82_FR_43780 82 FR 43601 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE American LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change To Amend Rule 975NY and Rule 953NY

82 FR 43601 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE American LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change To Amend Rule 975NY and Rule 953NY

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 179 (September 18, 2017)

Page Range43601-43607
FR Document2017-19711

Federal Register, Volume 82 Issue 179 (Monday, September 18, 2017)
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 179 (Monday, September 18, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43601-43607]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-19711]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-81582; File No. SR-NYSEAMER-2017-12]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE American LLC; Notice of 
Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change To Amend 
Rule 975NY and Rule 953NY

September 12, 2017.
    Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) \1\ of the Securities Exchange Act of 
1934 (the ``Act'') \2\ and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,\3\ notice is hereby 
given that on September 1, 2017, NYSE American LLC (the ``Exchange'' or 
``NYSE American'') filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission 
(the ``Commission'') the proposed rule change as described in Items I 
and II below, which Items have been prepared by the self-regulatory 
organization. The Commission is publishing this notice to solicit 
comments on the proposed rule change from interested persons.
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    \1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
    \2\ 15 U.S.C. 78a.
    \3\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4.
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I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance 
of the Proposed Rule Change

    The Exchange proposes to amend Rule 975NY (Nullification and 
Adjustment of Options Transactions including Obvious Errors) and Rule 
953NY (Trading Halts and Suspensions). The proposed rule change is 
available on the Exchange's Web site at www.nyse.com, at the principal 
office of the Exchange, and at the Commission's Public Reference Room.

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

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

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

1. Purpose
    The purpose of this filing is to amend Rule 975NY, relating to the 
adjustment and nullification of erroneous transactions, and Rule 953NY, 
regarding trading halts and suspensions. The Exchange's proposal is 
based on that of Bats BZX (``BATS''), which the Commission approved on 
July 6, 2017, and those that the other options exchanges intend to 
file.\4\
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    \4\ See Securities Exchange Act Release Nos. 81084 (July 6, 
2017), 82 FR 32216 (July12, 2017) (``BATS Approval Order''); 80709 
(May 17, 2017), 82 FR 23684 (May 23, 2017) (``Notice of BATS 
Filing'') (SR-BatsBZX-2017-35). See also Securities Exchange Act 
Release No. 81348 (August 8, 2017), 82 FR 37910 (August 14, 2017) 
(SR-BX-2017-038) (immediately effective filing based on BATS 
Approval Order).
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Background
    The Exchange and other options exchanges adopted a harmonized rule 
related to the adjustment and nullification of erroneous options 
transactions, including a specific provision related to coordination in 
connection with large-scale events involving erroneous options 
transactions.\5\ The Exchange believes that the changes the options 
exchanges implemented with the harmonized rule have led to increased 
transparency and finality with respect to the adjustment and 
nullification of erroneous options transactions. As part of the initial 
initiative, however, the Exchange and other options exchanges deferred 
a few specific matters for further discussion.\6\ Specifically, as 
described in the Initial Filing, the Exchange and all other options 
exchanges have been working to further improve the review of 
potentially erroneous transactions as well as their subsequent 
adjustment by creating an objective and universal way to determine 
Theoretical Price in the event a reliable NBBO is not available. 
Because this initiative required additional exchange and industry 
discussion as well as additional time for development and 
implementation, the Exchange and the other options exchanges determined 
to proceed with the Initial Filing and to undergo an effort to complete 
any additional improvements to the applicable rule. In this filing, the 
Exchange proposes to adopt procedures that will lead to a more 
objective and uniform way to determine Theoretical Price in the event a 
reliable NBBO is not available. In addition to this change, the 
Exchange has proposed additional minor changes to its rules.
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    \5\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 74921 (May 8, 2015), 
80 FR 27816 (May 14, 2015) (SR-NYSEMKT-2015-39) (the ``Initial 
Filing'').
    \6\ For example, the Exchange, along with other options 
exchanges that offer complex orders on their options platforms, 
recently filed proposals related to rules for handling the 
adjustment and nullification of erroneous complex order 
transactions, which proposals were approved by the Commission or 
filed on an immediately effective basis. See Securities Exchange Act 
Release Nos. 80040 (February 14, 2017), 82 FR 11248 (February 21, 
2017) (granting approval of CBOE proposal related to the 
nullification and adjustment of complex orders) (SR-CBOE-2016-088); 
80497 (April 20, 2017), 82 FR 19290 (April 26, 2017) (notice of 
filing and immediate effectiveness of Exchange proposal related to 
the nullification and adjustment of complex orders) (SR-NYSEMKT-
2017-22).
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Calculation of Theoretical Price Using a Third Party Provider
    Under the harmonized rule, when reviewing a transaction as 
potentially erroneous, the Exchange needs to first determine the 
``Theoretical Price'' of the option, i.e., the Exchange's estimate of 
the correct market price for the option. Pursuant to Rule 975NY, if the

[[Page 43602]]

applicable option series is traded on at least one other options 
exchange, then the Theoretical Price of an option series is the last 
national best bid (``NBB'') just prior to the trade in question with 
respect to an erroneous sell transaction or the last national best 
offer (``NBO'') just prior to the trade in question with respect to an 
erroneous buy transaction unless one of the exceptions described below 
exists. Thus, whenever the Exchange has a reliable NBB or NBO, as 
applicable, just prior to the transaction, the Exchange uses this NBB 
or NBO as the Theoretical Price.
    The Rule also contains various provisions governing specific 
situations where the NBB or NBO is not available or may not be 
reliable. Specifically, the Rule identifies situations in which there 
are no quotes or no valid quotes for comparison purposes, when the 
national best bid or offer (``NBBO'') is determined to be too wide to 
be reliable, and at the open of trading on each trading day. In each of 
these circumstances because the NBB or NBO is not available or is 
deemed to be unreliable, the Exchange determines the Theoretical Price. 
Under the current Rule, when determining Theoretical Price, Exchange 
personnel generally consult and refer to data such as the prices of 
related series, especially the closest strikes in the option in 
question. Exchange personnel may also take into account the price of 
the underlying security and the volatility characteristics of the 
option as well as historical pricing of the option and/or similar 
options. Although the Rule is administered by experienced personnel and 
the Exchange believes the process is currently appropriate, the 
Exchange recognizes that it is also subjective and could lead to 
disparate results for a transaction that spans multiple options 
exchanges.
    The Exchange proposes new Commentary .06 to specify how the 
Exchange will determine Theoretical Price when required by sub-
paragraphs (b)(1)-(3) of the Rule (i.e., at the open, when there are no 
valid quotes or when there is a wide quote). In particular, the 
Exchange has been working with other options exchanges to identify and 
select a reliable third party vendor (``TP Provider'') that would 
provide the Theoretical Price to the Exchange whenever one or more 
transactions is under review pursuant to Rule 975NY and the NBBO is 
unavailable or deemed unreliable pursuant to Rule 975NY(b). The 
Exchange and other options exchanges have selected CBOE Livevol, LLC 
(``Livevol'') as the TP Provider, as described below.
    Pursuant to proposed Commentary .06, when the Exchange must 
determine Theoretical Price pursuant to the sub-paragraphs (b)(1)-(3) 
of the Rule, the Exchange will request the Theoretical Price from the 
third party vendor to which the Exchange and all other options 
exchanges have subscribed. Thus, as set forth in this proposed 
language, Theoretical Price would be provided to the Exchange by the TP 
Provider on request and not through a streaming data feed.\7\ This 
proposed language would also make clear that the Exchange and all other 
options exchanges will use the same TP Provider. As noted above, the 
proposed TP Provider selected by the Exchange and other options 
exchanges is Livevol. The Exchange proposes to establish this selection 
in proposed paragraph (d) to Commentary .06. As such, the Exchange 
would file a rule proposal and would provide notice to the options 
industry of any proposed change to the TP Provider. The Exchange and 
other options exchanges have selected Livevol as the proposed TP 
Provider after diligence into various alternatives. Livevol has, since 
2009, been the options industry leader in providing equity and index 
options market data and analytics services.\8\ The Exchange believes 
that Livevol has established itself within the options industry as a 
trusted provider of such services and notes that it and all other 
options exchanges already subscribe to various Livevol services. In 
connection with this proposal, Livevol will develop a new tool based on 
its existing technology and services that will supply Theoretical Price 
to the Exchange and other options exchanges upon request. The 
Theoretical Price tool will leverage current market data and 
surrounding strikes to assist in a relative value pricing approach to 
generating a Theoretical Price. When relative value methods are 
incapable of generating a valid Theoretical Price, the Theoretical 
Price tool will utilize historical trade and quote data to calculate 
Theoretical Price.
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    \7\ Though the Exchange and other options exchanges considered a 
streaming feed, it was determined that it would be more feasible to 
develop and implement an on demand service and that such a service 
would satisfy the goals of the initiative.
    \8\ The Exchange notes that in 2015, Livevol was acquired by 
CBOE Holdings, Inc., the ultimate parent company of the Chicago 
Board Options Exchange (``CBOE'') and C2 Options Exchange (``C2'').
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    Because the purpose of the proposal is to move away from a 
subjective determination by Exchange personnel when the NBBO is 
unavailable or unreliable, the Exchange intends to use the Theoretical 
Price provided by the TP Provider in all such circumstances. However, 
the Exchange believes it is necessary to retain the ability to contact 
the TP Provider if it believes that the Theoretical Price provided is 
fundamentally incorrect and to determine the Theoretical Price in the 
limited circumstance of a systems issue experienced by the TP Provider, 
as described below.
    As proposed, to the extent an Official \9\ of the Exchange believes 
that the Theoretical Price provided by the TP Provider is fundamentally 
incorrect and cannot be used consistent with the maintenance of a fair 
and orderly market, the Official shall contact the TP Provider to 
notify the TP Provider of the reason the Official believes such 
Theoretical Price is inaccurate and to request a review and correction 
of the calculated Theoretical Price. For example, if an Official 
received from the TP Provider a Theoretical Price of $80 in a series 
that the Official might expect to be instead in the range of $8 to $10 
because of a recent corporate action in the underlying, the Official 
would request that the TP Provider review and confirm its calculation 
and determine whether it had appropriately accounted for the corporate 
action. In order to ensure that other options exchanges that may 
potentially be relying on the same Theoretical Price that the Official 
believes to be incorrect, the Exchange also proposes to promptly 
provide notice to other options exchanges that the TP Provider has been 
contacted to review and correct the calculated Theoretical Price at 
issue and to include a brief explanation of the reason for the 
request.\10\ Although not directly addressed by the proposed rule, the 
Exchange expects that all other options exchanges once in receipt of 
this notification would await the determination of the TP Provider and 
would use the corrected price as soon as it is available. The Exchange 
further notes that it expects the TP Provider to cooperate with, but to 
be independent of, the Exchange and other options exchanges.\11\
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    \9\ For purposes of the Rule, an Official is an Officer of the 
Exchange or such other employee designee of the Exchange that is 
trained in the application of Rule 975NY.
    \10\ See proposed paragraph (b) to Commentary .06.
    \11\ The Exchange expects any TP Provider selected by the 
Exchange and other options exchanges to act independently in its 
determination and calculation of Theoretical Price. With respect to 
Livevol specifically, the Exchange again notes that Livevol is a 
subsidiary of CBOE Holdings, Inc., which is also the ultimate parent 
company of multiple options exchanges. The Exchange expects Livevol 
to calculate Theoretical Price independent of its affiliated 
exchanges in the same way it will calculate Theoretical Price 
independent of non-affiliated exchanges.

