
[Federal Register: August 18, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 160)]
[Notices]               
[Page 48260-48268]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr18au08-104]                         

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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-58328; File No. SR-NYSE-2008-45]

 
Self-Regulatory Organizations; New York Stock Exchange LLC; Order 
Approving Proposed Rule Change, as Modified by Amendment No. 1 Thereto, 
Amending NYSE Rule 98 and Related Rules To Redefine Specialist 
Operations at the NYSE

August 7, 2008.

I. Introduction

    On June 11, 2008, the New York Stock Exchange LLC (``NYSE'' or 
``Exchange'') filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission 
(``Commission'') pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities 
Exchange Act of 1934 (``Act'') \1\ and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,\2\ a 
proposed rule change to amend NYSE Rule 98 and related rules to allow 
its member organizations greater flexibility in structuring their 
specialist operations and managing their risk. The proposed rule change 
was published for comment in the Federal Register on July 3, 2008.\3\ 
On August 7, 2008, the NYSE filed Amendment No. 1 to the proposed rule 
change.\4\ The Commission received no

[[Page 48261]]

comments on the proposal. This order approves the proposed rule change, 
as amended.
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    \1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
    \2\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4.
    \3\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 58052 (June 27, 
2008), 73 FR 38274 (``Notice'').
    \4\ In Amendment No. 1, the NYSE revises the text of proposed 
NYSE Rule 460.10 to conform it to the description of proposed NYSE 
Rule 460.10 as set forth in the Notice. Because Amendment No. 1 is 
technical in nature, the Commission is not publishing it for 
comment.
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II. Background and Introduction

    The NYSE adopted NYSE Rule 98 in 1986 when NYSE specialist firms, 
which had been independent member-owned entities, were increasingly 
becoming affiliates of larger member organizations.\5\ Because of the 
specialists' unique position in the market, NYSE Rule 98 requires an 
organizational separation between the specialist and any affiliates. 
The purpose of that separation is to eliminate or control conflicts of 
interest between the specialist's responsibilities to the market and to 
any customer orders the specialist may represent as agent, and the 
business activities of the specialist's affiliates.
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    \5\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 23768 (November 3, 
1986), 51 FR 41183 (November 13, 1986) (SR-NYSE-85-25).
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    NYSE Rule 98 currently applies to specialist organizations and 
``approved persons'' of specialist organizations. ``Approved persons'' 
are entities that are in a control relationship with a specialist 
organization, or share a common corporate parent with the specialist 
organization and are engaged in a kindred business.\6\ NYSE Rule 98 
subjects all approved persons of a specialist organization to the NYSE 
specialist rules. Among other things, approved persons are subject to 
restrictions on their ability to trade in specialty stock options, 
restrictions on certain of their business transactions with issuers for 
whom the specialist organization is the registered specialist, and 
limits on the amount of securities of such issuers that the specialist 
and approved persons may own in the aggregate.
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    \6\See NYSE Rules 2(d) and 304(e).
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    To avoid unnecessarily restricting a member organization's overall 
operations, however, the current rules provide that each approved 
person may separately seek NYSE approval to be exempted from most of 
these restrictions. To obtain such an exemption, an approved person and 
the specialist member organization with which such approved person is 
to be associated must obtain the written agreement of NYSE Regulation, 
Inc. (``NYSE Regulation'') that the approved person and such member 
organization have established policies and procedures that are 
consistent with the guidelines prescribed by NYSE Rule 98. These 
guidelines set out in detail how approved persons and their associated 
specialist organizations should structure and conduct their respective 
businesses in order to ensure complete separation between the 
specialist organization and the rest of the member organization. For 
example, these guidelines require (1) the specialist unit to be housed 
in a separate corporate entity and broker-dealer from its approved 
persons; (2) the maintenance of separate books and records, financial 
accounting, and required capital by the specialist unit; and (3) 
procedures to safeguard confidential information derived from business 
interactions with the issuer or contained in draft research reports 
prepared by the approved person.
    NYSE Rule 98 currently limits the ability of a specialist member 
organization and its approved persons to share operational support 
personnel, and permits dual affiliation only if the specialist member 
organization and approved person provide the Exchange with a written 
statement of the duties of such person and why it is necessary for the 
individual to have a dual affiliation. Any changes to dual affiliations 
must be submitted to the Exchange for approval in advance of making 
such change.
    The current NYSE rules also limit the ability of a specialist, its 
member organization, and approved persons to manage the specialist 
member organization's trading risks. Specifically, NYSE Rule 98 
restricts an approved person from being involved in any trading 
decisions of an associated specialist member organization and NYSE Rule 
105 restricts the specialist member organization's ability to trade in 
options and security futures on securities allocated to the specialist 
member organization.
    The NYSE believes that NYSE Rule 98 creates an administrative 
burden on specialist organizations and their approved persons because 
each approved person must continually update a separate exemption for 
each activity that would otherwise be restricted. The NYSE also 
believes that its current rule unnecessarily constrains the ability of 
specialist organizations and their approved persons to manage the 
specialist organization's risks and places them at a competitive 
disadvantage vis-a-vis other market making or trading firms. 
Accordingly, the NYSE proposes to amend NYSE Rule 98 to provide member 
organizations with more flexibility with regard to how they structure 
their specialist operations and manage risk. NYSE also proposes to make 
conforming changes to other NYSE rules that rely on the NYSE Rule 98 
exemptions for approved persons.
    As discussed in further detail below, the revisions to NYSE Rule 98 
would include: (1) Redefining the persons to whom NYSE Rule 98 would 
apply; (2) allowing specialist operations to be integrated into a 
member organization; (3) permitting a specialist unit to share non-
trading related services with its member organization or approved 
persons; and (4) providing flexibility to member organizations and 
their approved persons in how to conduct risk management of specialist 
operations.
    After careful review, and as discussed below, the Commission finds 
that the proposed rule change, as amended, is consistent with the 
requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations thereunder 
applicable to a national securities exchange.\7\ In particular, the 
Commission finds that the proposed rule change, as amended, is 
consistent with Section 6(b)(5) of the Act,\8\ which requires that the 
rules of the an exchange be designed to promote just and equitable 
principles of trade, to remove impediments to and perfect the mechanism 
of a free and open market and a national securities system, and, in 
general, to protect investors and the public interest.
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    \7\ In approving this proposed rule change, the Commission has 
considered the proposed rule's impact on efficiency, competition, 
and capital formation. See 15 U.S.C. 78c(f).
    \8\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
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    The restrictions in current NYSE Rule 98 and related rules are 
intended to address two primary concerns. The first concern is the 
potential that an affiliate could unfairly use non-public information, 
such as information on a specialist's book or information regularly 
provided to him by other market participants because of his central 
role as a primary market specialist. If a specialist's affiliates had 
access to such information, it would have a perceived advantage over 
competing firms and the public at large in trading stocks assigned to 
the affiliated specialist. The same concern about the potential for 
unfair use of non-public information would arise if the specialist had 
advance information about the activities of its affiliates (e.g., a 
change in the firm's buy or sell recommendation or an imminent block 
transaction away from the market). Access to such information would 
allow the specialist to position itself to benefit from price changes 
that might result once that information became publicly available. The 
second concern is that a specialist unit could favor its affiliates by 
providing orders placed by the affiliate with more favorable executions

