Chapter 3 - Secondary Market Flashcards
- this is one of the two classifications of stock in the Secondary Market
- most investors start with this type of stock position
- an investor in this stock position owns the stock and has not sold
- an investor in this type of stock position is optimistic about the stock and believes that it will increase in price
– this type of investor is called a Bull because he/she anticipates that the stock price will rise in the future
- an investor with this type of position can theoretically lose the entire investment, but no more
Long Position
- this is one of two classifications of stock position
- this stock position is suitable for an investor that is pessimistic about the stock’s future performance
- a pessimistic investor is referred to as a Bear
- a Bear will sell the stock when it is high, hoping to buy the stock later when it is low
- the Bear establishes this type of stock position by borrowing the stock. The Bear then sells the borrowed stock with the obligation to replace it in the future
- an investor with this type of stock position has potentially unlimited risk
– someday the short seller must buy shares of the stock that were borrowed and return them to the lender. No substitutions are allowed
Short Position
- executes trades as either broker or dealer, but never both
– if the firm only matches up a buyer and a seller, then it is acting as broker. The firm is said to be acting in an Agent capacity and charges a commission. Acting in this capacity involves no risk
– if the firm uses its inventory account, it is said to be acting as a dealer. The firm is acting in a principal capacity and charges a markup. On the other hand, if the principal buys/places a security into its own inventory it charges a markdown. This always involves risk because there is no assurance the principal can sell the security quickly for a profit
Broker/Dealer
- also referred to as the Trade Ticket
- this term is the original record that documents the buy-or-sell transaction
- certain info is required to be on each ticket, such as:
– name of the security, symbol, account number, price, quantity, and whether the trade is solicited, unsolicited, or discretionary
– if the ticket is for a sell, it must be marked “long” or “short”
— for long sales if the b/d is not holding the securities in street name the RR must receive affirmation by from the customer that the customer can deliver the securities by the settlement date
— for short sales, the RR must receive affirmation from the customer concerning the source of the borrowed securities. Short sales must also abide by Regulation SHO
- three time stamps are required on the ticket. When the order is received, when the ticket hits the trading desk, and when the trade is executed
- the ticket must be adjusted if there has been a stock split or stock dividend
Order Ticket
- under this regulation, if the b/d misses 13 consecutive settlement dates on a threshold security, the b/d is required to perform a mandatory buy in
Regulation SHO
- a security with a large short position where the b/d might be at risk of covering the short
Threshold Security
- this must be sent to customers no later than the completion of the transaction or settlement of the trade
- the following info must be included:
– The b/d name and address; Whether the trade was a purchase or sale; Complete security description; Quantity; Trade date and settlement date; Delivery and payment instructions; Capacity of the b/d (agent or principal); Commission (if b/d is acting as agent); and Markup or markdown (if b/d acted as principal in a NASDAQ or riskless principal trade)
– the member firm is required to disclose the amount of mark-up or mark-down it applies to trades with retail customers in these securities if the member also executes an offsetting principal trade in the same security on the same trading day
Trade Confirmation
- this figure is the difference between the bid price and the offer/ask price
- the market for a security is always the highest bid price and the lowest ask price
- a narrow spread between the bid and ask price indicates active trading in a security
Trading Spread
- the price at which investors can sell their shares
- this price represents the highest price that a purchasing dealer is willing to pay for a security
Bid Price
- also called the offer price
- this is the price at which investors can buy the shares
- it is the lowest price that a selling dealer is willing to accept
Ask Price
- this is a guideline (not a rule) used to determine whether a commission or markup is fair to the public
- this guideline applies to nonexempt (corporate) securities traded in the OTC secondary market, and securities listed on an exchange
- this guideline does not apply to exempt securities (i.e. treasuries and municipals), nor to prospectus offerings
- this guideline also applies to miscellaneous bond wire services, proceeds trades, agency cross trades, riskless and simultaneous principal transactions, and other nonexempt stock and bond trades
- the Third Market also abides by this guideline
Five Percent Policy
- a physical location where b/d’s execute investor orders to buy and sell securities
Stock Exchange
- formed in 1792, this is the oldest and largest exchange market in the United States
- operates in seven liquid markets
- most active of the world’s stock exchanges
- securities must meet certain standards to be listed on the exchange
– must have at least 1.1 million shares outstanding, at least $140 million market value of shares, and aggregate pretax earnings over the last 3 years of $10 million. The share price must be at least $4 at the time of listing
- the trading of listed securities on an exchange is called the First Market; it is an auction market
New York Stock Exchange
- this term is the individual who has a seat on the exchange
- each firm that is a part of the NYSE must have an individual employee who owns a seat on the exchange
- there are four types of categories for these individuals
– Commission house broker or floor broker; Two dollar broker; Registered competitive traders; and the Designated market maker (DMM)
NYSE Member
- also referred to as the Floor Broker
- this NYSE Member executes orders for clients of the broker’s firm
- member firms charge a commission to their clients
Commission House Broker
- this NYSE Member executes orders for Floor Brokers when they are too busy to execute all of their firm’s orders
- this NYSE Member may execute orders for a number of Floor Brokers
- they charge each broker a commission
Two Dollar Broker
- this NYSE Member executes orders for their own accounts
- they seldom work for clients, but if they have a client order, they must give it priority over their own orders
Registered Competitive Trader
- this NYSE Member has the responsibility of maintaining a fair and orderly market
- this Member must buy when no buyers exist and sell when no sellers exist and hold these orders in his or her own account
- may also act as an agent for a Floor Broker
– this occurs when the Floor Broker cannot execute a client’s order due to price or timing
— this order is recorded in the term’s book and is held until it can be executed
—- if executed, the term charges a commission
- the term is also permitted to stop the stock for public orders meaning that the trader guarantees an order fill at a specified price for a period of time
- term’s act in a dual capacity meaning that they can either trade in their own account (principal) or they can act in an agency capacity on behalf of other member firms
- terms are committed to making an orderly market and must buy when sell orders are dominant and sell when buy orders are dominant
– when terms buy for their own account, they must buy higher than the highest bid. Vice versa, when selling they must sell lower than the lowest offerred
— in other words, terms must narrow the spread
- note that a term is not expected to go into default by supporting a market in a security that is dropping so rapidly. Meaning that terms cannot be forced to make a market in a worthless security
Designated Market Maker
- these orders are electronically sent to the exchange floor from a member firm’s office
- the system is called the NYSE super display book (SDBK)
- the trade goes directly to the DMM’s book and back again electronically
Wire Order
- this term provides the last trade information of the securities that trade on the exchange
- this information includes:
– Symbol, which is the unique character that is used to identify the company
– Shares trades. This number is expressed in round lots
– Price Traded
– Change direction. A symbol indicates whether the price is higher or lower than the previous day’s closing price
– Change amount. The difference from the previous day’s close
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