[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 91 (Tuesday, May 12, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26235-26236]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-12457]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-39946; File No. SR-DTC-98-03]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; The Depository Trust Company; 
Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change 
Relating to Fees and Charges

May 4, 1998.
    Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 
(``Act''),\1\ notice is hereby given that on February 20, 1998, The 
Depository Trust Company (``DTC'') filed with the Securities and 
Exchange Commission (``Commission''), as amended on March 6, 1998, the 
proposed rule change as described in Items I, II, and III below, which 
items have been prepared primarily by DTC. The Commission is publishing 
this notice to solicit comments form interested persons on the proposed 
rule change.
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    \1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
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I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of 
Substance of the Proposed Rule Change

    The proposed rule change will adjust the fees charged by DTC for 
various services provided.

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

    In its filing with the Commission, DTC 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. DTC has prepared summaries, set forth in sections (A), 
(B),

[[Page 26236]]

and (C) below, of the most significant aspects of such statements.\2\
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    \2\ The Commission has modified the text of the summaries 
prepared by DTC.
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(A) Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and 
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

    The purpose of the proposed rule change is to adjust the fees 
charged for various services in order to align them with DTC's 
projected service costs for 1998.\3\ The adjusted fees are based upon a 
review of service costs conducted by DTC's Board of Directors. This fee 
change will be effective for services provided on and after April 1, 
1998.\4\
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    \3\ The revised fee schedule is attached to DTC's rule filing 
and is available for copying at the Commission's public reference 
room.
    \4\ The last full scale revision of DTC's fees occurred in 1995 
although several revenue adjustments were made by DTC in early 1996.
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    DTC believes the 1998 fee schedule will yield $5.0 million more in 
operating revenue annually than the present fee schedule would have 
yielded. DTC believes that the new fees will result in an average fee 
increase of 1.0% for participants based on their monthly bills from DTC 
for October, November, and December of 1997.
    DTC believes that the proposed rule change is consistent with the 
requirements of Section 17A of the Act \5\ and the rules and 
regulations thereunder because it provides for the equitable allocation 
of dues, fees, and other charges among DTC's participants and other 
parties that use DTC's services.
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    \5\ 15 U.S.C. 78q-1.
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(B) Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition

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

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

    Written comments from DTC participants or others have not been 
received on the proposed rule change. Participants and other users of 
DTC's services were informed that DTC's annual fees would likely 
increase by $5.0 million or approximately 1.5% in a July 2, 1997, 
memorandum entitled ``Preliminary Projections for 1997 Year-end General 
Refund and Anticipated 1998 Service Fees.'' DTC informed participants 
and other users of its services of the proposed fee revisions by a 
memorandum dated February 5, 1998, entitled ``1998 Revisions of DTC 
Service Fees.'' Because participants have supported cost based fees in 
the past and because the subject fee changes overall are modest, DTC 
did not consider necessary a formal period for participant comment this 
year.

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)(ii) \6\ of the Act and pursuant to Rule 19b-4(e)(2) \7\ 
promulgated thereunder because the proposal establishes or changes a 
due, fee, or other charge imposed by DTC. At any time within sixty days 
of the filing of such proposed rule change, the Commission may 
summarily abrogate 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.
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    \6\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(ii)
    \7\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(e)(2).
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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. Persons making written submissions 
should file six copies thereof with the Secretary, Securities and 
Exchange Commission, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549. 
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. Sec. 552, will be available for inspection and copying in 
the Commission's Public Reference Section, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., 
Washington, D.C. 20549. Copies of such filing also will be available 
for inspection and copying at the principal office of DTC. All 
submissions should refer to File No. SR-DTC-98-03 and should be 
submitted by June 2, 1998.

    For the Commission by the Division of Market Regulation, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\8\
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    \8\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Margaret H. McFarland,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 98-12457 Filed 5-11-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8010-01-M