82_FR_12691 82 FR 12649 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC; Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule Change To Adopt Rule 7017

82 FR 12649 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC; Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule Change To Adopt Rule 7017

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 42 (March 6, 2017)

Page Range12649-12653
FR Document2017-04204

Federal Register, Volume 82 Issue 42 (Monday, March 6, 2017)
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 42 (Monday, March 6, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12649-12653]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-04204]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-80120; File No. SR-NASDAQ-2017-015]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC; 
Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule Change To Adopt Rule 7017

February 28, 2017.
    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 February 17, 2017, The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC (``Nasdaq'' or 
``Exchange'') filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission 
(``SEC'' or ``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

[[Page 12650]]

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 adopt Rule 7017 to enhance the level of 
information provided to a member acting as the stabilizing agent for a 
follow-on offering of additional shares of a security that is listed on 
Nasdaq.\3\
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    \3\ Proposed Rule 7017 defines ``Stabilizing Agent,'' in 
pertinent part, as ``a Nasdaq member that will engage . . . in 
stabilizing with respect to a security that is the subject of a 
Follow-On Offering on the day of such offering'', and defines 
``Follow-On Offering'' as ``a public offering of additional shares 
of a security that is already listed on Nasdaq.''
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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
    Nasdaq is proposing to adopt Rule 7017 to enhance the level of 
information provided to a member acting as a Stabilizing Agent for a 
Follow-On Offering. A Follow-On Offering occurs when an issuer of a 
security listed on Nasdaq conducts an underwritten public offering of 
additional shares of the same security.\4\ As is the case with an 
initial public offering (``IPO''), shares are allocated to investors by 
the underwriter or underwriting syndicate through a book-building 
process prior to the day of the offering. However, since the security 
is already listed and trading in the public markets, the security is 
not subject to a unique process to establish its initial price 
following the offering. Rather, the security opens for trading as it 
would on any other day, with trading during a pre-market period 
commencing at 4:00 a.m. and an auction process--the Nasdaq Opening 
Cross (the ``Cross'')--that occurs at approximately 9:30 a.m. at the 
beginning of the regular trading session for the security.
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    \4\ Proposed Rule 7017 defines ``Follow-On Offering Security'' 
as ``a security that is the subject of a Follow-On Offering.''
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    As is the case with an IPO, however, the Stabilizing Agent--usually 
the lead underwriter--engages in permissible ``stabilizing'', as 
defined in Rule 100 under Regulation M,\5\ for the offering. As 
provided by Rule 104 under Regulation M,\6\ stabilizing of an offering 
is permitted only to the extent that the person engaging in the 
activity complies with the limitations described in that rule. These 
limitations include a requirement that stabilizing must be solely for 
the purpose of preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of 
the security, limitations on the maximum price of a stabilizing bid, 
and a requirement that a syndicate engaging in an offering maintain no 
more than one stabilizing bid at the same price and time in a given 
market.
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    \5\ 17 CFR 242.100.
    \6\ 17 CFR 242.104.
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    In the case of a Follow-On Offering, the Stabilizing Agent may 
enter a stabilizing bid into the market for the purpose of supporting 
the price of the security on the day of the offering. Thus, the 
Stabilizing Agent stands ready during the course of the day to commit 
its capital in support of the Follow-On Offering Security, buying from 
investors that wish to sell the security to realize short-term gains 
(or to minimize short-term losses). The Stabilizing Agent thereby 
serves to dampen volatility in the security and promote the maintenance 
of a fair and orderly market. In particular, the Stabilizing Agent may 
enter a stabilizing order in the Cross to dampen volatility at the 
open, and may enter orders on behalf of customers seeking to buy or 
sell in the Cross. Because the function performed by the Stabilizing 
Agent is unique on the day of the offering, Nasdaq has concluded that 
providing additional information about pre-opening interest in the 
Follow-On Offering Security to the Stabilizing Agent will help it to 
optimize the opening of the stock and manage its own risk, thereby 
assisting in promoting a fair and orderly market. Accordingly, Nasdaq 
is proposing to introduce the Follow-On Offering Indicator Service (the 
``Service''), a specialized data product that will be made available 
solely to the Stabilizing Agent.
    In advance of the Cross for all securities, including securities 
that are the subject of a Follow-On Offering, Nasdaq disseminates the 
Order Imbalance Indicator, an electronic message containing information 
about the possible price and volume of the Cross. (The Order Imbalance 
Indicator is described in Rule 4752, and is often referred to as the 
``Net Order Imbalance Indicator,'' or ``NOII''.) The NOII is 
disseminated to market participants every five seconds, beginning at 
9:28 a.m. and concluding with the Cross at approximately 9:30 a.m. The 
Service would, in addition, make the same information contained in the 
NOII available to the Stabilizing Agent, every five seconds beginning 
at 9:20 a.m. until the time of the Cross. Specifically, as provided in 
Rule 4752, the information provided by the NOII includes the Current 
Reference Price,\7\ the number of shares eligible for execution in the 
Cross that are paired at the Current Reference Price, the size of any 
Imbalance,\8\ the buy or sell direction of any Imbalance, indicative 
prices at which the Cross would occur at that time and the percentage 
by which such prices are outside the current Nasdaq Market Center best 
bid or best offer,\9\ and an indication of whether marketable buy or 
sell orders would remain unexecuted.
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    \7\ See Rule 4752(a)(2)(A). The Current Reference Price is the 
single price that is at or within the current Nasdaq Market Center 
best bid and offer that satisfies stated criteria used to determine 
the price at which the Cross ultimately would occur, focused on 
maximizing order interaction.
    \8\ See Rule 4752(a)(1). An Imbalance is the number of shares to 
buy or sell entered for participation in the Cross--specifically, 
Market on Open (``MOO'') orders, Limit on Open (``LOO'') orders, and 
regular market hour orders entered prior to 9:28 a.m. (``Early 
Market Hours orders'')--that may not be matched with other eligible 
orders at the Current Reference Price.
    \9\ See Rule 4752(a)(2)(E). In contrast to the Current Reference 
Price, which signals a price within the Nasdaq best bid and offer at 
which order interaction would be maximized, the indicative prices 
signal the extent to which orders on the book may cause the Cross to 
occur at a price outside the current bid and offer. Accordingly, it 
signals the extent to which additional trading interest entered for 
potential execution in the Cross may alter the final execution price 
of the Cross. The indicative prices consist of the ``Near Clearing 
Price,'' which is the price at which MOO orders, LOO orders, Opening 
Imbalance Only (``OIO'') orders, Early Market Hours orders, and 
other orders and quotations on the Nasdaq Book (``Open Eligible 
Interest'') may execute, and the ``Far Clearing Price,'' which is 
the price at which MOO orders, LOO orders, OIO orders and Early 
Market Hours orders may execute.
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    In addition, beginning at 9:20 a.m., the Service will provide the 
Stabilizing Agent with additional information about the shares that it 
has entered for potential execution in the Cross, similar to the 
information currently provided through Nasdaq's IPO Indicator Service 
with respect to the Nasdaq Halt Cross for an IPO. Specifically, the 
Service will provide the total number of shares

