The following terms shall have the meaning specified in this Rule solely for the purpose of this Options 5:
(1) "Best Bid" and "Best Offer" mean the highest priced Bid and the lowest priced Offer.
(2) "Bid" or "Offer" means the bid price or the offer price communicated by a member of an Eligible Exchange to any Broker/Dealer, or to any customer, at which it is willing to buy or sell, as either principal or agent, but shall not include indications
of interest.
(3) "Broker/Dealer" means an individual or organization registered with the SEC in accordance with Section 15(b)(1) of the Exchange Act or a foreign broker or dealer exempt from such registration pursuant to Rule 15a-6 under the Exchange Act.
(4) "Complex Trade" means: (i) the execution of an order in an option series in conjunction with the execution of one or more related order(s) in different option series in the same underlying security occurring at or near the same time in a ratio that is
equal to or greater than one-to-three (.333) and less than or equal to three-to-one (3.0) and for the purpose of executing a particular investment strategy; or (ii) the execution of a stock-option order to buy or sell a stated number of units of an underlying
stock or a security convertible into the underlying stock ("convertible security") coupled with the purchase or sale of option contract(s) on the opposite side of the market representing either (A) the same number of units of the underlying stock or convertible
security, or (B) the number of units of the underlying stock or convertible security necessary to create a delta neutral position, but in no case in a ratio greater than eight (8) option contracts per unit of trading of the underlying stock or convertible
security established for that series by the Clearing Corporation.
(5) "Crossed Market" means a quoted market in which a Protected Bid is higher than a Protected Offer in a series of an Eligible Class.
(6) "Customer" means an individual or organization that is not a Broker/Dealer.
(7) "Eligible Exchange" means a national securities exchange registered with the SEC in accordance with Section 6(a) of the Exchange Act that: (a) is a Participant Exchange in OCC (as that term is defined in Section VII of the OCC by-laws); (b) is a party
to the OPRA Plan (as that term is described in Section I of the OPRA Plan); and (c) if the national securities exchange chooses not to become a party to this Plan, is a participant in another plan approved by the Commission providing for comparable Trade-Through
and Locked and Crossed Market protection.
(8) "Intermarket Sweep Order (ISO)" means a limit order for an options series that meets the following requirements:
(a) When routed to an Eligible Exchange, the order is identified as an ISO;
(b) Simultaneously with the routing of the order, one or more additional ISOs, as necessary, are routed to execute against the full displayed size of any Protected Bid, in the case of a limit order to
sell, or any Protected Offer, in the case of a limit order to buy, for the options series with a price that is superior to the limit price of the ISO, with such additional orders also marked as ISOs.
(9) "Locked Market" means a quoted market in which a Protected Bid is equal to a Protected Offer in a series of an Eligible Options Class.
(10) "NBBO" means the national best bid and offer in an option series as calculated by an Eligible Exchange.
(11) "Non-Firm" means, with respect to quotations, that Members of an Eligible Exchange are relieved of their obligation to be firm for their quotations pursuant to Rule 602 under the Exchange Act.
(12) "OCC" means The Options Clearing Corporation.
(13) "OPRA" means the Options Price Reporting Authority.
(14) "OPRA Plan" means the plan filed with the SEC pursuant to Section 11Aa(1)(C)(iii) of the Exchange Act, approved by the SEC and declared effective as of January 22, 1976, as from time to time amended.
(15) "Participant" means an Eligible Exchange whose participation in the Plan has become effective pursuant to Section 3(c) of the Plan.
(16) "Plan" means the Options Order Protection and Locked/Crossed Market Plan, as such plan may be amended from time to time.
(17) "Protected Bid" or "Protected Offer" means a Bid or Offer in an options series, respectively, that:
(a) Is disseminated pursuant to the OPRA Plan; and
(b) Is the Best Bid or Best Offer, respectively, displayed by an Eligible Exchange.
