82_FR_14118 82 FR 14068 - Joint Industry Plan; Notice of Filing of the Thirteenth Amendment to the National Market System Plan To Address Extraordinary Market Volatility by Bats BZX Exchange, Inc., Bats BYX Exchange, Inc., Bats EDGA Exchange, Inc., Bats EDGX Exchange, Inc., Chicago Stock Exchange, Inc., Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., Investors Exchange LLC, NASDAQ BX, Inc., NASDAQ PHLX LLC, The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC, NYSE National, Inc., New York Stock Exchange LLC, NYSE MKT LLC, and NYSE Arca, Inc.

82 FR 14068 - Joint Industry Plan; Notice of Filing of the Thirteenth Amendment to the National Market System Plan To Address Extraordinary Market Volatility by Bats BZX Exchange, Inc., Bats BYX Exchange, Inc., Bats EDGA Exchange, Inc., Bats EDGX Exchange, Inc., Chicago Stock Exchange, Inc., Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., Investors Exchange LLC, NASDAQ BX, Inc., NASDAQ PHLX LLC, The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC, NYSE National, Inc., New York Stock Exchange LLC, NYSE MKT LLC, and NYSE Arca, Inc.

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 50 (March 16, 2017)

Page Range14068-14070
FR Document2017-05226

Federal Register, Volume 82 Issue 50 (Thursday, March 16, 2017)
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 50 (Thursday, March 16, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14068-14070]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-05226]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-80203; File No. 4-631]


Joint Industry Plan; Notice of Filing of the Thirteenth Amendment 
to the National Market System Plan To Address Extraordinary Market 
Volatility by Bats BZX Exchange, Inc., Bats BYX Exchange, Inc., Bats 
EDGA Exchange, Inc., Bats EDGX Exchange, Inc., Chicago Stock Exchange, 
Inc., Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., Investors Exchange 
LLC, NASDAQ BX, Inc., NASDAQ PHLX LLC, The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC, 
NYSE National, Inc., New York Stock Exchange LLC, NYSE MKT LLC, and 
NYSE Arca, Inc.

March 10, 2017.

I. Introduction

    On February 13, 2017, NYSE Group, Inc., on behalf of the following 
parties to the National Market System Plan to Address Extraordinary 
Market Volatility (``the Plan''): \1\ Bats BZX Exchange, Inc., Bats BYX 
Exchange, Inc., Bats EDGA Exchange, Inc., Bats EDGX Exchange, Inc., 
Chicago Stock Exchange, Inc., the Financial Industry Regulatory 
Authority, Inc. (``FINRA''), Investors Exchange LLC, NASDAQ BX, 
Inc.,\2\ NASDAQ PHLX LLC,\3\ The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC (``Nasdaq''), 
New York Stock Exchange LLC (``NYSE''), NYSE Arca, Inc., NYSE MKT LLC, 
and NYSE National Inc.\4\ (collectively, the ``Participants'') filed 
with the Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission'') pursuant 
to Section 11A(a)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (``Exchange 
Act'') \5\ and Rule 608 thereunder,\6\ a proposal to amend the Plan 
(``Thirteenth Amendment'').\7\ The proposal reflects changes 
unanimously approved by the Participants. The Thirteenth Amendment 
proposes to extend the pilot period of the Plan for one year and to 
authorize the Processor to disseminate information provided by the 
Primary Listing Exchange in connection with a reopening after a Trading 
Pause,\8\ as discussed below. A copy of the Plan, as proposed to be 
amended is attached as Exhibit A hereto. The Commission is publishing 
this notice to solicit comments from interested persons on the 
Thirteenth Amendment.\9\
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    \1\ On May 31, 2012, the Commission approved the Plan, as 
modified by Amendment No. 1. See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 
67091, 77 FR 33498 (June 6, 2012) (File No. 4-631). On February 20, 
2013, the Commission noticed for immediate effectiveness the Second 
Amendment to the Plan. See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 
68953, 78 FR 13113 (February 26, 2013). On April 3, 2013, the 
Commission approved the Third Amendment to the Plan. See Securities 
Exchange Act Release No. 69287, 78 FR 21483 (April 10, 2013). On 
August 27, 2013, the Commission noticed for immediate effectiveness 
the Fourth Amendment to the Plan. See Securities Exchange Act 
Release No. 70273, 78 FR 54321 (September 3, 2013). On September 26, 
2013, the Commission approved the Fifth Amendment to the Plan. See 
Securities Exchange Act Release No. 70530, 78 FR 60937 (October 2, 
2013). On January 7, 2014, the Commission noticed for immediate 
effectiveness the Sixth Amendment to the Plan. See Securities 
Exchange Act Release No. 71247, 79 FR 2204 (January 13, 2014). On 
April 3, 2014, the Commission approved the Seventh Amendment to the 
Plan. See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 71851, 79 FR 19687 
(April 9, 2014). On February 19, 2015, the Commission approved the 
Eight Amendment to the Plan. See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 
74323, 80 FR 10169 (February 25, 2015). On October 22, 2015, the 
Commission approved the Ninth Amendment to the Plan. See Securities 
Exchange Act Release No. 76244, 80 FR 66099 (October 28, 2015). On 
April 21, 2016, the Commission approved the Tenth Amendment to the 
Plan. See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 77679, 81 FR 24908 
(April 27, 2016). On August 26, 2016, the Commission noticed for 
immediate effectiveness the Eleventh Amendment to the Plan. See 
Securities Exchange Act Release No. 78703, 81 FR 60397 (September 1, 
2016). On January 19, 2017, the Commission approved the Twelfth 
Amendment to the Plan. See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 
79845, 82 FR 8551 (January 26, 2017).
    \2\ See note 7 infra.
    \3\ See note 7 infra.
    \4\ See note 7 infra.
    \5\ 15 U.S.C. 78k-1(a)(3).
    \6\ 17 CFR 242.608.
    \7\ See Letter from Elizabeth King, General Counsel and 
Corporate Secretary, NYSE, to Brent Fields, Secretary, Commission, 
dated February 10, 2017. (``Transmittal Letter''). In the 
Transmittal Letter, the Participants also propose to amend the Plan 
to reflect name changes of certain Participants. See Transmittal 
Letter, notes 1 and 2.
    \8\ Unless otherwise specified, the terms used herein have the 
same meaning as set forth in the Plan.
    \9\ 17 CFR 242.608. The Commission notes that staff from the 
Division of Economic and Risk Analysis has published a paper related 
to several operational features of the Plan. See Claudia E. Moise 
and Paca Flaherty, Division of Economic and Risk Analysis, 
Commission, ``Limit Up-Limit Down'' Pilot Plan and Associated 
Events, March 2017, available at https://www.sec.gov/dera/staff-papers/white-papers/dera-luld-white-paper.pdf.
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II. Description of the Plan

