May 5, 2006
Nancy M. Morris
Secretary
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
100 F Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20549
Re: File No.
SR-NASDAQ-2006-001
File
No. SR-NASD-2006-048
Dear Ms. Morris:
Knight Capital Group, Inc.
(Knight)[1]
welcomes the opportunity to offer our comments to the Securities and Exchange
Commission (Commission) on the above referenced rule filings submitted by the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc (NASD) and its subsidiary, The
Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc. (Nasdaq). We have commented previously, through our Direct
Edge ECN subsidiary, on these issues in a joint letter written to the Division
of Market Regulation (a copy is attached below).
Knight respectfully opposes both
proposals and requests that the Commission reject both rule filings. Additionally,
we support the recent submission of Bloomberg Tradebook LLC (dated May 5, 2006)
and incorporate herein the arguments advanced in their letter.
As we have noted previously, the
market impact of the Nasdaq proposals is severe as they hinder competition by targeting
unfairly one group of its competitors – the last of the remaining independent
Electronic Communication Networks (ECN). The independent ECNs play a critical
role in the marketplace and contribute a significant percentage of the daily liquidity
provided to investor trades. As noted in our prior submission and the
Bloomberg letter, these proposals effectively strip these remaining ECNs of any
economic and operational viability within the Nasdaq system. As such, it is
clear by these filings that ECNs are being forced from the Nasdaq system. To
put the issue squarely in perspective, one need only ask a few simple
questions. Are investors and the marketplace better off without the liquidity
and services provided by the remaining five independent ECNs? Should
competition be permitted to be simply snuffed-out through rule filings which
obliterate legitimate business models?
Fair competition and investor
choice should continue to dictate and shape the national market system. These
principles have formed the bedrock of the U.S. capital market system and have
made it envy of the entire world.
Conclusion
We reiterate that proper
measures must be taken to insure a level playing field for all market
participants and investors. Accordingly, we respectfully submit those aspects
of the subject rule filings which unfairly impede competition (i.e., at
Nasdaq’s proposed order delivery fee and the proposal to eliminate
order-delivery functionality) should be rejected completely.
Thank you again for providing
us with the opportunity to comment on these rule proposals. Knight would
welcome the opportunity to discuss our comments with the Commission.
Sincerely yours,
Leonard J. Amoruso
cc: Chairman
Christopher Cox
Commissioner
Paul S. Atkins
Commissioner
Roel C. Campos
Commissioner
Cynthia A. Glassman
Commissioner
Annette L. Nazareth
Robert L. D.
Colby, Deputy Director, Division of Market Regulation
Robert
R. Glauber, NASD, Chairman and CEO
Robert
Greifeld, Nasdaq, President and CEO