I. Introduction

On December 27, 1999, the Chicago Stock Exchange, Inc. (“CHX” or “Exchange”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC” or “Commission”), pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Act”) ^[1] and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,^[2] a proposed rule change to rescind certain provisions of Article VIII, Exchange Rule 9, the Exchange's off-board trading rules. The proposed rule change was published for comment in the Federal Register on March 3, 2000.^[3] Proposed rule changes filed by the American Stock Exchange and the Philadelphia Stock Exchange to rescind their off-board trading rules were published on the same date as the CHX proposing release.^[4] Shortly thereafter, the Boston Stock Exchange and the Pacific Exchange filed similar proposed rule changes.^[5] The Commission received no comments on any of these proposals. Today, in separate orders, the Commission is approving the proposed rule changes to rescind off-board trading rules filed by the exchanges noted above.

II. Description of the Proposal

Certain provision of Article VIII, Exchange Rule 9 restricts a member's ability to effect transactions in Exchange-listed securities off a national securities exchange. In the proposing release, the Exchange noted that the New York Stock Exchange, along with other exchanges, had submitted similar proposals to rescind their off-board trading rules,^[6] and that the Commission had recently adopted amendments to the Intermarket Trading System Plan (“ITS”) to expand the ITS linkage with the National Association of Securities Dealers' Computer Assisted Execution System. Thus, “to confirm the Exchange's commitment to the competitive ideals on which those actions are based,” the Exchange proposed to rescind certain provisions of its off-board trading rule, Article VIII, Exchange Rule 9.

III. Discussion

The Commission finds that the proposed rule change is consistent with the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations thereunder applicable to a national securities exchange. In particular, the Commission finds the proposed rule change is consistent with Section 6(b)(5) of the ( printed page 36860) Act ^[7] which requires, among other things, that the rules of an exchange be designed to promote just and equitable principles of trade, to remove impediments to and perfect the mechanism of a free and open market and a national market system and, in general, to protect investors and the public interest, and Section 6(b)(8), which requires that the rules of an exchange not impose any burden on competition not necessary or appropriate in furtherance of the Act. The rescission of the Exchange's off-board trading restrictions is also consistent with Section 11A of the Act ^[8] which sets forth the findings and objectives that are to guide the Commission in its oversight of the national market system. Specifically, rescinding the off-board trading restrictions will help further the national market system objective in Section 11A(a)(1)(C)(i) to assure the economically efficient execution of securities transactions, and in Section 11A(a)(1)(C)(ii) to assure fair competition between exchange markets and markets other than exchange markets.^[9]

As discussed more fully in the NYSE Approval Order, the existence of off-board trading restrictions can no longer be justified in an age when advancing technology and expanding trading volume are introducing new competitive challenges for the U.S. securities markets, both at home and abroad. Off-board trading rules such as Articles VIII, Exchange Rule 9 directly restrict a certain type of market center competition—competition between exchange markets and markets other than exchange markets. Their rescission today eliminates an inappropriate regulatory burden on competition that runs contrary to the objectives set forth in the Act.

Off-board trading restrictions have been justified on the basis that they promote the interaction of investors' orders without participation by a dealer—indeed an objective set forth in the Act.^[10] The Commission believes, however, that whatever beneficial effect off-board trading restrictions such as Article VIII, Exchange Rule 9 may have in enhancing the interaction of investors orders can no longer justify their anticompetitive nature. To the extent off-board trading rules enhance order interaction, they do so in an undesirable way—by attempting a direct restriction on competition. Such attempts are never wholly successful and typically only distort, rather than eliminate, competition and introduce unnecessary costs ultimately borne by investors.

The outcome of competition between market centers should depend on which market centers are most able to serve investors interests by providing the highest quality trading services at the lowest possible prices; the Commission's regulatory task is removing unwarranted regulatory barriers to competition between market centers. As stated in the NYSE Approval Order, the rescission of off-board trading rules is “intended solely to free the forces of competition and allow investors interest to control the success or failure of individual market centers.” ^[11] The same rationale and motivation support the Commission's action today.

IV. Conclusion

It is therefore ordered, pursuant to Section 19(b)(2) of the Act,^[12] that the proposed rule change (SR-CHX-99-28) is approved.

For the Commission, by the Division of Market Regulation, pursuant to delegated authority.^[13]