    Set forth in this Section II is the statement of the purpose and 
summary of the Thirteenth Amendment, along with the information 
required by Rule 608(a)(4) and (5) under the Exchange Act,\10\ prepared 
and submitted by the Participants to the Commission.\11\
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    \10\ See 17 CFR 242.608(a)(4) and (a)(5).
    \11\ See Transmittal Letter, supra note7.
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A. Statement of Purpose and Summary of the Plan Amendment

    The Participants filed the Plan on April 5, 2011, to create a 
market-wide limit up-limit down mechanism intended to address 
extraordinary market volatility in NMS Stocks, as defined in Rule 
600(b)(47) of Regulation NMS under the Exchange Act. The Plan sets 
forth procedures that provide for market-wide limit up-limit down 
requirements that would prevent trades in individual NMS Stocks from 
occurring outside of the specified price bands. These limit up-limit 
down requirements are coupled with Trading Pauses, as defined in 
Section I(Y) of the Plan, to accommodate more fundamental price moves. 
In particular, the Participants adopted this Plan to address the type 
of sudden price movements that the market experienced on the afternoon 
of May 6, 2010.
    As set forth in more detail in the Plan, all trading centers in NMS 
Stocks, including both those operated by Participants and those 
operated by members of Participants, shall establish, maintain, and 
enforce written policies and procedures that are reasonably designed to 
comply with the limit up-limit down requirements specified in the Plan. 
More specifically, the single plan processor responsible for 
consolidation of information for an NMS Stock pursuant to Rule 603(b) 
of Regulation NMS under the Exchange Act will be responsible for 
calculating and disseminating a lower price band and upper price band, 
as provided for in Section V of the Plan. Section VI of the Plan sets 
forth the limit up-limit down requirements of the Plan, and in 
particular, that all trading centers in

[[Page 14069]]