(18) "Protected Quotation" means a Protected Bid or Protected Offer.
(19) "Quotation" means a Bid or Offer.
(20) "Trade-Through" means a transaction in an options series at a price that is lower than a Protected Bid or higher than a Protected Offer.
Adopted October 23, 2019 (SR-BX-2019-039).
(a) Avoidance of Trade-Throughs. Except as provided in paragraph (b) below, Members shall not effect Trade-Throughs..
(b) Exceptions to Trade-Through Liability. The provisions of paragraph (a) pertaining to the satisfaction of Trade-Throughs shall not apply under the following circumstances:
(1) If an Eligible Exchange repeatedly fails to respond within one second to incoming orders attempting to access its Protected Quotations, the Exchange may bypass those Protected Quotations by:
(i) Notifying the non-responding Eligible Exchange immediately after (or at the same time as) electing self-help; and
(ii) Assessing whether the cause of the problem lies with its own systems and, if so, taking immediate steps to resolve the problem;
Any time a determination to bypass Protected Quotations of an Eligible Exchange is made pursuant to this sub-paragraph, the Exchange must promptly document the reasons supporting such determination.
(2) The transaction traded through a Protected Quotation being disseminated by an Eligible Exchange during a trading rotation;
(3) The transaction that constituted the Trade-Through occurred when there was a Crossed Market;
(4) The transaction that constitutes the Trade-Through is the execution of an order identified as an ISO;
(5) The transaction that constitutes the Trade-Through is effected by the Exchange while simultaneously routing an ISO to execute against the full displayed size of any better-priced Protected Quotation;
(6) The Eligible Exchange displaying the Protected Quotation that was traded through had displayed, within one second prior to execution of the Trade-Through, a Best bid or Best offer, as applicable,
for the options series with a price that was equal or inferior to the price of the Trade-Through transaction;
(7) The Protected Quotation traded through was being disseminated from an Eligible Exchange whose Quotations were Non-Firm with respect to such options series;
(8) The transaction that constituted the Trade-Through was effected as a portion of a Complex Trade;
(9) The transaction that constituted the Trade-Through was the execution of an order for which, at the time of receipt of the order, a Member had guaranteed an execution at no worse than a specified
price (a "stopped order"), where:
(i) the stopped order was for the account of a Customer;
(ii) the Customer agreed to the specified price on an order-by-order basis; and
(iii) the price of the Trade-Through was, for a stopped buy order, lower than the national Best Bid in the options series at the time of execution, or, for a stopped sell order, higher than the national
Best Offer in the options series at the time of execution;
(10) The transaction that constituted the Trade-Through was the execution of an order that was stopped at a price that did not Trade-Through an Eligible Exchange at the time of the stop; or
(11) The transaction that constituted the Trade-Through was the execution of an order at a price that was not based, directly or indirectly, on the quoted price of the options series at the time of execution
and for which the material terms were not reasonably determinable at the time the commitment to execute the order was made.
Adopted October 23, 2019 (SR-BX-2019-039); amended January 29, 2020 (SR-BX-2020-001).
