Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE MKT LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change To Add to the Rules of the Exchange the Ninth Amended and Restated Operating Agreement of New York Stock Exchange LLC

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Federal RegisterDec 18, 2015
80 Fed. Reg. 79124 (Dec. 18, 2015)
December 14, 2015.

Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Act”) and Rule 19b-4 thereunder, notice is hereby given that on December 4, 2015, NYSE MKT LLC (the “Exchange” or “NYSE MKT”) 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 Exchange has designated this proposal as a “non-controversial” proposed rule change pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act and Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii) thereunder, which renders it effective upon filing with the Commission. The Commission is publishing this notice to solicit comments on the proposed rule change from interested persons.

15 U.S.C. 78a.

17 CFR 240.19b-4.

15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).

I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance of the Proposed Rule Change

The Exchange proposes to add to the rules of the Exchange the Ninth Amended and Restated Operating Agreement of New York Stock Exchange LLC (“NYSE LLC”). The text of the proposed rule change is available on the Exchange's Web site 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 to add to the rules of the Exchange the Ninth Amended and Restated Operating Agreement of NYSE LLC (the “Ninth NYSE Operating Agreement”).

In September 2015, the Exchange filed the Eighth Amended and Restated Operating Agreement of NYSE LLC (the “Eighth NYSE Operating Agreement”) as a “rule of the exchange” under Section 3(a)(27) of the Act because NYSE LLC has a wholly-owned subsidiary, NYSE Market (DE), Inc., which owns a majority interest in NYSE Amex Options LLC (“NYSE Amex Options”), a facility of the Exchange.

See 15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(27); Securities Exchange Act Release Nos. 75984 (September 25, 2015), 80 FR 59213, 59214 (October 1, 2015) (SR-NYSEMKT-2015-71).

On June 12, 2015, NYSE LLC filed to, among other things, amend the Eighth NYSE Operating Agreement to establish a Regulatory Oversight Committee as a committee of its board of directors and to terminate a delegation agreement between NYSE LLC, NYSE Market (DE), Inc., and NYSE Regulation, Inc. (the “Delegation Agreement”). In its filing, NYSE LLC represented that the proposed rule changes would be operative simultaneously with the termination of the Delegation Agreement, no later than June 30, 2016, on a date determined by the board of directors of NYSE LLC. On September 28, 2015, NYSE LLC's rule filing amending the Eighth NYSE Operating Agreement to effectuate certain changes was approved.

See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 75288 (June 24, 2015), 80 FR 37316 (June 30, 2015) (SR-NYSE-2015-27) (“Notice”).

Id.

See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 75991 (September 28, 2015), 80 FR 59837 (October 2, 2015) (SR-NYSE-2015-27) (“NYSE Approval Order”).

The Exchange is accordingly filing to remove the obsolete Eighth NYSE Operating Agreement as a “rule of the exchange” under Section 3(a)(27) of the Act, and replace it with the Ninth NYSE Operating Agreement as a “rule of the exchange” under Section 3(a)(27) of the Act, once the Ninth NYSE Operating Agreement is operative. Under the NYSE Approval Order, the Ninth NYSE Operating Agreement will be operative simultaneously with the termination of the Delegation Agreement, no later than June 30, 2016, on a date determined by the board of directors of NYSE LLC. The Exchange proposes that the rule change be operative on that same date. The Eighth NYSE Operating Agreement would remain the operative document until that time.

2. Statutory Basis

The Exchange believes that the proposed rule change is consistent with Section 6(b) of the Act in general, and with Section 6(b)(1) in particular, in that it enables the Exchange to be so organized as to have the capacity to be able to carry out the purposes of the Act and to comply, and to enforce compliance by its exchange members and persons associated with its exchange members, with the provisions of the Act, the rules and regulations thereunder, and the rules of the Exchange.

15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(1).

The Exchange believes that the proposed rule change would contribute to the orderly operation of the Exchange and would enable the Exchange to be so organized as to have the capacity to carry out the purposes of the Act and comply and enforce compliance by its members and persons associated with its members, with the provisions of the Act because, by removing the obsolete Eighth NYSE LLC Operating Agreement and making the Ninth NYSE LLC Operating Agreement a rule of the Exchange when it becomes operative for NYSE LLC, the Exchange would be ensuring that its rules remain consistent with the NYSE LLC operating agreement in effect.

The Exchange notes that, as with the Eighth NYSE LLC Operating Agreement, it would be required to file as a proposed rule change any changes to the Ninth NYSE LLC Operating Agreement with the Commission. In addition, the Exchange believes that the proposed changes are consistent with and will facilitate an ownership structure of the Exchange's facility NYSE Amex Options LLC that will provide the Commission with appropriate oversight tools to ensure that the Commission will have the ability to enforce the Act with respect to NYSE Amex Options and its direct and indirect parent entities.

The Exchange notes that any amendment to the NYSE LLC Operating Agreement would also require that NYSE LLC file a proposed rule change with the Commission.

The Exchange also believes that this filing furthers the objectives of Section 6(b)(5) of the Act because the proposed rule change would be consistent with and facilitate a governance and regulatory structure that 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 regulating, clearing, settling, processing information with respect to, 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. The Exchange believes that removing the obsolete Eighth NYSE LLC Operating Agreement and making the Ninth NYSE LLC Operating Agreement a rule of the Exchange when it becomes operative for NYSE LLC will remove impediments to the operation of the Exchange by ensuring that its rules remain consistent with the NYSE LLC operating agreement in effect. The Exchange notes that, as with the Eighth NYSE LLC Operating Agreement, no amendment to the Ninth NYSE LLC Operating Agreement could be made without the Exchange filing a proposed rule change with the Commission. For the same reasons, the proposed rule change is also designed to protect investors as well as the public interest.

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

The Exchange does not believe that the proposed rule change would impose any burden on competition that is not necessary or appropriate in furtherance of the purposes of the Act. The proposed rule change is not intended to address competitive issues but rather is concerned solely with ensuring that the Commission will have the ability to enforce the Act with respect to the NYSE Amex Options and its direct and indirect parent entities.

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 and Rule 19b-4(f)(6) thereunder. 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 and Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii) thereunder.

17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).

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) 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 to rule-comments@sec.gov. Please include File Number SR-NYSEMKT-2015-102 on the subject line.

Paper Comments

  • Send paper comments in triplicate to Brent J. Fields, Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street NE., Washington, DC 20549-1090.

All submissions should refer to File Number SR-NYSEMKT-2015-102. 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 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 Web site viewing and printing in the Commission's Public Reference Room, 100 F Street NE., Washington, DC 20549-1090, on official business days between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Copies of the filing will also be available for inspection and copying at the NYSE's principal office and on its Internet Web site at www.nyse.com. 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-NYSEMKT-2015-102 and should be submitted on or before January 8, 2016.

For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated authority.18

Robert W. Errett,

Deputy Secretary.

[FR Doc. 2015-31787 Filed 12-17-15; 8:45 am]

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