[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 56 (Thursday, March 23, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15315-15316]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-7138]



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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
[Release No. 34-35502; File No. SR-PSE-94-27]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; The Pacific Stock Exchange 
Incorporated; Order Approving Proposed Rule Change Relating to 
Implementation of a Three-Day Settlement Standard

March 16, 1995.
    On December 19, 1994, The Pacific Stock Exchange Incorporated 
(``PSE'') filed a proposed rule change (File No. SR-PSE-94-27) with the 
Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission'') pursuant to Section 
19(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (``Act'').\1\ Notice of 
the proposal was published in the Federal Register on January 12, 1995 
to solicit comments from interested persons.\2\ The Commission received 
one written comment.\3\ As discussed below, this order approves the 
proposed rule change.

    \1\15 U.S.C. Sec. 78s(b) (1988).
    \2\Securities Exchange Act Release No. 35193 (January 4, 1995), 
60 FR 3015.
    \3\Letter from P. Howard Edelstein, President, Electronic 
Settlements Group, Thomson Trading Services, Inc., to Jonathan G. 
Katz, Secretary, Commission (February 1, 1995).
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I. Description

    In October 1993, the Commission adopted Rule 15c6-1 under the 
Act\4\ which establishes three business days after the trade date 
(``T+3''), instead of five business days (``T+5''), as the standard 
settlement cycle for most securities transactions. The rule will become 
effective June 7, 1995.\5\ Several of the PSE's rules are interrelated 
with the standard settlement time frame. The purpose of the proposed 
rule change is to amend PSE's rules to be consistent with a T+3 
settlement standard for securities transactions.

    \4\17 CFR 240.15c6-1 (1994).
    \5\Securities Exchange Act Release Nos. 33023 (October 6, 1993), 
58 FR 52891 (order adopting Rule 15c6-1 and 34952 (November 9, 
1994), 59 FR 59137 (changing effective date from June 1, 1995, to 
June 7, 1995).
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    Under PSE Rule 5.7, transactions in stocks traded ``regular'' will 
be ``ex-dividend'' or ``ex-rights,'' as the case may be, on the second 
business day preceding the record date fixed by the company or the date 
of the closing of transfer books, except when PSE's board of directors 
rules otherwise. Rule 5.7 also provides that should such record date or 
such closing of transfer books occur upon a day other than a business 
day, this rule applies for the third preceding business day.
    Under Rule 5.9(a)(2), transactions in securities admitted to 
dealings on an ``issued'' basis settling ``regular way'' will be for 
delivery on the third business day following the day of the contract. 
Rule 5.9(a)(3) provides that transactions on a ``seller's option'' 
basis will be made for delivery at the option of the seller within the 
time specified in the option, which time may not be less than four 
business days following the date of the contract. Rule 5.9(a)(4) 
provides that transactions in rights and warrants may be made on a 
``next day'' basis only during the three business days preceding the 
final day for trading therein.
    Rule 9.12(a)(4) requires that no member organization may grant 
delivery versus payment (``DVP'') or receipt versus payment (``RVP'') 
privileges to a customer without obtaining an agreement from the 
customer to provide instructions to its agent no later than the second 
day after the trade date for RVP trades or no later than the first 
business day after trade date for DVP trades.
    PSE has requested that the proposed rule change become effective on 
the same date as Rule 15c6-1. Rule 15c6-1 will become effective on June 
7, 1995.\6\

    \6\The transition from five day settlement to three day 
settlement will occur over a four day period. Friday, June 2, will 
be the last trading day with five business day settlement. Monday, 
June 5, and Tuesday, June 6, will be trading days with four business 
day with three business day settlement. As a result, trades from 
June 2 and June 5 will settle on Friday, June 9. Trades from June 6 
and June 7 will settle on Monday, June 12.
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II. Written Comment

    The Commission received one comment letter from Thomson Trading 
Services, Inc. (``Thomson'') suggesting that additional regulatory 
changes may be necessary to implement T+3 [[Page 15316]] settlement.\7\ 
Thomas believes that the PSE should amend Rule 9.12(a)(5) which 
requires the use of the facilities of a registered securities 
depository for confirmation and acknowledgement of all transaction in 
depository-eligible securities.

