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###### Securities and Exchange Commission

          - [Release No. 34-66380; File No. SR-BATS-2012-009]

                    Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Act”),[1]                                          and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,[2]       ( print page 9280)                        notice is hereby given that on February 3, 2012, BATS Exchange, Inc. (the “Exchange” or “BATS”) 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 is filing with the Commission a proposal to amend Rule 11.23 entitled “Auctions” to allow orders designated to participate in the opening auction on the Exchange (“Opening Auction”) to participate in an auction in the initial public offering (“IPO”) for a security on the Exchange (“IPO Auction”).

                    The text of the proposed rule change is available at the Exchange's Web site at                     *http://www.batstrading.com*, at the principal office of the Exchange, 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 parts of such statements.

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

#### 1. Purpose

                    The Exchange recently proposed and received approval of rules governing auctions conducted on the Exchange for securities listed on the Exchange (“Exchange Auctions”).[3]                                          Specifically, the Exchange adopted rules for conducting an Opening Auction, a closing auction on the Exchange, an IPO Auction, or an auction in the event of a halt of trading in the security. The purpose of this filing is to allow orders designated to participate in the Opening Auction to also participate in an IPO Auction, as governed by Rule 11.23.                

Specifically, the Exchange proposes to amend several portions of Rule 11.23 to allow MOO, LOO, and LLOO orders to participate in IPO Auctions. Under the proposal, MOO orders would behave like market orders participating in an IPO Auction currently behave. LOO and LLOO orders would behave like limit orders participating in an IPO Auction currently behave. In order to effect the change, the Exchange proposes to amend the definition of Eligible Auction Orders for IPO Auctions to include those orders designated to exclusively participate in the Opening Auction. The Exchange also proposes modifications to the definitions of MOO, LOO, and LLOO orders and to make clear that these Opening Auction orders that are not executed as part of the IPO Auction would be cancelled immediately following the IPO Auction, exactly as currently occurs in the Opening Auction.

#### 2. Statutory Basis

                    The Exchange believes that its proposal is consistent with the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations thereunder that are applicable to a national securities exchange, and, in particular, with the requirements of Section 6(b) of the Act.[4]                                          In particular, the proposal is consistent with Section 6(b)(5) of the Act,[5]                                          because it would promote just and equitable principles of trade, remove impediments to, and perfect the mechanism of, a free and open market and a national market system. The proposed rule change is also consistent with Section 11A(a)(1) of the Act [6]                                          in that it seeks to assure fair competition among brokers and dealers by providing IPO Auction functionality that is consistent with that of other market centers for which market participants have already designed their trading systems.[7]                                          The Exchange believes that the proposed rule change promotes just and equitable principles of trade in that it promotes transparency and uniformity across markets concerning the eligibility of certain order types for IPO Auctions.                

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

The Exchange does not believe that the proposed rule change imposes any burden on competition.

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

The Exchange has neither solicited nor received written comments on 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: (i) Significantly affect the protection of investors or the public interest; (ii) impose any significant burden on competition; and (iii) become operative for 30 days from the date on which it was filed, or such shorter time as the Commission may designate, it has become effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act [8]                                          and Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii) thereunder.[9] 

                    A proposed rule change filed under 19b-4(f)(6) normally may not become operative prior to 30 days after the date of filing.[10]                                          However, Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii) [11]                                          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 Exchange notes that waiver of this requirement will allow the Exchange, before any future IPO Auctions, to harmonize with other market centers its rules regarding the eligibility of orders designated for participation in the Opening Auction for participation in IPO Auctions. The Commission believes that waiving the 30-day operative delay is consistent with the protection of investors and the public interest because such waiver would allow the Exchange to avoid confusion among its Members and would immediately provide certainty with respect to the Exchange's rules regarding participation in IPO auctions. For this reason, the Commission                           ( print page 9281)                        designates the proposed rule change to be operative upon filing with the Commission.[12] 

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 Number SR-BATS-2012-009 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-BATS-2012-009. 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 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 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-BATS-2012-009 and should be submitted on or before March 8, 2012.                

                        For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated authority.[13] 

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. 65619 (October 25, 2011), 76 FR 67238 (October 31, 2011) (SR-BATS-2011-032).                    
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4.                             15 U.S.C. 78f(b).                    
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5.                             15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).                    
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6.                             15 U.S.C. 78k-1(a)(1).                    
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7.                                                     *See*                         NYSE Arca Equities Rule 7.31(t). The Exchange is proposing to provide functionality analogous to that already available at NYSE Arca, which allows Auction-Only Orders, which consists of only MOO and LOO orders, to participate in the next auction that occurs after the order is entered. For example, a MOO or LOO order entered at NYSE Arca at any time will participate in the next occurring auction and the remaining non-executed shares are cancelled upon completion of the auction. The Exchange is proposing to apply this functionality only to IPO Auctions, while NYSE Arca applies the functionality to all auctions.                    
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8.                             15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).                    
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9.                             17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).                    
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10.                             17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6)(iii). In addition, Rule 19b-4(f)(6) requires a self-regulatory organization to give the Commission written notice of its intent to file 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.                    
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11.                                                     *Id.*
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12.                             For the purposes only of waiving the 30-day operative delay, 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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13.                                 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).                        
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[FR Doc. 2012-3609 Filed 2-15-12; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 8011-01-P