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[[Page 43603]]

    The Exchange believes that the proposal to allow an Exchange 
Official to contact the TP Provider if he or she believes the provided 
Theoretical Price is fundamentally incorrect is necessary, particularly 
because the Exchange and other options exchanges will be using the new 
process for the first time.\12\ Although the exchanges have conducted 
thorough diligence with respect to Livevol as the selected TP Provider 
and would do so with any potential replacement TP Provider, the 
Exchange is concerned that certain scenarios could arise where the 
Theoretical Price generated by the TP Provider does not take into 
account relevant factors and would result in an unfair result for 
market participants involved in a transaction. The Exchange notes that 
if such situations do indeed arise, to the extent practicable the 
Exchange would also work with the TP Provider and other options 
exchanges to improve the TP Provider's calculation of Theoretical Price 
in future situations. For instance, if the Exchange determines that a 
particular type of corporate action is not being appropriately captured 
by the TP Provider when such provider is generating Theoretical Price, 
while the Exchange believes that it needs the ability to request a 
review and correction of the Theoretical Price in connection with a 
specific review in order to provide a timely decision to market 
participants, the Exchange would share information regarding the 
specific situation with the TP Provider and other options exchanges in 
an effort to improve the Theoretical Price service for future use. The 
Exchange notes that it does not anticipate needing to rely on this 
provision frequently, if at all, but believes the provision is 
necessary nonetheless to best prepare for all potential circumstances.
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    \12\ To the extent the TP Provider has been contacted by an 
Official of the Exchange, reviews the Theoretical Price provided but 
disagrees that there has been any error, then the Exchange would be 
bound to use the Theoretical Price provided by the TP Provider.
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    Pursuant to proposed paragraph (c) to Commentary .06, an Official 
of the Exchange may determine the Theoretical Price if the TP Provider 
has experienced a systems issue that has rendered its services 
unavailable to accurately calculate Theoretical Price and such issue 
cannot be corrected in a timely manner. The Exchange notes that it does 
not anticipate needing to rely on this provision frequently, if at all, 
but believes the provision is necessary nonetheless to best prepare for 
all potential circumstances. Further, consistent with existing text in 
Rule 975NY(e)(4), the Exchange has not proposed a specific time by 
which the service must be available in order to be considered 
timely.\13\ The Exchange expects that it would await the TP Provider's 
services becoming available again so long as the Exchange was able to 
obtain information regarding the issue and the TP Provider had a 
reasonable expectation of being able to resume normal operations within 
the next several hours based on communications with the TP Provider. 
More specifically with respect to Livevol, Livevol has business 
continuity and disaster recovery procedures that will help to ensure 
that the Theoretical Price tool remains available or, in the event of 
an outage, that service is restored in a timely manner. The Exchange 
also notes that if a wide-scale event occurred, even if such event did 
not qualify as a ``Significant Market Event'' pursuant to Rule 
975NY(e), and the TP Provider was unavailable or otherwise experiencing 
difficulty, the Exchange believes that it and other options exchanges 
would seek to coordinate to the extent possible. In particular, the 
Exchange and other options exchanges now have a process, administered 
by the Options Clearing Corporation, to invoke a discussion amongst all 
options exchanges in the event of any widespread or significant market 
events. The Exchange believes that this process could be used if there 
were an issue with the TP Provider.
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    \13\ In the context of a Significant Market Event, the Exchange 
may determine, ``in consultation with other options exchanges . . . 
that timely adjustment is not feasible due to the extraordinary 
nature of the situation.'' See Rule 975NY(e)(4).
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    The Exchange also proposes language in paragraph (d) of Commentary 
.06 to Rule 975NY to disclaim the liability of the Exchange and the TP 
Provider in connection with the proposed rule, the TP Provider's 
calculation of Theoretical Price, and the Exchange's use of such 
Theoretical Price. Specifically, the proposed rule would state that 
neither the Exchange, the TP Provider, nor any affiliate of the TP 
Provider (the TP Provider and its affiliates are referred to 
collectively as the ``TP Provider''), makes any warranty, express or 
implied, as to the results to be obtained by any person or entity from 
the use of the TP Provider pursuant to Commentary .06. The proposed 
rule would further state that the TP Provider does not guarantee the 
accuracy or completeness of the calculated Theoretical Price and that 
the TP Provider disclaims all warranties of merchantability or fitness 
for a particular purpose or use with respect to such Theoretical Price. 
Finally, the proposed Rule would state that neither the Exchange nor 
the TP Provider shall have any liability for any damages, claims, 
losses (including any indirect or consequential losses), expenses, or 
delays, whether direct or indirect, foreseen or unforeseen, suffered by 
any person arising out of any circumstance or occurrence relating to 
the use of such Theoretical Price or arising out of any errors or 
delays in calculating such Theoretical Price. This proposed language is 
modeled after existing language in Exchange Rules regarding ``reporting 
authorities'' that calculate indices.\14\
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    \14\ See, e.g., Rule 914F (Limitation on Exchange Liability), 
which relates to index options potentially listed and traded on the 
Exchange and disclaims liability for a reporting authority and their 
affiliates.
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    In connection with the proposed change described above, the 
Exchange proposes to modify Rule 975NY to state that the Exchange will 
rely on paragraph (b) and Commentary .06 when determining Theoretical 
Price.
No Valid Quotes--Market Participant Quoting on Multiple Exchanges
    As described above, one of the times where the NBB or NBO is deemed 
to be unreliable for purposes of Theoretical Price is when there are no 
quotes or no valid quotes for the affected series. In addition to when 
there are no quotes, the Exchange does not consider the following to be 
valid quotes: (i) All quotes in the applicable option series published 
at a time where the last NBB is higher than the last NBO in such series 
(a ``crossed market''); (ii) quotes published by the Exchange that were 
submitted by either party to the transaction in question; and (iii) 
quotes published by another options exchange against which the Exchange 
has declared self-help. In recognition of today's market structure 
where certain participants actively provide liquidity on multiple 
exchanges simultaneously, the Exchange proposes to add a category of 
invalid quotes. Specifically, in order to avoid a situation where a 
market participant has established the market at an erroneous price on 
multiple exchanges, the Exchange proposes to consider as invalid the 
quotes in a series published by another options exchange if either 
party to the transaction in question submitted the quotes in the series 
representing such options exchange's best bid or offer. Thus, similar 
to being able to ignore for purposes of the Rule the quotes published 
by the Exchange if submitted by either party to the transaction in 
question, the Exchange would be able to ignore for purposes of the rule

[[Page 43604]]

quotations on other options exchanges by that same market participant.
    In order to continue to apply the Rule in a timely and organized 
fashion, however, the Exchange proposes to initially limit the scope of 
this proposed provision in two ways in new paragraph (C) to Rule 
975NY(b)(2).\15\ First, because the process will take considerable 
coordination with other options exchanges to confirm that the 
quotations in question on an away options exchange were indeed 
submitted by a party to a transaction on the Exchange, the Exchange 
proposes to limit this provision to apply to up to twenty-five (25) 
total options series (i.e., whether such series all relate to the same 
underlying security or multiple underlying securities). Second, the 
Exchange proposes to require the party that believes it established the 
best bid or offer on one or more other options exchanges to identify to 
the Exchange the quotes which were submitted by such party and 
published by other options exchanges. In other words, as proposed, the 
burden will be on the party seeking that the Exchange disregard their 
quotations on other options exchanges to identify such quotations. In 
turn, the Exchange will verify with such other options exchanges that 
such quotations were indeed submitted by such party.\16\
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    \15\ In connection with proposed change, the Exchange proposes 
to re-format Rule 975NY(b)(2) to include sub-paragraphs (A)-(D), 
inclusive of the new rule text in proposed Rule 975NY(b)(2)(C).
    \16\ The Exchange notes that the proposed text of 975NY(b)(2)(C) 
differs slightly from BATS Rule 20.6(b)(2)(C), even though the 
substance of the proposed rule is the same. The Exchange believes 
its proposed rule text is easier to comprehend.
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    Below are examples of both the current rule and the rule as 
proposed to be amended.
Example 1--Current Rule, Member Erroneously Quotes on One Exchange
Assumptions
    For purposes of this example, assume the following:
     A Member acting as a Market Maker on the Exchange 
(``Market Maker A'') is quoting in twenty series of options underlying 
security ABCD on the Exchange (and only the Exchange).
     Market Maker A makes an error in calculating the market 
for options on ABCD, and publishes quotes in all twenty series to buy 
options at $1.00 and to sell options at $1.05.
     In fact, options on ABCD in these series are nearly 
worthless and no other market participant is quoting in such series.
     Therefore, the NBBO in the twenty series at issue is $1.00 
x $1.05 (with the Exchange representing the NBBO based on Market Maker 
A's quotes).
     Assume Member A immediately enters sell orders and 
executes against Market Maker A's quotes at $1.00.
     Assume Market Maker A submits to the Exchange a timely 
request for review of the trades with Member A as potentially erroneous 
transactions to buy.
Result
     Based on the Exchange's current rules, the Exchange would 
identify Market Maker A as a participant to the trades at issue and 
would consider Market Maker A's quotations invalid pursuant to Rule 
975NY(b)(2).
     As there were no other valid quotes to use as a reference 
price, the Exchange would then determine Theoretical Price.
     Assume the Exchange determines a Theoretical Price of 
$0.05.
    [cir] The execution price of $1.00 exceeds the $0.25 minimum amount 
set forth in the Exchange's table to determine whether an obvious error 
has occurred (i.e., $0.05 + $0.25 = $0.30) so any execution at or above 
this price is an obvious error.
    [cir] Accordingly, the executions in all series would be adjusted 
by the Exchange to executions at $0.20 per contract (Theoretical Price 
of $0.05 plus $0.15) to the extent the incoming orders submitted by 
Member A were non-Customer orders.
    [cir] The executions in all series would be nullified to the extent 
the incoming orders submitted by Member A were Customer orders.
Example 2--Current Rule, Member Erroneously Quotes on Multiple 
Exchanges
Assumptions
    For purposes of this example, assume the following:
     A Member acting as a Market Maker on the Exchange 
(``Market Maker A'') is quoting in twenty series of options underlying 
security ABCD on the Exchange and on a second exchange (``Away 
Exchange'').
     Market Maker A makes an error in calculating the market 
for options on ABCD, and publishes quotes on both the Exchange and the 
Away Exchange in all twenty series to buy options at $1.00 and to sell 
options at $1.05.
     In fact, options on ABCD in these series are nearly 
worthless and no other market participant is quoting in such series.
     Therefore, the NBBO in the twenty series at issue is $1.00 
x $1.05 (with the Exchange and the Away Exchange representing the NBBO 
based on Market Maker A's quotes).
     Assume Member A immediately enters sell orders and 
executes against Market Maker A's quotes at $1.00.
     Assume Market Maker A submits to the Exchange and to the 
Away Exchange timely requests for review of the trades with Member A as 
potentially erroneous transactions to buy.
Result
     Based on the Exchange's current rules, the Exchange would 
identify Market Maker A as a participant to the trades at issue and 
would consider Market Maker A's quotations on the Exchange invalid 
pursuant to Rule 975NY(b)(2). The Exchange, however, would view the 
Away Exchange's quotations as valid, and would thus determine 
Theoretical Price to be $1.05 (i.e., the NBO in the case of a 
potentially erroneous buy transaction).
     The execution price of $1.00 does not exceed the $0.25 
minimum amount set forth in the Exchange's table to determine whether 
an obvious error has occurred (i.e., $1.05 + $0.25 = $1.30) so any 
execution at or above this price is an obvious error.
     The transactions on the Exchange would not be nullified or 
adjusted.
     As the Exchange and all other options exchanges have 
identical rules with respect to the process described above, the 
transactions on the Away Exchange would not be nullified or adjusted.
Example 3--Proposed Rule, Member Erroneously Quotes on Multiple 
Exchanges \17\
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    \17\ The Exchange notes that its proposed rule will not impact 
the proposed handling of a request for review where a market 
participant is quoting only on the Exchange, thus, the Exchange has 
not included a separate example for such a fact-pattern.
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Assumptions
     For purposes of this example, assume the following:
     A Member acting as a Market Maker on the Exchange 
(``Market Maker A'') is quoting in twenty series of options underlying 
security ABCD on the Exchange and on a second exchange (``Away 
Exchange'').\18\
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    \18\ The Exchange notes that the proposed rule would operate the 
same if Market Maker A was quoting on more than two exchanges. The 
Exchange has limited the example to two exchanges for simplicity.
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     Market Maker A makes an error in calculating the market 
for options on ABCD, and publishes quotes on both the Exchange and the 
Away Exchange in all twenty series to buy options at $1.00 and to sell 
options at $1.05.
     In fact, options on ABCD in these series are nearly 
worthless and no other market participant is quoting in such series.