[[Page 12651]]

entered by the Stabilizing Agent for potential execution in the 
Cross,\10\ the price and buy or sell direction of Follow-On Offering 
Shares, the number and execution price of buy and sell Follow-On 
Offering Shares that would be executed in the Nasdaq Opening Cross if 
it were to price based on the most recent NOII information, and the 
number of buy and sell Follow-On Offering Shares that would not be 
executed at the price. The Stabilizing Agent will be able to organize 
this information on an order-by-order basis, or group it together into 
blocks of orders designated by the Stabilizing Agent. Nasdaq is not 
proposing at this time to provide the Stabilizing Agent for a Follow-On 
Offering with aggregated order book information of the sort that is 
currently provided through the IPO Book Viewer to the Stabilizing Agent 
for an IPO.\11\
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    \10\ Proposed Rule 7017 would define ``Follow-On Offering 
Shares'' as ``the shares of a Stabilizing Agent's orders entered for 
its own account or on behalf of customers for potential execution in 
the Nasdaq Opening Cross with respect to a Follow-On Offering 
Security.''
    \11\ See current Rule 7015(j), to be redesignated as Rule 
7017(b). The IPO Book Viewer provides the total number, and 
aggregate size, of orders on the book, grouped in increments of 
either $0.05, $0.10, or $0.25 at the election of the stabilizing 
agent.
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    Nasdaq believes that providing this information to the Stabilizing 
Agent will assist it in performing its obligations with respect to the 
maintenance of a fair and orderly market by giving it more time in 
which to understand the forces of supply and demand for the Follow-On 
Offering Security in advance of its opening. This information will, in 
turn, allow the Stabilizing Agent to respond in a more informed manner 
to questions from customers and other market participants regarding 
expectations that an order to buy or sell with a stated price and size 
may be executable in the Cross. The information will also assist the 
Stabilizing Agent in making decisions about the appropriate level of 
capital to commit to support the security once trading commences. Once 
the Cross executes, the Service will cease to be available, since the 
information provided is relevant only to the Cross; similar information 
will not be provided to the Stabilizing Agent with respect to the 
Nasdaq Closing Cross on that day. Thus, the Stabilizing Agent will not 
be provided with any information not available to other market 
participants once the Cross occurs. In proposing to make the 
information provided through the Service available solely to the 
Stabilizing Agent, Nasdaq seeks to recognize and support the special 
obligations and risks undertaken by the Stabilizing Agent, but also to 
recognize that the market conditions of a Follow-On Offering are not 
the same as those of an IPO, because the Follow-On Offering Security 
has an established trading market that is not halted while the Follow-
On Offering is occurring. As a result, Nasdaq is seeking to strike a 
balance between supporting the Stabilizing Agent and the orderly 
trading of the Follow-On Offering Security without unduly altering the 
usual process for the daily opening of trading. While Nasdaq believes 
that the Service as proposed will adequately support the Stabilizing 
Agent, Nasdaq reserves the right to propose enhancements to the Service 
in the future based on experience.
    Nasdaq believes that the information to be provided through the 
Service is similar in purpose to the information available to the 
stabilizing agent for a follow-on offering of a security listed on the 
New York Stock Exchange (``NYSE''). Currently, as provided in NYSE Rule 
104(j), the Designated Market Maker (``DMM'') for a security has access 
to aggregated and certain order-specific information about securities 
for which it is the DMM at all times, including at the time of a 
follow-on offering. Moreover, the DMM is permitted to share this 
information with floor brokers to ``respond to an inquiry . . . in the 
normal course of business.'' \12\ When a follow-on offering is being 
conducted at NYSE, the DMM therefore has access to aggregated order 
book information and is free to share it with the floor broker for the 
firm acting as stabilizing agent for the offering.\13\ Thus, the 
stabilizing agent may use the information to respond to requests from 
its customers and others regarding expectations about the offering, and 
may use the information to inform decisions about committing capital in 
support of the offering. In fact, information from the DMM remains 
available not only prior to market open, but throughout the trading 
day. By providing a Stabilizing Agent on Nasdaq with early access to 
the NOII, as well as information about how the Stabilizing Agent's 
orders might perform in the Opening Cross, Nasdaq will provide the 
Stabilizing Agent with insights into the condition of the Nasdaq order 
book leading up to the Opening Cross. Thus, although the Service will 
not provide aggregated or order-specific information in exactly the 
same manner as is possible under Rule 104(j), Nasdaq believes that the 
Service will allow it to provide benefits to Stabilizing Agents for 
Follow-On Offerings conducted on Nasdaq similar in effect to those 
provided for offerings on NYSE, without altering the competing market 
maker model that Nasdaq employs.
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    \12\ NYSE Rule 104(j)(iii).
    \13\ Id.
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    Since the information provided through the Service will be directly 
available only to the Stabilizing Agent, Nasdaq believes that it is 
appropriate to adopt safeguards in order to ensure that the information 
is not misused. The safeguards will be identical to those adopted with 
respect to the IPO Book Viewer. Specifically, the proposed rule will 
require the Stabilizing Agent receiving the Service to maintain and 
enforce written policies and procedures reasonably designed to achieve 
the following purposes:
     Restrict electronic access \14\ to information from the 
Service only to associated persons of the Stabilizing Agent who need to 
know the information in connection with stabilizing the Follow-On 
Offering Security and establishing its opening price;
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    \14\ As discussed below, electronic access to the Service will 
be available on a displayed basis only.
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     Except as may be required for purposes of maintaining 
books and records for regulatory purposes,\15\ prevent the retention of 
information from the Service following the completion of the Cross for 
the Follow-On Offering Security;
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    \15\ See, e.g., SEC Rule 17a-4(a)(4), 17 CFR 240.17a-4(a)(4).
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     Prevent persons with access to information from the 
Service from engaging in transactions in the Follow-On Offering 
Security other than transactions in the Cross; transactions on behalf 
of a customer; or stabilizing. Thus, for example, the Stabilizing Agent 
or its affiliates would not be permitted to use the information to 
engage in proprietary trading other than in support of bona fide 
stabilizing activity.
    However, for the avoidance of doubt regarding appropriate uses of 
the information, the proposed rule will also provide that nothing 
contained in the rule shall be construed to prohibit the member acting 
as the Stabilizing Agent from (i) engaging in stabilizing consistent 
with that role, or (ii) using the information provided from the Service 
to respond to inquiries from any person, including, without limitation, 
other members, customers, or associated persons of the Stabilizing 
Agent, regarding the expectations of the member acting as the 
Stabilizing Agent with regard to the possibility of executing stated 
quantities of an offering security at stated prices in the Cross. 
Because the Service will provide the

[[Page 12652]]

