17 C.F.R. PART 242—REGULATIONS M, SHO, ATS, AC, AND NMS AND CUSTOMER MARGIN REQUIREMENTS FOR SECURITY FUTURES
Title 17 - Commodity and Securities Exchanges
Authority: 15 U.S.C. 77g, 77q(a), 77s(a), 78b, 78c, 78g(c)(2), 78i(a), 78j, 78k–1(c), 78l, 78m, 78n, 78o(b), 78o(c), 78o(g), 78q(a), 78q(b), 78q(h), 78w(a), 78dd–1, 78mm, 80a–23, 80a–29, and 80a–37.
Source: 62 FR 544, Jan. 3, 1997, unless otherwise noted.
(a) Preliminary note: Any transaction or series of transactions, whether or not effected pursuant to the provisions of Regulation M (§§242.100–242.105 of this chapter), remain subject to the antifraud and antimanipulation provisions of the securities laws, including, without limitation, Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 [15 U.S.C. 77q(a)] and Sections 9, 10(b), and 15(c) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 [15 U.S.C. 78i, 78j(b), and 78o(c)]. (b) For purposes of regulation M (§§242.100 through 242.105 of this chapter) the following definitions shall apply: ADTV means the worldwide average daily trading volume during the two full calendar months immediately preceding, or any 60 consecutive calendar days ending within the 10 calendar days preceding, the filing of the registration statement; or, if there is no registration statement or if the distribution involves the sale of securities on a delayed basis pursuant to §230.415 of this chapter, two full calendar months immediately preceding, or any consecutive 60 calendar days ending within the 10 calendar days preceding, the determination of the offering price. Affiliated purchaser means: (1) A person acting, directly or indirectly, in concert with a distribution participant, issuer, or selling security holder in connection with the acquisition or distribution of any covered security; or (2) An affiliate, which may be a separately identifiable department or division of a distribution participant, issuer, or selling security holder, that, directly or indirectly, controls the purchases of any covered security by a distribution participant, issuer, or selling security holder, whose purchases are controlled by any such person, or whose purchases are under common control with any such person; or (3) An affiliate, which may be a separately identifiable department or division of a distribution participant, issuer, or selling security holder, that regularly purchases securities for its own account or for the account of others, or that recommends or exercises investment discretion with respect to the purchase or sale of securities; Provided, however, That this paragraph (3) shall not apply to such affiliate if the following conditions are satisfied: (i) The distribution participant, issuer, or selling security holder: (A) Maintains and enforces written policies and procedures reasonably designed to prevent the flow of information to or from the affiliate that might result in a violation of §§242.101, 242.102, and 242.104; and (B) Obtains an annual, independent assessment of the operation of such policies and procedures; and (ii) The affiliate has no officers (or persons performing similar functions) or employees (other than clerical, ministerial, or support personnel) in common with the distribution participant, issuer, or selling security holder that direct, effect, or recommend transactions in securities; and (iii) The affiliate does not, during the applicable restricted period, act as a market maker (other than as a specialist in compliance with the rules of a national securities exchange), or engage, as a broker or a dealer, in solicited transactions or proprietary trading, in covered securities. Agent independent of the issuer means a trustee or other person who is independent of the issuer. The agent shall be deemed to be independent of the issuer only if: (1) The agent is not an affiliate of the issuer; and (2) Neither the issuer nor any affiliate of the issuer exercises any direct or indirect control or influence over the prices or amounts of the securities to be purchased, the timing of, or the manner in which, the securities are to be purchased, or the selection of a broker or dealer (other than the independent agent itself) through which purchases may be executed; Provided, however, That the issuer or its affiliate will not be deemed to have such control or influence solely because it revises not more than once in any three-month period the source of the shares to fund the plan the basis for determining the amount of its contributions to a plan, or the basis for determining the frequency of its allocations to a plan, or any formula specified in a plan that determines the amount or timing of securities to be purchased by the agent. Asset-backed security has the meaning contained in §229.1101 of this chapter. At-the-market offering means an offering of securities at other than a fixed price. Business day refers to a 24 hour period determined with reference to the principal market for the securities to be distributed, and that includes a complete trading session for that market. Completion of participation in a distribution. Securities acquired in the distribution for investment by any person participating in a distribution, or any affiliated purchaser of such person, shall be deemed to be distributed. A person shall be deemed to have completed its participation in a distribution as follows: (1) An issuer or selling security holder, when the distribution is completed; (2) An underwriter, when such person's participation has been distributed, including all other securities of the same class that are acquired in connection with the distribution, and any stabilization arrangements and trading restrictions in connection with the distribution have been terminated; Provided, however, That an underwriter's participation will not be deemed to have been completed if a syndicate overallotment option is exercised in an amount that exceeds the net syndicate short position at the time of such exercise; and (3) Any other person participating in the distribution, when such person's participation has been distributed. Covered security means any security that is the subject of a distribution, or any reference security. Current exchange rate means the current rate of exchange between two currencies, which is obtained from at least one independent entity that provides or disseminates foreign exchange quotations in the ordinary course of its business. Distribution means an offering of securities, whether or not subject to registration under the Securities Act, that is distinguished from ordinary trading transactions by the magnitude of the offering and the presence of special selling efforts and selling methods. Distribution participant means an underwriter, prospective underwriter, broker, dealer, or other person who has agreed to participate or is participating in a distribution. Electronic communications network has the meaning provided in §242.600. Employee has the meaning contained in Form S–8 (§239.16b of this chapter) relating to employee benefit plans. Exchange Act means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78a et seq.). Independent bid means a bid by a person who is not a distribution participant, issuer, selling security holder, or affiliated purchaser. NASD means the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. or any of its subsidiaries. Nasdaq means the electronic dealer quotation system owned and operated by The Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc. Nasdaq security means a security that is authorized for quotation on Nasdaq, and such authorization is not suspended, terminated, or prohibited. Net purchases means the amount by which a passive market maker's purchases exceed its sales. Offering price means the price at which the security is to be or is being distributed. Passive market maker means a market maker that effects bids or purchases in accordance with the provisions of §242.103. Penalty bid means an arrangement that permits the managing underwriter to reclaim a selling concession from a syndicate member in connection with an offering when the securities originally sold by the syndicate member are purchased in syndicate covering transactions. Plan means any bonus, profit-sharing, pension, retirement, thrift, savings, incentive, stock purchase, stock option, stock ownership, stock appreciation, dividend reinvestment, or similar plan; or any dividend or interest reinvestment plan or employee benefit plan as defined in §230.405 of this chapter. Principal market means the single securities market with the largest aggregate reported trading volume for the class of securities during the 12 full calendar months immediately preceding the filing of the registration statement; or, if there is no registration statement or if the distribution involves the sale of securities on a delayed basis pursuant to §230.415 of this chapter, during the 12 full calendar months immediately preceding the determination of the offering price. For the purpose of determining the aggregate trading volume in a security, the trading volume of depositary shares representing such security shall be included, and shall be multiplied by the multiple or fraction of the security represented by the depositary share. For purposes of this paragraph, depositary share means a security, evidenced by a depositary receipt, that represents another security, or a multiple or fraction thereof, deposited with a depositary. Prospective underwriter means a person: (1) Who has submitted a bid to the issuer or selling security holder, and who knows or is reasonably certain that such bid will be accepted, whether or not the terms and conditions of the underwriting have been agreed upon; or (2) Who has reached, or is reasonably certain to reach, an understanding with the issuer or selling security holder, or managing underwriter that such person will become an underwriter, whether or not the terms and conditions of the underwriting have been agreed upon. Public float value shall be determined in the manner set forth on the front page of Form 10–K (§249.310 of this chapter), even if the issuer of such securities is not required to file Form 10–K, relating to the aggregate market value of common equity securities held by non-affiliates of the issuer. Reference period means the two full calendar months immediately preceding the filing of the registration statement or, if there is no registration statement or if the distribution involves the sale of securities on a delayed basis pursuant to §230.415 of this chapter, the two full calendar months immediately preceding the determination of the offering price. Reference security means a security into which a security that is the subject of a distribution (“subject security”) may be converted, exchanged, or exercised or which, under the terms of the subject security, may in whole or in significant part determine the value of the subject security. Restricted period means: (1) For any security with an ADTV value of $100,000 or more of an issuer whose common equity securities have a public float value of $25 million or more, the period beginning on the later of one business day prior to the determination of the offering price or such time that a person becomes a distribution participant, and ending upon such person's completion of participation in the distribution; and (2) For all other securities, the period beginning on the later of five business days prior to the determination of the offering price or such time that a person becomes a distribution participant, and ending upon such person's completion of participation in the distribution. (3) In the case of a distribution involving a merger, acquisition, or exchange offer, the period beginning on the day proxy solicitation or offering materials are first disseminated to security holders, and ending upon the completion of the distribution. Securities Act means the Securities Act of 1933 (15 U.S.C. 77a et seq.). Selling security holder means any person on whose behalf a distribution is made, other than an issuer. Stabilize or stabilizing means the placing of any bid, or the effecting of any purchase, for the purpose of pegging, fixing, or maintaining the price of a security. Syndicate covering transaction means the placing of any bid or the effecting of any purchase on behalf of the sole distributor or the underwriting syndicate or group to reduce a short position created in connection with the offering. 30% ADTV limitation means 30 percent of the market maker's ADTV in a covered security during the reference period, as obtained from the NASD. Underwriter means a person who has agreed with an issuer or selling security holder: (1) To purchase securities for distribution; or (2) To distribute securities for or on behalf of such issuer or selling security holder; or (3) To manage or supervise a distribution of securities for or on behalf of such issuer or selling security holder. [62 FR 544, Jan. 3, 1997, as amended at 62 FR 11323, Mar. 12, 1997; 70 FR 1623, Jan. 7, 2005; 70 FR 37619, June 29, 2005] (a) Unlawful Activity. In connection with a distribution of securities, it shall be unlawful for a distribution participant or an affiliated purchaser of such person, directly or indirectly, to bid for, purchase, or attempt to induce any person to bid for or purchase, a covered security during the applicable restricted period; Provided, however, That if a distribution participant or affiliated purchaser is the issuer or selling security holder of the securities subject to the distribution, such person shall be subject to the provisions of §242.102, rather than this section. (b) Excepted Activity. The following activities shall not be prohibited by paragraph (a) of this section: (1) Research. The publication or dissemination of any information, opinion, or recommendation, if the conditions of §§230.138 or 230.139 of this chapter are met; or (2) Transactions complying with certain other sections. Transactions complying with §§242.103 or 242.104; or (3) Odd-lot transactions. Transactions in odd-lots; or transactions to offset odd-lots in connection with an odd-lot tender offer conducted pursuant to §240.13e–4(h)(5) of this chapter; or (4) Exercises of securities. The exercise of any option, warrant, right, or any conversion privilege set forth in the instrument governing a security; or (5) Unsolicited transactions. Unsolicited brokerage transactions; or unsolicited purchases that are not effected from or through a broker or dealer, on a securities exchange, or through an inter-dealer quotation system or electronic communications network; or (6) Basket transactions. (i) Bids or purchases, in the ordinary course of business, in connection with a basket of 20 or more securities in which a covered security does not comprise more than 5% of the value of the basket purchased; or (ii) Adjustments to such a basket in the ordinary course of business as a result of a change in the composition of a standardized index; or (7) De minimis transactions. Purchases during the restricted period, other than by a passive market maker, that total less than 2% of the ADTV of the security being purchased, or unaccepted bids; Provided, however, That the person making such bid or purchase has maintained and enforces written policies and procedures reasonably designed to achieve compliance with the other provisions of this section; or (8) Transactions in connection with a distribution. Transactions among distribution participants in connection with a distribution, and purchases of securities from an issuer or selling security holder in connection with a distribution, that are not effected on a securities exchange, or through an inter-dealer quotation system or electronic communications network; or (9) Offers to sell or the solicitation of offers to buy. Offers to sell or the solicitation of offers to buy the securities being distributed (including securities acquired in stabilizing), or securities offered as principal by the person making such offer or solicitation; or (10) Transactions in Rule 144A securities. Transactions in securities eligible for resale under §230.144A(d)(3) of this chapter, or any reference security, if the Rule 144A securities are offered or sold in the United States solely to: (i) Qualified institutional buyers, as defined in §230.144A(a)(1) of this chapter, or to offerees or purchasers that the seller and any person acting on behalf of the seller reasonably believes are qualified institutional buyers, in transactions exempt from registration under section 4(2) of the Securities Act (15 U.S.C. 77d(2)) or §§230.144A or 230.501 through 230.508 of this chapter; or (ii) Persons not deemed to be “U.S. persons” for purposes of §§230.902(o)(2) or 230.902(o)(7) of this chapter, during a distribution qualifying under paragraph (b)(10)(i) of this section. (c) Excepted Securities. The provisions of this section shall not apply to any of the following securities: (1) Actively-traded securities. Securities that have an ADTV value of at least $1 million and are issued by an issuer whose common equity securities have a public float value of at least $150 million; Provided, however, That such securities are not issued by the distribution participant or an affiliate of the distribution participant; or (2) Investment grade nonconvertible and asset-backed securities. Nonconvertible debt securities, nonconvertible preferred securities, and asset-backed securities, that are rated by at least one nationally recognized statistical rating organization, as that term is used in §240.15c3–1 of this chapter, in one of its generic rating categories that signifies investment grade; or (3) Exempted securities. “Exempted securities” as defined in section 3(a)(12) of the Exchange Act (15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(12)); or (4) Face-amount certificates or securities issued by an open-end management investment company or unit investment trust. Face-amount certificates issued by a face-amount certificate company, or redeemable securities issued by an open-end management investment company or a unit investment trust. Any terms used in this paragraph (c)(4) that are defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a–1 et seq.) shall have the meanings specified in such Act. (d) Exemptive Authority. Upon written application or upon its own motion, the Commission may grant an exemption from the provisions of this section, either unconditionally or on specified terms and conditions, to any transaction or class of transactions, or to any security or class of securities. (a) Unlawful Activity. In connection with a distribution of securities effected by or on behalf of an issuer or selling security holder, it shall be unlawful for such person, or any affiliated purchaser of such person, directly or indirectly, to bid for, purchase, or attempt to induce any person to bid for or purchase, a covered security during the applicable restricted period; Except That if an affiliated purchaser is a distribution participant, such affiliated purchaser may comply with §242.101, rather than this section. (b) Excepted Activity. The following activities shall not be prohibited by paragraph (a) of this section: (1) Odd-lot transactions. Transactions in odd-lots, or transactions to offset odd-lots in connection with an odd-lot tender offer conducted pursuant to §240.13e–4(h)(5) of this chapter; or (2) Transactions by closed-end investment companies. (i) Transactions complying with §270.23c–3 of this chapter; or (ii) Periodic tender offers of securities, at net asset value, conducted pursuant to §240.13e–4 of this chapter by a closed-end investment company that engages in a continuous offering of its securities pursuant to §230.415 of this chapter; Provided, however, That such securities are not traded on a securities exchange or through an inter-dealer quotation system or electronic communications network; or (3) Redemptions by commodity pools or limited partnerships. Redemptions by commodity pools or limited partnerships, at a price based on net asset value, which are effected in accordance with the terms and conditions of the instruments governing the securities; Provided, however, That such securities are not traded on a securities exchange, or through an inter-dealer quotation system or electronic communications network; or (4) Exercises of securities. The exercise of any option, warrant, right, or any conversion privilege set forth in the instrument governing a security; or (5) Offers to sell or the solicitation of offers to buy. Offers to sell or the solicitation of offers to buy the securities being distributed; or (6) Unsolicited purchases. Unsolicited purchases that are not effected from or through a broker or dealer, on a securities exchange, or through an inter-dealer quotation system or electronic communications network; or (7) Transactions in Rule 144A securities. Transactions in securities eligible for resale under §230.144A(d)(3) of this chapter, or any reference security, if the Rule 144A securities are offered or sold in the United States solely to: (i) Qualified institutional buyers, as defined in §230.144A(a)(1) of this chapter, or to offerees or purchasers that the seller and any person acting on behalf of the seller reasonably believes are qualified institutional buyers, in transactions exempt from registration under section 4(2) of the Securities Act (15 U.S.C. 77d(2)) or §§230.144A or 230.501 through 230.508 of this chapter; or (ii) Persons not deemed to be “U.S. persons” for purposes of §§230.902(o)(2) or 230.902(o)(7) of this chapter, during a distribution qualifying under paragraph (b)(7)(i) of this section. (c) Plans. (1) Paragraph (a) of this section shall not apply to distributions of securities pursuant to a plan, which are made: (i) Solely to employees or security holders of an issuer or its subsidiaries, or to a trustee or other person acquiring such securities for the accounts of such persons; or (ii) To persons other than employees or security holders, if bids for or purchases of securities pursuant to the plan are effected solely by an agent independent of the issuer and the securities are from a source other than the issuer or an affiliated purchaser of the issuer. (2) Bids for or purchases of any security made or effected by or for a plan shall be deemed to be a purchase by the issuer unless the bid is made, or the purchase is effected, by an agent independent of the issuer. (d) Excepted Securities. The provisions of this section shall not apply to any of the following securities: (1) Actively-traded reference securities. Reference securities with an ADTV value of at least $1 million that are issued by an issuer whose common equity securities have a public float value of at least $150 million; Provided, however, That such securities are not issued by the issuer, or any affiliate of the issuer, of the security in distribution. (2) Investment grade nonconvertible and asset-backed securities. Nonconvertible debt securities, nonconvertible preferred securities, and asset-backed securities, that are rated by at least one nationally recognized statistical rating organization, as that term is used in §240.15c3–1 of this chapter, in one of its generic rating categories that signifies investment grade; or (3) Exempted securities. “Exempted securities” as defined in section 3(a)(12) of the Exchange Act (15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(12)); or (4) Face-amount certificates or securities issued by an open-end management investment company or unit investment trust. Face-amount certificates issued by a face-amount certificate company, or redeemable securities issued by an open-end management investment company or a unit investment trust. Any terms used in this paragraph (d)(4) that are defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a–1 et seq.) shall have the meanings specified in such Act. (e) Exemptive Authority. Upon written application or upon its own motion, the Commission may grant an exemption from the provisions of this section, either unconditionally or on specified terms and conditions, to any transaction or class of transactions, or to any security or class of securities. [62 FR 544, Jan. 3, 1997, as amended at 62 FR 11323, Mar. 12, 1997] (a) Scope of Section. This section permits broker-dealers to engage in market making transactions in covered securities that are Nasdaq securities without violating the provisions of §242.101; Except That this section shall not apply to any security for which a stabilizing bid subject to §242.104 is in effect, or during any at-the-market offering or best efforts offering. (b) Conditions to be Met—(1) General limitations. A passive market maker must effect all transactions in the capacity of a registered market maker on Nasdaq. A passive market maker shall not bid for or purchase a covered security at a price that exceeds the highest independent bid for the covered security at the time of the transaction, except as permitted by paragraph (b)(3) of this section or required by a rule promulgated by the Commission or the NASD governing the handling of customer orders. (2) Purchase limitation. On each day of the restricted period, a passive market maker's net purchases shall not exceed the greater of its 30% ADTV limitation or 200 shares (together, “purchase limitation”); Provided, however, That a passive market maker may purchase all of the securities that are part of a single order that, when executed, results in its purchase limitation being equalled or exceeded. If a passive market maker's net purchases equal or exceed its purchase limitation, it shall withdraw promptly its quotations from Nasdaq. If a passive market maker withdraws its quotations pursuant to this paragraph, it may not effect any bid or purchase in the covered security for the remainder of that day, irrespective of any later sales during that day, unless otherwise permitted by §242.101. (3) Requirement to lower the bid. If all independent bids for a covered security are reduced to a price below the passive market maker's bid, the passive market maker must lower its bid promptly to a level not higher than the then highest independent bid; Provided, however, That a passive market maker may continue to bid and effect purchases at its bid at a price exceeding the then highest independent bid until the passive market maker purchases an aggregate amount of the covered security that equals or, through the purchase of all securities that are part of a single order, exceeds the lesser of two times the minimum quotation size for the security, as determined by NASD rules, or the passive market maker's remaining purchasing capacity under paragraph (b)(2) of this section. (4) Limitation on displayed size. At all times, the passive market maker's displayed bid size may not exceed the lesser of the minimum quotation size for the covered security, or the passive market maker's remaining purchasing capacity under paragraph (b)(2) of this section; Provided, however, That a passive market maker whose purchasing