[[Page 48262]]

and by providing useful market information to the affiliated firm (or 
to its broker on the exchange trading floor) but not to others. In some 
cases, such conflicts of interest could result in the specialist 
neglecting his duty to make a fair and orderly market by giving an 
affiliate's principal or agency orders a more favorable execution.
    The potential for misuse of non-public information and conflicts of 
interest, if not addressed by appropriate procedures and the monitoring 
and surveillance of the continuing adequacy of such procedures, could 
result in potential manipulative market activity and informational 
advantages benefiting the approved person, the specialist unit, or the 
customers of either. As discussed in more detail below, the Commission 
believes that the changes NYSE proposes to make to NYSE Rule 98 and 
related rules address these concerns.

III. Proposed Amendments to NYSE Rule 98

    In response to concerns described above with current NYSE Rule 98, 
NYSE proposes a wholesale change to NYSE Rule 98 that would apply a 
more principles-based approach. In addition, under the proposed rule, 
instead of reviewing whether to grant each approved person an exemption 
from NYSE Rule 98, NYSE Regulation would review whether the specialist 
unit itself has adequate policies, procedures, controls, and 
surveillance designed to prevent the misuse of specialist confidential 
information \9\ and non-public order \10\ information. If the 
specialist unit has such policies, procedures, controls, and 
surveillance, the specialist rules would generally only be applicable 
to the specialist unit and not to affiliates of the specialist. In 
addition to the information barriers and other NYSE Regulation approved 
controls, specialists would continue to be subject to Exchange rules 
that govern their access to and use of non-public order 
information.\11\
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    \9\ ``Specialist confidential information'' means any non-public 
information relating to a specialist unit's trading or quoting in 
its specialty securities, including positions or any other 
indication of a specialist's trading or quoting interest, the 
specialist algorithm, or any other public information relating to a 
specialist's interactions with its specialist security, but not 
including non-public order information. See proposed NYSE Rule 
98(b)(6).
    \10\ A ``Non-public order'' is an order, whether expressed 
electronically or verbally, or any information regarding a 
reasonably imminent non-public transaction or series of transactions 
entered or intended for entry or execution on the NYSE and which is 
not publicly available on a real-time basis via an NYSE-provided 
data-feed. See proposed NYSE Rule 98(b)(7).
    \11\ See, e.g., NYSE Rules 70.20(h)(ii), 104(b), 115, and 115A.
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A. Operating a Specialist Unit

    Under proposed NYSE Rule 98(c), a member organization must obtain 
prior written approval from NYSE Regulation to operate a specialist 
unit. To obtain such approval, NYSE Regulation would have to determine 
that the specialist unit has: (i) Adopted and implemented comprehensive 
written procedures and guidelines governing the conduct and supervision 
of business handled by the specialist unit; (ii) established a process 
for regular review of such written policies and procedures; and (iii) 
implemented controls and surveillances reasonably designed to prevent 
and detect violations of these procedures and guidelines. These 
policies and procedures would have to be reasonably designed to 
maintain the confidentiality of specialist confidential information and 
non-public order information. In this regard, proposed NYSE Rule 98(c) 
would require a member organization's policies and procedures to 
prohibit approved persons and the member organization's departments, 
divisions, or aggregation units that are not part of the specialist 
unit from having access to specialist confidential information and non-
public order information.\12\ In addition, such policies and procedures 
would have to prohibit a specialist unit from having access to material 
non-public order information in the possession of other aggregation 
units of the member organization related to the securities allocated to 
that specialist unit.\13\
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    \12\ However, a specialist may make available to a Floor broker 
associated or affiliated with an approved person or member 
organization any information that the specialist would be permitted 
to provide under Exchange rules to an unaffiliated Floor broker. See 
proposed NYSE Rule 98(c)(2)(A)(ii).
    \13\ See proposed NYSE Rules 98(c)(1) and (c)(2).
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    Further, a specialist unit that is not operated as part of an 
integrated proprietary aggregation unit would have to comply with all 
the requirements of an aggregation unit.\14\ Accordingly, as required 
by Rule 200(f) of Regulation SHO, such a specialist unit would have to 
have a written plan of organization that specifies its trading 
objectives and meets all the other requirements of an independent 
trading unit under Regulation SHO.\15\
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    \14\ See proposed NYSE Rules 98(b)(11) and 98(c)(2)(B).
    \15\ See 17 CFR 242.200(f). To be exempt from the restrictions 
in NYSE Rule 105 pursuant to proposed Rule 98(f)(1), the written 
plan of organization required by Rule 200(f) of Regulation SHO would 
need to specify the specialist unit's trading objectives for trading 
in related products.
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    The proposed rule would permit senior managers who are not 
dedicated to the specialist unit and are associated with either an 
approved person or a member organization that runs a specialist unit to 
provide management oversight to the specialist unit. A member 
organization's policies and procedures would need to be reasonably 
designed to ensure that such management oversight does not conflict 
with or compromise the specialist unit's compliance with the specialist 
rules. The proposed rule would also provide specific guidelines for 
access by the senior managers not assigned to the specialist unit to 
specialist confidential information or non-public order information, 
which are designed to prevent the misuse of such information. For 
example, proposed NYSE Rule 98(c)(2)(E) would provide that if a senior 
manager is called upon for risk management purposes and gains access to 
specialist confidential information or non-public order information in 
connection with that role, the senior manager must not make (directly 
or indirectly) specialist confidential information or non-public order 
information available to the persons or systems responsible for making 
trading decisions in aggregation units, departments, divisions, or 
trading desks that are not part of the specialist unit, including the 
customer-facing departments. The senior manager also must not use such 
information to directly or indirectly influence the day-to-day trading 
decisions of the other aggregation units of the member organization or 
approved person with respect to the securities allocated to the 
specialist unit.\16\
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    \16\ See proposed NYSE Rule 98(c)(2)(E). See Notice, supra note 
3, at 73 FR at 38278.
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    Proposed NYSE Rule 98(c) would enumerate certain bright line 
divisions that the specialist unit must maintain, including information 
barriers between the specialist unit and investment banking, research, 
and customer-facing departments and approved persons. These divisions 
are designed to ensure that the specialist unit cannot access material 
non-public information about securities allocated to that unit from 
either its approved persons or non-specialist operations of a parent 
member organization.\17\ In addition, as discussed above, these 
divisions are designed to ensure that a member organization's 
departments, divisions, or aggregation units not part of the specialist 
unit, including investment banking, research, and customer-facing 
departments, cannot access specialist confidential information or non-
public order