Stabilizing Agent with insights into the state of the Nasdaq order book 
in the period prior to the Cross, Nasdaq believes that the proposal is 
similar in effect to availability of information to the stabilizing 
agent for a follow-on offering on NYSE. Nasdaq further believes that 
the permitted uses of the information to be made available through the 
Service are entirely consistent with established practices at NYSE, 
under which the DMM may display aggregated order book information to 
the floor broker acting as stabilizing agent, who is then free to 
discuss this information with other members, customers, and associated 
persons of the stabilizing agent.
    The information provided through the Service will be available 
solely for display on the screen of a computer for which an entitlement 
has been provided by Nasdaq. Under no circumstances may a member 
redirect such information to another computer or reconfigure it for use 
in a non-displayed format, including, without limitation, in any 
trading algorithm. If a member becomes aware of any violation of the 
restrictions contained in the proposed rule, it must report the 
violation promptly to Nasdaq.
    The Service will be provided free of charge through the IPO 
Workstation, and at no additional charge to users of the Nasdaq 
Workstation. Although Nasdaq may, in the future, institute a charge for 
the Service, it is not proposing a fee at this time. The proposed rule 
change also moves provisions of Rule 7015 pertaining to the IPO 
Workstation, the IPO Indicator Service, and the IPO Book Viewer from 
that rule into proposed Rule 7017. In making this change, Nasdaq is 
adopting a more detailed description of the information currently 
provided through the IPO Indicator Service,\16\ but is not proposing 
any substantive changes to the rule or to the operation of the 
facilities in question. The new language states that:
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    \16\ Specifically, the new language specifies the exact 
information provided through the IPO Indicator Service. This 
information was described in the rule filings that established the 
IPO Indicator Service, but was not detailed in the rule text. See 
Securities Exchange Act Release No. 73950 (December 29, 2014), 80 FR 
268 (January 5, 2015) (SR-NASDAQ-2014-100); Securities Exchange Act 
Release No. 74041 (January 13, 2015), 80 FR 2762 (January 20, 2015) 
(SR-NASDAQ-014-110).
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     The IPO Indicator Service provides Order Imbalance 
Indicator information for an IPO Security, as described in Rule 
4753(a)(3), and
     The IPO Indicator Service provides the total number of a 
member firm's IPO Shares,\17\ the price and buy or sell direction of 
such IPO Shares, the number and execution price of buy and sell IPO 
Shares that would be executed in the Nasdaq Halt Cross if the Nasdaq 
Halt Cross were to price based on the most recent Order Imbalance 
Indicator information, and the number of buy and sell IPO Shares that 
would not be executed at that price.
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    \17\ Nasdaq is adding a definition of ``IPO Shares,'' to mean 
``the shares of a member firm's orders entered for potential 
execution in the Nasdaq Halt Cross for an IPO Security.'' ``IPO 
Security'' is defined as ``a security for which the halting and 
initial pricing procedures described in Rules 4120(c)(8) and (9) and 
4753 are available.''
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     A member may organize order information by order or order 
block.
     The IPO Indicator Service is available as an element of 
the Nasdaq Workstation Trader, subject to the fees provided for under 
Rule 7015. Alternatively, the IPO Indicator Service is available 
through a standalone Nasdaq IPO Workstation, at no cost.
2. Statutory Basis
    Nasdaq believes that the proposed rule change is consistent with 
the provisions of Section 6 of the Act \18\ in general, and furthers 
the objectives of Section 6(b)(5) \19\ in particular, in that the 
proposal is designed to prevent fraudulent and manipulative acts and 
practices, to promote just and equitable principles of trade, to foster 
cooperation and coordination with persons engaged in regulating, 
clearing, settling, processing information with respect to, and 
facilitating transactions in securities, to remove impediments to and 
perfect the mechanisms of a free and open market and a national market 
system and, in general, to protect investors and the public interest. 
Nasdaq further believes that the introduction of the Service without a 
fee at this time is consistent with Sections 6(b)(4) and (5) of the 
Act,\20\ in that it provides for the equitable allocation of reasonable 
dues, fees and other charges among recipients of Nasdaq data and is not 
designed to permit unfair discrimination between them.
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    \18\ 15 U.S.C. 78f.
    \19\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
    \20\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(4), (5).
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    Nasdaq believes that the proposed rule change will promote the 
goals of the Act by assisting the Stabilizing Agent for a Follow-On 
Offering Security in promoting a fair and orderly market. Specifically, 
by providing additional information regarding possible pricing and 
order execution outcomes for the Cross, the Service will give the 
Stabilizing Agent information that will assist it in achieving a range 
of goals. By being able to share such information with other members 
and customers, the Stabilizing Agent will enable greater participation 
in the Cross because it will be able to provide more certain 
information about the ability of investors to execute Orders at 
particular sizes and prices. Moreover, having greater knowledge about 
possible outcomes of the Cross prior to its execution will enable the 
Stabilizing Agent to make more informed decisions about the extent of 
capital it may need to commit in the Cross and after the commencement 
of trading in order to stabilize the price of the Follow-On Offering 
Security and thereby dampen volatility that might undermine investor 
confidence.
    Nasdaq further believes that the restrictions it proposes to impose 
on the use of the Service will protect against possible misuse of the 
provided information. Notably, the information will be provided only 
prior to the completion of the Cross and may not be retained 
thereafter, except to the extent necessary for record-retention 
purposes. The information will be disseminated in a display format only 
and may not be redirected or reconfigured for non-display usage (such 
as usage by a trading algorithm). Moreover, electronic access to the 
information will be available only to certain designated individuals 
with a role in conducting stabilizing activities, and persons with 
access may not engage in transactions other than stabilizing or 
transactions in the Cross or on behalf of a customer. As discussed 
above, the Service is intended to allow the Stabilizing Agent to draw 
conclusions about the state of the Nasdaq order book prior to the 
Cross, and is therefore intended to achieve an effect similar to the 
availability of aggregated order book information under NYSE Rule 
104(j). Although the Commission has not expressed any concerns about 
the availability of aggregated information to DMMs and floor brokers 
(including stabilizing agents) with whom they share such information on 
NYSE, Nasdaq believes that the safeguards it proposes around the use of 
the Service's information by a Stabilizing Agent will provide added 
assurance to members and the investing public that the Service will not 
be misused.
    Finally, Nasdaq notes that although the Service will be available 
only to Stabilizing Agents, this limitation is consistent with the 
protection of investors because the Stabilizing Agent plays a unique 
role on the day of a Follow-On Offering because it must commit capital 
in support of the Follow-On Offering Security once trading

[[Page 12653]]

begins. Because the Service will assist the stabilizing agent in 
performing this function, which is performed by no other broker, Nasdaq 
believes that it is reasonable to limit access to the Service to the 
Stabilizing Agent. Moreover, because the Service will cease to be 
available once the Cross is executed and the information provided 
therein will quickly become stale, Nasdaq does not believe that access 
to the information will provide the Stabilizing Agent with any unfair 
advantage.
    Nasdaq believes that the proposal to move provisions of Rule 7015 
into Rule 7017 is consistent with the Act because the change is 
intended to promote a clear understanding of the rule text by including 
in a single rule all Nasdaq data services that are specifically 
designed to support the initial trading of securities that are the 
subject of an IPO or a Follow-On Offering. Nasdaq further believes that 
the proposal to make the Service available to eligible recipients at no 
additional charge is reasonable because it will not result in any 
increase in the costs incurred by a Stabilizing Agent to receive the 
additional information. Nasdaq further believes that the proposal is 
consistent with an equitable allocation of fees and not unfairly 
discriminatory because additional information is being provided to a 
limited group of potential users in order to assist in the promotion of 
fair and orderly markets during a Follow-On Offering. Accordingly, the 
absence of an additional fee is designed to encourage eligible members 
to accept the information in order to ensure that the goals of the 
proposal are advanced to the greatest extent possible.
    Nasdaq further believes that the non-substantive changes it is 
making to move information about the IPO Indicator Service from Rule 
7015 to new Rule 7017, and to provide additional detail in Rule 7017 
about the information available through the IPO Indicator Service, are 
consistent with the Act because they will promote a clearer 
understanding of the IPO Indicator Service by members and other 
interested persons.

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

    Nasdaq does not believe that the proposed rule change will impose 
any burden on competition that is not necessary or appropriate in 
furtherance of the purposes of the Act. In fact, because the Service is 
intended to provide the Stabilizing Agent with information about the 
condition of the Nasdaq order book in advance of the Cross, Nasdaq 
believes that the proposal will help it compete more effectively with 
NYSE by allowing it to provide to Stabilizing Agents with information 
that is similar in effect to the information available to stabilizing 
agents through the NYSE DMM. Accordingly, Nasdaq does not believe that 
there can be any reasonable objection to the proposal on competitive 
grounds.