[[Page 43605]]

     Therefore, the NBBO in the twenty series at issue is $1.00 
x $1.05 (with the Exchange and the Away Exchange representing the NBBO 
based on Market Maker A's quotes).
     Assume Member A immediately enters sell orders and 
executes against Market Maker A's quotes at $1.00.
     Assume Market Maker A submits to the Exchange and to the 
Away Exchange timely requests for review of the trades with Member A as 
potentially erroneous transactions to buy. At the time of submitting 
the requests for review to the Exchange and the Away Exchange, Market 
Maker A identifies to the Exchange the quotes on the Away Exchange as 
quotes also represented by Market Maker A (and to the Away Exchange, 
the quotes on the Exchange as quotes also represented by Market Maker 
A).
Result
     Based on the proposed rules, the Exchange would identify 
Market Maker A as a participant to the trades at issue and would 
consider Market Maker A's quotations on the Exchange invalid pursuant 
to Rule 975NY(b)(2).
     The Exchange and the Away Exchange would also coordinate 
to confirm that the quotations identified by Market Maker A on the 
other exchange were indeed Market Maker A's quotations. Once confirmed, 
each of the Exchange and the Away Exchange would also consider invalid 
the quotations published on the other exchange.
     As there were no other valid quotes to use as a reference 
price, the Exchange would then determine Theoretical Price.
     Assume the Exchange determines a Theoretical Price of 
$0.05.
    [cir] The execution price of $1.00 exceeds the $0.25 minimum amount 
set forth in the Exchange's table to determine whether an obvious error 
has occurred (i.e., $0.05 + $0.25 = $0.30) so any execution at or above 
this price is an obvious error.
    [cir] Accordingly, the executions in all series would be adjusted 
by the Exchange to executions at $0.20 per contract (Theoretical Price 
of $0.05 plus $0.15) to the extent the incoming orders submitted by 
Member A were non-Customer orders.
    [cir] The executions in all series would be nullified to the extent 
the incoming orders submitted by Member A were Customer orders.
     As the Exchange and all other options exchanges would have 
identical rules with respect to the process described above, as other 
options exchanges intend to adopt the same rule if the proposed rule is 
approved, the transactions on the Away Exchange would also be nullified 
or adjusted as set forth above.
     If this example was instead modified such that Market 
Maker A was quoting in 200 series rather than 20, the Exchange notes 
that Market Maker A could only request that the Exchange consider as 
invalid their quotations in 25 of those series on other exchanges. As 
noted above, the Exchange has proposed to limit the proposed rule to 25 
series in order to continue to process requests for review in a timely 
and organized fashion in order to provide certainty to market 
participants. This is due to the amount of coordination that will be 
necessary in such a scenario to confirm that the quotations in question 
on an away options exchange were indeed submitted by a party to a 
transaction on the Exchange.
Obvious Error Panel, Appeals--Clean-Up Change
    Rule 975NY(k)(1)(B) describes the procedure for appealing decisions 
relating to obvious errors. The current rule provides, in relevant 
part, that a ``request for review on appeal must be made via facsimile 
or email within thirty (30) minutes after the party making the appeal 
is given notification of the initial determination being appealed.'' 
The Exchange proposes to modify this rule to remove reference to 
``facsimile,'' and allow that requests for appeal may only be made via 
email. The Exchanges believes this proposed change would update the 
rule to reflect current technology and add transparency to the rule 
text.
Trading Halts and Suspensions--Clarifying Change to Rule 953NY
    Rule 953NY describes the Exchange's authority to declare trading 
halts in one or more options traded on the Exchange. Currently, 
Commentary .04 to Rule 953NY states that the Exchange shall nullify any 
transaction that occurs during a trading halt in the affected option on 
the Exchange. The Exchange proposes to add rule text providing that, 
with respect to equity options (including options overlaying Exchange 
Traded Funds (``ETFs'')), that it shall nullify any transaction that 
occurs during a regulatory halt as declared by the primary listing 
market for the underlying security. Current Commentary .03 to Rule 
953NY defines a Regulatory Halt as one ``initiated by a regulatory 
authority in the primary market.'' The Exchange believes this change is 
necessary to distinguish a declared regulatory halt, where the 
underlying security should not be actively trading on any venue, from 
an operational issue on the primary listing exchange where the security 
may continue to trade on other trading venues. This proposed change 
would likewise be consistent with the rule of other options 
exchanges.\19\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \19\ See supra note 4.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Implementation
    The Exchange will announce the operative date by Trader Update. The 
Exchange proposes to delay the operative date of this proposal to a 
date within ninety (90) days after the BATS Approval Order, dated July 
6, 2017. The Exchange will announce the operative date in a Trader 
Update.
2. Statutory Basis
    The Exchange believes that its proposal is consistent with Section 
6(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the ``Act''),\20\ in 
general, and furthers the objectives of Section 6(b)(5) of the Act,\21\ 
in particular, in that it is designed to prevent fraudulent and 
manipulative acts and practices, to promote just and equitable 
principles of trade, to remove impediments to and perfect the mechanism 
of a free and open market and a national market system, and, in 
general, to protect investors and the public interest.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \20\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
    \21\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    As described above, the Exchange and other options exchanges are 
seeking to further modify their harmonized rules related to the 
adjustment and nullification of erroneous options transactions. The 
Exchange believes that the proposal to utilize a TP Provider in the 
event the NBBO is unavailable or unreliable will provide greater 
transparency and clarity with respect to the adjustment and 
nullification of erroneous options transactions. Particularly, the 
proposed changes seek to achieve consistent results for participants 
across U.S. options exchanges while maintaining a fair and orderly 
market, protecting investors and protecting the public interest. Thus, 
the Exchange believes that the proposal is consistent with Section 
6(b)(5) of the Act \22\ in that the proposed rule will foster 
cooperation and coordination with persons engaged in regulating and 
facilitating transactions.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \22\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Exchange again reiterates that it has retained the standard of 
the current rule for most reviews of options transactions pursuant to 
Rule 975NY, which is to rely on the NBBO to determine Theoretical Price 
if such NBBO can reasonably be relied upon. The proposal to use a TP 
Provider when

[[Page 43606]]

the NBBO is unavailable or unreliable is consistent with Section 
6(b)(5) of the Act \23\ in that the proposed rule will foster 
cooperation and coordination with persons engaged in regulating and 
facilitating transactions by further reducing the possibility of 
disparate results between options exchanges and increasing the 
objectivity of the application of Rule 975NY. Further, the Exchange 
believes that the proposed rule is transparent with respect to the 
limited circumstances under which the Exchange will request a review 
and correction of Theoretical Price from the TP Provider, and has 
sought to limit such circumstances as much as possible. The Exchange 
notes that under the current Rule, Exchange personnel are required to 
determine Theoretical Price in certain circumstances and yet rarely do 
so because such circumstances have already been significantly limited 
under the harmonized rule (for example, because the wide quote 
provision of the harmonized rule only applies if the quote was narrower 
and then gapped but does not apply if the quote had been persistently 
wide). Thus, the Exchange believes it will need to request Theoretical 
Price from the TP Provider only in very rare circumstances and in turn, 
the Exchange anticipates that the need to contact the TP Provider for 
additional review of the Theoretical Price provided by the TP Provider 
will be even rarer. Similarly, the Exchange believes it is unlikely 
that an Exchange Official will ever be required to determine 
Theoretical Price, as such circumstance would only be in the event of a 
systems issue that has rendered the TP Provider's services unavailable 
and such issue cannot be corrected in a timely manner.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \23\ Id.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Exchange also believes its proposal to adopt language in 
paragraph (d) of Commentary .06 to Rule 975NY to disclaim the liability 
of the Exchange and the TP Provider in connection with the proposed 
rule, the TP Provider's calculation of Theoretical Price, and the 
Exchange's use of such Theoretical Price is consistent with the Act. As 
noted above, this proposed language is modeled after existing language 
in Exchange Rules regarding ``reporting authorities'' that calculate 
indices,\24\ and is consistent with Section 6(b)(5) of the Act \25\ in 
that the proposed rule will foster cooperation and coordination with 
persons engaged in regulating and facilitating transactions.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \24\ See supra note 14.
    \25\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    As described above, the Exchange proposes a modification to the 
valid quotes provision to also exclude quotes in a series published by 
another options exchange if either party to the transaction in question 
submitted the orders or quotes in the series representing such options 
exchange's best bid or offer. The Exchange believes this proposal is 
consistent with Section 6(b)(5) of the Act \26\ because the application 
of the rule will foster cooperation and coordination with persons 
engaged in regulating and facilitating transactions by allowing the 
Exchange to coordinate with other options exchanges to determine 
whether a market participant that is party to a potentially erroneous 
transaction on the Exchange established the market in an option on 
other options exchanges; to the extent this can be established, the 
Exchange believes such participant's quotes should be excluded in the 
same way such quotes are excluded on the Exchange. The Exchange also 
believes it is reasonable to limit the scope of this provision to 
twenty-five (25) series and to require the party that believes it 
established the best bid or offer on one or more other options 
exchanges to identify to the Exchange the quotes which were submitted 
by that party and published by other options exchanges. The Exchange 
believes these limitations are consistent with Section 6(b)(5) of the 
Act \27\ because they will ensure that the Exchange is able to continue 
to apply the Rule in a timely and organized fashion, thus fostering 
cooperation and coordination with persons engaged in regulating and 
facilitating transactions and also removing impediments to and 
perfecting the mechanism of a free and open market and a national 
market system.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \26\ Id.
    \27\ Id.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The proposed change to Rule 975NY(k)(1)(B), to remove reference to 
sending requests for appeal via facsimile, would remove impediments to 
and perfect the mechanism of a free and open market and a national 
market system because the proposed change would update the rule to 
reflect current technology. This proposed change would also protect 
investors and the general public because it would add transparency to 
the rule text.
    Finally, with respect to the proposed modification to the 
Exchange's trading halt rule, Rule 953NY, the Exchange believes that 
this proposal is consistent with Section 6(b)(5) of the Act \28\ 
because it specifically provides for nullification where a trading halt 
exists with respect to an underlying security across the industry 
(i.e., a regulatory halt) as distinguished from a situation where the 
primary exchange has experienced a technical issue but the underlying 
security continues to trade on other equities platforms. The Exchange 
notes that a similar provision already exists in the rules of certain 
other options exchanges, and thus, has been found to be consistent with 
the Act.\29\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \28\Id.
    \29\See, e.g., BATs Approval Order, supra note 4; Interpretation 
and Policy .07 to CBOE Rule 6.3.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