NMS Stocks, including both those operated by Participants and those 
operated by members of Participants, shall establish, maintain, and 
enforce written policies and procedures that are reasonably designed to 
prevent trades at prices that are below the lower price band or above 
the upper price band for an NMS Stock, consistent with the Plan.
    The Plan was initially approved for a one-year pilot period, which 
began on April 8, 2013.\12\ Accordingly, the pilot period was scheduled 
to end on April 8, 2014. As initially contemplated, the Plan would have 
been fully implemented across all NMS Stocks within six months of 
initial Plan operations, which meant there would have been full 
implementation of the Plan for six months before the end of the pilot 
period. However, pursuant to the fourth amendment to the Plan,\13\ the 
Participants modified the implementation schedule of Phase II of the 
Plan to extend the time period as to when the Plan would fully apply to 
all NMS Stocks. Accordingly, the Plan was not implemented across all 
NMS Stocks until December 8, 2013. Pursuant to the sixth amendment to 
the Plan,\14\ which further modified the implementation schedule of 
Phase II of the Plan, the date for full implementation of the Plan was 
moved to February 24, 2014. Pursuant to the seventh, ninth, and tenth 
amendments to the Plan,\15\ the pilot period was extended from April 8, 
2014 to February 20, 2015, from February 20, 2015 to April 22, 2016, 
and April 22, 2016 to April 17, 2017.
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    \12\ See Section VIII of the Plan.
    \13\ See supra note 1.
    \14\ See id.
    \15\ See id.
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    The Participants propose to amend Section VIII(C) of the Plan to 
extend the pilot period through April 16, 2018, to allow the 
Participants time to implement and assess the changes to the Plan as 
described in both the tenth amendment to the Plan,\16\ which was 
implemented on July 18, 2016, and the twelfth amendment to the 
Plan,\17\ which is scheduled for implementation in the third quarter of 
2017. In the twelfth amendment, the Participants amended the Plan to 
provide that a Trading Pause will continue until the Primary Listing 
Exchange has reopened trading using its established reopening 
procedures and reports a Reopening Price. The Plan was further amended 
to eliminate the current allowance for a trading center to resume 
trading in an NMS Stock following a Trading Pause if the Primary 
Listing Exchange has not reported a Reopening Price within ten minutes 
after the declaration of a Trading Pause and has not declared a 
Regulatory Halt. In addition, to preclude potential scenarios when 
trading may resume without Price Bands, the Plan was amended to provide 
that a trading center may not resume trading in an NMS Stock following 
a Trading Pause without Price Bands in such NMS Stock. To address 
potential scenarios in which there is no Reopening Price from the 
Primary Listing Exchange to use to calculate Price Bands, the Plan was 
amended to address when trading may resume if the Primary Listing 
Exchange is unable to reopen due to a systems or technology issue and 
how the Reference Price would be determined in such a scenario or if 
the Primary Listing Exchange reopens trading on a zero bid or zero 
offer, or both.
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    \16\ See id.
    \17\ See id.
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    In conjunction with amending the Plan, the Primary Listing 
Exchanges filed proposed rule changes with the Commission under Section 
19(b) of the Exchange Act to amend their rules for automated reopenings 
following a Trading Pause consistent with a standardized approach 
agreed to by Participants that would allow for extensions of a Trading 
Pause if equilibrium cannot be met for a Reopening Price within 
specified parameters.\18\ The Primary Listing Exchanges anticipate 
implementing the changes to their automated reopenings in the third 
quarter of 2017.
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    \18\ See Securities Exchange Act Release Nos. 79846 (January 19, 
2017), 82 FR 8548 (January 26, 2017) (SR-NYSEArca-2016-130) 
(Approval Order); 79884 (January 26, 2017), 82 FR 8968 (February 1, 
2017) (SR-BatsBZX-2016-61) (Approval Order); 79876 (January 25, 
2017), 82 FR 8888 (January 31, 2017) (SR-Nasdaq-2016-131) (Approval 
Order).
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    Because the planned implementation date for both the twelfth 
amendment to the Plan and the Primary Listing Exchange's amended 
reopening procedures are scheduled for a time after the current pilot 
end date, the Participants propose to extend the current Pilot an 
additional year to April 16, 2018. The Participants believe that this 
additional time will be beneficial in that it allows ``the public, the 
Participants, and the Commission to assess the operation of the Plan 
and whether the Plan should be modified prior to approval on a 
permanent basis.'' \19\ The Participants further believe that extending 
the Pilot another year would provide additional time for the 
Participants, the Commission, and the public to consider other 
potential modifications to the Plan that are currently under 
consideration. These include consideration of changes to how NMS Stocks 
are tiered under the Plan, and the applicable percentage parameters 
associated with such tiers, consideration of the elimination of double-
wide Price Bands at the open and close of trading, and consideration of 
recommendations made by the Equity Market Structure Advisory Committee 
with respect to Plan operations.\20\ The Participants believe that the 
Plan should continue to operate as a Pilot uninterrupted to provide 
time to consider whether to make any such further modifications to the 
Plan.
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    \19\ See supra note 1, 77 FR 33498 at 33508.
    \20\ See U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Equity Market 
Structure Advisory Committee, Recommendations for Rulemaking on 
Issues of Market Quality, dated November 29, 2016, available at 
https://www.sec.gov/spotlight/emsac/emsac-recommendations-rulemaking-market-quality.pdf.
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    The Participants also propose to amend Section VII(B)(1) of the 
Plan to specify that the Processor would publish the following 
information that the Primary Listing Exchange would provide to the 
Processor in connection with reopening an NMS Stock after a Trading 
Pause: Auction reference price; auction collars; and number of 
extensions to the reopening auction. The Participants believe that the 
proposed amendment is consistent with the goal of the twelfth amendment 
to the Plan, which is to reduce the potential for sequential Trading 
Pauses in an NMS Stock by centralizing the reopening process through 
the Primary Listing Exchange. Because only one exchange would be 
facilitating the reopening of an NMS Stock, the Participants believe 
that having the Processors disseminate the additional enumerated 
information that a Primary Listing Exchange would provide to the 
Processor regarding such reopening would promote transparency regarding 
the reopening of an NMS Stock following a Trading Pause. Specifically, 
the Participants believe that the information that the Processor would 
publish, as described above, is related to Plan operations in that such 
information would provide greater transparency regarding whether an NMS 
Stock would reopen at the end of the scheduled Trading Pause, or if 
such Trading Pause has been extended beyond the five-minute period 
contemplated in the Plan. The proposed amendment would therefore 
protect investors and the public interest and is appropriate to the 
maintenance of fair and orderly markets.\21\
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    \21\ In the context of other national market system plans under 
Rule 608 of Regulation NMS, the Participants are considering whether 
the SIPs should disseminate additional information regarding 
auctions, such as imbalance information and indicative match price.

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[[Page 14070]]

B. Governing or Constituent Documents

    The governing documents of the Processor, as defined in Section 
I(P) of the Plan, will not be affected by the Plan, but once the Plan 
is implemented, the Processor's obligations will change, as set forth 
in detail in the Plan.

C. Implementation of Plan

    The initial date of the Plan operations was April 8, 2013.

D. Development and Implementation Phases

    The Plan was initially implemented as a one-year pilot program in 
two Phases, consistent with Section VIII of the Plan: Phase I of Plan 
implementation began on April 8, 2013 and was completed on May 3, 2013. 
Implementation of Phase II of the Plan began on August 5, 2013 and was 
completed on February 24, 2014. The tenth amendment to the Plan was 
implemented on July 18, 2016 and the twelfth amendment to the Plan must 
be implemented no later than July 19, 2017.\22\ Pursuant to this 
proposed amendment, the Participants propose to extend the pilot period 
until April 16, 2018.
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    \22\ See supra note 1, 82 FR 8551 at 8553 n.22.
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E. Analysis of Impact on Competition

    The proposed Plan does not impose any burden on competition that is 
not necessary or appropriate in furtherance of the purposes of the 
Exchange Act. The Participants do not believe that the proposed Plan 
introduces terms that are unreasonably discriminatory for the purposes 
of Section 11A(c)(1)(D) of the Exchange Act.

