Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Act”) and Rule 19b-4 thereunder, notice is hereby given that on July 29, 2011, the Chicago Board Options Exchange, Incorporated (“Exchange” or “CBOE”) 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 prepared by the Exchange. The Commission is publishing this notice to solicit comments on the proposed rule change from interested persons.
17 CFR 240.19b-4.
I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance of the Proposed Rule Change
The Exchange proposes to waive the Trading Permit Holder application fee on the CBOE Stock Exchange (“CBSX”) for the month of August 2011. The text of the proposed rule change is available on the Exchange's Web site ( http://www.cboe.org/legal ), at the Exchange's Office of the Secretary, and at the Commission.
II. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change
In its filing with the Commission, the self-regulatory organization included statements concerning the purpose of and basis for the proposed rule change and discussed any comments it received on the proposed rule change. The text of those statements may be examined at the places specified in Item IV below. The Exchange has prepared summaries, set forth in sections A, B, and C below, of the most significant parts of such statements.
A. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and the Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change
1. Purpose
CBSX normally applies the CBOE Trading Permit Holder Application Fees to any applicant that applies to be a CBSX Trading Permit Holder. CBSX hereby proposes, for the month of August 2011 only, to waive such fees and not charge any fees for applications to become a CBSX Trading Permit Holder. The purpose of this “pricing special” is to incentivize broker-dealers and other market participants who are not currently CBSX Trading Permit Holders to apply to become CBSX Trading Permit Holders and begin to effect transactions on CBSX. To that end, CBSX is willing to subsidize the application costs for the month of August 2011. The proposed waiver should incentivize broker-dealers and other market participants to apply to become CBSX Trading Permit Holders, and the increased number of Trading Permit Holders on CBSX will bring greater liquidity to CBSX, which would benefit all current CBSX Trading Permit Holders.
The proposed rule change will take effect on August 1, 2011 and cease effectiveness on August 31, 2011.
2. Statutory Basis
The proposed rule change is consistent with Section 6(b) of the Act, in general, and furthers the objectives of Section 6(b)(4) of the Act in particular, in that it is designed to provide for the equitable allocation of reasonable dues, fees, and other charges among CBOE Trading Permit Holders and other persons using Exchange facilities. A one-month, temporary waiver of a regular application fee is certainly reasonable because it makes applying to become a CBSX Trading Permit Holder free. The temporary waiver is equitable and not unfairly discriminatory because it waives the application fees for any party applying during August 2011 to become a CBSX Trading Permit Holder. The proposed waiver should incentivize broker-dealers and other market participants to apply to become CBSX Trading Permit Holders, and the increased number of Trading Permit Holders on CBSX will bring greater liquidity to CBSX, which would benefit all current CBSX Trading Permit Holders.
15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(4).
B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition
CBOE does not believe that the proposed rule change will impose any burden on competition 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
The proposed rule change is designated by the Exchange as establishing or changing a due, fee, or other charge, thereby qualifying for effectiveness on filing pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act and subparagraph (f)(2) of Rule 19b-4 thereunder. 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.
17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(2).
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-CBOE-2011-070 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-CBOE-2011-070. 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 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 a.m. and 3 p.m. Copies of such 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-CBOE-2011-070 and should be submitted on or before September 6, 2011.
For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated authority.
Elizabeth M. Murphy,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2011-20691 Filed 8-12-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P