSEArca-2016-130 on the subject line.

Paper Comments

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

All submissions should refer to File Number SR-NYSEArca-2016-130. This 
file number should be included on the subject line if email is used. To 
help the Commission process and review your comments more efficiently, 
please use only one method. The Commission will post all comments on 
the Commission's Internet Web site (http://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the submission, all subsequent amendments, all 
written statements with respect to the proposed rule change that are 
filed with the Commission, and all written communications relating to 
the proposed rule change between the Commission and any person, other 
than those that may be withheld from the public in accordance with the 
provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be available for Web site viewing and 
printing in the Commission's Public Reference Room, 100 F Street NE., 
Washington, DC 20549 on official business days between the hours of 
10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Copies of the filing also will be available 
for inspection and copying at the principal office of the Exchange. All 
comments received will be posted without change; the Commission does 
not edit personal identifying information from submissions. You should 
submit only information that you wish to make available publicly. All 
submissions should refer to File Number SR-NYSEArca-2016-130 and should 
be submitted on or before November 14, 2016.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\20\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \20\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Robert W. Errett,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-25572 Filed 10-21-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 8011-01-P



                                                                              Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 205 / Monday, October 24, 2016 / Notices                                             73159

                                                SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE                                  The Exchange has prepared summaries,                   Price within ten minutes after the
                                                COMMISSION                                               set forth in sections A, B, and C below,               declaration of a Trading Pause and has
                                                                                                         of the most significant parts of such                  not declared a Regulatory Halt. In
                                                [Release No. 34–79107; File No. SR–
                                                                                                         statements.                                            addition, to close any gaps of potential
                                                NYSEArca–2016–130]
                                                                                                         A. Self-Regulatory Organization’s                      scenarios when trading may resume
                                                Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE                      Statement of the Purpose of, and the                   without Price Bands, the Participants
                                                Arca, Inc.; Notice of Filing of Proposed                 Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule                 proposed to amend the Plan to provide
                                                Rule Change Amending NYSE Arca                           Change                                                 that a trading center may not resume
                                                Equities Rules 7.35 (Auctions), 7.10                                                                            trading in an NMS Stock following a
                                                (Clearly Erroneous Executions), 7.31                     1. Purpose                                             Trading Pause without Price Bands in
                                                (Orders and Modifiers), and 7.11 (Limit                     The Exchange proposes to amend                      such NMS Stock. To address potential
                                                Up—Limit Down Plan and Trading                           NYSE Arca Equities Rule 7.35                           scenarios of when there may not be a
                                                Pauses in Individual Securities Due to                   (Auctions) (‘‘Rule 7.35’’) to enhance the              Reopening Price from the Primary
                                                Extraordinary Market Volatility)                         information available before an auction                Listing Exchange from which to
                                                                                                         and revise its procedures for Trading                  calculate Price Bands, the Participants
                                                October 18, 2016.                                        Halt Auctions, NYSE Arca Equities Rule                 proposed to make related amendments
                                                   Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) 1 of the                 7.10 (‘‘Rule 7.10’’) to exclude Trading                to the Plan to address when trading may
                                                Securities Exchange Act of 1934                          Halt Auctions from being reviewed as a                 resume if the Primary Listing Exchange
                                                (‘‘Act’’) 2 and Rule 19b–4 thereunder,3                  clearly erroneous execution, NYSE Arca                 is unable to reopen due to a systems or
                                                notice is hereby given that, on October                  Equities Rule 7.31 (Orders and                         technology issue and how the Reference
                                                4, 2016, NYSE Arca, Inc. (‘‘Exchange’’ or                Modifiers) (‘‘Rule 7.31’’) to add a new                Price would be determined either under
                                                ‘‘NYSE Arca’’) filed with the Securities                 Imbalance Only Order, and NYSE Arca                    such circumstances or if the Primary
                                                and Exchange Commission                                  Equities Rule 7.11 (Limit Up—Limit                     Listing Exchange reopens trading on a
                                                (‘‘Commission’’) the proposed rule                       Down Plan and Trading Pauses in                        zero bid or zero quote, or both.
                                                change as described in Items I and II                    Individual Securities Due to                              In connection with the proposed Plan
                                                below, which Items have been prepared                    Extraordinary Market Volatility) (‘‘Rule               amendments, the Participants have
                                                by the self-regulatory organization. The                 7.11’’) to conform the rule to proposed                agreed on a standardized approach for
                                                Commission is publishing this notice to                  changes to the Regulation NMS Plan to                  how the Primary Listing Exchanges
                                                solicit comments on the proposed rule                    Address Extraordinary Market Volatility                should conduct certain aspects of an
                                                change from interested persons.                          (‘‘Plan’’).4                                           automated reopening following a
                                                I. Self-Regulatory Organization’s                                                                               Trading Pause. Specifically, because
                                                                                                         Overview
                                                Statement of the Terms of Substance of                                                                          trading centers would not be permitted
                                                the Proposed Rule Change                                    The Operating Committee for the Plan                to resume trading in an NMS Stock until
                                                                                                         with input from the Advisory                           there is a Reopening Price, the
                                                   The Exchange proposes to amend                        Committee to the Plan and staff of the                 Participants believe it is appropriate for
                                                NYSE Arca Equities Rule 7.35                             Securities and Exchange Commission                     the Primary Listing Exchanges to adopt
                                                (Auctions) to enhance the information                    (‘‘SEC’’ or ‘‘Commission’’), has                       uniform standards for determining
                                                available before an auction and revise                   identified a number of enhancements to                 whether and when to conduct such
                                                its procedures for Trading Halt                          the reopening process following a                      automated reopenings, including what
                                                Auctions, NYSE Arca Equities Rule 7.10                   Trading Pause that will be addressed in                price collar thresholds would be
                                                (Clearly Erroneous Executions) to                        a combination of a proposed                            applicable to such automated
                                                exclude Trading Halt Auctions from                       amendment to the Plan and                              reopenings and how to provide for
                                                being reviewed as clearly erroneous,                     amendments to the rules of the Primary                 extensions of when a reopening auction
                                                NYSE Arca Equities Rule 7.31 (Orders                     Listing Exchanges.5 The Exchange is a                  would be conducted. The goal of such
                                                and Modifiers) to add a new Imbalance                    Participant of the Plan and a member of                changes would be to ensure that all
                                                Only Order, and NYSE Arca Equities                       the Operating Committee.                               Market Order interest could be satisfied
                                                Rule 7.11.                                                  With respect to the Plan, the                       in an automated reopening auction.
                                                   The proposed rule change is available                 Participants submitted a proposal to
                                                on the Exchange’s Web site at                                                                                      More specifically, the Participants
                                                                                                         amend the Plan to provide that a                       have agreed that if there is an imbalance
                                                www.nyse.com, at the principal office of                 Trading Pause will continue until the
                                                the Exchange, and at the Commission’s                                                                           of market orders, or if the Reopening
                                                                                                         Primary Listing Exchange reopens                       Price would be outside of specified
                                                Public Reference Room.                                   trading using its established reopening                price collar thresholds, the Trading
                                                II. Self-Regulatory Organization’s                       procedures and reports a Reopening                     Pause would be extended an additional
                                                Statement of the Purpose of, and                         Price.6 The Participants further                       five minutes in order to provide
                                                Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule                   proposed to eliminate the current                      additional time to attract offsetting
                                                Change                                                   allowance for a trading center to resume               liquidity. If at the end of such extension,
                                                                                                         trading in an NMS Stock following a                    Market Orders still cannot be satisfied
                                                   In its filing with the Commission, the                Trading Pause if the Primary Listing
                                                self-regulatory organization included                                                                           within price collar thresholds or if the
                                                                                                         Exchange has not reported a Reopening                  reopening auction would be priced
                                                statements concerning the purpose of,
                                                and basis for, the proposed rule change                    4 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 77679
                                                                                                                                                                outside of the applicable price collar
                                                                                                                                                                thresholds, the Primary Listing
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                                                and discussed any comments it received                   (April 21, 2016), 81 FR 24908 (April 27, 2016) (File
                                                on the proposed rule change. The text                    No. 4–631) (Order approving 10th Amendment to          Exchange would extend the Trading
                                                of those statements may be examined at                   the LULD Plan).                                        Pause an additional five minutes. With
                                                the places specified in Item IV below.
                                                                                                           5 Unless otherwise specified, capitalized terms
                                                                                                                                                                each such extension, the Participants
                                                                                                         used herein have the same meaning as set forth in      have agreed that it would be appropriate
                                                                                                         the Plan or in Exchange rules.
                                                  1 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).                                   6 On September 19, 2016, the Participants filed      to widen the price collar threshold on
                                                  2 15 U.S.C. 78a.                                       with the Commission the twelfth amendment to the       the side of the market on which there is
                                                  3 17 CFR 240.19b–4.                                    Plan.                                                  buying or selling pressure.