F. Written Understanding or Agreements Relating to Interpretation of, 
or Participation in, Plan

    The Participants have no written understandings or agreements 
relating to interpretation of the Plan. Section II(C) of the Plan sets 
forth how any entity registered as a national securities exchange or 
national securities association may become a Participant.

G. Approval of Amendment of the Plan

    Each of the Plan's Participants has executed a written amended 
Plan.

H. Terms and Conditions of Access

    Section II(C) of the Plan provides that any entity registered as a 
national securities exchange or national securities association under 
the Exchange Act may become a Participant by: (1) Becoming a 
participant in the applicable Market Data Plans, as defined in Section 
I(F) of the Plan; (2) executing a copy of the Plan, as then in effect; 
(3) providing each then-current Participant with a copy of such 
executed Plan; and (4) effecting an amendment to the Plan as specified 
in Section III(B) of the Plan.

I. Method of Determination and Imposition, and Amount of, Fees and 
Charges

    Not applicable.

J. Method and Frequency of Processor Evaluation

    Not applicable.

K. Dispute Resolution

    Section III(C) of the Plan provides that each Participant shall 
designate an individual to represent the Participant as a member of an 
Operating Committee. No later than the initial date of the Plan, the 
Operating Committee shall designate one member of the Operating 
Committee to act as the Chair of the Operating Committee. Any 
recommendation for an amendment to the Plan from the Operating 
Committee that receives an affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of 
the Participants, but is less than unanimous, shall be submitted to the 
Commission as a request for an amendment to the Plan initiated by the 
Commission under Rule 608.
    On February 8, 2017, the Operating Committee, duly constituted and 
chaired by Mr. Robert Books of Bats, met and voted unanimously to amend 
the Plan as set forth herein in accordance with Section III(C) of the 
Plan. The Plan Advisory Committee was notified in connection with the 
Thirteenth Amendment and was in favor.

III. Solicitation of Comments

    Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views and 
arguments concerning the foregoing, including whether the amendment is 
consistent with the Exchange Act and the rules thereunder. 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 4-631 on the subject line.

Paper Comments

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

All submissions should refer to File Number 4-631. 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 plan amendment that are filed 
with the Commission, and all written communications relating to the 
amendment between the Commission and any person, other than those that 
may be withheld from the public in accordance with the provisions of 5 
U.S.C. 552, will be available for Web site viewing and printing in the 
Commission's Public Reference Room, 100 F Street NE., Washington, DC 
20549, on official business days between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 
3:00 p.m. Copies of such filing also will be available for inspection 
and copying at the Participants' offices. 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 4-631 and should be submitted on or before 
April 6, 2017.

    By the Commission.
Eduardo A. Aleman,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2017-05226 Filed 3-15-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 8011-01-P



                                                  14068                        Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 50 / Thursday, March 16, 2017 / Notices

