81_FR_76090 81 FR 75879 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC; Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule Change To Enhance the Reopening Auction Process Following a Trading Halt Declared Pursuant to the Plan To Address Extraordinary Market Volatility

81 FR 75879 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC; Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule Change To Enhance the Reopening Auction Process Following a Trading Halt Declared Pursuant to the Plan To Address Extraordinary Market Volatility

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 211 (November 1, 2016)

Page Range75879-75883
FR Document2016-26298

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 211 (Tuesday, November 1, 2016)
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 211 (Tuesday, November 1, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75879-75883]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-26298]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-79158; File No. SR-NASDAQ-2016-131]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC; 
Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule Change To Enhance the Reopening 
Auction Process Following a Trading Halt Declared Pursuant to the Plan 
To Address Extraordinary Market Volatility

October 26, 2016.
    Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 
(``Act''),\1\ and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,\2\ notice is hereby given that 
on October 13, 2016, The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (``Nasdaq'' or 
``Exchange'') 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 Exchange. The 
Commission is publishing this notice to solicit comments on the 
proposed rule change from interested persons.
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    \1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
    \2\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4.
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I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance 
of the Proposed Rule Change

    The Exchange proposes to amend Rule 4120 to enhance the reopening 
auction process following a trading halt declared pursuant to the Plan 
to Address Extraordinary Market Volatility Pursuant to Rule 608 of 
Regulation NMS under the Act (the ``Limit Up-Limit Down Plan'' or 
``Plan'').\3\ The Exchange also proposes to amend Rule 4753 (``Nasdaq 
Halt Cross'') to include the proposed new terms Auction Reference 
Prices and Auction Collars in the definition of Order Imbalance 
Indicator for purposes of the reopening process after Trading Pauses 
initiated under Rule 4120(a)(12), and to amend Rule 11890 (``Clearly 
Erroneous Transactions'') to provide that a member cannot request a 
review of an execution arising from a Halt Auction as a clearly 
erroneous execution.
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    \3\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 67091 (May 31, 
2012), 77 FR 33498 (June 6, 2012) (the ``Limit Up-Limit Down 
Release'').
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    The text of the proposed rule change is available on the Exchange's 
Web site at http://nasdaq.cchwallstreet.com, at the principal office of 
the Exchange, and at the Commission's Public Reference Room.

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

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

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

1. Purpose
Background
    The Exchange, together with the Bats BZX Exchange, Inc., Bats BYX 
Exchange, Inc., Bats EDGA Exchange, Inc., Bats EDGX Exchange, Inc., 
Chicago Stock Exchange, Inc., the Financial Industry Regulatory 
Authority, Inc. (``FINRA''), Investors Exchange LLC, National Stock 
Exchange, Inc., NASDAQ BX, Inc., NASDAQ PHLX LLC, New York Stock 
Exchange LLC (``NYSE''), NYSE Arca, Inc. (``NYSE Arca''), and NYSE MKT 
LLC (``NYSE MKT'') (collectively with the Exchange, the 
``Participants'') are parties to the Plan to Address Extraordinary 
Market Volatility Pursuant to Rule 608 of Regulation NMS under the 
Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The Participants initially filed the 
Plan with the Commission on April 5, 2011, which was published for 
notice and comment.\4\ On May 24, 2012, the Participants filed an 
amendment to the Plan and the Plan, as amended, was approved by the 
Commission on May 31, 2012.\5\ The Participants filed a second 
amendment to the Plan, which was immediately

[[Page 75880]]

effective on January 23, 2013.\6\ On February 19, 2013, the 
Participants filed a third amendment to the Plan, which the Commission 
approved on April 3, 2013.\7\ The Participants filed a fourth amendment 
to the Plan, which was immediately effective on July 18, 2013.\8\ On 
July 18, 2013, the Participants filed a fifth amendment to the Plan, 
which the Commission approved on September 26, 2013.\9\ The 
Participants filed a sixth amendment to the Plan, which was immediately 
effective on December 3, 2013.\10\ On February 24, 2014, the 
Participants filed a seventh amendment to the Plan, which the 
Commission approved on April 3, 2014.\11\ On December 24, 2014, the 
Participants filed an eighth amendment to the Plan, which the 
Commission approved on February 19, 2015.\12\ On July 31, 2015, the 
Participants filed a ninth amendment to the Plan to extend the pilot 
through April 22, 2016, and remove Chicago Board Options Exchange as a 
Plan Participant, which the Commission approved on October 22, 
2015.\13\ On February 19, 2016, the Participants filed a tenth 
amendment to the Plan to extend the pilot through April 21, 2017 and 
make one modification to the Plan, which the Commission approved on 
April 21, 2016.\14\ On August 1, 2016, the Investors Exchange LLC filed 
an amendment to the Plan to be added to the roster of Participants.\15\
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    \4\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 64547 (May 25, 
2011), 76 FR 31647 (June 1, 2011) (File No. 4-631).
    \5\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 67091 (May 31, 
2012), 77 FR 33498 (June 6, 2012) (File No. 4-631) (``Approval 
Order'').
    \6\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 68953 (February 20, 
2013), 78 FR 13113 (February 26, 2013) (File No. 4-631).
    \7\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 69287 (April 3, 
2013), 78 FR 21483 (April 10, 2013) (File No. 4-631).
    \8\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 70273 (August 27, 
2013), 78 FR 54321 (September 3, 2013) (File No. 4-631).
    \9\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 70530 (September, 
26, 2013), 78 FR 60937 (October 2, 2013) (File No. 4-631).
    \10\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 71247 (January 7, 
2014), 79 FR 2204 (January 13, 2014) (File No. 4-631).
    \11\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 71851 (April 3, 
2014), 79 FR 19687 (April 9, 2014) (File No. 4-631).
    \12\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 74323 (February 19, 
2015), 80 FR 10169 (February 25, 2015) (File No. 4-631).
    \13\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 76244 (October 22, 
2015), 80 FR 66099 (October 28, 2015) (File No. 4-631).
    \14\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 77679 (April 21, 
2016), 81 FR 24908 (April 27, 2016) (File No. 4-631).
    \15\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 78703 (August 26, 
2016), 81 FR 60397 (September 1, 2016) (File No. 4-631).
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    By letter dated September 16, 2016, the Participants filed a 
twelfth amendment to the Plan (``Amendment 12'') to provide that a 
Trading Pause \16\ will continue until the Primary Listing Exchange has 
reopened trading using its established reopening procedures, even if 
such reopening is more than 10 minutes after the beginning of a Trading 
Pause, and to require that trading centers may not resume trading in an 
NMS Stock following a Trading Pause without Price Bands in such NMS 
Stock.\17\ Specifically, the Participants propose to amend the Plan to 
provide that a Trading Pause will continue until the Primary Listing 
Exchange has reopened trading using its established reopening 
procedures and reports a Reopening Price. The Participants further 
propose in Amendment 12 to the Plan 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. In addition, to preclude potential scenarios when trading may 
resume without Price Bands, the Participants propose 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 in which there is no Reopening Price from 
the Primary Listing Exchange to use to calculate Price Bands, the 
Participants propose 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 in such a scenario or if the Primary Listing 
Exchange reopens trading on a zero bid or zero quote, or both.
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    \16\ Unless otherwise specified, the terms used herein have the 
same meaning as set forth in the Plan.
    \17\ See letter from Elizabeth K. King, General Counsel, NYSE, 
to Brent J. Fields, Secretary, Commission, dated September 16, 2016.
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    In conjunction with filing Amendment 12 to the Plan, each Primary 
Listing Exchange committed to file rule changes with the Commission 
under Section 19(b) of the Exchange Act to amend its respective trading 
practice for automated reopenings following a Trading Pause consistent 
with a standardized approach agreed to by Participants that would allow 
for extensions of a Trading Pause if equilibrium cannot be met for a 
Reopening Price within specified parameters. Accordingly, the Exchange 
is proposing to adopt changes to its rules, as described below, to 
implement the reopening procedures agreed upon by the Participants.
Proposal
    As a Primary Listing Exchange, Nasdaq is proposing to amend Rule 
4120 to make the following changes: (i) Clarify that the Exchange has 
an obligation to notify the Processor immediately upon becoming aware 
that it is unable to reopen trading due to a systems or technology 
issue; (ii) delete rule text concerning phased implementation of the 
Plan, which has since been fully implemented; (iii) only resume trading 
after a Trading Pause initiated by another exchange upon receiving 
Price Bands from the Processor; (iv) adopt new procedures for reopening 
securities following a Trading Pause; and (v) amend Rule 11890, Clearly 
Erroneous Executions, to not allow a member to request a review of an 
execution arising from a Halt Auction as a clearly erroneous execution.
    First, the Operating Committee has proposed in Amendment 12 to the 
Plan to require the Primary Listing Exchange to notify the Processor 
immediately upon becoming aware that it is unable to reopen trading due 
to a systems or technology issue. Pursuant to the proposal, trading 
centers may not resume trading in an NMS Stock following a Trading 
Pause without Price Bands in such NMS Stock. Thus, under the proposed 
Amendment 12, a trading center may resume trading only if there are 
Price Bands. Moreover, the Participants proposed in Amendment 12 to 
require that a Trading Pause will not end until the Primary Listing 
Exchange reports a Reopening Price. The Participants propose in 
Amendment 12 to allow trading centers to resume trading an NMS Stock in 
the absence of a Reopening Price only if: (i) The Primary Listing 
Exchange notifies the Processor that it is unable to reopen trading due 
to a systems or technology issue and (ii) the Processor has 
disseminated Price Bands based on a Reference Price. The Exchange is 
proposing to adopt this requirement to make it clear that the Exchange, 
acting as a Primary Listing Exchange for an NMS Stock, will notify the 
Processor immediately upon becoming aware that it is unable to reopen 
trading due to a systems or technology issue.
    Second, the Exchange is proposing to delete rule text concerning 
phased implementation of the Plan, which has since been fully 
implemented. Currently, Rule 4120(a)(12)(G) describes how different 
Tier NMS Stocks are handled during Phase 1 of the Plan. Given that the 
Plan is fully implemented, the Exchange is proposing to delete the text 
under Rule