capacity at any time is between one and 99 shares may display a bid size of 100 shares. (5) Identification of a passive market making bid. The bid displayed by a passive market maker shall be designated as such. (6) Notification and reporting to the NASD. A passive market maker shall notify the NASD in advance of its intention to engage in passive market making, and shall submit to the NASD information regarding passive market making purchases, in such form as the NASD shall prescribe. (7) Prospectus disclosure. The prospectus for any registered offering in which any passive market maker intends to effect transactions in any covered security shall contain the information required in §§228.502, 228.508, 229.502, and 229.508 of this chapter. (c) Transactions at Prices Resulting from Unlawful Activity. No transaction shall be made at a price that the passive market maker knows or has reason to know is the result of activity that is fraudulent, manipulative, or deceptive under the securities laws, or any rule or regulation thereunder. (a) Unlawful Activity. It shall be unlawful for any person, directly or indirectly, to stabilize, to effect any syndicate covering transaction, or to impose a penalty bid, in connection with an offering of any security, in contravention of the provisions of this section. No stabilizing shall be effected at a price that the person stabilizing knows or has reason to know is in contravention of this section, or is the result of activity that is fraudulent, manipulative, or deceptive under the securities laws, or any rule or regulation thereunder. (b) Purpose. Stabilizing is prohibited except for the purpose of preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of a security. (c) Priority. To the extent permitted or required by the market where stabilizing occurs, any person stabilizing shall grant priority to any independent bid at the same price irrespective of the size of such independent bid at the time that it is entered. (d) Control of Stabilizing. No sole distributor or syndicate or group stabilizing the price of a security or any member or members of such syndicate or group shall maintain more than one stabilizing bid in any one market at the same price at the same time. (e) At-the-Market Offerings. Stabilizing is prohibited in an at-the-market offering. (f) Stabilizing Levels—(1) Maximum stabilizing bid. Notwithstanding the other provisions of this paragraph (f), no stabilizing shall be made at a price higher than the lower of the offering price or the stabilizing bid for the security in the principal market (or, if the principal market is closed, the stabilizing bid in the principal market at its previous close). (2) Initiating stabilizing—i) Initiating stabilizing when the principal market is open. After the opening of quotations for the security in the principal market, stabilizing may be initiated in any market at a price no higher than the last independent transaction price for the security in the principal market if the security has traded in the principal market on the day stabilizing is initiated or on the most recent prior day of trading in the principal market and the current asked price in the principal market is equal to or greater than the last independent transaction price. If both conditions of the preceding sentence are not satisfied, stabilizing may be initiated in any market after the opening of quotations in the principal market at a price no higher than the highest current independent bid for the security in the principal market. (ii) Initiating stabilizing when the principal market is closed. (A) When the principal market for the security is closed, but immediately before the opening of quotations for the security in the market where stabilizing will be initiated, stabilizing may be initiated at a price no higher than the lower of: (1) The price at which stabilizing could have been initiated in the principal market for the security at its previous close; or (2) The most recent price at which an independent transaction in the security has been effected in any market since the close of the principal market, if the person stabilizing knows or has reason to know of such transaction. (B) When the principal market for the security is closed, but after the opening of quotations in the market where stabilizing will be initiated, stabilizing may be initiated at a price no higher than the lower of: (1) The price at which stabilization could have been initiated in the principal market for the security at its previous close; or (2) The last independent transaction price for the security in that market if the security has traded in that market on the day stabilizing is initiated or on the last preceding business day and the current asked price in that market is equal to or greater than the last independent transaction price. If both conditions of the preceding sentence are not satisfied, under this paragraph (f)(2)(ii)(B)(2), stabilizing may be initiated at a price no higher than the highest current independent bid for the security in that market. (iii) Initiating stabilizing when there is no market for the security or before the offering price is determined. If no bona fide market for the security being distributed exists at the time stabilizing is initiated, no stabilizing shall be initiated at a price in excess of the offering price. If stabilizing is initiated before the offering price is determined, then stabilizing may be continued after determination of the offering price at the price at which stabilizing then could be initiated. (3) Maintaining or carrying over a stabilizing bid. A stabilizing bid initiated pursuant to paragraph (f)(2) of this section, which has not been discontinued, may be maintained, or carried over into another market, irrespective of changes in the independent bids or transaction prices for the security. (4) Increasing or reducing a stabilizing bid. A stabilizing bid may be increased to a price no higher than the highest current independent bid for the security in the principal market if the principal market is open, or, if the principal market is closed, to a price no higher than the highest independent bid in the principal market at the previous close thereof. A stabilizing bid may be reduced, or carried over into another market at a reduced price, irrespective of changes in the independent bids or transaction prices for the security. If stabilizing is discontinued, it shall not be resumed at a price higher than the price at which stabilizing then could be initiated. (5) Initiating, maintaining, or adjusting a stabilizing bid to reflect the current exchange rate. If a stabilizing bid is expressed in a currency other than the currency of the principal market for the security, such bid may be initiated, maintained, or adjusted to reflect the current exchange rate, consistent with the provisions of this section. If, in initiating, maintaining, or adjusting a stabilizing bid pursuant to this paragraph (f)(5), the bid would be at or below the midpoint between two trading differentials, such stabilizing bid shall be adjusted downward to the lower differential. (6) Adjustments to stabilizing bid. If a security goes ex-dividend, ex-rights, or ex-distribution, the stabilizing bid shall be reduced by an amount equal to the value of the dividend, right, or distribution. If, in reducing a stabilizing bid pursuant to this paragraph (f)(6), the bid would be at or below the midpoint between two trading differentials, such stabilizing bid shall be adjusted downward to the lower differential. (7) Stabilizing of components. When two or more securities are being offered as a unit, the component securities shall not be stabilized at prices the sum of which exceeds the then permissible stabilizing price for the unit. (8) Special prices. Any stabilizing price that otherwise meets the requirements of this section need not be adjusted to reflect special prices available to any group or class of persons (including employees or holders of warrants or rights). (g) Offerings with no U.S. Stabilizing Activities. (1) Stabilizing to facilitate an offering of a security in the United States shall not be deemed to be in violation of this section if all of the following conditions are satisfied: (i) No stabilizing is made in the United States; (ii) Stabilizing outside the United States is made in a jurisdiction with statutory or regulatory provisions governing stabilizing that are comparable to the provisions of this section; and (iii) No stabilizing is made at a price above the offering price in the United States, except as permitted by paragraph (f)(5) of this section. (2) For purposes of this paragraph (g), the Commission by rule, regulation, or order may determine whether a foreign statute or regulation is comparable to this section considering, among other things, whether such foreign statute or regulation: specifies appropriate purposes for which stabilizing is permitted; provides for disclosure and control of stabilizing activities; places limitations on stabilizing levels; requires appropriate recordkeeping; provides other protections comparable to the provisions of this section; and whether procedures exist to enable the Commission to obtain information concerning any foreign stabilizing transactions. (h) Disclosure and Notification. (1) Any person displaying or transmitting a bid that such person knows is for the purpose of stabilizing shall provide prior notice to the market on which such stabilizing will be effected, and shall disclose its purpose to the person with whom the bid is entered. (2) Any person effecting a syndicate covering transaction or imposing a penalty bid shall provide prior notice to the self-regulatory organization with direct authority over the principal market in the United States for the security for which the syndicate covering transaction is effected or the penalty bid is imposed. (3) Any person subject to this section who sells to, or purchases for the account of, any person any security where the price of such security may be or has been stabilized, shall send to the purchaser at or before the completion of the transaction, a prospectus, offering circular, confirmation, or other document containing a statement similar to that comprising the statement provided for in Item 502(d) of Regulation S-B (§228.502(d) of this chapter) or Item 502(d) of Regulation S-K (§229.502(d) of this chapter). (i) Recordkeeping Requirements. A person subject to this section shall keep the information and make the notification required by §240.17a–2 of this chapter. (j) Excepted Securities. The provisions of this section shall not apply to: (1) Exempted Securities. “Exempted securities,” as defined in section 3(a)(12) of the Exchange Act (15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(12)); or (2) Transactions of Rule 144A securities. Transactions in securities eligible for resale under §230.144A(d)(3) of this chapter, if such securities are offered or sold in the United States solely to: (i) Qualified institutional buyers, as defined in §230.144A(a)(1) of this chapter, or to offerees or purchasers that the seller and any person acting on behalf of the seller reasonably believes are qualified institutional buyers, in a transaction exempt from registration under section 4(2) of the Securities Act (15 U.S.C. 77d(2)) or §§230.144A or 230.501 through 230.508 of this chapter; or (ii) Persons not deemed to be “U.S. persons” for purposes of §§230.902(o)(2) or 230.902(o)(7) of this chapter, during a distribution qualifying under paragraph (j)(2)(i) of this section. (k) Exemptive Authority. Upon written application or upon its own motion, the Commission may grant an exemption from the provisions of this section, either unconditionally or on specified terms and conditions, to any transaction or class of transactions, or to any security or class of securities. [62 FR 544, Jan. 3, 1997, as amended at 62 FR 11323, Mar. 12, 1997; 62 FR 13213, Mar. 19, 1997] (a) Unlawful Activity. In connection with an offering of securities for cash pursuant to a registration statement or a notification on Form 1–A (§239.90 of this chapter) filed under the Securities Act, it shall be unlawful for any person to cover a short sale with offered securities purchased from an underwriter or broker or dealer participating in the offering, if such short sale occurred during the shorter of: (1) The period beginning five business days before the pricing of the offered securities and ending with such pricing; or (2) The period beginning with the initial filing of such registration statement or notification on Form 1–A and ending with the pricing. (b) Excepted Offerings. This section shall not apply to offerings that are not conducted on a firm commitment basis. (c) Exemptive Authority. Upon written application or upon its own motion, the Commission may grant an exemption from the provisions of this section, either unconditionally or on specified terms and conditions, to any transaction or class of transactions, or to any security or class of securities. [62 FR 544, Jan. 3, 1997, as amended at 69 FR 48029, Aug. 6, 2004] (a) The term short sale shall mean any sale of a security which the seller does not own or any sale which is consummated by the delivery of a security borrowed by, or for the account of, the seller. (b) A person shall be deemed to own a security if: (1) The person or his agent has title to it; or (2) The person has purchased, or has entered into an unconditional contract, binding on both parties thereto, to purchase it, but has not yet received it; or (3) The person owns a security convertible into or exchangeable for it and has tendered such security for conversion or exchange; or (4) The person has an option to purchase or acquire it and has exercised such option; or (5) The person has rights or warrants to subscribe to it and has exercised such rights or warrants; or (6) The person holds a security futures contract to purchase it and has received notice that the position will be physically settled and is irrevocably bound to receive the underlying security. (c) A person shall be deemed to own securities only to the extent that he has a net long position in such securities. (d) A broker or dealer shall be deemed to own a security, even if it is not net long, if: (1) The broker or dealer acquired that security while acting in the capacity of a block positioner; and (2) If and to the extent that the broker or dealer's short position in the security is the subject of offsetting positions created in the course of bona fide arbitrage, risk arbitrage, or bona fide hedge activities. (e) A broker-dealer shall be deemed to own a security even if it is not net long, if: (1) The broker-dealer is unwinding index arbitrage position involving a long basket of stock and one or more short index futures traded on a board of trade or one or more standardized options contracts as defined in 17 CFR 240.9b–1(a)(4); and (2) If and to the extent that the broker-dealer's short position in the security is the subject of offsetting positions created and maintained in the course of bona-fide arbitrage, risk arbitrage, or bona fide hedge activities; and (3) The sale does not occur during a period commencing at the time that the Dow Jones Industrial Average has declined by two percent or more from its closing value on the previous day and terminating upon the establishment of the closing value of the Dow Jones Industrial Average on the next succeeding trading day. (f) In order to determine its net position, a broker or dealer shall aggregate all of its positions in a security unless it qualifies for independent trading unit aggregation, in which case each independent trading unit shall aggregate all of its positions in a security to determine its net position. Independent trading unit aggregation is available only if: (1) The broker or dealer has a written plan of organization that identifies each aggregation unit, specifies its trading objective(s), and supports its independent identity; (2) Each aggregation unit within the firm determines, at the time of each sale, its net position for every security that it trades; (3) All traders in an aggregation unit pursue only the particular trading objective(s) or strategy(s) of that aggregation unit and do not coordinate that strategy with any other aggregation unit; and (4) Individual traders are assigned to only one aggregation unit at any time. (g) A broker or dealer must mark all sell orders of any equity security as “long,” “short,” or “short exempt.” (1) An order to sell shall be marked “long” only if the seller is deemed to own the security being sold pursuant to paragraphs (a) through (f) of this section and either: (i) The security to be delivered is in the physical possession or control of the broker or dealer; or (ii) It is reasonably expected that the security will be in the physical possession or control of the broker or dealer no later than the settlement of the transaction. (2) A short sale order shall be marked “short exempt” if the seller is relying on an exception from the tick test of 17 CFR 240.10a–1, or any short sale price test of any exchange or national securities association. (h) Upon written application or upon its own motion, the Commission may grant an exemption from the provisions of this section, either unconditionally or on specified terms and conditions, to any transaction or class of transactions, or to any security or class of securities, or to any person or class of persons. [69 FR 48029, Aug. 6, 2004] (a) The provisions of 17 CFR 240.10a–1(a) and any short sale price test for any exchange or national securities association shall not apply to short sales in such securities, or during such time periods, as the Commission designates by order as necessary or appropriate in the public interest and consistent with the protection of investors after giving due consideration to the security's liquidity, volatility, market depth and trading market. All other provisions of 17 CFR 240.10a–1, §242.200, and §242.203 shall remain in effect. (b) No self-regulatory organization shall have a rule that is not in conformity with or conflicts with any order issued pursuant to paragraph (a) of this section. (c) This temporary section will expire on August 6, 2007. Effective Date Note: At 69 FR 48030, Aug. 6, 2004, §242.202T was added effective September 7, 2004, through August 6, 2007.
(a) Long sales. (1) If a broker or dealer knows or has reasonable grounds to believe that the sale of an equity security was or will be effected pursuant to an order marked “long,” such broker or dealer shall not lend or arrange for the loan of any security for delivery to the purchaser's broker after the sale, or fail to deliver a security on the date delivery is due. (2) The provisions of paragraph (a)(1) of this section shall not apply: (i) To the loan of any security by a broker or dealer through the medium of a loan to another broker or dealer; (ii) If the broker or dealer knows, or has been reasonably informed by the seller, that the seller owns the security, and that the seller would deliver the security to the broker or dealer prior to the scheduled settlement of the transaction, but the seller failed to do so; or (iii) If, prior to any loan or arrangement to loan any security for delivery, or failure to deliver, a national securities exchange, in the case of a sale effected thereon, or a national securities association, in the case of a sale not effected on an exchange, finds: (A) That such sale resulted from a mistake made in good faith; (B) That due diligence was used to ascertain that the circumstances specified in §242.200(g) existed; and (C) Either that the condition of the market at the time the mistake was discovered was such that undue hardship would result from covering the transaction by a “purchase for cash” or that the mistake was made by the seller's broker and the sale was at a permissible price under any applicable short sale price test. (b) Short sales. (1) A broker or dealer may not accept a short sale order in an equity security from another person, or effect a short sale in an equity security for its own account, unless the broker or dealer has: (i) Borrowed the security, or entered into a bona-fide arrangement to borrow the security; or (ii) Reasonable grounds to believe that the security can be borrowed so that it can be delivered on the date delivery is due; and (iii) Documented compliance with this paragraph (b)(1). (2) The provisions of paragraph (b)(1) of this section shall not apply to: (i) A broker or dealer that has accepted a short sale order from another registered broker or dealer that is required to comply with paragraph (b)(1) of this section, unless the broker or dealer relying on this exception contractually undertook responsibility for compliance with paragraph (b)(1) of this section; (ii) Any sale of a security that a person is deemed to own pursuant to §242.200, provided that the broker or dealer has been reasonably informed that the person intends to deliver such security as soon as all restrictions on delivery have been removed. If the person has not delivered such security within 35 days after the trade date, the broker-dealer that effected the sale must borrow securities or close out the short position by purchasing securities of like kind and quantity; (iii) Short sales effected by a market maker in connection with bona-fide market making activities in the security for which this exception is claimed; and (iv) Transactions in security futures. (3) If a participant of a registered clearing agency has a fail to deliver position at a registered clearing agency in a threshold security for thirteen consecutive settlement days, the participant shall immediately thereafter close out the fail to deliver position by purchasing securities of like kind and quantity: (i) The provisions of this paragraph (b)(3) shall not apply to the amount of the fail to deliver position that the participant of a registered clearing agency had at a registered clearing agency on the settlement day immediately preceding the day that the security became a threshold security; provided, however, that if the fail to deliver position at the clearing agency is subsequently reduced below the fail to deliver position on the settlement day immediately preceding the day that the security became a threshold security, then the fail to deliver position excepted by this paragraph (b)(3)(i) shall be the lesser amount; (ii) The provisions of this paragraph (b)(3) shall not apply to the amount of the fail to deliver position in the threshold security that is attributed to short sales by a registered options market maker, if and to the extent that the short sales are effected by the registered options market maker to establish or maintain a hedge on options positions that were created before the security became a threshold security; (iii) If a participant of a registered clearing agency has a fail to deliver position at a registered clearing agency in a threshold security for thirteen consecutive settlement days, the participant and any broker or dealer for which it clears transactions, including any market maker that would otherwise be entitled to rely on the exception provided in paragraph (b)(2)(iii) of this section, may not accept a short sale order in the threshold security from another person, or effect a short sale in the threshold security for its own account, without borrowing the security or entering into a bona-fide arrangement to borrow the security, until the participant closes out the fail to deliver position by purchasing securities of like kind and quantity; (iv) If a participant of a registered clearing agency reasonably allocates a portion of a fail to deliver position to another registered broker or dealer for which it clears trades or for which it is responsible for settlement, based on such broker or dealer's short position, then the provisions of this paragraph (b)(3) relating to such fail to deliver position shall apply to the portion of such registered broker or dealer that was allocated the fail to deliver position, and not to the participant; and (v) A participant of a registered clearing agency shall not be deemed to have fulfilled the requirements of this paragraph (b)(3) where the participant enters into an arrangement with another person to purchase securities as required by this paragraph (b)(3), and the participant knows or has reason to know that the other person will not deliver securities in settlement of the purchase. (c) Definitions. (1) For purposes of this section, the term market maker has the same meaning as in section 3(a)(38) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Exchange Act”) (15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(38)). (2) For purposes of this section, the term participant has the same meaning as in section 3(a)(24) of the Exchange Act (15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(24)). (3) For purposes of this section, the term registered clearing agency means a clearing agency, as defined in section 3(a)(23)(A) of the Exchange Act (15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(23)(A)), that is registered with the Commission pursuant to section 17A of the Exchange Act (15 U.S.C. 78q–1). (4) For purposes of this section, the term security future has the same meaning as in section 3(a)(55) of the Exchange Act (15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(55)). (5) For purposes of this section, the term settlement day means any business day on which deliveries of securities and payments of money may be made through the facilities of a registered clearing agency. (6) For purposes of this section, the term threshold security means any equity security of an issuer that is registered pursuant to section 12 of the Exchange Act (15 U.S.C. 78l) or for which the issuer is required to file reports pursuant to section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (15 U.S.C. 78o(d)): (i) For which there is an aggregate fail to deliver position for five consecutive settlement days at a registered clearing agency of 10,000 shares or more, and that is equal to at least 0.5% of the issue's total shares outstanding; (ii) Is included on a list disseminated to its members by a self-regulatory organization; and (iii) Provided, however, that a security shall cease to be a threshold security if the aggregate fail to deliver position at a registered clearing agency does not exceed the level specified in paragraph (c)(6)(i) of this section for five consecutive settlement days. (d) Exemptive authority. Upon written application or upon its own motion, the Commission may grant an exemption from the provisions of this section, either unconditionally or on specified terms and conditions, to any transaction or class of transactions, or to any security or class of securities, or to any person or class of persons. [69 FR 48029, Aug. 6, 2004] Source: Sections 242.300 through 242.303 appear at 63 FR 70921, Dec. 22, 1998, unless otherwise noted.
