Browse: Departments Dates Agencies
DOCUMENT ID: [Release No. 34-58126; File No. SR-NSCC-2008-04]
SUBJECT CATEGORY: Self-Regulatory Organizations; The National Securities Clearing Corporation; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change Relating to the Use of NSCC's Mutual Fund Service by Investment Managers in Managed Account Programs
DOCUMENT SUMMARY: July 9, 2008.
Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(``Act''),\1\ notice is hereby given that on June 24, 2008, the
National Securities Clearing Corporation (``NSCC'') filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission'') the proposed rule
change described in Items I, II, and III below, which items have been
prepared primarily by NSCC. The Commission is publishing this notice to
solicit comments on the proposed rule change from interested parties. \1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
I. SelfRegulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance of the Proposed Rule Change
NSCC proposes to amend its rule in order to allow an investment
manager in a managed account program to access NSCC's mutual fund services without money settlement obligations.\2\
\2\ Changes are to the rule text that appears in the electronic
manual of NSCC found at http://www.nscc.com/legal/.
II. SelfRegulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change
In its filing with the Commission, NSCC 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. NSCC has prepared summaries, set forth in sections (A),
(B), and (C) below, of the most significant aspects of these statements.\3\
\3\ The Commission has modified the text of the summaries prepared by the NSCC.
A. SelfRegulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change
Currently, there is no centralized and automated communication process that supports mutual fund transactions in managed account programs. Generally, the investment manager must input the transaction into one or more sponsor or service provider managed account systems. The transaction must then be moved to the sponsor's broker/dealer system for communication to the mutual fund via NSCC's Fund/SERV or directly to the fund outside of Fund/SERV. After the transaction is processed through Fund/SERV or processed directly with the fund, the sponsor(s) or service provider's managed account system must then be updated to reflect the mutual fund transaction and to communicate that information to the investment manager. Consequently, the inclusion of mutual funds in managed accounts imposes operational and technological restraints, requires additional processing, incurs added costs, and is more susceptible to error.
The purpose of the proposed rule change will amend the rules of NSCC regarding membership and use of NSCC's mutual fund services to allow an investment manager in a managed account program to access NSCC's mutual fund services without money settlement. The proposed rule change will allow an investment manager for a managed account program or a service provider to the investment manager to access NSCC's mutual fund services in respect of mutual fund transactions for which the managed account program sponsor will settle. The investment manager or the service provider that maintains the investment manager's platform will become a nonsettling member, called an Investment Manager/Agent Member (``IMA Member''), and will have access to Fund/SERV and NSCC's other mutual fund services for transactions in managed account programs.
An NSCC settling member (generally the sponsor for the managed account program) will contractually agree with NSCC to settle the IMA Member's transactions at NSCC. The settling member will receive a report showing all the transactions of the IMA Member and can cancel any transaction intraday. The settling member must be an NSCC Member or Mutual Fund/IPS Member, and therefore subject to NSCC's standards of membership as apply were it to be settling its own transactions in mutual fund services at NSCC.
NSCC expects that the proposed rule change will remove the operational obstacles to adding mutual funds to managed account offerings, allow investment managers one entry point for mutual fund transactions, and automate the reconciliation of managed account platforms direct to Fund/SERV. The type of arrangement proposed by this rule change is analogous to that of a Third Party Administration (``TPA'') Member under NSCC's Defined Contribution Clearance & Settlement (DCC&S) mutual fund services.
NSCC believes that the proposed rule change is consistent with the
requirements of Section 17A of the Act \4\ and the rules and
regulations thereunder applicable to NSCC because the proposed rule
change should promote processing efficiencies between investment
managers in a managed account program, the sponsors of the program, and
the fund companies in which the program assets are invested, thereby
facilitating the prompt and accurate processing of securities transactions.
\4\ 15 U.S.C. 78q1.
B. SelfRegulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition
NSCC 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.
C. SelfRegulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed Rule Change Received From Members, Participants, or Others
No written comments relating to the proposed rule change have been
solicited or received. NSCC will notify the Commission of any written comments received by NSCC.
III. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed Rule Change and Timing for Commission Action
The foregoing rule change has become effective upon filing pursuant
to Section 19(b)(3)(A)(iii) of the Act \5\ and Rule 19b4(f)(6) \6\
thereunder in that it (1) does not significantly affect the protection
of investors or the public interest; (ii) does not impose any
significant burden on competition; (iii) by its terms, does not become
operative for 30 days after the date from which it was filed (June 24,
2008), or such shorter time as the Commission may designate if
consistent with the protection of investors and the public interest. At
any time within sixty days of the filing of such 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.
\5\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(iii).
\6\ 17 CFR 240.19b4(f)(6).
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
All submissions should refer to File Number SRNSCC200804. 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 inspection and copying in the Commission's Public Reference Room, 100 F Street, NE., Washington, DC 20549, on official business days between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Copies of such filings also will be available for inspection and copying at the principal office of NSCC and on NSCC's Web site, http:// www.nscc.com/legal/. 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 SRNSCC200804 and should be submitted on or before August 6, 2008.
For the Commission by the Division of Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated authority.\7\
\7\ 17 CFR 200.303(a)(12).
Florence E. Harmon,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. E816229 Filed 71508; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 801001P
SUMMARY: National Securities Clearing Corp.,
DOCUMENT BODY 2: July 9, 2008.
Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(``Act''),\1\ notice is hereby given that on June 24, 2008, the
National Securities Clearing Corporation (``NSCC'') filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission'') the proposed rule
change described in Items I, II, and III below, which items have been
prepared primarily by NSCC. The Commission is publishing this notice to
solicit comments on the proposed rule change from interested parties. \1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
I. SelfRegulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance of the Proposed Rule Change
NSCC proposes to amend its rule in order to allow an investment
manager in a managed account program to access NSCC's mutual fund services without money settlement obligations.\2\
\2\ Changes are to the rule text that appears in the electronic
manual of NSCC found at http://www.nscc.com/legal/.
II. SelfRegulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change
In its filing with the Commission, NSCC 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. NSCC has prepared summaries, set forth in sections (A),
(B), and (C) below, of the most significant aspects of these statements.\3\
\3\ The Commission has modified the text of the summaries prepared by the NSCC.
A. SelfRegulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change
Currently, there is no centralized and automated communication process that supports mutual fund transactions in managed account programs. Generally, the investment manager must input the transaction into one or more sponsor or service provider managed account systems. The transaction must then be moved to the sponsor's broker/dealer system for communication to the mutual fund via NSCC's Fund/SERV or directly to the fund outside of Fund/SERV. After the transaction is processed through Fund/SERV or processed directly with the fund, the sponsor(s) or service provider's managed account system must then be updated to reflect the mutual fund transaction and to communicate that information to the investment manager. Consequently, the inclusion of mutual funds in managed accounts imposes operational and technological restraints, requires additional processing, incurs added costs, and is more susceptible to error.
The purpose of the proposed rule change will amend the rules of NSCC regarding membership and use of NSCC's mutual fund services to allow an investment manager in a managed account program to access NSCC's mutual fund services without money settlement. The proposed rule change will allow an investment manager for a managed account program or a service provider to the investment manager to access NSCC's mutual fund services in respect of mutual fund transactions for which the managed account program sponsor will settle. The investment manager or the service provider that maintains the investment manager's platform will become a nonsettling member, called an Investment Manager/Agent Member (``IMA Member''), and will have access to Fund/SERV and NSCC's other mutual fund services for transactions in managed account programs.
An NSCC settling member (generally the sponsor for the managed account program) will contractually agree with NSCC to settle the IMA Member's transactions at NSCC. The settling member will receive a report showing all the transactions of the IMA Member and can cancel any transaction intraday. The settling member must be an NSCC Member or Mutual Fund/IPS Member, and therefore subject to NSCC's standards of membership as apply were it to be settling its own transactions in mutual fund services at NSCC.
NSCC expects that the proposed rule change will remove the operational obstacles to adding mutual funds to managed account offerings, allow investment managers one entry point for mutual fund transactions, and automate the reconciliation of managed account platforms direct to Fund/SERV. The type of arrangement proposed by this rule change is analogous to that of a Third Party Administration (``TPA'') Member under NSCC's Defined Contribution Clearance & Settlement (DCC&S) mutual fund services.
NSCC believes that the proposed rule change is consistent with the
requirements of Section 17A of the Act \4\ and the rules and
regulations thereunder applicable to NSCC because the proposed rule
change should promote processing efficiencies between investment
managers in a managed account program, the sponsors of the program, and
the fund companies in which the program assets are invested, thereby
facilitating the prompt and accurate processing of securities transactions.
\4\ 15 U.S.C. 78q1.
B. SelfRegulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition
NSCC 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.
C. SelfRegulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed Rule Change Received From Members, Participants, or Others
No written comments relating to the proposed rule change have been
solicited or received. NSCC will notify the Commission of any written comments received by NSCC.
III. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed Rule Change and Timing for Commission Action
The foregoing rule change has become effective upon filing pursuant
to Section 19(b)(3)(A)(iii) of the Act \5\ and Rule 19b4(f)(6) \6\
thereunder in that it (1) does not significantly affect the protection
of investors or the public interest; (ii) does not impose any
significant burden on competition; (iii) by its terms, does not become
operative for 30 days after the date from which it was filed (June 24,
2008), or such shorter time as the Commission may designate if
consistent with the protection of investors and the public interest. At
any time within sixty days of the filing of such 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.
\5\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(iii).
\6\ 17 CFR 240.19b4(f)(6).
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
All submissions should refer to File Number SRNSCC200804. 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 inspection and copying in the Commission's Public Reference Room, 100 F Street, NE., Washington, DC 20549, on official business days between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Copies of such filings also will be available for inspection and copying at the principal office of NSCC and on NSCC's Web site, http:// www.nscc.com/legal/. 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 SRNSCC200804 and should be submitted on or before August 6, 2008.
For the Commission by the Division of Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated authority.\7\
\7\ 17 CFR 200.303(a)(12).
Florence E. Harmon,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. E816229 Filed 71508; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 801001P
14 CFR Part 39 40 CFR Part 52 14 CFR Part 71 33 CFR Part 165 50 CFR Part 679 47 CFR Part 73 26 CFR Part 1 40 CFR Part 180 33 CFR Part 117 50 CFR Part 17 44 CFR Part 67 50 CFR Part 648 14 CFR Part 97 33 CFR Part 100 40 CFR Part 63 50 CFR Part 622 44 CFR Part 65 50 CFR Part 660 26 CFR Part 301 39 CFR Part 111 40 CFR Part 300 6 CFR Part 5 40 CFR Part 271 47 CFR Part 64 40 CFR Parts 52 and 81 50 CFR Part 665 44 CFR Part 64 10 CFR Part 50 49 CFR Part 571 47 CFR Part 76