[[Page 75881]]

4120(a)(12)(G) that concerns phases the Plan's implementation that have 
concluded.
    Third, the Exchange is proposing to adopt the requirement of 
Amendment 12 of the Plan, as discussed above, to only resume trading 
after a Trading Pause initiated by another exchange upon receiving 
Price Bands from the Processor. As noted above, Amendment 12 proposes 
to prohibit trading centers from resuming trading in an NMS Stock 
following a Trading Pause without Price Bands in such NMS Stock. The 
Participants believe that if a Primary Listing Exchange is unable to 
reopen trading due to a systems or technology issue, trading should be 
permitted to resume in that NMS Stock.
    Fourth, the Exchange is proposing to adopt new procedures for 
reopening securities following a Trading Pause. Each of the 
Participants that are Primary Listing Exchanges are adopting uniform 
processes for reopening NMS Stocks for which they are the Primary 
Listing Exchange following a Trading Pause. Currently, Rule 
4120(a)(12)(H) provides the process by which the Exchange will resume 
trading after a Trading Pause. Specifically, the rule provides that at 
the end of a Trading Pause the Exchange shall reopen the security in a 
manner similar to the procedures set forth in Rule 4753. Rule 4753 
provides the Nasdaq Halt Cross process by which a security that is 
subject to a trading halt is released from the halt to resume trading. 
Rule 4120(a)(12)(H) further provides that, following a Trading Pause 
that is triggered at or after 3:50 p.m. a stock shall reopen via a LULD 
Closing Cross pursuant to Rule 4754(b)(6),\18\ which provides LULD-
specific Closing Cross procedures following a Trading Pause.\19\
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    \18\ Rule 4754(b)(6) provides the closing process to be followed 
when a Trading Pause is triggered at or after 3:50 p.m. and before 4 
p.m.
    \19\ Rule 4120(c)(7)(A) describes the 5-minute Display Only 
Period, which must occur prior to the release of a security from a 
halt arising under Rule 4120(a)(1), (4), (5), (6), (9), (10), or 
(11), or (12)(F). In light of the proposed new process, the Exchange 
is eliminating reference to Rule 4120(a)(12)(F) from the rule.
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    The Exchange is proposing a new process for resuming trading after 
a Trading Pause under proposed Rule 4120(c)(10) that will provide for 
an initial auction period and two additional auction periods with 
widening collars should the security fail to conclude each auction 
period. For any such security listed on Nasdaq, prior to terminating 
the pause, there will be a 5-minute ``Initial Display Only Period'' 
during which market participants may enter quotations and orders in 
that security in Nasdaq systems, and during which Nasdaq will establish 
the ``Auction Reference Price.'' The Auction Reference Price is 
determined by, for a Limit Down triggered pause, the Lower Band price 
of the LULD Band in place at the time the trading pause was triggered; 
or for a Limit Up triggered pause, the Upper Band price of the LULD 
Band in place at the time the trading pause was triggered. During the 
Initial Display Only Period, Nasdaq will also determine the upper and 
lower ``Auction Collar'' prices, which are calculated in the following 
manner:
     For a Limit Down triggered pause, the lower Auction Collar 
price is derived by subtracting 5% of the Auction Reference Price, 
rounded to the nearest minimum price increment,\20\ or in the case of 
securities priced $3 \21\ or less, $0.15, from the Auction Reference 
Price, and the upper Auction Collar price is the Upper Band price on 
the LULD Band in place at the time the trading pause was triggered.
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    \20\ The term ``minimum price increment'' means $0.01 in the 
case of a System Security priced at $1 or more per share, and 
$0.0001 in the case of a System Security priced at less than $1 per 
share. See Rule 4701(k). Thus, if adding 5% of the initial Auction 
Reference Price to the Auction Collar would result in a tenth of a 
penny, the Exchange would round down to the nearest penny when the 
calculation results in one to four tenths of a penny and the 
Exchange would round up to the nearest penny when the calculation 
results in five to nine tenths of a penny.
    \21\ The Exchange determines the price of a security based on 
the security's prior day closing price. The security retains its 
classification as either greater or less than $3 for the remainder 
of the trading day, and it is not adjusted intra-day.
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     For a Limit Up triggered pause, the upper Auction Collar 
price is derived by adding 5% of the Auction Reference Price, rounded 
to the nearest minimum price increment, or in the case of securities 
priced $3 or less, $0.15, from the Auction Reference Price, and the 
lower Auction Collar price is the Lower Band price of the LULD Band in 
place at the time the trading pause was triggered.
    At the conclusion of the Initial Display Only Period, the security 
will be released for trading unless, at the end of an Initial Display 
Only Period, Nasdaq detects an order imbalance in the security. In that 
case, Nasdaq will extend the Display Only Period for an additional 5-
minute period (``Extended Display Only Period''), and the Auction 
Collar prices will be adjusted as follows:
     If the Display Only Period is extended because the 
calculated price at which the security would be released for trading is 
below the lower Auction Collar price or all sell market orders would 
not be executed in the cross, then the new lower Auction Collar price 
is derived by subtracting 5% of the initial Auction Reference Price, 
which was rounded to the nearest minimum price increment, or in the 
case of securities priced $3 or less, $0.15, from the previous lower 
Auction Collar price, and the upper Auction Collar price will not be 
changed.
     If the Display Only Period is extended because the 
calculated price at which the security would be released for trading is 
above the upper Auction Collar price or all buy market orders would not 
be executed in the cross, then the new upper Auction Collar price is 
derived by adding 5% of the initial Auction Reference Price, which was 
rounded to the nearest minimum price increment, or in the case of 
securities priced $3 or less, $0.15, to the previous upper Auction 
Collar price, and the lower Auction Collar price will not be changed.
    At the conclusion of the Extended Display Only Period, the security 
will be released for trading unless, at the end of the Extended Display 
Only Period, Nasdaq detects an order imbalance in the security. In that 
case, Nasdaq will further extend the Display Only Period, continuing to 
adjust the Auction Collar prices every five minutes in the manner 
described in the bullet above until the security is released for 
trading. Nasdaq shall release the security for trading at the first 
point there is no order imbalance.
    For purposes of the process under Rule 4120(c)(10), upon completion 
of the cross calculation an order imbalance shall be established as 
follows:
     The calculated price at which the security would be 
released for trading is above (below) the upper (lower) Auction Collar 
price calculated under paragraphs (A), (B), or (C) of Rule 4120(c)(10); 
or
     All market orders would not be executed in the cross.

