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###### Securities and Exchange Commission

          - [Release No. 34-63501; File No. SR-NYSEAmex-2010-117]

                    Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Act”),[1]                                          and Rule 19b-4 [2]                                          thereunder, notice is hereby given that on December 7, 2010, NYSE Amex LLC (“NYSE Amex” or “Exchange”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) the proposed rule change as described in Items I and II below, which Items have been prepared by the Exchange. The Commission is publishing this notice to solicit comments on the proposed rule change from interested persons.                

## I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance of the Proposed Rule Change

                    The Exchange proposes to amend NYSE Amex Equities Rule 80C to extend the effective date of the pilot by which such rule operates, which is currently scheduled to expire on December 10, 2010, until April 11, 2011. The text of the proposed rule change is available at the Exchange, the Commission's Public Reference Room, and                     *http://www.nyse.com.*      ( print page 78308)    

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

In its filing with the Commission, the self-regulatory organization included statements concerning the purpose of, and basis for, the proposed rule change and discussed any comments it received on the proposed rule change. The text of those statements may be examined at the places specified in Item IV below. The Exchange has prepared summaries, set forth in sections A, B, and C below, of the most significant parts of such statements.

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

#### 1. Purpose

                    The Exchange proposes to amend NYSE Amex Equities Rule 80C to extend the effective date of the pilot by which such rule operates, which is currently scheduled to expire on December 10, 2010,[3]                                          until April 11, 2011.                

                    NYSE Amex Equities Rule 80C requires the Exchange to pause trading in an individual security listed on the Exchange if the price moves by 10% as compared to prices of that security in the preceding five-minute period during a trading day, which period is defined as a “Trading Pause.” The pilot was developed and implemented as a market-wide initiative by the Exchange and other national securities exchanges in consultation with the Commission staff and is currently applicable to all S&P 500 Index securities, Russell 1000 Index securities, and specified exchange-traded products.[4] 

The extension proposed herein would allow the pilot to continue to operate without interruption while the Exchange, other national securities exchanges and the Commission further assess the effect of the pilot on the marketplace or whether other initiatives should be adopted in lieu of the current pilot.

#### 2. Statutory Basis

                    The Exchange believes that its proposal is consistent with Section 6(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Act”),[5]                                          in general, and furthers the objectives of Section 6(b)(5) of the Act,[6]                                          in particular, in that it is designed to prevent fraudulent and manipulative acts and practices, to promote just and equitable principles of trade, to remove impediments to and perfect the mechanism of a free and open market and a national market system, and, in general, to protect investors and the public interest. The Exchange believes that the change proposed herein meets these requirements in that it promotes uniformity across markets concerning decisions to pause trading in a security when there are significant price movements. Additionally, extension of the pilot to April 11, 2011 would allow the pilot to continue to operate without interruption while the Exchange and the Commission further assess the effect of the pilot on the marketplace or whether other initiatives should be adopted in lieu of the current pilot.                

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

The Exchange does not believe that the proposed rule change will impose any burden on competition that is not necessary or appropriate in furtherance of the purposes of the Act.

### C. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed Rule Change Received From Members, Participants or Others

No written comments were solicited or received with respect to the proposed rule change.

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

                    Because the foregoing proposed rule change does not: (1) Significantly affect the protection of investors or the public interest; (2) impose any significant burden on competition; and (3) become operative for 30 days from the date on which it was filed, or such shorter time as the Commission may designate if consistent with the protection of investors and the public interest, it has become effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act [7]                                          and Rule 19b-4(f)(6) thereunder.[8] 

                    A proposed rule change filed under Rule 19b-4(f)(6) normally may not become operative prior to 30 days after the date of filing.[9]                                          However, Rule 19b-4(f)(6) [10]                                          permits the Commission to designate a shorter time if such action is consistent with the protection of investors and the public interest. The Exchange has requested that the Commission waive the 30-day operative delay.                

                    The Commission has considered the Exchange's request to waive the 30-day operative delay. The Commission believes that waiving the 30-day operative delay is consistent with the protection of investors and the public interest, as it will allow the pilot program to continue uninterrupted, thereby avoiding the investor confusion that could result from a temporary interruption in the pilot program.[11]                                          Therefore, the Commission designates the proposed rule change to be operative upon filing.                

At any time within 60 days of the filing of the proposed rule change, the Commission summarily may temporarily suspend such rule change if it appears to the Commission that such action is necessary or appropriate in the public interest, for the protection of investors, or otherwise in furtherance of the purposes of the Act. If the Commission takes such action, the Commission shall institute proceedings to determine whether the proposed rule change should be approved or disapproved.

## IV. Solicitation of Comments

Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views, and arguments concerning the foregoing, including whether the proposed rule change is consistent with the Act. Comments may be submitted by any of the following methods:

### Electronic Comments

    - Use the Commission's Internet comment form ( http://www.sec.gov/​rules/​sro.shtml ); or                
    - Send an e-mail to rule-comments@sec.gov.                      Please include File Number SR-NYSEAmex-2010-117 on the subject line.                

### Paper Comments

    - Send paper comments in triplicate to Elizabeth M. Murphy, Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission,       ( print page 78309)                          100 F Street, NE., Washington, DC 20549-1090.                

                    All submissions should refer to File Number SR-NYSEAmex-2010-117. This file number should be included on the subject line if e-mail is used. To help the Commission process and review your comments more efficiently, please use only one method. The Commission will post all comments on the Commission's Internet Web site (                    *http://www.sec.gov/​rules/​sro.shtml*). Copies of the submission, all subsequent amendments, all written statements with respect to the proposed rule change that are filed with the Commission, and all written communications relating to the proposed rule change between the Commission and any person, other than those that may be withheld from the public in accordance with the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be available for Web site viewing and printing in the Commission's Public Reference Room, 100 F Street, NE., Washington, DC 20549, on official business days between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Copies of the filing also will be available for inspection and copying at the principal office of the Exchange. All comments received will be posted without change; the Commission does not edit personal identifying information from submissions. You should submit only information that you wish to make available publicly. All submissions should refer to File Number SR-NYSEAmex-2010-117 and should be submitted on or before January 5, 2011.                

                        For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated authority.[12] 

Florence E. Harmon,

Deputy Secretary.

# Footnotes

1.                             15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).                    
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2.                             17 CFR 240.19b-4.                    
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3.                                                     *See*                         Securities Exchange Act Release No. 62252 (June 10, 2010), 75 FR 34186 (June 16, 2010) (SR-NYSEAmex-2010-46).                    
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4.                             The Exchange notes that the other national securities exchanges have adopted the pilot in substantially similar form.                    
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5.                             15 U.S.C. 78f(b).                    
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6.                             15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).                    
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7.                             15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).                    
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8.                             17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6). When filing a proposed rule change pursuant to Rule 19b-4(f)(6) under the Act, an exchange is required to give the Commission written notice of its intent to file the proposed rule change, along with a brief description and text of the proposed rule change, at least five business days prior to the date of filing of the proposed rule change, or such shorter time as designated by the Commission. The Commission notes that the Exchange has satisfied this requirement.                    
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9.                             17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6)(iii).                    
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10.                                                     *Id.*
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11.                             For the purposes only of waiving the operative date of this proposal, the Commission has considered the proposed rule's impact on efficiency, competition, and capital formation.                         *See*15 U.S.C. 78c(f).                    
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12.                                 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).                        
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[FR Doc. 2010-31478 Filed 12-14-10; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 8011-01-P