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 June 12, 2007, the International Securities Exchange, LLC (“ISE” or “Exchange”) 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 substantially prepared by the Exchange. ISE has designated this proposal as one establishing or changing a due, fee, or other charge imposed by ISE under Section 19(b)(3)(A)(ii) of the Act and Rule 19b-4(f)(2) 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.
17 CFR 240.19b-4.
17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(2).
I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance of the Proposed Rule Change
The ISE is proposing to amend its Schedule of Fees to establish fees for transactions in options on two Premium Products. The text of the proposed rule change is available at the Exchange, the Commission's Public Reference Room, and http://www.iseoptions.com.
“Premium Products” is defined in the Schedule of Fees as the products enumerated therein.
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. ISE has substantially 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 proposes to amend its Schedule of Fees to establish fees for transactions in options on the following two Premium Products: United States Natural Gas Fund (“UNG”) and United States Oil Fund (“USO”). The Exchange represents that UNG and USO are eligible for options trading because they constitute “Fund Shares,” as defined by ISE Rule 502(h).
The United States Oil Fund, LP (“USO”) and the United States Natural Gas Fund (“UNG”) are distributed by ALPS Distributors, Inc. (“ALPS”), administered by Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. (“BBH”) and Victoria Bay Asset Management (“VBAM”) is the General Partner. ALPS, BBH and VBAM have not licensed or authorized ISE to (i) engage in the creation, listing, provision of a market for trading, marketing, and promotion of options on USO and UNG or (ii) to use and refer to any of their trademarks or service marks in connection with the listing, provision of a market for trading, marketing, and promotion of options on USO and UNG or with making disclosures concerning options on USO and UNG under any applicable federal or state laws, rules or regulations. ALPS, BBH and VBAM do not sponsor, endorse, or promote such activity by ISE, and are not affiliated in any manner with ISE.
All of the applicable fees covered by this filing are identical to fees charged by the Exchange for all other Premium Products. Specifically, the Exchange is proposing to adopt an execution fee and a comparison fee for all transactions in options on UNG and USO. The amount of the execution fee and comparison fee for products covered by this filing shall be $0.15 and $0.03 per contract, respectively, for all Public Customer Orders and Firm Proprietary orders. The amount of the execution fee and comparison fee for all ISE Market Maker transactions shall be equal to the execution fee and comparison fee currently charged by the Exchange for ISE Market Maker transactions in equity options. Finally, the amount of the execution fee and comparison fee for all non-ISE Market Maker transactions shall be $0.37 and $0.03 per contract, respectively. Further, since options on UNG and USO are multiply-listed, the Payment for Order Flow fee shall also apply. The Exchange believes the proposed rule change will further the Exchange's goal of introducing new products to the marketplace that are competitively priced.
These fees will be charged to Exchange members. Under a pilot program that is set to expire on July 31, 2007, these fees will also be charged to Linkage Orders (as defined in ISE Rule 1900). See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 54204 (July 25, 2006), 71 FR 43548 (August 1, 2006) (SR-ISE-2006-38).
“Public Customer Order” is defined in ISE Rule 100(a)(39) as an order for the account of a Public Customer. “Public Customer” is defined in ISE Rule 100(a)(38) as a person that is not a broker or dealer in securities.
The execution fee is currently between $.21 and $.12 per contract side, depending on the Exchange Average Daily Volume, and the comparison fee is currently $.03 per contract side.
2. Statutory Basis
The Exchange believes that the proposed rule change is consistent with Section 6(b) of the Act in general, and Section 6(b)(4) of the Act in particular, because it is designed to provide for the equitable allocation of reasonable dues, fees, and other charges among its members and other persons using its facilities.
15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(4).
B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition
The proposed rule change does not 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
The Exchange has not solicited, and does not intend to solicit, comments on this proposed rule change. The Exchange has not received any unsolicited written comments from members or other interested parties.
III. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed Rule Change and Timing for Commission Action
The foregoing proposed rule change has been designated as a fee change pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A)(ii) of the Act and Rule 19b-4(f)(2) thereunder, because it establishes or changes a due, fee, or other charge imposed by the Exchange. Accordingly, the proposal took effect upon filing with the Commission. At any time within 60 days of the filing of such 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.
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-ISE-2007-46 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 Number SR-ISE-2007-46. 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, 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-ISE-2007-46 and should be submitted on or before July 24, 2007.
For the Commission, by the Division of Market Regulation, pursuant to delegated authority.14
Florence E. Harmon,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. E7-12777 Filed 7-2-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8010-01-P