Self-Regulatory Organizations; The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change Relating to Extension of the Exchange's Penny Pilot Program and Replacement of Penny Pilot Issues That Have Been Delisted

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 December 2, 2011, The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC (the “Exchange” or “Nasdaq”) 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 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

Nasdaq is filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC” or “Commission”) a proposal for the NASDAQ Options Market (“NOM” or “Exchange”) to amend Chapter VI, Section 5 (Minimum Increments) to: Extend through June 30, 2012, the Penny Pilot Program in options classes in certain issues (“Penny Pilot” or “Pilot”); and replace any Penny Pilot issues that have been delisted.

The text of the amended Exchange rule is set forth immediately below. Proposed new language is in italics and proposed deleted language is [bracketed].

Chapter VI

Sec. 5 Minimum Increments

(a) The Board may establish minimum quoting increments for options contracts traded on NOM. Such minimum increments established by the Board will be designated as a stated policy, practice, or interpretation with respect to the administration of this Section within the meaning of Section 19 of the Exchange Act and will be filed with the SEC as a rule change for effectiveness upon filing. Until such time as the Board makes a change in the increments, the following principles shall apply:

(1)-(2) No Change.

(3) For a pilot period scheduled to expire on [December 31, 2011]June 30, 2012, if the options series is trading pursuant to the Penny Pilot program one (1) cent if the options series is trading at less than $3.00, five (5) cents if the options series is trading at $3.00 or higher, unless for QQQQs, SPY and IWM where the minimum quoting increment will be one cent for all series regardless of price. A list of such options shall be communicated to membership via an Options Trader Alert (“OTA”) posted on the Exchange's Web site.

The Exchange may replace any pilot issues that have been delisted with the next most actively traded multiply listed options classes that are not yet included in the pilot, based on trading activity [in the previous six months]for the six month period beginning June 1, 2011, and ending November 30, 2011. The replacement issues may be added to the pilot on the second trading day following January 1, [2011 and July 1, 2011]2012.

(b) No Change.

The text of the proposed rule change is available from Nasdaq's Web site at http://nasdaq.cchwallstreet.com,, at Nasdaq's principal office, 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 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. Nasdaq has prepared summaries, set forth in Sections A, B, and C below, of the most significant parts of such statements.

A. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and the Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

1. Purpose

The purpose of this filing is to amend Chapter VI, Section 5 to extend the Penny Pilot through June 30, 2012 and replace any Penny Pilot issues that have been delisted.

For a pilot period scheduled to expire on December 31, 2011, the Penny Pilot allows certain options to be quoted and traded on the Exchange in minimum increments of $0.01 for all series in such options with a price of less than $3.00; and in minimum increments of $0.05 for all series in such options with a price of $3.00 or higher. Options overlying the PowerShares QQQ Trust (“QQQQ”)®, SPDR S&P 500 Exchange Traded Funds (“SPY”), and iShares Russell 2000 Index Funds (“IWM”), however, are quoted and traded in minimum increments of $0.01 for all series regardless of the price. Currently the Exchange trades 361 options classes pursuant to the Penny Pilot.

The Penny Pilot is a very successful and efficacious pricing program that is beneficial to traders, investors, and public customers, and the Exchange has received numerous requests to expand and continue it. This proposal allows the Penny Pilot to continue in its current format for six months through June 30, 2012.

Commensurate with the extension of the Penny Pilot through June 30, 2012, the Exchange proposes to replace any Penny Pilot issues that have been delisted with the next most actively traded multiply listed options classes that are not yet included in the Pilot, The replacement issues will be selected based on trading activity for the six month period beginning June 1, 2011, and ending November 30, 2011. The replacement issues would be added to the Pilot on the second trading day following January 1, 2012.

In conjunction with this extension proposal, the Exchange agrees to submit a report to the Commission regarding the Penny Pilot that will include: (1) Best Bid or Offer (“BBO”) spread, in terms of data and analysis on the number of quotations generated for options included in the report; (2) size of BBO, in terms of an assessment of the quotation spreads for the options included in the report; (3) industry Average Daily Volume (“ADV”), in terms of data reflecting the size and depth of markets; (4) an assessment of the impact of the Pilot Program on the capacity of Phlx's automated systems; and (5) any capacity problems or other problems that arose related to the operation of the Pilot Program and how the Exchange addressed them.

2. Statutory Basis

The Exchange believes that its proposal is consistent with Section 6(b) of the Act in general, and furthers the objectives of Section 6(b)(5) of the Act in particular, in that it is designed to prevent fraudulent and manipulative acts and practices, to promote just and equitable principles of trade, to foster cooperation and coordination with persons engaged in facilitating transactions in securities, and to remove impediments to and perfect the mechanisms of a free and open market and a national market system, by extending the Penny Pilot and replacing delisted Penny Pilot issues.

The Exchange notes that the Penny Pilot is a very successful and efficacious pricing program that is beneficial to traders, investors, and public customers, and the Exchange has received numerous requests to expand and continue it. This proposal allows the Penny Pilot to continue in its current format through June 30, 2012.

B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition

Nasdaq does not believe that the proposed rule change will result in 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

Written comments were neither solicited nor received.

III. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed Rule Change and Timing for Commission Action

Because the foregoing proposed rule change does not: (i) Significantly affect the protection of investors or the public interest; (ii) impose any significant burden on competition; and (iii) become operative for 30 days from the date on which it was filed, or such shorter time as the Commission may designate, it has become effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act and Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii) thereunder.

At any time within 60 days of the filing of the proposed rule change, the Commission summarily may temporarily suspend 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.

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 email to rule-comments@sec.gov. Please include File No. SR-NASDAQ-2011-169 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 No. SR-NASDAQ-2011-169. 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 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-NASDAQ-2011-169 and should be submitted on or before January 11, 2012.