Jump to content

Welcome to the new Traders Laboratory! Please bear with us as we finish the migration over the next few days. If you find any issues, want to leave feedback, get in touch with us, or offer suggestions please post to the Support forum here.

  • Welcome Guests

    Welcome. You are currently viewing the forum as a guest which does not give you access to all the great features at Traders Laboratory such as interacting with members, access to all forums, downloading attachments, and eligibility to win free giveaways. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free. Create a FREE Traders Laboratory account here.

thetradingdoctor

Short Selling Tick Test-- Bye Bye!

Recommended Posts

SEC: Short-Selling Tick Test Is History

Jun-14-2007 | Source: Hedge Fund Daily

 

 

The Securities and Exchange Commission has unanimously voted to end the so-called “tick test,†which means short sellers will no longer be restricted from selling shares they don’t own just because the price is falling. The test, introduced in 1938 and applied only to listed securities other than those listed on the Nasdaq, after it was believed that short selling would have a negative impact in a declining market. Three years ago, the SEC embarked on a one-year pilot program to suspend the test, and has concluded that the general consensus was that that SEC “should remove price test restrictions because they modestly reduce liquidity and do not appear necessary to prevent manipulation.†Furthermore, says the commission, “the empirical evidence did not provide strong support for extending a price test to either small or thinly traded securities not currently subject to a price test.†The SEC also voted to adopt final amendments to Rules 200 and 2003 of Regulation SHO, aimed at reducing naked short selling, that would eliminate grandfather provisions regarding fail-to-deliver positions. The commission also has reproposed amendments aimed at further reducing fails to deliver in certain equity securities by eliminating the options market maker exception to the close-out requirement of Regulation SHO. The new rules will go into effect 60 days after publication in the Federal Register.

 

http://institutionalinvestor.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=1377545

 

 

Have a great weekend, all!

 

Janice

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

More Bye Bye! Seems like lots of saying goodbye these past few days.

 

Anyway---- Bye Bye ER2 ( Russell 2000 minis)! Looks like they will stop trading sometime in mid-September and then who knows what will happen?

 

 

Reminds me of that beautiful song by Sara Brightman and Andreas Boccelli:

 

YouTube - TIME TO SAY GOODBYE

 

Bye Bye For Now ;-)

 

Janice

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Guest cooter

Look for the Merc to make a push for their mini S&P MidCap400 contract (same tick/point value as the current Russell 2000 mini). Keep in mind that the real money is in the large RL pit-traded Russell 2000 contract, so this is the contract that the "big boys" will be really concerned about.

 

Also, you'll be able to trade the mini-Russell on the ICE platform from the NYBOT - although most brokers probably aren't setup for trading on it yet electronically. This is another reason to give FCMs a reason to use the ICE to trade electronically.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

The SEC has approved amendments rule 10a-1 to remove the "short sale tick test" requirement effective Friday, July 6th, 2007.

 

Effective Friday, July 6, traders will be able to short all securities without a required up tick, up bid, or short exempt designation.

 

 

Please refer to the following for additional information:

 

http://www.sec.gov/rules/final/2007/34-55970.pdf

 

http://www.sec.gov/news/speech/2006/spch120406ccc-10a.htm

http://www.sec.gov/news/press/2007/2007-114.htm

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Guest cooter

Nickm,

Thanks for providing the definitive word on this.

 

Hopefully this topic and source material can be made into a sticky, or added to the forthcoming wiki.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I think the abolition of the 60+ year old uptick rule will have a fundamental effect on market mechanics. Internals like tick, trin, put-call will have to be recalibrated to allow for this profound change. It is truly surprising that this very important change has received so little attention. I can recall in my Prop Shop days the compliance officer hovering over my desk insisting I sign an Uptick rule liability waiver or I would be suspended from trading.

Think about it for a moment - no longer does there have to be price improvement before shorting. In other words, hedgies, brokers, banks, props and other big players can hammer the hell out of the bid with impunity. As we all know, as the cash index falls, large program trades are triggered to exploit this arbitrage opportunity and bring the premium back in line.

Watch the tape velocity to the downside as this happens - it is remarkable. All the noise about the sub-prime implosion is just exacerbated by the removal of this market protection.

Perhaps, the "bear raids" of the 1920s-1930s are coming back!!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Guest cooter
It is truly surprising that this very important change has received so little attention.

 

Actually, it has received quite a bit of attention, especially with regards to the $TICK levels now being out of whack. But the true impact on the markets has yet to be realized by the general public, as those "bear raids" could fast become the norm again, after 60+ years. You only have to look at the volatility of the past few weeks to see the potential damage that could arise as a result.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I think the abolition of the 60+ year old uptick rule will have a fundamental effect on market mechanics.

 

I was so happy when I heard this rule has finally been abolished. In my opinion the rule gave the bulls an un-fair advantage. Now stocks can plummet into a hole at normal speed (just as stocks are allowed to fly up at normal speed) - giving more balance to the market. Bring on the bear raids, i'll be right there rolling the ball.

 

Bear raids are healthy for the market.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I was so happy when I heard this rule has finally been abolished. In my opinion the rule gave the bulls an un-fair advantage. Now stocks can plummet into a hole at normal speed (just as stocks are allowed to fly up at normal speed) - giving more balance to the market. Bring on the bear raids, i'll be right there rolling the ball.

 

Bear raids are healthy for the market.

 

Unfortunately the investor class would strongly disagree with your take since they have the silly goal of price appreciation in mind. Perhaps the SEC should legalize naked short selling too?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

anyone who thinks this rule change is the cause of the volatility hasn't been trading very long. 'volatility storms' are a normal part of market behavior and existed frequently prior to the most recent 4-year period of unusually low volatility. Look at the VIX on a 15 year weekly chart and you will see that recent market behavior is not anything special.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Unless you are in your 90's, no one on these boards has ever traded without this rule in place. Consequently, how could we possibly conclude its impact with such a microscopically small sample period?

Do not confuse a contributing factor with a cause.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Guest cooter
Unless you are in your 90's, no one on these boards has ever traded without this rule in place. Consequently, how could we possibly conclude its impact with such a microscopically small sample period?

Do not confuse a contributing factor with a cause.

 

You only have to compare the $TICK levels above +1000 before and after the uptick rule was removed to recognize the impact.

 

Since this is Dr. Janice's thread, I'd like to hear her seasoned perspective on all of this.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I agree with Cooter's take on this, esp as regards the $TICK levels. How often are you seeing $TICK above 1000 since the short-selling rule was abolished? How often did you see it before? In addition to the state of confusion re: subprime mess, lack of transparency, lack of confidence and illiquidity in the bond markets---the "Bye Bye to Short Selling Tick Test" appears to be affecting market volatility in a significant manner. These markets are more deceptive than ever. I just sent out a "Little Shop Of Horrors" Alert. We are in no-man's land right now, waiting for the next pearl to drop from the lips of the almighty Fed. No matter what you think about the Fed, don't fight them. And- get used to the volatility, as it is likely to be around for some time. It is the absence of the short selling tick test plus the number of uncertain factors plaguing these markets at this time that will contribute to and continue this volatilty. There may be hope for reprieve from it in mid-Sept, but I wouldn't bet money on it right now. For market history buffs, the pattern of the DJIA in 2007 most closely resembles that of1946.

 

Thanks!

 

Doctor Janice

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

That may partly explain why in July '07 a record high - for years - short sold stocks number has been recorded. Some misquided market analysts expected another bull rally following such a display of pessimism.

 

A big change in my opinion - aren't markets driven by (unreasonable and reasonable) perceptions?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Doc i finally read this article. Here's my comments:

 

>I cannot see how that does not cause more volatility

 

This is purely an opinion piece. This person has ZERO DATA to back up their conclusions.

 

>This will make the price become oversold to a point where value investors step >in and cause the stock to whip back up. The whip back up will be exaggerated >due to the fact that short-sellers now need to cover and buy at any price.

 

This WILL do that, and this WILL happen. Unless you have access to the data that matters, it's impossible to come to these conclusions, even by looking at the TICK. I've been watching the TICK and the DOW for some time before the removal of the rule....and I've witnessed many 1000 readings.

 

>The specialist and market makers have a new dynamic to contend with now >after the rule change. Before, they could see short sellers in their book >waiting for up-ticks to be executed.

 

Exactly, they have some advantage here, and now it's been taken away from them for the better. Additionally all this talk about Specialist is sort of dated. The specialist system is slowly diminishing. The NYSE Hybrid system pretty much killed most of them. The floor is a very sleepy place these days, simply because they can't make as much money anymore.

 

I personally would be OK to see all of them removed and just have IT guys operating the systems. I can't say for sure that they would have an advantage over a small speculator like me, because I have no data to back it up, but removing all of them LIKELY couldn't hurt me in any way.

