MARKET MICROSTRUCTURE AND STRATEGIES CHAPTER 12 All Rights Reserved Dr. David P Echevarria 1 STOCK BROKERS A. Full service brokerage firm 1. Assigned broker - personalized service 2. Gives investment advice (research reports) 3. Executes orders B. Discount broker 1. Executes orders 2. Lower commissions 3. Some advise (research reports) All Rights Reserved Dr. David P Echevarria 2 STOCK BROKERS C. Brokerage Accounts 1. Cash account Pay full cost of all securities purchased 2 business day settlement 2. Margin account Finance portion of purchases (interest charges) Same day settlement 3. Securities Investor Protection Corporation SIPC Insures brokerage accounts up to $500,000 Does not cover market losses All Rights Reserved Dr. David P Echevarria 3 MARKET TRADING DYNAMICS A. Market Order 1. Buy or sell at the best current price 2. Settlement in three business days 3. Round lot = 100 shares B. Limit Order 1. Puts a limit on price 2. Time period can vary: day, GTC C. Stop Order 1. Becomes order if price reaches specified price 2. No guarantee of execution at specified price All Rights Reserved Dr. David P Echevarria 4 MARKET TRADING DYNAMICS D. Long Position 1. Expectation - market heading higher 2. Purchase stock via market order at the Ask 3. Purchase stock via limit order at specified price E. Selling Short 1. 2. 3. 4. Expectation - market heading lower Stock borrowed from broker Profits on drop in prices NYSE uptick rule discontinued All Rights Reserved Dr. David P Echevarria 5 MARKET TRADING DYNAMICS F. Block Trade 1. 2. G. Program Trading 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. H. Purchase or sale of 10,000+ shares NYSE Allows block trades away from floor Computer generated buy/sell decisions Quick reaction to mispricing or momentum Index arbitrage most popular motivation May exaggerate market moves – use of "collars" May trade ahead of small orders Electronic Communication Networks (ECN) 1. 2. Electronic trading between direct access brokers Increases order execution, liquidity All Rights Reserved Dr. David P Echevarria 6 REGULATION OF FINANCIAL MARKETS A. Securities Act of 1933 1. Registration of securities 2. Prospectus required - full and fair disclosure B. Securities Act of 1934 1. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) 2. Insider trading prohibited 3. Reporting requirements - form 10-K C. State regulations 1. Blue sky laws - vary by state All Rights Reserved Dr. David P Echevarria 7 REGULATION OF FINANCIAL MARKETS D. Regulation in other countries 1. 2. 3. 4. E. SEC Oversight / Self-Regulation 1. 2. 3. 4. F. Many follow US model Canadian is provincial rather than national Japan regulated by the Ministry of Finance Germany does not separate banking and securities industries SEC - EDGAR System National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD): Rules of conduct NYSE: Market surveillance - Audit trail NASDAQ: Recent reforms following SEC investigation Managing Market Volatility 1. 2. Trading Halts Circuit Breakers (maximum single day move before "slow down") All Rights Reserved Dr. David P Echevarria 8 HOMEWORK QUESTIONS A. How cash accounts differ from margin accounts? B. What happens when you get a margin call from your broker? C. How does a trader earn profits in a short sale? Long position? D. What is the minimum number of shares in a block trade? Round lot? E. What is program trading? F. What was the primary purpose of the 1933 Securities Act? 1934 Act? G. What does the SEC’s EDGAR system do? All Rights Reserved Dr. David P Echevarria 9