75608 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 243 / Thursday, December 18, 2014 / Notices 

13 17 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12). 

1 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1). 

2 15 U.S.C. 78a. 

3 17 CFR 240.19b–4. 4 15 U.S.C. 78f(b). 5 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5). 

2014–29 and should be submitted on or 

before January 8, 2015. 

For the Commission, by the Division of 

Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated 

authority.13

Kevin M. O’Neill, 

Deputy Secretary. 

[FR Doc. 2014–29616 Filed 12–17–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 8011–01–P 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE 

COMMISSION 

[Release No. 34–73830; File No. SR– 

NYSEArca–2014–138] 

Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE 

Arca, Inc.; Notice of Filing and 

Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed 

Rule Change Amending Rule 6.62(k) To 

Disallow Market Orders From Being 

Eligible for Designation as An 

Immediate-or-Cancel Order 

December 12, 2014. 

Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) 1 of the 

Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the 

‘‘Act’’) 2 and Rule 19b–4 thereunder,3

notice is hereby given that, on December 

2, 2014, NYSE Arca, Inc. (the 

‘‘Exchange’’ or ‘‘NYSE Arca’’) filed with 

the Securities and Exchange 

Commission (the ‘‘Commission’’) the 

proposed rule change as described in 

Items I and II below, which Items have 

been prepared by the self-regulatory 

organization. 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 the Substance 

of the Proposed Rule Change 

The Exchange proposes to amend 

Rule 6.62(k) (Certain Types of Orders 

Defined) to disallow Market Orders from 

being eligible for designation as an 

Immediate-or-Cancel order (‘‘IOC 

Order’’). The text of the proposed rule 

change is available on the Exchange’s 

Web site at www.nyse.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 the 

Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule 

Change 

In its filing with the Commission, the 

self-regulatory organization 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 those 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 

Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule 

Change 

1. Purpose 

The Exchange proposes to amend 

Rule 6.62(k) to disallow Market Orders 

from being eligible for designation as an 

IOC Order. 

Per Rule 6.62(k), an IOC Order is 

defined as ‘‘A Market or Limit Order 

that is to be executed in whole or in part 

on the Exchange as soon as such order 

is received, and the portion not so 

executed is to be treated as canceled.’’ 

Per Rule 6.62(a), ‘‘[a] Market Order is an 

order to buy or sell a stated number of 

option contracts and is to be executed 

at the best price obtainable when the 

order reaches the Exchange.’’ Market 

participants entering a Market Order are 

instructing the Exchange to execute 

their order in its entirety at the best 

price, immediately upon arrival at the 

Exchange, subject to Trade Collar 

Protection set forth in Rule 6.60(a). 

The Exchange believes that attaching 

the IOC time-in-force condition to a 

Market Order is unnecessary because 

Market Orders, by definition, are 

intended to be executed at the best price 

available at the Exchange. In essence, 

except when subject to Trade Collar 

Protection, a Market Order already 

operates similarly to an order with an 

IOC time-in-force condition. To 

streamline the offerings of Exchange 

order types, the Exchange therefore 

proposes to eliminate the ability to 

designate a Market Orders [sic] as an 

IOC Order. The Exchange believes the 

proposed change would assist with the 

maintenance of fair and orderly markets 

because it would reduce the complexity 

of order types available to market 

participants and would help clarify the 

nature of order types available for 

trading on the Exchange. 

Implementation 

The Exchange will announce the 

implementation date of this change 

through a Trader Update. 

2. Statutory Basis 

The proposed rule change is 

consistent with Section 6(b) 4 of the 

Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the 

‘‘Act’’), in general, and furthers the 

objectives of Section 6(b)(5),5 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 

mechanism of a free and open market 

and a national market system. 

Specifically, the Exchange believes the 

proposed change would assist with the 

maintenance of fair and orderly markets 

because it would reduce the complexity 

of order types available to market 

participants, thereby adding 

transparency and clarity to the 

Exchange’s rules, and would help 

clarify the nature of order types 

available for trading on the Exchange. 

The Exchange further believes that 

deleting the IOC time-in-force modifier 

for Market Orders would also remove 

impediments to and perfect the 

mechanism of a free and open market by 

ensuring that members, regulators and 

the public can more easily navigate the 

Exchange’s rulebook and better 

understand the order types available for 

trading on the Exchange. Moreover, the 

Exchange believes that the elimination 

of the IOC time-in-force modifier for 

Market Orders would simplify order 

processing and reduce the burden on 

system capacity, which the Exchange 

believes is consistent with promoting 

just and equitable principles of trade as 

well as protecting 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 that is not 

necessary or appropriate in furtherance 

of the purposes of the Act. Specifically, 

the Exchange believes that the proposed 

rule change would relieve a burden on 

competition by eliminating an order 

type and streamlining the Exchange’s 

rule. In doing so, the proposed rule 

change would also serve to promote 

regulatory clarity and consistency, 

thereby reducing burdens on the 

marketplace and facilitating investor 

protection. 