 

They had a reporter on CNBC trying to justify their staying there, as they were blaming John Thain or someone (one of the execs) for killing them. Their claim is that, when the bear raid starts, it would be that much worse if they weren't there. To me it sounds like a poor attempt to justify themselves.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


  • Topics

  • Posts

    • Be careful who you blame.   I can tell you one thing for sure.   Effective traders don’t blame others when things start to go wrong.   You can hang onto your tendency to play the victim, or the martyr… but if you want to achieve in trading, you have to be prepared to take responsibility.   People assign reasons to outcomes, whether based on internal or external factors.   When traders face losses, it's common for them to blame bad luck, poor advice, or other external factors, rather than reflecting on their own personal attributes like arrogance, fear, or greed.   This is a challenging lesson to grasp in your trading journey, but one that holds immense value.   This is called attribution theory. Taking responsibility for your actions is the key to improving your trading skills. Pause and ask yourself - What role did I play in my financial decisions?   After all, you were the one who listened to that source, and decided to act on that trade based on the rumour. Attributing results solely to external circumstances is what is known as having an ‘external locus of control’.   It's a concept coined by psychologist Julian Rotter in 1954. A trader with an external locus of control might say, "I made a profit because the markets are currently favourable."   Instead, strive to develop an "internal locus of control" and take ownership of your actions.   Assume that all trading results are within your realm of responsibility and actively seek ways to improve your own behaviour.   This is the fastest route to enhancing your trading abilities. A trader with an internal locus of control might proudly state, "My equity curve is rising because I am a disciplined trader who faithfully follows my trading plan." Author: Louise Bedford Source: https://www.tradinggame.com.au/
    • SELF IMPROVEMENT.   The whole self-help industry began when Dale Carnegie published How to Win Friends and Influence People in 1936. Then came other classics like Think And Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, Awaken the Giant Within by Tony Robbins toward the end of the century.   Today, teaching people how to improve themselves is a business. A pure ruthless business where some people sell utter bullshit.   There are broke Instagrammers and YouTubers with literally no solid background teaching men how to be attractive to women, how to begin a start-up, how to become successful — most of these guys speaking nothing more than hollow motivational words and cliche stuff. They waste your time. Some of these people who present themselves as hugely successful also give talks and write books.   There are so many books on financial advice, self-improvement, love, etc and some people actually try to read them. They are a waste of time, mostly.   When you start reading a dozen books on finance you realize that they all say the same stuff.   You are not going to live forever in the learning phase. Don't procrastinate by reading bull-shit or the same good knowledge in 10 books. What we ought to do is choose wisely.   Yes. A good book can change your life, given you do what it asks you to do.   All the books I have named up to now are worthy of reading. Tim Ferriss, Simon Sinek, Robert Greene — these guys are worthy of reading. These guys teach what others don't. Their books are unique and actually, come from relevant and successful people.   When Richard Branson writes a book about entrepreneurship, go read it. Every line in that book is said by one of the greatest entrepreneurs of our time.   When a Chinese millionaire( he claims to be) Youtuber who releases a video titled “Why reading books keeps you broke” and a year later another one “My recommendation of books for grand success” you should be wise to tell him to jump from Victoria Falls.   These self-improvement gurus sell you delusions.   They say they have those little tricks that only they know that if you use, everything in your life will be perfect. Those little tricks. We are just “making of a to-do-list before sleeping” away from becoming the next Bill Gates.   There are no little tricks.   There is no success-mantra.   Self-improvement is a trap for 99% of the people. You can't do that unless you are very, very strong.   If you are looking for easy ways, you will only keep wasting your time forgetting that your time on this planet is limited, as alive humans that is.   Also, I feel that people who claim to read like a book a day or promote it are idiots. You retain nothing. When you do read a good book, you read slow, sometimes a whole paragraph, again and again, dwelling on it, trying to internalize its knowledge. You try to understand. You think. It takes time.   It's better to read a good book 10 times than 1000 stupid ones.   So be choosy. Read from the guys who actually know something, not some wannabe ‘influencers’.   Edit: Think And Grow Rich was written as a result of a project assigned to Napoleon Hill by Andrew Carnegie(the 2nd richest man in recent history). He was asked to study the most successful people on the planet and document which characteristics made them great. He did extensive work in studying hundreds of the most successful people of that time. The result was that little book.   Nowadays some people just study Instagram algorithms and think of themselves as a Dale Carnegie or Anthony Robbins. By Nupur Nishant, Quora Profits from free accurate cryptos signals: https://www.predictmag.com/    
    • there is no avoiding loses to be honest, its just how the market is. you win some and hopefully more, but u do lose some. 
    • $CSCO Cisco Systems stock, nice top of range breakout, from Stocks to Watch at https://stockconsultant.com/?CSCOSEPN Septerna stock watch for a bottom breakout, good upside price gap
    • $CSCO Cisco Systems stock, nice top of range breakout, from Stocks to Watch at https://stockconsultant.com/?CSCOSEPN Septerna stock watch for a bottom breakout, good upside price gap
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.