Preliminary Notes 1. An alternative trading system is required to comply with the requirements in this Regulation ATS, unless such alternative trading system: (a) Is registered as a national securities exchange; (b) Is exempt from registration as a national securities exchange based on the limited volume of transactions effected on the alternative trading system; or (c) Trades only government securities and certain other related instruments. All alternative trading systems must comply with the antifraud, antimanipulation, and other applicable provisions of the federal securities laws. 2. The requirements imposed upon an alternative trading system by Regulation ATS are in addition to any requirements applicable to broker-dealers registered under section 15 of the Act, (15 U.S.C. 78o). 3. An alternative trading system must comply with any applicable state law relating to the offer or sale of securities or the registration or regulation of persons or entities effecting transactions in securities. 4. The disclosures made pursuant to the provisions of this section are in addition to any other disclosure requirements under the federal securities laws. For purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply: (a) Alternative trading system means any organization, association, person, group of persons, or system: (1) That constitutes, maintains, or provides a market place or facilities for bringing together purchasers and sellers of securities or for otherwise performing with respect to securities the functions commonly performed by a stock exchange within the meaning of §240.3b–16 of this chapter; and (2) That does not: (i) Set rules governing the conduct of subscribers other than the conduct of such subscribers' trading on such organization, association, person, group of persons, or system; or (ii) Discipline subscribers other than by exclusion from trading. (b) Subscriber means any person that has entered into a contractual agreement with an alternative trading system to access such alternative trading system for the purpose of effecting transactions in securities or submitting, disseminating, or displaying orders on such alternative trading system, including a customer, member, user, or participant in an alternative trading system. A subscriber, however, shall not include a national securities exchange or national securities association. (c) Affiliate of a subscriber means any person that, directly or indirectly, controls, is under common control with, or is controlled by, the subscriber, including any employee. (d) Debt security shall mean any security other than an equity security, as defined in §240.3a11–1 of this chapter, as well as non-participatory preferred stock. (e) Order means any firm indication of a willingness to buy or sell a security, as either principal or agent, including any bid or offer quotation, market order, limit order, or other priced order. (f) Control means the power, directly or indirectly, to direct the management or policies of an alternative trading system, whether through ownership of securities, by contract, or otherwise. A person is presumed to control an alternative trading system, if that person: (1) Is a director, general partner, or officer exercising executive responsibility (or having similar status or performing similar functions); (2) Directly or indirectly has the right to vote 25 percent or more of a class of voting security or has the power to sell or direct the sale of 25 percent or more of a class of voting securities of the alternative trading system; or (3) In the case of a partnership, has contributed, or has the right to receive upon dissolution, 25 percent or more of the capital of the alternative trading system. (g) NMS stock shall have the meaning provided in §242.600; provided, however, that a debt or convertible debt security shall not be deemed an NMS stock for purposes of this Regulation ATS. (h) Effective transaction reporting plan shall have the meaning provided in §242.600. (i) Investment grade corporate debt security shall mean any security that: (1) Evidences a liability of the issuer of such security; (2) Has a fixed maturity date that is at least one year following the date of issuance; (3) Is rated in one of the four highest ratings categories by at least one Nationally Recognized Statistical Ratings Organization; and (4) Is not an exempted security, as defined in section 3(a)(12) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(12)). (j) Non-investment grade corporate debt security shall mean any security that: (1) Evidences a liability of the issuer of such security; (2) Has a fixed maturity date that is at least one year following the date of issuance; (3) Is not rated in one of the four highest ratings categories by at least one Nationally Recognized Statistical Ratings Organization; and (4) Is not an exempted security, as defined in section 3(a)(12) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(12)). (k) Commercial paper shall mean any note, draft, or bill of exchange which arises out of a current transaction or the proceeds of which have been or are to be used for current transactions, and which has a maturity at the time of issuance of not exceeding nine months, exclusive of days of grace, or any renewal thereof the maturity of which is likewise limited. [62 FR 544, Jan. 3, 1997, as amended at 70 FR 37619, June 29, 2005] (a) Scope of section. An alternative trading system shall comply with the requirements in paragraph (b) of this section, unless such alternative trading system: (1) Is registered as an exchange under section 6 of the Act, (15 U.S.C. 78f); (2) Is exempted by the Commission from registration as an exchange based on the limited volume of transactions effected; (3) Is operated by a national securities association; (4)(i) Is registered as a broker-dealer under sections 15(b) or 15C of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78o(b), and 78o–5), or is a bank, and (ii) Limits its securities activities to the following instruments: (A) Government securities, as defined in section 3(a)(42) of the Act, (15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(42)); (B) Repurchase and reverse repurchase agreements solely involving securities included within paragraph (a)(4)(ii)(A) of this section; (C) Any put, call, straddle, option, or privilege on a government security, other than a put, call, straddle, option, or privilege that: (1) Is traded on one or more national securities exchanges; or (2) For which quotations are disseminated through an automated quotation system operated by a registered securities association; and (D) Commercial paper. (5) Is exempted, conditionally or unconditionally, by Commission order, after application by such alternative trading system, from one or more of the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section. The Commission will grant such exemption only after determining that such an order is consistent with the public interest, the protection of investors, and the removal of impediments to, and perfection of the mechanisms of, a national market system. (b) Requirements. Every alternative trading system subject to this Regulation ATS, pursuant to paragraph (a) of this section, shall comply with the requirements in this paragraph (b). (1) Broker-dealer registration. The alternative trading system shall register as a broker-dealer under section 15 of the Act, (15 U.S.C. 78o). (2) Notice. (i) The alternative trading system shall file an initial operation report on Form ATS, §249.637 of this chapter, in accordance with the instructions therein, at least 20 days prior to commencing operation as an alternative trading system, or if the alternative trading system is operating as of April 21, 1999, no later than May 11, 1999. (ii) The alternative trading system shall file an amendment on Form ATS at least 20 calendar days prior to implementing a material change to the operation of the alternative trading system. (iii) If any information contained in the initial operation report filed under paragraph (b)(2)(i) of this section becomes inaccurate for any reason and has not been previously reported to the Commission as an amendment on Form ATS, the alternative trading system shall file an amendment on Form ATS correcting such information within 30 calendar days after the end of each calendar quarter in which the alternative trading system has operated. (iv) The alternative trading system shall promptly file an amendment on Form ATS correcting information previously reported on Form ATS after discovery that any information filed under paragraphs (b)(2)(i), (ii) or (iii) of this section was inaccurate when filed. (v) The alternative trading system shall promptly file a cessation of operations report on Form ATS in accordance with the instructions therein upon ceasing to operate as an alternative trading system. (vi) Every notice or amendment filed pursuant to this paragraph (b)(2) shall constitute a “report” within the meaning of sections 11A, 17(a), 18(a), and 32(a), (15 U.S.C. 78k–1, 78q(a), 78r(a), and 78ff(a)), and any other applicable provisions of the Act. (vii) The reports provided for in paragraph (b)(2) of this section shall be considered filed upon receipt by the Division of Market Regulation, Stop 10–2, at the Commission's principal office in Washington, DC. Duplicate originals of the reports provided for in paragraphs (b)(2)(i) through (v) of this section must be filed with surveillance personnel designated as such by any self-regulatory organization that is the designated examining authority for the alternative trading system pursuant to §240.17d–1 of this chapter simultaneously with filing with the Commission. Duplicates of the reports required by paragraph (b)(9) of this section shall be provided to surveillance personnel of such self-regulatory authority upon request. All reports filed pursuant to this paragraph (b)(2) and paragraph (b)(9) of this section shall be deemed confidential when filed. (3) Order display and execution access. (i) An alternative trading system shall comply with the requirements set forth in paragraph (b)(3)(ii) of this section, with respect to any NMS stock in which the alternative trading system: (A) Displays subscriber orders to any person (other than alternative trading system employees); and (B) During at least 4 of the preceding 6 calendar months, had an average daily trading volume of 5 percent or more of the aggregate average daily share volume for such NMS stock as reported by an effective transaction reporting plan. (ii) Such alternative trading system shall provide to a national securities exchange or national securities association the prices and sizes of the orders at the highest buy price and the lowest sell price for such NMS stock, displayed to more than one person in the alternative trading system, for inclusion in the quotation data made available by the national securities exchange or national securities association to vendors pursuant to §242.602. (iii) With respect to any order displayed pursuant to paragraph (b)(3)(ii) of this section, an alternative trading system shall provide to any broker-dealer that has access to the national securities exchange or national securities association to which the alternative trading system provides the prices and sizes of displayed orders pursuant to paragraph (b)(3)(ii) of this section, the ability to effect a transaction with such orders that is: (A) Equivalent to the ability of such broker-dealer to effect a transaction with other orders displayed on the exchange or by the association; and (B) At the price of the highest priced buy order or lowest priced sell order displayed for the lesser of the cumulative size of such priced orders entered therein at such price, or the size of the execution sought by such broker-dealer. (4) Fees. The alternative trading system shall not charge any fee to broker-dealers that access the alternative trading system through a national securities exchange or national securities association, that is inconsistent with equivalent access to the alternative trading system required by paragraph (b)(3)(iii) of this section. In addition, if the national securities exchange or national securities association to which an alternative trading system provides the prices and sizes of orders under paragraphs (b)(3)(ii) and (b)(3)(iii) of this section establishes rules designed to assure consistency with standards for access to quotations displayed on such national securities exchange, or the market operated by such national securities association, the alternative trading system shall not charge any fee to members that is contrary to, that is not disclosed in the manner required by, or that is inconsistent with any standard of equivalent access established by such rules. (5) Fair access. (i) An alternative trading system shall comply with the requirements in paragraph (b)(5)(ii) of this section, if during at least 4 of the preceding 6 calendar months, such alternative trading system had: (A) With respect to any NMS stock, 5 percent or more of the average daily volume in that security reported by an effective transaction reporting plan; (B) With respect to an equity security that is not an NMS stock and for which transactions are reported to a self-regulatory organization, 5 percent or more of the average daily trading volume in that security as calculated by the self-regulatory organization to which such transactions are reported; (C) With respect to municipal securities, 5 percent or more of the average daily volume traded in the United States; (D) With respect to investment grade corporate debt, 5 percent or more of the average daily volume traded in the United States; or (E) With respect to non-investment grade corporate debt, 5 percent or more of the average daily volume traded in the United States. (ii) An alternative trading system shall: (A) Establish written standards for granting access to trading on its system; (B) Not unreasonably prohibit or limit any person in respect to access to services offered by such alternative trading system by applying the standards established under paragraph (b)(5)(ii)(A) of this section in an unfair or discriminatory manner; (C) Make and keep records of: (1) All grants of access including, for all subscribers, the reasons for granting such access; and (2) All denials or limitations of access and reasons, for each applicant, for denying or limiting access; and (D) Report the information required on Form ATS–R (§249.638 of this chapter) regarding grants, denials, and limitations of access. (iii) Notwithstanding paragraph (b)(5)(i) of this section, an alternative trading system shall not be required to comply with the requirements in paragraph (b)(5)(ii) of this section, if such alternative trading system: (A) Matches customer orders for a security with other customer orders; (B) Such customers' orders are not displayed to any person, other than employees of the alternative trading system; and (C) Such orders are executed at a price for such security disseminated by an effective transaction reporting plan, or derived from such prices. (6) Capacity, integrity, and security of automated systems. (i) The alternative trading system shall comply with the requirements in paragraph (b)(6)(ii) of this section, if during at least 4 of the preceding 6 calendar months, such alternative trading system had: (A) With respect to any NMS stock, 20 percent or more of the average daily volume reported by an effective transaction reporting plan; (B) With respect to equity securities that are not NMS stocks and for which transactions are reported to a self-regulatory organization, 20 percent or more of the average daily volume as calculated by the self-regulatory organization to which such transactions are reported; (C) With respect to municipal securities, 20 percent or more of the average daily volume traded in the United States; (D) With respect to investment grade corporate debt, 20 percent or more of the average daily volume traded in the United States; or (E) With respect to non-investment grade corporate debt, 20 percent or more of the average daily volume traded in the United States. (ii) With respect to those systems that support order entry, order routing, order execution, transaction reporting, and trade comparison, the alternative trading system shall: (A) Establish reasonable current and future capacity estimates; (B) Conduct periodic capacity stress tests of critical systems to determine such system's ability to process transactions in an accurate, timely, and efficient manner; (C) Develop and implement reasonable procedures to review and keep current its system development and testing methodology; (D) Review the vulnerability of its systems and data center computer operations to internal and external threats, physical hazards, and natural disasters; (E) Establish adequate contingency and disaster recovery plans; (F) On an annual basis, perform an independent review, in accordance with established audit procedures and standards, of such alternative trading system's controls for ensuring that paragraphs (b)(6)(ii)(A) through (E) of this section are met, and conduct a review by senior management of a report containing the recommendations and conclusions of the independent review; and (G) Promptly notify the Commission staff of material systems outages and significant systems changes. (iii) Notwithstanding paragraph (b)(6)(i) of this section, an alternative trading system shall not be required to comply with the requirements in paragraph (b)(6)(ii) of this section, if such alternative trading system: (A) Matches customer orders for a security with other customer orders; (B) Such customers' orders are not displayed to any person, other than employees of the alternative trading system; and (C) Such orders are executed at a price for such security disseminated by an effective transaction reporting plan, or derived from such prices. (7) Examinations, inspections, and investigations. The alternative trading system shall permit the examination and inspection of its premises, systems, and records, and cooperate with the examination, inspection, or investigation of subscribers, whether such examination is being conducted by the Commission or by a self-regulatory organization of which such subscriber is a member. (8) Recordkeeping. The alternative trading system shall: (i) Make and keep current the records specified in §242.302; and (ii) Preserve the records specified in §242.303. (9) Reporting. The alternative trading system shall: (i) File the information required by Form ATS-R (§249.638 of this chapter) within 30 calendar days after the end of each calendar quarter in which the market has operated after the effective date of this section; and (ii) File the information required by Form ATS-R within 10 calendar days after an alternative trading system ceases to operate. (10) Procedures to ensure the confidential treatment of trading information. (i) The alternative trading system shall establish adequate safeguards and procedures to protect subscribers' confidential trading information. Such safeguards and procedures shall include: (A) Limiting access to the confidential trading information of subscribers to those employees of the alternative trading system who are operating the system or responsible for its compliance with these or any other applicable rules; (B) Implementing standards controlling employees of the alternative trading system trading for their own accounts; and (ii) The alternative trading system shall adopt and implement adequate oversight procedures to ensure that the safeguards and procedures established pursuant to paragraph (b)(10)(i) of this section are followed. (11) Name. The alternative trading system shall not use in its name the word “exchange,” or derivations of the word “exchange,” such as the term “stock market.” [63 FR 70921, Dec. 22, 1998, as amended at 65 FR 13235, Mar. 13, 2000; 70 FR 37619, June 29, 2005] To comply with the condition set forth in paragraph (b)(8) of §242.301, an alternative trading system shall make and keep current the following records: (a) A record of subscribers to such alternative trading system (identifying any affiliations between the alternative trading system and subscribers to the alternative trading system, including common directors, officers, or owners); (b) Daily summaries of trading in the alternative trading system including: (1) Securities for which transactions have been executed; (2) Transaction volume, expressed with respect to equity securities in: (i) Number of trades; (ii) Number of shares traded; and (iii) Total settlement value in terms of U.S. dollars; and (3) Transaction volume, expressed with respect to debt securities in: (i) Number of trades; and (ii) Total U.S. dollar value; and (c) Time-sequenced records of order information in the alternative trading system, including: (1) Date and time (expressed in terms of hours, minutes, and seconds) that the order was received; (2) Identity of the security; (3) The number of shares, or principal amount of bonds, to which the order applies; (4) An identification of the order as related to a program trade or an index arbitrage trade as defined in New York Stock Exchange Rule 80A; (5) The designation of the order as a buy or sell order; (6) The designation of the order as a short sale order; (7) The designation of the order as a market order, limit order, stop order, stop limit order, or other type or order; (8) Any limit or stop price prescribed by the order; (9) The date on which the order expires and, if the time in force is less than one day, the time when the order expires; (10) The time limit during which the order is in force; (11) Any instructions to modify or cancel the order; (12) The type of account, i.e., retail, wholesale, employee, proprietary, or any other type of account designated by the alternative trading system, for which the order is submitted; (13) Date and time (expressed in terms of hours, minutes, and seconds) that the order was executed; (14) Price at which the order was executed; (15) Size of the order executed (expressed in number of shares or units or principal amount); and (16) Identity of the parties to the transaction. (a) To comply with the condition set forth in paragraph (b)(9) of §242.301, an alternative trading system shall preserve the following records: (1) For a period of not less than three years, the first two years in an easily accessible place, an alternative trading system shall preserve: (i) All records required to be made pursuant to §242.302; (ii) All notices provided by such alternative trading system to subscribers generally, whether written or communicated through automated means, including, but not limited to, notices addressing hours of system operations, system malfunctions, changes to system procedures, maintenance of hardware and software, instructions pertaining to access to the market and denials of, or limitations on, access to the alternative trading system; (iii) If subject to paragraph (b)(5)(ii) of §242.301, at least one copy of such alternative trading system's standards for access to trading, all documents relevant to the alternative trading systems decision to grant, deny, or limit access to any person, and all other documents made or received by the alternative trading system in the course of complying with paragraph (b)(5) of §242.301; and (iv) At least one copy of all documents made or received by the alternative trading system in the course of complying with paragraph (b)(6) of §242.301, including all correspondence, memoranda, papers, books, notices, accounts, reports, test scripts, test results, and other similar records. (2) During the life of the enterprise and of any successor enterprise, an alternative trading system shall preserve: (i) All partnership articles or, in the case of a corporation, all articles of incorporation or charter, minute books and stock certificate books; and (ii) Copies of reports filed pursuant to paragraph (b)(2) of §242.301 of this chapter and records made pursuant to paragraph (b)(5) of §242.301 of this chapter. (b) The records required to be maintained and preserved pursuant to paragraph (a) of this section must be produced, reproduced, and maintained in paper form or in any of the forms permitted under §240.17a–4(f) of this chapter. (c) Alternative trading systems must comply with any other applicable recordkeeping or reporting requirement in the Act, and the rules and regulations thereunder. If the information in a record required to be made pursuant to this section is preserved in a record made pursuant to §240.17a–3 or §240.17a–4 of this chapter, or otherwise preserved by the alternative trading system (whether in summary or some other form), this section shall not require the sponsor to maintain such information in a separate file, provided that the sponsor can promptly sort and retrieve the information as if it had been kept in a separate file as a record made pursuant to this section, and preserves the information in accordance with the time periods specified in paragraph (a) of this section. (d) The records required to be maintained and preserved pursuant to this section may be prepared or maintained by a service bureau, depository, or other recordkeeping service on behalf of the alternative trading system. An agreement with a service bureau, depository, or other recordkeeping service shall not relieve the alternative trading system from the responsibility to prepare and maintain records as specified in this section. The service bureau, depository, or other recordkeeping service shall file with the Commission a written undertaking in a form acceptable to the Commission, signed by a duly authorized person, to the effect that such records are the property of the alternative trading system required to be maintained and preserved and will be surrendered promptly on request of the alternative trading system, and shall include the following provision: With respect to any books and records maintained or preserved on behalf of (name of alternative trading system), the undersigned hereby undertakes to permit examination of such books and records at any time, or from time to time, during business hours by the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission, any self-regulatory organization of which the alternative trading system is a member, or any State securities regulator having jurisdiction over the alternative trading system, and to promptly furnish to the Commission, self-regulatory organization of which the alternative trading system is a member, or any State securities regulator having jurisdiction over the alternative trading system a true, correct, complete and current hard copy of any, all, or any part of, such books and records. (e) Every alternative trading system shall furnish to any representative of the Commission promptly upon request, legible, true, and complete copies of those records that are required to be preserved under this section. [63 FR 70921, Dec. 22, 1998, as amended at 66 FR 55841, Nov. 2, 2001] Source: 67 FR 53176, Aug. 14, 2002, unless otherwise noted.
(a) Authority and purpose. Sections 242.400 through 242.406 and 17 CFR 41.42 through 41.49 (“this Regulation, §§242.400 through 242.406”) are issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) jointly with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”), pursuant to authority delegated by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System under section 7(c)(2)(A) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Act”) (15 U.S.C. 78g(c)(2)(A)). The principal purpose of this Regulation (§§242.400 through 242.406) is to regulate customer margin collected by brokers, dealers, and members of national securities exchanges, including futures commission merchants required to register as brokers or dealers under section 15(b)(11) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78o(b)(11)), relating to security futures. (b) Interpretation. This Regulation (§§242.400 through 242.406) shall be jointly interpreted by the Commission and the CFTC, consistent with the criteria set forth in clauses (i) through (iv) of section 7(c)(2)(B) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78g(c)(2)(B)) and the provisions of Regulation T (12 CFR part 220). (c) Scope. (1) This Regulation (§§242.400 through 242.406) does not preclude a self-regulatory authority, under rules that are effective in accordance with section 19(b)(2) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2)) or section 19(b)(7) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(7)) and, as applicable, section 5c(c) of the Commodity Exchange Act (“CEA”) (7 U.S.C. 7a–2(c)), or a security futures intermediary from imposing additional margin requirements on security futures, including higher initial or maintenance margin levels, consistent with this Regulation (§§242.400 through 242.406), or from taking appropriate action to preserve its financial integrity. (2) This Regulation (§§242.400 through 242.406) does not apply to: (i) Financial relations between a customer and a security futures intermediary to the extent that they comply with a portfolio margining system under rules that meet the criteria set forth in section 7(c)(2)(B) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78g(c)(2)(B)) and that are effective in accordance with section 19(b)(2) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2)) and, as applicable, section 5c(c) of the CEA (7 U.S.C. 7a–2(c)); (ii) Financial relations between a security futures intermediary and a foreign person involving security futures traded on or subject to the rules of a foreign board of trade; (iii) Margin requirements that clearing agencies registered under section 17A of the Exchange Act (15 U.S.C. 78q–1) or derivatives clearing organizations registered under section 5b of the CEA (7 U.S.C. 7a–1) impose on their members; (iv) Financial relations between a security futures intermediary and a person based on a good faith determination by the security futures intermediary that such person is an exempted person; and (v) Financial relations between a security futures intermediary and, or arranged by a security futures intermediary for, a person relating to trading in security futures by such person for its own account, if such person: (A) Is a member of a national securities exchange or national securities association registered pursuant to section 15A(a) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78o–3(a)); and (B) Is registered with such exchange or such association as a security futures dealer pursuant to rules that are effective in accordance with section 19(b)(2) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2)) and, as applicable, section 5c(c) of the CEA (7 U.S.C. 7a–2(c)), that: (1) Require such member to be registered as a floor trader or a floor broker with the CFTC under Section 4f(a)(1) of the CEA (7 U.S.C. 6f(a)(1)), or as a dealer with the Commission under section 15(b) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78o(b)); (2) Require such member to maintain records sufficient to prove compliance with this paragraph (c)(2)(v) and the rules of the exchange or association of which it is a member; (3) Require such member to hold itself out as being willing to buy and sell security futures for its own account on a regular or continuous basis; and (4) Provide for disciplinary action, including revocation of such member's registration as a security futures dealer, for such member's failure to comply with this Regulation (§§242.400 through 242.406) or the rules of the exchange or association. (d) Exemption. The Commission may exempt, either unconditionally or on specified terms and conditions, financial relations involving any security futures intermediary, customer, position, or transaction, or any class of security futures intermediaries, customers, positions, or transactions, from one or more requirements of this Regulation (§§242.400 through 242.406), if the Commission determines that such exemption is necessary or appropriate in the public interest and consistent with the protection of investors. An exemption granted pursuant to this paragraph shall not operate as an exemption from any CFTC rules. Any exemption that may be required from such rules must be obtained separately from the CFTC. (a) For purposes of this Regulation (§§242.400 through 242.406) only, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth in this section. (1) Applicable margin rules and margin rules applicable to an account mean the rules and regulations applicable to financial relations between a security futures intermediary and a customer with respect to security futures and related positions carried in a securities account or futures account as provided in §242.402(a) of this Regulation (§§242.400 through 242.406). (2) Broker shall have the meaning provided in section 3(a)(4) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(4)). (3) Contract multiplier means the number of units of a narrow-based security index expressed as a dollar amount, in accordance with the terms of the security future contract. (4) Current market value means, on any day: (i) With respect to a security future: (A) If the instrument underlying such security future is a stock, theproduct of the daily settlement price of such security future as shown by any regularly published reporting or quotation service, and the applicable number of shares per contract; or (B) If the instrument underlying such security future is a narrow-based security index, as defined in section 3(a)(55)(B) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(55)(B)), the product of the daily settlement price of such security future as shown by any regularly published reporting or quotation service, and the applicable contract multiplier. (ii) With respect to a security other than a security future, the most recent closing sale price of the security, as shown by any regularly published reporting or quotation service. If there is no recent closing sale price, the security futures intermediary may use any reasonable estimate of the market value of the security as of the most recent close of business. (5) Customer excludes an exempted person and includes: (i) Any person or persons acting jointly: (A) On whose behalf a security futures intermediary effects a security futures transaction or carries a security futures position; or (B) Who would be considered a customer of the security futures intermediary according to the ordinary usage of the trade; (ii) Any partner in a security futures intermediary that is organized as a partnership who would be considered a customer of the security futures intermediary absent the partnership relationship; and (iii) Any joint venture in which a security futures intermediary participates and which would be considered a customer of the security futures intermediary if the security futures intermediary were not a participant. (6) Daily settlement price means, with respect to a security future, the settlement price of such security future determined at the close of trading each day, under the rules of the applicable exchange, clearing agency, or derivatives clearing organization. (7) Dealer shall have the meaning provided in section 3(a)(5) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(5)). (8) Equity means the equity or margin equity in a securities or futures account, as computed in accordance with the margin rules applicable to the account and subject to adjustment under §242.404(c), (d) and (e) of this Regulation (§§242.400 through 242.406). (9) Exempted person means: (i) A member of a national securities exchange, a registered broker or dealer, or a registered futures commission merchant, a substantial portion of whose business consists of transactions in securities, commodity futures, or commodity options with persons other than brokers, dealers, futures commission merchants, floor brokers, or floor traders, and includes a person who: (A) Maintains at least 1000 active accounts on an annual basis for persons other than brokers, dealers, persons associated with a broker or dealer, futures commission merchants, floor brokers, floor traders, and persons affiliated with a futures commission merchant, floor broker, or floor trader that are effecting transactions in securities, commodity futures, or commodity options; (B) Earns at least $10 million in gross revenues on an annual basis from transactions in securities, commodity futures, or commodity options with persons other than brokers, dealers, persons associated with a broker or dealer, futures commission merchants, floor brokers, floor traders, and persons affiliated with a futures commission merchant, floor broker, or floor trader; or (C) Earns at least 10 percent of its gross revenues on an annual basis from transactions in securities, commodity futures, or commodity options with persons other than brokers, dealers, persons associated with a broker or dealer, futures commission merchants, floor brokers, floor traders, and persons affiliated with a futures commission merchant, floor broker, or floor trader. (ii) For purposes of paragraph (a)(9)(i) of this section only, persons affiliated with a futures commission merchant, floor broker, or floor trader means any partner, officer, director, or branch manager of such futures commission merchant, floor broker, or floor trader (or any person occupying a similar status or performing similar functions), any person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with such futures commission merchant, floor broker, or floor trader, or any employee of such a futures commission merchant, floor broker, or floor trader. (iii) A member of a national securities exchange, a registered broker or dealer, or a registered futures commission merchant that has been in existence for less than one year may meet the definition of exempted person based on a six-month period. (10) Exempted security shall have the meaning provided in section 3(a)(12) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(12)). (11) Floor broker shall have the meaning provided in Section 1a(16) of the CEA (7 U.S.C. 1a(16)). (12) Floor trader shall have the meaning provided in Section 1a(17) of the CEA (7 U.S.C. 1a(17)). (13) Futures account shall have the meaning provided in §240.15c3–3(a) of this chapter. (14) Futures commission merchant shall have the meaning provided in Section 1a of the CEA (7 U.S.C. 1a). (15) Good faith, with respect to making a determination or accepting a statement concerning financial relations with a person, means that the security futures intermediary is alert to the circumstances surrounding such financial relations, and if in possession of information that would cause a prudent person not to make the determination or accept the notice or certification without inquiry, investigates and is satisfied that it is correct. (16) Listed option means a put or call option that is: (i) Issued by a clearing agency that is registered under section 17A of the Act (15 U.S.C. 17q–1) or cleared and guaranteed by a derivatives clearing organization that is registered under Section 5b of the CEA (7 U.S.C. 7a–1); and (ii) Traded on or subject to the rules of a self-regulatory authority. (17) Margin call means a demand by a security futures intermediary to a customer for a deposit of cash, securities or other assets to satisfy the required margin for security futures or related positions or a special margin requirement. (18) Margin deficiency means the amount by which the required margin in an account is not satisfied by the equity in the account, as computed in accordance with §242.404 of this Regulation (§§242.400 through 242.406). (19) Margin equity security shall have the meaning provided in Regulation T. (20) Margin security shall have the meaning provided in Regulation T. (21) Member shall have the meaning provided in section 3(a)(3) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(3)), and shall include persons registered under section 15(b)(11) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78o(b)(11)) that are permitted to effect transactions on a national securities exchange without the services of another person acting as executing broker. (22) Money market mutual fund means any security issued by an investment company registered under section 8 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a–8) that is considered a money market fund under §270.2a–7 of this chapter. (23) Persons associated with a broker or dealer shall have the meaning provided in section 3(a)(18) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(18)). (24) Regulation T means Regulation T promulgated by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 12 CFR part 220, as amended from time to time. (25) Regulation T collateral value, with respect to a security, means the current market value of the security reduced by the percentage of required margin for a position in the security held in a margin account under Regulation T. (26) Related position, with respect to a security future, means any position in an account that is combined with the security future to create an offsetting position as provided in §242.403(b)(2) of this Regulation (§§242.400 through 242.406). (27) Related transaction, with respect to a position or transaction in a security future, means: (i) Any transaction that creates, eliminates, increases or reduces an offsetting position involving a security future and a related position, as provided in §242.403(b)(2) of this Regulation (§§242.400 through 242.406); or (ii) Any deposit or withdrawal of margin for the security future or a related position, except as provided in §242.405(b) of this Regulation (§§242.400 through 242.406). (28) Securities account shall have the meaning provided in §240.15c3–3(a) of this chapter. (29) Security futures intermediary means any creditor as defined in Regulation T with respect to its financial relations with any person involving security futures. (30) Self-regulatory authority means a national securities exchange registered under section 6 of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78f), a national securities association registered under section 15A of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78o–3), a contract market registered under Section 5 of the CEA (7 U.S.C. 7) or Section 5f of the CEA (7 U.S.C. 7b–1), or a derivatives transaction execution facility registered under Section 5a of the CEA (7 U.S.C. 7a). (31) Special margin requirement shall have the meaning provided in §242.404(e)(1)(ii) of this Regulation (§§242.400 through 242.406). (32) Variation settlement means any credit or debit to a customer account, made on a daily or intraday basis, for the purpose of marking to market a security future or any other contract that is: (i) Issued by a clearing agency that is registered under section 17A of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78q–1) or cleared and guaranteed by a derivatives clearing organization that is registered under Section 5b of the CEA (7 U.S.C. 7a–1); and (ii) Traded on or subject to the rules of a self-regulatory authority. (b) Terms used in this Regulation (§§242.400 through 242.406) and not otherwise defined in this section shall have the meaning set forth in the margin rules applicable to the account. (c) Terms used in this Regulation (§§242.400 through 242.406) and not otherwise defined in this section or in the margin rules applicable to the account shall have the meaning set forth in the Act and the CEA; if the definitions of a term in the Act and the CEA are inconsistent as applied in particular circumstances, such term shall have the meaning set forth in rules, regulations, or interpretations jointly promulgated by the Commission and the CFTC. (a) Applicable margin rules. Except to the extent inconsistent with this Regulation (§§242.400 through 242.406): (1) A security futures intermediary that carries a security future on behalf of a customer in a securities account shall record and conduct all financial relations with respect to such security future and related positions in accordance with Regulation T and the margin rules of the self-regulatory authorities of which the security futures intermediary is a member. (2) A security futures intermediary that carries a security future on behalf of a customer in a futures account shall record and conduct all financial relations with respect to such security future and related positions in accordance with the margin rules of the self-regulatory authorities of which the security futures intermediary is a member. (b) Separation and consolidation of accounts. (1) The requirements for security futures and related positions in one account may not be met by considering items in any other account, except as permitted or required under paragraph (b)(2) of this section or applicable margin rules. If withdrawals of cash, securities or other assets deposited as margin are permitted under this Regulation (§§242.400 through 242.406), bookkeeping entries shall be made when such cash, securities, or assets are used for purposes of meeting requirements in another account. (2) Notwithstanding paragraph (b)(1) of this section, the security futures intermediary shall consider all futures accounts in which security futures and related positions are held that are within the same regulatory classification or account type and are owned by the same customer to be a single account for purposes of this Regulation (§§242.400 through 242.406). The security futures intermediary may combine such accounts with other futures accounts that are within the same regulatory classification or account type and are owned by the same customer for purposes of computing a customer's overall margin requirement, as permitted or required by applicable margin rules. (c) Accounts of partners. If a partner of the security futures intermediary has an account with the security futures intermediary in which security futures or related positions are held, the security futures intermediary shall disregard the partner's financial relations with the firm (as shown in the partner's capital and ordinary drawing accounts) in calculating the margin or equity of any such account. (d) Contribution to joint venture. If an account in which security futures or related positions are held is the account of a joint venture in which the security futures intermediary participates, any interest of the security futures intermediary in the joint account in excess of the interest which the security futures intermediary would have on the basis of its right to share in the profits shall be margined in accordance with this Regulation (§§242.400 through 242.406). (e) Extensions of credit. (1) No security futures intermediary may extend or maintain credit to or for any customer for the purpose of evading or circumventing any requirement under this Regulation (§§242.400 through 242.406). (2) A security futures intermediary may arrange for the extension or maintenance of credit to or for any customer by any person, provided that the security futures intermediary does not willfully arrange credit that would constitute a violation of Regulation T, U or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (12 CFR parts 220, 221, and 224) by such person. (f) Change in exempted person status. Once a person ceases to qualify as an exempted person, it shall notify the security futures intermediary of this fact before entering into any new security futures transaction or related transaction that would require additional margin to be deposited under this Regulation (§§242.400 through 242.406). Financial relations with respect to any such transactions shall be subject to the provisions of this Regulation (§§242.400 through 242.406). (a) Applicability. Each security futures intermediary shall determine the required margin for the security futures and related positions held on behalf of a customer in a securities account or futures account as set forth in this section. (b) Required margin.—(1) General rule. The required margin for each long or short position n a security future shall be twenty (20) percent of the current market value of such security future. (2) Offsetting positions. Notwithstanding the margin levels specified in paragraph (b)(1) of this section, a self-regulatory authority may set the required initial or maintenance margin level for an offsetting position involving security futures and related positions at a level lower than the level that would be required under paragraph (b)(1) of this section if such positions were margined separately, pursuant to rules that meet the criteria set forth in section 7(c)(2)(B) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78g(c)(2)(B)) and are effective in accordance with section 19(b)(2) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2)) and, as applicable, Section 5c(c) of the CEA (7 U.S.C. 7a–2(c)). (c) Procedures for certain margin level adjustments. An exchange registered under section 6(g) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78f(g)), or a national securities association registered under section 15A(k) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78o–3(k)), may raise or lower the required margin level for a security future to a level not lower than that specified in this section, in accordance with section 19(b)(7) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(7)). (a) When margin is required. Margin is required to be deposited whenever the required margin for security futures and related positions in an account is not satisfied by the equity in the account, subject to adjustment under paragraph (c) of this section. (b) Acceptable margin deposits. (1) The required margin may be satisfied by a deposit of cash, margin securities (subject to paragraph (b)(2) of this section), exempted securities, any other asset permitted under Regulation T to satisfy a margin deficiency in a securities margin account, or any combination thereof, each as valued in accordance with paragraph (c) of this section. (2) Shares of a money market mutual fund may be accepted as a margin deposit for purposes of this Regulation (§§242.400 through 242.406), provided that: (i) The customer waives any right to redeem the shares without the consent of the security futures intermediary and instructs the fund or its transfer agent accordingly; (ii) The security futures intermediary (or clearing agency or derivatives clearing organization with which the shares are deposited as margin) obtains the right to redeem the shares in cash, promptly upon request; and (iii) The fund agrees to satisfy any conditions necessary or appropriate to ensure that the shares may be redeemed in cash, promptly upon request. (c) Adjustments—(1) Futures accounts. For purposes of this section, the equity in a futures account shall be computed in accordance with the margin rules applicable to the account, subject to the following: (i) A security future shall have no value; (ii) Each net long or short position in a listed option on a contract for future delivery shall be valued in accordance with the margin rules applicable to the account; (iii) Except as permitted in paragraph (e) of this section, each margin equity security shall be valued at an amount no greater than its Regulation T collateral value; (iv) Each other security shall be valued at an amount no greater than its current market value reduced by the percentage specified for such security in §240.15c3–1(c)(2)(vi) of this chapter; (v) Freely convertible foreign currency may be valued at an amount no greater than its daily marked-to-market U.S. dollar equivalent; (vi) Variation settlement receivable (or payable) by an account at the close of trading on any day shall be treated as a credit (or debit) to the account on that day; and (vii) Each other acceptable margin deposit or component of equity shall be valued at an amount no greater than its value under Regulation T. (2) Securities accounts. For purposes of this section, the equity in a securities account shall be computed in accordance with the margin rules applicable to the account, subject to the following: (i) A security future shall have no value; (ii) Freely convertible foreign currency may be valued at an amount no greater than its daily mark-to-market U.S. dollar equivalent; and (iii) Variation settlement receivable (or payable) to an account at the close of trading on any day shall be treated as a credit (or debit) by the account on that day. (d) Satisfaction restriction. Any transaction, position or deposit that is used to satisfy the required margin for security futures or related positions under this Regulation (§§242.400 through 242.406), including a related position, shall be unavailable to satisfy the required margin for any other position or transaction or any other requirement. (e) Alternative collateral valuation for margin equity securities in a futures account. (1) Notwithstanding paragraph (c)(1)(iii) of this section, a security futures intermediary need not value a margin equity security at its Regulation T collateral value when determining whether the required margin for the security futures and related positions in a futures account is satisfied, provided that: (i) The margin equity security is valued at an amount no greater than the current market value of the security reduced by the lowest percentage level of margin required for a long position in the security held in a margin account under the rules of a national securities exchange registered pursuant to section 6(a) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78f(a)); (ii) Additional margin is required to be deposited on any day when the day's security futures transactions and related transactions would create or increase a margin deficiency in the account if the margin equity securities were valued at their Regulation T collateral value, and shall be for the amount of the margin deficiency so created or increased (a “special margin requirement”); and (iii) Cash, securities, or other assets deposited as margin for the positions in an account are not permitted to be withdrawn from the account at any time that: (A) Additional cash, securities, or other assets are required to be deposited as margin under this section for a transaction in the account on the same or a previous day; or (B) The withdrawal, together with other transactions, deposits, and withdrawals on the same day, would create or increase a margin deficiency if the margin equity securities were valued at their Regulation T collateral value. (2) All security futures transactions and related transactions on any day shall be combined to determine the amount of a special margin requirement. Additional margin deposited to satisfy a special margin requirement shall be valued at an amount no greater than its Regulation T collateral value. (3) If the alternative collateral valuation method set forth in paragraph (e) of this section is used with respect to an account in which security futures or related positions are carried: (i) An account that is transferred from one security futures intermediary to another may be treated as if it had been maintained by the transferee from the date of its origin, if the transferee accepts, in good faith, a signed statement of the transferor (or, if that is not practicable, of the customer), that any margin call issued under this Regulation (§§242.400 through 242.406) has been satisfied; and (ii) An account that is transferred from one customer to another as part of a transaction, not undertaken to avoid the requirements of this Regulation (§§242.400 through 242.406), may be treated as if it had been maintained for the transferee from the date of its origin, if the security futures intermediary accepts in good faith and keeps with the transferee account a signed statement of the transferor describing the circumstances for the transfer. (f) Guarantee of accounts. No guarantee of a customer's account shall be given any effect for purposes of determining whether the required margin in an account is satisfied, except as permitted under applicable margin rules. (a) By the customer. Except as otherwise provided in §242.404(e)(1)(ii) of this Regulation (§§242.400 through 242.406), cash, securities, or other assets deposited as margin for positions in an account may be withdrawn, provided that the equity in the account after such withdrawal is sufficient to satisfy the required margin for the security futures and related positions in the account under this Regulation (§§242.400 through 242.406). (b) By the security futures intermediary. Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this section, the security futures intermediary, in its usual practice, may deduct the following items from an account in which security futures or related positions are held if they are considered in computing the balance of such account: (1) Variation settlement payable, directly or indirectly, to a clearing agency that is registered under section 17A of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78q–1) or a derivatives clearing organization that is registered under section 5b of the CEA (7 U.S.C. 7a–1); (2) Interest charged on credit maintained in the account; (3) Communication or shipping charges with respect to transactions in the account; (4) Payment of commissions, brokerage, taxes, storage and other charges lawfully accruing in connection with the positions and transactions in the account; (5) Any service charges that the security futures intermediary may impose; or (6) Any other withdrawals that are permitted from a securities margin account under Regulation T, to the extent permitted under applicable margin rules. (a) Failure to satisfy margin call. If any margin call required by this Regulation (§§242.400 through 242.406) is not met in full, the security futures intermediary shall take the deduction required with respect to an undermargined account in computing its net capital under Commission or CFTC rules. (b) Accounts that liquidate to a deficit. If at any time there is a liquidating deficit in an account in which security futures are held, the security futures intermediary shall take steps to liquidate positions in the account promptly and in an orderly manner. (c) Liquidation of undermargined accounts not required. Notwithstanding Section 402(a) of this Regulation (§§242.400 through 242.406), section 220.4(d) of Regulation T (12 CFR 220.4(d)) respecting liquidation of positions in lieu of deposit shall not apply with respect to security futures carried in a securities account. Source: 68 FR 9492, February 27, 2003, unless otherwise noted.