C. Self-Regulatory Organization’s 

Statement on Comments on the 

Proposed Rule Change Received From 

Members, Participants, or Others 

No written comments were solicited 

or received with respect to the proposed 

rule change. 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 243 / Thursday, December 18, 2014 / Notices 75609 

6 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(iii). 

7 17 CFR 240.19b–4(f)(6). 

8 17 CFR 240.19b–4(f)(6). As required under Rule 

19b–4(f)(6)(iii), the Exchange provided the 

Commission with written notice of its intent to file 

the proposed rule change, along with a brief 

description and the text of 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. 

9 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2)(B). 10 17 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12). 

III. Date of Effectiveness of the 

Proposed Rule Change and Timing for 

Commission Action 

The Exchange has filed the proposed 

rule change pursuant to Section 

19(b)(3)(A)(iii) of the Act 6 and Rule 

19b–4(f)(6) thereunder.7 Because the 

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 

prior to 30 days from the date on which 

it was filed, or such shorter time as the 

Commission may designate, if 

consistent with the protection of 

investors and the public interest, the 

proposed rule change has become 

effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) 

of the Act and Rule 19b–4(f)(6) 

thereunder.8

At any time within 60 days of the 

filing of such 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 

under Section 19(b)(2)(B) 9 of the Act to 

determine whether the proposed rule 

change 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 rulecomments@sec.gov. Please include File 

Number SR–NYSEArca–2014–138 on 

the subject line. 

Paper Comments 

• Send paper comments in triplicate 

to Secretary, Securities and Exchange 

Commission, 100 F Street NE., 

Washington, DC 20549–1090. 

All submissions should refer to File 

Number SR–NYSEArca–2014–138. 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 

10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Copies of such 

filing also will be available for 

inspection and copying at the principal 

office of 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– 

NYSEArca–2014–138, and should be 

submitted on or before January 8, 2015. 

For the Commission, by the Division of 

Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated 

authority.10

Kevin M. O’Neill, 

Deputy Secretary. 

[FR Doc. 2014–29618 Filed 12–17–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 8011–01–P 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE 

COMMISSION 

[File No. 500–1] 

Geo Finance Corporation; Order of 

Suspension of Trading 

December 16, 2014. 

It appears to the Securities and 

Exchange Commission that there is a 

lack of current and accurate information 

concerning the securities of Geo Finance 

Corporation (‘‘Geo Finance’’) because of 

concerns regarding the accuracy and 

adequacy of information in the 

marketplace and potentially 

manipulative activity related to Geo 

Finance common stock. Geo Finance is 

a Florida corporation with its principal 

place of business located in Toronto, 

Ontario, Canada. Its stock is quoted on 

OTC Link, (previously ‘‘Pink Sheets’’) 

operated by OTC Markets Group Inc., 

under the ticker symbol: GEFI. 

The Commission is of the opinion that 

the public interest and the protection of 

investors require a suspension of trading 

in the securities of the above-listed 

company. 

Therefore, it is ordered, pursuant to 

Section 12(k) of the Securities Exchange 

Act of 1934, that trading in the 

securities of the above-listed company is 

suspended for the period from 9:30 a.m. 

EST, on December 16, 2014 through 

11:59 p.m. EST, on December 30, 2014. 

By the Commission. 

Jill M. Peterson, 

Assistant Secretary. 

[FR Doc. 2014–29729 Filed 12–16–14; 11:15 am] 

BILLING CODE 8011–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF STATE 

[Public Notice 8978] 

Updated Call for Reviewers of the 

World Ocean Assessment 

AGENCY: U.S. Department of State. 

ACTION: Notice of a Certification. 

The U.S. Department of State, in 

coordination with the National Ocean 

Council, requests expert review of the 

draft World Ocean Assessment. 

The United Nations (UN) has 

embarked on a regular process for global 

reporting on, and assessment of, the 

state of the marine environment, 

including socioeconomic aspects, the 

product of which is called the World 

Ocean Assessment (WOA). The 

projected, revised completion date for 

the first WOA is September 2015. 

Subsequent WOAs are expected to be 

generated every five years to document 

trends in the state of the marine 

environment. The WOA includes more 

than fifty subjects grouped within four 

main themes: Marine environment and 

understanding of the ocean’s role in the 

global integrated Earth system; food 

security and food safety; human 

activities that influence the ocean or are 

influenced by the ocean; and marine 

biological diversity. A scientific and 

technical summary will integrate 

content to show linkages through 

interdisciplinary subjects such as 

human impacts, ecosystem services, and 

habitats. More information regarding the 

evolution and methodology of the WOA 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES