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 April 23, 2012, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. (“CME”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) the proposed rule change described in Items I and II below, which items have been prepared primarily by CME. The Commission is publishing this Notice and Order to solicit comments on the proposed rule change from interested persons and to approve the proposed rule change on an accelerated basis.
17 CFR 240.19b-4.
I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of Terms of Substance of the Proposed Rule Change
CME proposes including certain additional reporting requirements for futures commission merchant (“FCM”) clearing members. The enhanced reporting requirements are designed to further safeguard customer funds held at the FCM level. The text of the proposed rule change is available at the CME's Web site at http://www.cmegroup.com/market-regulation/rule-filings.html.
II. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of Purpose of, and Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change
In its filing with the Commission, CME included statements concerning the purpose 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 III below. CME 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 Purpose of, and Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change
CME is registered as a derivatives clearing organization with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (”CFTC”) and operates a substantial business clearing futures and swaps contracts subject to the jurisdiction of the CFTC. CME wants to impose additional reporting requirements for FCM clearing members pursuant to CME Rule 970.D. The new reporting requirements will require all FCM clearing members to file daily, segregated, secured 30.7 and “sequestered” (or customer cleared swaps) statements, as applicable, on a daily basis. The proposed effective date for this new requirement is May 1, 2012.
As further described in CME-issued Audit Information Bulletin 12-04, the enhanced reporting requirements are designed to further safeguard customer funds held at the FCM level. The proposed daily reporting requirements comport with the CFTC's DCO Core Principle F (Treatment of Funds), which requires each DCO to “have standards and procedures designed to ensure the safety of member and participant funds.”
CME Audit Information Bulletin 12-04 constitutes the CME's proposed changes. CME also made a filing, CME Submission 12-112, with its primary regulator, the CFTC, with respect to the proposed changes.
CME believes the proposed changes are consistent with the requirements of the Act. First, CME, a derivatives clearing organization, is implementing the proposed changes in furtherance with applicable CFTC regulations and Commodity Exchange Act (“CEA”), which contains a number of provisions that are comparable to the policies underlying the Act, including, for example, promoting market transparency for derivatives markets, promoting the prompt and accurate clearance of transactions and protecting investors and the public interest. Second, CME believes the proposed changes are specifically designed to protect investors and the public interest because the requirements help safeguard customer funds held at the FCM level.
B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition
CME does not believe that the proposed rule change will have any impact or impose any burden on competition.
C. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed Rule Change Received From Members, Participants, or Others
CME has not solicited and does not intend to solicit comments regarding this proposed rule change. CME has not received any unsolicited written comments from interested parties.
III. 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 may be submitted by using the Commission's Internet comment form ( http://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml ), or send an email to rule-comments@sec.gov. Please include File No. SR-CME-2012-13 on the subject line.
- Paper comments should be sent 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-CME-2012-13. 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 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 CME. 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-CME-2012-13 and should be submitted on or before May 23, 2012.
IV. Commission's Findings and Order Granting Accelerated Approval of Proposed Rule Change
Section 19(b) of the Act directs the Commission to approve a proposed rule change of a self-regulatory organization if it finds that such proposed rule change is consistent with the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations thereunder applicable to such organization. The Commission finds that the proposed rule change is consistent with the requirements of the Act, in particular the requirements of Section 17A of the Act, and the rules and regulations thereunder applicable to CME. Specifically, the Commission finds that the proposed rule change is consistent with Section 17A(b)(3)(F) of the Act which requires, among other things, that the rules of a clearing agency be designed to protect investors and the public interest because the proposed rule change should allow CME to better monitor the financial status and risk management procedures of its clearing members.
15 U.S.C. 78q-1. In approving this proposed rule change, the Commission has considered the proposed rule's impact on efficiency, competition, and capital formation. 15 U.S.C. 78c(f).
15 U.S.C. 78q-1(b)(3)(F).
In its filing, CME requested that the Commission approve this proposed rule change on an accelerated basis for good cause shown. CME cites as the reason for this request CME's operation as a DCO, which is subject to regulation by the CFTC under the CEA. This rule change is being made to enhance CME's efforts to protect investors who utilize its clearinghouse services through its FCM clearing members.
The Commission finds good cause for approving the proposed rule change prior to the 30th day after the date of publication of notice in the Federal Register because the proposed rule change allows CME to implement the additional clearing member surveillance designed specifically to protect investors and the public interest.
V. Conclusion
It is therefore ordered, pursuant to Section 19(b)(2) of the Act, that the proposed rule change (SR-CME-2012-13) is approved on an accelerated basis.
For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated authority.6
Kevin M. O'Neill,
Deputy Secretary .
[FR Doc. 2012-10544 Filed 5-1-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P