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 such 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-2017-015 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-2017-015. 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-2017-015 and should 
be submitted on or before March 27, 2017.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\21\
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    \21\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Eduardo A. Aleman,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2017-04204 Filed 3-3-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P



                                                                                     Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 42 / Monday, March 6, 2017 / Notices                                                  12649

                                                    location enhances the efficiency of their                 protection of investors and the public               post all comments on the Commission’s
                                                    operations. Accordingly, fees charged                     interest.21                                          Internet Web site (http://www.sec.gov/
                                                    for co-location services are constrained                     The Exchange has requested that the               rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the
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                                                    exchange, and adopt a possible range of                   after the Acquisition, without any                   Commission and any person, other than
                                                    alternative strategies, including placing                 cessation of service. The Commission                 those that may be withheld from the
                                                    their servers in a physically proximate                   believes that it is consistent with the              public in accordance with the
                                                    location outside the exchange’s data                      protection of investors and the public               provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be
                                                    center (which could be a competing                        interest to waive the 30-day operative               available for Web site viewing and
                                                    exchange), or pursuing strategies less                    delay and hereby waives the 30-day                   printing in the Commission’s Public
                                                    dependent upon the lower exchange-to-                     operative delay and designates the                   Reference Room, 100 F Street NE.,
                                                    participant latency associated with co-                   proposal operative upon filing.22                    Washington, DC 20549 on official
                                                    location. Accordingly, the exchange                          At any time within 60 days of the                 business days between the hours of
                                                    charging excessive fees would stand to                    filing of such proposed rule change, the             10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Copies of such
                                                    lose not only co-location revenues but                    Commission summarily may                             filing also will be available for
                                                    also the liquidity of the formerly co-                    temporarily suspend such rule change if              inspection and copying at the principal
                                                    located trading firms, which could have                   it appears to the Commission that such               office of the Exchange. All comments
                                                    additional follow-on effects on the                       action is necessary or appropriate in the            received will be posted without change;
                                                    market share and revenue of the affected                  public interest, for the protection of               the Commission does not edit personal
                                                    exchange. For the reasons described                       investors, or otherwise in furtherance of            identifying information from
                                                    above, the Exchange believes that the                     the purposes of the Act. If the                      submissions. You should submit only
                                                    proposed rule change reflects this                        Commission takes such action, the                    information that you wish to make
                                                    competitive environment.                                  Commission shall institute proceedings               available publicly. All submissions
                                                                                                              under Section 19(b)(2)(B) of the Act 23 to           should refer to File No. SR–NYSEMKT–
                                                    C. Self-Regulatory Organization’s                         determine whether the proposed rule                  2017–09, and should be submitted on or
                                                    Statement on Comments on the                              change should be approved or                         before March 27, 2017.
                                                    Proposed Rule Change Received From                        disapproved.                                           For the Commission, by the Division of
                                                    Members, Participants, or Others                                                                               Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated
                                                                                                              IV. Solicitation of Comments
                                                      No written comments were solicited                                                                           authority.24
                                                                                                                Interested persons are invited to                  Eduardo A. Aleman,
                                                    or received with respect to the proposed
                                                                                                              submit written data, views, and
                                                    rule change.                                                                                                   Assistant Secretary.
                                                                                                              arguments concerning the foregoing,
                                                                                                                                                                   [FR Doc. 2017–04201 Filed 3–3–17; 8:45 am]
                                                    III. Date of Effectiveness of the                         including whether the proposed rule
                                                                                                                                                                   BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
                                                    Proposed Rule Change and Timing for                       change is consistent with the Act.
                                                    Commission Action                                         Comments may be submitted by any of
                                                       Because the foregoing proposed rule                    the following methods:
                                                                                                                                                                   SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
                                                    change does not: (i) Significantly affect                 Electronic Comments                                  COMMISSION
                                                    the protection of investors or the public                   • Use the Commission’s Internet                    [Release No. 34–80120; File No. SR–
                                                    interest; (ii) impose any significant                     comment form (http://www.sec.gov/                    NASDAQ–2017–015]
                                                    burden on competition; and (iii) become                   rules/sro.shtml); or
                                                    operative for 30 days from the date on                      • Send an email to rule-comments@                  Self-Regulatory Organizations; The
                                                    which it was filed, or such shorter time                  sec.gov. Please include File No. SR–                 NASDAQ Stock Market LLC; Notice of
                                                    as the Commission may designate, it has                   NYSEMKT–2017–09 on the subject line.                 Filing of Proposed Rule Change To
                                                    become effective pursuant to Section                                                                           Adopt Rule 7017
                                                    19(b)(3)(A)(iii) of the Act 18 and                        Paper Comments
                                                                                                                                                                   February 28, 2017.
                                                    subparagraph (f)(6) of Rule 19b–4                           • Send paper comments in triplicate
                                                    thereunder.19 A proposed rule change                      to Secretary, Securities and Exchange                   Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the
                                                    filed under Rule 19b–4(f)(6) normally                     Commission, 100 F Street NE.,                        Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                                                    does not become operative prior to 30                     Washington, DC 20549–1090.                           (‘‘Act’’),1 and Rule 19b–4 thereunder,2
                                                    days after the date of filing.20 Rule 19b–                                                                     notice is hereby given that on February
                                                                                                              All submissions should refer to File No.
                                                    4(f)(6)(iii), however, permits the                                                                             17, 2017, The NASDAQ Stock Market
                                                                                                              SR–NYSEMKT–2017–09. This file                        LLC (‘‘Nasdaq’’ or ‘‘Exchange’’) filed
                                                    Commission to designate a shorter time                    number should be included on the
                                                    if such action is consistent with the                                                                          with the Securities and Exchange
                                                                                                              subject line if email is used. To help the           Commission (‘‘SEC’’ or ‘‘Commission’’)
                                                                                                              Commission process and review your
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                      18 15  U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(a)(iii).                                                                             the proposed rule change as described
                                                                                                              comments more efficiently, please use                in Items I and II below, which Items
                                                      19 17  CFR 240.19b–4(f)(6). In addition, Rule 19b–
                                                    4(f)(6) requires a self-regulatory organization to give
                                                                                                              only one method. The Commission will                 have been prepared by the Exchange.
                                                    the Commission written notice of its intent to file                                                            The Commission is publishing this
                                                                                                                21 Id.
                                                    the proposed rule change at least five business days
                                                    prior to the date of filing of the proposed rule            22 For purposes only of waiving the 30-day
                                                                                                                                                                   notice to solicit comments on the
                                                    change, or such shorter time as designated by the         operative delay, the Commission has considered the
                                                                                                                                                                     24 17 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).
                                                    Commission. The Exchange has satisfied this               proposed rule’s impact on efficiency, competition,
                                                    requirement.                                              and capital formation. See 15 U.S.C. 78c(f).           1 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
                                                      20 17 CFR 240.19b–4(f)(6)(iii).                           23 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2)(B).                           2 17 CFR 240.19b–4.




