On July 11, 2001, the American Stock Exchange LLC (“Amex” or “Exchange”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”), pursuant to section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Act”) and Rule 19b-4 thereunder, a proposed rule change to adopt a facilitation rule and a member firm participation guarantee for member firms facilitating transactions in Portfolio Depositary Receipts and Index Fund Shares (“index shares”) on the Exchange, and to codify the Exchange's policy prohibiting the use of non-public information received during the facilitation process.
17 CFR 240.19b-4.
On November 7, 2001, September 24, 2003, and December 4, 2003, Amex filed Amendment Nos. 1, 2, and 3 to the proposed rule change, respectively. The proposed rule change was published for comment in the Federal Register on January 13, 2004. The Commission received no comments on the proposal.
See letter from Claire P. McGrath, Vice President and Special Counsel, Amex, to Nancy Sanow, Assistant Director, Division of Market Regulation (“Division”), Commission, dated November 5, 2001 (Amendment No. 1); and letters from Claire P. McGrath, Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel, Amex, to Nancy Sanow, Assistant Director, Division, Commission, dated September 23, 2003 and December 3, 2003 (Amendment Nos. 2 and 3, respectively).
See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 49022 (January 5, 2004), 69 FR 2015 (January 13, 2004).
The Commission finds that the proposed rule change is consistent with the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations thereunder applicable to a national securities exchange. In particular, the Commission believes that the proposed rule change is consistent with section 6(b)(5) of the Act, which, among other things, requires that the Exchange's rules be designed to promote just and equitable principles of trade, to remove impediments to and perfect the mechanism of a free and open market and a national market system, and, in general, to protect investors and the public interest. The Commission believes that the proposal sets forth reasonable rules and procedures for member firms to follow when seeking to facilitate (i.e., trade with) index share orders from their own public customers, and that these rules and procedures adequately provide for the exposure of the customer order to the trading crowd for the possibility of price improvement.
In approving this proposed rule change, the Commission notes that it has considered the proposed rule's impact on efficiency, competition, and capital formation. 15 U.S.C. 78c(f).
15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
The proposal also would provide a member firm facilitating a public customer order of 25,000 index shares or more the right to trade with up to 50% of the order if the firm improves the price provided by the trading crowd, and up to 40% if it matches the trading crowd's price. The Commission believes that, in the context of index share trading, member firm guarantees of this size should not erode price competition to the detriment of investors. The Commission further notes that public customer orders on the specialist's book or represented in the trading crowd on the contra side of the public customer order that the member firm is seeking to facilitate would have priority over the member firm's guaranteed participation.
In addition, the proposed rule change provides that it may be considered conduct inconsistent with just and equitable principles of trade for any member or associated person with knowledge of an imminent facilitation transaction to trade in index shares that are subject of the transaction or other related instruments before the proposed facilitation is disclosed. The Commission believes that this aspect of the proposal should help protect the integrity of the market and prevent disadvantage to other market participants.
It is therefore ordered, pursuant to section 19(b)(2) of the Act , that the proposed rule change (File No. SR-Amex-2001-46) be, and it hereby is, approved.
For the Commission, by the Division of Market Regulation, pursuant to delegated authority.
Jill M. Peterson,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 04-9823 Filed 4-29-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8010-01-P