Thus, if there is an imbalance of market orders, or if the Reopening 
Price would be outside of specified Auction Collar thresholds, as 
described above, 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 Auction Collar thresholds or if the reopening 
auction would be priced outside of the applicable Auction Collar 
thresholds, Nasdaq 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

[[Page 75882]]

side of the market on which there is buying or selling pressure by the 
same amount as the Initial Display Only Period.
    The Exchange is also amending Rule 4120(a)(12)(H) to harmonize rule 
text concerning Trading Pauses in the last ten minutes of regular 
trading hours. As noted above, following a Trading Pause that is 
triggered at or after 3:50 p.m. a stock shall reopen via a LULD Closing 
Cross pursuant to Rule 4754(b)(6). In Amendment 12, the Participants 
are adding clarifying text to Section VII(C) stating that the 
requirement to attempt to execute a closing transaction instead of 
reopening trading applies to Trading Pauses in existence at 3:50 p.m. 
Accordingly, the Exchange is proposing to amend Rule 4120(a)(12)(H) to 
reflect the Plan amendment. The Exchange is also proposing new Rule 
4120(a)(10)(D) to also reflect that a Trading Pause in existence at 
3:50 p.m. will reopen via a LULD Closing Cross pursuant to Rule 
4754(b)(6) instead of the proposed reopening procedures.
    The Exchange is proposing to add new Rule 4753(a)(3)(F) to make it 
clear that, for purposes of the reopening process after a Trading Pause 
pursuant to Rule 4120(a)(12), the Exchange will disseminate the Auction 
Reference Price and Auction Collar prices during the reopening process 
as part of the Order Imbalance Indicator described under Rule 
4753(a)(3), which is a message disseminated by electronic means 
containing information about Eligible Interest \22\ and the price at 
which such interest would execute at the time of dissemination.
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    \22\ ``Eligible Interest'' is defined as any quotation or any 
order that has been entered into the system and designated with a 
time-in-force that would allow the order to be in force at the time 
of the Halt Cross. See Rule 4753(a)(5).
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    Last, the Participants have agreed that the proposed new procedures 
for reopening trading following a Trading Pause would eliminate the 
need to evaluate whether a transaction in such reopening auction would 
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. Accordingly, the Exchange proposes to amend 
Rule 11890 to preclude members from requesting a review of a Halt 
Auction conducted pursuant to Rule 4120(c)(10) as a clearly erroneous 
execution.
Implementation Date
    The Exchange proposes to implement the proposed rule change 
following the Commission's approval of Amendment 12. The Exchange will 
announce the implementation date via a notice to be issued after the 
Commission's approval of this proposed rule change.
2. Statutory Basis
    The Exchange believes that its proposal is consistent with Section 
6(b) of the Act,\23\ in general, and furthers the objectives of Section 
6(b)(5) of the Act,\24\ in particular, in that it is designed to 
promote just and equitable principles of trade, to remove impediments 
to and perfect the mechanism of a free and open market and a national 
market system, and, in general to protect investors and the public 
interest. The Exchange believes that the proposed rule change, together 
with the proposed amendments to the Plan, are necessary or appropriate 
in the public interest, for the protection of investors and the 
maintenance of fair and orderly markets, to remove impediments to and 
perfect the mechanisms of, a national market system, or otherwise in 
furtherance of the purposes of the Act.
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    \23\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
    \24\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
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    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 also 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

[[Page 75883]]

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 
Halt Auction.
    Finally, the Exchange believes that precluding a member from 
requesting a review of an execution arising from a Halt Auction as 
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 obviate the need to evaluate whether a transaction 
in such reopening auction would 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.

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

    The Exchange does not believe that the proposed rule change will 
impose any burden on competition not necessary or appropriate in 
furtherance of the purposes of the Act. The 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 it is designed to increase 
transparency surrounding the Exchange's Trading Halt Auction process 
while also increasing the ability for offsetting interest to 
participate in an auction, which would assist in achieving pricing 
equilibrium in 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 either solicited or received.

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-NASDAQ-2016-131 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-NASDAQ-2016-131. 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-NASDAQ-2016-131 and should 
be submitted on or before November 22, 2016.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\25\
Brent J. Fields,
Secretary.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \25\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

[FR Doc. 2016-26298 Filed 10-31-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 8011-01-P



                                                                               Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 211 / Tuesday, November 1, 2016 / Notices                                                   75879