                                                  those that may be withheld from the                     Bats BYX Exchange, Inc., Bats EDGA                         amended is attached as Exhibit A
                                                  public in accordance with the                           Exchange, Inc., Bats EDGX Exchange,                        hereto. The Commission is publishing
                                                  provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be                     Inc., Chicago Stock Exchange, Inc., the                    this notice to solicit comments from
                                                  available for Web site viewing and                      Financial Industry Regulatory                              interested persons on the Thirteenth
                                                  printing in the Commission’s Public                     Authority, Inc. (‘‘FINRA’’), Investors                     Amendment.9
                                                  Reference Room, 100 F Street NE.,                       Exchange LLC, NASDAQ BX, Inc.,2                            II. Description of the Plan
                                                  Washington, DC 20549, on official                       NASDAQ PHLX LLC,3 The NASDAQ
                                                  business days between the hours of                      Stock Market LLC (‘‘Nasdaq’’), New                            Set forth in this Section II is the
                                                  10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Copies of the                  York Stock Exchange LLC (‘‘NYSE’’),                        statement of the purpose and summary
                                                  filing also will be available for                       NYSE Arca, Inc., NYSE MKT LLC, and                         of the Thirteenth Amendment, along
                                                  inspection and copying at the principal                 NYSE National Inc.4 (collectively, the                     with the information required by Rule
                                                  office of the Exchange. All comments                    ‘‘Participants’’) filed with the Securities                608(a)(4) and (5) under the Exchange
                                                  received will be posted without change;                 and Exchange Commission                                    Act,10 prepared and submitted by the
                                                  the Commission does not edit personal                   (‘‘Commission’’) pursuant to Section                       Participants to the Commission.11
                                                  identifying information from                            11A(a)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act                   A. Statement of Purpose and Summary
                                                  submissions. You should submit only                     of 1934 (‘‘Exchange Act’’) 5 and Rule 608                  of the Plan Amendment
                                                  information that you wish to make                       thereunder,6 a proposal to amend the
                                                                                                                                                                        The Participants filed the Plan on
                                                  available publicly. All submissions                     Plan (‘‘Thirteenth Amendment’’).7 The
                                                                                                                                                                     April 5, 2011, to create a market-wide
                                                  should refer to File Number SR–                         proposal reflects changes unanimously
                                                                                                                                                                     limit up-limit down mechanism
                                                  ISEGemini–2017–10 and should be                         approved by the Participants. The
                                                                                                                                                                     intended to address extraordinary
                                                  submitted on or before April 6, 2017.                   Thirteenth Amendment proposes to
                                                                                                                                                                     market volatility in NMS Stocks, as
                                                    For the Commission, by the Division of                extend the pilot period of the Plan for                    defined in Rule 600(b)(47) of Regulation
                                                  Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated              one year and to authorize the Processor                    NMS under the Exchange Act. The Plan
                                                  authority.19                                            to disseminate information provided by                     sets forth procedures that provide for
                                                  Eduardo A. Aleman,                                      the Primary Listing Exchange in                            market-wide limit up-limit down
                                                  Assistant Secretary.                                    connection with a reopening after a                        requirements that would prevent trades
                                                  [FR Doc. 2017–05220 Filed 3–15–17; 8:45 am]
                                                                                                          Trading Pause,8 as discussed below. A                      in individual NMS Stocks from
                                                                                                          copy of the Plan, as proposed to be                        occurring outside of the specified price
                                                  BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
                                                                                                                                                                     bands. These limit up-limit down
                                                                                                          69287, 78 FR 21483 (April 10, 2013). On August 27,
                                                                                                          2013, the Commission noticed for immediate                 requirements are coupled with Trading
                                                  SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE                                 effectiveness the Fourth Amendment to the Plan.            Pauses, as defined in Section I(Y) of the
                                                  COMMISSION                                              See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 70273, 78          Plan, to accommodate more
                                                                                                          FR 54321 (September 3, 2013). On September 26,             fundamental price moves. In particular,
                                                  [Release No. 34–80203; File No. 4–631]                  2013, the Commission approved the Fifth
                                                                                                          Amendment to the Plan. See Securities Exchange
                                                                                                                                                                     the Participants adopted this Plan to
                                                  Joint Industry Plan; Notice of Filing of                Act Release No. 70530, 78 FR 60937 (October 2,             address the type of sudden price
                                                  the Thirteenth Amendment to the                         2013). On January 7, 2014, the Commission noticed          movements that the market experienced
                                                                                                          for immediate effectiveness the Sixth Amendment            on the afternoon of May 6, 2010.
                                                  National Market System Plan To                          to the Plan. See Securities Exchange Act Release              As set forth in more detail in the Plan,
                                                  Address Extraordinary Market                            No. 71247, 79 FR 2204 (January 13, 2014). On April
                                                                                                          3, 2014, the Commission approved the Seventh               all trading centers in NMS Stocks,
                                                  Volatility by Bats BZX Exchange, Inc.,
                                                                                                          Amendment to the Plan. See Securities Exchange             including both those operated by
                                                  Bats BYX Exchange, Inc., Bats EDGA                      Act Release No. 71851, 79 FR 19687 (April 9, 2014).        Participants and those operated by
                                                  Exchange, Inc., Bats EDGX Exchange,                     On February 19, 2015, the Commission approved              members of Participants, shall establish,
                                                  Inc., Chicago Stock Exchange, Inc.,                     the Eight Amendment to the Plan. See Securities
                                                                                                          Exchange Act Release No. 74323, 80 FR 10169                maintain, and enforce written policies
                                                  Financial Industry Regulatory
                                                                                                          (February 25, 2015). On October 22, 2015, the              and procedures that are reasonably
                                                  Authority, Inc., Investors Exchange                     Commission approved the Ninth Amendment to the             designed to comply with the limit up-
                                                  LLC, NASDAQ BX, Inc., NASDAQ PHLX                       Plan. See Securities Exchange Act Release No.              limit down requirements specified in
                                                  LLC, The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC,                       76244, 80 FR 66099 (October 28, 2015). On April
                                                                                                                                                                     the Plan. More specifically, the single
                                                  NYSE National, Inc., New York Stock                     21, 2016, the Commission approved the Tenth
                                                                                                          Amendment to the Plan. See Securities Exchange             plan processor responsible for
                                                  Exchange LLC, NYSE MKT LLC, and                         Act Release No. 77679, 81 FR 24908 (April 27,              consolidation of information for an
                                                  NYSE Arca, Inc.                                         2016). On August 26, 2016, the Commission noticed          NMS Stock pursuant to Rule 603(b) of
                                                                                                          for immediate effectiveness the Eleventh
                                                  March 10, 2017.                                         Amendment to the Plan. See Securities Exchange
                                                                                                                                                                     Regulation NMS under the Exchange
                                                                                                          Act Release No. 78703, 81 FR 60397 (September 1,           Act will be responsible for calculating
                                                  I. Introduction                                         2016). On January 19, 2017, the Commission                 and disseminating a lower price band
                                                     On February 13, 2017, NYSE Group,                    approved the Twelfth Amendment to the Plan. See            and upper price band, as provided for
                                                                                                          Securities Exchange Act Release No. 79845, 82 FR
                                                  Inc., on behalf of the following parties                8551 (January 26, 2017).
                                                                                                                                                                     in Section V of the Plan. Section VI of
                                                  to the National Market System Plan to                      2 See note 7 infra.                                     the Plan sets forth the limit up-limit
                                                  Address Extraordinary Market Volatility                    3 See note 7 infra.                                     down requirements of the Plan, and in
                                                  (‘‘the Plan’’): 1 Bats BZX Exchange, Inc.,                 4 See note 7 infra.                                     particular, that all trading centers in
                                                                                                             5 15 U.S.C. 78k–1(a)(3).

