
[Federal Register: April 22, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 77)]
[Notices]               
[Page 21074-21076]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr22ap10-128]                         

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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-61921; File No. SR-NYSEAmex-2010-38]

 
Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Amex LLC; Notice of Filing 
and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change Amending Rule 903 
Commentary .06

April 15, 2010.
    Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 
(``Act''),\1\ and Rule 19b-4 \2\ thereunder, notice is hereby given 
that on April 12, 2010, NYSE Amex LLC (the ``Exchange'') filed with the 
Securities and Exchange Commission (``SEC'' or ``Commission'') the 
proposed rule change as described in Items I and II below, which Items 
have been prepared by the Exchange. The Exchange filed the proposed 
rule change pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act,\3\ and Rule 
19b-4(f)(6) thereunder,\4\ which renders the proposal 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 proposes to amend Rule 903 Commentary .06 to permit 
the concurrent listing of $3.50 and $4 strikes for classes that 
participate in both the $0.50 Strike and $1 Strike Programs. The text 
of the proposed rule change is attached as Exhibit 5 to the 19b-4 form. 
A copy of this filing is available on the Exchange's Web site at http:/
/www.nyse.com, at the Exchange's principal office 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 
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

1. Purpose
    The purpose of this filing is to amend Rule 903 Commentary .06 to 
permit the concurrent listing of $3.50 and $4 strikes for classes that 
participate in both the $0.50 Strike and $1 Strike Programs.
    The Exchange recently implemented a rule change that permits strike 
price intervals of $0.50 for options on stocks trading at or below 
$3.00 (``$0.50 Strike Program'').\5\ As part of the filing to establish 
the $0.50 Strike Program, the Exchange contemplated that a class may be 
selected to participate in both the

[[Page 21075]]

$0.50 Strike Program and the $1 Strike Program.
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    \5\ See Exchange Act Release No. 60720 (September 25, 2009) 74 
FR 51205 (October 5, 2009).
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    Under the $1 Strike Program, new series with $1 intervals are not 
permitted to be listed within $0.50 of an existing $2.50 strike price 
in the same series, except that strike prices of $2 and $3 are 
permitted to be listed within $0.50 of a $2.50 strike price for classes 
also selected to participate in the $0.50 Strike Program. Under NYSE 
Amex's existing rule, for classes selected to participate in both the 
$0.50 Strike Program and the $1 Strike Program, the Exchange may 
either: (a) List a $3.50 strike but not list a $4 strike; or (b) list a 
$4 strike but not list a $3.50 strike. For example, under the 
Exchange's current rules, if a $3.50 strike for an option class in both 
the $0.50 and $1 Strike Programs was listed, the next highest 
permissible strike price would be $5.00. Alternatively, if a $4 strike 
was listed, the next lowest permissible strike price would be $3.00. 
The intent of the $.50 Strike Program was to expand the ability of 
investors to hedge risks associated with stocks trading at or under $3 
and to provide finer intervals of $0.50, beginning at $1 up to $3.50. 
As a result, the Exchange believes that the current filing is 
consistent with the purpose of the $0.50 Strike Program and will permit 
the Exchange to fill in any existing gaps resulting from having to 
choose whether to list a $3.50 or $4 strike for options classes in both 
the $0.50 and $1 Strike Programs.
    Therefore, the Exchange is submitting the current filing to permit 
the listing of concurrent $3.50 and $4 strikes for classes that are 
selected to participate in both the $0.50 Strike Program and the $1 
Strike Program. To effect this change, the Exchange is proposing to add 
$4 to the strike prices of $2 and $3 currently permitted if a class 
participates in both the $0.50 Strike Program and the $1 Strike 
Program.
    The Exchange is also proposing to amend the current rule text to 
delete references to ``$2.50 strike prices'' (and the example utilizing 
$2.50 strike prices) and to replace those references with broader 
language, e.g., ``existing strike prices.''
2. Statutory Basis
    The Exchange believes the proposed rule change is consistent with 
Section 6(b) \6\ of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the ``Act''), 
in general, and furthers the objectives of Section 6(b)(5) \7\ in 
particular in that it is designed to promote just and equitable 
principles of trade, to prevent fraudulent and manipulative acts, to 
remove impediments to and to perfect the mechanism for a free and open 
market and a national market system and, in general, to protect 
investors and the public interest by permitting the Exchange to list 
more granular strikes on options overlying lower priced securities, 
which the Exchange believes will provide investors with greater 
flexibility by allowing them to establish positions that are better 
tailored to meet their investment objectives.
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    \6\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
    \7\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
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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

    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

    Because the foregoing proposed rule change does not significantly 
affect the protection of investors or the public interest, does not 
impose any significant burden on competition, and, by its terms, does 
not become operative for 30 days from the date on which it was filed, 
or such shorter time as the Commission may designate, it has become 
effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) \8\ of the Act and Rule 19b-
4(f)(6) \9\ thereunder. The Exchange provided the Commission with 
written 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 the proposed rule 
change.
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    \8\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
    \9\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).
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    The Exchange has requested that the Commission waive the 30-day 
operative delay to permit the Exchange to list series available on 
other exchanges. The Commission finds that waiver of the operative 
delay is consistent with the protection of investors and the public 
interest because such waiver will enable the Exchange to compete with 
other exchanges whose rules permit concurrent listing of $3.50 and $4 
strikes for classes similarly participating in both a $0.50 strike 
program and a $1 strike program. Therefore, the Commission designates 
the proposal operative upon filing.\10\
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    \10\ For purposes only of waiving the 30-day operative delay, 
the Commission has considered the proposed rule's impact on 
efficiency, competition, and capital formation. See 15 U.S.C. 
78c(f).
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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 purposes of the Act.

IV. Solicitation of Comments

    Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views, and 
arguments concerning the foregoing, including whether the 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-NYSEAmex-2010-38 on the subject line.

Paper Comments

     Send paper comments in triplicate to Elizabeth M. Murphy, 
Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street, NE., 
Washington, DC 20549-1090.

All submissions should refer to File Number SR-NYSEAmex-2010-38. 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,\11\ 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, on official 
business days between the hours of 10

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a.m. and 3 p.m. Copies of the 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-NYSEAmex-2010-38 and should 
be submitted on or before May 13, 2010.
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    \11\ The text of the proposed rule change is available on the 
Commission's Web site at http://www.sec.gov/.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
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. 2010-9278 Filed 4-21-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P

