[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 231 (Monday, December 2, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66032-66033]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-25999]
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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
[Release No. 34-87609; File No. SR-PEARL-2019-34]
Self-Regulatory Organizations; MIAX PEARL, LLC; Notice of Filing
and Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed Rule Change To Amend Rule
510, Minimum Price Variations and Minimum Trading Increments To Extend
the Penny Pilot Program
November 25, 2019.
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 November 13, 2019, MIAX PEARL, LLC (``MIAX PEARL'' or the
``Exchange'') filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(``Commission'') a proposed rule change as described in Items I, II,
and III below, which Items have been prepared by the Exchange. 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.
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I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance
of the Proposed Rule Change
The Exchange is filing a proposal to amend Rule 510, Minimum Price
Variations and Minimum Trading Increments, Interpretation and Policy
.01 to extend the pilot program for the quoting and trading of certain
options in pennies.
The text of the proposed rule change is available on the Exchange's
website at http://www.miaxoptions.com/rule-filings/pearl, at MIAX
PEARL'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 Exchange included statements
concerning the purpose of and basis for the proposed rule change and
discussed any comments it received on the proposed rule change. The
text of these statements may be examined at the places specified in
Item 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 a participant in an industry-wide pilot program
that provides for the quoting and trading of certain option classes in
penny increments (the ``Penny Pilot Program'' or ``Program''). The
Penny Pilot Program allows the quoting and trading of certain option
classes in minimum increments of $0.01 for all series in such option
classes with a price of less than $3.00; and in minimum increments of
$0.05 for all series in such option classes with a price of $3.00 or
higher. Options overlying the PowerShares QQQTM (``QQQ''),
SPDR[supreg] S&P 500[supreg] ETF (``SPY''), and iShares[supreg] Russell
2000 ETF (``IWM''), however, are quoted and traded in minimum
increments of $0.01 for all series regardless of the price. The Penny
Pilot Program was initiated at the then existing option exchanges in
January 2007 \3\ and currently includes more than 300 of the most
active option classes. The Penny Pilot Program is currently scheduled
to expire on December 31, 2019.\4\ The purpose of the proposed rule
change is to extend the Penny Pilot Program in its current format
through June 30, 2020.
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\3\ See Securities Exchange Act Release Nos. 55154 (January 23,
2007), 72 FR 4743 (February 1, 2007) (SR-CBOE-2006-92); 55161
(January 24, 2007), 72 FR 4754 (February 1, 2007) (SR-ISE-2006-62);
54886 (December 6, 2006), 71 FR 74979 (December 13, 2006) (SR-Phlx-
2006-74); 54590 (October 12, 2006), 71 FR 61525 (October 18, 2006)
(SR-NYSEArca-2006-73); and 54741 (November 9, 2006), 71 FR 67176
(November 20, 2006) (SR-Amex-2006-106).
\4\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 86049 (June 6,
2019), 84 FR 27381 (June 12, 2019) (SR-PEARL-2019-20) (extending the
Penny Pilot Program from June 30, 2019 to December 31, 2019).
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2. Statutory Basis
The Exchange believes that its proposed rule change is consistent
with Section 6(b) of the Act \5\ in general, and furthers the
objectives of Section 6(b)(5) of the Act \6\ 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, to remove impediments to and perfect the
mechanisms of a free and open market and a national market system and,
in general, to protect investors and the public interest.
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\5\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
\6\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
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In particular, the proposed rule change, which extends the Penny
Pilot Program for six months, allows the Exchange to continue to
participate in a program that has been viewed as beneficial to traders,
investors and public customers and viewed as successful by the other
options exchanges participating in it.
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. Specifically, the Exchange
believes that, by extending the expiration of the Pilot Program, the
proposed rule change will allow for further analysis of the Penny Pilot
Program and a determination of how the Program should be structured in
the future. In doing so, the proposed rule change will also serve to
promote regulatory clarity and consistency, thereby reducing burdens on
the marketplace, facilitating investor protection, and fostering a
competitive environment. In addition, consistent with previous
practices, the Exchange
[[Page 66033]]
believes the other options exchanges will be filing similar extensions
of the Penny Pilot Program.
C. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed
Rule Change Received From Members, Participants, or Others
Written comments were neither solicited nor received.
III. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed Rule Change and Timing for
Commission Action
Because the foregoing 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 for 30 days after the date of the filing, or such
shorter time as the Commission may designate, it has become effective
pursuant to 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act \7\ and Rule 19b-4(f)(6) \8\
thereunder.
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\7\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
\8\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6). In addition, Rule 19b-4(f)(6)
requires a self-regulatory organization to give the Commission
written notice of its intent to file 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.
The Exchange has satisfied this requirement.
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At any time within 60 days of the filing of the 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 to
determine whether the proposed rule 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 [email protected]. Please include
File Number SR-PEARL-2019-34 on the subject line.
Paper Comments
Send paper comments in triplicate to Secretary, Securities
and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549-1090.
All submissions should refer to File Number SR-PEARL-2019-34. 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 website (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 website 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 10:00 a.m. and
3:00 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. Persons submitting comments are
cautioned that we do not redact or edit personal identifying
information from comment submissions. You should submit only
information that you wish to make available publicly. All submissions
should refer to File Number SR-PEARL-2019-34 and should be submitted on
or before December 23, 2019.
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\9\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets,
pursuant to delegated authority.\9\
Eduardo A. Aleman,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2019-25999 Filed 11-29-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P