For purposes of Regulation AC (§§242.500 through 242.505 of this chapter) the term: Covered person of a broker or dealer means an associated person of that broker or dealer but does not include: (1) An associated person: (i) If the associated person has no officers (or persons performing similar functions) or employees in common with the broker or dealer who can influence the activities of research analysts or the content of research reports; and (ii) If the broker or dealer maintains and enforces written policies and procedures reasonably designed to prevent the broker or dealer, any controlling persons, officers (or persons performing similar functions), and employees of the broker or dealer from influencing the activities of research analysts and the content of research reports prepared by the associated person. (2) An associated person who is an investment adviser: (i) Not registered with the Commission as an investment adviser because of the prohibition of section 203A of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80b–3a); and (ii) Not registered or required to be registered with the Commission as a broker or dealer. Note to definition of covered person: An associated person of a broker or dealer who is not a covered person continues to be subject to the federal securities laws, including the anti-fraud provisions of the federal securities laws. Foreign person means any person who is not a U.S. person. Foreign security means a security issued by a foreign issuer for which a U.S. market is not the principal trading market. Public appearance means any participation by a research analyst in a seminar, forum (including an interactive electronic forum), or radio or television or other interview, in which the research analyst makes a specific recommendation or provides information reasonably sufficient upon which to base an investment decision about a security or an issuer. Registered broker or dealer means a broker or dealer registered or required to register pursuant to section 15 or section 15B of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78o or 78o–4) or a government securities broker or government securities dealer registered or required to register pursuant to section 15C(a)(1)(A) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78o–5(a)(1)(A)). Research analyst means any natural person who is primarily responsible for the preparation of the content of a research report. Research report means a written communication (including an electronic communication) that includes an analysis of a security or an issuer and provides information reasonably sufficient upon which to base an investment decision. Third party research analyst means: (1) With respect to a broker or dealer, any research analyst not employed by that broker or dealer or any associated person of that broker or dealer; and (2) With respect to a covered person of a broker or dealer, any research analyst not employed by that covered person, by the broker or dealer with whom that covered person is associated, or by any other associated person of the broker or dealer with whom that covered person is associated. United States has the meaning contained in §230.902(l) of this chapter. U.S. person has the meaning contained in §230.902(k) of this chapter. (a) A broker or dealer or covered person that publishes, circulates, or provides a research report prepared by a research analyst to a U.S. person in the United States shall include in that research report a clear and prominent certification by the research analyst containing the following: (1) A statement attesting that all of the views expressed in the research report accurately reflect the research analyst's personal views about any and all of the subject securities or issuers; and (2)(i) A statement attesting that no part of the research analyst's compensation was, is, or will be, directly or indirectly, related to the specific recommendations or views expressed by the research analyst in the research report; or (ii) A statement: (A) Attesting that part or all of the research analyst's compensation was, is, or will be, directly or indirectly, related to the specific recommendations or views expressed by the research analyst in the research report; (B) Identifying the source, amount, and purpose of such compensation; and (C) Further disclosing that the compensation could influence the recommendations or views expressed in the research report. (b) A broker or dealer or covered person that publishes, circulates, or provides a research report prepared by a third party research analyst to a U.S. person in the United States shall be exempt from the requirements of this section with respect to such research report if the following conditions are satisfied: (1) The employer of the third party research analyst has no officers (or persons performing similar functions) or employees in common with the broker or dealer or covered person; and (2) The broker or dealer (or, with respect to a covered person, the broker or dealer with whom the covered person is associated) maintains and enforces written policies and procedures reasonably designed to prevent the broker or dealer, any controlling persons, officers (or persons performing similar functions), and employees of the broker or dealer from influencing the activities of the third party research analyst and the content of research reports prepared by the third party research analyst. (a) If a broker or dealer publishes, circulates, or provides a research report prepared by a research analyst employed by the broker or dealer or covered person to a U.S. person in the United States, the broker or dealer must make a record within 30 days after any calendar quarter in which the research analyst made a public appearance that contains the following: (1) A statement by the research analyst attesting that the views expressed by the research analyst in all public appearances during the calendar quarter accurately reflected the research analyst's personal views at that time about any and all of the subject securities or issuers; and (2) A statement by the research analyst attesting that no part of the research analyst's compensation was, is, or will be, directly or indirectly, related to the specific recommendations or views expressed by the research analyst in such public appearances. (b) If the broker or dealer does not obtain a statement by the research analyst in accordance with paragraph (a) of this section: (1) The broker or dealer shall promptly notify in writing its examining authority, designated pursuant to section 17(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78q(d)) and §240.17d–2 of this chapter, that the research analyst did not provide the certifications specified in paragraph (a) of this section; and (2) For 120 days following notification pursuant to paragraph (b)(1) of this section, the broker or dealer shall disclose in any research report prepared by the research analyst and published, circulated, or provided to a U.S. person in the United States that the research analyst did not provide the certifications specified in paragraph (a) of this section. (c) In the case of a research analyst who is employed outside the United States by a foreign person located outside the United States, this section shall only apply to a public appearance while the research analyst is physically present in the United States. (d) A broker or dealer shall preserve the records specified in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section in accordance with §240.17a–4 of this chapter and for a period of not less than 3 years, the first 2 years in an accessible place. A foreign person, located outside the United States and not associated with a registered broker or dealer, who prepares a research report concerning a foreign security and provides it to a U.S. person in the United States in accordance with the provisions of §240.15a–6(a)(2) of this chapter shall be exempt from the requirements of this regulation. A broker or dealer shall notify any person with whom that broker or dealer is associated who publishes, circulates, or provides research reports: (a) Whether the broker or dealer maintains and enforces written policies and procedures reasonably designed to prevent the broker or dealer, any controlling persons, officers (or persons performing similar functions), or employees of the broker or dealer from influencing the activities of research analysts and the content of research reports prepared by the associated person; and (b) Whether the associated person has any officers (or persons performing similar functions) or employees in common with the broker or dealer who can influence the activities of research analysts or the content of research reports and, if so, the identity of those persons. No provision of this Regulation AC shall apply to any person who: (a) Is the publisher of any bona fide newspaper, news magazine or business or financial publication of general and regular circulation; and (b) Is not registered or required to be registered with the Commission as a broker or dealer or investment adviser. Source: 70 FR 37620, June 29, 2005, unless otherwise noted.
(a) The term national market system security as used in section 11A(a)(2) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78k–1(a)(2)) shall mean any NMS security as defined in paragraph (b) of this section. (b) For purposes of Regulation NMS (§§242.600 through 242.612), the following definitions shall apply: (1) Aggregate quotation size means the sum of the quotation sizes of all responsible brokers or dealers who have communicated on any national securities exchange bids or offers for an NMS security at the same price. (2) Alternative trading system has the meaning provided in §242.300(a). (3) Automated quotation means a quotation displayed by a trading center that: (i) Permits an incoming order to be marked as immediate-or-cancel; (ii) Immediately and automatically executes an order marked as immediate-or-cancel against the displayed quotation up to its full size; (iii) Immediately and automatically cancels any unexecuted portion of an order marked as immediate-or-cancel without routing the order elsewhere; (iv) Immediately and automatically transmits a response to the sender of an order marked as immediate-or-cancel indicating the action taken with respect to such order; and (v) Immediately and automatically displays information that updates the displayed quotation to reflect any change to its material terms. (4) Automated trading center means a trading center that: (i) Has implemented such systems, procedures, and rules as are necessary to render it capable of displaying quotations that meet the requirements for an automated quotation set forth in paragraph (b)(3) of this section; (ii) Identifies all quotations other than automated quotations as manual quotations; (iii) Immediately identifies its quotations as manual quotations whenever it has reason to believe that it is not capable of displaying automated quotations; and (iv) Has adopted reasonable standards limiting when its quotations change from automated quotations to manual quotations, and vice versa, to specifically defined circumstances that promote fair and efficient access to its automated quotations and are consistent with the maintenance of fair and orderly markets. (5) Average effective spread means the share-weighted average of effective spreads for order executions calculated, for buy orders, as double the amount of difference between the execution price and the midpoint of the national best bid and national best offer at the time of order receipt and, for sell orders, as double the amount of difference between the midpoint of the national best bid and national best offer at the time of order receipt and the execution price. (6) Average realized spread means the share-weighted average of realized spreads for order executions calculated, for buy orders, as double the amount of difference between the execution price and the midpoint of the national best bid and national best offer five minutes after the time of order execution and, for sell orders, as double the amount of difference between the midpoint of the national best bid and national best offer five minutes after the time of order execution and the execution price; provided, however, that the midpoint of the final national best bid and national best offer disseminated for regular trading hours shall be used to calculate a realized spread if it is disseminated less than five minutes after the time of order execution. (7) Best bid and best offer mean the highest priced bid and the lowest priced offer. (8) Bid or offer means the bid price or the offer price communicated by a member of a national securities exchange or member of a national securities association to any broker or dealer, or to any customer, at which it is willing to buy or sell one or more round lots of an NMS security, as either principal or agent, but shall not include indications of interest. (9) Block size with respect to an order means it is: (i) Of at least 10,000 shares; or (ii) For a quantity of stock having a market value of at least $200,000. (10) Categorized by order size means dividing orders into separate categories for sizes from 100 to 499 shares, from 500 to 1999 shares, from 2000 to 4999 shares, and 5000 or greater shares. (11) Categorized by order type means dividing orders into separate categories for market orders, marketable limit orders, inside-the-quote limit orders, at-the-quote limit orders, and near-the-quote limit orders. (12) Categorized by security means dividing orders into separate categories for each NMS stock that is included in a report. (13) Consolidated display means: (i) The prices, sizes, and market identifications of the national best bid and national best offer for a security; and (ii) Consolidated last sale information for a security. (14) Consolidated last sale information means the price, volume, and market identification of the most recent transaction report for a security that is disseminated pursuant to an effective national market system plan. (15) Covered order means any market order or any limit order (including immediate-or-cancel orders) received by a market center during regular trading hours at a time when a national best bid and national best offer is being disseminated, and, if executed, is executed during regular trading hours, but shall exclude any order for which the customer requests special handling for execution, including, but not limited to, orders to be executed at a market opening price or a market closing price, orders submitted with stop prices, orders to be executed only at their full size, orders to be executed on a particular type of tick or bid, orders submitted on a “not held” basis, orders for other than regular settlement, and orders to be executed at prices unrelated to the market price of the security at the time of execution. (16) Customer means any person that is not a broker or dealer. (17) Customer limit order means an order to buy or sell an NMS stock at a specified price that is not for the account of either a broker or dealer; provided, however, that the term customer limit order shall include an order transmitted by a broker or dealer on behalf of a customer. (18) Customer order means an order to buy or sell an NMS security that is not for the account of a broker or dealer, but shall not include any order for a quantity of a security having a market value of at least $50,000 for an NMS security that is an option contract and a market value of at least $200,000 for any other NMS security. (19) Directed order means a customer order that the customer specifically instructed the broker or dealer to route to a particular venue for execution. (20) Dynamic market monitoring device means any service provided by a vendor on an interrogation device or other display that: (i) Permits real-time monitoring, on a dynamic basis, of transaction reports, last sale data, or quotations with respect to a particular security; and (ii) Displays the most recent transaction report, last sale data, or quotation with respect to that security until such report, data, or quotation has been superseded or supplemented by the display of a new transaction report, last sale data, or quotation reflecting the next reported transaction or quotation in that security. (21) Effective national market system plan means any national market system plan approved by the Commission (either temporarily or on a permanent basis) pursuant to §242.608. (22) Effective transaction reporting plan means any transaction reporting plan approved by the Commission pursuant to §242.601. (23) Electronic communications network means, for the purposes of §242.602(b)(5), any electronic system that widely disseminates to third parties orders entered therein by an exchange market maker or OTC market maker, and permits such orders to be executed against in whole or in part; except that the term electronic communications network shall not include: (i) Any system that crosses multiple orders at one or more specified times at a single price set by the system (by algorithm or by any derivative pricing mechanism) and does not allow orders to be crossed or executed against directly by participants outside of such times; or (ii) Any system operated by, or on behalf of, an OTC market maker or exchange market maker that executes customer orders primarily against the account of such market maker as principal, other than riskless principal. (24) Exchange market maker means any member of a national securities exchange that is registered as a specialist or market maker pursuant to the rules of such exchange. (25) Exchange-traded security means any NMS security or class of NMS securities listed and registered, or admitted to unlisted trading privileges, on a national securities exchange; provided, however, that securities not listed on any national securities exchange that are traded pursuant to unlisted trading privileges are excluded. (26) Executed at the quote means, for buy orders, execution at a price equal to the national best offer at the time of order receipt and, for sell orders, execution at a price equal to the national best bid at the time of order receipt. (27) Executed outside the quote means, for buy orders, execution at a price higher than the national best offer at the time of order receipt and, for sell orders, execution at a price lower than the national best bid at the time of order receipt. (28) Executed with price improvement means, for buy orders, execution at a price lower than the national best offer at the time of order receipt and, for sell orders, execution at a price higher than the national best bid at the time of order receipt. (29) Inside-the-quote limit order, at-the-quote limit order, and near-the-quote limit order mean non-marketable buy orders with limit prices that are, respectively, higher than, equal to, and lower by $0.10 or less than the national best bid at the time of order receipt, and non-marketable sell orders with limit prices that are, respectively, lower than, equal to, and higher by $0.10 or less than the national best offer at the time of order receipt. (30) Intermarket sweep order means a limit order for an NMS stock that meets the following requirements: (i) When routed to a trading center, the limit order is identified as an intermarket sweep order; and (ii) Simultaneously with the routing of the limit order identified as an intermarket sweep order, one or more additional limit orders, as necessary, are routed to execute against the full displayed size of any protected bid, in the case of a limit order to sell, or the full displayed size of any protected offer, in the case of a limit order to buy, for the NMS stock with a price that is superior to the limit price of the limit order identified as an intermarket sweep order. These additional routed orders also must be marked as intermarket sweep orders. (31) Interrogation device means any securities information retrieval system capable of displaying transaction reports, last sale data, or quotations upon inquiry, on a current basis on a terminal or other device. (32) Joint self-regulatory organization plan means a plan as to which two or more self-regulatory organizations, acting jointly, are sponsors. (33) Last sale data means any price or volume data associated with a transaction. (34) Listed equity security means any equity security listed and registered, or admitted to unlisted trading privileges, on a national securities exchange. (35) Listed option means any option traded on a registered national securities exchange or automated facility of a national securities association. (36) Make publicly available means posting on an Internet Web site that is free and readily accessible to the public, furnishing a written copy to customers on request without charge, and notifying customers at least annually in writing that a written copy will be furnished on request. (37) Manual quotation means any quotation other than an automated quotation. (38) Market center means any exchange market maker, OTC market maker, alternative trading system, national securities exchange, or national securities association. (39) Marketable limit order means any buy order with a limit price equal to or greater than the national best offer at the time of order receipt, or any sell order with a limit price equal to or less than the national best bid at the time of order receipt. (40) Moving ticker means any continuous real-time moving display of transaction reports or last sale data (other than a dynamic market monitoring device) provided on an interrogation or other display device. (41) Nasdaq security means any registered security listed on The Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc. (42) National best bid and national best offer means, with respect to quotations for an NMS security, the best bid and best offer for such security that are calculated and disseminated on a current and continuing basis by a plan processor pursuant to an effective national market system plan; provided, that in the event two or more market centers transmit to the plan processor pursuant to such plan identical bids or offers for an NMS security, the best bid or best offer (as the case may be) shall be determined by ranking all such identical bids or offers (as the case may be) first by size (giving the highest ranking to the bid or offer associated with the largest size), and then by time (giving the highest ranking to the bid or offer received first in time). (43) National market system plan means any joint self-regulatory organization plan in connection with: (i) The planning, development, operation or regulation of a national market system (or a subsystem thereof) or one or more facilities thereof; or (ii) The development and implementation of procedures and/or facilities designed to achieve compliance by self-regulatory organizations and their members with any section of this Regulation NMS and part 240, subpart A of this chapter promulgated pursuant to section 11A of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78k–1). (44) National securities association means any association of brokers and dealers registered pursuant to section 15A of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78o-3). (45) National securities exchange means any exchange registered pursuant to section 6 of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78f). (46) NMS security means any security or class of securities for which transaction reports are collected, processed, and made available pursuant to an effective transaction reporting plan, or an effective national market system plan for reporting transactions in listed options. (47) NMS stock means any NMS security other than an option. (48) Non-directed order means any customer order other than a directed order. (49) Odd-lot means an order for the purchase or sale of an NMS stock in an amount less than a round lot. (50) Options class means all of the put option or call option series overlying a security, as defined in section 3(a)(10) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(10)). (51) Options series means the contracts in an options class that have the same unit of trade, expiration date, and exercise price, and other terms or conditions. (52) OTC market maker means any dealer that holds itself out as being willing to buy from and sell to its customers, or others, in the United States, an NMS stock for its own account on a regular or continuous basis otherwise than on a national securities exchange in amounts of less than block size. (53) Participants, when used in connection with a national market system plan, means any self-regulatory organization which has agreed to act in accordance with the terms of the plan but which is not a signatory of such plan. (54) Payment for order flow has the meaning provided in §240.10b–10 of this chapter. (55) Plan processor means any self-regulatory organization or securities information processor acting as an exclusive processor in connection with the development, implementation and/or operation of any facility contemplated by an effective national market system plan. (56) Profit-sharing relationship means any ownership or other type of affiliation under which the broker or dealer, directly or indirectly, may share in any profits that may be derived from the execution of non-directed orders. (57) Protected bid or protected offer means a quotation in an NMS stock that: (i) Is displayed by an automated trading center; (ii) Is disseminated pursuant to an effective national market system plan; and (iii) Is an automated quotation that is the best bid or best offer of a national securities exchange, the best bid or best offer of The Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc., or the best bid or best offer of a national securities association other than the best bid or best offer of The Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc. (58) Protected quotation means a protected bid or a protected offer. (59) Published aggregate quotation size means the aggregate quotation size calculated by a national securities exchange and displayed by a vendor on a terminal or other display device at the time an order is presented for execution to a responsible broker or dealer. (60) Published bid and published offer means the bid or offer of a responsible broker or dealer for an NMS security communicated by it to its national securities exchange or association pursuant to §242.602 and displayed by a vendor on a terminal or other display device at the time an order is presented for execution to such responsible broker or dealer. (61) Published quotation size means the quotation size of a responsible broker or dealer communicated by it to its national securities exchange or association pursuant to §242.602 and displayed by a vendor on a terminal or other display device at the time an order is presented for execution to such responsible broker or dealer. (62) Quotation means a bid or an offer. (63) Quotation size, when used with respect to a responsible broker's or dealer's bid or offer for an NMS security, means: (i) The number of shares (or units of trading) of that security which such responsible broker or dealer has specified, for purposes of dissemination to vendors, that it is willing to buy at the bid price or sell at the offer price comprising its bid or offer, as either principal or agent; or (ii) In the event such responsible broker or dealer has not so specified, a normal unit of trading for that NMS security. (64) Regular trading hours means the time between 9:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, or such other time as is set forth in the procedures established pursuant to §242.605(a)(2). (65) Responsible broker or dealer means: (i) When used with respect to bids or offers communicated on a national securities exchange, any member of such national securities exchange who communicates to another member on such national securities exchange, at the location (or locations) or through the facility or facilities designated by such national securities exchange for trading in an NMS security a bid or offer for such NMS security, as either principal or agent; provided, however, that, in the event two or more members of a national securities exchange have communicated on or through such national securities exchange bids or offers for an NMS security at the same price, each such member shall be considered a responsible broker or dealer for that bid or offer, subject to the rules of priority and precedence then in effect on that national securities exchange; and further provided, that for a bid or offer which is transmitted from one member of a national securities exchange to another member who undertakes to represent such bid or offer on such national securities exchange as agent, only the last member who undertakes to represent such bid or offer as agent shall be considered the responsible broker or dealer for that bid or offer; and (ii) When used with respect to bids and offers communicated by a member of an association to a broker or dealer or a customer, the member communicating the bid or offer (regardless of whether such bid or offer is for its own account or on behalf of another person). (66) Revised bid or offer means a market maker's bid or offer which supersedes its published bid or published offer. (67) Revised quotation size means a market maker's quotation size which supersedes its published quotation size. (68) Self-regulatory organization means any national securities exchange or national securities association. (69) Specified persons, when used in connection with any notification required to be provided pursuant to §242.602(a)(3) and any election (or withdrawal thereof) permitted under §242.602(a)(5), means: (i) Each vendor; (ii) Each plan processor; and (iii) The processor for the Options Price Reporting Authority (in the case of a notification for a subject security which is a class of securities underlying options admitted to trading on any national securities exchange). (70) Sponsor, when used in connection with a national market system plan, means any self-regulatory organization which is a signatory to such plan and has agreed to act in accordance with the terms of the plan. (71) SRO display-only facility means a facility operated by or on behalf of a national securities exchange or national securities association that displays quotations in a security, but does not execute orders against such quotations or present orders to members for execution. (72) SRO trading facility means a facility operated by or on behalf of a national securities exchange or a national securities association that executes orders in a security or presents orders to members for execution. (73) Subject security means: (i) With respect to a national securities exchange: (A) Any exchange-traded security other than a security for which the executed volume of such exchange, during the most recent calendar quarter, comprised one percent or less of the aggregate trading volume for such security as reported pursuant to an effective transaction reporting plan or effective national market system plan; and (B) Any other NMS security for which such exchange has in effect an election, pursuant to §242.602(a)(5)(i), to collect, process, and make available to a vendor bids, offers, quotation sizes, and aggregate quotation sizes communicated on such exchange; and (ii) With respect to a member of a national securities association: (A) Any exchange-traded security for which such member acts in the capacity of an OTC market maker unless the executed volume of such member, during the most recent calendar quarter, comprised one percent or less of the aggregate trading volume for such security as reported pursuant to an effective transaction reporting plan or effective national market system plan; and (B) Any other NMS security for which such member acts in the capacity of an OTC market maker and has in effect an election, pursuant to §242.602(a)(5)(ii), to communicate to its association bids, offers, and quotation sizes for the purpose of making such bids, offers, and quotation sizes available to a vendor. (74) Time of order execution means the time (to the second) that an order was executed at any venue. (75) Time of order receipt means the time (to the second) that an order was received by a market center for execution. (76) Time of the transaction has the meaning provided in §240.10b–10 of this chapter. (77) Trade-through means the purchase or sale of an NMS stock during regular trading hours, either as principal or agent, at a price that is lower than a protected bid or higher than a protected offer. (78) Trading center means a national securities exchange or national securities association that operates an SRO trading facility, an alternative trading system, an exchange market maker, an OTC market maker, or any other broker or dealer that executes orders internally by trading as principal or crossing orders as agent. (79) Trading rotation means, with respect to an options class, the time period on a national securities exchange during which: (i) Opening, re-opening, or closing transactions in options series in such options class are not yet completed; and (ii) Continuous trading has not yet commenced or has not yet ended for the day in options series in such options class. (80) Transaction report means a report containing the price and volume associated with a transaction involving the purchase or sale of one or more round lots of a security. (81) Transaction reporting association means any person authorized to implement or administer any transaction reporting plan on behalf of persons acting jointly under §242.601(a). (82) Transaction reporting plan means any plan for collecting, processing, making available or disseminating transaction reports with respect to transactions in securities filed with the Commission pursuant to, and meeting the requirements of, §242.601. (83) Vendor means any securities information processor engaged in the business of disseminating transaction reports, last sale data, or quotations with respect to NMS securities to brokers, dealers, or investors on a real-time or other current and continuing basis, whether through an electronic communications network, moving ticker, or interrogation device. (a) Filing and effectiveness of transaction reporting plans. (1) Every national securities exchange shall file a transaction reporting plan regarding transactions in listed equity and Nasdaq securities executed through its facilities, and every national securities association shall file a transaction reporting plan regarding transactions in listed equity and Nasdaq securities executed by its members otherwise than on a national securities exchange. (2) Any transaction reporting plan, or any amendment thereto, filed pursuant to this section shall be filed with the Commission, and considered for approval, in accordance with the procedures set forth in §242.608(a) and (b). Any such plan, or amendment thereto, shall specify, at a minimum: (i) The listed equity and Nasdaq securities or classes of such securities for which transaction reports shall be required by the plan; (ii) Reporting requirements with respect to transactions in listed equity securities and Nasdaq securities, for any broker or dealer subject to the plan; (iii) The manner of collecting, processing, sequencing, making available and disseminating transaction reports and last sale data reported pursuant to such plan; (iv) The manner in which such transaction reports reported pursuant to such plan are to be consolidated with transaction reports from national securities exchanges and national securities associations reported pursuant to any other effective transaction reporting plan; (v) The applicable standards and methods which will be utilized to ensure promptness of reporting, and accuracy and completeness of transaction reports; (vi) Any rules or procedures which may be adopted to ensure that transaction reports or last sale data will not be disseminated in a fraudulent or manipulative manner; (vii) Specific terms of access to transaction reports made available or disseminated pursuant to the plan; and (viii) That transaction reports or last sale data made available to any vendor for display on an interrogation device identify the marketplace where each transaction was executed. (3) No transaction reporting plan filed pursuant to this section, or any amendment to an effective transaction reporting plan, shall become effective unless approved by the Commission or otherwise permitted in accordance with the procedures set forth in §242.608. (b) Prohibitions and reporting requirements. (1) No broker or dealer may execute any transaction in, or induce or attempt to induce the purchase or sale of, any NMS stock: (i) On or through the facilities of a national securities exchange unless there is an effective transaction reporting plan with respect to transactions in such security executed on or through such exchange facilities; or (ii) Otherwise than on a national securities exchange unless there is an effective transaction reporting plan with respect to transactions in such security executed otherwise than on a national securities exchange by such broker or dealer. (2) Every broker or dealer who is a member of a national securities exchange or national securities association shall promptly transmit to the exchange or association of which it is a member all information required by any effective transaction reporting plan filed by such exchange or association (either individually or jointly with other exchanges and/or associations). (c) Retransmission of transaction reports or last sale data. Notwithstanding any provision of any effective transaction reporting plan, no national securities exchange or national securities association may, either individually or jointly, by rule, stated policy or practice, transaction reporting plan or otherwise, prohibit, condition or otherwise limit, directly or indirectly, the ability of any vendor to retransmit, for display in moving tickers, transaction reports or last sale data made available pursuant to any effective transaction reporting plan; provided, however, that a national securities exchange or national securities association may, by means of an effective transaction reporting plan, condition such retransmission upon appropriate undertakings to ensure that any charges for the distribution of transaction reports or last sale data in moving tickers permitted by paragraph (d) of this section are collected. (d) Charges. Nothing in this section shall preclude any national securities exchange or national securities association, separately or jointly, pursuant to the terms of an effective transaction reporting plan, from imposing reasonable, uniform charges (irrespective of geographic location) for distribution of transaction reports or last sale data. (e) Appeals. The Commission may, in its discretion, entertain appeals in connection with the implementation or operation of any effective transaction reporting plan in accordance with the provisions of §242.608(d). (f) Exemptions. The Commission may exempt from the provisions of this section, either unconditionally or on specified terms and conditions, any national securities exchange, national securities association, broker, dealer, or specified security if the Commission determines that such exemption is consistent with the public interest, the protection of investors and the removal of impediments to, and perfection of the mechanisms of, a national market system. (a) Dissemination requirements for national securities exchanges and national securities associations. (1) Every national securities exchange and national securities association shall establish and maintain procedures and mechanisms for collecting bids, offers, quotation sizes, and aggregate quotation sizes from responsible brokers or dealers who are members of such exchange or association, processing such bids, offers, and sizes, and making such bids, offers, and sizes available to vendors, as follows: (i) Each national securities exchange shall at all times such exchange is open for trading, collect, process, and make available to vendors the best bid, the best offer, and aggregate quotation sizes for each subject security listed or admitted to unlisted trading privileges which is communicated on any national securities exchange by any responsible broker or dealer, but shall not include: (A) Any bid or offer executed immediately after communication and any bid or offer communicated by a responsible broker or dealer other than an exchange market maker which is cancelled or withdrawn if not executed immediately after communication; and (B) Any bid or offer communicated during a period when trading in that security has been suspended or halted, or prior to the commencement of trading in that security on any trading day, on that exchange. (ii) Each national securities association shall, at all times that last sale information with respect to NMS securities is reported pursuant to an effective transaction reporting plan, collect, process, and make available to vendors the best bid, best offer, and quotation sizes communicated otherwise than on an exchange by each member of such association acting in the capacity of an OTC market maker for each subject security and the identity of that member (excluding any bid or offer executed immediately after communication), except during any period when over-the-counter trading in that security has been suspended. (2) Each national securities exchange shall, with respect to each published bid and published offer representing a bid or offer of a member for a subject security, establish and maintain procedures for ascertaining and disclosing to other members of that exchange, upon presentation of orders sought to be executed by them in reliance upon paragraph (b)(2) of this section, the identity of the responsible broker or dealer who made such bid or offer and the quotation size associated with it. (3)(i) If, at any time a national securities exchange is open for trading, such exchange determines, pursuant to rules approved by the Commission pursuant to section 19(b)(2) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2)), that the level of trading activities or the existence of unusual market conditions is such that the exchange is incapable of collecting, processing, and making available to vendors the data for a subject security required to be made available pursuant to paragraph (a)(1) of this section in a manner that accurately reflects the current state of the market on such exchange, such exchange shall immediately notify all specified persons of that determination. Upon such notification, responsible brokers or dealers that are members of that exchange shall be relieved of their obligation under paragraphs (b)(2) and (c)(3) of this section and such exchange shall be relieved of its obligations under paragraphs (a)(1) and (2) of this section for that security; provided, however, that such exchange will continue, to the maximum extent practicable under the circumstances, to collect, process, and make available to vendors data for that security in accordance with paragraph (a)(1) of this section. (ii) During any period a national securities exchange, or any responsible broker or dealer that is a member of that exchange, is relieved of any obligation imposed by this section for any subject security by virtue of a notification made pursuant to paragraph (a)(3)(i) of this section, such exchange shall monitor the activity or conditions which formed the basis for such notification and shall immediately renotify all specified persons when that exchange is once again capable of collecting, processing, and making available to vendors the data for that security required to be made available pursuant to paragraph (a)(1) of this section in a manner that accurately reflects the current state of the market on such exchange. Upon such renotification, any exchange or responsible broker or dealer which had been relieved of any obligation imposed by this section as a consequence of the prior notification shall again be subject to such obligation. (4) Nothing in this section shall preclude any national securities exchange or national securities association from making available to vendors indications of interest or bids and offers for a subject security at any time such exchange or association is not required to do so pursuant to paragraph (a)(1) of this section. (5)(i) Any national securities exchange may make an election for purposes of the definition of subject security in §242.600(b)(73) for any NMS security, by collecting, processing, and making available bids, offers, quotation sizes, and aggregate quotation sizes in that security; except that for any NMS security previously listed or admitted to unlisted trading privileges on only one exchange and not traded by any OTC market maker, such election shall be made by notifying all specified persons, and shall be effective at the opening of trading on the business day following notification. (ii) Any member of a national securities association acting in the capacity of an OTC market maker may make an election for purposes of the definition of subject security in §242.600(b)(73) for any NMS security, by communicating to its association bids, offers, and quotation sizes in that security; except that for any other NMS security listed or admitted to unlisted trading privileges on only one exchange and not traded by any other OTC market maker, such election shall be made by notifying its association and all specified persons, and shall be effective at the opening of trading on the business day following notification. (iii) The election of a national securities exchange or member of a national securities association for any NMS security pursuant to this paragraph (a)(5) shall cease to be in effect if such exchange or member ceases to make available or communicate bids, offers, and quotation sizes in such security. (b) Obligations of responsible brokers and dealers. (1) Each responsible broker or dealer shall promptly communicate to its national securities exchange or national securities association, pursuant to the procedures established by that exchange or association, its best bids, best offers, and quotation sizes for any subject security. (2) Subject to the provisions of paragraph (b)(3) of this section, each responsible broker or dealer shall be obligated to execute any order to buy or sell a subject security, other than an odd-lot order, presented to it by another broker or dealer, or any other person belonging to a category of persons with whom such responsible broker or dealer customarily deals, at a price at least as favorable to such buyer or seller as the responsible broker's or dealer's published bid or published offer (exclusive of any commission, commission equivalent or differential customarily charged by such responsible broker or dealer in connection with execution of any such order) in any amount up to its published quotation size. (3)(i) No responsible broker or dealer shall be obligated to execute a transaction for any subject security as provided in paragraph (b)(2) of this section to purchase or sell that subject security in an amount greater than such revised quotation size if: (A) Prior to the presentation of an order for the purchase or sale of a subject security, a responsible broker or dealer has communicated to its exchange or association, pursuant to paragraph (b)(1) of this section, a revised quotation size; or (B) At the time an order for the purchase or sale of a subject security is presented, a responsible broker or dealer is in the process of effecting a transaction in such subject security, and immediately after the completion of such transaction, it communicates to its exchange or association a revised quotation size, such responsible broker or dealer shall not be obligated by paragraph (b)(2) of this section to purchase or sell that subject security in an amount greater than such revised quotation size. (ii) No responsible broker or dealer shall be obligated to execute a transaction for any subject security as provided in paragraph (b)(2) of this section if: (A) Before the order sought to be executed is presented, such responsible broker or dealer has communicated to its exchange or association pursuant to paragraph (b)(1) of this section, a revised bid or offer; or (B) At the time the order sought to be executed is presented, such responsible broker or dealer is in the process of effecting a transaction in such subject security, and, immediately after the completion of such transaction, such responsible broker or dealer communicates to its exchange or association pursuant to paragraph (b)(1) of this section, a revised bid or offer; provided, however, that such responsible broker or dealer shall nonetheless be obligated to execute any such order in such subject security as provided in paragraph (b)(2) of this section at its revised bid or offer in any amount up to its published quotation size or revised quotation size. (4) Subject to the provisions of paragraph (a)(4) of this section: (i) No national securities exchange or OTC market maker may make available, disseminate or otherwise communicate to any vendor, directly or indirectly, for display on a terminal or other display device any bid, offer, quotation size, or aggregate quotation size for any NMS security which is not a subject security with respect to such exchange or OTC market maker; and (ii) No vendor may disseminate or display on a terminal or other display device any bid, offer, quotation size, or aggregate quotation size from any national securities exchange or OTC market maker for any NMS security which is not a subject security with respect to such exchange or OTC market maker. (5)(i) Entry of any priced order for an NMS security by an exchange market maker or OTC market maker in that security into an electronic communications network that widely disseminates such order shall be deemed to be: (A) A bid or offer under this section, to be communicated to the market maker's exchange or association pursuant to this paragraph (b) for at least the minimum quotation size that is required by the rules of the market maker's exchange or association if the priced order is for the account of a market maker, or the actual size of the order up to the minimum quotation size required if the priced order is for the account of a customer; and (B) A communication of a bid or offer to a vendor for display on a display device for purposes of paragraph (b)(4) of this section. (ii) An exchange market maker or OTC market maker that has entered a priced order for an NMS security into an electronic communications network that widely disseminates such order shall be deemed to be in compliance with paragraph (b)(5)(i)(A) of this section if the electronic communications network: (A)(1) Provides to a national securities exchange or national securities association (or an exclusive processor acting on behalf of one or more exchanges or associations) the prices and sizes of the orders at the highest buy price and the lowest sell price for such security entered in, and widely disseminated by, the electronic communications network by exchange market makers and OTC market makers for the NMS security, and such prices and sizes are included in the quotation data made available by such