    The Exchange believes that the proposed rule change is consistent 
with Section (b)(8) of the Act \30\ in that is does not impose any 
burden on competition that is not necessary or appropriate in 
furtherance of the purposes of the Act as explained below.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \30\15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(8).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Importantly, the Exchange does not believe that the proposal will 
impose a burden on intermarket competition but rather that it will 
alleviate any burden on competition because it is the result of a 
collaborative effort by all options exchanges to further harmonize and 
improve the process related to the adjustment and nullification of 
erroneous options transactions. The Exchange does not believe that the 
rules applicable to such process is an area where options exchanges 
should compete, but rather, that all options exchanges should have 
consistent rules to the extent possible. Particularly where a market 
participant trades on several different exchanges and an erroneous 
trade may occur on multiple markets nearly simultaneously, the Exchange 
believes that a participant should have a consistent experience with 
respect to the nullification or adjustment of transactions. To that 
end, the selection and implementation of a TP Provider utilized by all 
options exchanges will further reduce the possibility that participants 
with potentially erroneous transactions that span multiple options 
exchanges are handled differently on such exchanges. Similarly, the 
proposed ability to consider quotations invalid on another options 
exchange if ultimately originating from a party to a potentially 
erroneous transaction on the Exchange represents a proposal intended to 
further foster cooperation by the options exchanges with respect to 
market events. The Exchange understands that all other options 
exchanges either have or intend to file proposals that are 
substantially similar to this proposal.
    The Exchange does not believe that the proposed rule change imposes 
a

[[Page 43607]]

burden on intramarket competition because the proposed provisions apply 
to all market participants equally.

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

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

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

    Because the foregoing proposed rule change does not: (i) 
Significantly affect the protection of investors or the public 
interest; (ii) impose any significant burden on competition; and (iii) 
become operative for 30 days from the date on which it was filed, or 
such shorter time as the Commission may designate, it has become 
effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A)(iii) of the Act \31\ and 
subparagraph (f)(6) of Rule 19b-4 thereunder.\32\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \31\15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(iii).
    \32\17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6). In addition, Rule 19b-4(f)(6) 
requires a self-regulatory organization to give the Commission 
written notice of its intent to file the proposed rule change, along 
with a brief description and text of the proposed rule change, at 
least five business days prior to the date of filing of the proposed 
rule change, or such shorter time as designated by the Commission. 
The Exchange has satisfied this requirement.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    At any time within 60 days of the filing of the proposed rule 
change, the Commission summarily may temporarily suspend such rule 
change if it appears to the Commission that such action is: (i) 
Necessary or appropriate in the public interest; (ii) for the 
protection of investors; or (iii) otherwise in furtherance of the 
purposes of the Act. If the Commission takes such action, the 
Commission shall institute proceedings to determine whether the 
proposed rule should be approved or disapproved.

IV. Solicitation of Comments

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

Electronic Comments

     Use the Commission's Internet comment form (http://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml); or
     Send an email to [email protected]. Please include 
File Number SR-NYSEAMER-2017-12 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 SR-NYSEAMER-2017-12. This 
file number should be included on the subject line if email is used. To 
help the Commission process and review your comments more efficiently, 
please use only one method. The Commission will post all comments on 
the Commission's Internet Web site (http://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the submission, all subsequent amendments, all 
written statements with respect to the proposed rule change that are 
filed with the Commission, and all written communications relating to 
the proposed rule change between the Commission and any person, other 
than those that may be withheld from the public in accordance with the 
provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be available for Web site viewing and 
printing in the Commission's Public Reference Room, 100 F Street NE., 
Washington, DC 20549 on official business days between the hours of 
10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Copies of such 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-NYSEAMER-2017-12, and should 
be submitted on or before October 10, 2017.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\33\
Eduardo A. Aleman,
Assistant Secretary.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \33\17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

[FR Doc. 2017-19711 Filed 9-15-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 8011-01-P



                                                                          Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 179 / Monday, September 18, 2017 / Notices                                                   43601

                                                subject line if email is used. To help the              American’’) filed with the Securities                 related to the adjustment and
                                                Commission process and review your                      and Exchange Commission (the                          nullification of erroneous options
                                                comments more efficiently, please use                   ‘‘Commission’’) the proposed rule                     transactions, including a specific
                                                only one method. The Commission will                    change as described in Items I and II                 provision related to coordination in
                                                post all comments on the Commission’s                   below, which Items have been prepared                 connection with large-scale events
                                                Internet Web site (http://www.sec.gov/                  by the self-regulatory organization. The              involving erroneous options
                                                rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the                         Commission is publishing this notice to               transactions.5 The Exchange believes
                                                submission, all subsequent                              solicit comments on the proposed rule                 that the changes the options exchanges
                                                amendments, all written statements                      change from interested persons.                       implemented with the harmonized rule
                                                with respect to the proposed rule                                                                             have led to increased transparency and
                                                change that are filed with the                          I. Self-Regulatory Organization’s                     finality with respect to the adjustment
                                                Commission, and all written                             Statement of the Terms of Substance of                and nullification of erroneous options
                                                communications relating to the                          the Proposed Rule Change                              transactions. As part of the initial
                                                proposed rule change between the                           The Exchange proposes to amend                     initiative, however, the Exchange and
                                                Commission and any person, other than                   Rule 975NY (Nullification and                         other options exchanges deferred a few
                                                those that may be withheld from the                     Adjustment of Options Transactions                    specific matters for further discussion.6
                                                public in accordance with the                           including Obvious Errors) and Rule                    Specifically, as described in the Initial
                                                provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be                     953NY (Trading Halts and                              Filing, the Exchange and all other
                                                available for Web site viewing and                      Suspensions). The proposed rule change                options exchanges have been working to
                                                printing in the Commission’s Public                     is available on the Exchange’s Web site               further improve the review of
                                                Reference Room, 100 F Street NE.,                       at www.nyse.com, at the principal office              potentially erroneous transactions as
                                                Washington, DC 20549, on official                       of the Exchange, and at the                           well as their subsequent adjustment by
                                                business days between the hours of                      Commission’s Public Reference Room.                   creating an objective and universal way
                                                10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Copies of the                                                                        to determine Theoretical Price in the
                                                filing also will be available for                       II. Self-Regulatory Organization’s                    event a reliable NBBO is not available.
                                                inspection and copying at the principal                 Statement of the Purpose of, and                      Because this initiative required
                                                office of the Exchange. All comments                    Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule                additional exchange and industry
                                                received will be posted without change;                 Change                                                discussion as well as additional time for
                                                the Commission does not edit personal                      In its filing with the Commission, the             development and implementation, the
                                                identifying information from                            self-regulatory organization included                 Exchange and the other options
                                                submissions. You should submit only                     statements concerning the purpose of,                 exchanges determined to proceed with
                                                information that you wish to make                       and basis for, the proposed rule change               the Initial Filing and to undergo an
                                                available publicly. All submissions                     and discussed any comments it received                effort to complete any additional
                                                should refer to File Number SR–                         on the proposed rule change. The text                 improvements to the applicable rule. In
                                                BatsEDGA–2017–23 and should be                          of those statements may be examined at                this filing, the Exchange proposes to
                                                submitted on or before October 10,                      the places specified in Item IV below.                adopt procedures that will lead to a
                                                2017.                                                   The Exchange has prepared summaries,                  more objective and uniform way to
                                                  For the Commission, by the Division of                set forth in sections A, B, and C below,              determine Theoretical Price in the event
                                                Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated              of the most significant parts of such                 a reliable NBBO is not available. In
                                                authority.20                                            statements.                                           addition to this change, the Exchange
                                                Eduardo A. Aleman,                                                                                            has proposed additional minor changes
                                                                                                        A. Self-Regulatory Organization’s                     to its rules.
                                                Assistant Secretary.                                    Statement of the Purpose of, and
                                                [FR Doc. 2017–19809 Filed 9–15–17; 8:45 am]             Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule                Calculation of Theoretical Price Using a
                                                BILLING CODE 8011–01–P                                  Change                                                Third Party Provider
                                                                                                        1. Purpose                                              Under the harmonized rule, when
                                                                                                                                                              reviewing a transaction as potentially
                                                SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE                                    The purpose of this filing is to amend             erroneous, the Exchange needs to first
                                                COMMISSION                                              Rule 975NY, relating to the adjustment                determine the ‘‘Theoretical Price’’ of the
                                                [Release No. 34–81582; File No. SR–                     and nullification of erroneous                        option, i.e., the Exchange’s estimate of
                                                NYSEAMER–2017–12]                                       transactions, and Rule 953NY, regarding               the correct market price for the option.
                                                                                                        trading halts and suspensions. The                    Pursuant to Rule 975NY, if the
                                                Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE                     Exchange’s proposal is based on that of
                                                American LLC; Notice of Filing and                      Bats BZX (‘‘BATS’’), which the                           5 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 74921
                                                Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed                     Commission approved on July 6, 2017,                  (May 8, 2015), 80 FR 27816 (May 14, 2015) (SR–
                                                Rule Change To Amend Rule 975NY                         and those that the other options                      NYSEMKT–2015–39) (the ‘‘Initial Filing’’).
                                                                                                                                                                 6 For example, the Exchange, along with other
                                                and Rule 953NY                                          exchanges intend to file.4
                                                                                                                                                              options exchanges that offer complex orders on
                                                September 12, 2017.                                     Background                                            their options platforms, recently filed proposals
                                                                                                                                                              related to rules for handling the adjustment and
                                                   Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) 1 of the                  The Exchange and other options                      nullification of erroneous complex order
                                                Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the                    exchanges adopted a harmonized rule                   transactions, which proposals were approved by the
                                                ‘‘Act’’) 2 and Rule 19b–4 thereunder,3                                                                        Commission or filed on an immediately effective
sradovich on DSKBBY8HB2PROD with NOTICES




                                                                                                                                                              basis. See Securities Exchange Act Release Nos.
                                                notice is hereby given that on                             4 See Securities Exchange Act Release Nos. 81084
                                                                                                                                                              80040 (February 14, 2017), 82 FR 11248 (February
                                                September 1, 2017, NYSE American                        (July 6, 2017), 82 FR 32216 (July12, 2017) (‘‘BATS    21, 2017) (granting approval of CBOE proposal
                                                LLC (the ‘‘Exchange’’ or ‘‘NYSE                         Approval Order’’); 80709 (May 17, 2017), 82 FR        related to the nullification and adjustment of
                                                                                                        23684 (May 23, 2017) (‘‘Notice of BATS Filing’’)      complex orders) (SR–CBOE–2016–088); 80497
                                                  20 17
                                                                                                        (SR–BatsBZX–2017–35). See also Securities             (April 20, 2017), 82 FR 19290 (April 26, 2017)
                                                        CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).                            Exchange Act Release No. 81348 (August 8, 2017),      (notice of filing and immediate effectiveness of
                                                  1 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).                                82 FR 37910 (August 14, 2017) (SR–BX–2017–038)        Exchange proposal related to the nullification and
                                                  2 15 U.S.C. 78a.
                                                                                                        (immediately effective filing based on BATS           adjustment of complex orders) (SR–NYSEMKT–
                                                  3 17 CFR 240.19b–4.                                   Approval Order).                                      2017–22).