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                                                    12650                            Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 42 / Monday, March 6, 2017 / Notices

                                                    proposed rule change from interested                      Rather, the security opens for trading as            the subject of a Follow-On Offering,
                                                    persons.                                                  it would on any other day, with trading              Nasdaq disseminates the Order
                                                                                                              during a pre-market period commencing                Imbalance Indicator, an electronic
                                                    I. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
                                                                                                              at 4:00 a.m. and an auction process—the              message containing information about
                                                    Statement of the Terms of Substance of
                                                                                                              Nasdaq Opening Cross (the ‘‘Cross’’)—                the possible price and volume of the
                                                    the Proposed Rule Change                                  that occurs at approximately 9:30 a.m. at            Cross. (The Order Imbalance Indicator is
                                                       The Exchange proposes to adopt Rule                    the beginning of the regular trading                 described in Rule 4752, and is often
                                                    7017 to enhance the level of information                  session for the security.                            referred to as the ‘‘Net Order Imbalance
                                                    provided to a member acting as the                           As is the case with an IPO, however,              Indicator,’’ or ‘‘NOII’’.) The NOII is
                                                    stabilizing agent for a follow-on offering                the Stabilizing Agent—usually the lead               disseminated to market participants
                                                    of additional shares of a security that is                underwriter—engages in permissible                   every five seconds, beginning at 9:28
                                                    listed on Nasdaq.3                                        ‘‘stabilizing’’, as defined in Rule 100              a.m. and concluding with the Cross at
                                                       The text of the proposed rule change                   under Regulation M,5 for the offering.               approximately 9:30 a.m. The Service
                                                    is available on the Exchange’s Web site                   As provided by Rule 104 under                        would, in addition, make the same
                                                    at http://nasdaq.cchwallstreet.com, at                    Regulation M,6 stabilizing of an offering            information contained in the NOII
                                                    the principal office of the Exchange, and                 is permitted only to the extent that the             available to the Stabilizing Agent, every
                                                    at the Commission’s Public Reference                      person engaging in the activity complies             five seconds beginning at 9:20 a.m. until
                                                    Room.                                                     with the limitations described in that               the time of the Cross. Specifically, as
                                                                                                              rule. These limitations include a                    provided in Rule 4752, the information
                                                    II. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
                                                                                                              requirement that stabilizing must be                 provided by the NOII includes the
                                                    Statement of the Purpose of, and
                                                                                                              solely for the purpose of preventing or              Current Reference Price,7 the number of
                                                    Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule
                                                                                                              retarding a decline in the market price              shares eligible for execution in the Cross
                                                    Change                                                    of the security, limitations on the                  that are paired at the Current Reference
                                                       In its filing with the Commission, the                 maximum price of a stabilizing bid, and              Price, the size of any Imbalance,8 the
                                                    Exchange included statements                              a requirement that a syndicate engaging              buy or sell direction of any Imbalance,
                                                    concerning the purpose of and basis for                   in an offering maintain no more than                 indicative prices at which the Cross
                                                    the proposed rule change and discussed                    one stabilizing bid at the same price and            would occur at that time and the
                                                    any comments it received on the                           time in a given market.                              percentage by which such prices are
                                                    proposed rule change. The text of these                      In the case of a Follow-On Offering,              outside the current Nasdaq Market
                                                    statements may be examined at the                         the Stabilizing Agent may enter a                    Center best bid or best offer,9 and an
                                                    places specified in Item IV below. The                    stabilizing bid into the market for the              indication of whether marketable buy or
                                                    Exchange has prepared summaries, set                      purpose of supporting the price of the               sell orders would remain unexecuted.
                                                    forth in sections A, B, and C below, of                   security on the day of the offering. Thus,              In addition, beginning at 9:20 a.m.,
                                                    the most significant aspects of such                      the Stabilizing Agent stands ready                   the Service will provide the Stabilizing
                                                    statements.                                               during the course of the day to commit               Agent with additional information about
                                                                                                              its capital in support of the Follow-On              the shares that it has entered for
                                                    A. Self-Regulatory Organization’s                         Offering Security, buying from investors             potential execution in the Cross, similar
                                                    Statement of the Purpose of, and                          that wish to sell the security to realize            to the information currently provided
                                                    Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule                    short-term gains (or to minimize short-              through Nasdaq’s IPO Indicator Service
                                                    Change                                                    term losses). The Stabilizing Agent                  with respect to the Nasdaq Halt Cross
                                                    1. Purpose                                                thereby serves to dampen volatility in               for an IPO. Specifically, the Service will
                                                                                                              the security and promote the                         provide the total number of shares
                                                       Nasdaq is proposing to adopt Rule
                                                                                                              maintenance of a fair and orderly
                                                    7017 to enhance the level of information
                                                                                                              market. In particular, the Stabilizing                 7 See Rule 4752(a)(2)(A). The Current Reference
                                                    provided to a member acting as a                                                                               Price is the single price that is at or within the
                                                                                                              Agent may enter a stabilizing order in
                                                    Stabilizing Agent for a Follow-On                                                                              current Nasdaq Market Center best bid and offer
                                                                                                              the Cross to dampen volatility at the
                                                    Offering. A Follow-On Offering occurs                                                                          that satisfies stated criteria used to determine the
                                                                                                              open, and may enter orders on behalf of              price at which the Cross ultimately would occur,
                                                    when an issuer of a security listed on
                                                                                                              customers seeking to buy or sell in the              focused on maximizing order interaction.
                                                    Nasdaq conducts an underwritten
                                                                                                              Cross. Because the function performed                  8 See Rule 4752(a)(1). An Imbalance is the
                                                    public offering of additional shares of                                                                        number of shares to buy or sell entered for
                                                                                                              by the Stabilizing Agent is unique on
                                                    the same security.4 As is the case with                                                                        participation in the Cross—specifically, Market on
                                                                                                              the day of the offering, Nasdaq has                  Open (‘‘MOO’’) orders, Limit on Open (‘‘LOO’’)
                                                    an initial public offering (‘‘IPO’’), shares
                                                                                                              concluded that providing additional                  orders, and regular market hour orders entered prior
                                                    are allocated to investors by the                                                                              to 9:28 a.m. (‘‘Early Market Hours orders’’)—that
                                                                                                              information about pre-opening interest
                                                    underwriter or underwriting syndicate                                                                          may not be matched with other eligible orders at the
                                                                                                              in the Follow-On Offering Security to
                                                    through a book-building process prior to                                                                       Current Reference Price.
                                                                                                              the Stabilizing Agent will help it to                  9 See Rule 4752(a)(2)(E). In contrast to the Current
                                                    the day of the offering. However, since
                                                                                                              optimize the opening of the stock and                Reference Price, which signals a price within the
                                                    the security is already listed and trading
                                                                                                              manage its own risk, thereby assisting in            Nasdaq best bid and offer at which order interaction
                                                    in the public markets, the security is not                                                                     would be maximized, the indicative prices signal
                                                                                                              promoting a fair and orderly market.
                                                    subject to a unique process to establish                                                                       the extent to which orders on the book may cause
                                                                                                              Accordingly, Nasdaq is proposing to                  the Cross to occur at a price outside the current bid
                                                    its initial price following the offering.
                                                                                                              introduce the Follow-On Offering                     and offer. Accordingly, it signals the extent to
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                                                                                                              Indicator Service (the ‘‘Service’’), a               which additional trading interest entered for
                                                      3 Proposed Rule 7017 defines ‘‘Stabilizing Agent,’’
                                                                                                                                                                   potential execution in the Cross may alter the final
                                                    in pertinent part, as ‘‘a Nasdaq member that will         specialized data product that will be                execution price of the Cross. The indicative prices
                                                    engage . . . in stabilizing with respect to a security    made available solely to the Stabilizing             consist of the ‘‘Near Clearing Price,’’ which is the
                                                    that is the subject of a Follow-On Offering on the        Agent.                                               price at which MOO orders, LOO orders, Opening
                                                    day of such offering’’, and defines ‘‘Follow-On              In advance of the Cross for all                   Imbalance Only (‘‘OIO’’) orders, Early Market Hours
                                                    Offering’’ as ‘‘a public offering of additional shares                                                         orders, and other orders and quotations on the
                                                    of a security that is already listed on Nasdaq.’’         securities, including securities that are            Nasdaq Book (‘‘Open Eligible Interest’’) may
                                                      4 Proposed Rule 7017 defines ‘‘Follow-On                                                                     execute, and the ‘‘Far Clearing Price,’’ which is the
                                                                                                               5 17   CFR 242.100.
                                                    Offering Security’’ as ‘‘a security that is the subject                                                        price at which MOO orders, LOO orders, OIO
                                                    of a Follow-On Offering.’’                                 6 17   CFR 242.104.                                 orders and Early Market Hours orders may execute.