exchange, association, or exclusive processor to vendors pursuant to this section; and (2) Provides, to any broker or dealer, the ability to effect a transaction with a priced order widely disseminated by the electronic communications network entered therein by an exchange market maker or OTC market maker that is: (i) Equivalent to the ability of any broker or dealer to effect a transaction with an exchange market maker or OTC market maker pursuant to the rules of the national securities exchange or national securities association to which the electronic communications network supplies such bids and offers; and (ii) At the price of the highest priced buy order or lowest priced sell order, or better, for the lesser of the cumulative size of such priced orders entered therein by exchange market makers or OTC market makers at such price, or the size of the execution sought by the broker or dealer, for such security; or (B) Is an alternative trading system that: (1) Displays orders and provides the ability to effect transactions with such orders under §242.301(b)(3); and (2) Otherwise is in compliance with Regulation ATS (§242.300 through §242.303). (c) Transactions in listed options. (1) A national securities exchange or national securities association: (i) Shall not be required, under paragraph (a) of this section, to collect from responsible brokers or dealers who are members of such exchange or association, or to make available to vendors, the quotation sizes and aggregate quotation sizes for listed options, if such exchange or association establishes by rule and periodically publishes the quotation size for which such responsible brokers or dealers are obligated to execute an order to buy or sell an options series that is a subject security at its published bid or offer under paragraph (b)(2) of this section; (ii) May establish by rule and periodically publish a quotation size, which shall not be for less than one contract, for which responsible brokers or dealers who are members of such exchange or association are obligated under paragraph (b)(2) of this section to execute an order to buy or sell a listed option for the account of a broker or dealer that is in an amount different from the quotation size for which it is obligated to execute an order for the account of a customer; and (iii) May establish and maintain procedures and mechanisms for collecting from responsible brokers and dealers who are members of such exchange or association, and making available to vendors, the quotation sizes and aggregate quotation sizes in listed options for which such responsible broker or dealer will be obligated under paragraph (b)(2) of this section to execute an order from a customer to buy or sell a listed option and establish by rule and periodically publish the size, which shall not be less than one contract, for which such responsible brokers or dealers are obligated to execute an order for the account of a broker or dealer. (2) If, pursuant to paragraph (c)(1) of this section, the rules of a national securities exchange or national securities association do not require its members to communicate to it their quotation sizes for listed options, a responsible broker or dealer that is a member of such exchange or association shall: (i) Be relieved of its obligations under paragraph (b)(1) of this section to communicate to such exchange or association its quotation sizes for any listed option; and (ii) Comply with its obligations under paragraph (b)(2) of this section by executing any order to buy or sell a listed option, in an amount up to the size established by such exchange's or association's rules under paragraph (c)(1) of this section. (3) Thirty second response. Each responsible broker or dealer, within thirty seconds of receiving an order to buy or sell a listed option in an amount greater than the quotation size established by a national securities exchange's or national securities association's rules pursuant to paragraph (c)(1) of this section, or its published quotation size must: (i) Execute the entire order; or (ii)(A) Execute that portion of the order equal to at least: (1) The quotation size established by a national securities exchange's or national securities association's rules, pursuant to paragraph (c)(1) of this section, to the extent that such exchange or association does not collect and make available to vendors quotation size and aggregate quotation size under paragraph (a) of this section; or (2) Its published quotation size; and (B) Revise its bid or offer. (4) Notwithstanding paragraph (c)(3) of this section, no responsible broker or dealer shall be obligated to execute a transaction for any listed option as provided in paragraph (b)(2) of this section if: (i) Any of the circumstances in paragraph (b)(3) of this section exist; or (ii) The order for the purchase or sale of a listed option is presented during a trading rotation in that listed option. (d) Exemptions. The Commission may exempt from the provisions of this section, either unconditionally or on specified terms and conditions, any responsible broker or dealer, electronic communications network, national securities exchange, or national securities association if the Commission determines that such exemption is consistent with the public interest, the protection of investors and the removal of impediments to and perfection of the mechanism of a national market system. (a) Distribution of information. (1) Any exclusive processor, or any broker or dealer with respect to information for which it is the exclusive source, that distributes information with respect to quotations for or transactions in an NMS stock to a securities information processor shall do so on terms that are fair and reasonable. (2) Any national securities exchange, national securities association, broker, or dealer that distributes information with respect to quotations for or transactions in an NMS stock to a securities information processor, broker, dealer, or other persons shall do so on terms that are not unreasonably discriminatory. (b) Consolidation of information. Every national securities exchange on which an NMS stock is traded and national securities association shall act jointly pursuant to one or more effective national market system plans to disseminate consolidated information, including a national best bid and national best offer, on quotations for and transactions in NMS stocks. Such plan or plans shall provide for the dissemination of all consolidated information for an individual NMS stock through a single plan processor. (c) Display of information. (1) No securities information processor, broker, or dealer shall provide, in a context in which a trading or order-routing decision can be implemented, a display of any information with respect to quotations for or transactions in an NMS stock without also providing, in an equivalent manner, a consolidated display for such stock. (2) The provisions of paragraph (c)(1) of this section shall not apply to a display of information on the trading floor or through the facilities of a national securities exchange or to a display in connection with the operation of a market linkage system implemented in accordance with an effective national market system plan. (d) Exemptions. The Commission, by order, may exempt from the provisions of this section, either unconditionally or on specified terms and conditions, any person, security, or item of information, or any class or classes of persons, securities, or items of information, if the Commission determines that such exemption is necessary or appropriate in the public interest, and is consistent with the protection of investors. (a) Specialists and OTC market makers. For all NMS stocks: (1) Each member of a national securities exchange that is registered by that exchange as a specialist, or is authorized by that exchange to perform functions substantially similar to that of a specialist, shall publish immediately a bid or offer that reflects: (i) The price and the full size of each customer limit order held by the specialist that is at a price that would improve the bid or offer of such specialist in such security; and (ii) The full size of each customer limit order held by the specialist that: (A) Is priced equal to the bid or offer of such specialist for such security; (B) Is priced equal to the national best bid or national best offer; and (C) Represents more than a de minimis change in relation to the size associated with the specialist's bid or offer. (2) Each registered broker or dealer that acts as an OTC market maker shall publish immediately a bid or offer that reflects: (i) The price and the full size of each customer limit order held by the OTC market maker that is at a price that would improve the bid or offer of such OTC market maker in such security; and (ii) The full size of each customer limit order held by the OTC market maker that: (A) Is priced equal to the bid or offer of such OTC market maker for such security; (B) Is priced equal to the national best bid or national best offer; and (C) Represents more than a de minimis change in relation to the size associated with the OTC market maker's bid or offer. (b) Exceptions. The requirements in paragraph (a) of this section shall not apply to any customer limit order: (1) That is executed upon receipt of the order. (2) That is placed by a customer who expressly requests, either at the time that the order is placed or prior thereto pursuant to an individually negotiated agreement with respect to such customer's orders, that the order not be displayed. (3) That is an odd-lot order. (4) That is a block size order, unless a customer placing such order requests that the order be displayed. (5) That is delivered immediately upon receipt to a national securities exchange or national securities association-sponsored system, or an electronic communications network that complies with the requirements of §242.602(b)(5)(ii) with respect to that order. (6) That is delivered immediately upon receipt to another exchange member or OTC market maker that complies with the requirements of this section with respect to that order. (7) That is an “all or none” order. (c) Exemptions. The Commission may exempt from the provisions of this section, either unconditionally or on specified terms and conditions, any responsible broker or dealer, electronic communications network, national securities exchange, or national securities association if the Commission determines that such exemption is consistent with the public interest, the protection of investors and the removal of impediments to and perfection of the mechanism of a national market system. Preliminary Note: Section 242.605 requires market centers to make available standardized, monthly reports of statistical information concerning their order executions. This information is presented in accordance with uniform standards that are based on broad assumptions about order execution and routing practices. The information will provide a starting point to promote visibility and competition on the part of market centers and broker-dealers, particularly on the factors of execution price and speed. The disclosures required by this section do not encompass all of the factors that may be important to investors in evaluating the order routing services of a broker-dealer. In addition, any particular market center's statistics will encompass varying types of orders routed by different broker-dealers on behalf of customers with a wide range of objectives. Accordingly, the statistical information required by this section alone does not create a reliable basis to address whether any particular broker-dealer failed to obtain the most favorable terms reasonably available under the circumstances for customer orders. (a) Monthly electronic reports by market centers. (1) Every market center shall make available for each calendar month, in accordance with the procedures established pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of this section, a report on the covered orders in NMS stocks that it received for execution from any person. Such report shall be in electronic form; shall be categorized by security, order type, and order size; and shall include the following columns of information: (i) For market orders, marketable limit orders, inside-the-quote limit orders, at-the-quote limit orders, and near-the-quote limit orders: (A) The number of covered orders; (B) The cumulative number of shares of covered orders; (C) The cumulative number of shares of covered orders cancelled prior to execution; (D) The cumulative number of shares of covered orders executed at the receiving market center; (E) The cumulative number of shares of covered orders executed at any other venue; (F) The cumulative number of shares of covered orders executed from 0 to 9 seconds after the time of order receipt; (G) The cumulative number of shares of covered orders executed from 10 to 29 seconds after the time of order receipt; (H) The cumulative number of shares of covered orders executed from 30 seconds to 59 seconds after the time of order receipt; (I) The cumulative number of shares of covered orders executed from 60 seconds to 299 seconds after the time of order receipt; (J) The cumulative number of shares of covered orders executed from 5 minutes to 30 minutes after the time of order receipt; and (K) The average realized spread for executions of covered orders; and (ii) For market orders and marketable limit orders: (A) The average effective spread for executions of covered orders; (B) The cumulative number of shares of covered orders executed with price improvement; (C) For shares executed with price improvement, the share-weighted average amount per share that prices were improved; (D) For shares executed with price improvement, the share-weighted average period from the time of order receipt to the time of order execution; (E) The cumulative number of shares of covered orders executed at the quote; (F) For shares executed at the quote, the share-weighted average period from the time of order receipt to the time of order execution; (G) The cumulative number of shares of covered orders executed outside the quote; (H) For shares executed outside the quote, the share-weighted average amount per share that prices were outside the quote; and (I) For shares executed outside the quote, the share-weighted average period from the time of order receipt to the time of order execution. (2) Every national securities exchange on which NMS stocks are traded and each national securities association shall act jointly in establishing procedures for market centers to follow in making available to the public the reports required by paragraph (a)(1) of this section in a uniform, readily accessible, and usable electronic form. In the event there is no effective national market system plan establishing such procedures, market centers shall prepare their reports in a consistent, usable, and machine-readable electronic format, and make such reports available for downloading from an Internet Web site that is free and readily accessible to the public. (3) A market center shall make available the report required by paragraph (a)(1) of this section within one month after the end of the month addressed in the report. (b) Exemptions. The Commission may, by order upon application, conditionally or unconditionally exempt any person, security, or transaction, or any class or classes of persons, securities, or transactions, from any provision or provisions of this section, if the Commission determines that such exemption is necessary or appropriate in the public interest, and is consistent with the protection of investors. (a) Quarterly report on order routing. (1) Every broker or dealer shall make publicly available for each calendar quarter a report on its routing of non-directed orders in NMS securities during that quarter. For NMS stocks, such report shall be divided into three separate sections for securities that are listed on the New York Stock Exchange, Inc., securities that are qualified for inclusion in The Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc., and securities that are listed on the American Stock Exchange LLC or any other national securities exchange. Such report also shall include a separate section for NMS securities that are option contracts. Each of the four sections in a report shall include the following information: (i) The percentage of total customer orders for the section that were non-directed orders, and the percentages of total non-directed orders for the section that were market orders, limit orders, and other orders; (ii) The identity of the ten venues to which the largest number of total non-directed orders for the section were routed for execution and of any venue to which five percent or more of non-directed orders were routed for execution, the percentage of total non-directed orders for the section routed to the venue, and the percentages of total non-directed market orders, total non-directed limit orders, and total non-directed other orders for the section that were routed to the venue; and (iii) A discussion of the material aspects of the broker's or dealer's relationship with each venue identified pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)(ii) of this section, including a description of any arrangement for payment for order flow and any profit-sharing relationship. (2) A broker or dealer shall make the report required by paragraph (a)(1) of this section publicly available within one month after the end of the quarter addressed in the report. (b) Customer requests for information on order routing. (1) Every broker or dealer shall, on request of a customer, disclose to its customer the identity of the venue to which the customer's orders were routed for execution in the six months prior to the request, whether the orders were directed orders or non-directed orders, and the time of the transactions, if any, that resulted from such orders. (2) A broker or dealer shall notify customers in writing at least annually of the availability on request of the information specified in paragraph (b)(1) of this section. (c) Exemptions. The Commission may, by order upon application, conditionally or unconditionally exempt any person, security, or transaction, or any class or classes of persons, securities, or transactions, from any provision or provisions of this section, if the Commission determines that such exemption is necessary or appropriate in the public interest, and is consistent with the protection of investors. (a) No broker or dealer acting as agent for a customer may effect any transaction in, induce or attempt to induce the purchase or sale of, or direct orders for purchase or sale of, any NMS stock or a security authorized for quotation on an automated inter-dealer quotation system that has the characteristics set forth in section 17B of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78q–2), unless such broker or dealer informs such customer, in writing, upon opening a new account and on an annual basis thereafter, of the following: (1) The broker's or dealer's policies regarding receipt of payment for order flow from any broker or dealer, national securities exchange, national securities association, or exchange member to which it routes customers' orders for execution, including a statement as to whether any payment for order flow is received for routing customer orders and a detailed description of the nature of the compensation received; and (2) The broker's or dealer's policies for determining where to route customer orders that are the subject of payment for order flow absent specific instructions from customers, including a description of the extent to which orders can be executed at prices superior to the national best bid and national best offer. (b) Exemptions. The Commission, upon request or upon its own motion, may exempt by rule or by order, any broker or dealer or any class of brokers or dealers, security or class of securities from the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section with respect to any transaction or class of transactions, either unconditionally or on specified terms and conditions, if the Commission determines that such exemption is consistent with the pubic interest and the protection of investors. (a) Filing of national market system plans and amendments thereto. (1) Any two or more self-regulatory organizations, acting jointly, may file a national market system plan or may propose an amendment to an effective national market system plan (“proposed amendment”) by submitting the text of the plan or amendment to the Secretary of the Commission, together with a statement of the purpose of such plan or amendment and, to the extent applicable, the documents and information required by paragraphs (a)(4) and (5) of this section. (2) The Commission may propose amendments to any effective national market system plan by publishing the text thereof, together with a statement of the purpose of such amendment, in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (b) of this section. (3) Self-regulatory organizations are authorized to act jointly in: (i) Planning, developing, and operating any national market subsystem or facility contemplated by a national market system plan; (ii) Preparing and filing a national market system plan or any amendment thereto; or (iii) Implementing or administering an effective national market system plan. (4) Every national market system plan filed pursuant to this section, or any amendment thereto, shall be accompanied by: (i) Copies of all governing or constituent documents relating to any person (other than a self-regulatory organization) authorized to implement or administer such plan on behalf of its sponsors; and (ii) To the extent applicable: (A) A detailed description of the manner in which the plan or amendment, and any facility or procedure contemplated by the plan or amendment, will be implemented; (B) A listing of all significant phases of development and implementation (including any pilot phase) contemplated by the plan or amendment, together with the projected date of completion of each phase; (C) An analysis of the impact on competition of implementation of the plan or amendment or of any facility contemplated by the plan or amendment; (D) A description of any written understandings or agreements between or among plan sponsors or participants relating to interpretations of the plan or conditions for becoming a sponsor or participant in the plan; and (E) In the case of a proposed amendment, a statement that such amendment has been approved by the sponsors in accordance with the terms of the plan. (5) Every national market system plan, or any amendment thereto, filed pursuant to this section shall include a description of the manner in which any facility contemplated by the plan or amendment will be operated. Such description shall include, to the extent applicable: (i) The terms and conditions under which brokers, dealers, and/or self-regulatory organizations will be granted or denied access (including specific procedures and standards governing the granting or denial of access); (ii) The method by which any fees or charges collected on behalf of all of the sponsors and/or participants in connection with access to, or use of, any facility contemplated by the plan or amendment will be determined and imposed (including any provision for distribution of any net proceeds from such fees or charges to the sponsors and/or participants) and the amount of such fees or charges; (iii) The method by which, and the frequency with which, the performance of any person acting as plan processor with respect to the implementation and/or operation of the plan will be evaluated; and (iv) The method by which disputes arising in connection with the operation of the plan will be resolved. (6) In connection with the selection of any person to act as plan processor with respect to any facility contemplated by a national market system plan (including renewal of any contract for any person to so act), the sponsors shall file with the Commission a statement identifying the person selected, describing the material terms under which such person is to serve as plan processor, and indicating the solicitation efforts, if any, for alternative plan processors, the alternatives considered and the reasons for selection of such person. (7) Any national market system plan (or any amendment thereto) which is intended by the sponsors to satisfy a plan filing requirement contained in any other section of this Regulation NMS and part 240, subpart A of this chapter shall, in addition to compliance with this section, also comply with the requirements of such other section. (8)(i) A participant in an effective national market system plan shall ensure that a current and complete version of the plan is posted on a plan Web site or on a Web site designated by plan participants within two business days after notification by the Commission of effectiveness of the plan. Each participant in an effective national market system plan shall ensure that such Web site is updated to reflect amendments to such plan within two business days after the plan participants have been notified by the Commission of its approval of a proposed amendment pursuant to paragraph (b) of this section. If the amendment is not effective for a certain period, the plan participants shall clearly indicate the effective date in the relevant text of the plan. Each plan participant also shall provide a link on its own Web site to the Web site with the current version of the plan. (ii) The plan participants shall ensure that any proposed amendments filed pursuant to paragraph (a) of this section