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                                                43602                     Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 179 / Monday, September 18, 2017 / Notices

                                                applicable option series is traded on at                   Pursuant to proposed Commentary                    Provider in all such circumstances.
                                                least one other options exchange, then                  .06, when the Exchange must determine                 However, the Exchange believes it is
                                                the Theoretical Price of an option series               Theoretical Price pursuant to the sub-                necessary to retain the ability to contact
                                                is the last national best bid (‘‘NBB’’) just            paragraphs (b)(1)–(3) of the Rule, the                the TP Provider if it believes that the
                                                prior to the trade in question with                     Exchange will request the Theoretical                 Theoretical Price provided is
                                                respect to an erroneous sell transaction                Price from the third party vendor to                  fundamentally incorrect and to
                                                or the last national best offer (‘‘NBO’’)               which the Exchange and all other                      determine the Theoretical Price in the
                                                just prior to the trade in question with                options exchanges have subscribed.                    limited circumstance of a systems issue
                                                respect to an erroneous buy transaction                 Thus, as set forth in this proposed                   experienced by the TP Provider, as
                                                unless one of the exceptions described                  language, Theoretical Price would be                  described below.
                                                below exists. Thus, whenever the                        provided to the Exchange by the TP                       As proposed, to the extent an
                                                Exchange has a reliable NBB or NBO, as                  Provider on request and not through a                 Official 9 of the Exchange believes that
                                                applicable, just prior to the transaction,              streaming data feed.7 This proposed                   the Theoretical Price provided by the TP
                                                the Exchange uses this NBB or NBO as                    language would also make clear that the               Provider is fundamentally incorrect and
                                                the Theoretical Price.                                  Exchange and all other options                        cannot be used consistent with the
                                                   The Rule also contains various                       exchanges will use the same TP                        maintenance of a fair and orderly
                                                provisions governing specific situations                Provider. As noted above, the proposed                market, the Official shall contact the TP
                                                where the NBB or NBO is not available                   TP Provider selected by the Exchange                  Provider to notify the TP Provider of the
                                                or may not be reliable. Specifically, the               and other options exchanges is Livevol.               reason the Official believes such
                                                Rule identifies situations in which there               The Exchange proposes to establish this               Theoretical Price is inaccurate and to
                                                are no quotes or no valid quotes for                    selection in proposed paragraph (d) to                request a review and correction of the
                                                comparison purposes, when the                           Commentary .06. As such, the Exchange                 calculated Theoretical Price. For
                                                national best bid or offer (‘‘NBBO’’) is                would file a rule proposal and would                  example, if an Official received from the
                                                determined to be too wide to be reliable,               provide notice to the options industry of             TP Provider a Theoretical Price of $80
                                                and at the open of trading on each                      any proposed change to the TP Provider.               in a series that the Official might expect
                                                trading day. In each of these                           The Exchange and other options                        to be instead in the range of $8 to $10
                                                circumstances because the NBB or NBO                    exchanges have selected Livevol as the                because of a recent corporate action in
                                                is not available or is deemed to be                     proposed TP Provider after diligence                  the underlying, the Official would
                                                unreliable, the Exchange determines the                 into various alternatives. Livevol has,               request that the TP Provider review and
                                                                                                        since 2009, been the options industry                 confirm its calculation and determine
                                                Theoretical Price. Under the current
                                                                                                        leader in providing equity and index                  whether it had appropriately accounted
                                                Rule, when determining Theoretical
                                                                                                        options market data and analytics                     for the corporate action. In order to
                                                Price, Exchange personnel generally
                                                                                                        services.8 The Exchange believes that                 ensure that other options exchanges that
                                                consult and refer to data such as the
                                                                                                        Livevol has established itself within the             may potentially be relying on the same
                                                prices of related series, especially the
                                                                                                        options industry as a trusted provider of             Theoretical Price that the Official
                                                closest strikes in the option in question.
                                                                                                        such services and notes that it and all               believes to be incorrect, the Exchange
                                                Exchange personnel may also take into
                                                                                                        other options exchanges already                       also proposes to promptly provide
                                                account the price of the underlying
                                                                                                        subscribe to various Livevol services. In             notice to other options exchanges that
                                                security and the volatility
                                                                                                        connection with this proposal, Livevol                the TP Provider has been contacted to
                                                characteristics of the option as well as                                                                      review and correct the calculated
                                                                                                        will develop a new tool based on its
                                                historical pricing of the option and/or                                                                       Theoretical Price at issue and to include
                                                                                                        existing technology and services that
                                                similar options. Although the Rule is                                                                         a brief explanation of the reason for the
                                                                                                        will supply Theoretical Price to the
                                                administered by experienced personnel                                                                         request.10 Although not directly
                                                                                                        Exchange and other options exchanges
                                                and the Exchange believes the process is                                                                      addressed by the proposed rule, the
                                                                                                        upon request. The Theoretical Price tool
                                                currently appropriate, the Exchange                                                                           Exchange expects that all other options
                                                                                                        will leverage current market data and
                                                recognizes that it is also subjective and                                                                     exchanges once in receipt of this
                                                                                                        surrounding strikes to assist in a relative
                                                could lead to disparate results for a                   value pricing approach to generating a                notification would await the
                                                transaction that spans multiple options                 Theoretical Price. When relative value                determination of the TP Provider and
                                                exchanges.                                              methods are incapable of generating a                 would use the corrected price as soon as
                                                   The Exchange proposes new                            valid Theoretical Price, the Theoretical              it is available. The Exchange further
                                                Commentary .06 to specify how the                       Price tool will utilize historical trade              notes that it expects the TP Provider to
                                                Exchange will determine Theoretical                     and quote data to calculate Theoretical               cooperate with, but to be independent
                                                Price when required by sub-paragraphs                   Price.                                                of, the Exchange and other options
                                                (b)(1)–(3) of the Rule (i.e., at the open,                 Because the purpose of the proposal                exchanges.11
                                                when there are no valid quotes or when                  is to move away from a subjective
                                                there is a wide quote). In particular, the              determination by Exchange personnel                      9 For purposes of the Rule, an Official is an

                                                Exchange has been working with other                    when the NBBO is unavailable or                       Officer of the Exchange or such other employee
                                                options exchanges to identify and select                                                                      designee of the Exchange that is trained in the
                                                                                                        unreliable, the Exchange intends to use               application of Rule 975NY.
                                                a reliable third party vendor (‘‘TP                     the Theoretical Price provided by the TP                 10 See proposed paragraph (b) to Commentary .06.
                                                Provider’’) that would provide the                                                                               11 The Exchange expects any TP Provider selected
                                                Theoretical Price to the Exchange                          7 Though the Exchange and other options            by the Exchange and other options exchanges to act
                                                whenever one or more transactions is                    exchanges considered a streaming feed, it was         independently in its determination and calculation
sradovich on DSKBBY8HB2PROD with NOTICES




                                                under review pursuant to Rule 975NY                     determined that it would be more feasible to          of Theoretical Price. With respect to Livevol
                                                                                                        develop and implement an on demand service and        specifically, the Exchange again notes that Livevol
                                                and the NBBO is unavailable or deemed                   that such a service would satisfy the goals of the    is a subsidiary of CBOE Holdings, Inc., which is
                                                unreliable pursuant to Rule 975NY(b).                   initiative.                                           also the ultimate parent company of multiple
                                                The Exchange and other options                             8 The Exchange notes that in 2015, Livevol was     options exchanges. The Exchange expects Livevol
                                                                                                        acquired by CBOE Holdings, Inc., the ultimate         to calculate Theoretical Price independent of its
                                                exchanges have selected CBOE Livevol,                   parent company of the Chicago Board Options           affiliated exchanges in the same way it will
                                                LLC (‘‘Livevol’’) as the TP Provider, as                Exchange (‘‘CBOE’’) and C2 Options Exchange           calculate Theoretical Price independent of non-
                                                described below.                                        (‘‘C2’’).                                             affiliated exchanges.



