6710. Definitions

The terms used in this Rule 6700 Series shall have the same meaning as those defined in the FINRA By-Laws and rules unless otherwise specified. For the purposes of this Rule 6700 Series, the following terms have the following meaning:

(a) "TRACE-Eligible Security" means a debt security that is United States ("U.S.") dollar-denominated and is: (1) issued by a U.S. or foreign private issuer, and, if a "restricted security" as defined in Securities Act Rule 144(a)(3), sold pursuant to Securities Act Rule 144A; (2) issued or guaranteed by an Agency as defined in paragraph (k) or a Government-Sponsored Enterprise as defined in paragraph (n); (3) a U.S. Treasury Security as defined in paragraph (p); or (4) a Foreign Sovereign Debt Security as defined in paragraph (kk). "TRACE-Eligible Security" does not include a debt security that is a Money Market Instrument as defined in paragraph (o).

(b) "Trade Reporting and Compliance Engine" or "TRACE" means the automated system developed by FINRA that, among other things, accommodates reporting and dissemination of transaction reports where applicable in TRACE-Eligible Securities.

(c) "Reportable TRACE Transaction" means any transaction in a TRACE-Eligible Security except: (1) a transaction that is not reported as specified in Rule 6730(e); and (2) a sale from an issuer to an underwriter(s) or initial purchaser(s) as part of an offering, except a sale of an Agency Pass-Through Mortgage-Backed Security as defined in paragraph (v) from a Securitizer as defined in paragraph (s) to any purchaser.

(d) "Time of Execution" for a transaction in a TRACE-Eligible Security means the time when the Parties to a Transaction agree to all of the terms of the transaction that are sufficient to calculate the dollar price of the trade. The Time of Execution for transactions involving TRACE-Eligible Securities that are trading "when issued" on a yield basis shall be when the yield for the transaction has been agreed to by the Parties to a Transaction. For a transaction in a TRACE-Eligible Security in which the actual yield for the transaction is established by determining the yield from one or more designated securities (e.g., a "benchmark security" such as a U.S. Treasury Security maturing in 5 years, or a combination of such "benchmark securities") and adding the agreed upon "yield spread" (e.g., 150 basis points above the benchmark security), the Time of Execution occurs when the yield has been agreed to by the Parties to a Transaction.

(e) "Party to a Transaction" means an introducing broker-dealer, if any, an executing broker-dealer, or a customer. "Customer" includes a broker-dealer that is not a FINRA member.

(f) "TRACE Participant" means any FINRA member that reports transactions to the TRACE system, directly or indirectly.

(g) "Introducing Broker" means the FINRA member that has been identified in the TRACE system as a Party to a Transaction, but does not execute or clear the transaction.

(h) "Investment Grade" means a TRACE-Eligible Security that, if rated by only one nationally recognized statistical rating organization ("NRSRO"), is rated in one of the four highest generic rating categories; or if rated by more than one NRSRO, is rated in one of the four highest generic rating categories by all or a majority of such NRSROs; provided that if the NRSROs assign ratings that are evenly divided between (i) the four highest generic ratings and (ii) ratings lower than the four highest generic ratings, FINRA will classify the TRACE-Eligible Security as Non-Investment Grade for purposes of TRACE. If a TRACE-Eligible Security is unrated, for purposes of TRACE, FINRA may classify the TRACE-Eligible Security as an Investment Grade security. FINRA will classify any Agency Debt Security as defined in paragraph (l) as an Investment Grade security for purposes of the dissemination of transaction volume.

(i) "Non-Investment Grade" means a TRACE-Eligible Security that, if rated by only one NRSRO, is rated lower than one of the four highest generic rating categories; or if rated by more than one NRSRO, is rated lower than one of the four highest generic rating categories by all or a majority of such NRSROs. Except as provided in paragraph (h), if a TRACE-Eligible Security is unrated, FINRA may classify the TRACE-Eligible Security as a Non-Investment Grade security.

(j) "Split-Rated" means an Investment Grade or a Non-Investment Grade security that is assigned ratings by multiple NRSROs that, for an Investment Grade security, are not in the same generic Investment Grade rating category, or, for a Non-Investment Grade security, are not in the same generic Non-Investment Grade rating category. After determining if a security is Investment Grade or Non-Investment Grade, FINRA will disregard any rating, if the security is Investment Grade, that is Non-Investment Grade, or, if the security is Non-Investment Grade, that is Investment Grade. With respect to an Investment Grade security, if multiple NRSROs assign ratings that are not in the same generic Investment Grade rating category, or, with respect to a Non-Investment Grade security, if multiple NRSROs assign ratings that are not in the same generic Non-Investment Grade rating category, FINRA will classify the TRACE-Eligible Security for purposes of TRACE by the generic rating that a majority or, if no majority, a plurality of the NRSROs assigns the security, provided that (i) if the NRSROs assign ratings that are evenly divided between two generic rating categories, FINRA will classify the TRACE-Eligible Security by the lower of the ratings; or (ii) if each NRSRO assigns a different generic rating, FINRA will classify the TRACE-Eligible Security by the lower or lowest of the ratings.