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                                                73160                        Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 205 / Monday, October 24, 2016 / Notices

                                                   With respect to price collar                         Auction, and enhanced information to                    implement the proposed standardized
                                                thresholds, the Participants have agreed                be disseminated before an auction.                      enhancement that the Exchange would
                                                that the reference price for calculating                                                                        not conduct a Trading Halt Auction if
                                                                                                        Uniform Primary Listing Exchange
                                                price collar thresholds would be the                                                                            there are either unsatisfied Market
                                                                                                        Proposed Rule Changes
                                                price of the limit state that preceded the                                                                      Orders, or if the Indicative Match Price
                                                Trading Pause, i.e., either the Lower or                   To effect the proposed enhancements                  would be outside the applicable
                                                Upper Price Band price. For NMS                         that would be implemented by all                        Auction Collars.
                                                Stocks priced more than $3.00,                          Primary Listing Exchanges, the                             Extensions: Proposed Rule 7.35(e)(6)
                                                   • If there is selling pressure, the                  Exchange proposes to add new sub-                       would specify the circumstances when
                                                lower collar for the auction would be                   paragraphs (5)–(10) to Rule 7.35(e),                    the Exchange would extend the Re-
                                                the Lower Price Band minus five                         which governs Trading Halt Auctions,                    Opening Time for a Trading Halt
                                                percent and the upper collar would be                   re-number current Rule 7.35(e)(5) as                    Auction, as follows:
                                                the Upper Price Band;                                   new Rule 7.35(e)(11), and amend Rule                       • Proposed Rule 7.35(e)(6)(A) would
                                                   • if there is buying pressure, the                   7.35(e)(2). The Exchange proposes to                    provide that, if there is an
                                                upper collar for the auction would be                   implement these changes for all Trading                 Impermissible Price at the initial Re-
                                                the Upper Price Band plus five percent                  Halt Auctions. The proposed                             Opening Time, the pause or halt would
                                                                                                        standardized trading practices agreed                   be extended an additional five minutes
                                                and the lower collar would be the Lower
                                                                                                        upon by the Operating Committee are                     and a new Re-Opening Time would be
                                                Price Band.
                                                                                                        intended for Trading Halt Auctions                      disseminated, which would be referred
                                                   For each extension, the collars would
                                                                                                        following a trading pause under Rule                    to as the ‘‘First Extension.’’ The
                                                be widened an additional five percent,
                                                                                                        7.11. However, the Exchange believes                    proposed rule would further provide
                                                but only on the side of the imbalance.7
                                                                                                        that these proposed procedures would                    that the Exchange would not conduct a
                                                The Participants believe that widening
                                                                                                        be beneficial following all halts,                      Trading Halt Auction before the Re-
                                                collars only in the direction of the
                                                                                                        including regulatory halts and halts due                Opening Time for the First Extension.
                                                imbalance would address issues relating
                                                                                                        to extraordinary market volatility.                     As such, if the Exchange disseminates a
                                                to the concept of mean reversion.                          Rule 7.35(e)(2) currently provides that
                                                   Finally, the Participants have agreed                                                                        First Extension, consistent with the
                                                                                                        after trading in a security has been                    current Plan, which provides that if the
                                                that the proposed new procedures for                    halted or paused, the NYSE Arca
                                                reopening trading following a Trading                                                                           Primary Listing Exchange does not
                                                                                                        Marketplace will disseminate the                        reopen, trading centers may not resume
                                                Pause reduces the potential that an                     estimated time at which trading in that
                                                order or orders entered by one or more                                                                          trading until ten minutes after the
                                                                                                        security will re-open (‘‘Re-Opening                     beginning of the Trading Pause, the
                                                ETP Holders caused such execution to                    Time’’). The Exchange proposes to add
                                                be clearly erroneous. Specifically, the                                                                         Trading Pause would continue for ten
                                                                                                        to this rule that the initial Re-Opening                minutes and trading would not resume
                                                Participants believe that the proposed                  Time for a Trading Halt Auction
                                                standardized procedures for reopening                                                                           before that ten-minute marker.
                                                                                                        following a trading pause under Rule                       • Proposed Rule 7.35(e)(6)(B) would
                                                trading following a Trading Pause                       7.11 (‘‘Trading Pause’’) or trading halt
                                                incorporates a methodology that allows                                                                          provide that if there is an Impermissible
                                                                                                        due to extraordinary market volatility                  Price at the end of the First Extension,
                                                for widened collars, which may result in                under Rule 7.12 (‘‘MWCB Halt’’) will be
                                                a reopening price away from prior                                                                               the pause or halt would be extended an
                                                                                                        at the scheduled end of the Trading                     additional five minutes and a new Re-
                                                trading prices, but which reopening                     Pause or MWCB Halt. This proposed
                                                price would be a result of a measured                                                                           Opening Time would be disseminated
                                                                                                        rule text clarifies that for Trading Pauses             (‘‘Subsequent Extension’’). As further
                                                and transparent process that eliminates                 and MWCB Halts, the length of the
                                                the potential that such trade would be                                                                          proposed, the Exchange would conduct
                                                                                                        initial pause or halt period is as                      a Trading Halt Auction before the Re-
                                                considered erroneous.                                   specified in those rules. As specified in
                                                   As a Primary Listing Exchange, the                                                                           Opening Time for a Subsequent
                                                                                                        the LULD Plan, the scheduled end of the                 Extension if the Indicative Match Price,
                                                Exchange proposes to amend Rule 7.35                    Trading Pause is five minutes after a
                                                to implement the proposed uniform                                                                               before being adjusted based on Auction
                                                                                                        Trading Pause has been declared. As                     Collars, would be within the applicable
                                                trading practices with respect to                       specified in Rule 7.12(b), the scheduled
                                                reopening a security following a Trading                                                                        Auction Collars and there is no Market
                                                                                                        end of a Level 1 or Level 2 Market                      Imbalance. This proposed change would
                                                Pause, as described above. In addition,                 Decline is 15 minutes. If there is a Level
                                                the Exchange proposes to implement                                                                              implement the Participant’s proposal
                                                                                                        3 Market Decline, the Exchange will not                 that for Subsequent Extensions, if
                                                changes for automated reopenings                        re-open.
                                                following a market-wide circuit breaker                                                                         equilibrium of prices is reached, the
                                                                                                           Proposed Rule 7.35(e)(5) would                       Exchange would conduct the Trading
                                                under Rule 7.12 and any regulatory                      provide that a Trading Halt Auction
                                                halts triggered in an Exchange-listed                                                                           Halt Auction immediately and would
                                                                                                        would not be conducted if the                           not extend the Trading Pause any
                                                security. The Exchange further proposes                 Indicative Match Price, before being
                                                to amend Rule 7.10 to preclude ETP                                                                              further.
                                                                                                        adjusted based on Auction Collars, is                      • Proposed Rule 7.35(e)(6)(C) would
                                                Holders from requesting a review of a                   below (above) the Lower (Upper)                         provide that the trading pause or halt
                                                Trading Halt Auction as a clearly                       Auction Collar or if there is a sell (buy)              would continue to be extended if there
                                                erroneous execution. Finally, in                        Market Imbalance, either of which                       is an Impermissible Price at the Re-
                                                connection with these proposed                          would be defined as an ‘‘Impermissible
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                                                changes, the Exchange proposes                          Price.’’ 8 This proposed rule text would                subject to Auction Collars. The term ‘‘Auction
                                                additional enhancements to its auction                                                                          Collars’’ is defined in Rule 7.35(a)(10) to mean the
                                                processes, including adding a new                         8 The term ‘‘Indicative Match Price’’ is defined in   price collar thresholds for the Indicative Match
                                                Imbalance Only Order, an Auction                        Rule 7.35(a)(8) to mean the best price at which the     Price for the Core Open Auction, Trading Halt
                                                Freeze period before a Trading Halt                     maximum volume of shares, including the non-            Auction, or Closing Auction. The term ‘‘Market
                                                                                                        displayed quantity of Reserve Orders, is tradable in    Imbalance’’ is defined in Rule 7.35(a)(7)(B) means
                                                                                                        the applicable auction, subject to Auction Collars.     the imbalance of any buy (sell) Market Orders that
                                                  7 For NMS Stocks that are priced $3.00 and            For purposes of proposed Rule 7.35(e)(5), the           are not matched for trading in the applicable
                                                under, the price collar threshold would be $0.15.       Indicative Match Price would not be calculated          auction.