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                                                                                    Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 42 / Monday, March 6, 2017 / Notices                                                        12651

                                                    entered by the Stabilizing Agent for                    Stabilizing Agent, but also to recognize                 Offerings conducted on Nasdaq similar
                                                    potential execution in the Cross,10 the                 that the market conditions of a Follow-                  in effect to those provided for offerings
                                                    price and buy or sell direction of                      On Offering are not the same as those of                 on NYSE, without altering the
                                                    Follow-On Offering Shares, the number                   an IPO, because the Follow-On Offering                   competing market maker model that
                                                    and execution price of buy and sell                     Security has an established trading                      Nasdaq employs.
                                                    Follow-On Offering Shares that would                    market that is not halted while the                         Since the information provided
                                                    be executed in the Nasdaq Opening                       Follow-On Offering is occurring. As a                    through the Service will be directly
                                                    Cross if it were to price based on the                  result, Nasdaq is seeking to strike a                    available only to the Stabilizing Agent,
                                                    most recent NOII information, and the                   balance between supporting the                           Nasdaq believes that it is appropriate to
                                                    number of buy and sell Follow-On                        Stabilizing Agent and the orderly                        adopt safeguards in order to ensure that
                                                    Offering Shares that would not be                       trading of the Follow-On Offering                        the information is not misused. The
                                                    executed at the price. The Stabilizing                  Security without unduly altering the                     safeguards will be identical to those
                                                    Agent will be able to organize this                     usual process for the daily opening of                   adopted with respect to the IPO Book
                                                    information on an order-by-order basis,                 trading. While Nasdaq believes that the                  Viewer. Specifically, the proposed rule
                                                    or group it together into blocks of orders              Service as proposed will adequately                      will require the Stabilizing Agent
                                                    designated by the Stabilizing Agent.                    support the Stabilizing Agent, Nasdaq                    receiving the Service to maintain and
                                                    Nasdaq is not proposing at this time to                 reserves the right to propose                            enforce written policies and procedures
                                                    provide the Stabilizing Agent for a                     enhancements to the Service in the                       reasonably designed to achieve the
                                                    Follow-On Offering with aggregated                      future based on experience.                              following purposes:
                                                    order book information of the sort that                    Nasdaq believes that the information                     • Restrict electronic access 14 to
                                                    is currently provided through the IPO                   to be provided through the Service is                    information from the Service only to
                                                    Book Viewer to the Stabilizing Agent for                similar in purpose to the information                    associated persons of the Stabilizing
                                                    an IPO.11                                               available to the stabilizing agent for a                 Agent who need to know the
                                                       Nasdaq believes that providing this                  follow-on offering of a security listed on               information in connection with
                                                    information to the Stabilizing Agent will               the New York Stock Exchange                              stabilizing the Follow-On Offering
                                                    assist it in performing its obligations                 (‘‘NYSE’’). Currently, as provided in                    Security and establishing its opening
                                                    with respect to the maintenance of a fair               NYSE Rule 104(j), the Designated                         price;
                                                    and orderly market by giving it more                    Market Maker (‘‘DMM’’) for a security                       • Except as may be required for
                                                    time in which to understand the forces                  has access to aggregated and certain                     purposes of maintaining books and
                                                    of supply and demand for the Follow-                    order-specific information about                         records for regulatory purposes,15
                                                    On Offering Security in advance of its                  securities for which it is the DMM at all                prevent the retention of information
                                                    opening. This information will, in turn,                times, including at the time of a follow-                from the Service following the
                                                    allow the Stabilizing Agent to respond                  on offering. Moreover, the DMM is                        completion of the Cross for the Follow-
                                                    in a more informed manner to questions                  permitted to share this information with                 On Offering Security;
                                                    from customers and other market                         floor brokers to ‘‘respond to an inquiry                    • Prevent persons with access to
                                                    participants regarding expectations that                . . . in the normal course of                            information from the Service from
                                                    an order to buy or sell with a stated                   business.’’ 12 When a follow-on offering                 engaging in transactions in the Follow-
                                                    price and size may be executable in the                 is being conducted at NYSE, the DMM                      On Offering Security other than
                                                    Cross. The information will also assist                 therefore has access to aggregated order                 transactions in the Cross; transactions
                                                    the Stabilizing Agent in making                         book information and is free to share it                 on behalf of a customer; or stabilizing.
                                                    decisions about the appropriate level of                with the floor broker for the firm acting                Thus, for example, the Stabilizing Agent
                                                    capital to commit to support the                        as stabilizing agent for the offering.13                 or its affiliates would not be permitted
                                                    security once trading commences. Once                   Thus, the stabilizing agent may use the                  to use the information to engage in
                                                    the Cross executes, the Service will                    information to respond to requests from                  proprietary trading other than in
                                                    cease to be available, since the                        its customers and others regarding                       support of bona fide stabilizing activity.
                                                    information provided is relevant only to                expectations about the offering, and may                    However, for the avoidance of doubt
                                                    the Cross; similar information will not                 use the information to inform decisions                  regarding appropriate uses of the
                                                    be provided to the Stabilizing Agent                    about committing capital in support of                   information, the proposed rule will also
                                                    with respect to the Nasdaq Closing                      the offering. In fact, information from                  provide that nothing contained in the
                                                    Cross on that day. Thus, the Stabilizing                the DMM remains available not only                       rule shall be construed to prohibit the
                                                    Agent will not be provided with any                     prior to market open, but throughout the                 member acting as the Stabilizing Agent
                                                    information not available to other                      trading day. By providing a Stabilizing                  from (i) engaging in stabilizing
                                                    market participants once the Cross                      Agent on Nasdaq with early access to                     consistent with that role, or (ii) using
                                                    occurs. In proposing to make the                        the NOII, as well as information about                   the information provided from the
                                                    information provided through the                        how the Stabilizing Agent’s orders                       Service to respond to inquiries from any
                                                    Service available solely to the                         might perform in the Opening Cross,                      person, including, without limitation,
                                                    Stabilizing Agent, Nasdaq seeks to                      Nasdaq will provide the Stabilizing                      other members, customers, or associated
                                                    recognize and support the special                       Agent with insights into the condition                   persons of the Stabilizing Agent,
                                                    obligations and risks undertaken by the                 of the Nasdaq order book leading up to                   regarding the expectations of the
                                                                                                            the Opening Cross. Thus, although the                    member acting as the Stabilizing Agent
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                                                      10 Proposed Rule 7017 would define ‘‘Follow-On
                                                                                                            Service will not provide aggregated or                   with regard to the possibility of
                                                    Offering Shares’’ as ‘‘the shares of a Stabilizing      order-specific information in exactly the
                                                    Agent’s orders entered for its own account or on                                                                 executing stated quantities of an offering
                                                    behalf of customers for potential execution in the      same manner as is possible under Rule                    security at stated prices in the Cross.
                                                    Nasdaq Opening Cross with respect to a Follow-On        104(j), Nasdaq believes that the Service                 Because the Service will provide the
                                                    Offering Security.’’                                    will allow it to provide benefits to
                                                      11 See current Rule 7015(j), to be redesignated as
                                                                                                            Stabilizing Agents for Follow-On                           14 As discussed below, electronic access to the
                                                    Rule 7017(b). The IPO Book Viewer provides the
                                                    total number, and aggregate size, of orders on the                                                               Service will be available on a displayed basis only.
                                                                                                              12 NYSE   Rule 104(j)(iii).                              15 See, e.g., SEC Rule 17a–4(a)(4), 17 CFR
                                                    book, grouped in increments of either $0.05, $0.10,
                                                    or $0.25 at the election of the stabilizing agent.        13 Id.                                                 240.17a–4(a)(4).