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                                                                          Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 179 / Monday, September 18, 2017 / Notices                                                            43603

                                                   The Exchange believes that the                       proposed a specific time by which the                     the Exchange nor the TP Provider shall
                                                proposal to allow an Exchange Official                  service must be available in order to be                  have any liability for any damages,
                                                to contact the TP Provider if he or she                 considered timely.13 The Exchange                         claims, losses (including any indirect or
                                                believes the provided Theoretical Price                 expects that it would await the TP                        consequential losses), expenses, or
                                                is fundamentally incorrect is necessary,                Provider’s services becoming available                    delays, whether direct or indirect,
                                                particularly because the Exchange and                   again so long as the Exchange was able                    foreseen or unforeseen, suffered by any
                                                other options exchanges will be using                   to obtain information regarding the                       person arising out of any circumstance
                                                the new process for the first time.12                   issue and the TP Provider had a                           or occurrence relating to the use of such
                                                Although the exchanges have conducted                   reasonable expectation of being able to                   Theoretical Price or arising out of any
                                                thorough diligence with respect to                      resume normal operations within the                       errors or delays in calculating such
                                                Livevol as the selected TP Provider and                 next several hours based on                               Theoretical Price. This proposed
                                                would do so with any potential                          communications with the TP Provider.                      language is modeled after existing
                                                replacement TP Provider, the Exchange                   More specifically with respect to                         language in Exchange Rules regarding
                                                is concerned that certain scenarios                     Livevol, Livevol has business continuity                  ‘‘reporting authorities’’ that calculate
                                                could arise where the Theoretical Price                 and disaster recovery procedures that                     indices.14
                                                generated by the TP Provider does not                   will help to ensure that the Theoretical
                                                take into account relevant factors and                                                                               In connection with the proposed
                                                                                                        Price tool remains available or, in the                   change described above, the Exchange
                                                would result in an unfair result for                    event of an outage, that service is
                                                market participants involved in a                                                                                 proposes to modify Rule 975NY to state
                                                                                                        restored in a timely manner. The                          that the Exchange will rely on paragraph
                                                transaction. The Exchange notes that if                 Exchange also notes that if a wide-scale
                                                such situations do indeed arise, to the                                                                           (b) and Commentary .06 when
                                                                                                        event occurred, even if such event did                    determining Theoretical Price.
                                                extent practicable the Exchange would                   not qualify as a ‘‘Significant Market
                                                also work with the TP Provider and                      Event’’ pursuant to Rule 975NY(e), and                    No Valid Quotes—Market Participant
                                                other options exchanges to improve the                  the TP Provider was unavailable or                        Quoting on Multiple Exchanges
                                                TP Provider’s calculation of Theoretical                otherwise experiencing difficulty, the
                                                Price in future situations. For instance,               Exchange believes that it and other                          As described above, one of the times
                                                if the Exchange determines that a                       options exchanges would seek to                           where the NBB or NBO is deemed to be
                                                particular type of corporate action is not              coordinate to the extent possible. In                     unreliable for purposes of Theoretical
                                                being appropriately captured by the TP                  particular, the Exchange and other                        Price is when there are no quotes or no
                                                Provider when such provider is                          options exchanges now have a process,                     valid quotes for the affected series. In
                                                generating Theoretical Price, while the                 administered by the Options Clearing                      addition to when there are no quotes,
                                                Exchange believes that it needs the                     Corporation, to invoke a discussion                       the Exchange does not consider the
                                                ability to request a review and                         amongst all options exchanges in the                      following to be valid quotes: (i) All
                                                correction of the Theoretical Price in                  event of any widespread or significant                    quotes in the applicable option series
                                                connection with a specific review in                    market events. The Exchange believes                      published at a time where the last NBB
                                                order to provide a timely decision to                   that this process could be used if there                  is higher than the last NBO in such
                                                market participants, the Exchange                       were an issue with the TP Provider.                       series (a ‘‘crossed market’’); (ii) quotes
                                                would share information regarding the                      The Exchange also proposes language                    published by the Exchange that were
                                                specific situation with the TP Provider                 in paragraph (d) of Commentary .06 to                     submitted by either party to the
                                                and other options exchanges in an effort                Rule 975NY to disclaim the liability of                   transaction in question; and (iii) quotes
                                                to improve the Theoretical Price service                the Exchange and the TP Provider in                       published by another options exchange
                                                for future use. The Exchange notes that                 connection with the proposed rule, the                    against which the Exchange has
                                                it does not anticipate needing to rely on               TP Provider’s calculation of Theoretical                  declared self-help. In recognition of
                                                this provision frequently, if at all, but               Price, and the Exchange’s use of such                     today’s market structure where certain
                                                believes the provision is necessary                     Theoretical Price. Specifically, the                      participants actively provide liquidity
                                                nonetheless to best prepare for all                     proposed rule would state that neither                    on multiple exchanges simultaneously,
                                                potential circumstances.                                                                                          the Exchange proposes to add a category
                                                                                                        the Exchange, the TP Provider, nor any
                                                   Pursuant to proposed paragraph (c) to                                                                          of invalid quotes. Specifically, in order
                                                                                                        affiliate of the TP Provider (the TP
                                                Commentary .06, an Official of the                                                                                to avoid a situation where a market
                                                Exchange may determine the                              Provider and its affiliates are referred to
                                                                                                        collectively as the ‘‘TP Provider’’),                     participant has established the market at
                                                Theoretical Price if the TP Provider has                                                                          an erroneous price on multiple
                                                experienced a systems issue that has                    makes any warranty, express or implied,
                                                                                                        as to the results to be obtained by any                   exchanges, the Exchange proposes to
                                                rendered its services unavailable to                                                                              consider as invalid the quotes in a series
                                                accurately calculate Theoretical Price                  person or entity from the use of the TP
                                                                                                        Provider pursuant to Commentary .06.                      published by another options exchange
                                                and such issue cannot be corrected in a                                                                           if either party to the transaction in
                                                timely manner. The Exchange notes that                  The proposed rule would further state
                                                                                                        that the TP Provider does not guarantee                   question submitted the quotes in the
                                                it does not anticipate needing to rely on                                                                         series representing such options
                                                this provision frequently, if at all, but               the accuracy or completeness of the
                                                                                                        calculated Theoretical Price and that the                 exchange’s best bid or offer. Thus,
                                                believes the provision is necessary                                                                               similar to being able to ignore for
                                                nonetheless to best prepare for all                     TP Provider disclaims all warranties of
                                                                                                        merchantability or fitness for a                          purposes of the Rule the quotes
                                                potential circumstances. Further,                                                                                 published by the Exchange if submitted
                                                                                                        particular purpose or use with respect to
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                                                consistent with existing text in Rule                                                                             by either party to the transaction in
                                                975NY(e)(4), the Exchange has not                       such Theoretical Price. Finally, the
                                                                                                        proposed Rule would state that neither                    question, the Exchange would be able to
                                                  12 To the extent the TP Provider has been
                                                                                                                                                                  ignore for purposes of the rule
                                                contacted by an Official of the Exchange, reviews          13 In the context of a Significant Market Event, the

                                                the Theoretical Price provided but disagrees that       Exchange may determine, ‘‘in consultation with               14 See, e.g., Rule 914F (Limitation on Exchange

                                                there has been any error, then the Exchange would       other options exchanges . . . that timely adjustment      Liability), which relates to index options potentially
                                                be bound to use the Theoretical Price provided by       is not feasible due to the extraordinary nature of the    listed and traded on the Exchange and disclaims
                                                the TP Provider.                                        situation.’’ See Rule 975NY(e)(4).                        liability for a reporting authority and their affiliates.



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                                                43604                     Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 179 / Monday, September 18, 2017 / Notices

                                                quotations on other options exchanges                   Exchange representing the NBBO based                     • Assume Member A immediately
                                                by that same market participant.                        on Market Maker A’s quotes).                          enters sell orders and executes against
                                                  In order to continue to apply the Rule                  • Assume Member A immediately                       Market Maker A’s quotes at $1.00.
                                                in a timely and organized fashion,                      enters sell orders and executes against                  • Assume Market Maker A submits to
                                                however, the Exchange proposes to                       Market Maker A’s quotes at $1.00.                     the Exchange and to the Away Exchange
                                                initially limit the scope of this proposed                • Assume Market Maker A submits to                  timely requests for review of the trades
                                                provision in two ways in new paragraph                  the Exchange a timely request for review              with Member A as potentially erroneous
                                                (C) to Rule 975NY(b)(2).15 First, because               of the trades with Member A as                        transactions to buy.
                                                the process will take considerable                      potentially erroneous transactions to
                                                                                                                                                              Result
                                                coordination with other options                         buy.
                                                exchanges to confirm that the quotations                                                                         • Based on the Exchange’s current
                                                                                                        Result                                                rules, the Exchange would identify
                                                in question on an away options
                                                exchange were indeed submitted by a                        • Based on the Exchange’s current                  Market Maker A as a participant to the
                                                party to a transaction on the Exchange,                 rules, the Exchange would identify                    trades at issue and would consider
                                                the Exchange proposes to limit this                     Market Maker A as a participant to the                Market Maker A’s quotations on the
                                                provision to apply to up to twenty-five                 trades at issue and would consider                    Exchange invalid pursuant to Rule
                                                (25) total options series (i.e., whether                Market Maker A’s quotations invalid                   975NY(b)(2). The Exchange, however,
                                                such series all relate to the same                      pursuant to Rule 975NY(b)(2).                         would view the Away Exchange’s
                                                underlying security or multiple                            • As there were no other valid quotes              quotations as valid, and would thus
                                                underlying securities). Second, the                     to use as a reference price, the Exchange             determine Theoretical Price to be $1.05
                                                Exchange proposes to require the party                  would then determine Theoretical Price.               (i.e., the NBO in the case of a potentially
                                                that believes it established the best bid                  • Assume the Exchange determines a                 erroneous buy transaction).
                                                                                                        Theoretical Price of $0.05.                              • The execution price of $1.00 does
                                                or offer on one or more other options
                                                                                                           Æ The execution price of $1.00                     not exceed the $0.25 minimum amount
                                                exchanges to identify to the Exchange
                                                                                                        exceeds the $0.25 minimum amount set                  set forth in the Exchange’s table to
                                                the quotes which were submitted by
                                                                                                        forth in the Exchange’s table to                      determine whether an obvious error has
                                                such party and published by other
                                                                                                        determine whether an obvious error has                occurred (i.e., $1.05 + $0.25 = $1.30) so
                                                options exchanges. In other words, as
                                                                                                        occurred (i.e., $0.05 + $0.25 = $0.30) so             any execution at or above this price is
                                                proposed, the burden will be on the
                                                                                                        any execution at or above this price is               an obvious error.
                                                party seeking that the Exchange                                                                                  • The transactions on the Exchange
                                                                                                        an obvious error.
                                                disregard their quotations on other                        Æ Accordingly, the executions in all               would not be nullified or adjusted.
                                                options exchanges to identify such                      series would be adjusted by the                          • As the Exchange and all other
                                                quotations. In turn, the Exchange will                  Exchange to executions at $0.20 per                   options exchanges have identical rules
                                                verify with such other options                          contract (Theoretical Price of $0.05 plus             with respect to the process described
                                                exchanges that such quotations were                     $0.15) to the extent the incoming orders              above, the transactions on the Away
                                                indeed submitted by such party.16                       submitted by Member A were non-                       Exchange would not be nullified or
                                                  Below are examples of both the                                                                              adjusted.
                                                                                                        Customer orders.
                                                current rule and the rule as proposed to                   Æ The executions in all series would
                                                be amended.                                                                                                   Example 3—Proposed Rule, Member
                                                                                                        be nullified to the extent the incoming               Erroneously Quotes on Multiple
                                                Example 1—Current Rule, Member                          orders submitted by Member A were                     Exchanges 17
                                                Erroneously Quotes on One Exchange                      Customer orders.
                                                                                                                                                              Assumptions
                                                Assumptions                                             Example 2—Current Rule, Member
                                                                                                        Erroneously Quotes on Multiple                           • For purposes of this example,
                                                  For purposes of this example, assume                                                                        assume the following:
                                                                                                        Exchanges
                                                the following:                                                                                                   • A Member acting as a Market Maker
                                                  • A Member acting as a Market Maker                   Assumptions                                           on the Exchange (‘‘Market Maker A’’) is
                                                on the Exchange (‘‘Market Maker A’’) is                                                                       quoting in twenty series of options
                                                                                                           For purposes of this example, assume
                                                quoting in twenty series of options                                                                           underlying security ABCD on the
                                                                                                        the following:
                                                underlying security ABCD on the                            • A Member acting as a Market Maker                Exchange and on a second exchange
                                                Exchange (and only the Exchange).                       on the Exchange (‘‘Market Maker A’’) is               (‘‘Away Exchange’’).18
                                                  • Market Maker A makes an error in                                                                             • Market Maker A makes an error in
                                                                                                        quoting in twenty series of options
                                                calculating the market for options on                                                                         calculating the market for options on
                                                                                                        underlying security ABCD on the
                                                ABCD, and publishes quotes in all                                                                             ABCD, and publishes quotes on both the
                                                                                                        Exchange and on a second exchange
                                                twenty series to buy options at $1.00                                                                         Exchange and the Away Exchange in all
                                                                                                        (‘‘Away Exchange’’).
                                                and to sell options at $1.05.                              • Market Maker A makes an error in                 twenty series to buy options at $1.00
                                                  • In fact, options on ABCD in these                                                                         and to sell options at $1.05.
                                                                                                        calculating the market for options on
                                                series are nearly worthless and no other
                                                                                                        ABCD, and publishes quotes on both the                   • In fact, options on ABCD in these
                                                market participant is quoting in such                                                                         series are nearly worthless and no other
                                                                                                        Exchange and the Away Exchange in all
                                                series.                                                                                                       market participant is quoting in such
                                                  • Therefore, the NBBO in the twenty                   twenty series to buy options at $1.00
                                                                                                        and to sell options at $1.05.                         series.
                                                series at issue is $1.00 × $1.05 (with the
                                                                                                           • In fact, options on ABCD in these
                                                                                                                                                                17 The Exchange notes that its proposed rule will
                                                                                                        series are nearly worthless and no other
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                                                  15  In connection with proposed change, the                                                                 not impact the proposed handling of a request for
                                                Exchange proposes to re-format Rule 975NY(b)(2) to      market participant is quoting in such                 review where a market participant is quoting only
                                                include sub-paragraphs (A)–(D), inclusive of the        series.                                               on the Exchange, thus, the Exchange has not
                                                new rule text in proposed Rule 975NY(b)(2)(C).             • Therefore, the NBBO in the twenty                included a separate example for such a fact-pattern.
                                                   16 The Exchange notes that the proposed text of
                                                                                                        series at issue is $1.00 × $1.05 (with the              18 The Exchange notes that the proposed rule