[[Page 48263]]

information.\18\ Finally, a specialist unit would be required to 
maintain or have allocated to it net capital sufficient to meet the 
requirements of NYSE Rule 104.21.\19\
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    \17\ See proposed NYSE Rule 98(c)(2)(C).
    \18\ See proposed NYSE Rule 98(c)(2)(A)(i) and supra notes 12 
and 13 and accompanying text.
    \19\ See proposed NYSE Rule 98(c)(2)(D).
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    NYSE Regulation would review a member organization's surveillance 
plans and internal controls to ensure that they are reasonably designed 
to protect information as required under the proposed rule. As with the 
current rule, NYSE Regulation would also review whether a member 
organization has implemented internal audit procedures to ensure 
compliance with such organization's NYSE Rule 98 policies and 
procedures. The Exchange represents that the NYSE Regulation review for 
approving a specialist unit would be as rigorous as the current review 
for obtaining an exemption from current NYSE Rule 98.\20\ As with the 
current NYSE Rule 98 exemption process, staff from both the Market 
Surveillance Division of NYSE Regulation, as well as staff from the 
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (``FINRA'') who are 
responsible for the routine examinations of specialist units, would be 
involved in reviewing a specialist unit's written policies and 
procedures and proposed automated surveillances and controls.\21\
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    \20\ See Notice, supra note 3, at 73 FR at 38278.
    \21\ See Notice, supra note 3, at 73 FR at 38279. In the Notice, 
the Exchange stated that ``[w]here feasible, NYSE Regulation will 
expect specialist units to use automated surveillances to check for 
breaches of the information barriers required by the proposed 
rule.'' Id.
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    After a member organization has been approved to operate a 
specialist unit, NYSE Regulation and FINRA would conduct examinations 
to determine whether a specialist unit's policies and procedures 
continue to meet the rule requirements and whether the controls and 
automated surveillances are functioning as designed. As part of the 
examinations, NYSE Regulation and FINRA would conduct on-site reviews 
of a specialist unit to review for breaches of the controls or 
surveillances.\22\ In addition, NYSE states that a specialist unit 
would need to seek approval from NYSE Regulation, before making any 
material changes to its operations.\23\
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    \22\ Id.
    \23\ Id.
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    The Commission finds that the requirements in proposed Rule 98(c) 
are consistent with the Act. The Commission believes that the proposed 
rule change, as amended, establishes guidelines for a member 
organization's policies and procedures that will protect against the 
improper disclosure and sharing of specialist confidential information 
and non-public order information.

B. Operating a Specialist Unit Within an Integrated Proprietary 
Aggregation Unit

    Proposed NYSE Rule 98 would permit a member organization to seek 
approval to operate a specialist unit within an integrated proprietary 
aggregation unit. An ``integrated proprietary aggregation unit'' is 
proposed to be defined to mean a department, division, or desk that 
meets the requirements of the definition of an ``independent trading 
unit'' under Rule 200 of Regulation SHO with a trading objective to 
engage in proprietary trading, including market-making activities.\24\ 
An integrated proprietary aggregation unit must be separate from any 
investment banking, research, or customer-facing department.\25\
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    \24\ See proposed NYSE Rule 98(b)(11) and (14); 17 CFR 
242.200(f).
    \25\ See proposed NYSE Rule 98(b)(14).
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    To protect specialist confidential information and non-public order 
information, a member organization would be permitted to operate a 
specialist unit within an integrated proprietary aggregation unit, if 
NYSE Regulation approves such operations and the member organization: 
(i) Adopts and implements comprehensive written procedures and 
guidelines governing the conduct and supervision of business handled by 
the unit; (ii) establishes a process for regular review of such written 
policies and procedures; and (iii) implements controls and 
surveillances reasonably designed to prevent and detect violations of 
these procedures and guidelines.\26\
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    \26\ See proposed NYSE Rule 98(d)(1) and (2).
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    In addition, to operate a specialist unit within an integrated 
proprietary aggregation unit, the specialist unit's policies and 
procedures would have to meet those requirements for operating a 
specialist unit pertaining to information barriers associated with the 
specialist unit and non-specialist unit operations, net capital 
requirements, and senior management oversight.\27\ A specialist unit 
operating within an integrated proprietary aggregation unit would not 
be required to separately comply with all requirements of a Regulation 
SHO independent trading unit because the integrated proprietary 
aggregation unit of which it is a part would be required to comply with 
Rule 200(f) of Regulation SHO.\28\
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    \27\ See proposed NYSE Rules 98(d)(2)(A) and 98(c)(2)(A), (C), 
(D), and (E).
    \28\ See supra note 24 and accompanying text. The Exchange 
states that there may be some Regulation SHO issues in connection 
with how a member organization may choose to structure its 
specialist unit within an integrated proprietary aggregation unit or 
provide risk management to the specialist unit pursuant to proposed 
NYSE Rule 98(f). Accordingly, the Exchange represents that it would 
not approve a specialist unit to operate under proposed NYSE Rule 98 
until all Regulation SHO issues that may arise have been resolved. 
See Notice, supra note 3, at 73 FR at 38279.
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    The member organization's policies and procedures would also need 
to restrict access within the integrated proprietary aggregation unit 
to non-public order information. Specifically, except for senior 
managers pursuant to policies and procedures adopted under proposed 
NYSE Rule 98(c)(2)(E), the specialist unit must not permit systems and 
individuals not assigned to the specialist unit to have access to non-
public order information.\29\ For example, because the specialist 
application protocol interface (``specialist API'') currently has 
access to non-public order information, systems not dedicated to the 
specialist unit could not be integrated with the specialist API. 
Accordingly, the trading algorithms of the integrated proprietary 
aggregation unit that are not dedicated to the specialist unit must not 
have access to any non-public order information via the specialist API, 
or any other system.\30\
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    \29\ See proposed NYSE Rule 98(d)(2)(B)(i) and (ii).
    \30\ See Notice, supra note 3, at 73 FR 38279.
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    A member organization's policies and procedures would have to 
prohibit individuals assigned to the specialist unit, while on the 
Exchange floor,\31\ from communicating with individuals or systems 
responsible for making trading decisions for the integrated proprietary 
aggregation unit.\32\ However, such policies and procedures could 
permit a specialist unit employee to move, on an intra-day basis, to an 
off-Floor location and engage in a non-specialist related role within 
the integrated proprietary aggregation unit.\33\ The policies and 
procedures of a member organization that chooses to allow individuals 
to so move must be reasonably designed to prohibit such individual from 
(1) making any non-public order information or specialist confidential 
information available to individuals or systems responsible for