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                                                    12652                            Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 42 / Monday, March 6, 2017 / Notices

                                                    Stabilizing Agent with insights into the                 Shares,17 the price and buy or sell                     being able to share such information
                                                    state of the Nasdaq order book in the                    direction of such IPO Shares, the                       with other members and customers, the
                                                    period prior to the Cross, Nasdaq                        number and execution price of buy and                   Stabilizing Agent will enable greater
                                                    believes that the proposal is similar in                 sell IPO Shares that would be executed                  participation in the Cross because it will
                                                    effect to availability of information to                 in the Nasdaq Halt Cross if the Nasdaq                  be able to provide more certain
                                                    the stabilizing agent for a follow-on                    Halt Cross were to price based on the                   information about the ability of
                                                    offering on NYSE. Nasdaq further                         most recent Order Imbalance Indicator                   investors to execute Orders at particular
                                                    believes that the permitted uses of the                  information, and the number of buy and                  sizes and prices. Moreover, having
                                                    information to be made available                         sell IPO Shares that would not be                       greater knowledge about possible
                                                    through the Service are entirely                         executed at that price.                                 outcomes of the Cross prior to its
                                                    consistent with established practices at                    • A member may organize order                        execution will enable the Stabilizing
                                                    NYSE, under which the DMM may                            information by order or order block.                    Agent to make more informed decisions
                                                    display aggregated order book                               • The IPO Indicator Service is                       about the extent of capital it may need
                                                    information to the floor broker acting as                available as an element of the Nasdaq                   to commit in the Cross and after the
                                                    stabilizing agent, who is then free to                   Workstation Trader, subject to the fees                 commencement of trading in order to
                                                    discuss this information with other                      provided for under Rule 7015.                           stabilize the price of the Follow-On
                                                    members, customers, and associated                       Alternatively, the IPO Indicator Service                Offering Security and thereby dampen
                                                    persons of the stabilizing agent.                        is available through a standalone                       volatility that might undermine investor
                                                       The information provided through the                  Nasdaq IPO Workstation, at no cost.                     confidence.
                                                                                                                                                                        Nasdaq further believes that the
                                                    Service will be available solely for                     2. Statutory Basis                                      restrictions it proposes to impose on the
                                                    display on the screen of a computer for
                                                                                                                Nasdaq believes that the proposed                    use of the Service will protect against
                                                    which an entitlement has been provided
                                                                                                             rule change is consistent with the                      possible misuse of the provided
                                                    by Nasdaq. Under no circumstances
                                                                                                             provisions of Section 6 of the Act 18 in                information. Notably, the information
                                                    may a member redirect such
                                                                                                             general, and furthers the objectives of                 will be provided only prior to the
                                                    information to another computer or
                                                                                                             Section 6(b)(5) 19 in particular, in that               completion of the Cross and may not be
                                                    reconfigure it for use in a non-displayed                                                                        retained thereafter, except to the extent
                                                    format, including, without limitation, in                the proposal is designed to prevent
                                                                                                             fraudulent and manipulative acts and                    necessary for record-retention purposes.
                                                    any trading algorithm. If a member                                                                               The information will be disseminated in
                                                    becomes aware of any violation of the                    practices, to promote just and equitable
                                                                                                             principles of trade, to foster cooperation              a display format only and may not be
                                                    restrictions contained in the proposed                                                                           redirected or reconfigured for non-
                                                    rule, it must report the violation                       and coordination with persons engaged
                                                                                                             in regulating, clearing, settling,                      display usage (such as usage by a
                                                    promptly to Nasdaq.                                                                                              trading algorithm). Moreover, electronic
                                                                                                             processing information with respect to,
                                                       The Service will be provided free of                  and facilitating transactions in                        access to the information will be
                                                    charge through the IPO Workstation,                      securities, to remove impediments to                    available only to certain designated
                                                    and at no additional charge to users of                  and perfect the mechanisms of a free                    individuals with a role in conducting
                                                    the Nasdaq Workstation. Although                         and open market and a national market                   stabilizing activities, and persons with
                                                    Nasdaq may, in the future, institute a                   system and, in general, to protect                      access may not engage in transactions
                                                    charge for the Service, it is not                        investors and the public interest.                      other than stabilizing or transactions in
                                                    proposing a fee at this time. The                        Nasdaq further believes that the                        the Cross or on behalf of a customer. As
                                                    proposed rule change also moves                          introduction of the Service without a fee               discussed above, the Service is intended
                                                    provisions of Rule 7015 pertaining to                    at this time is consistent with Sections                to allow the Stabilizing Agent to draw
                                                    the IPO Workstation, the IPO Indicator                   6(b)(4) and (5) of the Act,20 in that it                conclusions about the state of the
                                                    Service, and the IPO Book Viewer from                    provides for the equitable allocation of                Nasdaq order book prior to the Cross,
                                                    that rule into proposed Rule 7017. In                    reasonable dues, fees and other charges                 and is therefore intended to achieve an
                                                    making this change, Nasdaq is adopting                   among recipients of Nasdaq data and is                  effect similar to the availability of
                                                    a more detailed description of the                       not designed to permit unfair                           aggregated order book information
                                                    information currently provided through                   discrimination between them.                            under NYSE Rule 104(j). Although the
                                                    the IPO Indicator Service,16 but is not                     Nasdaq believes that the proposed                    Commission has not expressed any
                                                    proposing any substantive changes to                     rule change will promote the goals of                   concerns about the availability of
                                                    the rule or to the operation of the                      the Act by assisting the Stabilizing                    aggregated information to DMMs and
                                                    facilities in question. The new language                 Agent for a Follow-On Offering Security                 floor brokers (including stabilizing
                                                    states that:                                             in promoting a fair and orderly market.                 agents) with whom they share such
                                                       • The IPO Indicator Service provides                  Specifically, by providing additional                   information on NYSE, Nasdaq believes
                                                    Order Imbalance Indicator information                    information regarding possible pricing                  that the safeguards it proposes around
                                                    for an IPO Security, as described in Rule                and order execution outcomes for the                    the use of the Service’s information by
                                                    4753(a)(3), and                                          Cross, the Service will give the                        a Stabilizing Agent will provide added
                                                                                                                                                                     assurance to members and the investing
                                                       • The IPO Indicator Service provides                  Stabilizing Agent information that will
                                                                                                                                                                     public that the Service will not be
                                                    the total number of a member firm’s IPO                  assist it in achieving a range of goals. By
                                                                                                                                                                     misused.
                                                                                                                                                                        Finally, Nasdaq notes that although
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                                                                                                               17 Nasdaq is adding a definition of ‘‘IPO Shares,’’
                                                       16 Specifically, the new language specifies the
                                                                                                             to mean ‘‘the shares of a member firm’s orders          the Service will be available only to
                                                    exact information provided through the IPO
                                                    Indicator Service. This information was described        entered for potential execution in the Nasdaq Halt      Stabilizing Agents, this limitation is
                                                    in the rule filings that established the IPO Indicator   Cross for an IPO Security.’’ ‘‘IPO Security’’ is        consistent with the protection of
                                                    Service, but was not detailed in the rule text. See      defined as ‘‘a security for which the halting and       investors because the Stabilizing Agent
                                                    Securities Exchange Act Release No. 73950                initial pricing procedures described in Rules
                                                                                                             4120(c)(8) and (9) and 4753 are available.’’            plays a unique role on the day of a
                                                    (December 29, 2014), 80 FR 268 (January 5, 2015)
                                                    (SR–NASDAQ–2014–100); Securities Exchange Act
                                                                                                               18 15 U.S.C. 78f.                                     Follow-On Offering because it must
                                                    Release No. 74041 (January 13, 2015), 80 FR 2762           19 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).                               commit capital in support of the Follow-
                                                    (January 20, 2015) (SR–NASDAQ–014–110).                    20 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(4), (5).                          On Offering Security once trading