                                                    19 17                                                    6 17 CFR 242.608.                                         9 17 CFR 242.608. The Commission notes that
                                                          CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).
                                                    1 On  May 31, 2012, the Commission approved the          7 See Letter from Elizabeth King, General Counsel       staff from the Division of Economic and Risk
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES




                                                  Plan, as modified by Amendment No. 1. See               and Corporate Secretary, NYSE, to Brent Fields,            Analysis has published a paper related to several
                                                  Securities Exchange Act Release No. 67091, 77 FR        Secretary, Commission, dated February 10, 2017.            operational features of the Plan. See Claudia E.
                                                  33498 (June 6, 2012) (File No. 4–631). On February      (‘‘Transmittal Letter’’). In the Transmittal Letter, the   Moise and Paca Flaherty, Division of Economic and
                                                  20, 2013, the Commission noticed for immediate          Participants also propose to amend the Plan to             Risk Analysis, Commission, ‘‘Limit Up-Limit Down’’
                                                  effectiveness the Second Amendment to the Plan.         reflect name changes of certain Participants. See          Pilot Plan and Associated Events, March 2017,
                                                  See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 68953, 78       Transmittal Letter, notes 1 and 2.                         available at https://www.sec.gov/dera/staff-papers/
                                                  FR 13113 (February 26, 2013). On April 3, 2013, the        8 Unless otherwise specified, the terms used            white-papers/dera-luld-white-paper.pdf.
                                                                                                                                                                       10 See 17 CFR 242.608(a)(4) and (a)(5).
                                                  Commission approved the Third Amendment to the          herein have the same meaning as set forth in the
                                                  Plan. See Securities Exchange Act Release No.           Plan.                                                        11 See Transmittal Letter, supra note7.




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                                                                                 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 50 / Thursday, March 16, 2017 / Notices                                                 14069

