A customer purchases an equity option contract at 1:00 PM Eastern Standard Time on Tuesday, October 10th in a regular way trade. If the customer wishes to exercise, the customer may place an exercise notice with the Options Clearing Corporation:_______

a. immediately
b. no earlier than 10:00 AM Eastern Standard time, the next business day
c. no earlier that 10:00 AM eastern standard time, on the 5th business day following trade date
d. no earlier than the Friday immediately preceding the third Saturday of the expiration month