Document Headings

                    Document headings vary by document type but may contain                    the following:                  
                -                       the agency or agencies that issued and signed a document                    
                -                       the number of the CFR title and the number of each part                      the document amends, proposes to amend, or is directly                      related to                    
                -                       the agency docket number / agency internal file number                    
                -                       the RIN which identifies each regulatory action listed in                      the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory                      Actions                    

                    See the                                          Document Drafting Handbook                                        for more details.                  

###### Securities and Exchange Commission

          - [Release No. 34-65093; File No. SR-BX-2011-055]

                    Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Act”),[1]                                          and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,[2]                                          notice is hereby given that on August 8, 2011, NASDAQ OMX BX, Inc. (“Exchange”), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) the proposed rule change as described in Items I and II below, which Items have been prepared by the Exchange. The Commission is publishing this notice to solicit comments on the proposed rule change from interested persons.                

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

The Exchange proposes to extend the pilot period of the trading pause for individual stocks contained in the Standard & Poor's 500 Index, Russell 1000 Index, and specified Exchange Traded Products that experience a price change of 10% or more during a five-minute period, so that the pilot will now expire on January 31, 2012.

The text of the proposed rule change is below. Proposed new language is italicized; proposed deletions are in brackets.

* * * * *

## IM-4120-3. Circuit Breaker Securities Pilot

                    The provisions of paragraph (a)(11) of this Rule shall be in effect during a pilot set to end on [the earlier of]                     *January 31, 2012*                     [August 11, 2011 or the date on which a limit up/limit down mechanism to address extraordinary market volatility, if adopted, applies]. During the pilot, the term “Circuit Breaker Securities” shall mean all NMS stocks.                

* * * * *

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

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

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

#### 1. Purpose

                    On June 10, 2010, the Commission granted accelerated approval, for a pilot period to end December 10, 2010, for a proposed rule change submitted by the Exchange, together with related rule changes of the BATS Exchange, Inc., Chicago Board Options Exchange, Incorporated, Chicago Stock Exchange, Inc., EDGA Exchange, Inc., EDGX Exchange, Inc., International Securities Exchange LLC, The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC (“NASDAQ”), New York Stock Exchange LLC (“NYSE”), NYSE Amex LLC (“NYSE Amex”), NYSE Arca,                           ( print page 50782)                        Inc. (“NYSE Arca”), and National Stock Exchange, Inc. (collectively, the “Exchanges”), to pause trading during periods of extraordinary market volatility in S&P 500 stocks.[3]                                          The rules require the Listing Markets [4]                                          to issue five-minute trading pauses for individual securities for which they are the primary Listing Market if the transaction price of the security moves ten percent or more from a price in the preceding five-minute period. The Listing Markets are required to notify the other Exchanges and market participants of the imposition of a trading pause by immediately disseminating a special indicator over the consolidated tape. Under the rules, once the Listing Market issues a trading pause, the other Exchanges are required to pause trading in the security on their markets. On September 10, 2010, the Commission approved the respective rule filings of the Exchanges to expand application of the pilot to the Russell 1000® Index and specified Exchange Traded Products.[5]                                          On December 7, 2010, the Exchange filed an immediately effective filing to extend the existing pilot program for four months, so that the pilot would expire on April 11, 2011.[6]                                          On March 31, 2011, the Exchange filed an immediately effective filing to extend the pilot period an additional four months, so that the pilot would expire on August 11, 2011 or the date on which a limit up/limit down mechanism to address extraordinary market volatility, if adopted, applies.[7]                                          On June 23, 2011, the Commission approved the expansion of the pilot to all NMS stocks, but with different pause-triggering thresholds.[8] 

The Exchange believes that the pilot program has been successful in reducing the negative impacts of sudden, unanticipated price movements in the securities covered by the pilot. The Exchange also believes that an additional extension of the pilot is warranted so that it may continue to assess whether circuit breakers are the best means to reduce the negative impacts of sudden, unanticipated price movements or whether alternative mechanisms would be more effective in achieving this goal.

Accordingly, the Exchange is filing to further extend the pilot program until January 31, 2012 and remove language from the rule concerning the “limit up/limit down” mechanism.

#### 2. Statutory Basis

                    The statutory basis for the proposed rule change is Section 6(b)(5) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Act”),[9]                                          which requires the rules of an exchange 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 proposed rule change also is designed to support the principles of Section 11A(a)(1) [10]                                          of the Act in that it seeks to assure fair competition among brokers and dealers and among exchange markets. The Exchange believes that the proposed rule meets these requirements in that it promotes transparency and uniformity across markets concerning decisions to pause trading in a security when there are significant price movements.                