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                                                                             Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 205 / Monday, October 24, 2016 / Notices                                                  73161

                                                Opening Time for a Subsequent                           be simpler and more transparent.                      Reference Price for a Trading Halt
                                                Extension. This proposed rule text                      Moreover, the Exchange believes that                  Auction following a Trading Pause.
                                                makes clear that a halt or pause would                  because the proposed rule changes                        The Exchange proposes to make a
                                                continue to be extended until a Trading                 would provide for the widening of                     related change to Rule 7.35(a)(8)(A) to
                                                Halt Auction can be conducted, as                       collars, and would prevent trades at an               amend the chart that specifies Auction
                                                provided for in proposed Rule                           Impermissible Price, the specific size of             Reference Prices for the Trading Halt
                                                7.35(e)(5).                                             the Price Collar Threshold becomes less               Auction. As proposed, the Exchange
                                                   Auction Collars: Proposed Rule                       meaningful. For example, if the Market                would add the clause ‘‘except as
                                                7.35(e)(7) would describe how Auction                   Imbalance is so large that the proposed               provided for in Rule 7.35(e)(7)(A)’’ to
                                                Collars would function for Trading Halt                 five percent price collar threshold is too            specify that the Auction Reference Price
                                                Auctions. As provided for in Rule                       narrow to permit a Trading Halt                       would be determined under that
                                                7.35(a)(10), Auction Collars mean the                   Auction, the proposed extensions and                  subparagraph of the rule instead of the
                                                price collar thresholds for the Indicative              widening of Auction Collars, as                       Auction Reference Price specified in
                                                Match Price for the Core Open Auction,                  described below, would provide for a                  Rule 7.35(a)(8)(A). For a Trading Halt
                                                Trading Halt Auction, or Closing                        measured manner by which the collars                  Auction following a MWCB Halt or
                                                Auction. Currently, the price collar                    would be widened either to permit a                   regulatory halt, the Auction Reference
                                                thresholds for the Trading Halt Auction                 trade at a permissible price or to attract            Price would continue to be as specified
                                                are 10% for securities with an Auction                  additional offsetting interest. If, at a              in Rule 7.35(a)(8)(A).
                                                Reference Price of $25.00 or less, 5% for               later date, the LULD Plan is amended                     Initial Auction Collars: Proposed Rule
                                                securities with an Auction Reference                    and the applicable tiers and percentage               7.35(e)(7)(B) would specify the Auction
                                                Price of greater than $25.00 and less                   parameters are adjusted, the Exchange                 Collars if a Trading Halt Auction is
                                                than or equal to $50.00, or 3% for                      will reevaluate the Price Collar                      conducted at the initial Re-Opening
                                                securities with an Auction Reference                    Thresholds for Trading Halt Auctions                  Time. Currently, as provided for in Rule
                                                Price greater than $50.00. These price                  and if they should be changed, will file              7.35(a)(10)(A), the upper (lower)
                                                collar thresholds are based on the                      a separate proposed rule change.                      boundary of Auction Collars is the
                                                percentage parameters for determining a                    Because the Price Collar Thresholds                Auction Reference Price increased
                                                clearly erroneous execution under Rule                  for Auction Collars applicable to a                   (decreased) by the specified percentage.
                                                7.10(c) and are in effect until January                 Trading Halt Auction would be                         As such, the price collar thresholds are
                                                31, 2017.                                               specified in proposed Rule 7.35(e)(7),                applied on both sides of the Auction
                                                   The Exchange proposes that the price                 the Exchange proposes to amend Rule                   Reference Price. The Exchange proposes
                                                collar threshold for Auction Collars for                7.35(a)(10)(A) to delete the reference to             to modify how Auction Collars are
                                                securities with an Auction Reference                    Trading Halt Auctions. The Exchange                   calculated as proposed:
                                                Price above $3.00 would be the Auction                  further proposes to delete the following                 • Proposed Rule 7.35(e)(7)(B)(i)
                                                Reference Price multiplied by five                      text: ‘‘* The price collar thresholds                 would specify how Auction Collars
                                                percent. The price collar threshold for                 specified in this paragraph applicable to             would be determined for a Trading Halt
                                                securities with an Auction Reference                    Trading Halt Auctions are in effect until             Auction following a Trading Pause. As
                                                Price $3.00 and below would be $0.15.                   January 31, 2017.’’ The Exchange                      proposed, if the Auction Reference Price
                                                This value would be defined as the                      believes that proposed Rule 7.35(e)(7)                is the Lower (Upper) Price Band, the
                                                ‘‘Price Collar Threshold.’’ For securities              obviates the current price collar                     lower (upper) Auction Collar would be
                                                priced above $3.00, once calculated, the                thresholds specified for Trading Halt                 the Auction Reference Price decreased
                                                Price Collar Threshold would be                         Auctions, which were adopted on an                    (increased) by the Price Collar
                                                applicable for each Subsequent                          interim basis pending the outcome of                  Threshold, rounded down to the nearest
                                                Extension, described below. For                         the review that resulted in the proposed              MPV,9 and the upper (lower) Auction
                                                securities with an Auction Reference                    amendments to the Plan and                            Collar would be the Upper (Lower) Price
                                                Price of $3.00 and under, the Price                     standardized trading practices among                  Band. This proposed rule implements
                                                Collar Threshold would be a static $0.15                the Primary Listing Exchange for how to               the proposed standardized trading
                                                for each Subsequent Extension. The                      resume trading following a Trading                    practice that, for Trading Halt Auctions
                                                Exchange believes that using a 5 percent                Pause.                                                following a Trading Pause, the Auction
                                                multiplier for stocks priced $3.00 or less                 Trading Halt Auction Reference Price:              Collars should be widened only in the
                                                would result in too narrow of an                        Proposed Rule 7.35(e)(7)(A) would                     direction of the trading that invoked the
                                                Auction Collar. Similar to the LULD                     specify the Auction Reference Price that              Trading Pause. For example, if a
                                                Plan, which provides for wider                          would be used for a Trading Halt                      Trading Pause is triggered following a
                                                percentage parameters for stocks priced                 Auction following a Trading Pause. As                 Limit State at the Lower Price Band, this
                                                $3.00 or less, the Exchange proposes a                  provided for in Rule 7.35(a)(8)(A), the               would indicate selling pressure in that
                                                wider Price Collar Threshold for stocks                 Auction Reference Price for the Trading               NMS Stock. Accordingly, the proposed
                                                with an Auction Reference Price of                      Halt Auction is the last consolidated                 lower boundary Auction Collar would
                                                $3.00 or less.                                          round-lot price of that trade day, and if             be widened by subtracting the Price
                                                   The Exchange believes that the                       none, the prior day’s Official Closing                Collar Threshold from the Auction
                                                proposed Price Collar Thresholds are                    Price. As proposed, the Auction                       Reference Price, i.e., the Lower Price
                                                designed to align the Auction Collars                   Reference Price for a Trading Halt                    Band. To address the concept of mean
                                                with the existing percentage parameters                 Auction following a Trading Pause                     reversion, i.e., that prices may revert
                                                as specified in the LULD Plan. The
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                                                                                                        would be determined as follows: if the                back to the mean or average price of the
                                                Exchange proposes to use the single 5%                  Limit State that preceded the Trading                 NMS Stock, and to avoid a security from
                                                threshold for all securities priced above               Pause was at the Lower (Upper) Price                  trading outside of where it would have
                                                $3.00 and $0.15 for all securities priced               Band, the Auction Reference Price                     been permitted to trade before the
                                                $3.00 or less, and not apply separate a                 would be the Lower (Upper) Price Band.
                                                [sic] percentage parameter based on the                 This proposed change implements the                     9 See Rules 7.6 and 7.46 (specifying the minimum
                                                tiers specified in the LULD Plan,                       standardized enhancement to use the                   price variation (‘‘MPV’’) for quoting and entry of
                                                because the Exchange believes it would                  Limit State price as the Auction                      orders).



