Trading Halt
Market Structure
What it means
A pause in trading on a specific stock, usually triggered by pending news or a sudden large move. No trades can execute until the halt is lifted.
Example
A stock halts before a major earnings release. Five minutes later trading resumes and the price opens 15% higher -- but during the halt, no one could buy or sell at any price.
Mistake beginners make
Beginners try to exit during a halt and panic when their orders do not fill. A halt means no fills at all; your stop cannot save you until trading resumes, possibly far from your stop.
Related terms
- Circuit Breaker — A market-wide rule that pauses all trading if a major index falls a set amount in a day, t…
- Gap — A jump in price between one period's close and the next period's open, with no trading in …