Section 3. Locked and Crossed Markets
(a) BX offers two routing strategies, FIND and SRCH. Each of these routing strategies will be explained in more detail below. An order may in the alternative be marked Do Not Route or "DNR". The Exchange notes that for purposes of this Rule the System will
route FIND and SRCH Orders with no other contingencies. Immediate or Cancel ("IOC") Orders will be cancelled immediately if not executed, and will not be routed. The System checks the Order Book for available contracts for potential execution against the FIND or
SRCH Orders. After the System checks the Order Book for available contracts, orders are sent to other available market centers for potential execution. When checking the Order Book, the System will seek to execute at the price at which it would send the order
to an away market. For purposes of this Rule, a Route Timer shall not exceed one second and shall begin at the time orders are accepted into the System, and the System will consider whether an order can be routed at the conclusion of each Route Timer. Finally,
for purposes of this Rule, "exposure" or "exposing" an order shall mean a notification sent to participants with the price, size, and side of interest that is available for execution. Exposure notifications will be sent to participants in accordance with the
routing procedures described in Options 5, Section 4(a)(iii) below except if an incoming order is joining an already established BBO price when the ABBO is locked or crossed with the BBO, in which case such order will join the established BBO price and no
exposure notification will be sent. An order exposure will be sent if the order size is modified. For purposes of this Rule BX's opening process is governed by Options 3, Section 8 and includes an opening after a trading halt ("Opening Process"). Routing options
may be combined with all available order types and times-in-force, with the exception of order types and times-in-force whose terms are inconsistent with the terms of a particular routing option. The order routing process shall be available to Participants
from 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time until market close and shall route orders as described below. Participants can designate orders as either available for routing or not available for routing. All routing of orders shall comply with Options 5, Options Order Protection
and Locked and Crossed Market Rules.
(i) Priority of Routed Orders. Orders sent to other markets do not retain time priority with respect to other orders in the System and the System shall continue to execute other orders while routed
orders are away at another market center. Once routed by the System, an order becomes subject to the rules and procedures of the destination market including, but not limited to, order cancellation. A routed order can be for less than the original incoming
order's size. If a routed order is subsequently returned, in whole or in part, that routed order, or its remainder, shall receive a new time stamp reflecting the time of its return to the System, unless any portion of the original order remains on the System,
in which case the routed order shall retain its timestamp and its priority.
(ii) Options Participants whose orders are routed to away markets shall be obligated to honor such trades that are executed on away markets to the same extent they would be obligated to honor a trade
executed on the Exchange.
(A) BX Options shall route orders in options via Nasdaq Execution Services, LLC ("NES"), a broker-dealer that is a member of an unaffiliated SRO which is the designated examining authority for the broker-dealer.
NES serves as the Routing Facility of BX Options. The sole function of the Routing Facility will be to route orders in options listed and open for trading on BX Options to away markets either directly or through one or more third-party unaffiliated routing
broker-dealers pursuant to BX Options rules on behalf of BX Options. The Exchange and NES may not use a routing broker for which the Exchange or any affiliate of the Exchange is the designated examining authority. The Routing Facility is subject to regulation
as a facility of BX, including the requirement to file proposed rule changes under Section 19 of the Act.
(B) Use of NES to route orders to other market centers is optional. Parties that do not desire to use NES must designate orders as not available for routing (a DNR Order, as described in subparagraph(iii)(A)
below).
(C) BX Options shall establish and maintain procedures and internal controls reasonably designed to adequately restrict the flow of confidential and proprietary information between the Exchange and its
facilities (including the Routing Facility), and any other entity; or, where there is a routing broker, the Exchange, the Routing Facility and any routing broker, and any other entity, including any affiliate of the routing broker (and if the routing broker
or any of its affiliates engages in any other business activities other than providing routing services to the Exchange, between the segment of the routing broker or affiliate that provides the other business activities and the segment of the routing broker
that provides the routing services).
(D) The books, records, premises, officers, directors, agents, and employees of the Routing Facility, as a facility of the Exchange, shall be deemed to be the books, records, premises, officers, directors,
agents, and employees of the Exchange for purposes of and subject to oversight pursuant to the Exchange Act. The books and records of the Routing Facility, as a facility of the Exchange, shall be subject at all times to inspection and copying by the Exchange
and the Commission.
(E) Market Access. In addition to the Exchange Rules regarding routing to away trading centers, NES has, pursuant to Rule 15c3-5 under the Act, implemented certain tests designed to mitigate risks
associated with providing the Exchange's Members with access to such away trading centers. Pursuant to the policies and procedures developed by NES to comply with Rule 15c3-5, if an order or series of orders are deemed to be violative of applicable pre-trade
requirements under Rule 15c3-5, the order will be rejected prior to routing and/or NES will seek to cancel the order if it has been routed.
