[Federal Register: August 6, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 151)]
[Notices]
[Page 47963-47965]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr06au04-111]
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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
[Release No. 34-50124; File No. SR-BSE-2004-32]
Self-Regulatory Organizations; Notice of Filing and Order
Granting Accelerated Approval of the Proposed Rule Change by the Boston
Stock Exchange, Inc. Relating to the Extension of the Linkage Fee Pilot
Program
July 30, 2004.
Pursuant to section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(``Act''),\1\ and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,\2\ notice is hereby given that
on July 29, 2004, the Boston Stock Exchange, Inc. (``BSE'' or
``Exchange'') filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(``Commission'') the proposed rule change as described in items I and
II below, which items have been prepared by the Exchange. The
Commission is publishing this notice to solicit comments on the
proposed rule from interested persons and is approving the proposed
rule change on an accelerated basis.
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\1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
\2\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4.
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[[Page 47964]]
I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance
of the Proposed Rule Change
BSE proposes to extend the current pilot program applicable to
Options Intermarket Linkage (``Linkage'') fees for one year until July
31, 2005.
The proposed fee schedule is available at the principal office of
the Exchange and at the Commission' Public Reference Room.
II. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change
In its filing with the Commission, the Exchange included statements
concerning the purpose of, and basis for, the proposed rule change and
discussed any comments it received on the proposed rule change. The
text of these statements may be examined at the places specified in
Item III below. The Exchange has prepared summaries, set forth in
Sections A, B, and C below, of the most significant aspects of such
statements.
A. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change
1. Purpose
BSE proposes to extend the current pilot program for Linkage fees
on its Boston Options Exchange (``BOX'') facility through July 31,
2005. BOX's current fee structure for Principal (``P'') and Principal
Acting as Agent (``P/A'') Orders \3\ executed on BOX is operating under
a pilot program which expires on July 31, 2004. Currently, because all
Linkage Orders received by BOX are for the account of a broker-dealer
market maker on another exchange, the fees applicable to P and P/A
Orders are the same as fees applicable to market makers on other
exchanges that submit orders to BOX outside of the Linkage. The side of
a BOX trade opposite an inbound P or P/A order would be billed normally
as any other BOX trade. Also, consistent with the Plan, no fees will be
charged to a party sending a Satisfaction request (``S'' order) to BOX.
However, a fee will be charged to the BOX Options Participant that was
responsible for the trade-through that caused the S order to be sent.
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\3\ Under section 2(16) of the Purpose of Creating and Operating
an Options Intermarket Linkage (``Plan'') and Chapter XII of the BOX
Rules, which tracks the language of the Plan, a ``Linkage Order''
means an Immediate or Cancel order routed through the Linkage as
permitted under the Plan. There are three types of Linkage orders:
(i) ``P/A Order,'' which is an order for the principal account
of a Market Maker (or equivalent entity on another Participant
Exchange that is authorized to represent Public Customer orders),
reflecting the terms of a related unexecuted Public Customer order
for which the specialist is acting as agent;
(ii) ``P Order,'' which is an order for the principal account of
a market maker (or equivalent entity on another Participant
exchange) and is not a P/A Order; and
(iii) ``Satisfaction Order,'' which is an order sent through the
Linkage to notify a Participant Exchange of a Trade-Through and to
seek satisfaction of the liability arising from that Trade-Through.
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BSE now proposes to extend the pilot program to July 31, 2005, in
order to remain consistent with the other options exchanges concerning
these fees.
2. Statutory Basis
The Exchange believes that the proposal is consistent with the
requirements of section 6(b) of the Act,\4\ in general, and furthers
the objectives of section 6(b)(4),\5\ in particular, in that it
provides for the equitable allocation of reasonable dues, fees, and
other charges among its members.
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\4\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
\5\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(4).
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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.
C. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed
Rule Change Received From Members, Participants, or Others
The Exchange has neither solicited nor received comments on the
proposed rule change.
III. 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 e-mail to rule-comments@sec.gov. Please include
File Number SR-BSE-2004-32 on the subject line.
Paper Comments
Send paper comments in triplicate to Jonathan G. Katz,
Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 450 Fifth Street, NW.,
Washington, DC 20549-0609.
All submissions should refer to File Number SR-BSE-2004-32. This
file number should be included on the subject line if e-mail 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 inspection
and copying in the Commission's Public Reference Section, 450 Fifth
Street, NW., Washington, DC 20549. Copies of such filing also will be
available for inspection and copying at the principal offices of BSE.
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-BSE-2004-32
and should be submitted on or before August 27, 2004.
IV. Commission's Findings and Order Granting Accelerated Approval of
Proposed Rule Change
After careful consideration, 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,\6\ and, in particular, with the requirements of section 6(b)
of the Act \7\ and the rules and regulations thereunder. The Commission
finds that the proposed rule change is consistent with section 6(b)(4)
of the Act,\8\ which requires that the rules of the Exchange provide
for the equitable allocation or reasonable dues, fees and other charges
among its members and other persons using its facilities. The
Commission believes that the extension of the Linkage fee pilot until
July 31, 2005 will give the Exchange and the Commission further
opportunity to evaluate whether such fees are appropriate.
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\6\ In approving this rule, the Commission notes that it has
considered its impact on efficiency, competition and capital
formation. 15 U.S.C. 78c(f).
\7\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
\8\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(4).
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The Commission finds good cause, pursuant to section 19(b)(2) of
the Act,\9\
[[Page 47965]]
for approving the proposed rule change prior to the thirtieth day after
the date of publication of the notice of the filing thereof in the
Federal Register. The Commission believes that granting accelerated
approval will preserve the Exchange's existing pilot program for
Linkage fees without interruption as BSE and the Commission further
consider the appropriateness of Linkage fees.
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\9\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2).
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V. Conclusion
It is therefore ordered, pursuant to section 19(b)(2) of the Act
\10\ that the proposed rule change (SR-BSE-2004-32) is hereby approved
on an accelerated basis for a pilot period to expire on July 31, 2005.
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\10\ Id.
For the Commission, by the Division of Market Regulation,
pursuant to delegated authority.\11\
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\11\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Margaret H. McFarland,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 04-17955 Filed 8-5-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8010-01-P