are posted on a plan Web site or a designated Web site no later than two business days after the filing of the proposed amendments with the Commission. The plan participants shall maintain any proposed amendment to the plan on a plan Web site or a designated Web site until the Commission approves the plan amendment and the plan participants update the Web site to reflect such amendment or the plan participants withdraw the proposed amendment. If the plan participants withdraw proposed amendments, the plan participants shall remove such amendments from the plan Web site or designated Web site within two business days of withdrawal. Each plan participant shall provide a link to the Web site with the current version of the plan. (b) Effectiveness of national market system plans. (1) The Commission shall publish notice of the filing of any national market system plan, or any proposed amendment to any effective national market system plan (including any amendment initiated by the Commission), together with the terms of substance of the filing or a description of the subjects and issues involved, and shall provide interested persons an opportunity to submit written comments. No national market system plan, or any amendment thereto, shall become effective unless approved by the Commission or otherwise permitted in accordance with paragraph (b)(3) of this section. (2) Within 120 days of the date of publication of notice of filing of a national market system plan or an amendment to an effective national market system plan, or within such longer period as the Commission may designate up to 180 days of such date if it finds such longer period to be appropriate and publishes its reasons for so finding or as to which the sponsors consent, the Commission shall approve such plan or amendment, with such changes or subject to such conditions as the Commission may deem necessary or appropriate, if it finds that such plan or amendment is necessary or appropriate in the public interest, for the protection of investors and the maintenance of fair and orderly markets, to remove impediments to, and perfect the mechanisms of, a national market system, or otherwise in furtherance of the purposes of the Act. Approval of a national market system plan, or an amendment to an effective national market system plan (other than an amendment initiated by the Commission), shall be by order. Promulgation of an amendment to an effective national market system plan initiated by the Commission shall be by rule. (3) A proposed amendment may be put into effect upon filing with the Commission if designated by the sponsors as: (i) Establishing or changing a fee or other charge collected on behalf of all of the sponsors and/or participants in connection with access to, or use of, any facility contemplated by the plan or amendment (including changes in any provision with respect to distribution of any net proceeds from such fees or other charges to the sponsors and/or participants); (ii) Concerned solely with the administration of the plan, or involving the governing or constituent documents relating to any person (other than a self-regulatory organization) authorized to implement or administer such plan on behalf of its sponsors; or (iii) Involving solely technical or ministerial matters. At any time within 60 days of the filing of any such amendment, the Commission may summarily abrogate the amendment and require that such amendment be refiled in accordance with paragraph (a)(1) of this section and reviewed in accordance with paragraph (b)(2) of this section, if it appears to the Commission that such action is necessary or appropriate in the public interest, for the protection of investors, or the maintenance of fair and orderly markets, to remove impediments to, and perfect the mechanisms of, a national market system or otherwise in furtherance of the purposes of the Act. (4) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (b)(1) of this section, a proposed amendment may be put into effect summarily upon publication of notice of such amendment, on a temporary basis not to exceed 120 days, if the Commission finds that such action is necessary or appropriate in the public interest, for the protection of investors or the maintenance of fair and orderly markets, to remove impediments to, and perfect the mechanisms of, a national market system or otherwise in furtherance of the purposes of the Act. (5) Any plan (or amendment thereto) in connection with: (i) The planning, development, operation, or regulation of a national market system (or a subsystem thereof) or one or more facilities thereof; or (ii) The development and implementation of procedures and/or facilities designed to achieve compliance by self-regulatory organizations and/or their members of any section of this Regulation NMS (§§242.600 through 242.612) and part 240, subpart A of this chapter promulgated pursuant to section 11A of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78k–1), approved by the Commission pursuant to section 11A of the Act (or pursuant to any rule or regulation thereunder) prior to the effective date of this section (either temporarily or permanently) shall be deemed to have been filed and approved pursuant to this section and no additional filing need be made by the sponsors with respect to such plan or amendment; provided, however, that all terms and conditions associated with any such approval (including time limitations) shall continue to be applicable; provided, further, that any amendment to such plan filed with or approved by the Commission on or after the effective date of this section shall be subject to the provisions of, and considered in accordance with the procedures specified in, this section. (c) Compliance with terms of national market system plans. Each self-regulatory organization shall comply with the terms of any effective national market system plan of which it is a sponsor or a participant. Each self-regulatory organization also shall, absent reasonable justification or excuse, enforce compliance with any such plan by its members and persons associated with its members. (d) Appeals. The Commission may, in its discretion, entertain appeals in connection with the implementation or operation of any effective national market system plan as follows: (1) Any action taken or failure to act by any person in connection with an effective national market system plan (other than a prohibition or limitation of access reviewable by the Commission pursuant to section 11A(b)(5) or section 19(d) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78k–1(b)(5) or 78s(d))) shall be subject to review by the Commission, on its own motion or upon application by any person aggrieved thereby (including, but not limited to, self-regulatory organizations, brokers, dealers, issuers, and vendors), filed not later than 30 days after notice of such action or failure to act or within such longer period as the Commission may determine. (2) Application to the Commission for review, or the institution of review by the Commission on its own motion, shall not operate as a stay of any such action unless the Commission determines otherwise, after notice and opportunity for hearing on the question of a stay (which hearing may consist only of affidavits or oral arguments). (3) In any proceedings for review, if the Commission, after appropriate notice and opportunity for hearing (which hearing may consist solely of consideration of the record of any proceedings conducted in connection with such action or failure to act and an opportunity for the presentation of reasons supporting or opposing such action or failure to act) and upon consideration of such other data, views, and arguments as it deems relevant, finds that the action or failure to act is in accordance with the applicable provisions of such plan and that the applicable provisions are, and were, applied in a manner consistent with the public interest, the protection of investors, the maintenance of fair and orderly markets, and the removal of impediments to, and the perfection of the mechanisms of a national market system, the Commission, by order, shall dismiss the proceeding. If the Commission does not make any such finding, or if it finds that such action or failure to act imposes any burden on competition not necessary or appropriate in furtherance of the purposes of the Act, the Commission, by order, shall set aside such action and/or require such action with respect to the matter reviewed as the Commission deems necessary or appropriate in the public interest, for the protection of investors, and the maintenance of fair and orderly markets, or to remove impediments to, and perfect the mechanisms of, a national market system. (e) Exemptions. The Commission may exempt from the provisions of this section, either unconditionally or on specified terms and conditions, any self-regulatory organization, member thereof, or specified security, if the Commission determines that such exemption is consistent with the public interest, the protection of investors, the maintenance of fair and orderly markets and the removal of impediments to, and perfection of the mechanisms of, a national market system. [70 FR 37620, June 29, 2005; 71 FR 232, Jan. 4, 2006] (a) An application for the registration of a securities information processor shall be filed on Form SIP (§249.1001 of this chapter) in accordance with the instructions contained therein. (b) If any information reported in items 1–13 or item 21 of Form SIP or in any amendment thereto is or becomes inaccurate for any reason, whether before or after the registration has been granted, the securities information processor shall promptly file an amendment on Form SIP correcting such information. (c) The Commission, upon its own motion or upon application by any securities information processor, may conditionally or unconditionally exempt any securities information processor from any provision of the rules or regulations adopted under section 11A(b) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78k–1(b)). (d) Every amendment filed pursuant to this section shall constitute a “report” within the meaning of sections 17(a), 18(a) and 32(a) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78q(a), 78r(a), and 78ff(a)). (a) Quotations of SRO trading facility. A national securities exchange or national securities association shall not impose unfairly discriminatory terms that prevent or inhibit any person from obtaining efficient access through a member of the national securities exchange or national securities association to the quotations in an NMS stock displayed through its SRO trading facility. (b) Quotations of SRO display-only facility. (1) Any trading center that displays quotations in an NMS stock through an SRO display-only facility shall provide a level and cost of access to such quotations that is substantially equivalent to the level and cost of access to quotations displayed by SRO trading facilities in that stock. (2) Any trading center that displays quotations in an NMS stock through an SRO display-only facility shall not impose unfairly discriminatory terms that prevent or inhibit any person from obtaining efficient access to such quotations through a member, subscriber, or customer of the trading center. (c) Fees for access to quotations. A trading center shall not impose, nor permit to be imposed, any fee or fees for the execution of an order against a protected quotation of the trading center or against any other quotation of the trading center that is the best bid or best offer of a national securities exchange, the best bid or best offer of The Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc., or the best bid or best offer of a national securities association other than the best bid or best offer of The Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc. in an NMS stock that exceed or accumulate to more than the following limits: (1) If the price of a protected quotation or other quotation is $1.00 or more, the fee or fees cannot exceed or accumulate to more than $0.003 per share; or (2) If the price of a protected quotation or other quotation is less than $1.00, the fee or fees cannot exceed or accumulate to more than 0.3% of the quotation price per share. (d) Locking or crossing quotations. Each national securities exchange and national securities association shall establish, maintain, and enforce written rules that: (1) Require its members reasonably to avoid: (i) Displaying quotations that lock or cross any protected quotation in an NMS stock; and (ii) Displaying manual quotations that lock or cross any quotation in an NMS stock disseminated pursuant to an effective national market system plan; (2) Are reasonably designed to assure the reconciliation of locked or crossed quotations in an NMS stock; and (3) Prohibit its members from engaging in a pattern or practice of displaying quotations that lock or cross any protected quotation in an NMS stock, or of displaying manual quotations that lock or cross any quotation in an NMS stock disseminated pursuant to an effective national market system plan, other than displaying quotations that lock or cross any protected or other quotation as permitted by an exception contained in its rules established pursuant to paragraph (d)(1) of this section. (e) Exemptions. The Commission, by order, may exempt from the provisions of this section, either unconditionally or on specified terms and conditions, any person, security, quotations, orders, or fees, or any class or classes of persons, securities, quotations, orders, or fees, if the Commission determines that such exemption is necessary or appropriate in the public interest, and is consistent with the protection of investors. (a) Reasonable policies and procedures. (1) A trading center shall establish, maintain, and enforce written policies and procedures that are reasonably designed to prevent trade-throughs on that trading center of protected quotations in NMS stocks that do not fall within an exception set forth in paragraph (b) of this section and, if relying on such an exception, that are reasonably designed to assure compliance with the terms of the exception. (2) A trading center shall regularly surveil to ascertain the effectiveness of the policies and procedures required by paragraph (a)(1) of this section and shall take prompt action to remedy deficiencies in such policies and procedures. (b) Exceptions. (1) The transaction that constituted the trade-through was effected when the trading center displaying the protected quotation that was traded through was experiencing a failure, material delay, or malfunction of its systems or equipment. (2) The transaction that constituted the trade-through was not a “regular way” contract. (3) The transaction that constituted the trade-through was a single-priced opening, reopening, or closing transaction by the trading center. (4) The transaction that constituted the trade-through was executed at a time when a protected bid was priced higher than a protected offer in the NMS stock. (5) The transaction that constituted the trade-through was the execution of an order identified as an intermarket sweep order. (6) The transaction that constituted the trade-through was effected by a trading center that simultaneously routed an intermarket sweep order to execute against the full displayed size of any protected quotation in the NMS stock that was traded through. (7) The transaction that constituted the trade-through was the execution of an order at a price that was not based, directly or indirectly, on the quoted price of the NMS stock at the time of execution and for which the material terms were not reasonably determinable at the time the commitment to execute the order was made. (8) The trading center displaying the protected quotation that was traded through had displayed, within one second prior to execution of the transaction that constituted the trade-through, a best bid or best offer, as applicable, for the NMS stock with a price that was equal or inferior to the price of the trade-through transaction. (9) The transaction that constituted the trade-through was the execution by a trading center of an order for which, at the time of receipt of the order, the trading center had guaranteed an execution at no worse than a specified price (a “stopped order”), where: (i) The stopped order was for the account of a customer; (ii) The customer agreed to the specified price on an order-by-order basis; and (iii) The price of the trade-through transaction was, for a stopped buy order, lower than the national best bid in the NMS stock at the time of execution or, for a stopped sell order, higher than the national best offer in the NMS stock at the time of execution. (c) Intermarket sweep orders. The trading center, broker, or dealer responsible for the routing of an intermarket sweep order shall take reasonable steps to establish that such order meets the requirements set forth in §242.600(b)(30). (d) Exemptions. The Commission, by order, may exempt from the provisions of this section, either unconditionally or on specified terms and conditions, any person, security, transaction, quotation, or order, or any class or classes of persons, securities, quotations, or orders, if the Commission determines that such exemption is necessary or appropriate in the public interest, and is consistent with the protection of investors. (a) No national securities exchange, national securities association, alternative trading system, vendor, or broker or dealer shall display, rank, or accept from any person a bid or offer, an order, or an indication of interest in any NMS stock priced in an increment smaller than $0.01 if that bid or offer, order, or indication of interest is priced equal to or greater than $1.00 per share. (b) No national securities exchange, national securities association, alternative trading system, vendor, or broker or dealer shall display, rank, or accept from any person a bid or offer, an order, or an indication of interest in any NMS stock priced in an increment smaller than $0.0001 if that bid or offer, order, or indication of interest is priced less than $1.00 per share. (c) The Commission, by order, may exempt from the provisions of this section, either unconditionally or on specified terms and conditions, any person, security, quotation, or order, or any class or classes of persons, securities, quotations, or orders, if the Commission determines that such exemption is necessary or appropriate in the public interest, and is consistent with the protection of investors.
Title 17: Commodity and Securities Exchanges
PART 242—REGULATIONS M, SHO, ATS, AC, AND NMS AND CUSTOMER MARGIN REQUIREMENTS FOR SECURITY FUTURES
Section Contents
Regulation M
§ 242.100 Preliminary note; definitions.
§ 242.101 Activities by distribution participants.
§ 242.102 Activities by issuers and selling security holders during a distribution.
§ 242.103 Nasdaq passive market making.
§ 242.104 Stabilizing and other activities in connection with an offering.
§ 242.105 Short selling in connection with a public offering.
Regulation SHO—Regulation of Short Sales
§ 242.200 Definition of “short sale” and marking requirements.
§ 242.201 Price test. [Reserved]
§ 242.202T Temporary short sale rule suspension.
§ 242.203 Borrowing and delivery requirements.
Regulation ATS—Alternative Trading Systems
§ 242.300 Definitions.
§ 242.301 Requirements for alternative trading systems.
§ 242.302 Recordkeeping requirements for alternative trading systems.
§ 242.303 Record preservation requirements for alternative trading systems.
Customer Margin Requirements for Security Futures
§ 242.400 Customer margin requirements for security futures—authority, purpose, interpretation, and scope.
§ 242.401 Definitions.
§ 242.402 General provisions.
§ 242.403 Required margin.
§ 242.404 Type, form and use of margin.
§ 242.405 Withdrawal of margin.
§ 242.406 Undermargined accounts.
Regulation AC—Analyst Certification
§ 242.500 Definitions.
§ 242.501 Certifications in connection with research reports.
§ 242.502 Certifications in connection with public appearances.
§ 242.503 Certain foreign research reports.
§ 242.504 Notification to associated persons.
§ 242.505 Exclusion for news media.
Regulation NMS—Regulation of the National Market System
§ 242.600 NMS security designation and definitions.
§ 242.601 Dissemination of transaction reports and last sale data with respect to transactions in NMS stocks.
§ 242.602 Dissemination of quotations in NMS securities.
§ 242.603 Distribution, consolidation, and display of information with respect to quotations for and transactions in NMS stocks.
§ 242.604 Display of customer limit orders.
§ 242.605 Disclosure of order execution information.
§ 242.606 Disclosure of order routing information.
§ 242.607 Customer account statements.
§ 242.608 Filing and amendment of national market system plans.
§ 242.609 Registration of securities information processors: form of application and amendments.
§ 242.610 Access to quotations.
§ 242.611 Order protection rule.
§ 242.612 Minimum pricing increment.
Regulation M
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§ 242.100 Preliminary note; definitions.
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§ 242.101 Activities by distribution participants.
top
§ 242.102 Activities by issuers and selling security holders during a distribution.
top
§ 242.103 Nasdaq passive market making.
top
§ 242.104 Stabilizing and other activities in connection with an offering.
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§ 242.105 Short selling in connection with a public offering.
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Regulation SHO—Regulation of Short Sales
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§ 242.200 Definition of “short sale” and marking requirements.
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§ 242.201 Price test. [Reserved]
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§ 242.202T Temporary short sale rule suspension.
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§ 242.203 Borrowing and delivery requirements.
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Regulation ATS—Alternative Trading Systems
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§ 242.300 Definitions.
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§ 242.301 Requirements for alternative trading systems.
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§ 242.302 Recordkeeping requirements for alternative trading systems.
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§ 242.303 Record preservation requirements for alternative trading systems.
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Customer Margin Requirements for Security Futures
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§ 242.400 Customer margin requirements for security futures—authority, purpose, interpretation, and scope.
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§ 242.401 Definitions.
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§ 242.402 General provisions.
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§ 242.403 Required margin.
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§ 242.404 Type, form and use of margin.
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§ 242.405 Withdrawal of margin.
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§ 242.406 Undermargined accounts.
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Regulation AC—Analyst Certification
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§ 242.500 Definitions.
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§ 242.501 Certifications in connection with research reports.
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§ 242.502 Certifications in connection with public appearances.
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§ 242.503 Certain foreign research reports.
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§ 242.504 Notification to associated persons.
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§ 242.505 Exclusion for news media.
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Regulation NMS—Regulation of the National Market System
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§ 242.600 NMS security designation and definitions.
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§ 242.601 Dissemination of transaction reports and last sale data with respect to transactions in NMS stocks.
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§ 242.602 Dissemination of quotations in NMS securities.
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§ 242.603 Distribution, consolidation, and display of information with respect to quotations for and transactions in NMS stocks.
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§ 242.604 Display of customer limit orders.
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§ 242.605 Disclosure of order execution information.
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§ 242.606 Disclosure of order routing information.
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§ 242.607 Customer account statements.
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§ 242.608 Filing and amendment of national market system plans.
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§ 242.609 Registration of securities information processors: form of application and amendments.
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§ 242.610 Access to quotations.
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§ 242.611 Order protection rule.
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§ 242.612 Minimum pricing increment.
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