Securities and Exchange Commission
- [Release No. 34-95499; File No. SR-NYSEAMER-2022-35]
Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Act”),[1] and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,[2] notice is hereby given that on August 5, 2022, NYSE American LLC (“NYSE American” or the “Exchange”) 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.
I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance of the Proposed Rule Change
The Exchange proposes to delete current Rule 7.39E governing Off-Hours Trading. The proposed rule change is available on the Exchange's website 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 the Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change
1. Purpose
The Exchange proposes delete current Rule 7.39E governing Off-Hours Trading.
In 2017, in connection with the transition to the Pillar trading platform, the Exchange adopted Rule 7.39E in order to maintain certain functionality in its Off-Hours Trading Facility.[3] Currently, the Exchange offers an Off-Hours Trading Facility pursuant to Rule 7.39E that only accepts aggregate-price coupled orders.
NYSE American recently determined to cease offering an after-hours crossing session and decommission the Off-Hours Trading Facility. In connection with the decommissioning of the Off-Hours Trading Facility, the Exchange proposes to delete Rule 7.39E in its entirety. The Exchange notes that its affiliate New York Stock Exchange LLC (“NYSE”) has filed to adopt a new Rule 7.39 governing its off-hours trading facility based on Rule 7.39E that would permit NYSE member organizations to enter aggregate-price coupled orders for securities, including UTP securities, listed and traded on NYSE.[4]
The Exchange will announce the implementation date by Trader Update. The Exchange anticipates that the proposed change will be implemented on September 1, 2022.
2. Statutory Basis
The proposed rule change is consistent with Section 6(b) of the Act,[5] in general, and furthers the objectives of Section 6(b)(5),[6] in particular, because it is designed to prevent fraudulent and manipulative acts and practices, to promote just and equitable principles of trade, to foster cooperation and coordination with persons engaged in facilitating transactions in securities, 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.
Specifically, the Exchange believes that deleting Rule 7.39E concomitantly with the decommissioning of the Off-Hours Trading Facility would foster cooperation and coordination with persons engaged in facilitating transactions in securities and would remove impediments to and perfect the mechanism of a free and open market and a national market system by deleting obsolete rules, thereby adding clarity, transparency and consistency to the Exchange's rulebook. By making the proposed change, the Exchange would ensure that its rules are consistent with ( printed page 50895) the existing functionality offered by the Exchange, thereby promoting clarity and transparency in its rules. The Exchange believes that the change would not be inconsistent with the public interest and the protection of investors because investors will not be harmed and in fact would benefit from the increased clarity and transparency that the change would introduce, thereby reducing potential confusion.
The Exchange further believes that the proposed rule change would remove impediments to and perfect the mechanism of a free and open market and a national market system and, in general, protect investors and the public interest, because it would remove any potential confusion among market participants that may result if the Exchange retained rules governing its Off-Hours Trading Facility after the Exchange decommissioned it.
For these reasons, the Exchange believes that the proposal is consistent with the Act.
B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition
The Exchange does not believe that the proposed rule change will impose any burden on competition that is not necessary or appropriate in furtherance of the purposes of the Act. Specifically, the Exchange believes that decommissioning its Off-Hours Trading Facility would not impose any burden on competition that is not necessary or appropriate in furtherance of the purposes of the Act. Pursuant to the NYSE's recent filing to adopt a new rule based on NYSE American Rule 7.39E, all ETP Holders that are also NYSE member organizations would be able to utilize the NYSE's off-hours trading facility to enter aggregate-price coupled orders for securities, including UTP securities, listed and traded on the NYSE.[7] The Exchange further believes that the proposed rule change would not impose any burden on competition that is not necessary or appropriate because the proposed change is designed to promote clarity and consistency, thereby reducing burdens on the marketplace and facilitating investor protection.
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
The Exchange has filed the proposed rule change pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A)(iii) of the Act [8] and Rule 19b-4(f)(6) thereunder.[9] Because the 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 prior to 30 days from the date on which it was filed, or such shorter time as the Commission may designate, if consistent with the protection of investors and the public interest, the proposed rule change has become effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act [10] and Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii) thereunder.[11]
A proposed rule change filed under Rule 19b-4(f)(6) [12] normally does not become operative prior to 30 days after the date of the filing. However, pursuant to Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii),[13] the Commission may designate a shorter time if such action is consistent with the protection of investors and the public interest. The Exchange has asked the Commission to waive the 30-day operative delay so that the proposal may become operative on September 1, 2022.
The Commission believes that waiver of the operative delay is consistent with the protection of investors and the public interest because the Exchange plans to decommission the Off-Hours Trading Facility as of September 1, 2022. Accordingly, the Commission hereby waives the 30-day operative delay and designates the proposal operative on September 1, 2022.[14]
At any time within 60 days of the filing of such proposed rule change, the Commission summarily may temporarily suspend such rule change if it appears to the Commission that such action is necessary or appropriate in the public interest, for the protection of investors, or otherwise in furtherance of the purposes of the Act. If the Commission takes such action, the Commission shall institute proceedings under Section 19(b)(2)(B) [15] of the Act to determine whether the proposed rule change 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 torule-comments@sec.gov. Please include File Number SR-NYSEAMER-2022-35 on the subject line.
Paper Comments
- Send paper comments in triplicate to Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549-1090.
All submissions should refer to File Number SR-NYSEAMER-2022-35. 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 website ( 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 website viewing and printing in the Commission's Public Reference Room, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549, on official business days between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Copies of the filing also will be available for inspection and copying at the principal office of the Exchange. All comments received will be posted without change. Persons submitting comments are cautioned that we do not redact or edit personal identifying information from comment submissions. You should submit only information that you wish ( printed page 50896) to make available publicly. All submissions should refer to File Number SR-NYSEAMER-2022-35 and should be submitted on or before September 8, 2022.
For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated authority.[16]
J. Matthew DeLesDernier,
Deputy Secretary.