[[Page 48264]]

making trading decisions for the integrated proprietary aggregation 
unit and (2) using any non-public order information or, except for 
certain risk management activities as described below,\34\ specialist 
confidential information in connection with making trading decisions 
for the integrated proprietary aggregation unit.\35\
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    \31\ NYSE rules define being on the Floor to include the trading 
Floor of the Exchange, and the premises immediately adjacent 
thereto, such as the various entrances and lobbies of 11 Wall 
Street, 18 New Street, 12 Broad Street, and 18 Broad Street, as well 
as the telephone lobby in the first basement of 11 Wall Street. See 
NYSE Rule 112(b).
    \32\ See proposed NYSE Rule 98(d)(2)(B)(iii).
    \33\ See proposed NYSE Rule 98(d)(2)(B)(iv).
    \34\ See Section III(D) infra.
    \35\ See proposed NYSE Rule 98(d)(2)(B)(iv).
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    Proposed NYSE Rule 98 would no longer require separate books and 
records for a specialist unit operating within an integrated 
proprietary aggregation unit. However, to allow NYSE Regulation to 
review the trading activity by the specialist unit at the Exchange 
without having to parse through commingled records, under proposed NYSE 
Rule 98(d)(2)(C), an integrated proprietary aggregation unit would have 
to maintain records of its specialist's accounts in a manner that is 
separate from the accounts of the integrated proprietary aggregation 
unit.\36\ Similarly, to ensure that NYSE Regulation can review the 
trading activities of the integrated proprietary aggregation unit, 
proposed NYSE Rule 98(d)(4) would require an integrated proprietary 
aggregation unit to maintain audit trail information for any trading by 
such unit, including trading at the Exchange and at other market 
centers. Further, the proposed amendments to NYSE Rule 132B would apply 
the Order Tracking System (``OTS'') requirements to trading by a 
specialist unit, and if applicable, an integrated proprietary 
aggregation unit.\37\ A member organization would be required to 
maintain sufficient records to reconstruct in a time-sequenced manner 
its trading in securities allocated to the specialist unit and any 
trading by the integrated proprietary aggregation unit in those 
securities in other market centers or trading in related products.\38\
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    \36\ See NYSE Rule 98(d)(2)(C).
    \37\ The order tracking provisions in NYSE Rule 132B currently 
do not apply to members effecting on the Floor proprietary 
transactions when they are acting in the capacity of a specialist, a 
Registered Competitive Market Maker, or a Competitive Trader. The 
proposed amendments in NYSE Rule 132B would apply the order tracking 
provisions in the rule to those persons.
    \38\ See proposed NYSE Rule 98(d)(4).
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    The Commission finds that the NYSE's proposal to permit a member 
organization to operate a specialist unit within an integrated 
proprietary aggregation unit is consistent with the Act. The Commission 
believes that the guidelines established for member organization 
policies and procedures and NYSE Regulation review are designed to 
protect specialist confidential information and non-public order 
information and mitigate the potential for conflicts of interest in a 
member organization. The Commission also believes that operation of a 
specialist unit within an integrated proprietary aggregation unit need 
not interfere with the specialist's obligations under Exchange Rules. 
In particular, proposed NYSE Rule 98(d) would establish that the 
specialist rules would apply to any trading on or through the systems 
and facilities of the Exchange by the integrated proprietary 
aggregation unit through the specialist unit in the securities that are 
allocated to the specialist unit and to the integrated proprietary 
aggregation unit if the integrated proprietary aggregation unit causes 
the specialist unit to violate the specialist rules.\39\ In this 
regard, NYSE states that if there is a conflict between the specialist 
unit's market making obligations and the integrated proprietary 
aggregation unit's trading, the presumption would be in favor of the 
specialist unit's market making obligations.\40\
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    \39\ See proposed NYSE Rule 98(d)(3).
    \40\ See Notice, supra note 3, at 73 FR at 38280.
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C. Sharing Non-Trading Related Services

    Proposed NYSE Rule 98(e) would allow a specialist member 
organization and its approved persons to share non-trading related 
services, subject to the approval of NYSE Regulation. To obtain 
approval to share non-trading related services, the specialist unit 
would be required to: (i) Adopt written policies and procedures 
governing the sharing of non-trading related services; (ii) establish a 
process for regular review of such written policies and procedures; and 
(iii) implement controls and surveillances reasonably designed to 
prevent and detect violations of those policies and procedures. At a 
minimum, the specialist unit's policies and procedures would have to be 
reasonably designed to provide that the specialist unit and the member 
organization or approved person must maintain the confidentiality of 
specialist confidential information and non-public order information. 
Under no circumstances may non-public order information or specialist 
confidential information be made available to a member's organizations 
investment banking, research, or customer-facing departments.\41\
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    \41\ See NYSE Rule 98(e)(2).
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    The Commission finds that NYSE's proposal to allow a specialist 
unit to share certain non-trading related services with its member 
organization or approved person is consistent with the Act because such 
sharing would be conducted pursuant to policies and procedures designed 
to protect specialist confidential information and non-public order 
information. Moreover, such policies and procedures would be reviewed 
by NYSE Regulation prior to a member organization being approved to 
share non-trading related services and NYSE Regulation and FINRA would 
examine on an ongoing basis whether the specialist unit's policies and 
procedures and controls comply with the requirements of the rule.\42\
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    \42\ See Notice, supra note 3, at 73 FR 38281.
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D. Risk Management