(F) The Exchange will determine the logic that provides when, how, and where orders are routed away to other exchanges. Except as provided in subparagraph (f) below, the routing broker(s) cannot change
the terms of an order or the routing instructions, nor does the routing broker have any discretion about where to route an order.
(iii) The following order types are available:
(A) DNR Order. A DNR Order will never be routed outside of BX regardless of the prices displayed by away markets. A DNR Order may execute on the Exchange at a price equal to or better than, but
not inferior to, the best away market price but, if that best away market remains, the DNR Order will remain in the BX Order Book and be displayed at a price one minimum price variation ("MPV") inferior to that away best bid/offer. If the DNR Order is locking
or crossing the ABBO, the DNR Order shall be entered into the Order Book at the ABBO price and displayed one MPV away from the ABBO. The Exchange shall immediately expose the order at the ABBO to participants, provided the option series has opened for trading.
Any incoming order interacting with such a resting DNR Order will execute at the ABBO price, unless the ABBO is improved to a price which crosses the DNR Order's already displayed price, in which case the incoming order will execute at the previous ABBO price
as the away market crossed a displayed price; or (2) the ABBO is improved to a price which locks the DNR Order's displayed price, in which case the incoming order will execute at the DNR Order's displayed price. Should the best away market move to an inferior
price level, the DNR Order will automatically re-price from its one MPV inferior to the original ABBO and display one MPV away from the new ABBO or its original limit price, and expose such orders at the new ABBO. Once booked at its original limit price, it
will remain at that price until executed or cancelled. Should the best away market improve its price such that it locks or crosses the DNR Order limit price, the Exchange will execute the resulting incoming order that is routed from the away market that locked
or crossed the DNR Order limit price.
(B) FIND Order. A FIND Order is an order that is: (i) routable at the conclusion of an Opening Process; and (ii) routable upon receipt during regular trading, after an option series is open. FIND
Orders submitted after an Opening Process initiate their own Route Timers and are routed in the order in which their Route Timers end. FIND Orders that are not marketable with the ABBO upon receipt will be treated as DNR for the remainder of the trading day
and post to the Order Book, even in the event that there is a new Opening Process after a trading halt.
(1) At the end of an Opening Process, any FIND Order that is priced through the Opening Price, pursuant to Options 3, Section 8(a)(iii), will be cancelled, and any FIND Order that is at or inferior to
the Opening Price will execute or book pursuant to Options 3, Section 8(k).
(2) Generally, a FIND Order will be included in the displayed BBO at its limit price, unless the FIND Order locks or crosses the ABBO, in which case it will be entered into the Order Book at the ABBO
price and displayed one MPV inferior to the ABBO. If there exists a locked ABBO when the FIND Order is entered onto the Order Book, the FIND Order will be entered into the Order Book at the ABBO price and displayed one MPV inferior to the ABBO. If during a
Route Timer, ABBO markets move such that the FIND Order is no longer marketable against the ABBO nor marketable against the BBO, the FIND Order will post at its limit price. If the FIND Order is locked or crossed by away quotes, it will route at the completion
of the Route Timer. If the ABBO worsens but remains better than the BBO, the FIND Order will reprice and be re-exposed at the new price(s) without interrupting the Route Timer. If, during the Route Timer, any new interest arrives opposite the FIND Order that
is equal to or better than the ABBO price, the FIND Order will trade against such new interest at the ABBO price, unless the ABBO is improved to a price which crosses the FIND Order’s already displayed price, in which case the incoming order will execute at
the previous ABBO price as the away market crossed a displayed price.
(3) A FIND Order received after an Opening Process that is not marketable against the BBO or the ABBO will be entered into the Order Book at its limit price. The FIND Order will be treated as DNR for
the remainder of the trading day, even in the event that there is a new Opening Process after a trading halt.