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                                                73162                        Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 205 / Monday, October 24, 2016 / Notices

                                                Trading Pause, the Exchange proposes                    by a Price Collar Threshold and the                   text to provide transparency to ETP
                                                that the Auction Collar on the opposite                 Upper (Lower) Auction Collar would                    Holders of how orders that are
                                                side of the trading pressure should be                  stay the same.                                        designated to participate in a Trading
                                                the Price Band in place before the                         • To address the concept of mean                   Halt Auction only would be handled if
                                                Trading Pause was triggered. Taking the                 reversion, proposed Rule                              the Exchange transitions to a Closing
                                                above example, the Upper Auction                        7.35(e)(7)(C)(ii) would provide that if               Auction without conducting that
                                                Collar would therefore be the Upper                     the side of the Impermissible Price                   Trading Halt Auction. The Exchange
                                                Price Band. This way, if during the                     changes from the Lower (Upper)                        believes this proposed rule text would
                                                trading pause, the selling pressure                     Auction Collar to the Upper (Lower)                   provide notice for ETP Holders to enter
                                                reverses and becomes buying pressure,                   Auction Collar, the last-calculated                   closing-only interest, i.e., MOC or LOC
                                                the Auction Collars would not permit a                  Upper (Lower) Auction Collar would be                 Orders, to participate in the Closing
                                                trade higher than would have been                       widened for that Extension and the last-              Auction.
                                                permitted under the Price Bands before                  calculated Lower (Upper) Auction                         In addition, as specified in proposed
                                                the Trading Pause.                                      Collar will remain the same. Therefore,               Rule 7.35(e)(10)(B), the Auction Collars
                                                   • Proposed Rule 7.35(e)(7)(B)(ii)                    if, during an Extension, the directional              for the Closing Auction for such security
                                                would specify how Auction Collars                       trading pressure switches from sell to                would be the most recently widened
                                                would be determined for a Trading Halt                  buy, the upper Auction Collar would be                Auction Collars for the Trading Halt
                                                Auction following a MWCB Halt or                        widened, and the last-Lower Auction                   Auction that did not occur. Currently,
                                                regulatory halt. In this case, because                  Collar would remain the same.                         the Auction Collars for Closing Auctions
                                                there would not be a security-specific                     Proposed Rules 7.35(e)(8) and (9)                  are 5% for securities with an Auction
                                                pricing direction reason for the halt, the              would specify the Exchange’s proposed                 Reference Price of $25.00 or less, 2% for
                                                Exchange proposes that the Price Collar                 handling of orders for a Trading Halt                 securities with an Auction Reference
                                                Threshold would be applied on both                      Auction, which are discussed in greater               Price of greater than $25.00 and less
                                                sides of the Auction Reference Price.                   detail below.                                         than or equal to $50.00, or 1% for
                                                Accordingly, for stocks priced above                       Proposed Rule 7.35(e)(10) would                    securities with an Auction Reference
                                                $3.00, the upper (lower) boundary of the                specify what the Exchange would do if                 Price greater than $50.00. The Exchange
                                                Auction Collar would be the Auction                     a Re-Opening Time would be in the last                believes that if the Exchange goes
                                                Reference Price (as defined in Rule                     ten minutes of trading before the end of              directly from an unresolved Trading
                                                7.35(a)(8)(A)), plus (minus) the Auction                Core Trading Hours. The Participants                  Pause, MWCB Halt, or regulatory halt in
                                                Reference Price multiplied by 5%. For                   are proposing to amend the Plan to                    an NMS Stock to a Closing Auction, the
                                                stocks priced $3.00 and under, the                      provide that if an NMS Stock is in a                  narrower price collar thresholds
                                                upper (lower) boundary of the Auction                   Trading Pause during the last ten                     applicable to the Closing Auction would
                                                Collar would be the Auction Reference                   minutes of trading before the end of                  result in Auction Collars that do not
                                                Price (as defined in Rule 7.35(a)(8)(A)),               Regular Trading Hours, the Primary                    correlate to the trading condition for
                                                plus (minus) $0.15. For Trading Halt                    Listing Exchange would not reopen                     that NMS Stock.
                                                Auctions following a MWCB Halt or                       trading and would attempt to execute a                   The Exchange proposes to make a
                                                regulatory halt, if the Price Collar                    closing transaction using its established             related amendment to Rule
                                                Threshold calculation results in a price                closing procedures.10 To implement this               7.35(a)(10)(A) to add the clause ‘‘except
                                                that is not in the applicable MPV for the               proposed amendment to the Plan,                       as provided for in Rule 7.35(e)(10)(B)’’.
                                                security, the Exchange proposes to                      proposed Rule 7.35(e)(10) would                       This proposed rule text makes clear that
                                                round down to the nearest price in the                  provide that, if the Re-Opening Time for              the price collar thresholds for a Closing
                                                applicable MPV.                                         a Trading Halt Auction is in the last ten             Auction are defined in Rule
                                                   Auction Collar for Extensions:                       minutes of trading before the end of                  7.35(a)(10)(A), except as provided for in
                                                Proposed Rule 7.35(e)(7)(C) would                       Core Trading Hours, the Exchange                      proposed Rule 7.35(e)(10)(B).
                                                specify how the Exchange would adjust                   would not conduct a Trading Halt                         The Exchange proposes to amend
                                                Auction Collars for each Extension. As                  Auction in that security and would not                Rule 7.10(a) to provide that ETP Holders
                                                proposed, the Auction Collar on the side                transition to continuous trading.11                   may not request a review of a Trading
                                                of the Impermissible Price would be                     Instead, the Exchange would remain                    Halt Auction under Rule 7.10(b), which
                                                widened for each Extension. In other                    paused or halted and would conduct a                  specifies the procedures for an ETP
                                                words, if the Indicative Match Price is                 Closing Auction in such security as                   Holder to request a review of an
                                                below the lower Auction Collar for the                  provided for in Rule 7.35(d).                         execution, as clearly erroneous. The
                                                initial Re-Opening Time or there is a                      In such circumstances, as specified in
                                                                                                                                                              Exchange believes that this proposed
                                                sell Market Imbalance, the Exchange                     proposed Rule 7.35(e)(10)(A), MOO
                                                                                                                                                              rule text would implement the proposed
                                                would widen only the lower Auction                      Orders, LOO Orders, and IO Orders
                                                                                                                                                              standardized trading practice that
                                                Collar. As further proposed, the Auction                (described below) entered during the
                                                                                                        pause or halt would not participate in                reopening auctions would not be
                                                Collar on the opposite side of the                                                                            eligible for review by ETP Holders as a
                                                Impermissible Price would remain the                    the Closing Auction and would expire at
                                                                                                        the end of the Core Trading Session.                  clearly erroneous execution.12
                                                same as the last-calculated Auction                                                                              Finally, the Exchange proposes to
                                                Collar on that side. Thus, in the case of               The Exchange proposes to add this rule
                                                                                                                                                              amend Rule 7.11 to delete obsolete rule
                                                selling pressure that would result in an                                                                      text and conform the remaining rule text
                                                                                                          10 See supra note 6.
                                                Auction Extension, the upper Auction                                                                          to the proposed amendments to the
                                                                                                          11 Rule  7.12 provides that a MWCB Halt following
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                                                Collar would remain as the last Upper
                                                                                                        a Level 1 Decline or Level 2 Decline will not be
                                                Price Band.                                             declared after 3:25 p.m. Eastern Time. However, if,      12 The Participants will be engaging in a more
                                                   • Proposed Rule 7.35(e)(7)(C)(i)                     as proposed, a MWCB Halt in an NMS Stock that         comprehensive review of Rule 7.10 in connection
                                                would further provide that if the                       was triggered at or before 3:25 p.m. Eastern Time     with amendments to the Plan relating to tiering of
                                                Impermissible Price is on the side of the               is extended pursuant to proposed Rule 7.35(e)(5) to   securities and applicable percentage parameters.
                                                                                                        after 3:50 p.m. Eastern Time (or 12:50 p.m. Eastern   The Exchange proposes to make this limited
                                                Lower (Upper) Auction Collar, the last-                 Time in the case of an early scheduled close), the    amendment to Rule 7.10 as an initial step to
                                                calculated Lower (Upper) Auction                        Exchange would not conduct a Trading Halt             eliminating its clearly erroneous executions rules in
                                                Collar would be decreased (increased)                   Auction in that NMS Stock.                            their current form.



