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###### Securities and Exchange Commission

          - [Release No. 34-66347; File No. SR-NASDAQ-2012-023]

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 January 31, 2012, The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC (the “Exchange” or “NASDAQ”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) the proposed rule change as described in Items I, II and III below, which Items have been prepared by the Exchange. The Commission is publishing this notice to solicit comments on the proposed rule change from interested persons.

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

NASDAQ is filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) a proposal for the NASDAQ Options Market (“NOM”) to change the date of implementation of Post-Only Orders from February 2012 to March 2012. While the Exchange expects to implement the new order type by March 5, 2012, this date is not certain and the Exchange will announce the specific date via an Options Trader Alert.

The text of the proposed rule change is available at *http://nasdaq.cchwallstreet.com/​,* at NASDAQ's principal office, and at the Commission's Public Reference Room.

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

In its filing with the Commission, the Exchange included statements concerning the purpose of and basis for the proposed rule change and discussed any comments it received on the proposed rule change. The text of these statements may be examined at the places specified in Item IV below. 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 Statutory Basis for, Proposed Rule Change

#### 1. Purpose

The Exchange recently adopted a new order type called Post-Only Order,[3]            which is an order that will not remove liquidity from the System and is to be ranked and executed on the Exchange or cancelled, as appropriate, without routing away to another market.[4]       ( print page 7640)    Thereafter, the Exchange amended the order type and delayed implementation until February 2012.[5]            At this time, the Exchange proposes to delay implementation until March 2012. While the Exchange expects to implement the new order type by March 5, 2012, this date is not certain and the Exchange will announce the specific date via an Options Trader Alert. No further changes are proposed.

#### 2. Statutory Basis

The Exchange believes that its proposal is consistent with Section 6(b) of the Act [6]            in general, and furthers the objectives of Section 6(b)(5) of the Act [7]            in particular, in that it is designed to prevent fraudulent and manipulative acts and practices, to promote just and equitable principles of trade, to foster cooperation and coordination with persons engaged in facilitating transactions in securities, and to remove impediments to and perfect the mechanisms of a free and open market and a national market system, and, in general, to protect investors and the public interest. The Exchange believes that delaying implementation should not be problematic for its participants, because it is a new order type, and, therefore, the proposal is designed to promote just and equitable principles of trade and protect investors and the public interest.

### 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 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 either solicited or received.

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

The foregoing rule change has become effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act [8]            and Rule 19b-4(f)(1) [9]            thereunder in that it constitutes a stated policy, practice, or interpretation with respect to the meaning, administration, or enforcement of an existing rule. Specifically, it does not change a rule, but rather affects the implementation date of an existing rule, as explained above.

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 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 email to rule-comments@sec.gov.  Please include File Number SR-NASDAQ-2012-023 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 Number SR-NASDAQ-2012-023. This file number should be included on the subject line if email is used. To help the Commission process and review your comments more efficiently, please use only one method. The Commission will post all comments on the Commission's Internet Web site (*http://www.sec.gov/​rules/​sro.shtml).* Copies of the submission, all subsequent amendments, all written statements with respect to the proposed rule change that are filed with the Commission, and all written communications relating to the proposed rule change between the Commission and any person, other than those that may be withheld from the public in accordance with the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be available for Web site viewing and printing in the Commission's Public Reference Room, 100 F Street NE., Washington, DC 20549, on official business days between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Copies of such filing also will be available for inspection and copying at the principal office of the Exchange. All comments received will be posted without change; the Commission does not edit personal identifying information from submissions. You should submit only information that you wish to make available publicly. All submissions should refer to File Number SR-NASDAQ-2012-023 and should be submitted on or before March 5, 2012.

For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated authority.[10] 

Kevin M. O'Neill,

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. 65761 (November 16, 2011), 76 FR 72230 (November 22, 2011) (SR-NASDAQ-2011-152).
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4.     Post-Only Orders are evaluated at the time of entry with respect to locking or crossing other orders as follows: (i) If a Post-Only Order would lock or cross an order on the System, the order will be re-priced to $.01 below the current low offer (for bids) or above the current best bid (for offers) and displayed by the System at one minimum price increment below the current low offer (for bids) or above the current best bid (for offers); and (ii) if a Post-Only Order would not lock or cross an order on the System but would lock or cross the national best bid or offer as reflected in the protected quotation of another market center, the order will be handled pursuant to Chapter VI, Section 7(b)(3)(C).
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5.     *See* Securities Exchange Act Release No. 65929 (December 9, 2011), 76 FR 78057 (December 15, 2011) (SR-NASDAQ-2011-171).
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6.     15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
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7.     15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
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8.     15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
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9.     17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(1).
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10.     17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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[FR Doc. 2012-3250 Filed 2-10-12; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 8011-01-P