1. Changes to NYSE Rule 105
    NYSE Rule 105 currently limits the ability of specialists, 
specialist organizations and approved persons (and any officer or 
employee thereof) to conduct risk management trading in options and 
single stock futures on stock in which the specialist is registered. 
The Guidelines for Specialists' Specialty Stock Option and Single Stock 
Futures Transactions Pursuant to Rule 105 (``Rule 105 Guidelines'') 
currently sets forth the permissible options positions that a 
specialist may establish and maintain for the purpose of hedging risks 
associated with holding specialty stocks. The proposed amendments to 
NYSE Rule 105 would limit the applicability of the rule to the 
specialist unit itself (and any officer or employee thereof); approved 
persons would no longer be subject to NYSE Rule 105.\43\
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    \43\ NYSE Rule 105(a), which prohibits specialists, their member 
organization and their approved persons (or officer or employee 
thereof) from being directly or indirectly interested in a pool 
dealing or trading in a stock in which such member is registered as 
a specialist, would continue to apply to approved persons.
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    Paragraph (m)(i) of the Rule 105 Guidelines currently prohibits 
specialists, their member organization and their approved persons (or 
officer or employee thereof) from acting in any market-making capacity 
in an option or security future overlying a security in which the 
specialist is registered. An approved person may seek an exception from 
these restrictions under NYSE Rule 98 and paragraphs (m)(ii) and (iii) 
of the Rule 105 Guidelines exempt such approved person to engage in 
such market making activities. Such approved person, however, may not 
also act as a market maker in any equity security in which the 
associated specialist is registered and which underlies an option or 
security future in

[[Page 48265]]

which the approved person is acting as market maker.\44\
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    \44\ Paragraph (m)(ii) of the Rule 105 Guidelines.
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    Consistent with the proposal to amend NYSE Rule 105 so that 
approved persons are no longer subject to the Rule, the proposed rule 
change would eliminate the reference to ``approved persons'' in 
paragraph (m)(i) of the Rule 105 Guidelines. Thus, an approved person 
and an integrated proprietary aggregation unit would not be prohibited 
by NYSE Rules from engaging in options or security futures market-
making activities. In addition, the proposed rule change would delete 
paragraphs (m)(ii) and (m)(iii), which apply only to approved persons, 
from the Rule 105 Guidelines.
    The Commission believes that these proposed changes to NYSE Rule 
105 and the Rule 105 Guidelines are consistent with the Act. Under 
proposed NYSE Rule 98, the specialist unit would be walled-off from 
approved persons pursuant to a member organization's policies and 
procedures reviewed by NYSE Regulation that must be reasonably designed 
to protect against the improper disclosure and sharing of specialist 
confidential information and non-public order information. The 
Commission believes that these barriers between the specialist unit and 
other business activities of a member organization, including market 
making in securities in which a specialist is registered and related 
securities, will limit the potential for unfair use of non-public order 
information, manipulation and other improper trading practices, and 
conflicts of interest.
2. Proposed Risk Management Models
    Proposed NYSE Rule 98(f) would broaden the ability of specialist 
units to trade in related products and expand the universe of who may 
be involved in managing the risk of the specialist unit. In this 
regard, the NYSE proposes three models for a specialist unit to set up 
its risk management operation. Specifically, under the first model, 
risk management may be conducted within the specialist unit itself.\45\ 
Under the second model, risk management may be conducted within an 
integrated proprietary aggregation unit.\46\ Under the third model, 
risk management may be conducted within another affiliate of the 
specialist unit.\47\ Regardless of the risk management model, the 
specialist unit would be responsible for its quoting or trading 
decisions at the Exchange.\48\
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    \45\  See proposed NYSE Rule 98(f)(1).
    \46\ See proposed NYSE Rule 98(f)(2).
    \47\ See proposed NYSE Rule 98(f)(3).
    \48\ See Notice, supra note 3, at 73 FR at 38281; see also 
proposed NYSE Rules 98(f)(2)(A)(i) and 98(f)(3)(C)(iv).
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a. Specialist Unit Risk Management
    NYSE Rule 105 limits a specialist unit's trading in options and 
single stock futures on stock in which the specialist is registered. 
Proposed NYSE Rule 98(f)(1) would allow a specialist unit to seek an 
exemption from NYSE Rule 105 for the purpose of conducting risk 
management trading. A specialist unit and its officers and employees 
would continue to be prohibited from engaging in any capacity as a 
market maker in options or security futures overlying securities in 
which the specialist is registered. To obtain an exemption from the 
NYSE Rule 105 restrictions, the specialist unit would have to: (i) 
Adopt and implement comprehensive written procedures and guidelines 
governing the conduct of trading in related products; (ii) establish a 
process for regular review of such written procedures and guidelines; 
and (iii) implement controls and surveillances reasonably designed to 
prevent and detect violations of these procedures and guidelines. These 
policies and procedures would have to be reasonably designed to ensure 
that the individuals or systems responsible for trading related 
products do not have access to non-public order information or except 
as described below,\49\ specialist confidential information.\50\ 
Individuals who work on the Exchange Floor would not be permitted to 
trade or direct trading in related products,\51\ nor would the 
specialist API be permitted to make any trading decisions in related 
products.\52\ Accordingly, any trading in related products by the 
specialist unit would have to be conducted by an off-Floor, i.e., 
``upstairs'' office, by individuals who are qualified and registered to 
trade in the marketplaces where such trading occurs.\53\
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    \49\ See infra notes 55-56 and accompanying text.
    \50\ The proposed rule change would permit a specialist unit to 
transfer a specialist back and forth from the Floor of the Exchange 
to a specialist unit desk upstairs that trades in related products, 
so long as that specialist is registered and qualified to trade in 
related products and non-public order information is not used when 
trading in related products. In such case, however, a specialist 
unit must have policies and procedures reasonably designed to ensure 
that a specialist who moves off the Floor of the Exchange does not 
make available or use any non-public information or, unless 
otherwise specified, specialist confidential information, to which 
the specialist may have had access while on the Floor of the 
Exchange. See proposed NYSE Rule 98(f)(1)(A)(iii).
    \51\ See proposed NYSE Rule 98(f)(1)(A)(ii); Notice, supra note 
3, at 73 FR at 38281.
    \52\ See proposed NYSE Rule 98(f)(1)(A)(iv). Under the proposal, 
a specialist unit that has not been approved for an exemption from 
NYSE Rule 105 would still be permitted to enter orders in options or 
single-stock futures from the Floor, subject to the requirements of 
NYSE Rule 105; see also Notice, supra note 3, at 73 FR at 38281.
    \53\ The Exchange notes that the member organization with the 
specialist unit would have to be a member of FINRA or another self-
regulatory organization, as required by each marketplace where the 
specialist unit proposes to trade. See Notice, supra note 3, at 73 
FR at 38281.
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    The NYSE proposes to allow individuals or systems responsible for 
trading related products to have limited access to specialist 
confidential information. Specifically, individuals or systems, 
including computer algorithms, responsible for making trading decisions 
in related products may have electronic access to the specialist unit's 
trades at the Exchange in securities allocated to the specialist unit, 
provided that such trades have been printed to the Consolidated 
Tape.\54\
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    \54\ See proposed NYSE Rule 98(f)(1)(A)(v).
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    In addition, a senior manager of the specialist unit would be 
permitted to provide risk management oversight of both Floor specialist 
operations and any specialist unit upstairs trading in related 
products.\55\ Such oversight, however, would have to be done pursuant 
to policies and procedures reasonably designed to prevent the 
specialist unit senior managers who have access to non-public order 
information or specialist confidential information from making such 
information available to the individuals or systems on the upstairs 
trading desk responsible for trading related products within the 
specialist unit or using such information to directly or indirectly 
influence trading in related products by that upstairs desk.\56\ The 
proposed rule also would bar specialists from directly entering or 
executing trades in related products while on the Floor of the 
Exchange.\57\
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    \55\ See proposed NYSE Rule 98(f)(1)(A)(vi).
    \56\ Id.
    \57\ See proposed NYSE Rule 98(f)(1)(ii).
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    The Commission believes that the proposal to permit a specialist 
unit to conduct risk management within the specialist unit itself is 
consistent with the Act. The Commission notes that the proposed rule 
would require a specialist unit's policies and procedures to be 
reasonably designed to ensure that the individuals or systems 
responsible for trading related products do not have access to non-
public order information or, except under limited conditions, 
specialist confidential information.
    The Commission believes that those limited circumstances in which 
specialist confidential information may

