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. 34-74689; File No. SR-CME-2015-012]
 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 March 31, 2015, Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. (“CME”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) the proposed rule change described in Items I, II and III, below, which Items have been primarily prepared by CME. CME filed the proposed rule change pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act,[3]
                    
                     and Rule 19b-4(f)(4)(ii) [4]
                    
                     thereunder, so that the proposed rule change was effective upon filing with the Commission. 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 CME is filing a proposed rule change that is limited to its business as a derivatives clearing organization. More specifically, the proposed rule change would make amendments to its rules regarding the listing of new series of CDS indexes available for clearing and the deletion of the series whose termination dates have passed. II. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change In its filing with the Commission, CME included statements concerning the purpose 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. CME 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, the Proposed Rule Change CME is registered as a derivatives clearing organization (“DCO”) with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) and offers clearing services for many different futures and swaps products, including certain credit default swap index products. Currently, CME offers clearing of the Markit CDX North American Investment Grade Index Series 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 and 23. CME also offers clearing of the Markit CDX North American High Yield Index Series 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 and 23. The proposed rule change would expand CME's Markit CDX North American Investment Grade (“CDX IG”) Index and Markit CDX North American High Yield (“CDX HY”) Index product offerings by incorporating the upcoming Series 24 for both sets of index products. In addition to the changes to expand CME's CDX offering, CME also proposes to remove from the current list of accepted CDX indices certain products whose termination dates have passed. These products are set forth in the following table: CDX index
Series
Termination date
                             (scheduled termination date)CDX North American Investment Grade (CDX.NA.IG)
9
20 Dec 2014.CDX North American Investment Grade (CDX.NA.IG)
13
20 Dec 2014.CDX North American Investment Grade (CDX.NA.IG)
17
20 Dec 2014.CDX North American High Yield (CDX.NA.HY)
13
20 Dec 2014.
 Although these changes will be effective on filing, CME plans to operationalize the proposed changes as follows: CDX IG 24 will become available for clearing on March 20, 2015 and CDX HY 24 will become available for clearing on March 27, 2015; the product deletions would be effective immediately.[5] The change that is described in this filing is limited to CME's business as a DCO clearing products under the exclusive jurisdiction of the CFTC and do not materially impact CME's security-based swap clearing business in any way. CME notes that it has also certified the proposed rule change that is the subject of this filing to its primary regulator, the CFTC, in a separate filing, CME Submission 15-100.
                    ( print page 20272) CME believes the proposed rule change is consistent with the requirements of the Act, including Section 17A of the Act.[6]
                    
                     The proposed rule change would expand CME's CDX IG and CDX HY product offerings by incorporating the upcoming Series 24 for both sets of index products and would therefore provide investors with an expanded range of derivatives products for clearing and would also remove certain products whose termination dates have passed. As such, the proposed rule change is designed to promote the prompt and accurate clearance and settlement of securities transactions and, to the extent applicable, derivatives agreements, contracts, and transactions, to assure the safeguarding of securities and funds which are in the custody or control of the clearing agency or for which it is responsible, and, in general, to protect investors and the public interest consistent with Section 17A(b)(3)(F) of the Act.[7] Furthermore, the proposed rule change is limited to CME's futures and swaps clearing businesses, which means it is limited in its effect to products that are under the exclusive jurisdiction of the CFTC. As such, the proposed rule change is limited to CME's activities as a DCO clearing futures that are not security futures and swaps that are not security-based swaps. CME notes that the policies of the CFTC with respect to administering the Commodity Exchange Act are comparable to a number of the policies underlying the Act, such as promoting market transparency for over-the-counter derivatives markets, promoting the prompt and accurate clearance of transactions and protecting investors and the public interest. Because the proposed rule change is limited in its effect to CME's futures and swaps clearing businesses, the proposed rule change is properly classified as effecting a change in an existing service of CME that: (a) Primarily affects the clearing operations of CME with respect to products that are not securities, including futures that are not security futures, swaps that are not security-based swaps or mixed swaps; and forwards that are not security forwards; and (b) does not significantly affect any securities clearing operations of CME or any rights or obligations of CME with respect to securities clearing or persons using such securities-clearing service. As such, the proposed rule change is therefore consistent with the requirements of Section 17A of the Act [8]
                    
                     and are properly filed under Section 19(b)(3)(A) [9]
                    
                     and Rule 19b-4(f)(4)(ii) [10]
                    
                     thereunder. B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition CME does not believe that the proposed rule change will have any impact, or impose any burden, on competition. The proposed rule change simply facilitates the offering of two new series of credit default swap index products and deletes certain products whose termination dates have passed. Further, the proposed rule change is limited to CME's futures and swaps clearing businesses and, as such, does not affect the security-based swap clearing activities of CME in any way and therefore does not impose any burden on competition that is inappropriate 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 CME has not solicited, and does not intend to solicit, comments regarding this proposed rule change. CME has not received any unsolicited written comments from interested parties. 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) [11]
                    
                     of the Act and paragraph (f)(4)(ii) of Rule 19b-4 [12]
                    
                     thereunder. 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 email to*rule-comments@sec.gov.*
                     Please include File No. SR-CME-2015-012 on the subject line. Paper Comments Send paper comments in triplicate to Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street NE., Washington, DC 21049-1090. All submissions should refer to File Number SR-CME-2015-012. 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 or 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Copies of such filing also will be available for inspection and copying at the principal office of CME and on CME's Web site at 
                    *http://www.cmegroup.com/​market-regulation/​rule-filings.html.* 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-CME-2015-012 and should be submitted on or before May 6, 2015. For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated authority.[13] Brent J. Fields, Secretary.


# Footnotes

1.
    
                         15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1). Back to Citation
 2.
    
                         17 CFR 240.19b-4. Back to Citation
 3.
    
                         15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A). Back to Citation
 4.
    
                         17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(4)(ii). Back to Citation
 5.
    
                         Staff has not altered any part of this paragraph even though the dates referenced in this paragraph have passed. Back to Citation
 6.
    
                         15 U.S.C. 78q-1. Back to Citation
 7.
    
                         15 U.S.C. 78q-1(b)(3)(F). Back to Citation
 8.
    
                         15 U.S.C. 78q-1. Back to Citation
 9.
    
                         15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A). Back to Citation
 10.
    
                         17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(4)(ii). Back to Citation
 11.
    
                         15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A). Back to Citation
 12.
    
                         17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(4)(ii). Back to Citation
 13.
    
                             17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12). Back to Citation


[FR Doc. 2015-08544 Filed 4-14-15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8011-01-P