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

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

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

Written comments were neither solicited nor received. 

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

                    The Exchange has filed the proposed rule change pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A)(iii) of the Act [11]                                          and Rule 19b-4(f)(6) thereunder.[12]                                          Because the proposed rule change does not: (i) Significantly affect the protection of investors or the public interest; (ii) impose any significant burden on competition; and (iii) become operative prior to 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, the proposed rule change has become effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act [13]                                          and Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii) thereunder.[14] 

                    A proposed rule change filed under Rule 19b-4(f)(6) [15]                                          normally does not become operative for 30 days after the date of filing. However, pursuant to Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii) [16]                                          the Commission may designate a shorter time if such action is consistent with the protection of investors and the public interest. The Exchange has asked the Commission to waive the 30-day operative delay so that the proposal may become operative immediately upon filing.                 

                    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. For this reason, the Commission designates the proposed rule change as operative upon filing.[17] 

At any time within 60 days of the filing of the proposed rule change, the Commission summarily may temporarily suspend such rule change if it appears to the Commission that such action is necessary or appropriate in the public interest, for the protection of investors, or otherwise in furtherance of the purposes of the Act. 

## IV. Solicitation of Comments

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

### Electronic Comments 

    - Use the Commission's Internet comment form ( http://www.sec.gov/​rules/​sro.shtml ); or                 
    - Send an e-mail to rule-comments@sec.gov.                      Please include File                            ( print page 50783)                          No. SR-BX-2011-055 on the subject line.                 

### Paper Comments 

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

                    All submissions should refer to File No. SR-BX-2011-055. 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 such filing also will be available for inspection and copying at the principal office of the Exchange. All comments received will be posted without change; the Commission does not edit personal identifying information from submissions. You should submit only information that you wish to make available publicly. All submissions should refer to File No. SR-BX-2011-055 and should be submitted on or before September 6, 2011.                 

                        For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated authority.[18] 

Elizabeth M. Murphy, 

Secretary. 

# Footnotes

1.                             15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).                    
        Back to Citation      

2.                             17 CFR 240.19b-4.                    
        Back to Citation      

3.                                                     *See*                         Securities Exchange Act Release No. 62252 (June 10, 2010), 75 FR 34186 (June 16, 2010) (SR-BX-2010-037).                    
        Back to Citation      

4.                             The term “Listing Markets” refers collectively to NYSE, NYSE Amex, NYSE Arca, and NASDAQ.                    
        Back to Citation      

5.                                                     *See*                         Securities Exchange Act Release No. 62884 (September 10, 2010), 75 FR 56618 (September 16, 2010) (SR-BX-2010-044).                    
        Back to Citation      

6.                                                     *See*                         Securities Exchange Act Release No. 63527 (December 10, 2010), 75 FR 78781 (December 16, 2010) (SR-BX-2010-088).                    
        Back to Citation      

7.                                                     *See*                         Securities Exchange Act Release No. 64176 (April 4, 2011), 76 FR 19821 (April 8, 2011) (SR-BX-2011-018).                    
        Back to Citation      

8.                                                     *See*                         Securities Exchange Act Release No. 64735 (June 23, 2011), 76 FR 38243 (June 29, 2011) (SR-BX-2011-025,                         *et al.*).                    
        Back to Citation      

9.                             15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).                    
        Back to Citation      

10.                             15 U.S.C. 78k-1(a)(1).                    
        Back to Citation      

11.                             15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(iii).                     
        Back to Citation      

12.                             17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).                     
        Back to Citation      

13.                             15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).                     
        Back to Citation      

14.                             17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6). In addition, Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii) requires the Exchange to give the Commission written notice of the Exchange's 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 Exchange has satisfied this requirement.                     
        Back to Citation      

15.                             17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).                     
        Back to Citation      

16.                             17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6)(iii).                     
        Back to Citation      

17.                             For purposes only of waiving the 30-day operative delay, the Commission has also considered the proposed rule's impact on efficiency, competition, and capital formation.                         *See*15 U.S.C. 78c(f).                     
        Back to Citation      

18.                                 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).                        
        Back to Citation      

[FR Doc. 2011-20734 Filed 8-15-11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 8011-01-P