                                                    the self-regulatory organization                        submitted on or before November 22,                   cannot request a review of an execution
                                                    consents, the Commission will:                          2016.                                                 arising from a Halt Auction as a clearly
                                                    (A) By order approve or disapprove the                    For the Commission, by the Division of              erroneous execution.
                                                      proposed rule change, or                              Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated               The text of the proposed rule change
                                                    (B) institute proceedings to determine                  authority.20                                          is available on the Exchange’s Web site
                                                      whether the proposed rule change                      Brent J. Fields,                                      at http://nasdaq.cchwallstreet.com, at
                                                      should be disapproved.                                Secretary.                                            the principal office of the Exchange, and
                                                    IV. Solicitation of Comments                            [FR Doc. 2016–26300 Filed 10–31–16; 8:45 am]          at the Commission’s Public Reference
                                                                                                            BILLING CODE 8011–01–P                                Room.
                                                      Interested persons are invited to
                                                    submit written data, views and                                                                                II. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
                                                    arguments concerning the foregoing,                     SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE                               Statement of the Purpose of, and
                                                    including whether the proposed rule                     COMMISSION                                            Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule
                                                    change is consistent with the Act.                                                                            Change
                                                    Comments may be submitted by any of                     [Release No. 34–79158; File No. SR–
                                                    the following methods:                                  NASDAQ–2016–131]                                        In its filing with the Commission, the
                                                                                                                                                                  Exchange included statements
                                                    Electronic Comments                                     Self-Regulatory Organizations; The                    concerning the purpose of and basis for
                                                      • Use the Commission’s Internet                       Nasdaq Stock Market LLC; Notice of                    the proposed rule change and discussed
                                                    comment form (http://www.sec.gov/                       Filing of Proposed Rule Change To                     any comments it received on the
                                                    rules/sro.shtml); or                                    Enhance the Reopening Auction                         proposed rule change. The text of these
                                                      • Send an email to rule-comments@                     Process Following a Trading Halt                      statements may be examined at the
                                                    sec.gov. Please include File Number SR–                 Declared Pursuant to the Plan To                      places specified in Item IV below. The
                                                    BatsBZX–2016–61 on the subject line.                    Address Extraordinary Market                          Exchange has prepared summaries, set
                                                                                                            Volatility                                            forth in sections A, B, and C below, of
                                                    Paper Comments                                                                                                the most significant aspects of such
                                                                                                            October 26, 2016.
                                                       • Send paper comments in triplicate                     Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the
                                                                                                                                                                  statements.
                                                    to Secretary, Securities and Exchange                   Securities Exchange Act of 1934                       A. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
                                                    Commission, 100 F Street NE.,                           (‘‘Act’’),1 and Rule 19b–4 thereunder,2               Statement of the Purpose of, and
                                                    Washington, DC 20549–1090.                              notice is hereby given that on October                Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule
                                                    All submissions should refer to File                    13, 2016, The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC                 Change
                                                    Number SR–BatsBZX–2016–61. This file                    (‘‘Nasdaq’’ or ‘‘Exchange’’) filed with the
                                                    number should be included on the                        Securities and Exchange Commission                    1. Purpose
                                                    subject line if email is used. To help the              (‘‘Commission’’) the proposed rule                    Background
                                                    Commission process and review your                      change as described in Items I and II
                                                    comments more efficiently, please use                   below, which Items have been prepared                    The Exchange, together with the Bats
                                                    only one method. The Commission will                    by the Exchange. The Commission is                    BZX Exchange, Inc., Bats BYX
                                                    post all comments on the Commission’s                   publishing this notice to solicit                     Exchange, Inc., Bats EDGA Exchange,
                                                    Internet Web site (http://www.sec.gov/                  comments on the proposed rule change                  Inc., Bats EDGX Exchange, Inc., Chicago
                                                    rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the                         from interested persons.                              Stock Exchange, Inc., the Financial
                                                    submission, all subsequent                                                                                    Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.
                                                    amendments, all written statements                      I. Self-Regulatory Organization’s                     (‘‘FINRA’’), Investors Exchange LLC,
                                                    with respect to the proposed rule                       Statement of the Terms of Substance of                National Stock Exchange, Inc.,
                                                    change that are filed with the                          the Proposed Rule Change                              NASDAQ BX, Inc., NASDAQ PHLX
                                                    Commission, and all written                                The Exchange proposes to amend                     LLC, New York Stock Exchange LLC
                                                    communications relating to the                          Rule 4120 to enhance the reopening                    (‘‘NYSE’’), NYSE Arca, Inc. (‘‘NYSE
                                                    proposed rule change between the                        auction process following a trading halt              Arca’’), and NYSE MKT LLC (‘‘NYSE
                                                    Commission and any person, other than                   declared pursuant to the Plan to                      MKT’’) (collectively with the Exchange,
                                                    those that may be withheld from the                     Address Extraordinary Market Volatility               the ‘‘Participants’’) are parties to the
                                                    public in accordance with the                           Pursuant to Rule 608 of Regulation NMS                Plan to Address Extraordinary Market
                                                    provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be                     under the Act (the ‘‘Limit Up-Limit                   Volatility Pursuant to Rule 608 of
                                                    available for Web site viewing and                      Down Plan’’ or ‘‘Plan’’).3 The Exchange               Regulation NMS under the Securities
                                                    printing in the Commission’s Public                     also proposes to amend Rule 4753                      Exchange Act of 1934. The Participants
                                                    Reference Room, 100 F Street NE.,                       (‘‘Nasdaq Halt Cross’’) to include the                initially filed the Plan with the
                                                    Washington, DC 20549, on official                       proposed new terms Auction Reference                  Commission on April 5, 2011, which
                                                    business days between the hours of                      Prices and Auction Collars in the                     was published for notice and comment.4
                                                    10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Copies of the                  definition of Order Imbalance Indicator               On May 24, 2012, the Participants filed
                                                    filing also will be available for                       for purposes of the reopening process                 an amendment to the Plan and the Plan,
                                                    inspection and copying at the principal                 after Trading Pauses initiated under                  as amended, was approved by the
                                                    office of the Exchange. All comments                    Rule 4120(a)(12), and to amend Rule                   Commission on May 31, 2012.5 The
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                    received will be posted without change;                 11890 (‘‘Clearly Erroneous                            Participants filed a second amendment
                                                    the Commission does not edit personal                   Transactions’’) to provide that a member              to the Plan, which was immediately
                                                    identifying information from
                                                    submissions. You should submit only                       20 17  CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).                           4 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 64547
                                                                                                              1 15  U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
                                                    information that you wish to make                                                                             (May 25, 2011), 76 FR 31647 (June 1, 2011) (File
                                                                                                               2 17 CFR 240.19b–4.                                No. 4–631).
                                                    available publicly. All submissions                        3 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 67091      5 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 67091
                                                    should refer to File Number SR–                         (May 31, 2012), 77 FR 33498 (June 6, 2012) (the       (May 31, 2012), 77 FR 33498 (June 6, 2012) (File
                                                    BatsBZX–2016–61 and should be                           ‘‘Limit Up-Limit Down Release’’).                     No. 4–631) (‘‘Approval Order’’).



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                                                    75880                      Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 211 / Tuesday, November 1, 2016 / Notices