                                                975NY(b)(2)(C) differs slightly from BATS Rule                                                                would operate the same if Market Maker A was
                                                20.6(b)(2)(C), even though the substance of the
                                                                                                        Exchange and the Away Exchange                        quoting on more than two exchanges. The Exchange
                                                proposed rule is the same. The Exchange believes        representing the NBBO based on Market                 has limited the example to two exchanges for
                                                its proposed rule text is easier to comprehend.         Maker A’s quotes).                                    simplicity.



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                                                                          Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 179 / Monday, September 18, 2017 / Notices                                             43605

                                                   • Therefore, the NBBO in the twenty                  transactions on the Away Exchange                     operational issue on the primary listing
                                                series at issue is $1.00 × $1.05 (with the              would also be nullified or adjusted as                exchange where the security may
                                                Exchange and the Away Exchange                          set forth above.                                      continue to trade on other trading
                                                representing the NBBO based on Market                      • If this example was instead                      venues. This proposed change would
                                                Maker A’s quotes).                                      modified such that Market Maker A was                 likewise be consistent with the rule of
                                                   • Assume Member A immediately                        quoting in 200 series rather than 20, the             other options exchanges.19
                                                enters sell orders and executes against                 Exchange notes that Market Maker A
                                                Market Maker A’s quotes at $1.00.                       could only request that the Exchange                  Implementation
                                                   • Assume Market Maker A submits to                   consider as invalid their quotations in                 The Exchange will announce the
                                                the Exchange and to the Away Exchange                   25 of those series on other exchanges.                operative date by Trader Update. The
                                                timely requests for review of the trades                As noted above, the Exchange has                      Exchange proposes to delay the
                                                with Member A as potentially erroneous                  proposed to limit the proposed rule to                operative date of this proposal to a date
                                                transactions to buy. At the time of                     25 series in order to continue to process             within ninety (90) days after the BATS
                                                submitting the requests for review to the               requests for review in a timely and                   Approval Order, dated July 6, 2017. The
                                                Exchange and the Away Exchange,                         organized fashion in order to provide                 Exchange will announce the operative
                                                Market Maker A identifies to the                        certainty to market participants. This is             date in a Trader Update.
                                                Exchange the quotes on the Away                         due to the amount of coordination that
                                                                                                        will be necessary in such a scenario to               2. Statutory Basis
                                                Exchange as quotes also represented by
                                                Market Maker A (and to the Away                         confirm that the quotations in question                  The Exchange believes that its
                                                Exchange, the quotes on the Exchange                    on an away options exchange were                      proposal is consistent with Section 6(b)
                                                as quotes also represented by Market                    indeed submitted by a party to a                      of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                                                Maker A).                                               transaction on the Exchange.                          (the ‘‘Act’’),20 in general, and furthers
                                                                                                                                                              the objectives of Section 6(b)(5) of the
                                                Result                                                  Obvious Error Panel, Appeals—Clean-
                                                                                                                                                              Act,21 in particular, in that it is designed
                                                                                                        Up Change
                                                   • Based on the proposed rules, the                                                                         to prevent fraudulent and manipulative
                                                Exchange would identify Market Maker                       Rule 975NY(k)(1)(B) describes the                  acts and practices, to promote just and
                                                A as a participant to the trades at issue               procedure for appealing decisions                     equitable principles of trade, to remove
                                                and would consider Market Maker A’s                     relating to obvious errors. The current               impediments to and perfect the
                                                quotations on the Exchange invalid                      rule provides, in relevant part, that a               mechanism of a free and open market
                                                pursuant to Rule 975NY(b)(2).                           ‘‘request for review on appeal must be                and a national market system, and, in
                                                   • The Exchange and the Away                          made via facsimile or email within                    general, to protect investors and the
                                                Exchange would also coordinate to                       thirty (30) minutes after the party                   public interest.
                                                confirm that the quotations identified by               making the appeal is given notification                  As described above, the Exchange and
                                                Market Maker A on the other exchange                    of the initial determination being                    other options exchanges are seeking to
                                                were indeed Market Maker A’s                            appealed.’’ The Exchange proposes to                  further modify their harmonized rules
                                                quotations. Once confirmed, each of the                 modify this rule to remove reference to               related to the adjustment and
                                                Exchange and the Away Exchange                          ‘‘facsimile,’’ and allow that requests for            nullification of erroneous options
                                                would also consider invalid the                         appeal may only be made via email. The                transactions. The Exchange believes that
                                                quotations published on the other                       Exchanges believes this proposed                      the proposal to utilize a TP Provider in
                                                exchange.                                               change would update the rule to reflect               the event the NBBO is unavailable or
                                                   • As there were no other valid quotes                current technology and add                            unreliable will provide greater
                                                to use as a reference price, the Exchange               transparency to the rule text.                        transparency and clarity with respect to
                                                would then determine Theoretical Price.                 Trading Halts and Suspensions—                        the adjustment and nullification of
                                                   • Assume the Exchange determines a                   Clarifying Change to Rule 953NY                       erroneous options transactions.
                                                Theoretical Price of $0.05.                                                                                   Particularly, the proposed changes seek
                                                   Æ The execution price of $1.00                          Rule 953NY describes the Exchange’s                to achieve consistent results for
                                                exceeds the $0.25 minimum amount set                    authority to declare trading halts in one             participants across U.S. options
                                                forth in the Exchange’s table to                        or more options traded on the Exchange.               exchanges while maintaining a fair and
                                                determine whether an obvious error has                  Currently, Commentary .04 to Rule                     orderly market, protecting investors and
                                                occurred (i.e., $0.05 + $0.25 = $0.30) so               953NY states that the Exchange shall                  protecting the public interest. Thus, the
                                                any execution at or above this price is                 nullify any transaction that occurs                   Exchange believes that the proposal is
                                                an obvious error.                                       during a trading halt in the affected                 consistent with Section 6(b)(5) of the
                                                   Æ Accordingly, the executions in all                 option on the Exchange. The Exchange                  Act 22 in that the proposed rule will
                                                series would be adjusted by the                         proposes to add rule text providing that,             foster cooperation and coordination
                                                Exchange to executions at $0.20 per                     with respect to equity options                        with persons engaged in regulating and
                                                contract (Theoretical Price of $0.05 plus               (including options overlaying Exchange                facilitating transactions.
                                                $0.15) to the extent the incoming orders                Traded Funds (‘‘ETFs’’)), that it shall                  The Exchange again reiterates that it
                                                submitted by Member A were non-                         nullify any transaction that occurs                   has retained the standard of the current
                                                Customer orders.                                        during a regulatory halt as declared by               rule for most reviews of options
                                                   Æ The executions in all series would                 the primary listing market for the                    transactions pursuant to Rule 975NY,
                                                be nullified to the extent the incoming                 underlying security. Current                          which is to rely on the NBBO to
                                                orders submitted by Member A were                       Commentary .03 to Rule 953NY defines
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                                                                                                                                                              determine Theoretical Price if such
                                                Customer orders.                                        a Regulatory Halt as one ‘‘initiated by a             NBBO can reasonably be relied upon.
                                                   • As the Exchange and all other                      regulatory authority in the primary                   The proposal to use a TP Provider when
                                                options exchanges would have identical                  market.’’ The Exchange believes this
                                                rules with respect to the process                       change is necessary to distinguish a                    19 See supra note 4.
                                                described above, as other options                       declared regulatory halt, where the                     20 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
                                                exchanges intend to adopt the same rule                 underlying security should not be                       21 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).

                                                if the proposed rule is approved, the                   actively trading on any venue, from an                  22 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).