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                                                                              Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 205 / Monday, October 24, 2016 / Notices                                              73163

                                                Plan, as described above. First, the                      (sell) that is to be traded only in a                   Indicative Match Price for that Trading
                                                Exchange proposes to amend Rule                           Trading Halt Auction.                                   Halt Auction would be $10.01 (i.e., one
                                                7.11(b) to delete the text following the                     Proposed Rule 7.31(c)(5)(A) would                    MPV above the lower Auction Collar).
                                                heading of Rule 7.11(b) and delete Rules                  provide that an IO Order would be                       Assume now there are seven IO Orders
                                                7.11(b)(1), (b)(1)(A)–(C), and (b)(3). This               accepted only during a halt or pause,                   to buy, each for 2,000 shares, with limit
                                                rule text governed how trading pauses                     including any extensions. This                          prices of $10.00, $10.01, $10.02, $10.03,
                                                were triggered before the Plan was                        proposed rule text is consistent with the               $10.04, $10.05 and $10.06, and they are
                                                implemented and is now obsolete.                          Exchange’s current rules that MOO or                    entered in that order. In this scenario,
                                                Second, the Exchange proposes that the                    LOO Orders designated to participate in                 the IO Order to buy with a limit price
                                                text currently set forth in Rule 7.11(b)(2)               a Trading Halt Auction will be accepted                 of $10.00 would not be eligible to
                                                would be moved to be the rule text for                    only during the trading halt that                       participate, because the $10.01
                                                Rule 7.11(b). In moving this rule text,                   precedes such Trading Halt Auction.15                   Indicative Match Price is higher than
                                                the Exchange proposes to delete the                          Proposed Rule 7.31(c)(5)(B) would                    the limit price of the order. The
                                                second substantive sentence of current                    provide that an IO Order would                          remaining six IO Orders to buy would
                                                Rule 7.11(b)(2) as inconsistent with the                  participate in a Trading Halt Auction                   be assigned a working price of $10.01.
                                                proposed amendments to the Plan,                          only if: (i) There is an imbalance in the               However, because the IO Order with a
                                                described above.13 Third, the Exchange                    security on the opposite side of the                    limit price of $10.06 was entered last in
                                                proposes to renumber current Rule                         market from the IO Order after taking                   time, it would not participate in the
                                                7.11(b)(4) as proposed Rule 7.11(b)(1)                    into account all other orders eligible to               Trading Halt Auction.
                                                and amend this paragraph to add that                      trade at the Indicative Match Price; and                   Auction Imbalance Freeze: The
                                                the Exchange would notify the single                      (ii) the limit price of the IO Order to buy             Exchange proposes to add an Auction
                                                plan processor if the Exchange is unable                  (sell) would be at or above (below) the                 Imbalance Freeze before a Trading Halt
                                                to reopen trading at the end of the                       Indicative Match Price. Proposed Rule                   Auction. As defined in Rule 7.35(a)(3),
                                                Trading Pause due to a systems or                         7.31(c)(5)(C) would provide that the                    the Auction Imbalance Freeze means the
                                                technology issue, which is consistent                     working price of an IO Order to buy                     period that begins before the scheduled
                                                with the proposed amendments to the                       (sell) would be adjusted to be equal to                 time for the Early Open Auction, Core
                                                Plan. Finally, the Exchange proposes to                   the Indicative Match Price, provided                    Open Auction, or Closing Auction, as
                                                renumber current Rule 7.11(b)(5) as                       that the working price of the IO Order                  specified in paragraphs (b), (c), and (d)
                                                proposed Rule 7.11(b)(2) and amend the                    would not be higher (lower) than its                    of Rule 7.35, and that ends once the
                                                text to provide that if a primary listing                 limit price. Finally, proposed Rule                     Auction Processing Period begins. To
                                                market issues an Trading Pause, the                       7.31(c)(5)(D) would provide that an IO                  effect the proposed rule change, the
                                                Exchange would resume trading as                          Order that participates in a Trading Halt               Exchange proposes to add a reference to
                                                provided for in Rule 7.18(a).14 This                      Auction would be ranked in time                         Trading Halt Auction and Rule 7.35(e)
                                                proposed amendment is consistent with                     priority among IO Orders after all other                to Rule 7.35(a)(3).
                                                the proposed amendments to the Plan,                      orders eligible to participate in the                      Proposed Rule 7.35(e)(8) would
                                                described above.                                          auction have been allocated. The                        describe how the Trading Halt Auction
                                                                                                          Exchange notes that the proposed IO                     Imbalance Freeze would function. As
                                                Other Proposed Rule Changes                               Order is based in part on the Closing                   proposed, the Trading Halt Auction
                                                   IO Order: The Exchange proposes to                     Offset (‘‘CO’’) Order offered by the New                Imbalance Freeze would begin five
                                                add a new order type, an Imbalance                        York Stock Exchange LLC (‘‘NYSE’’).16                   seconds before the Re-Opening Time,
                                                Only (‘‘IO’’) Order, that would be                           For example, assume for a Trading                    including Re-Opening Times for each
                                                eligible to participate in Trading Halt                   Halt Auction that the lower boundary of                 Extension. The Exchange proposes to
                                                Auctions only. The Exchange proposes                      an Auction Collar is $10.00. Assume                     use the same period of time for the
                                                to amend Rule 7.31(c), which specifies                    further that after allocating all other                 Trading Halt Auction Imbalance Freeze,
                                                the Exchange’s Auction-Only Order                         orders eligible to participate in the                   five seconds, as provided for in Rule
                                                types, to add new subsection (5) to                       Trading Halt Auction, there is a sell                   7.35(c)(3) for the Core Open Auction.
                                                describe an IO Order. As proposed, an                     Total Imbalance of 10,000 shares and                    Specifically, the Exchange believes that
                                                IO Order would be a Limit Order to buy                    absent Auction Collars, the Indicative                  the proposed five-second time period
                                                                                                          Match Price would be below $10.00. As                   strikes the appropriate balance for
                                                   13 The sentence that the Exchange would delete         provided for in Rule 7.35(a)(10)(B), once               providing sufficient time for market
                                                provides that ‘‘[i]n the event of a significant           the Auction Collars are applied, the                    participants to enter and cancel orders
                                                imbalance at the end of a Trading Pause, the                                                                      before the Trading Halt Auction while at
                                                Corporation may delay the re-opening of a security.         15 See  Rule 7.31(c)(1) and (2).                      the same time having a short period for
                                                The Exchange will issue a notification if it cannot         16 See  NYSE Rule 13(c)(1) (defining a CO Order
                                                resume trading for a reason other than a significant
                                                                                                                                                                  any imbalance to stabilize before the
                                                                                                          as a day Limit Order to buy or sell as part of the
                                                imbalance.’’                                              closing transaction where the eligibility to
                                                                                                                                                                  auction is conducted. The rule would
                                                   14 Rule 7.18(a) provides that if the UTP Listing
                                                                                                          participate in the closing transaction is contingent    further provide that if a pause or halt is
                                                Market declares a UTP Regulatory Halt, which              upon: (i) an imbalance in the security on the           extended, the Trading Halt Auction
                                                includes a Trading Pause, the Exchange will halt          opposite side of the market from the CO Order; (ii)     Imbalance Freeze for the prior period
                                                trading until it receives the first Price Band in that    after taking into account all other types of interest
                                                security. Accordingly, following a Trading Pause          eligible for execution at the closing price, there is
                                                                                                                                                                  would end, new orders and order
                                                declared by another Primary Listing Market, the           still an imbalance in the security on the opposite      instructions received during the prior
                                                Exchange already waits to receive Price Bands             side of the market from the CO Order; and (iii) the     period’s Trading Halt Auction
                                                before it resumes trading in that UTP Security. The       limit price of the CO Order being at or within the
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                                                                                                                                                                  Imbalance Freeze would be processed,
                                                Exchange proposes to delete the current rule text in      price of the closing transaction. CO Orders eligible
                                                Rule 7.11(b)(5) that provides that the Exchange           to participate in the closing transaction are
                                                                                                                                                                  and the Exchange would accept new
                                                ‘‘will pause trading in that security until trading has   executed in time priority of receipt by NYSE            order entry and cancellation as provided
                                                resumed on the primary listing market or notice has       systems, up to the size of the imbalance in the         for in Rule 7.18(c) until the next Trading
                                                been received from the primary listing market that        security, on the opposite side of the market from the   Halt Auction Imbalance Freeze. In other
                                                trading may resume. If the primary listing market         CO Order. Any eligible CO Orders not executed due
                                                does not reopen the security within 10 minutes of         to trading halt (as defined in Rule NYSE 123D) or
                                                                                                                                                                  words, if at the Re-Opening Time, the
                                                notification of a Trading Pause, the Corporation          insufficient volume of the contra side imbalance        Exchange extends the Trading Pause for
                                                may resume trading the security.’’                        will be cancelled.)                                     five minutes, the restrictions on order