                                                    effective on January 23, 2013.6 On                      12’’) to provide that a Trading Pause 16              Proposal
                                                    February 19, 2013, the Participants filed               will continue until the Primary Listing                  As a Primary Listing Exchange,
                                                    a third amendment to the Plan, which                    Exchange has reopened trading using its               Nasdaq is proposing to amend Rule
                                                    the Commission approved on April 3,                     established reopening procedures, even                4120 to make the following changes: (i)
                                                    2013.7 The Participants filed a fourth                  if such reopening is more than 10                     Clarify that the Exchange has an
                                                    amendment to the Plan, which was                        minutes after the beginning of a Trading              obligation to notify the Processor
                                                    immediately effective on July 18, 2013.8                Pause, and to require that trading                    immediately upon becoming aware that
                                                    On July 18, 2013, the Participants filed                centers may not resume trading in an                  it is unable to reopen trading due to a
                                                    a fifth amendment to the Plan, which                    NMS Stock following a Trading Pause                   systems or technology issue; (ii) delete
                                                                                                            without Price Bands in such NMS                       rule text concerning phased
                                                    the Commission approved on September
                                                                                                            Stock.17 Specifically, the Participants               implementation of the Plan, which has
                                                    26, 2013.9 The Participants filed a sixth
                                                                                                            propose to amend the Plan to provide                  since been fully implemented; (iii) only
                                                    amendment to the Plan, which was                        that a Trading Pause will continue until
                                                    immediately effective on December 3,                                                                          resume trading after a Trading Pause
                                                                                                            the Primary Listing Exchange has
                                                    2013.10 On February 24, 2014, the                                                                             initiated by another exchange upon
                                                                                                            reopened trading using its established
                                                    Participants filed a seventh amendment                                                                        receiving Price Bands from the
                                                                                                            reopening procedures and reports a
                                                    to the Plan, which the Commission                                                                             Processor; (iv) adopt new procedures for
                                                                                                            Reopening Price. The Participants
                                                    approved on April 3, 2014.11 On                                                                               reopening securities following a Trading
                                                                                                            further propose in Amendment 12 to the
                                                    December 24, 2014, the Participants                                                                           Pause; and (v) amend Rule 11890,
                                                                                                            Plan to eliminate the current allowance
                                                    filed an eighth amendment to the Plan,                                                                        Clearly Erroneous Executions, to not
                                                                                                            for a trading center to resume trading in
                                                    which the Commission approved on                                                                              allow a member to request a review of
                                                                                                            an NMS Stock following a Trading
                                                                                                                                                                  an execution arising from a Halt
                                                    February 19, 2015.12 On July 31, 2015,                  Pause if the Primary Listing Exchange
                                                                                                                                                                  Auction as a clearly erroneous
                                                    the Participants filed a ninth                          has not reported a Reopening Price
                                                                                                            within ten minutes after the declaration              execution.
                                                    amendment to the Plan to extend the                                                                              First, the Operating Committee has
                                                    pilot through April 22, 2016, and                       of a Trading Pause. In addition, to
                                                                                                                                                                  proposed in Amendment 12 to the Plan
                                                    remove Chicago Board Options                            preclude potential scenarios when
                                                                                                                                                                  to require the Primary Listing Exchange
                                                    Exchange as a Plan Participant, which                   trading may resume without Price
                                                                                                                                                                  to notify the Processor immediately
                                                    the Commission approved on October                      Bands, the Participants propose to
                                                                                                                                                                  upon becoming aware that it is unable
                                                    22, 2015.13 On February 19, 2016, the                   amend the Plan to provide that a trading
                                                                                                                                                                  to reopen trading due to a systems or
                                                    Participants filed a tenth amendment to                 center may not resume trading in an
                                                                                                            NMS Stock following a Trading Pause                   technology issue. Pursuant to the
                                                    the Plan to extend the pilot through                                                                          proposal, trading centers may not
                                                                                                            without Price Bands in such NMS
                                                    April 21, 2017 and make one                                                                                   resume trading in an NMS Stock
                                                                                                            Stock. To address potential scenarios in
                                                    modification to the Plan, which the                     which there is no Reopening Price from                following a Trading Pause without Price
                                                    Commission approved on April 21,                        the Primary Listing Exchange to use to                Bands in such NMS Stock. Thus, under
                                                    2016.14 On August 1, 2016, the Investors                calculate Price Bands, the Participants               the proposed Amendment 12, a trading
                                                    Exchange LLC filed an amendment to                      propose to make related amendments to                 center may resume trading only if there
                                                    the Plan to be added to the roster of                   the Plan to address when trading may                  are Price Bands. Moreover, the
                                                    Participants.15                                         resume if the Primary Listing Exchange                Participants proposed in Amendment 12
                                                                                                            is unable to reopen due to a systems or               to require that a Trading Pause will not
                                                       By letter dated September 16, 2016,
                                                                                                            technology issue and how the Reference                end until the Primary Listing Exchange
                                                    the Participants filed a twelfth
                                                                                                            Price would be determined in such a                   reports a Reopening Price. The
                                                    amendment to the Plan (‘‘Amendment                                                                            Participants propose in Amendment 12
                                                                                                            scenario or if the Primary Listing
                                                                                                            Exchange reopens trading on a zero bid                to allow trading centers to resume
                                                       6 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 68953
                                                                                                            or zero quote, or both.                               trading an NMS Stock in the absence of
                                                    (February 20, 2013), 78 FR 13113 (February 26,
                                                    2013) (File No. 4–631).                                    In conjunction with filing                         a Reopening Price only if: (i) The
                                                       7 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 69287      Amendment 12 to the Plan, each                        Primary Listing Exchange notifies the
                                                    (April 3, 2013), 78 FR 21483 (April 10, 2013) (File     Primary Listing Exchange committed to                 Processor that it is unable to reopen
                                                    No. 4–631).                                                                                                   trading due to a systems or technology
                                                       8 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 70273
                                                                                                            file rule changes with the Commission
                                                                                                            under Section 19(b) of the Exchange Act               issue and (ii) the Processor has
                                                    (August 27, 2013), 78 FR 54321 (September 3, 2013)
                                                    (File No. 4–631).                                       to amend its respective trading practice              disseminated Price Bands based on a
                                                       9 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 70530      for automated reopenings following a                  Reference Price. The Exchange is
                                                    (September, 26, 2013), 78 FR 60937 (October 2,          Trading Pause consistent with a                       proposing to adopt this requirement to
                                                    2013) (File No. 4–631).                                 standardized approach agreed to by                    make it clear that the Exchange, acting
                                                       10 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 71247
                                                                                                            Participants that would allow for                     as a Primary Listing Exchange for an
                                                    (January 7, 2014), 79 FR 2204 (January 13, 2014)
                                                    (File No. 4–631).                                       extensions of a Trading Pause if                      NMS Stock, will notify the Processor
                                                       11 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 71851     equilibrium cannot be met for a                       immediately upon becoming aware that
                                                    (April 3, 2014), 79 FR 19687 (April 9, 2014) (File      Reopening Price within specified                      it is unable to reopen trading due to a
                                                    No. 4–631).                                             parameters. Accordingly, the Exchange                 systems or technology issue.
                                                       12 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 74323
                                                                                                            is proposing to adopt changes to its                     Second, the Exchange is proposing to
                                                    (February 19, 2015), 80 FR 10169 (February 25,                                                                delete rule text concerning phased
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                    2015) (File No. 4–631).
                                                                                                            rules, as described below, to implement
                                                       13 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 76244     the reopening procedures agreed upon                  implementation of the Plan, which has
                                                    (October 22, 2015), 80 FR 66099 (October 28, 2015)      by the Participants.                                  since been fully implemented.
                                                    (File No. 4–631).                                                                                             Currently, Rule 4120(a)(12)(G) describes
                                                       14 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 77679       16 Unless otherwise specified, the terms used       how different Tier NMS Stocks are
                                                    (April 21, 2016), 81 FR 24908 (April 27, 2016) (File    herein have the same meaning as set forth in the      handled during Phase 1 of the Plan.
                                                    No. 4–631).                                             Plan.
                                                       15 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 78703       17 See letter from Elizabeth K. King, General
                                                                                                                                                                  Given that the Plan is fully
                                                    (August 26, 2016), 81 FR 60397 (September 1, 2016)      Counsel, NYSE, to Brent J. Fields, Secretary,         implemented, the Exchange is
                                                    (File No. 4–631).                                       Commission, dated September 16, 2016.                 proposing to delete the text under Rule


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                                                                                   Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 211 / Tuesday, November 1, 2016 / Notices                                                   75881