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                                                43606                       Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 179 / Monday, September 18, 2017 / Notices

                                                the NBBO is unavailable or unreliable is                 quotes provision to also exclude quotes                halt) as distinguished from a situation
                                                consistent with Section 6(b)(5) of the                   in a series published by another options               where the primary exchange has
                                                Act 23 in that the proposed rule will                    exchange if either party to the                        experienced a technical issue but the
                                                foster cooperation and coordination                      transaction in question submitted the                  underlying security continues to trade
                                                with persons engaged in regulating and                   orders or quotes in the series                         on other equities platforms. The
                                                facilitating transactions by further                     representing such options exchange’s                   Exchange notes that a similar provision
                                                reducing the possibility of disparate                    best bid or offer. The Exchange believes               already exists in the rules of certain
                                                results between options exchanges and                    this proposal is consistent with Section               other options exchanges, and thus, has
                                                increasing the objectivity of the                        6(b)(5) of the Act 26 because the                      been found to be consistent with the
                                                application of Rule 975NY. Further, the                  application of the rule will foster                    Act.29
                                                Exchange believes that the proposed                      cooperation and coordination with
                                                                                                                                                                B. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
                                                rule is transparent with respect to the                  persons engaged in regulating and
                                                                                                                                                                Statement on Burden on Competition
                                                limited circumstances under which the                    facilitating transactions by allowing the
                                                Exchange will request a review and                       Exchange to coordinate with other                         The Exchange believes that the
                                                correction of Theoretical Price from the                 options exchanges to determine whether                 proposed rule change is consistent with
                                                TP Provider, and has sought to limit                     a market participant that is party to a                Section (b)(8) of the Act 30 in that is does
                                                such circumstances as much as possible.                  potentially erroneous transaction on the               not impose any burden on competition
                                                The Exchange notes that under the                        Exchange established the market in an                  that is not necessary or appropriate in
                                                current Rule, Exchange personnel are                     option on other options exchanges; to                  furtherance of the purposes of the Act
                                                required to determine Theoretical Price                  the extent this can be established, the                as explained below.
                                                in certain circumstances and yet rarely                  Exchange believes such participant’s                      Importantly, the Exchange does not
                                                do so because such circumstances have                    quotes should be excluded in the same                  believe that the proposal will impose a
                                                already been significantly limited under                 way such quotes are excluded on the                    burden on intermarket competition but
                                                the harmonized rule (for example,                        Exchange. The Exchange also believes it                rather that it will alleviate any burden
                                                because the wide quote provision of the                  is reasonable to limit the scope of this               on competition because it is the result
                                                harmonized rule only applies if the                      provision to twenty-five (25) series and               of a collaborative effort by all options
                                                quote was narrower and then gapped                       to require the party that believes it                  exchanges to further harmonize and
                                                but does not apply if the quote had been                 established the best bid or offer on one               improve the process related to the
                                                persistently wide). Thus, the Exchange                   or more other options exchanges to                     adjustment and nullification of
                                                believes it will need to request                         identify to the Exchange the quotes                    erroneous options transactions. The
                                                Theoretical Price from the TP Provider                   which were submitted by that party and                 Exchange does not believe that the rules
                                                only in very rare circumstances and in                   published by other options exchanges.                  applicable to such process is an area
                                                turn, the Exchange anticipates that the                  The Exchange believes these limitations                where options exchanges should
                                                need to contact the TP Provider for                      are consistent with Section 6(b)(5) of the             compete, but rather, that all options
                                                additional review of the Theoretical                     Act 27 because they will ensure that the               exchanges should have consistent rules
                                                Price provided by the TP Provider will                   Exchange is able to continue to apply                  to the extent possible. Particularly
                                                be even rarer. Similarly, the Exchange                   the Rule in a timely and organized                     where a market participant trades on
                                                believes it is unlikely that an Exchange                 fashion, thus fostering cooperation and                several different exchanges and an
                                                Official will ever be required to                        coordination with persons engaged in                   erroneous trade may occur on multiple
                                                determine Theoretical Price, as such                     regulating and facilitating transactions               markets nearly simultaneously, the
                                                circumstance would only be in the                        and also removing impediments to and                   Exchange believes that a participant
                                                event of a systems issue that has                        perfecting the mechanism of a free and                 should have a consistent experience
                                                rendered the TP Provider’s services                      open market and a national market                      with respect to the nullification or
                                                unavailable and such issue cannot be                     system.                                                adjustment of transactions. To that end,
                                                corrected in a timely manner.                               The proposed change to Rule                         the selection and implementation of a
                                                   The Exchange also believes its                        975NY(k)(1)(B), to remove reference to                 TP Provider utilized by all options
                                                proposal to adopt language in paragraph                  sending requests for appeal via                        exchanges will further reduce the
                                                (d) of Commentary .06 to Rule 975NY to                   facsimile, would remove impediments                    possibility that participants with
                                                disclaim the liability of the Exchange                   to and perfect the mechanism of a free                 potentially erroneous transactions that
                                                and the TP Provider in connection with                   and open market and a national market                  span multiple options exchanges are
                                                the proposed rule, the TP Provider’s                     system because the proposed change                     handled differently on such exchanges.
                                                calculation of Theoretical Price, and the                would update the rule to reflect current               Similarly, the proposed ability to
                                                Exchange’s use of such Theoretical Price                 technology. This proposed change                       consider quotations invalid on another
                                                is consistent with the Act. As noted                     would also protect investors and the                   options exchange if ultimately
                                                above, this proposed language is                         general public because it would add                    originating from a party to a potentially
                                                modeled after existing language in                       transparency to the rule text.                         erroneous transaction on the Exchange
                                                Exchange Rules regarding ‘‘reporting                        Finally, with respect to the proposed               represents a proposal intended to
                                                authorities’’ that calculate indices,24                  modification to the Exchange’s trading                 further foster cooperation by the options
                                                and is consistent with Section 6(b)(5) of                halt rule, Rule 953NY, the Exchange                    exchanges with respect to market
                                                the Act 25 in that the proposed rule will                believes that this proposal is consistent              events. The Exchange understands that
                                                foster cooperation and coordination                      with Section 6(b)(5) of the Act 28                     all other options exchanges either have
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                                                with persons engaged in regulating and                   because it specifically provides for                   or intend to file proposals that are
                                                facilitating transactions.                               nullification where a trading halt exists              substantially similar to this proposal.
                                                   As described above, the Exchange                      with respect to an underlying security                    The Exchange does not believe that
                                                proposes a modification to the valid                     across the industry (i.e., a regulatory                the proposed rule change imposes a
                                                  23 Id.                                                   26 Id.                                                 29See, e.g., BATs Approval Order, supra note 4;
                                                  24 See supra note 14.                                    27 Id.                                               Interpretation and Policy .07 to CBOE Rule 6.3.
                                                  25 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).                                  28Id.                                                  3015 U.S.C. 78f(b)(8).




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                                                                            Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 179 / Monday, September 18, 2017 / Notices                                            43607

                                                burden on intramarket competition                         Paper Comments                                        SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
                                                because the proposed provisions apply                                                                           COMMISSION
                                                to all market participants equally.                         • Send paper comments in triplicate
                                                                                                          to Brent J. Fields, Secretary, Securities
                                                C. Self-Regulatory Organization’s                                                                               [Release No. 34–81583; File No. SR–Phlx–
                                                                                                          and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street
                                                Statement on Comments on the                                                                                    2017–72]
                                                                                                          NE., Washington, DC 20549–1090.
                                                Proposed Rule Change Received From
                                                Members, Participants, or Others                          All submissions should refer to File                  Self-Regulatory Organizations;
                                                                                                          Number SR–NYSEAMER–2017–12. This                      NASDAQ PHLX LLC; Notice of Filing
                                                  No written comments were solicited                      file number should be included on the                 and Immediate Effectiveness of
                                                or received with respect to the proposed                  subject line if email is used. To help the            Proposed Rule Change To Add a
                                                rule change.                                              Commission process and review your                    Missing Letter to Section IV, Part D of
                                                III. Date of Effectiveness of the                         comments more efficiently, please use                 the Pricing Schedule
                                                Proposed Rule Change and Timing for                       only one method. The Commission will
                                                                                                                                                                September 12, 2017.
                                                Commission Action                                         post all comments on the Commission’s
                                                                                                          Internet Web site (http://www.sec.gov/                   Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the
                                                   Because the foregoing proposed rule                                                                          Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                                                                                                          rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the
                                                change does not: (i) Significantly affect                                                                       (‘‘Act’’) 1, and Rule 19b–4 thereunder,2
                                                the protection of investors or the public                 submission, all subsequent
                                                                                                          amendments, all written statements                    notice is hereby given that on
                                                interest; (ii) impose any significant
                                                                                                          with respect to the proposed rule                     September 1, 2017, NASDAQ PHLX LLC
                                                burden on competition; and (iii) become
                                                                                                          change that are filed with the                        (‘‘Phlx’’ or ‘‘Exchange’’) filed with the
                                                operative for 30 days from the date on
                                                which it was filed, or such shorter time                  Commission, and all written                           Securities and Exchange Commission
                                                as the Commission may designate, it has                   communications relating to the                        (‘‘SEC’’ or ‘‘Commission’’) the proposed
                                                become effective pursuant to Section                      proposed rule change between the                      rule change as described in Items I and
                                                19(b)(3)(A)(iii) of the Act 31 and                        Commission and any person, other than                 II, below, which Items have been
                                                subparagraph (f)(6) of Rule 19b–4                         those that may be withheld from the                   prepared by the Exchange. The
                                                thereunder.32                                             public in accordance with the                         Commission is publishing this notice to
                                                   At any time within 60 days of the                      provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be                   solicit comments on the proposed rule
                                                filing of the proposed rule change, the                   available for Web site viewing and                    change from interested persons.
                                                Commission summarily may                                  printing in the Commission’s Public                   I. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
                                                temporarily suspend such rule change if                   Reference Room, 100 F Street NE.,                     Statement of the Terms of Substance of
                                                it appears to the Commission that such                    Washington, DC 20549 on official                      the Proposed Rule Change
                                                action is: (i) Necessary or appropriate in                business days between the hours of
                                                the public interest; (ii) for the protection              10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Copies of such                  The Exchange proposes to add a
                                                of investors; or (iii) otherwise in                       filing also will be available for                     missing letter to Section IV, Part D of
                                                furtherance of the purposes of the Act.                   inspection and copying at the principal               the Pricing Schedule.
                                                If the Commission takes such action, the                  office of the Exchange. All comments                     The text of the proposed rule change
                                                Commission shall institute proceedings                    received will be posted without change;               is set forth below. Proposed new
                                                to determine whether the proposed rule                    the Commission does not edit personal                 language is italicized.
                                                should be approved or disapproved.                        identifying information from
                                                                                                                                                                *      *     *    *     *
                                                IV. Solicitation of Comments                              submissions. You should submit only
                                                                                                          information that you wish to make
                                                  Interested persons are invited to                       available publicly. All submissions
                                                submit written data, views, and                           should refer to File Number SR–
                                                arguments concerning the foregoing,                       NYSEAMER–2017–12, and should be
                                                including whether the proposed rule                       submitted on or before October 10,
                                                change is consistent with the Act.                        2017.
                                                Comments may be submitted by any of
                                                the following methods:                                      For the Commission, by the Division of
                                                                                                          Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated
                                                Electronic Comments                                       authority.33
                                                   • Use the Commission’s Internet                        Eduardo A. Aleman,
                                                comment form (http://www.sec.gov/                         Assistant Secretary.
                                                rules/sro.shtml); or                                      [FR Doc. 2017–19711 Filed 9–15–17; 8:45 am]
                                                   • Send an email to rule-comments@                      BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
                                                sec.gov. Please include File Number SR–
                                                NYSEAMER–2017–12 on the subject
                                                line.

                                                  3115   U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(iii).
sradovich on DSKBBY8HB2PROD with NOTICES




                                                  3217   CFR 240.19b–4(f)(6). In addition, Rule 19b–
                                                4(f)(6) requires a self-regulatory organization to give
                                                the Commission written notice of its intent to file
                                                the proposed rule change, along with a brief
                                                description and text of the proposed rule change,
                                                at least five business days prior to the date of filing
                                                of the proposed rule change, or such shorter time
                                                                                                                                                                  1 15   U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
                                                as designated by the Commission. The Exchange
                                                has satisfied this requirement.                             3317   CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).                           2 17   CFR 240.19b–4.



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Document Created: 2017-09-16 00:52:31
Document Modified: 2017-09-16 00:52:31
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 43601 

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