[[Page 48266]]

be used to manage a specialist unit's risks would not be a misuse of 
information. The Commission does not believe that information about 
trades that have been printed to the Consolidated Tape would provide 
the member organization with an unfair advantage because such trades 
would be publicly available.\58\
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    \58\ Once trades are disseminated publicly, the individuals or 
systems, including computer algorithms, responsible for trading in 
related products may have access to the specialist unit's aggregate 
net long or short position that includes the printed trades.
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b. Integrated Proprietary Aggregation Unit Risk Management
    Proposed NYSE Rule 98(f)(2) would permit an integrated proprietary 
aggregation unit to conduct risk management trading related to the 
specialist unit's trading.\59\ NYSE Regulation would need to approve 
the integrated proprietary aggregation unit to conduct such risk 
management trading.
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    \59\ An integrated proprietary aggregation unit conducting risk 
management trading outside of its specialist unit pursuant to 
proposed NYSE Rule 98(f)(2) would not require an exemption from the 
requirements of NYSE Rule 105(b)-(d) and the Rule 105 Guidelines 
because, under the proposed changes to NYSE Rule 105, the 
prohibitions on risk management trading would apply only to the 
specialist unit itself and not to approved persons. See supra 
Section III(D)(1).
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    Proposed NYSE Rule 98(f)(2) incorporates the requirements described 
above for conducting risk management trading within the specialist unit 
itself, except for the requirement in proposed NYSE Rule 
98(f)(1)(A)(vi) relating to senior managers of the specialist unit.\60\ 
The requirement in proposed NYSE Rule 98(f)(1)(A)(vi) is not applicable 
where risk management is being conducted by an integrated proprietary 
aggregation unit, because senior managers of the specialist unit would 
not be providing risk management oversight. In addition, an integrated 
proprietary aggregation unit would be required to: (i) Adopt and 
implement comprehensive written procedures and guidelines governing the 
conduct of risk management of the specialist unit; (ii) establish a 
process for regular review of such written procedures and guidelines; 
and (iii) implement controls and surveillances reasonably designed to 
prevent and detect violations of these procedures and guidelines.
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    \60\ See proposed NYSE Rule 98(f)(2)(A). An integrated 
proprietary aggregation units would have to meet the requirements of 
proposed NYSE Rule 98(f)(1)(A)(i)-(v), see supra notes 49-54 and 
accompanying text.
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    Rule 98 (f)(2)(A)(i) would permit the ``upstairs'' risk management 
desk to electronically direct the specialist unit's trading or quoting, 
subject to the specialist unit's market making obligations. To provide 
the recommendations to the specialist unit, the ``upstairs'' risk 
management desk would be permitted to have real-time access both to the 
integrated proprietary aggregation unit's positions in related products 
and other securities and to the specialist unit's positions in 
securities allocated to it, provided that such specialist unit's 
positions comprise only trades that have been printed to the 
Consolidated Tape.\61\
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    \61\ See Notice, supra note 3, at 73 FR at 38282; see also 
proposed Rule 98(f)(2)(A)(i).
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    The Commission finds that the proposal to permit a specialist 
unit's risk management operations to be performed by an integrated 
proprietary aggregation unit of which it is part is consistent with the 
Act. The Commission believes that the policies and procedures an 
integrated proprietary aggregation unit would be required to establish 
and that NYSE Regulation would need to review would protect specialist 
confidential information and non-public order information.
    The Commission also believes that the proposed NYSE Rule 98 would 
continue to mitigate conflicts of interest between the specialist's 
responsibilities to the market and the business activities of 
specialist affiliates. In this regard, the proposed rule would require 
the specialist unit to determine whether any recommendations provided 
to it by an ``upstairs'' risk management desk are consistent with its 
market making obligations, including Exchange specialist rules. Thus, 
the Commission expects that the specialist unit would accept or reject 
such recommendations in a manner that is consistent with its market 
making obligations.
c. Approved Person or Member Organization Risk Management
    Finally, under proposed NYSE Rule 98(f)(3) an approved person or a 
member organization that runs a specialist unit could seek approval of 
NYSE Regulation to conduct risk management trading related to the 
specialist unit's trading.\62\ This alternative would provide broker-
dealers the flexibility to keep the specialist unit as a separate 
member organization or aggregation unit, yet have an approved person or 
separate aggregation unit provide risk management services for the 
specialist unit. Under this option, the approved person or member 
organization would provide the same type of risk management as an 
integrated proprietary aggregation unit that includes that the 
specialist unit under proposed NYSE Rule 98(f)(2). Thus, as required 
for an integrated proprietary aggregation unit under proposed NYSE Rule 
98(f)(2) described above, proposed NYSE Rule 98(f)(3) would require an 
approved person or member organization conducting such risk management 
to: (i) Adopt and implement comprehensive written procedures and 
guidelines governing the conduct of risk management of the specialist 
unit; (ii) establish a process for regular review of such written 
procedures and guidelines; and (iii) implement controls and 
surveillances reasonably designed to prevent and detect violations of 
these procedures and guidelines.\63\ These policies and procedures must 
be reasonably designed to satisfy the requirements in the rule, 
including that individuals and systems responsible for managing the 
risk of the specialist unit could not have access to non-public order 
information, or with certain exceptions, specialist confidential 
information.\64\ These exceptions are limited to allowing individuals 
and systems responsible for managing the risk of the specialist unit to 
have electronic access to the specialist unit's trades once they are 
printed to the Consolidated Tape.\65\ In addition, an approved person 
or member organization could electronically direct the specialist 
unit's trading or quoting, subject to the specialist unit's market 
making obligations.
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    \62\ An affiliate of a specialist unit conducting risk 
management trading pursuant to proposed NYSE Rule 98(f)(3) would not 
require an exemption from the requirements of NYSE Rule 105(b)-(d) 
and the Rule 105 Guidelines because, under the proposed changes to 
NYSE Rule 105, the prohibitions on risk management trading would 
apply only to the specialist unit itself and not to approved 
persons. See supra Section III(D)(1).
    \63\ See proposed Rule 98(f)(3)(C).
    \64\ See proposed Rule 98(f)(3)(C)(ii).
    \65\ See supra note 54 and accompanying text.
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    The Commission finds that the proposed rule change to permit an 
approved person or a member organization associated with a specialist 
unit to conduct its risk management trading related to the specialist 
unit's trading is consistent with the Act. The Commission believes that 
the policies and procedures an approved person or member organization 
would be required to establish and that NYSE Regulation would need to 
revise would protect specialist confidential information and non-public 
order information.
    The Commission also believes that proposed NYSE Rule 98 would 
continue to mitigate conflicts of interest between the specialist's 
responsibilities to the market and the business activities of