                                                  NMS Stocks, including both those                        Reopening Price within ten minutes                    NMS Stocks are tiered under the Plan,
                                                  operated by Participants and those                      after the declaration of a Trading Pause              and the applicable percentage
                                                  operated by members of Participants,                    and has not declared a Regulatory Halt.               parameters associated with such tiers,
                                                  shall establish, maintain, and enforce                  In addition, to preclude potential                    consideration of the elimination of
                                                  written policies and procedures that are                scenarios when trading may resume                     double-wide Price Bands at the open
                                                  reasonably designed to prevent trades at                without Price Bands, the Plan was                     and close of trading, and consideration
                                                  prices that are below the lower price                   amended to provide that a trading                     of recommendations made by the Equity
                                                  band or above the upper price band for                  center may not resume trading in an                   Market Structure Advisory Committee
                                                  an NMS Stock, consistent with the Plan.                 NMS Stock following a Trading Pause                   with respect to Plan operations.20 The
                                                     The Plan was initially approved for a                without Price Bands in such NMS                       Participants believe that the Plan should
                                                  one-year pilot period, which began on                   Stock. To address potential scenarios in              continue to operate as a Pilot
                                                  April 8, 2013.12 Accordingly, the pilot                 which there is no Reopening Price from                uninterrupted to provide time to
                                                  period was scheduled to end on April                    the Primary Listing Exchange to use to                consider whether to make any such
                                                  8, 2014. As initially contemplated, the                 calculate Price Bands, the Plan was                   further modifications to the Plan.
                                                  Plan would have been fully                              amended to address when trading may                     The Participants also propose to
                                                  implemented across all NMS Stocks                       resume if the Primary Listing Exchange                amend Section VII(B)(1) of the Plan to
                                                  within six months of initial Plan                       is unable to reopen due to a systems or               specify that the Processor would
                                                  operations, which meant there would                     technology issue and how the Reference                publish the following information that
                                                  have been full implementation of the                    Price would be determined in such a                   the Primary Listing Exchange would
                                                  Plan for six months before the end of the               scenario or if the Primary Listing                    provide to the Processor in connection
                                                  pilot period. However, pursuant to the                  Exchange reopens trading on a zero bid                with reopening an NMS Stock after a
                                                  fourth amendment to the Plan,13 the                     or zero offer, or both.                               Trading Pause: Auction reference price;
                                                  Participants modified the                                  In conjunction with amending the
                                                                                                                                                                auction collars; and number of
                                                  implementation schedule of Phase II of                  Plan, the Primary Listing Exchanges
                                                                                                                                                                extensions to the reopening auction.
                                                  the Plan to extend the time period as to                filed proposed rule changes with the
                                                                                                                                                                The Participants believe that the
                                                  when the Plan would fully apply to all                  Commission under Section 19(b) of the
                                                                                                                                                                proposed amendment is consistent with
                                                  NMS Stocks. Accordingly, the Plan was                   Exchange Act to amend their rules for
                                                                                                                                                                the goal of the twelfth amendment to the
                                                  not implemented across all NMS Stocks                   automated reopenings following a
                                                                                                                                                                Plan, which is to reduce the potential
                                                  until December 8, 2013. Pursuant to the                 Trading Pause consistent with a
                                                                                                          standardized approach agreed to by                    for sequential Trading Pauses in an
                                                  sixth amendment to the Plan,14 which                                                                          NMS Stock by centralizing the
                                                  further modified the implementation                     Participants that would allow for
                                                                                                          extensions of a Trading Pause if                      reopening process through the Primary
                                                  schedule of Phase II of the Plan, the date                                                                    Listing Exchange. Because only one
                                                  for full implementation of the Plan was                 equilibrium cannot be met for a
                                                                                                          Reopening Price within specified                      exchange would be facilitating the
                                                  moved to February 24, 2014. Pursuant to                                                                       reopening of an NMS Stock, the
                                                  the seventh, ninth, and tenth                           parameters.18 The Primary Listing
                                                                                                          Exchanges anticipate implementing the                 Participants believe that having the
                                                  amendments to the Plan,15 the pilot                                                                           Processors disseminate the additional
                                                  period was extended from April 8, 2014                  changes to their automated reopenings
                                                                                                          in the third quarter of 2017.                         enumerated information that a Primary
                                                  to February 20, 2015, from February 20,                                                                       Listing Exchange would provide to the
                                                  2015 to April 22, 2016, and April 22,                      Because the planned implementation
                                                                                                          date for both the twelfth amendment to                Processor regarding such reopening
                                                  2016 to April 17, 2017.                                                                                       would promote transparency regarding
                                                     The Participants propose to amend                    the Plan and the Primary Listing
                                                                                                          Exchange’s amended reopening                          the reopening of an NMS Stock
                                                  Section VIII(C) of the Plan to extend the                                                                     following a Trading Pause. Specifically,
                                                  pilot period through April 16, 2018, to                 procedures are scheduled for a time
                                                                                                          after the current pilot end date, the                 the Participants believe that the
                                                  allow the Participants time to                                                                                information that the Processor would
                                                  implement and assess the changes to the                 Participants propose to extend the
                                                                                                          current Pilot an additional year to April             publish, as described above, is related to
                                                  Plan as described in both the tenth                                                                           Plan operations in that such information
                                                  amendment to the Plan,16 which was                      16, 2018. The Participants believe that
                                                                                                          this additional time will be beneficial in            would provide greater transparency
                                                  implemented on July 18, 2016, and the                                                                         regarding whether an NMS Stock would
                                                  twelfth amendment to the Plan,17 which                  that it allows ‘‘the public, the
                                                                                                          Participants, and the Commission to                   reopen at the end of the scheduled
                                                  is scheduled for implementation in the                                                                        Trading Pause, or if such Trading Pause
                                                  third quarter of 2017. In the twelfth                   assess the operation of the Plan and
                                                                                                          whether the Plan should be modified                   has been extended beyond the five-
                                                  amendment, the Participants amended                                                                           minute period contemplated in the Plan.
                                                  the Plan to provide that a Trading Pause                prior to approval on a permanent
                                                                                                          basis.’’ 19 The Participants further                  The proposed amendment would
                                                  will continue until the Primary Listing                                                                       therefore protect investors and the
                                                  Exchange has reopened trading using its                 believe that extending the Pilot another
                                                                                                          year would provide additional time for                public interest and is appropriate to the
                                                  established reopening procedures and                                                                          maintenance of fair and orderly
                                                  reports a Reopening Price. The Plan was                 the Participants, the Commission, and
                                                                                                          the public to consider other potential                markets.21
                                                  further amended to eliminate the
                                                  current allowance for a trading center to               modifications to the Plan that are
                                                                                                                                                                  20 See U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
                                                  resume trading in an NMS Stock                          currently under consideration. These
                                                                                                                                                                Equity Market Structure Advisory Committee,
                                                  following a Trading Pause if the Primary                include consideration of changes to how               Recommendations for Rulemaking on Issues of
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                                                  Listing Exchange has not reported a                                                                           Market Quality, dated November 29, 2016, available
                                                                                                            18 See Securities Exchange Act Release Nos.         at https://www.sec.gov/spotlight/emsac/emsac-
                                                    12 See                                                79846 (January 19, 2017), 82 FR 8548 (January 26,     recommendations-rulemaking-market-quality.pdf.
                                                           Section VIII of the Plan.
                                                    13 See supra note 1.
                                                                                                          2017) (SR–NYSEArca–2016–130) (Approval Order);          21 In the context of other national market system
                                                                                                          79884 (January 26, 2017), 82 FR 8968 (February 1,     plans under Rule 608 of Regulation NMS, the
                                                    14 See id.
                                                                                                          2017) (SR–BatsBZX–2016–61) (Approval Order);          Participants are considering whether the SIPs
                                                    15 See id.
                                                                                                          79876 (January 25, 2017), 82 FR 8888 (January 31,     should disseminate additional information
                                                    16 See id.                                            2017) (SR–Nasdaq–2016–131) (Approval Order).          regarding auctions, such as imbalance information
                                                    17 See id.                                              19 See supra note 1, 77 FR 33498 at 33508.          and indicative match price.



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                                                  14070                           Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 50 / Thursday, March 16, 2017 / Notices

