75 FR 103 pgs. 30095-30097 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; International Securities Exchange, LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change Relating to Professional Customer Fees
Type: NOTICEVolume: 75Number: 103Pages: 30095 - 30097
Docket number: [Release No. 34-62152; File No. SR-ISE-2010-41]
FR document: [FR Doc. 2010-12872 Filed 5-27-10; 8:45 am]
Agency: Securities and Exchange Commission
Official PDF Version: PDF Version
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
[Release No. 34-62152; File No. SR-ISE-2010-41]
Self-Regulatory Organizations; International Securities Exchange, LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change Relating to Professional Customer Fees
May 21, 2010.
Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Act"),1and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,2notice is hereby given that on May 5, 2010, the International Securities Exchange, LLC (the "Exchange" or the "ISE") filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission the proposed rule change, as described in Items I, II, and III below, which items have been prepared by the self-regulatory organization. The Commission is publishing this notice to solicit comments on the proposed rule change from interested persons.
Footnotes:
1 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
2 17 CFR 240.19b-4.
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. The text of the proposed rule change is available on the Exchange's Web site ( http://www.ise.com ), at the principal office of the Exchange, 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 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 these statements may be examined at the places specified in Item IV below. The self-regulatory organization 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
ISE proposes to amend its Schedule of Fees. Specifically, the Exchange proposes to adopt a $0.18 per contract execution fee for "professional customers" who execute orders as a result of taking liquidity from ISE's order book.
ISE rules distinguish between Priority Customer Orders and Professional Orders.3A Priority Customer is defined in ISE Rule 100(a)(37A) as a person or entity that is not a broker or dealer in securities, and does not place more than 390 orders in listed options per day on average during a calendar month for its own beneficial account(s). A Professional Order is defined in ISE Rule 100(a)(37C) as an order that is for the account of a person or entity that is not a Priority Customer. For purpose of this discussion, "professional customers" are non-broker/dealer participants who enter at least 390 orders per day on average during a calendar month for their own beneficial account(s). The level of trading activity by professional customers more resembles that of market makers and proprietary traders on the Exchange than it does of other customers.
Footnotes:
3 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 59287 (Jan. 23, 2009), 74 FR 5694 (Jan. 30, 2009).
Currently, the primary distinction between the two types of customers is that Priority Customers are given priority on the order book over professional customers. Professional customers are on parity with market makers and broker/dealers. However, professional customers, until recently, did not pay transaction fees and currently do so on a limited basis. Market makers and broker/dealers on the other hand have always paid transaction fees to the Exchange. Specifically, for market makers, the Exchange currently applies a sliding scale, between $0.01 and $0.18 per contract side, based on the number of contracts an ISE market maker trades in a month. Broker/dealer orders currently pay a flat execution fee of $0.20 per traded contract.4
Footnotes:
4 The Exchange recently adopted a modified maker/taker pricing program applicable to a select number of options classes under which professional customer orders and broker/dealer orders are treated equally. See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 61869 (April 7, 2010), 75 FR 19449 (April 14, 2010).
Earlier this year, the Exchange adopted a $0.20 per contract execution fee for professional customers who execute orders as a result of posting liquidity to ISE's order book.5This "maker" fee applies only to professional customer orders, i.e., non-broker/dealer customer orders; it does not apply to market maker and broker/dealer orders who already pay transaction fees under the Exchange's current fee schedule.
Footnotes:
5 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 61434 (January 27, 2010), 75 FR 5826 (February 4, 2010).
The Exchange now proposes to adopt a $0.18 per contract execution fee for professional customers who execute orders as a result of taking liquidity from ISE's order book.6The Exchange currently has a fee cap for large-size foreign currency ("FX") options orders where ISE waives the transaction fee on incremental volume above 5,000 contracts for single-sided FX options orders of at least 5,000 contracts. This fee waiver will also apply to professional customer orders. The Exchange believes that the proposed fees for professional customers will allow the Exchange to remain competitive with other options exchanges who apply fees to professional customers.7
Footnotes:
6 Fees charged by the Exchange for professional customer orders are always equal to or less than those charged for broker/dealer orders.
7 The fees proposed herein do not apply to professional customer orders in a select number of options classes that are a part of the modified maker/taker pricing program recently adopted by the Exchange. See supra note 2.
2. Statutory Basis
The Exchange believes that the proposed rule change is consistent with the objectives of Section 6 of the Exchange Act,8in general, and furthers the objectives of Section 6(b)(4),9in particular, in that 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. In particular, the proposed rule change will help equalize fees among market makers, proprietary traders and professional customers on the Exchange.
Footnotes:
8 15 U.S.C. 78f.
9 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 rule change has become effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3) of the Act10and Rule 19b-4(f)(2)11thereunder. 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.
Footnotes:
10 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
11 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-2010-41 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-ISE-2010-41. 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,12all 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 the filing also will be available for inspection and copying at the principal office of the ISE. 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-2010-41 and should be submitted on or before June 18, 2010.
Footnotes:
12 The text of the proposed rule change is available on ISE's Web site at http://www.ise.com , on the Commission's Web site at http://www.sec.gov, at ISE, and at the Commission's Public Reference Room.
For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated authority.13
Footnotes:
13 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
Florence E. Harmon,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2010-12872 Filed 5-27-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8010-01-P