[[Page 48267]]

specialist affiliates. In this regard, the proposed rule would require 
the specialist unit to determine whether any recommendations provided 
to it by an ``upstairs'' risk management desk are consistent with its 
market making obligations, including Exchange specialist rules. Thus, 
the Commission expects that the specialist unit would accept or reject 
such recommendations in a manner that is consistent with its market 
making obligations.

E. Failure To Maintain Confidentiality, Reporting Obligations, and 
Breaches

    Proposed NYSE Rule 98(g) would provide that, if a specialist 
becomes aware of non-public material information from its approved 
person or parent member organization, the specialist may have to cease 
acting as a specialist temporarily in the security involved. Proposed 
NYSE Rule 98(i) would provide that any breach of the proposed NYSE Rule 
98 could result in disciplinary action, including the withdrawal of one 
or more securities allocated to the specialist unit or withdrawal of 
approval to operate a specialist unit. Both rules are substantially 
similar to provisions in current NYSE Rule 98 \66\ and the Commission 
believes they are consistent with the Act.
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    \66\ See current NYSE Rule 98, Guidelines (i) and (k).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Paragraphs (1) and (2) of proposed NYSE Rule 98(h) are 
substantially similar to the current reporting obligations in current 
NYSE Rule 98.\67\ Proposed NYSE Rule 98(h)(1) would require ``after the 
fact'' reporting of information regarding material investment banking 
activities in which the member organization or approved person has been 
engaged and material research reports, recommendations, etc. pertaining 
to any security that has been allocated to the specialist unit. 
Proposed NYSE Rule 98(h)(2) would require ``after the fact'' reporting 
of information about determinations regarding whether the specialist 
should cease acting as specialist in the event the specialist unit 
receives non-public information. Paragraphs (3) and (4) of proposed 
NYSE Rule 98(h) would add a new requirement for specialist units to 
report any actual breaches, or internal investigations of possible 
breaches, of the information barriers required by the rule. In 
particular, a specialist unit would be required to conduct an internal 
investigation into any trading activity that may be a result of a 
breach of information barriers required by proposed NYSE Rule 98. In 
addition, on a quarterly basis, a specialist unit would have to report 
in writing to NYSE Regulation whether it has commenced such an internal 
investigation, the quarterly progress of any open investigations, what 
remedial measures, if any, were taken, and the completion of any 
internal investigation, including the methodology and results of such 
investigation, any internal disciplinary action taken, and any referral 
of the matter to the NYSE, another self-regulatory organization, or the 
Commission.\68\
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    \67\ See current NYSE Rule 98, Guidelines (j).
    \68\ See proposed NYSE Rule 98(h)(4).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Commission finds that proposed NYSE Rule 98(h) is consistent 
with the Act and would provide NYSE Regulation with an additional tool 
to monitor compliance with NYSE Rule 98. The Commission notes that NYSE 
designed the reporting obligation for internal investigations in the 
proposed rule to be effectively similar to the reporting obligation in 
other NYSE rules.\69\
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    \69\ See NYSE Rules 351(e) and 342.21.
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F. Existing Specialists

1. NYSE Rule 98 (Former)
    Because a current specialist may decide to keep its current 
operational structure or delay implementation of a new operational 
structure, the NYSE proposes to retain current NYSE Rule 98 but limit 
its applicability to specialist organizations and their associated 
approved persons operating as of the date of this Order. Specifically, 
current NYSE Rule 98 would be re-designated as ``Rule 98 (Former)'' in 
the NYSE Rules until all specialist units are approved for operation 
pursuant to the proposed rule.\70\ Except for the sharing of non-
trading related services, as discussed below, such member organization 
and its approved persons would continue to be subject to NYSE Rule 98 
(Former) as well as the ``(Former)'' versions of NYSE Rules that 
reference exemptions from Rule 98 (Former) for approved persons. Any 
new specialist units would be required to comply with proposed NYSE 
Rule 98. Any significant changes to the status quo after the effective 
date of the proposed rule would require the member organization to 
apply for approval pursuant to the procedures of proposed NYSE Rule 
98.\71\
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    \70\ See proposed NYSE Rule 98 (Former).
    \71\ See Notice, supra note 3, at 73 FR at 38276.
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    The Commission finds that the NYSE's proposal to continue to permit 
current specialist units to operate under current NYSE Rule 98, 
redesignated as NYSE Rule 98 (Former), is consistent with the Act. 
Allowing specialist units to continue to operate under current NYSE 
Rule 98 would provide specialist units time to develop or modify their 
policies and procedures and avoid any unnecessary disruption in their 
businesses.

