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 November 16, 2006, the Chicago Stock Exchange, Inc. (“CHX” or “Exchange”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) the proposed rule change as described in Items I and II below, which Items have been prepared by the Exchange. The CHX has filed this proposal pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A)(iii) of the Act and Rule 19b-4(f)(6) thereunder, 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.
I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance of the Proposed Rule Change
The Exchange proposes to amend its rules to operate a service that allows its participants to route orders to any other destination connected to the CHX's network.
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
As part of the Exchange's new trading model, the Exchange proposes to operate a neutral communications service that allows its participants to route orders to any destination connected to the CHX's network. Specifically, this service would allow participants to route orders to: (1) The CHX Matching System; (2) CHX institutional brokers; (3) market makers or other broker-dealers connected to the CHX's network, which provide order handling and execution services in the over-the-counter market; and (4) other destinations (including order-routing vendors) that are connected to the CHX's network. This communications or routing service would not effect trade executions and would not report trades to “the tape.” An order would not pass through the CHX market before going to an entity or market outside of the CHX (i.e., a participant could choose to route an order directly to any of the above destinations). A participant would be responsible for identifying the appropriate destination for any orders sent through the service and for ensuring that it had authority to access the selected destination; the CHX would merely provide the mechanism by which orders (and associated messages) could be routed by a participant to a destination and from the destination back to the participant.
Details associated with the operation of these routing services would be set out on the Exchange's Web site or could be the subject of an agreement between the CHX and any participants that seek to use the services.
This service is an extension of a service that the Exchange already provides to its participants—current order-sending participants route orders through access provided by the Exchange to the MAX® trading system and to the CHX's institutional brokers. Institutional brokers and specialists use CHX-provided connectivity to route orders to the MAX trading system (and, for securities that have been transitioned to the new trading model, to the CHX's new Matching System).
This service would be a facility of the Exchange. As a result, the Exchange would submit fee changes, and any applicable changes to its rules, to the Commission as required by Rule 19b-4 under the Act in connection with its routing. Accordingly, the Exchange is filing, concurrently with this proposal, a separate proposal to charge a fee to recipients of orders that are sent through this service.
17 CFR 240.19b-4. The Exchange's rules and fees, however, would not address the fees or manner of operation of any destination to which the participant asked that an order be routed.
See File No. SR-CHX-2006-36.
The Exchange would provide these routing services in compliance with its rules and with the provisions of the Act and the rules thereunder, including, but not limited to, the requirements of Sections 6(b)(4) and (5) of the Act that the rules of a national securities exchange provide for the equitable allocation of reasonable dues, fees, and other charges among its members and issuers and other persons using its facilities, and not be designed to permit unfair discrimination between customers, issuers, brokers, or dealers.
15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(4)-(5).
2. Statutory Basis
The CHX believes the proposal is consistent with the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations thereunder that are applicable to a national securities exchange, and, in particular, with the requirements of Section 6(b). The Exchange believes that the proposed changes are consistent with Section 6(b)(5) of the Act, because they would promote just and equitable principles of trade, remove impediments to, and perfect the mechanism of, a free and open market and a national market system, and, in general, protect investors and the public interest by confirming that the CHX would operate its routing services as a facility of the Exchange, in a manner consistent with the requirements of the Act.
B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition
The Exchange does not believe that the proposed rule changes will impose any burden on competition.
C. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed Rule Change Received From Members, Participants, or Others
No written comments were either solicited or received.
III. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed Rule Change and Timing for Commission Action
The Exchange has designated the proposed rule change as one that: (i) Does not significantly affect the protection of investors or the public interest; (ii) does not impose any significant burden on competition; and (iii) does not become operative for 30 days from the date of filing, or such shorter time as the Commission may designate if consistent with the protection of investors and the public interest. Therefore, the foregoing rule change has become effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act and Rule 19b-4(f)(6) thereunder.
17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6). Pursuant to Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii) under the Act, the Exchange is required to give the Commission 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 of the proposed rule change, or such shorter time as designated by the Commission. The Exchange has requested that the Commission waive the 5-day pre-filing notice requirement. The Commission has determined to waive this requirement for this filing.
Pursuant to Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii) under the Act, a proposal does not become operative for 30 days after the date of its filing, or such shorter time as the Commission may designate if consistent with the protection of investors and the public interest. The CHX has requested that the Commission waive the 30-day operative delay. The Commission believes that waiving the 30-day operative delay is consistent with the protection of investors and the public interest because it will allow participants to begin to utilize the proposed routing function in connection with the implementation of the Exchange's new trading model. For these reasons, the Commission designates that the proposed rule change become operative immediately.
At any time within 60 days of the filing of the proposed rule change, the Commission may summarily abrogate the 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-CHX-2006-34 on the subject line.
Paper Comments
- Send paper comments in triplicate to Nancy M. Morris, Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street, NE., Washington, DC 20549-1090.
All submissions should refer to File No. SR-CHX-2006-34. 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 inspection and copying in the Commission's Public Reference Room. 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 No. SR-CHX-2006-34 and should be submitted on or before December 28, 2006.
For the Commission, by the Division of Market Regulation, pursuant to delegated authority.14
Florence E. Harmon,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. E6-20719 Filed 12-6-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P