                                                  B. Governing or Constituent Documents                     a copy of the Plan, as then in effect; (3)            be included on the subject line if email
                                                    The governing documents of the                          providing each then-current Participant               is used. To help the Commission
                                                  Processor, as defined in Section I(P) of                  with a copy of such executed Plan; and                process and review your comments
                                                  the Plan, will not be affected by the                     (4) effecting an amendment to the Plan                more efficiently, please use only one
                                                  Plan, but once the Plan is implemented,                   as specified in Section III(B) of the Plan.           method. The Commission will post all
                                                  the Processor’s obligations will change,                                                                        comments on the Commission’s Internet
                                                                                                            I. Method of Determination and
                                                  as set forth in detail in the Plan.                                                                             Web site (http://www.sec.gov/rules/
                                                                                                            Imposition, and Amount of, Fees and
                                                                                                                                                                  sro.shtml). Copies of the submission, all
                                                  C. Implementation of Plan                                 Charges
                                                                                                                                                                  subsequent amendments, all written
                                                    The initial date of the Plan operations                    Not applicable.                                    statements with respect to the proposed
                                                  was April 8, 2013.                                        J. Method and Frequency of Processor                  plan amendment that are filed with the
                                                                                                            Evaluation                                            Commission, and all written
                                                  D. Development and Implementation                                                                               communications relating to the
                                                  Phases                                                       Not applicable.                                    amendment between the Commission
                                                    The Plan was initially implemented                      K. Dispute Resolution                                 and any person, other than those that
                                                  as a one-year pilot program in two                                                                              may be withheld from the public in
                                                  Phases, consistent with Section VIII of                      Section III(C) of the Plan provides that           accordance with the provisions of 5
                                                  the Plan: Phase I of Plan                                 each Participant shall designate an                   U.S.C. 552, will be available for Web
                                                  implementation began on April 8, 2013                     individual to represent the Participant               site viewing and printing in the
                                                  and was completed on May 3, 2013.                         as a member of an Operating Committee.                Commission’s Public Reference Room,
                                                  Implementation of Phase II of the Plan                    No later than the initial date of the Plan,           100 F Street NE., Washington, DC
                                                  began on August 5, 2013 and was                           the Operating Committee shall designate               20549, on official business days
                                                  completed on February 24, 2014. The                       one member of the Operating Committee                 between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and
                                                  tenth amendment to the Plan was                           to act as the Chair of the Operating                  3:00 p.m. Copies of such filing also will
                                                  implemented on July 18, 2016 and the                      Committee. Any recommendation for an                  be available for inspection and copying
                                                  twelfth amendment to the Plan must be                     amendment to the Plan from the                        at the Participants’ offices. All
                                                  implemented no later than July 19,                        Operating Committee that receives an                  comments received will be posted
                                                  2017.22 Pursuant to this proposed                         affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of            without change; the Commission does
                                                  amendment, the Participants propose to                    the Participants, but is less than                    not edit personal identifying
                                                  extend the pilot period until April 16,                   unanimous, shall be submitted to the                  information from submissions. You
                                                  2018.                                                     Commission as a request for an                        should submit only information that
                                                                                                            amendment to the Plan initiated by the                you wish to make available publicly. All
                                                  E. Analysis of Impact on Competition                      Commission under Rule 608.                            submissions should refer to File
                                                    The proposed Plan does not impose                          On February 8, 2017, the Operating
                                                                                                                                                                  Number 4–631 and should be submitted
                                                  any burden on competition that is not                     Committee, duly constituted and
                                                                                                                                                                  on or before April 6, 2017.
                                                  necessary or appropriate in furtherance                   chaired by Mr. Robert Books of Bats,
                                                                                                            met and voted unanimously to amend                      By the Commission.
                                                  of the purposes of the Exchange Act.
                                                  The Participants do not believe that the                  the Plan as set forth herein in                       Eduardo A. Aleman,
                                                  proposed Plan introduces terms that are                   accordance with Section III(C) of the                 Assistant Secretary.
                                                  unreasonably discriminatory for the                       Plan. The Plan Advisory Committee was                 [FR Doc. 2017–05226 Filed 3–15–17; 8:45 am]
                                                  purposes of Section 11A(c)(1)(D) of the                   notified in connection with the                       BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
                                                  Exchange Act.                                             Thirteenth Amendment and was in
                                                                                                            favor.
                                                  F. Written Understanding or Agreements                                                                          SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
                                                  Relating to Interpretation of, or                         III. Solicitation of Comments
                                                                                                                                                                  COMMISSION
                                                  Participation in, Plan                                      Interested persons are invited to
                                                     The Participants have no written                       submit written data, views and                        Proposed Collection; Comment
                                                  understandings or agreements relating                     arguments concerning the foregoing,                   Request
                                                  to interpretation of the Plan. Section                    including whether the amendment is
                                                  II(C) of the Plan sets forth how any                      consistent with the Exchange Act and                  Upon Written Request Copies Available
                                                  entity registered as a national securities                the rules thereunder. Comments may be                  From: Securities and Exchange
                                                  exchange or national securities                           submitted by any of the following                      Commission, Office of FOIA Services,
                                                  association may become a Participant.                     methods:                                               100 F Street NE., Washington, DC
                                                                                                            Electronic Comments                                    20549–2736.
                                                  G. Approval of Amendment of the Plan
                                                                                                                                                                  Extension:
                                                    Each of the Plan’s Participants has                       • Use the Commission’s Internet                       Form S–4, OMB Control No. 3235–0324,
                                                  executed a written amended Plan.                          comment form (http://www.sec.gov/                         SEC File No. 270–287
                                                                                                            rules/sro.shtml); or
                                                  H. Terms and Conditions of Access                           • Send an email to rule-comments@                      Notice is hereby given that, pursuant
                                                    Section II(C) of the Plan provides that                 sec.gov. Please include File Number 4–                to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
                                                  any entity registered as a national                       631 on the subject line.                              (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), the Securities
                                                  securities exchange or national                                                                                 and Exchange Commission
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES




                                                                                                            Paper Comments
                                                  securities association under the                                                                                (‘‘Commission’’) is soliciting comments
                                                  Exchange Act may become a Participant                       • Send paper comments in triplicate                 on the collection of information
                                                  by: (1) Becoming a participant in the                     to Brent J. Fields, Secretary, Securities             summarized below. The Commission
                                                  applicable Market Data Plans, as defined                  and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street                 plans to submit this existing collection
                                                  in Section I(F) of the Plan; (2) executing                NE., Washington, DC 20549–1090.                       of information to the Office of
                                                                                                            All submissions should refer to File                  Management and Budget for extension
                                                    22 See   supra note 1, 82 FR 8551 at 8553 n.22.         Number 4–631. This file number should                 and approval.


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Document Created: 2017-03-16 02:18:58
Document Modified: 2017-03-16 02:18:58
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 14068 

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