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 March 6, 2007, NYSE Arca, Inc. (“NYSE Arca” or “Exchange”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) the proposed rule change as described in Items I, II, and III below, which Items have been substantially prepared by the Exchange. The Commission is publishing this notice to solicit comments on the proposal from interested persons.
I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance of the Proposed Rule Change
The Exchange, through its wholly-owned subsidiary NYSE Arca Equities, Inc. (“NYSE Arca Equities”), proposes to waive 2007 listing fees for any companies who, as of January 1, 2007, were dually listed on NYSE Arca Equities, on the one hand, and another national securities exchange, on the other hand, and have provided notice by June 30, 2007 to NYSE Arca Equities of their intention to voluntarily withdraw from listing on NYSE Arca. The NYSE Arca schedule of listing fees will be amended to note that, for those issuers dually listed on NYSE Arca Equities on January 1, 2007 and who have given notice by June 30, 2007 to NYSE Arca Equities of their intention to voluntarily withdraw from listing on NYSE Arca (and in fact withdraw during 2007), the 2007 annual listing fees will be waived.
The text of the proposed rule change is available on the Exchange's Web site ( http://www.nysearca.com ), at the Exchange's Office of the Secretary, 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 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
The Exchange, through NYSE Arca Equities, proposes to waive 2007 listing fees for any companies who, as of January 1, 2007, were dually listed on NYSE Arca Equities, on the one hand, and another national securities exchange, on the other hand, and have provided notice by June 30, 2007 to NYSE Arca Equities of their intention to voluntarily withdraw from listing on NYSE Arca. The NYSE Arca schedule of listing fees will be amended to note that, for those issuers dually listed on NYSE Arca Equities on January 1, 2007 who have given notice by June 30, 2007 to NYSE Arca Equities of their intention to voluntarily withdraw from listing on NYSE Arca (and in fact withdraw during 2007), the 2007 annual listing fees will be waived.
Effective January 1, 2007, the annual listing fees for all companies listed on NYSE Arca Equities were increased. Many of the issuers still dually listed on NYSE Arca Equities on January 1, 2007 had indicated to the Exchange their intention to voluntarily withdraw from NYSE Arca. However, because of the dually listed issuers' administrative or governance processes, some of these dually listed issuers were unable to complete the withdrawal process before the new fees became effective. In this instance, the Exchange believes that it is appropriate to waive the 2007 listing fees for issuers dually listed on NYSE Arca Equities as of January 1, 2007 who have given notice by June 30, 2007 of their intention to voluntarily withdraw during 2007 and in fact withdraw during 2007.
See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 54007 (June 16, 2006), 71 FR 36155 (June 23, 2006) (SR-NYSEArca-2006-16).
2. Statutory Basis
The Exchange believes that the proposed rule change is consistent with the objectives of Section 6 of the Act in general and furthers the objectives of Section 6(b)(5) of the Act in particular, in that it is designed to promote just and equitable principles of trade, to remove impediments, and to perfect the mechanism of, a free and open market and a national market system, and, in general, to protect investors and the public interest.
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.
C. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed Rule Change Received From Members, Participants or Others
Written comments on the proposed rule change were neither solicited nor received.
III. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed Rule Change and Timing for Commission Action
Within 35 days of the date of publication of this notice in the Federal Register or within such longer period (i) As the Commission may designate up to 90 days of such date if it finds such longer period to be appropriate and publishes its reasons for so finding or (ii) as to which the self-regulatory organization consents, the Commission will:
(A) By order approve such proposed rule change, or
(B) Institute proceedings to determine whether the proposed rule change should be 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 e-mail to rule-comments@sec.gov. Please include File Number SR-NYSEArca-2007-17 on the subject line.
Paper Comments
- Send paper comments in triplicate to Nancy M. Morris, Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street, NE., Washington, DC 20549-1090.
All submissions should refer to File Number SR-NYSEArca-2007-17. 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 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-NYSEArca-2007-17 and should be submitted on or before April 26, 2007.
For the Commission, by the Division of Market Regulation, pursuant to delegated authority.6
Florence E. Harmon,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. E7-6372 Filed 4-4-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8010-01-P