2. Sharing of Non-Trading Related Services

    The proposed rule change would provide that a member organization 
operating pursuant to NYSE Rule 98 (Former) could apply for approval 
from NYSE Regulation to share non-trading related services.\72\ Any 
such sharing of non-trading related services would be pursuant to 
proposed NYSE Rule 98(e).\73\
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    \72\ See NYSE Rule 98 (Former), Guidelines(c).
    \73\ See supra notes 41-42 and accompanying text for a 
discussion of these rules.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Commission finds that the NYSE proposal to permit specialist 
units operating under NYSE Rule 98 (Former) to seek approval under 
proposed NYSE Rule 98 to share non-trading related services is 
consistent with the Act. Specialist units operating under NYSE Rule 98 
(Former) and their approved persons would be required to maintain 
informational barriers prescribed by the current NYSE Rule 98 
Guidelines. The Commission believes that those Guidelines, combined 
with the requirements under proposed NYSE Rule 98(e) regarding the 
sharing of non-trading related services would protect against the 
misuse of non-public information.

G. Additional Rule Changes

    As described above, under the proposed rule, instead of reviewing 
whether to grant each approved person an exemption from NYSE Rule 98, 
NYSE Regulation would review the specialist unit's policies, 
procedures, controls, and surveillance. For this reason, the NYSE 
proposes to amend the NYSE rules that refer to approved persons and to 
the need for an exemption from NYSE Rule 98.
1. Proposed Amendments to NYSE Rule 98A
    NYSE Rule 98A currently requires approved persons to agree in 
writing not to cause a specialist or odd-lot dealer to violate rules 
applicable to the specialist or odd-lot dealer. The rule further 
requires that approved persons report to the Exchange any off-Floor 
orders for securities in which an associated specialist member 
organization specializes for any account in which the approved person 
has a direct or indirect interest.

[[Page 48268]]

    Under the proposed amendments to NYSE Rule 98A, approved persons 
would no longer be required to agree in writing not to cause a 
specialist or odd-lot dealer to violate rules applicable to the 
specialist or odd-lot dealer. Approved persons also would no longer be 
required to report any off-Floor orders for securities in which an 
associated specialist member organization specializes for any account 
in which the approved person has a direct or indirect interest to the 
Exchange. The Commission believes that the elimination of these 
requirements is consistent with the Act because, under proposed NYSE 
Rule 98, the specialist unit would be walled-off from approved persons.
2. Proposed Amendments to NYSE Rules 99, 102, 103B, 104, and 113
    NYSE Rules 99, 103B, 104, and 113 currently specifically apply to 
approved persons, unless such approved person has obtained an exemption 
under Rule 98. Under the proposed rule change, current NYSE Rules 99, 
103B, 104, and 113 would be amended to remove references to approved 
persons.\74\ The Commission believes that the elimination of the 
references to approved persons in these rules is consistent with the 
Act because, under proposed NYSE Rule 98, the specialist unit would be 
walled-off from approved persons.
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    \74\ For the period of time that the current NYSE Rule 98 stays 
in the NYSE Rules as ``NYSE Rule 98 (Former),'' each of NYSE Rules 
99, 103B, 104, and 113 will have two forms: One to meet the 
requirements of NYSE Rule 98 (Former) and one to meet the 
requirements of proposed NYSE Rule 98. The version of the rules that 
relate to NYSE Rule 98 (Former) will be similarly designated with 
the ``(Former)'' title either for the entire rule, or for a section 
of a rule, as appropriate.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    NYSE Rule 102 currently governs trading in related products by an 
odd-lot dealer. The Commission believes that the deletion of current 
NYSE Rule 102 is consistent with the Act. The Commission notes that the 
Exchange no longer has separate odd-lot dealers and all specialists are 
also responsible for odd-lot trading in securities in which they are 
registered. The Commission also notes that specialists would be subject 
to the standards set forth in proposed Rules NYSE 98 and 105.
3. Proposed Amendments to NYSE Rule 460
    Current NYSE Rule 460.10 prohibits a specialist, its member 
organization or approved person (or officer or employee thereof) from, 
individually or in the aggregate, owning more than 10% of the 
outstanding shares of any equity security in which the specialist is 
registered.\75\ Current NYSE Rule 460.10 also requires such person to 
report to the NYSE when it, directly or indirectly, acquires more than 
5% of the outstanding shares of such equity security and promptly 
dispose or reduce such interest if advised to do so by the Exchange. A 
specialist, its member organization or approved person (or officer or 
employee thereof) may exceed the 10% ownership threshold for derivative 
securities whose values are based on an underlying currency or index 
only with the approval of the NYSE; however, in no event may such 
person directly or indirectly own more than 25% of such derivative 
securities.
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    \75\ The prohibitions in current NYSE Rule 460.10 do not apply 
if the security is a convertible security, American Depositary 
Receipt, Global Depositary Receipt or exchange-traded funds tied to 
the equity securities, current or index warrants.
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    The proposed amendments to NYSE Rule 460 would make changes so that 
it would apply only to the specialist member and his specialist unit 
and not to his member organization or approved persons. In addition, 
the proposed amendments would replace the 10% ownership limitation set 
forth in NYSE Rule 460.10 with a requirement that the specialist unit 
report to the Exchange the beneficial ownership of more than 5% of an 
equity security that is allocated to it. The specialist unit would be 
required to update such reports if its beneficial ownership exceeds 10% 
or falls below 5%. In addition, the specialist unit would be prohibited 
from acquiring, directly or indirectly, more than 25% of the 
outstanding shares in any security allocated to the specialist unit. 
\76\ The proposed amendments to NYSE Rule 460 would apply to specialist 
units operating under proposed NYSE Rule 98, as well as to specialist 
member organizations that continue to operate under NYSE Rule 98 
(Former).
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    \76\ See Amendment No. 1, supra note 4.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Commission believes that the proposed changes to NYSE Rule 
460.10 are consistent with the Act. Consistent with the NYSE's proposed 
changes to Rule 98, the changes to Rule 460 would apply the 
restrictions in the rule only to the specialist. The Commission 
believes that, because of the policies and procedures a specialist unit 
or any integrated proprietary aggregation unit in which it is a part 
would be required to implement, these changes to Rule 460 are 
consistent with the Act. Further, the Commission believes that, because 
of the increased competition among markets in NYSE listed securities, 
the elimination of the restrictions in Rule 460.10 are consistent with 
the Act.

IV. Conclusion

    It is therefore ordered, pursuant to Section 19(b)(2) of the Act, 
that the proposed rule change (SR-NYSE-2008-45), as modified by 
Amendment No. 1, be, and it hereby is, approved.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\77\
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    \77\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Florence E. Harmon,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. E8-18964 Filed 8-15-08; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 8010-01-P