                                                    4120(a)(12)(G) that concerns phases the                      orders in that security in Nasdaq                          the new lower Auction Collar price is
                                                    Plan’s implementation that have                              systems, and during which Nasdaq will                      derived by subtracting 5% of the initial
                                                    concluded.                                                   establish the ‘‘Auction Reference Price.’’                 Auction Reference Price, which was
                                                       Third, the Exchange is proposing to                       The Auction Reference Price is                             rounded to the nearest minimum price
                                                    adopt the requirement of Amendment                           determined by, for a Limit Down                            increment, or in the case of securities
                                                    12 of the Plan, as discussed above, to                       triggered pause, the Lower Band price of                   priced $3 or less, $0.15, from the
                                                    only resume trading after a Trading                          the LULD Band in place at the time the                     previous lower Auction Collar price,
                                                    Pause initiated by another exchange                          trading pause was triggered; or for a                      and the upper Auction Collar price will
                                                    upon receiving Price Bands from the                          Limit Up triggered pause, the Upper                        not be changed.
                                                    Processor. As noted above, Amendment                         Band price of the LULD Band in place                         • If the Display Only Period is
                                                    12 proposes to prohibit trading centers                      at the time the trading pause was                          extended because the calculated price at
                                                    from resuming trading in an NMS Stock                        triggered. During the Initial Display                      which the security would be released
                                                    following a Trading Pause without Price                      Only Period, Nasdaq will also determine                    for trading is above the upper Auction
                                                    Bands in such NMS Stock. The                                 the upper and lower ‘‘Auction Collar’’                     Collar price or all buy market orders
                                                    Participants believe that if a Primary                       prices, which are calculated in the                        would not be executed in the cross, then
                                                    Listing Exchange is unable to reopen                         following manner:                                          the new upper Auction Collar price is
                                                    trading due to a systems or technology                          • For a Limit Down triggered pause,                     derived by adding 5% of the initial
                                                    issue, trading should be permitted to                        the lower Auction Collar price is                          Auction Reference Price, which was
                                                    resume in that NMS Stock.                                    derived by subtracting 5% of the                           rounded to the nearest minimum price
                                                       Fourth, the Exchange is proposing to                      Auction Reference Price, rounded to the                    increment, or in the case of securities
                                                    adopt new procedures for reopening                           nearest minimum price increment,20 or                      priced $3 or less, $0.15, to the previous
                                                    securities following a Trading Pause.                        in the case of securities priced $3 21 or                  upper Auction Collar price, and the
                                                    Each of the Participants that are Primary                    less, $0.15, from the Auction Reference                    lower Auction Collar price will not be
                                                    Listing Exchanges are adopting uniform                       Price, and the upper Auction Collar                        changed.
                                                    processes for reopening NMS Stocks for                       price is the Upper Band price on the                         At the conclusion of the Extended
                                                    which they are the Primary Listing                           LULD Band in place at the time the                         Display Only Period, the security will
                                                    Exchange following a Trading Pause.                          trading pause was triggered.                               be released for trading unless, at the end
                                                    Currently, Rule 4120(a)(12)(H) provides                         • For a Limit Up triggered pause, the                   of the Extended Display Only Period,
                                                    the process by which the Exchange will                       upper Auction Collar price is derived by                   Nasdaq detects an order imbalance in
                                                    resume trading after a Trading Pause.                        adding 5% of the Auction Reference                         the security. In that case, Nasdaq will
                                                    Specifically, the rule provides that at                      Price, rounded to the nearest minimum                      further extend the Display Only Period,
                                                    the end of a Trading Pause the Exchange                      price increment, or in the case of                         continuing to adjust the Auction Collar
                                                                                                                 securities priced $3 or less, $0.15, from
                                                    shall reopen the security in a manner                                                                                   prices every five minutes in the manner
                                                                                                                 the Auction Reference Price, and the
                                                    similar to the procedures set forth in                                                                                  described in the bullet above until the
                                                                                                                 lower Auction Collar price is the Lower
                                                    Rule 4753. Rule 4753 provides the                                                                                       security is released for trading. Nasdaq
                                                                                                                 Band price of the LULD Band in place
                                                    Nasdaq Halt Cross process by which a                                                                                    shall release the security for trading at
                                                                                                                 at the time the trading pause was
                                                    security that is subject to a trading halt                                                                              the first point there is no order
                                                                                                                 triggered.
                                                    is released from the halt to resume                             At the conclusion of the Initial                        imbalance.
                                                    trading. Rule 4120(a)(12)(H) further                         Display Only Period, the security will                       For purposes of the process under
                                                    provides that, following a Trading Pause                     be released for trading unless, at the end                 Rule 4120(c)(10), upon completion of
                                                    that is triggered at or after 3:50 p.m. a                    of an Initial Display Only Period,                         the cross calculation an order imbalance
                                                    stock shall reopen via a LULD Closing                        Nasdaq detects an order imbalance in                       shall be established as follows:
                                                    Cross pursuant to Rule 4754(b)(6),18                         the security. In that case, Nasdaq will                      • The calculated price at which the
                                                    which provides LULD-specific Closing                         extend the Display Only Period for an                      security would be released for trading is
                                                    Cross procedures following a Trading                         additional 5-minute period (‘‘Extended                     above (below) the upper (lower) Auction
                                                    Pause.19                                                     Display Only Period’’), and the Auction                    Collar price calculated under
                                                       The Exchange is proposing a new                           Collar prices will be adjusted as follows:                 paragraphs (A), (B), or (C) of Rule
                                                    process for resuming trading after a                            • If the Display Only Period is                         4120(c)(10); or
                                                    Trading Pause under proposed Rule                            extended because the calculated price at                     • All market orders would not be
                                                    4120(c)(10) that will provide for an                         which the security would be released                       executed in the cross.
                                                    initial auction period and two                               for trading is below the lower Auction                     Thus, if there is an imbalance of market
                                                    additional auction periods with                              Collar price or all sell market orders                     orders, or if the Reopening Price would
                                                    widening collars should the security fail                    would not be executed in the cross, then                   be outside of specified Auction Collar
                                                    to conclude each auction period. For                                                                                    thresholds, as described above, the
                                                    any such security listed on Nasdaq,                             20 The term ‘‘minimum price increment’’ means           Trading Pause would be extended an
                                                    prior to terminating the pause, there                        $0.01 in the case of a System Security priced at $1        additional five minutes in order to
                                                    will be a 5-minute ‘‘Initial Display Only                    or more per share, and $0.0001 in the case of a            provide additional time to attract
                                                    Period’’ during which market                                 System Security priced at less than $1 per share.
                                                                                                                 See Rule 4701(k). Thus, if adding 5% of the initial        offsetting liquidity. If at the end of such
                                                    participants may enter quotations and                        Auction Reference Price to the Auction Collar              extension, market orders still cannot be
                                                                                                                 would result in a tenth of a penny, the Exchange           satisfied within Auction Collar
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                       18 Rule 4754(b)(6) provides the closing process to        would round down to the nearest penny when the             thresholds or if the reopening auction
                                                    be followed when a Trading Pause is triggered at             calculation results in one to four tenths of a penny
                                                    or after 3:50 p.m. and before 4 p.m.                         and the Exchange would round up to the nearest             would be priced outside of the
                                                       19 Rule 4120(c)(7)(A) describes the 5-minute              penny when the calculation results in five to nine         applicable Auction Collar thresholds,
                                                    Display Only Period, which must occur prior to the           tenths of a penny.                                         Nasdaq would extend the Trading Pause
                                                    release of a security from a halt arising under Rule            21 The Exchange determines the price of a
                                                                                                                                                                            an additional five minutes. With each
                                                    4120(a)(1), (4), (5), (6), (9), (10), or (11), or (12)(F).   security based on the security’s prior day closing
                                                    In light of the proposed new process, the Exchange           price. The security retains its classification as either
                                                                                                                                                                            such extension, the Participants have
                                                    is eliminating reference to Rule 4120(a)(12)(F) from         greater or less than $3 for the remainder of the           agreed that it would be appropriate to
                                                    the rule.                                                    trading day, and it is not adjusted intra-day.             widen the price collar threshold on the