(4) A FIND Order received after an Opening Process that is marketable against the BBO when the ABBO is inferior to the BBO will be traded on the Exchange at or better than the BBO price. If the FIND
Order has size remaining after exhausting the BBO, it may: (1) trade at the next BBO price (or prices) if the order price is locking or crossing that price (or prices) up to and including the ABBO price, (2) be entered into the Order Book at its limit price,
or (3) if locking or crossing the ABBO, be entered into the Order Book at the ABBO price and displayed one MPV away from the ABBO. The FIND Order will be treated as DNR for the remainder of the trading day, even in the event that there is a new Opening Process
after a trading halt.
(5) A FIND Order received after an Opening Process that is marketable against the BBO when the ABBO is equal to the BBO will be traded on the Exchange at the BBO. If the FIND Order has size remaining
after exhausting the BBO, it will initiate a Route Timer, and expose the FIND Order at the ABBO to allow market participants an opportunity to interact with the remainder of the FIND Order. During the Route Timer, the FIND Order will be included in the BBO
at a price one MPV away from the ABBO. If during the Route Timer, the ABBO markets move such that the FIND Order is no longer marketable against the ABBO, it may: (i) trade at the next BBO price (or prices) if the FIND Order price is locking or crossing that
price (or prices), and/or (ii) be entered into the Order Book at its limit price if not locking or crossing the BBO.
(6) If, at the end of the Route Timer pursuant to subparagraph (5) above, the FIND Order is still marketable with the ABBO, the FIND Order will route to an away market up to a size equal to the lesser
of either: (1) an away market's size or (2) the remaining size of the FIND Order. If the FIND Order still has remaining size after routing, it will (i) trade at the next BBO price or better, subject to the order’s limit price, and, if contracts still remain
unexecuted, the remaining size will be routed to away markets disseminating the same price as the BBO, or (ii) be entered into the Order Book and posted either at its limit price or re-priced one MPV away if the order would otherwise lock or cross the ABBO.
If size still remains, the FIND Order will not be eligible for routing until the next time the option series is subject to a new Opening Process, which may include a re-opening after a trading halt.
(7) A FIND Order received after an Opening Process that is marketable against the ABBO when the ABBO is better than the BBO will initiate a Route Timer, and expose the FIND Order at the ABBO to allow
participants and other market participants an opportunity to interact with the FIND Order.
(8) If, at the end of the Route Timer pursuant to subparagraph (7) above, the ABBO is still the best price and is marketable with the FIND Order, the order will route to the away market(s) whose disseminated
price(s) is better than the BBO, up to a size equal to the lesser of either: (1) the away markets’ size, or (2) the remaining size of the FIND Order. If the FIND Order still has remaining size after such routing, it will (i) trade at the BBO price or better,
subject to the order’s limit price, and, if contracts still remain unexecuted, the remaining size will be routed to away markets disseminating the same price as the BBO, or (ii) be entered into the Order Book and posted either at its limit price or re-priced
one MPV away if the order would otherwise lock or cross the ABBO. If size remains, the FIND Order will not be eligible for routing until the next time the option series is subject to a new Opening Process, which may include a re-opening after a trading halt.
(9) A FIND Order that is routed to an away market(s) will be marked as an Intermarket Sweep Order “ISO” and designated as an IOC Order.
(C) SRCH Order. A SRCH Order is routable at any time. SRCH Order on the Order Book during an Opening Process (including a re-opening following a trading halt), whether it is received prior to
an Opening Process or it is a GTC SRCH Order from a prior day, may be routed as part of an Opening Process. Orders initiate their own Route Timers and are routed in the order in which their Route Timers end.
(1) At the end of an Opening Process, any SRCH Order that is priced through the Opening Price, pursuant to Options 3, Section 8(a)(iii), will be cancelled, and any SRCH Order that is at or inferior to
the Opening Price will execute or book pursuant to Options 3, Section 8(k).