    \7\Supra note 3.
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III. Discussion

    The Commission believes the proposal is consistent with the 
requirements of Section 6 of the Act.\8\ Specifically, Section 6(b)(5) 
states that the rules of the exchange must be designed to foster 
cooperation and coordination with persons engaged in regulating, 
clearing, settling, and processing information. The PSE rules and other 
self-regulatory organizations' rules currently establish the standard 
time frame for settlement of securities transactions. On June 7, 1995, 
the new settlement cycle of T+3 will be established as mandated by the 
Commission's Rule 15cb-1. As a result, the PSE's current rule providing 
for a T+5 settlement cycle will be inconsistent with the Commission 
rule. This proposal will amend the PSE's rules to harmonize them with 
the Commission's Rule 15cb-1 and a T+3 settlement cycle.

    \8\15 U.S.C. Sec. 78f (1988).
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    In addition, the Commission believes that the proposed rule change 
is consistent with Section 6(b)(5) of the Act in that it protects 
investors and the public interest by reducing risks to clearing 
corporations, their members, and public investors which are inherent in 
settling securities transactions. The reduction of the time period for 
settlement of most securities transactions will correspondingly 
decrease the number of unsettled trades in the clearance and settlement 
system at any given time. Thus, fewer unsettled trades will be subject 
to credit and market risk, and there will be less time between trade 
execution and settlement for the value of those trades to 
deteriorate.\9\

    \9\The Commission release adopting Rule 15c6-1 stated that ``the 
value of securities positions can change suddenly causing a market 
participant to default on unsettled positions. Because the markets 
are interwoven through common members, default at one clearing 
corporation or by a major market participant or end-user could 
trigger additional failures resulting in risk to the national 
clearance and settlement system.'' Securities Exchange Act Release 
No. 33023 (October 6, 1993), 58 FR 52891.
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    While Thomson's letter supports the PSE's efforts to shorten the 
settlement cycle for securities transactions, Thomson believes that the 
PSE should amend Rule 9.12(a)(5), which requires the use of the 
facilities of a registered securities depository for the confirmation 
and acknowledgement of all transactions in depository-eligible 
securities where payment for securities purchased or delivery of 
securities sold is to be made by or to an agent of the customer. The 
Commission believes that the issue raised by the Thomson letter need 
not be resolved prior to the approval of the proposed rule change. 
Discussions regarding Thomson's concerns are underway among the 
Commission, Thomson, and DTC. DTC has submitted a rule filing that will 
establish a linkage between DTC and vendors such as Thomson.\10\ The 
Commission intends to consider whether self-regulatory organization 
rules should continue to preclude use of private vendor systems for 
confirmation/affirmation services in DVP/RVP trades. However, if the 
PSE's proposed rule change being approved by this order is not approved 
prior to the June 7, 1995, effective date of Rule 15c6-1, the PSE rules 
will conflict with the Commission's Rule 15c6-1.

    \10\Securities Exchange Act Release No. 35332 (February 3, 
1995), 60 FR 8102 (notice of proposed rule filing).
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    The Thomson letter suggests that approval of the proposed rule 
change without amendments to Rule 9.12(a)(5) raises competitive 
concerns. Under the Act, the Commission's responsibility is to balance 
the perceived anticompetitive effects of a regulatory policy or 
decision against the purpose of the Act that would be advanced by the 
policy or decisions and the costs associated therewith. The Commission 
notes that any anticompetitive effects pointed to by Thomson are not 
caused by the proposed rule change being approved by this order but 
rather by an existing PSE rule. The Commission is reviewing Thomson's 
claim but does not believe that approval of this proposal will itself 
create any burdens on competition. Moreover, as discussed above, the 
rule advances fundamental purposes under the Act, namely the efficient 
clearance and settlement of securities.

IV. Conclusion

    For the reasons stated above, the Commission finds that PSE's 
proposal is consistent with Section 6 of the Act.\11\

    \11\15 U.S.C. Sec. 78f (1988).
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    It is Therefore Ordered, pursuant to Section 19(b)(2) of the 
Act,\12\ that the proposed rule change (File No. SR-PSE-94-27) be and 
hereby is approved and will become effective on June 7, 1995.

    \12\15 U.S.C. Sec. 78s(b)(2) (1988)
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    For the Commission by the Division of Market Regulation, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\13\

    \13\17 CFR 200.30(a) (12) (1994).
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Margaret H. McFarland,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 95-7138 Filed 3-22-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8010-01-M