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                                                    75882                        Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 211 / Tuesday, November 1, 2016 / Notices

                                                    side of the market on which there is                      4120(c)(10) as a clearly erroneous                     Exchange believes that the proposed
                                                    buying or selling pressure by the same                    execution.                                             standardized approach for how the
                                                    amount as the Initial Display Only                                                                               Primary Listing Exchanges would
                                                                                                              Implementation Date
                                                    Period.                                                                                                          conduct certain aspects of an automated
                                                       The Exchange is also amending Rule                        The Exchange proposes to implement                  reopening following a Trading Pause
                                                    4120(a)(12)(H) to harmonize rule text                     the proposed rule change following the                 would remove impediments to and
                                                    concerning Trading Pauses in the last                     Commission’s approval of Amendment                     perfect the mechanism of a free and
                                                    ten minutes of regular trading hours. As                  12. The Exchange will announce the                     open market and a national market
                                                    noted above, following a Trading Pause                    implementation date via a notice to be                 system because it would provide
                                                    that is triggered at or after 3:50 p.m. a                 issued after the Commission’s approval                 certainty for market participants
                                                    stock shall reopen via a LULD Closing                     of this proposed rule change.                          regarding how a security would reopen
                                                    Cross pursuant to Rule 4754(b)(6). In                     2. Statutory Basis                                     following a Trading Pause, regardless of
                                                    Amendment 12, the Participants are                                                                               the listing exchange. The Exchange
                                                                                                                 The Exchange believes that its                      further believes that the proposed
                                                    adding clarifying text to Section VII(C)
                                                                                                              proposal is consistent with Section 6(b)               changes would remove impediments to
                                                    stating that the requirement to attempt
                                                                                                              of the Act,23 in general, and furthers the             and perfect the mechanism of a free and
                                                    to execute a closing transaction instead
                                                                                                              objectives of Section 6(b)(5) of the Act,24            open market and a national market
                                                    of reopening trading applies to Trading
                                                                                                              in particular, in that it is designed to               system and protect investors and the
                                                    Pauses in existence at 3:50 p.m.
                                                                                                              promote just and equitable principles of               public interest because the goal of the
                                                    Accordingly, the Exchange is proposing
                                                                                                              trade, to remove impediments to and                    proposed changes is to ensure that all
                                                    to amend Rule 4120(a)(12)(H) to reflect
                                                                                                              perfect the mechanism of a free and                    market order interest could be satisfied
                                                    the Plan amendment. The Exchange is
                                                                                                              open market and a national market                      in an automated reopening auction
                                                    also proposing new Rule 4120(a)(10)(D)
                                                                                                              system, and, in general to protect                     while at the same time reducing the
                                                    to also reflect that a Trading Pause in
                                                                                                              investors and the public interest. The                 potential for multiple Trading Pauses in
                                                    existence at 3:50 p.m. will reopen via a
                                                                                                              Exchange believes that the proposed                    a single security due to a large order
                                                    LULD Closing Cross pursuant to Rule
                                                                                                              rule change, together with the proposed                imbalance.
                                                    4754(b)(6) instead of the proposed
                                                                                                              amendments to the Plan, are necessary                     The Exchange also believes that the
                                                    reopening procedures.
                                                                                                              or appropriate in the public interest, for             standardized proposal to extend a
                                                       The Exchange is proposing to add
                                                                                                              the protection of investors and the                    Trading Pause an additional five
                                                    new Rule 4753(a)(3)(F) to make it clear
                                                                                                              maintenance of fair and orderly markets,               minutes would remove impediments to
                                                    that, for purposes of the reopening
                                                                                                              to remove impediments to and perfect                   and perfect the mechanism of a free and
                                                    process after a Trading Pause pursuant
                                                                                                              the mechanisms of, a national market                   open market and a national market
                                                    to Rule 4120(a)(12), the Exchange will
                                                                                                              system, or otherwise in furtherance of                 system because it would provide
                                                    disseminate the Auction Reference Price
                                                                                                              the purposes of the Act.                               additional time to attract offsetting
                                                    and Auction Collar prices during the                         The Exchange believes the proposed
                                                    reopening process as part of the Order                                                                           liquidity. If at the end of such extension,
                                                                                                              changes would remove impediments to                    market orders still cannot be satisfied
                                                    Imbalance Indicator described under                       and perfect the mechanism of a free and
                                                    Rule 4753(a)(3), which is a message                                                                              within price collar thresholds or if the
                                                                                                              open market and a national market                      reopening auction would be priced
                                                    disseminated by electronic means                          system, and in general, to protect                     outside of the applicable price collar
                                                    containing information about Eligible                     investors and the public interest,                     thresholds, the Primary Listing
                                                    Interest 22 and the price at which such                   because they are designed, together with               Exchange would extend the Trading
                                                    interest would execute at the time of                     the proposed amendments to the Plan,                   Pause an additional five minutes, which
                                                    dissemination.                                            to address the issues experienced on                   the Exchange believes would further
                                                       Last, the Participants have agreed that                August 24, 2015 by reducing the                        protect investors and the public interest
                                                    the proposed new procedures for                           number of repeat Trading Pauses in a                   by reducing the potential for significant
                                                    reopening trading following a Trading                     single NMS Stock. The proposed Plan                    price disparity in post-auction trading,
                                                    Pause would eliminate the need to                         amendments are an essential component                  which could otherwise trigger another
                                                    evaluate whether a transaction in such                    to Participants’ goal of more                          Trading Pause. With each such
                                                    reopening auction would be clearly                        standardized processes across Primary                  extension, the Exchange believes that
                                                    erroneous. Specifically, the Participants                 Listing Exchanges in reopening trading                 widening the price collar threshold on
                                                    believe that the proposed standardized                    following a Trading Pause, and                         the side of the market on which there is
                                                    procedures for reopening trading                          facilitates the production of an                       buying or selling pressure would
                                                    following a Trading Pause incorporates                    equilibrium Reopening Price by                         remove impediments to and perfect the
                                                    a methodology that allows for widened                     centralizing the reopening process                     mechanism of a free and open market
                                                    collars, which may result in a reopening                  through the Primary Listing Exchange,                  and a national market system because it
                                                    price away from prior trading prices, but                 which would also improve the accuracy                  would provide additional time to attract
                                                    which reopening price would be a result                   of the reopening Price Bands. The                      offsetting interest while at the same time
                                                    of a measured and transparent process                     proposed Plan amendments support this                  addressing that an imbalance may not
                                                    that eliminates the potential that such                   initiative by requiring trading centers to             be resolved within the prior auction
                                                    trade would be considered erroneous.                      wait to resume trading following                       collars.
                                                    Accordingly, the Exchange proposes to                                                                               With respect to price collar
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                                                                              Trading Pause until there is a Reopening
                                                    amend Rule 11890 to preclude members                      Price.                                                 thresholds, the Exchange believes that
                                                    from requesting a review of a Halt                           This proposed rule change further                   using the price of the limit state that
                                                    Auction conducted pursuant to Rule                        supports this initiative by proposing                  preceded the Trading Pause, i.e., either
                                                                                                              uniform trading practices for reopening                the Lower or Upper Price Band price,
                                                       22 ‘‘Eligible Interest’’ is defined as any quotation
                                                                                                              trading following a Trading Pause. The                 would better reflect the most recent
                                                    or any order that has been entered into the system
                                                    and designated with a time-in-force that would
                                                                                                                                                                     price of the security and therefore
                                                    allow the order to be in force at the time of the Halt     23 15   U.S.C. 78f(b).                                should be used as the reference price for
                                                    Cross. See Rule 4753(a)(5).                                24 15   U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).                             determining the auction collars for such