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                                                                                   Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 42 / Monday, March 6, 2017 / Notices                                                   12653

                                                    begins. Because the Service will assist                 with NYSE by allowing it to provide to                change that are filed with the
                                                    the stabilizing agent in performing this                Stabilizing Agents with information that              Commission, and all written
                                                    function, which is performed by no                      is similar in effect to the information               communications relating to the
                                                    other broker, Nasdaq believes that it is                available to stabilizing agents through               proposed rule change between the
                                                    reasonable to limit access to the Service               the NYSE DMM. Accordingly, Nasdaq                     Commission and any person, other than
                                                    to the Stabilizing Agent. Moreover,                     does not believe that there can be any                those that may be withheld from the
                                                    because the Service will cease to be                    reasonable objection to the proposal on               public in accordance with the
                                                    available once the Cross is executed and                competitive grounds.                                  provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be
                                                    the information provided therein will                                                                         available for Web site viewing and
                                                    quickly become stale, Nasdaq does not                   C. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
                                                                                                                                                                  printing in the Commission’s Public
                                                    believe that access to the information                  Statement on Comments on the
                                                                                                                                                                  Reference Room, 100 F Street NE.,
                                                    will provide the Stabilizing Agent with                 Proposed Rule Change Received From
                                                                                                                                                                  Washington, DC 20549, on official
                                                    any unfair advantage.                                   Members, Participants, or Others
                                                                                                                                                                  business days between the hours of
                                                      Nasdaq believes that the proposal to                    No written comments were either                     10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Copies of the
                                                    move provisions of Rule 7015 into Rule                  solicited or received.                                filing also will be available for
                                                    7017 is consistent with the Act because                                                                       inspection and copying at the principal
                                                    the change is intended to promote a                     III. Date of Effectiveness of the
                                                                                                            Proposed Rule Change and Timing for                   office of the Exchange. All comments
                                                    clear understanding of the rule text by                                                                       received will be posted without change;
                                                    including in a single rule all Nasdaq                   Commission Action
                                                                                                                                                                  the Commission does not edit personal
                                                    data services that are specifically                        Within 45 days of the date of                      identifying information from
                                                    designed to support the initial trading of              publication of this notice in the Federal             submissions. You should submit only
                                                    securities that are the subject of an IPO               Register or within such longer period                 information that you wish to make
                                                    or a Follow-On Offering. Nasdaq further                 up to 90 days (i) as the Commission may               available publicly. All submissions
                                                    believes that the proposal to make the                  designate if it finds such longer period              should refer to File Number SR–
                                                    Service available to eligible recipients at             to be appropriate and publishes its                   NASDAQ–2017–015 and should be
                                                    no additional charge is reasonable                      reasons for so finding or (ii) as to which            submitted on or before March 27, 2017.
                                                    because it will not result in any increase              the self-regulatory organization
                                                    in the costs incurred by a Stabilizing                  consents, the Commission will:                          For the Commission, by the Division of
                                                                                                               (A) By order approve or disapprove                 Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated
                                                    Agent to receive the additional
                                                                                                                                                                  authority.21
                                                    information. Nasdaq further believes                    such proposed rule change, or
                                                    that the proposal is consistent with an                    (B) institute proceedings to determine             Eduardo A. Aleman,
                                                    equitable allocation of fees and not                    whether the proposed rule change                      Assistant Secretary.
                                                    unfairly discriminatory because                         should be disapproved.                                [FR Doc. 2017–04204 Filed 3–3–17; 8:45 am]
                                                    additional information is being                                                                               BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
                                                                                                            IV. Solicitation of Comments
                                                    provided to a limited group of potential
                                                    users in order to assist in the promotion                 Interested persons are invited to
                                                    of fair and orderly markets during a                    submit written data, views, and                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
                                                    Follow-On Offering. Accordingly, the                    arguments concerning the foregoing,                   COMMISSION
                                                    absence of an additional fee is designed                including whether the proposed rule
                                                    to encourage eligible members to accept                 change is consistent with the Act.                    [Release No. 34–80118; File No. SR–IEX–
                                                    the information in order to ensure that                 Comments may be submitted by any of                   2017–05]
                                                    the goals of the proposal are advanced                  the following methods:
                                                    to the greatest extent possible.                                                                              Self-Regulatory Organizations;
                                                                                                            Electronic Comments
                                                      Nasdaq further believes that the non-                                                                       Investors Exchange LLC; Notice of
                                                    substantive changes it is making to                       • Use the Commission’s Internet                     Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of
                                                    move information about the IPO                          comment form (http://www.sec.gov/                     Proposed Rule Change To Adopt
                                                    Indicator Service from Rule 7015 to new                 rules/sro.shtml); or                                  DEEP, a New Depth of Book Market
                                                    Rule 7017, and to provide additional                      • Send an email to rule-comments@                   Data Feed, Rename TOPS Viewer to
                                                    detail in Rule 7017 about the                           sec.gov. Please include File Number SR–               IEX Data Platform, and Include Depth
                                                    information available through the IPO                   NASDAQ–2017–015 on the subject line.                  of Book Market Data Therein
                                                    Indicator Service, are consistent with                  Paper Comments                                        February 28, 2017.
                                                    the Act because they will promote a
                                                    clearer understanding of the IPO                           • Send paper comments in triplicate                   Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) 1 of the
                                                    Indicator Service by members and other                  to Secretary, Securities and Exchange                 Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the
                                                    interested persons.                                     Commission, 100 F Street NE.,                         ‘‘Act’’) 2 and Rule 19b–4 thereunder,3
                                                                                                            Washington, DC 20549–1090.                            notice is hereby given that, on February
                                                    B. Self-Regulatory Organization’s                       All submissions should refer to File                  15, 2017, the Investors Exchange LLC
                                                    Statement on Burden on Competition                      Number SR–NASDAQ–2017–015. This                       (‘‘IEX’’ or the ‘‘Exchange’’) filed with the
                                                      Nasdaq does not believe that the                      file number should be included on the                 Securities and Exchange Commission
                                                    proposed rule change will impose any                    subject line if email is used. To help the            (the ‘‘Commission’’) the proposed rule
                                                    burden on competition that is not                       Commission process and review your
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                                                                                                                                                                  change as described in Items I and II
                                                    necessary or appropriate in furtherance                 comments more efficiently, please use                 below, which Items have been prepared
                                                    of the purposes of the Act. In fact,                    only one method. The Commission will                  by the self-regulatory organization. The
                                                    because the Service is intended to                      post all comments on the Commission’s                 Commission is publishing this notice to
                                                    provide the Stabilizing Agent with                      Internet Web site (http://www.sec.gov/
                                                    information about the condition of the                  rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the                         21 17 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).
                                                    Nasdaq order book in advance of the                     submission, all subsequent                              1 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
                                                    Cross, Nasdaq believes that the proposal                amendments, all written statements                      2 15 U.S.C. 78a.

                                                    will help it compete more effectively                   with respect to the proposed rule                       3 17 CFR 240.19b–4.




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Document Created: 2017-03-04 00:06:37
Document Modified: 2017-03-04 00:06:37
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 Citation82 FR 12649 

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