(2) Generally, a SRCH Order will be included in the displayed BBO at its limit price, unless the SRCH Order locks or crosses the ABBO, in which case it will be entered into the Order Book at the ABBO
price and displayed one MPV inferior to the ABBO. If there exists a locked ABBO when the SRCH Order is entered onto the Order Book, the SRCH Order will be entered into the Order Book at the ABBO price and displayed one MPV inferior to the ABBO. Once on the
Order Book, the SRCH Order is eligible for routing if it is locked or crossed by an away market. If during a Route Timer, ABBO markets move such that the SRCH Order is no longer marketable against the ABBO nor marketable against the BBO, the SRCH Order will
book at its limit price. If, during the Route Timer, any new interest arrives opposite the SRCH Order that is equal to or better than the ABBO price, the SRCH Order will trade against such new interest at the ABBO price, unless the ABBO is improved to a price
which crosses the SRCH Order’s already displayed price, in which case the incoming order will execute at the previous ABBO price as the away market crossed a displayed price. If the ABBO worsens but remains better than the BBO, the SRCH Order will reprice
and be re-exposed at the new price(s) without interrupting the Route Timer. If an ABBO locks or crosses the SRCH Order during a new Route Timer, which would subsequently initiate at the conclusion of any Route Timer if interest remains, the SRCH Order may
route to the away market at the ABBO at the conclusion of such Route Timer. If the SRCH Order is locked or crossed by away quotes, it will route at the completion of the Route Timer. The System will route and execute contracts contemporaneously at the end
of the Route Timer.
(3) A SRCH Order received after an Opening Process that is not marketable against the BBO or the ABBO will be entered into the Order Book at its limit price. Once on the Order Book, the SRCH Order is
eligible for routing if it is locked or crossed by an away market.
(4) A SRCH Order received after an Opening Process that is marketable against the BBO when the ABBO is inferior to the BBO will be traded on the Exchange at or better than the BBO price. If the SRCH
Order has size remaining after exhausting the BBO, it may: (1) trade at the next BBO price (or prices) if the order price is locking or crossing that price (or prices) up to and including the ABBO price, and/or (2) be routed, subject to a Route Timer, to away
markets if all BX interest at better or equal prices has been exhausted, and/or (3) be entered into the Order Book at its limit price if not locking or crossing the BBO or the ABBO.
(5) A SRCH Order received after an Opening Process that is marketable against the BBO when the ABBO is equal to the BBO will be traded on the Exchange at the BBO. If the SRCH Order has size remaining
after exhausting the BBO, it will initiate a Route Timer and expose the SRCH Order at the ABBO to allow participants and other market participants an opportunity to interact with the remainder of the SRCH Order. During the Route Timer, the SRCH Order will
be included in the BBO at a price one MPV away from the ABBO.
(6) If, at the end of the Route Timer pursuant to subparagraph (5) above, the SRCH Order is still marketable with the ABBO, the SRCH Order will route to an away market up to a size equal to the lesser
of either: (1) the away markets' size, or (2) the remaining size of the SRCH Order. If the SRCH Order still has remaining size after routing, it may: (i) trade at the next BBO price (or prices) if the order price is locking or crossing that price (or prices)
up to the ABBO price, and/or (ii) be entered into the Order Book at its limit price if not locking or crossing the BBO or the ABBO.
(7) A SRCH Order received after an Opening Process that is marketable against the ABBO when the ABBO is better than the BBO will initiate a Route Timer, and expose the SRCH Order at the ABBO to allow
participants and other market participants an opportunity to interact with the SRCH Order. If during the Route Timer, the ABBO markets move such that the SRCH Order is no longer marketable against the ABBO, it may: (i) trade at the next BBO price (or prices)
if the SRCH Order price is locking or crossing that price (or prices), and/or (ii) be entered into the Order Book at its limit price if not locking or crossing the BBO.