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                                                73164                        Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 205 / Monday, October 24, 2016 / Notices

                                                entry and cancellation from the prior                   Orders, LOO Orders, Limit Orders, and                 Imbalance Freeze Indicator, and
                                                freeze would no longer be in effect, and                IO Orders would be accepted but not                   Auction Indicator. The Auction
                                                any order instructions that were not                    processed until after the Trading Halt                Reference Price is defined in Rule
                                                processed will be processed.                            Auction concludes, as provided for in                 7.35(a)(8)(A) and proposed Rule
                                                   The proposed rule would further                      Rule 7.35(h). This proposed rule text is              7.35(e)(7)(A), described above. The
                                                provide how order entry and                             based on Rule 7.35(c)(3)(C) governing                 Auction Collar is defined in Rule
                                                cancellation during the Trading Halt                    which order instructions will be                      7.35(a)(10) and proposed Rules
                                                Auction Imbalance Freeze would be                       accepted but not processed during the                 7.35(e)(7) and (e)(10)(B), described
                                                processed:                                              Core Open Auction Imbalance Freeze.                   above. The Exchange proposes to define
                                                   • As proposed in Rule 7.35(e)(8)(A),                 The Exchange proposes a substantive                   the additional terms as follows:
                                                MOO Orders and LOO Orders that are                      difference to reference how requests to                  • Proposed Rule 7.35(a)(11) would
                                                on the same side as the Imbalance,                      cancel IO Orders would be processed if                define the term ‘‘Book Clearing Price’’ to
                                                would flip the Imbalance, or would                      received during the freeze period.                    mean the price at which all interest
                                                create a new Imbalance would be                            • Finally, proposed Rule 7.35(e)(8)(D)             eligible to participate in an auction
                                                rejected. This proposed rule text is                    would provide that all other order                    could be traded if not subject to an
                                                based on how MOC Orders and LOC                         instructions would be accepted. This                  Auction Collar. The rule would further
                                                Orders are processed during the Closing                 proposed rule text is based on Rules                  provide that the Book Clearing Price
                                                Auction Imbalance Freeze, as described                  7.35(c)(3)(D) and (d)(2)(C), without any              would be zero if a sell (buy) imbalance
                                                in Rule 7.35(d)(2)(A).                                  differences.                                          cannot be filled by any buy (sell) orders.
                                                   • As proposed in Rule 7.35(e)(8)(B),                    Unexecuted Limit Orders: The
                                                Market Orders (other than MOO Orders)                                                                         For example, if there are only sell orders
                                                                                                        Exchange proposes to specify how it                   and no buy orders, the Book Clearing
                                                and Limit Orders would be accepted but                  would process Limit Orders that do not
                                                would not be included in the                                                                                  Price would be zero.
                                                                                                        participate in the Trading Halt Auction.                 • Proposed Rule 7.35(a)(12) would
                                                calculation of the Indicative Match Price               As discussed above, an Impermissible
                                                or the Trading Halt Auction Imbalance                                                                         define the term ‘‘Far Clearing Price’’ to
                                                                                                        Price would occur if there is a Market                mean the price at which Auction-Only
                                                Information. Such orders would                          Imbalance or if the Indicative Match
                                                participate in the Trading Halt Auction                                                                       Orders could be traded within the
                                                                                                        Price were outside the specified Price                Auction Collar. Auction-Only Orders
                                                only to offset the Imbalance that would                 Collar Thresholds. However, if the
                                                be remaining after all orders entered                                                                         are defined in Rule 7.31(c).
                                                                                                        Indicative Match Price were within the
                                                before the Trading Halt Auction                         specified Price Collar Thresholds and                    • Proposed Rule 7.35(a)(13) would
                                                Imbalance Freeze, including the non-                    there is no Market Imbalance, it is still             define the term ‘‘Auction Indicator’’ to
                                                display quantity of Reserve Orders, are                 possible to have an imbalance of Limit                mean an indicator of whether an auction
                                                allocated in the Trading Halt Auction,                  Orders within the Auction Collars. In                 could be conducted, based on the
                                                and would be allocated in price-time                    such case, the Exchange proposes to                   applicable Auction Collar and
                                                priority under Rule 7.36(c)–(g)                         transition such unexecuted Limit Orders               Imbalance. This information would be
                                                consistent with the priority ranking                                                                          relevant for the Trading Halt Auction
                                                                                                        to continuous trading. The Exchange
                                                associated with each order and ahead of                                                                       and provide transparency regarding
                                                                                                        believes that because such Limit Orders
                                                any IO Orders. This proposed rule text                                                                        whether a Trading Pause, MWCB Halt,
                                                                                                        would have a limit price within the
                                                is based on how [sic] Market Orders                                                                           or regulatory halt would be eligible to be
                                                                                                        Auction Collars, having such Limit
                                                (other than MOO Orders) and Limit                                                                             conducted. If an Auction Indicator is
                                                                                                        Orders transition to continuous trading
                                                Orders that are entered during the Core                                                                       ‘‘no,’’ market participants would be on
                                                                                                        would not have significant pricing
                                                Open Auction Imbalance Freeze, as                                                                             notice that submitting offsetting interest
                                                                                                        impact on post-Trading Halt Auction
                                                described in Rule 7.35(c)(3)(B). As such,                                                                     may reduce the possibility of the
                                                                                                        trading. Accordingly, proposed Rule
                                                these orders would participate in the                                                                         Exchange extending a Trading Halt
                                                                                                        7.35(e)(9) would provide that any Limit
                                                Trading Halt Auction only to offset the                                                                       Auction.
                                                final Imbalance for the auction. Such                   Orders that were eligible to participate
                                                                                                        in the Trading Halt Auction, but did not                 • Proposed Rule 7.35(a)(14) would
                                                orders would be ranked in price-time                                                                          define the term ‘‘Imbalance Freeze
                                                priority after all other orders, except for             participate, would transition to
                                                                                                        continuous trading as provided for in                 Indicator’’ to mean an indicator of
                                                IO Orders, have been allocated. Because                                                                       whether a security is currently in an
                                                the Exchange would be accepting IO                      paragraph (h) of this Rule.
                                                                                                           Auction Imbalance Information: The                 Auction Imbalance Freeze. This
                                                Orders for the Trading Halt Auction and                                                                       indicator would put market participants
                                                because IO Orders do not participate                    Exchange proposes to enhance the
                                                                                                        Auction Imbalance Information. Rule                   on notice of whether there are order
                                                until all other eligible interest has been                                                                    entry and cancellation restrictions in
                                                allocated, the Exchange proposes a                      7.35(a)(4) defines Auction Imbalance
                                                                                                        Information as the information that is                place at any given time before an
                                                substantive difference from the rule                                                                          auction.
                                                governing the Core Open Auction to                      disseminated by the Exchange for an
                                                                                                        auction and includes, if applicable, the              *      *    *     *     *
                                                address how IO Orders would be
                                                processed relative to Market Orders                     Total Imbalance, Market Imbalance,                       The Exchange proposes to implement
                                                (other than MOO Orders) or Limit                        Indicative Match Price, and Matched                   the proposed rule change following the
                                                Orders entered during the Trading Halt                  Volume.17 The Exchange proposes to                    Commission’s approval of Amendment
                                                Auction Imbalance Freeze. As proposed,                  enhance the Auction Imbalance                         12 to the Plan. The Exchange will
                                                                                                        Information to include the following                  announce the implementation date via
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                                                IO Orders would not be allocated until
                                                Market Orders (other than MOO Orders)                   additional information: Auction                       Trader Update to be issued after this
                                                and Limit Orders entered during the                     Reference Price, Auction Collar, Book                 proposed rule change is approved.
                                                Trading Halt Auction Imbalance Freeze                   Clearing Price, Far Clearing Price,
                                                                                                                                                              2. Statutory Basis
                                                have been allocated.                                      17 See Rule 7.35(a)(7) (defining the terms Total
                                                   • Proposed Rule 7.35(e)(8)(C) would                  Imbalance and Market Imbalance); 7.35(a)(8)
                                                                                                                                                                The proposed rule change is
                                                provide that requests to cancel and                     (defining the term Indicative Match Price); and
                                                                                                                                                              consistent with Section 6(b) of the
                                                requests to cancel and replace Market                   7.35(a)(9) (defining the term Matched Volume).        Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the


