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May an executing broker-dealer re-apply a locate for intra-day buy-to-cover trades?

A locate for a security may be re-applied for an intra-day buy-to-cover trade in the following scenario:

Prior to a customer’s short sale of 100 shares of XYZ stock, the executing broker-dealer obtains an appropriate locate for the securities. The short sale is then executed. Subsequently that day, the broker-dealer purchases 100 shares of XYZ stock for the customer, and the customer’s net trading position is flat. If the customer wants to then sell short another 100 shares of XYZ stock in the same trading day, the executing broker-dealer may apply the original locate to that sale, provided that such subsequent short sale is for an amount of securities that is no greater than the amount of securities obtained in the original locate, and provided further that the source of the located shares indicates that the original locate is good for the entire trading day.

For a "non-easy to borrow" security or a threshold security, a broker-dealer may not re-apply a locate for intra-day buy-to cover trades. Without obtaining locates prior to each short sale in such securities in the scenario described above, it is unlikely that the broker-dealer executing such trades would have reasonable grounds to believe that such securities can be borrowed so that they can be delivered on the date that delivery is due on each trade.

A broker-dealer, however, may have reasonable grounds to believe that securities will be available when delivery is due on such short sales if the broker-dealer pre-borrows the securities.

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