(k) "Agency" means a U.S. "executive agency" as defined in 5 U.S.C. 105 that is authorized to issue debt directly or through a related entity, such as a government corporation, or to guarantee the repayment of principal and/or interest of a debt security issued by another entity. The term excludes the U.S. Department of the Treasury ("Treasury") in the exercise of its authority to issue U.S. Treasury Securities as defined in paragraph (p).

(l) "Agency Debt Security" means a debt security (i) issued or guaranteed by an Agency as defined in paragraph (k); (ii) issued or guaranteed by a Government-Sponsored Enterprise as defined in paragraph (n); or (iii) issued by a trust or other entity that was established or sponsored by a Government-Sponsored Enterprise for the purpose of issuing debt securities, where such enterprise provides collateral to the trust or other entity or retains a material net economic interest in the reference tranches associated with the securities issued by the trust or other entity. The term excludes a U.S. Treasury Security as defined in paragraph (p) and a Securitized Product as defined in paragraph (m), where an Agency or a Government-Sponsored Enterprise is the Securitizer as defined in paragraph (s) (or similar person), or the guarantor of the Securitized Product.

(m) "Securitized Product" means a security collateralized by any type of financial asset, such as a loan, a lease, a mortgage, or a secured or unsecured receivable, and includes but is not limited to an asset-backed security as defined in Section 3(a)(79)(A) of the Exchange Act, a synthetic asset-backed security, and any residual tranche or interest of any security specified above, which tranche or interest is a debt security for purposes of paragraph (a) and the Rule 6700 Series.

(n) "Government-Sponsored Enterprise" ("GSE") has the same meaning as defined in 2 U.S.C. 622(8).

(o) "Money Market Instrument" means, other than a U.S. Treasury Security, a debt security that at issuance has a maturity of one calendar year or less, or, if a discount note issued by an Agency, as defined in paragraph (k), or a Government-Sponsored Enterprise, as defined in paragraph (n), a maturity of one calendar year and one day or less.

(p) "U.S. Treasury Security" means a security, other than a savings bond, issued by the U.S. Department of the Treasury to fund the operations of the federal government or to retire such outstanding securities. The term "U.S. Treasury Security" also includes separate principal and interest components of a U.S. Treasury Security that has been separated pursuant to the Separate Trading of Registered Interest and Principal of Securities (STRIPS) program operated by the U.S. Department of Treasury.

(q) "List or Fixed Offering Price Transaction" means a primary market sale transaction sold on the first day of trading of a security, including an Asset-Backed Security as defined in paragraph (cc), but excluding any other Securitized Product as defined in paragraph (m): (i) by a sole underwriter, syndicate manager, syndicate member or selling group member at the published or stated list or fixed offering price, or (ii) in the case of a primary market sale transaction effected pursuant to Securities Act Rule 144A, by an initial purchaser, syndicate manager, syndicate member or selling group member at the published or stated fixed offering price.

(r) "Takedown Transaction" means a primary market sale transaction sold on the first day of trading of a security, including an Asset-Backed Security as defined in paragraph (cc), but excluding any other Securitized Product as defined in paragraph (m): (i) by a sole underwriter or syndicate manager to a syndicate or selling group member at a discount from the published or stated list or fixed offering price, or (ii) in the case of a primary market sale transaction effected pursuant to Securities Act Rule 144A, by an initial purchaser or syndicate manager to a syndicate or selling group member at a discount from the published or stated fixed offering price.

(s) "Securitizer" has the same meaning as defined in Section 15G(a)(3) of the Exchange Act.

(t) "TRACE System Hours" means the hours the TRACE system is open, which are 8:00:00 a.m. Eastern Time through 6:29:59 p.m. Eastern Time on a business day, unless otherwise announced by FINRA.

(u) "To Be Announced" ("TBA") means a transaction in an Agency Pass-Through Mortgage-Backed Security as defined in paragraph (v) or an SBA-Backed ABS as defined in paragraph (bb) where the parties agree that the seller will deliver to the buyer a pool or pool(s) of a specified face amount and meeting certain other criteria but the specific pool or pool(s) to be delivered at settlement is not specified at the Time of Execution, and includes TBA transactions "for good delivery" ("GD") and TBA transactions "not for good delivery" ("NGD").

(v) "Agency Pass-Through Mortgage-Backed Security" means a type of Securitized Product issued in conformity with a program of an Agency as defined in paragraph (k) or a Government-Sponsored Enterprise ("GSE") as defined in paragraph (n), for which the timely payment of principal and interest is guaranteed by the Agency or GSE, representing ownership interest in a pool (or pools) of mortgage loans structured to "pass through" the principal and interest payments to the holders of the security on a pro rata basis.

(w) "Factor" means the decimal value representing the proportion of the outstanding principal value or remaining face amount of a pool of assets underlying a security to the original principal value or original face amount of such assets.

(x) "Specified Pool Transaction" means a transaction in an Agency Pass-Through Mortgage-Backed Security as defined in paragraph (v) or an SBA-Backed ABS as defined in paragraph (bb) requiring the delivery at settlement of a pool or pool(s) that is identified by a unique pool identification number at the Time of Execution.