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                                                                                Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 205 / Monday, October 24, 2016 / Notices                                          73165

                                                ‘‘Act’’),18 in general, and furthers the                   Market Order interest could be satisfied              Auctions, thus reducing complexity in
                                                objectives of Section 6(b)(5),19 in                        in an automated reopening auction                     the marketplace.
                                                particular, because it is designed to                      while at the same time reducing the                      The Exchange believes that
                                                prevent fraudulent and manipulative                        potential for multiple Trading Pauses in              precluding ETP Holders from requesting
                                                acts and practices, to promote just and                    a single security due to a large order                a review of a Trading Halt Auction as a
                                                equitable principles of trade, to foster                   imbalance.                                            clearly erroneous execution would
                                                cooperation and coordination with                             The Exchange further believes that the             remove impediments to and perfect the
                                                persons engaged in facilitating                            standardized proposal to extend a                     mechanism of a free and open market
                                                transactions in securities, to remove                      Trading Pause an additional five                      and a national market system because
                                                impediments to, and perfect the                            minutes would remove impediments to                   the proposed new procedures for
                                                mechanism of, a free and open market                       and perfect the mechanism of a free and               reopening trading following a Trading
                                                and a national market system and, in                       open market and a national market                     Pause would reduce the possibility that
                                                general, to protect investors and the                      system because it would provide                       an order(s) from an ETP Holder(s)
                                                public interest.                                           additional time to attract offsetting                 caused a Trading Halt Auction to be
                                                   The Exchange believes the proposed                      liquidity. If at the end of such extension,           clearly erroneous. Specifically, the
                                                changes would remove impediments to                        Market Orders still cannot be satisfied               Exchange believes that the proposed
                                                and perfect the mechanism of a free and                    within price collar thresholds or if the              standardized procedures for reopening
                                                open market and a national market                          reopening auction would be priced                     trading following a Trading Pause
                                                system, and in general, to protect                         outside of the applicable price collar                incorporates a methodology that allows
                                                investors and the public interest,                         thresholds, the Primary Listing                       for widened collars, which may result in
                                                because they are designed, together with                   Exchange would extend the Trading                     a reopening price away from prior
                                                the proposed amendments to the Plan,                       Pause an additional five minutes, which               trading prices, but which reopening
                                                to address the issues experienced on                       the Exchange believes would further                   price would be a result of a measured
                                                August 24, 2015 by reducing the                            protect investors and the public interest             and transparent process that eliminates
                                                number of repeat Trading Pauses in a                       by reducing the potential for significant             the potential that such trade would be
                                                single NMS Stock. The proposed Plan                        price disparity in post-auction trading,              considered erroneous.
                                                amendments are an essential component                      which could otherwise trigger another                    The Exchange believes that the
                                                to Participants’ goal of more                              Trading Pause. With each such                         proposed amendments to Rule 7.11
                                                standardized processes across Primary                      extension, the Exchange believes that                 would remove impediments to and
                                                Listing Exchanges in reopening trading                     widening the price collar threshold on                perfect the mechanism of a free and
                                                following a Trading Pause, and                             the side of the market on which there is              open market and a national market
                                                facilitates the production of an                           buying or selling pressure would                      system because the proposed changes
                                                equilibrium Reopening Price by                             remove impediments to and perfect the                 would remove obsolete rule text and
                                                centralizing the reopening process                         mechanism of a free and open market                   amend the remaining rule text to
                                                through the Primary Listing Exchange,                      and a national market system because it               conform to the proposed amendments to
                                                which would also improve the accuracy                      would provide additional time to attract              the Plan, as described above.
                                                of the reopening Price Bands. The                          offsetting interest while at the same time               The Exchange believes that the
                                                proposed Plan amendments support this                      addressing that an imbalance may not                  proposed rule change to add an IO
                                                initiative by requiring trading centers to                 be resolved within the prior Auction                  Order for Trading Halt Auctions would
                                                wait to resume trading following                           Collars.                                              further remove impediments to and
                                                Trading Pause until there is a Reopening                      With respect to price collar                       perfect the mechanism of a free and
                                                Price.                                                     thresholds, the Exchange believes that                open market and a national market
                                                   This proposed rule change further                       using the price of the limit state that               system because such order type is
                                                supports this initiative by proposing                      preceded the Trading Pause, i.e., either              designed to attract offsetting interest
                                                uniform trading practices for reopening                    the Lower or Upper Price Band price,                  that would participate in the Trading
                                                trading following a Trading Pause. The                     would better reflect the most recent                  Halt Auction. The Exchange believes
                                                Exchange believes that the proposed                        price of the security and therefore                   that offering such order type would
                                                standardized approach for how the                          should be used as the reference price for             provide an option for market
                                                Primary Listing Exchanges would                            determining the Auction Collars for                   participants that are willing to
                                                conduct certain aspects of an automated                    such Trading Halt Auction. The                        participate in an auction to offset an
                                                reopening following a Trading Pause                        Exchange believes that widening                       imbalance, but do not want such orders
                                                would remove impediments to and                            Auction Collars only in the direction of              to participate in continuous trading. The
                                                perfect the mechanism of a free and                        the imbalance would address issues                    proposed order type is based in part on
                                                open market and a national market                          relating to the concept of mean                       the CO Order offered by the NYSE, with
                                                system because it would provide                            reversion, which would protect                        the main difference being that the IO
                                                certainty for market participants                          investors and the public interest by                  Order would be offered for the Trading
                                                regarding how a security would reopen                      reducing the potential for wide price                 Halt Auction only, whereas the CO
                                                following a Trading Pause, regardless of                   swings following a Trading Halt                       Order on NYSE is available for the
                                                the listing exchange. The Exchange                         Auction.                                              closing transaction only. However, in
                                                further believes that the proposed                            The Exchange believes that applying                function, the two orders are designed
                                                changes would remove impediments to                        the proposed changes to its Trading Halt              with the same purpose—to reduce the
                                                                                                           Auctions not only following a Trading
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                                                and perfect the mechanism of a free and                                                                          imbalance to assist in achieving pricing
                                                open market and a national market                          Pause, but also following a MWCB Halt                 equilibrium.
                                                system and protect investors and the                       or regulatory halt, would remove                         The Exchange further believes that the
                                                public interest because the goal of the                    impediments to and perfect the                        proposed rule change to add a Trading
                                                proposed changes is to ensure that all                     mechanism of a free and open market                   Halt Auction Imbalance Freeze would
                                                                                                           and a national market system because it               remove impediments to and perfect the
                                                  18 15   U.S.C. 78f(b).                                   would promote consistency in how the                  mechanism of a free and open market
                                                  19 15   U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).                                Exchange conducts its Trading Halt                    and a national market system because it