(8) If, at the end of the Route Timer pursuant to subparagraph (7) above, the ABBO is still the best price and is marketable with the SRCH Order, the order will route to the away market(s) whose disseminated
price(s) is better than the BBO, up to a size equal to the lesser of either: (1) the away markets' size, or (2) the remaining size of the SRCH Order. If the SRCH Order still has remaining size after such routing, it may: (i) trade at the next BBO price (or
prices) if the order price is locking or crossing that price (or prices) up to the ABBO price, and/or (ii) be entered into the Order Book at its limit price if not locking or crossing the BBO or the ABBO.
(9) A SRCH Order that is routed to an away market(s) will be marked as an ISO and designated as an IOC Order.
Adopted October 23, 2019 (SR-BX-2019-039); amended July 2, 2020 (SR-BX-2020-014), operative September 14, 2020; amended May 16, 2023 (SR-BX-2023-013), operative Jun. 15, 2023.
Section 5. Cancellation of Orders and Error Account.
(a) The Exchange or NES may cancel orders as either deems to be necessary to maintain fair and orderly markets if a technical or systems issue occurs at the Exchange, NES, or a routing destination. The Exchange or NES shall provide notice of the cancellation
to affected Members as soon as practicable.
(b) NES shall maintain an error account for the purpose of addressing positions that result from a technical or systems issue at NES, the Exchange, a routing destination, or a non-affiliate third-party Routing Broker that affects one or more orders ("error
positions").
(1) For purposes of this Rule an error position shall not include any position that results from an order submitted by a Member to the Exchange that is executed on the Exchange and automatically processed
for clearance and settlement on a locked-in basis.
(2) Except as provided in paragraph 3 below, NES shall not (i) accept any positions in its error account from an account of a Member, or (ii) permit any Member to transfer any positions from the Member's
account to NES's error account.
(3) If a technical or systems issue results in the Exchange not having valid clearing instructions for a Member to a trade, NES may assume that Member's side of the trade so that the trade can be automatically
processed for clearance and settlement on a locked-in basis.
(c) In connection with a particular technical or systems issue, NES or the Exchange shall either (i) assign all resulting error positions to Members in accordance with subparagraph (A) below, or (ii) have all resulting error positions liquidated in accordance
with subparagraph (B) below. Any determination to assign or liquidate error positions, as well as any resulting assignments, shall be made in a nondiscriminatory fashion.
(A) NES or the Exchange shall assign all error positions resulting from a particular technical or systems issue to the Members affected by that technical or systems issue if NES or the Exchange:
(i) determines that it has accurate and sufficient information (including valid clearing information) to assign the positions to all of the Members affected by that technical or systems issue;
(ii) determines that it has sufficient time pursuant to normal clearance and settlement deadlines to evaluate the information necessary to assign the positions to all of the Members affected by that
technical or systems issue; and
(iii) has not determined to cancel all orders affected by that technical or systems issue in accordance with paragraph (a) above.
(B) If NES or the Exchange is unable to assign all error positions resulting from a particular technical or systems issue to all of the affected Members in accordance with subparagraph (A) above, or
if NES or the Exchange determines to cancel all orders affected by the technical or systems issue in accordance with subparagraph (a) above, then NES shall liquidate the error positions as soon as practicable. NES shall:
(i) provide complete time and price discretion for the trading to liquidate the error positions to a third-party broker-dealer and shall not attempt to exercise any influence or control over the timing
or methods of such trading; and
(ii) establish and enforce policies and procedures that are reasonably designed to restrict the flow of confidential and proprietary information between the third-party broker-dealer and NES/the Exchange
associated with the liquidation of the error positions.
(d) NES and the Exchange shall make and keep records to document all determinations to treat positions as error positions and all determinations for the assignment of error positions to Members or the liquidation of error positions, as well as records associated
with the liquidation of error positions through the third-party broker-dealer.
Adopted October 23, 2019 (SR-BX-2019-039).