

[Federal Register: February 9, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 27)]
[Notices]               
[Page 6300-6302]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr09fe07-92]                         

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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-55226; File No. SR-Amex-2007-15]

 
Self-Regulatory Organizations; American Stock Exchange LLC; 
Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change to 
Extend a Pilot Program That Increases Position and Exercise Limits for 
Equity Options and Options on the Nasdaq-100 Tracking Stock

February 1, 2007.
    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 January 30, 2007, the American Stock Exchange LLC (``Amex'' 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 Amex. 
The Exchange has filed the proposal as a ``non-controversial'' rule 
change pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act \3\ and Rule 19b-
4(f)(6) thereunder,\4\ 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.
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    \1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
    \2\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4.
    \3\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
    \4\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).
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I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance 
of the Proposed Rule Change

    The Exchange seeks a six-month extension of its pilot program 
increasing the standard position and exercise limits for options on the 
QQQQ and equity option classes traded on the Exchange (``Pilot 
Program''). The text of the proposed rule change is available at Amex, 
the Commission's Public Reference Room, and http://www.amex.com.


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

    In its filing with the Commission, Amex 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. 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 is requesting to extend its current Pilot Program 
increasing the standard position and exercise limits for options on the 
QQQQ and equity option classes traded on the Exchange for a time period 
of six months from March 1, 2007, through and including September 1, 
2007.
    In March 2005, the Exchange established the Pilot Program for a 
six-month period.\5\ Under the Pilot

[[Page 6301]]

Program, position and exercise limits for options on the QQQQ and 
equity options classes traded on the Exchange were increased to the 
following levels:
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    \5\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 51316 (March 3, 
2005), 70 FR 12251 (March 11, 2005) (SR-Amex-2005-029). The Pilot 
Program was extended three times and is due to expire on March 1, 
2007. See Securities Exchange Act Release Nos. 54386 (August 30, 
2006), 71 FR 52831 (September 7, 2006) (SR-Amex-2006-75); 53349 
(February 22, 2006), 71 FR 10571 (March 1, 2006) (SR-Amex-2006-07); 
and 52260 (August 15, 2005), 70 FR 48991 (August 22, 2005) (SR-Amex-
2005-082).
    \6\ Except when the Pilot Program is in effect.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Current equity option contract        Pilot program equity option
             limit \6\                          contract limit
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         13,500                               25,000
                         22,500                               50,000
                         31,500                               75,000
                         60,000                              200,000
                         75,000                              250,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Current QQQQ Option Contract Limit   Pilot Program QQQQ Option Contract
                                                    Limit
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        300,000                              900,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The standard position limits were last increased on December 31, 
1998.\7\ Since that time there has been a steady increase in the number 
of accounts that: (a) Approach the position limit; (b) exceed the 
position limit; and (c) are granted an exemption to the standard limit. 
Several member firms have petitioned the options exchanges to either 
eliminate position limits, or in lieu of total elimination, increase 
the current levels and expand the available hedge exemptions. In 
addition, a significant number of accounts that maintain sizable 
positions are utilizing the Pilot Program's increased equity option 
contract limits. Furthermore, overall volume in the options market has 
continually increased over the past five years. The Exchange believes 
that the increase in options volume and lack of evidence of market 
manipulation occurrences over the past twenty years justifies the 
proposed increases in the position and exercise limits.
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    \7\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 40875 (December 31, 
1998), 64 FR 1842 (January 12, 1999) (SR-Amex-98-22).
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    The Exchange has not encountered any problems or difficulties 
relating to the Pilot Program since its inception. The instant proposed 
rule change makes no substantive change to the Pilot Program other than 
to extend it for six months through and including September 1, 2007.
2. Statutory Basis
    The Exchange believes that its proposal is consistent with Section 
6(b) of the Act \8\ in general and furthers the objective of Section 
6(b)(5) of the Act \9\ in particular, in that 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, and to 
remove impediments to and perfect the mechanism of a free and open 
market and a national market system.
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    \8\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
    \9\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
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B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition

    The Exchange believes that the proposed rule change would impose no 
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

    No written comments were solicited or received by the Exchange on 
this proposal.

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

    Because the foregoing rule change does not: (1) Significantly 
affect the protection of investors or the public interest; (2) impose 
any significant burden on competition; and (3) become operative for 30 
days from the date of this filing, or such shorter time as the 
Commission may designate, it has become effective pursuant to Section 
19(b)(3)(A) of the Act \10\ and Rule 19b-4(f)(6) thereunder.\11\
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    \10\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
    \11\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6). Rule 19b-4(f)(6) also requires the 
self-regulatory organization to give the Commission notice of its 
intent to file the proposed rule change, along with a brief 
description and text of the proposed rule change, at least five 
business days prior to the date of filing of the proposed rule 
change, or such shorter time as designated by the Commission. Amex 
has satisfied the five-day pre-filing requirements.
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    At any time within 60 days of the filing of the proposed rule 
change, the Commission may summarily abrogate 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 Act.

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 No. SR-Amex-2007-15 on the subject line.

Paper Comments

     Send paper comments in triplicate to Nancy M. Morris, 
Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, Station Place, 100 F 
Street, NE., Washington, DC 20549-1090.

All submissions should refer to File No. SR-Amex-2007-15. 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 will also be available for inspection and copying at the 
principal office of Amex. All comments received will be posted without 
change; the Commission does not edit personal identifying information 
from submissions. You

[[Page 6302]]

should submit only information that you wish to make available 
publicly. All submissions should refer to File No. SR-Amex-2007-15 and 
should be submitted on or before March 2, 2007.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Market Regulation, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\12\
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    \12\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Florence E. Harmon,
Deputy Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E7-2151 Filed 2-7-07; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 8010-01-P