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                                                73166                        Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 205 / Monday, October 24, 2016 / Notices

                                                would provide market participants with                  Listing Exchanges in reopening trading                Paper Comments
                                                a brief period to assess the imbalance                  following a Trading Pause, and
                                                going into a Trading Halt Auction.                      facilitates the production of an                        • Send paper comments in triplicate
                                                During such time, order entry and                       equilibrium Reopening Price by                        to Secretary, Securities and Exchange
                                                cancellation would be revised in a                      centralizing the reopening process                    Commission, 100 F Street NE.,
                                                manner designed to reduce the last-                     through the Primary Listing Exchange,                 Washington, DC 20549–1090.
                                                published imbalance. The proposed                       which would also improve the accuracy                 All submissions should refer to File
                                                mechanism for the Trading Halt Auction                  of the reopening Price Bands. The                     Number SR–NYSEArca–2016–130. This
                                                Imbalance Freeze is not novel, as it is                 Exchange believes that the proposed                   file number should be included on the
                                                based in part on the existing Core Open                 rule change reduces the burden on
                                                Auction Imbalance Freeze, i.e., the                                                                           subject line if email is used. To help the
                                                                                                        competition for market participants
                                                length of the Auction Imbalance Freeze,                                                                       Commission process and review your
                                                                                                        because it promotes a transparent and
                                                and the Closing Auction Imbalance                       consistent process for reopening trading              comments more efficiently, please use
                                                Freeze, i.e., how new orders and order                  following a Trading Pause regardless of               only one method. The Commission will
                                                instructions would be processed, with a                 where a security may be listed. The                   post all comments on the Commission’s
                                                proposed substantive difference to                      Exchange further believes that the                    Internet Web site (http://www.sec.gov/
                                                address how the proposed new IO Order                   proposed rule change would not impose                 rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the
                                                type would be processed during the                      any burden on competition because they                submission, all subsequent
                                                Auction Imbalance Freeze.                               are designed to increase transparency                 amendments, all written statements
                                                   The Exchange believes that the                       regarding the Exchange’s Trading Halt                 with respect to the proposed rule
                                                proposed manner of how it would                         Auction process while at the same time                change that are filed with the
                                                process Limit Orders that do not                        increasing the ability for offsetting                 Commission, and all written
                                                participate in a Trading Halt Auction,                  interest to participate in an auction,                communications relating to the
                                                but have a limit price within the                       which would assist in achieving pricing               proposed rule change between the
                                                applicable Auction Collars, in that such                equilibrium for such an auction.                      Commission and any person, other than
                                                orders would roll into continuous                                                                             those that may be withheld from the
                                                trading, would remove impediments to                    C. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
                                                                                                        Statement on Comments on the                          public in accordance with the
                                                and perfect the mechanism of a free and
                                                                                                        Proposed Rule Change Received From                    provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be
                                                open market and a national market
                                                system. Such Limit Orders likely would                  Members, Participants, or Others                      available for Web site viewing and
                                                not impact the pricing of post-auction                                                                        printing in the Commission’s Public
                                                                                                          No written comments were solicited                  Reference Room, 100 F Street NE.,
                                                trading and trigger another Trading                     or received with respect to the proposed
                                                Pause because the limit price of such                                                                         Washington, DC 20549 on official
                                                                                                        rule change.
                                                orders would be within the same price                                                                         business days between the hours of
                                                range that trading would otherwise be                   III. Date of Effectiveness of the                     10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Copies of the
                                                permitted.                                              Proposed Rule Change and Timing for                   filing also will be available for
                                                   Finally, the Exchange believes that                  Commission Action                                     inspection and copying at the principal
                                                the proposed amendments to enhance                         Within 45 days of the date of                      office of the Exchange. All comments
                                                the Auction Imbalance Information to                    publication of this notice in the Federal             received will be posted without change;
                                                add the Auction Reference Price, the                    Register or within such longer period                 the Commission does not edit personal
                                                Auction Collar, the Book Clearing Price,                up to 90 days (i) as the Commission may               identifying information from
                                                the Far Clearing Price, the Imbalance                   designate if it finds such longer period              submissions. You should submit only
                                                Freeze Indicator, and the Auction                       to be appropriate and publishes its                   information that you wish to make
                                                Indicator would remove impediments to                   reasons for so finding or (ii) as to which            available publicly. All submissions
                                                and perfect the mechanism of a free and                 the self-regulatory organization                      should refer to File Number SR–
                                                open market and a national market                       consents, the Commission will:                        NYSEArca-2016–130 and should be
                                                system because they are designed to                        (A) by order approve or disapprove                 submitted on or before November 14,
                                                promote additional transparency                         the proposed rule change, or                          2016.
                                                regarding the Exchange’s auctions by                       (B) institute proceedings to determine
                                                providing additional detail regarding                   whether the proposed rule change                        For the Commission, by the Division of
                                                what Auction Reference Price would be                   should be disapproved.                                Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated
                                                used in an auction, the Auction Collars                                                                       authority.20
                                                applicable to such auction, additional                  IV. Solicitation of Comments                          Robert W. Errett,
                                                information about potential pricing for                   Interested persons are invited to                   Deputy Secretary.
                                                such auction, and the status of the                     submit written data, views, and                       [FR Doc. 2016–25572 Filed 10–21–16; 8:45 am]
                                                applicable auction.                                     arguments concerning the foregoing,
                                                                                                                                                              BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
                                                                                                        including whether the proposed rule
                                                Self-Regulatory Organization’s
                                                                                                        change is consistent with the Act.
                                                Statement on Burden on Competition
                                                                                                        Comments may be submitted by any of
                                                  The Exchange does not believe that                    the following methods:
                                                the proposed rule change will impose
                                                any burden on competition that is not                   Electronic Comments
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES




                                                necessary or appropriate in furtherance                   • Use the Commission’s Internet
                                                of the purposes of the Act. The                         comment form (http://www.sec.gov/
                                                Exchange believes that the proposed                     rules/sro.shtml); or
                                                rule change is not designed to address                    • Send an email to rule-
                                                any competitive issues, but rather, to                  comments@sec.gov. Please include File
                                                achieve the Participants’ goal of more                  Number SR–NYSEArca–2016–130 on
                                                standardized processes across Primary                   the subject line.                                       20 17   CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).



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Document Created: 2016-10-21 23:45:46
Document Modified: 2016-10-21 23:45:46
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 73159 

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