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                                                                               Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 211 / Tuesday, November 1, 2016 / Notices                                                   75883

                                                    Halt Auction. The Exchange believes                     C. Self-Regulatory Organization’s                     available for Web site viewing and
                                                    that widening auction collars only in                   Statement on Comments on the                          printing in the Commission’s Public
                                                    the direction of the imbalance would                    Proposed Rule Change Received From                    Reference Room, 100 F Street NE.,
                                                    address issues relating to the concept of               Members, Participants, or Others                      Washington, DC 20549, on official
                                                    mean reversion, which would protect                       No written comments were either                     business days between the hours of
                                                    investors and the public interest by                    solicited or received.                                10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Copies of the
                                                    reducing the potential for wide price                                                                         filing also will be available for
                                                    swings following a Halt Auction.                        III. Date of Effectiveness of the                     inspection and copying at the principal
                                                       Finally, the Exchange believes that                  Proposed Rule Change and Timing for                   office of the Exchange. All comments
                                                    precluding a member from requesting a                   Commission Action                                     received will be posted without change;
                                                    review of an execution arising from a                                                                         the Commission does not edit personal
                                                                                                              Within 45 days of the date of
                                                    Halt Auction as clearly erroneous                                                                             identifying information from
                                                                                                            publication of this notice in the Federal
                                                    execution would remove impediments                                                                            submissions. You should submit only
                                                                                                            Register or within such longer period
                                                    to and perfect the mechanism of a free                                                                        information that you wish to make
                                                                                                            up to 90 days (i) as the Commission may
                                                    and open market and a national market                                                                         available publicly. All submissions
                                                                                                            designate if it finds such longer period
                                                    system because the proposed new                                                                               should refer to File Number SR–
                                                                                                            to be appropriate and publishes its
                                                    procedures for reopening trading                                                                              NASDAQ–2016–131 and should be
                                                                                                            reasons for so finding or (ii) as to which
                                                    following a Trading Pause would                                                                               submitted on or before November 22,
                                                                                                            the self-regulatory organization
                                                    obviate the need to evaluate whether a                                                                        2016.
                                                    transaction in such reopening auction                   consents, the Commission will:
                                                    would be clearly erroneous.                               (A) By order approve or disapprove                    For the Commission, by the Division of
                                                                                                            the proposed rule change, or                          Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated
                                                    Specifically, the Exchange believes that                                                                      authority.25
                                                    the proposed standardized procedures                      (B) institute proceedings to determine
                                                                                                            whether the proposed rule change                      Brent J. Fields,
                                                    for reopening trading following a
                                                    Trading Pause incorporates a                            should be disapproved.                                Secretary.
                                                    methodology that allows for widened                                                                           [FR Doc. 2016–26298 Filed 10–31–16; 8:45 am]
                                                                                                            IV. Solicitation of Comments
                                                    collars, which may result in a reopening                                                                      BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
                                                                                                              Interested persons are invited to
                                                    price away from prior trading prices, but
                                                                                                            submit written data, views, and
                                                    which reopening price would be a result
                                                    of a measured and transparent process                   arguments concerning the foregoing,                   SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
                                                    that eliminates the potential that such                 including whether the proposed rule                   COMMISSION
                                                    trade would be considered erroneous.                    change is consistent with the Act.
                                                                                                            Comments may be submitted by any of                   [Release No. 34–79167; File Nos. SR–FICC–
                                                    B. Self-Regulatory Organization’s                       the following methods:                                2016–006; SR–NSCC–2016–004]
                                                    Statement on Burden on Competition
                                                                                                            Electronic Comments
                                                       The Exchange does not believe that                                                                         Self-Regulatory Organizations; Fixed
                                                    the proposed rule change will impose                      • Use the Commission’s Internet                     Income Clearing Corporation; National
                                                    any burden on competition not                           comment form (http://www.sec.gov/                     Securities Clearing Corporation; Order
                                                    necessary or appropriate in furtherance                 rules/sro.shtml); or                                  Granting Approval of Proposed Rule
                                                    of the purposes of the Act. The                           • Send an email to rule-comments@                   Changes To Describe the Backtesting
                                                    proposed rule change is not designed to                 sec.gov. Please include File Number SR–               Charge and the Holiday Charge That
                                                    address any competitive issues, but                     NASDAQ–2016–131 on the subject line.                  May Be Imposed on Members
                                                    rather, to achieve the Participants’ goal               Paper Comments                                        October 26, 2016.
                                                    of more standardized processes across
                                                    Primary Listing Exchanges in reopening                     • Send paper comments in triplicate                   On September 2, 2016, Fixed Income
                                                    trading following a Trading Pause, and                  to Secretary, Securities and Exchange                 Clearing Corporation (‘‘FICC’’) and
                                                    facilitates the production of an                        Commission, 100 F Street NE.,                         National Securities Clearing Corporation
                                                    equilibrium reopening price by                          Washington, DC 20549–1090.                            (‘‘NSCC,’’ collectively ‘‘Clearing
                                                    centralizing the reopening process                      All submissions should refer to File                  Agencies’’) filed with the Securities and
                                                    through the Primary Listing Exchange,                   Number SR–NASDAQ–2016–131. This                       Exchange Commission (‘‘Commission’’)
                                                    which would also improve the accuracy                   file number should be included on the                 proposed rule changes SR–FICC–2016–
                                                    of the reopening Price Bands. The                       subject line if email is used. To help the            006 and SR–NSCC–2016–004,
                                                    Exchange believes that the proposed                     Commission process and review your                    respectively, pursuant to Section
                                                    rule change reduces the burden on                       comments more efficiently, please use                 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act
                                                    competition for market participants                     only one method. The Commission will                  of 1934 (‘‘Act’’) 1 and Rule 19b–4
                                                    because it promotes a transparent and                   post all comments on the Commission’s                 thereunder.2 The proposed rule changes
                                                    consistent process for reopening trading                Internet Web site (http://www.sec.gov/                were published for comment in the
                                                    following a Trading Pause regardless of                 rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the                       Federal Register on September 15,
                                                    where a security may be listed. The                     submission, all subsequent                            2016.3 The Commission did not receive
                                                    Exchange further believes that the                      amendments, all written statements                    any comment letters on the proposed
                                                    proposed rule change would not impose                   with respect to the proposed rule                     rule changes. For the reasons discussed
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                    any burden on competition because it is                 change that are filed with the
                                                    designed to increase transparency                       Commission, and all written                             25 17 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).
                                                    surrounding the Exchange’s Trading                      communications relating to the                          1 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
                                                    Halt Auction process while also                         proposed rule change between the                        2 17 CFR 240.19b–4.
                                                                                                                                                                    3 See Securities Exchange Act Release Nos. 78807
                                                    increasing the ability for offsetting                   Commission and any person, other than
                                                                                                                                                                  (September 9, 2016), 81 FR 63538 (September 15,
                                                    interest to participate in an auction,                  those that may be withheld from the                   2016) (SR–FICC–2016–006); 78808 (September 9,
                                                    which would assist in achieving pricing                 public in accordance with the                         2016), 81 FR 63511 (September 15, 2016) (SR–
                                                    equilibrium in such an auction.                         provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be                   NSCC–2016–004) (‘‘Notices’’).



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Document Created: 2016-11-01 02:36:37
Document Modified: 2016-11-01 02:36:37
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 75879 

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