Trading curb
Encyclopedia
A trading curb, also known as a circuit breaker, is a point at which a stock market
will stop trading for a period of time in response to substantial drops in value.
(NYSE), one type of trading curb is referred to as a "circuit breaker." These limits were put in place after Black Monday
in order to reduce market volatility and massive panic sell-offs, giving traders time to reconsider their transactions.
At the start of each quarter, the NYSE sets three circuit breaker levels at levels of 10%, 20%, and 30% of the average closing price of the Dow Jones Industrial Average
for the month preceding the start of the quarter, rounded to the nearest 50-point interval. As of the second quarter of 2011, these levels are 1,200 points, 2,400 points, and 3,600 points respectively. Depending on the point drop that happens and the time of day when it happens, different actions occur automatically:
Trading curbs on Dow futures contracts traded on the Chicago Board of Trade
are based on NYSE levels, with the exception that only the 10% threshold is in effect outside of regular NYSE trading hours, and is relative to the previous daily settlement price.
under certain conditions. A program trade is defined by the NYSE as a basket of stocks from the S&P 500 where there are at least 15 stocks or where the value of the basket is at least $1 million. Such trades are generally automated.
When activated, the curbs restricted program trades to sell on upticks and buy only on downticks.
The trading curbs would become activated whenever the NYSE Composite Index moved 190 points or the Dow Jones Industrial Average
moved 2% from its previous close. They remained in place for the rest of the trading day or until the NYSE Composite Index moved to within 90 points or the Dow moved within 1% of the previous close.
Since over 50% of all trades on the NYSE are program trades, this curb was supposed to limit volatility by mitigating the ability of automated trades to drive stock prices down via positive feedback
.
This curb was fairly common, and financial television networks such as CNBC
often referred to it with the term "curbs in."
On November 7, 2007, the NYSE confirmed that the exchange has scrapped this rule as of November 2. The reason given for the rule's elimination was its ineffectiveness in its purpose of curbing market volatility since it was enacted in the wake of the 1987 stock market crash under the belief that it may help prevent another catastrophic market crash.
Stock market
A stock market or equity market is a public entity for the trading of company stock and derivatives at an agreed price; these are securities listed on a stock exchange as well as those only traded privately.The size of the world stock market was estimated at about $36.6 trillion...
will stop trading for a period of time in response to substantial drops in value.
Circuit breakers
On the New York Stock ExchangeNew York Stock Exchange
The New York Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located at 11 Wall Street in Lower Manhattan, New York City, USA. It is by far the world's largest stock exchange by market capitalization of its listed companies at 13.39 trillion as of Dec 2010...
(NYSE), one type of trading curb is referred to as a "circuit breaker." These limits were put in place after Black Monday
Black Monday (1987)
In finance, Black Monday refers to Monday October 19, 1987, when stock markets around the world crashed, shedding a huge value in a very short time. The crash began in Hong Kong and spread west to Europe, hitting the United States after other markets had already declined by a significant margin...
in order to reduce market volatility and massive panic sell-offs, giving traders time to reconsider their transactions.
At the start of each quarter, the NYSE sets three circuit breaker levels at levels of 10%, 20%, and 30% of the average closing price of the Dow Jones Industrial Average
Dow Jones Industrial Average
The Dow Jones Industrial Average , also called the Industrial Average, the Dow Jones, the Dow 30, or simply the Dow, is a stock market index, and one of several indices created by Wall Street Journal editor and Dow Jones & Company co-founder Charles Dow...
for the month preceding the start of the quarter, rounded to the nearest 50-point interval. As of the second quarter of 2011, these levels are 1,200 points, 2,400 points, and 3,600 points respectively. Depending on the point drop that happens and the time of day when it happens, different actions occur automatically:
Trading curbs on Dow futures contracts traded on the Chicago Board of Trade
Chicago Board of Trade
The Chicago Board of Trade , established in 1848, is the world's oldest futures and options exchange. More than 50 different options and futures contracts are traded by over 3,600 CBOT members through open outcry and eTrading. Volumes at the exchange in 2003 were a record breaking 454 million...
are based on NYSE levels, with the exception that only the 10% threshold is in effect outside of regular NYSE trading hours, and is relative to the previous daily settlement price.
Program trading curbs
The NYSE formerly implemented a curb on program tradingProgram trading
Program trading is a generic term used to describe a type of trading in securities, usually consisting of baskets of fifteen stocks or more that are executed by a computer program simultaneously based on predetermined conditions...
under certain conditions. A program trade is defined by the NYSE as a basket of stocks from the S&P 500 where there are at least 15 stocks or where the value of the basket is at least $1 million. Such trades are generally automated.
When activated, the curbs restricted program trades to sell on upticks and buy only on downticks.
The trading curbs would become activated whenever the NYSE Composite Index moved 190 points or the Dow Jones Industrial Average
Dow Jones Industrial Average
The Dow Jones Industrial Average , also called the Industrial Average, the Dow Jones, the Dow 30, or simply the Dow, is a stock market index, and one of several indices created by Wall Street Journal editor and Dow Jones & Company co-founder Charles Dow...
moved 2% from its previous close. They remained in place for the rest of the trading day or until the NYSE Composite Index moved to within 90 points or the Dow moved within 1% of the previous close.
Since over 50% of all trades on the NYSE are program trades, this curb was supposed to limit volatility by mitigating the ability of automated trades to drive stock prices down via positive feedback
Positive feedback
Positive feedback is a process in which the effects of a small disturbance on a system include an increase in the magnitude of the perturbation. That is, A produces more of B which in turn produces more of A. In contrast, a system that responds to a perturbation in a way that reduces its effect is...
.
This curb was fairly common, and financial television networks such as CNBC
CNBC
CNBC is a satellite and cable television business news channel in the U.S., owned and operated by NBCUniversal. The network and its international spinoffs cover business headlines and provide live coverage of financial markets. The combined reach of CNBC and its siblings is 390 million viewers...
often referred to it with the term "curbs in."
On November 7, 2007, the NYSE confirmed that the exchange has scrapped this rule as of November 2. The reason given for the rule's elimination was its ineffectiveness in its purpose of curbing market volatility since it was enacted in the wake of the 1987 stock market crash under the belief that it may help prevent another catastrophic market crash.
See also
- Stock market crashStock market crashA stock market crash is a sudden dramatic decline of stock prices across a significant cross-section of a stock market, resulting in a significant loss of paper wealth. Crashes are driven by panic as much as by underlying economic factors...
- May 6, 2010 flash crashMay 6, 2010 flash crashThe May 6, 2010 Flash Crash also known as The Crash of 2:45, the 2010 Flash Crash or just simply, the Flash Crash, was a United States stock market crash on May 6, 2010 in which the Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged about 1000 points—or about nine percent—only to recover those losses within...
, after which the SEC announced a trial period of per-stock trading curbs
External links
- Circuit Breakers and Other Market Volatility Procedures
- Circuit Breakers and Trading Collars at the New York Stock Exchange
- Dow Contracts Price Limits and Trading Halts at the Chicago Board of Trade
- Program trading curbs