(y) "Stipulation Transaction" means a transaction in an Agency Pass-Through Mortgage-Backed Security as defined in paragraph (v) where, at the Time of Execution, the parties agree that the seller will deliver to the buyer an Agency Pass-Through Mortgage-Backed Security of a specified face amount and coupon from a specified Agency or Government-Sponsored Enterprise program that represents a pool (or pools) of mortgages, at a specified price, and the parties stipulate that the pool or pools to be delivered meet certain conditions.

(z) "Dollar Roll" means a simultaneous sale and purchase of an Agency Pass-Through Mortgage-Backed Security as defined in paragraph (v) for different settlement dates, where the initial seller agrees to take delivery, upon settlement of the re-purchase transaction, of the same or substantially similar securities.

(aa) "Remaining Principal Balance" or "RPB" means, for a Securitized Product backed by a pool of mortgages or other assets that are self-amortizing, the total unpaid principal balance of all such mortgages, or the equivalent remaining value of such self-amortizing assets held in the asset pool, at a specific time, such as the Time of Execution.

(bb) "SBA-Backed ABS" means a Securitized Product issued in conformity with a program of the Small Business Administration ("SBA"), for which the timely payment of principal and interest is guaranteed by the SBA, representing ownership interest in a pool (or pools) of loans or debentures and structured to "pass through" the principal and interest payments made by the borrowers in such loans or debentures to the holders of the security on a pro rata basis.

(cc) "Asset-Backed Security" means a type of Securitized Product where the Asset-Backed Security is collateralized by any type of financial asset, such as a consumer or student loan, a lease, or a secured or unsecured receivable, and excludes: (i) a Securitized Product that is backed by residential or commercial mortgage loans, mortgage-backed securities, or other financial assets derivative of mortgage-backed securities; (ii) an SBA-Backed ABS as defined in paragraph (bb) traded To Be Announced ("TBA") as defined in paragraph (u) or in a Specified Pool Transaction as defined in paragraph (x); and (iii) a collateralized debt obligation (“CDO”).

(dd) "Collateralized Mortgage Obligation" ("CMO") means a type of Securitized Product backed by Agency Pass-Through Mortgage-Backed Securities as defined in paragraph (v), mortgage loans, certificates backed by project loans or construction loans, other types of mortgage-backed securities or assets derivative of mortgage-backed securities, structured in multiple classes or tranches with each class or tranche entitled to receive distributions of principal and/or interest according to the requirements adopted for the specific class or tranche, and includes a real estate mortgage investment conduit ("REMIC").

(ee) "Non-member Affiliate" means a non-member entity that controls, is controlled by or is under common control with a member. For the purposes of this definition, "control," along with any derivative thereof, means legal, beneficial, or equitable ownership, directly or indirectly, of 25 percent or more of the capital stock (or other ownership interest, if not a corporation) of any entity ordinarily having voting rights. The term "common control" means the same natural person or entity controls two or more entities.

(ff) “Collateralized Debt Obligation” (“CDO”) means a type of Securitized Product backed by fixed-income assets (such as bonds, receivables on loans, or other debt) or derivatives of these fixed-income assets, structured in multiple classes or tranches with each class or tranche entitled to receive distributions of principal and/or interest in accordance with the requirements adopted for the specific class or tranche. A CDO includes, but is not limited to, a collateralized loan obligation (“CLO”) and a collateralized bond obligation (“CBO”).

(gg) "Auction" means the bidding process by which the U.S. Department of the Treasury sells marketable securities to the public pursuant to Part 356 of Title 31 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

(hh) "Auction Transaction" means a transaction in which a member is awarded a U.S. Treasury Security in an Auction.

(ii) "When-Issued Transaction" means a transaction in a U.S. Treasury Security that is executed before the issuance of the security.

(jj) "Corporate Debt Security” is a type of TRACE-Eligible Security that is United States ("U.S.") dollar-denominated and issued by a U.S. or foreign private issuer and, if a "restricted security" as defined in Securities Act Rule 144(a)(3), sold pursuant to Securities Act Rule 144A, but does not include a Money Market Instrument as defined in Rule 6710(o) or a Securitized Product as defined in Rule 6710(m).

(kk) “Foreign Sovereign Debt Security” means a debt security issued or guaranteed by the government of a foreign country, any political subdivision of a foreign country, or a supranational entity.

(ll) “On-the-Run Nominal Coupon” means the most recently auctioned U.S. Treasury Security that is a Treasury note or bond paying fixed rate nominal coupons starting after the close of the TRACE system on the day of its Auction through the close of the TRACE system on the day of the Auction of a new issue for the next U.S. Treasury Security of the same maturity.  On-the-Run Nominal Coupons do not include Treasury bills, STRIPs, Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS), floating rate notes (FRNs), or any U.S. Treasury Security that is a Treasury note or bond paying fixed rate nominal coupons that is not the most recently issued U.S. Treasury Security of a given maturity.