Self-Regulatory Organizations; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed Rule Change by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. To Extend the Operation of NASD's Alternative Display Facility on a Pilot Basis

Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Act”) and Rule 19b-4 thereunder, notice is hereby given that on October 21, 2004, the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (“NASD”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC” or “Commission”) the proposed rule change as described in Items I, II, and III below, which Items have been prepared by the NASD. NASD has designated the proposed rule change as constituting a “non-controversial” rule change under paragraph (f)(6) of Rule 19b-4 under the Act, which renders the proposal effective upon receipt of this filing by the Commission. 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

NASD is proposing to extend for nine months, to July 26, 2005, the operation of NASD's Alternative Display Facility (“ADF”) on a pilot basis. The ADF pilot program, as approved by the SEC on July 24, 2002, and extended on April 17, 2003 and January 26, 2004, will expire on October 26, 2004. The pilot permits members to quote and trade only Nasdaq-listed securities on or through the ADF.

Below is the text of the proposed rule change. Proposed new language is underlined; proposed deletions are in brackets.

4000A. NASD ALTERNATIVE DISPLAY FACILITY

4100A. General

NASD Alternative Display Facility (“ADF”) is the facility to be operated by NASD on a nine-month pilot basis for members that choose to quote or effect trades in Nasdaq securities (“ADF-eligible securities”) otherwise than on Nasdaq or on an exchange. The ADF will collect and disseminate quotations, compare trades, and collect and disseminate trade reports. Those NASD members that utilize ADF systems for quotation or trading activities must comply with the Rule 4000A, Rule 5400 and Rule 6000A Series, as well as all other applicable NASD Rules. The ADF pilot will expire on [October 26, 2004] July 26, 2005.

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

In its filing with the Commission, NASD 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 IV below. NASD 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

On July 24, 2002, the Commission approved SR-NASD-2002-97, which authorizes NASD to operate the ADF on a pilot basis for nine months, pending the consideration of SR-NASD-2001-90, in which NASD proposes to operate the ADF on a permanent basis. NASD subsequently filed for immediate effectiveness proposed rule changes SR-NASD-2003-67 to extend the pilot until January 26, 2004, and SR-NASD-2004-012 to extend the pilot until October 26, 2004. As described in detail in SR-NASD-2001-90, the ADF is a quotation collection, trade comparison, and trade reporting facility developed by NASD in accordance with the Commission's SuperMontage Approval Order and in conjunction with Nasdaq's proposal to register as a national securities exchange. In addition, since the Commission gave its initial approval to the ADF pilot, NASD has filed several other ADF-related rule change proposals, some of which are effective and have been incorporated into the operation and administration of the pilot.

As proposed in SR-NASD-2001-90, the ADF would provide market participants the ability to quote and trade Nasdaq and exchange-listed securities. The current ADF pilot program, however, permits operation of the ADF with respect to Nasdaq securities only. This is because several regulatory issues relating to the trading of exchange-listed securities on the ADF have not been resolved.

The ADF has been operating successfully during the pilot period. The SEC acknowledged this fact when it approved the launch of SuperMontage, stating that the ADF met the conditions set forth in its SuperMontage Approval Order to provide an alternative quotation collection, trade comparison, and trade reporting facility. NASD believes that the ADF has since continued to honor those conditions. Meanwhile, the issues related to trading exchange-listed securities—and by extension, approval of the operation of the ADF on a permanent basis—remain unresolved. Accordingly, NASD believes it is appropriate to extend the pilot period for ADF trading in Nasdaq securities for nine months or until approval of SR-NASD-2001-90.

The proposed rule change will become effective upon filing, will be implemented at the close of business on October 26, 2004, and will expire on July 26, 2005.

2. Statutory Basis

NASD believes that the proposed rule change is consistent with the provisions of Section 15A(b)(6) of the Act, which requires that NASD rules must be designed to prevent fraudulent and manipulative acts and practices, to promote just and equitable principles of trade, to foster cooperation and coordination among persons engaged in regulating, clearing, settling, processing information and 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. In addition, this rule proposal is consistent with Section 15A(b)(6) of the Act because it does not permit unfair discrimination between customers, issuers, brokers, or dealers, fix minimum profits, impose any schedule or fix rates of commissions, allowances, discounts, or other fees to be charged by members, or regulate matters not related to the purposes of the Act or the administration of NASD.

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

The NASD does not believe that the proposed rule change will result in any burden on competition that is not necessary or appropriate in furtherance of the purposes of the Act.

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

Written comments were neither solicited nor received.

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

The proposed rule change has been filed by NASD as a “non-controversial” rule change under Rule 19b-4(f)(6) under the Act, in that the proposed rule change does not significantly affect the protection of investors or the public interest and does not impose any significant burden on competition. NASD has requested that the Commission waive the requirement that the rule change not become operative for 30 days after the date of the filing, as set forth in Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii), to prevent the current ADF pilot program from lapsing. The Commission finds good cause for the proposed rule change to become operative prior to the 30th day after the date of publication of notice of filing thereof because the proposed rule change is to prevent the benefits provided by the current ADF pilot program from lapsing.

At any time within 60 days of this filing, the Commission may summarily abrogate this proposal 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.

IV. Solicitation of Comments

Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views and arguments concerning the foregoing, including whether the proposal 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-NASD-2004-160 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-NASD-2004-160. 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 Room. Copies of the filing also will be available for inspection and copying at the principal offices of the NASD. 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 NASD-2004-160 and should be submitted on or before November 26, 2004.