Which of the following statements about the over-the-counter market is true?
D
Explanation:
Stocks that are listed on exchange floors are also traded in the over-the-counter market. The term
“third market” refers to over-the-counter trading of listed stocks. All types of securities-stocks,
bonds, options, warrants, rights-trade over the counter. The over-the-counter market is a negotiated
market, not an auction market.
Which of the following is not an auction market?
A
Explanation:
NASDAQ is not an auction market. NASDAQ is a computerized system of geographically dispersed
securities’ dealers. As such, it is a negotiated market. The NYSE (New York Stock Exchange) and the
CHX (Chicago Stock Exchange) are both auction markets.
The entity that serves as the auctioneer for trades conducted on an organized exchange floor is
known as a:
B
Explanation:
The entity that serves as the auctioneer for trades conducted on an organized exchange floor is
known as a specialist. The specialist is assigned stocks by the exchange and is a market maker in
those stocks. A registered trader is a private individual who buys and sells on his own account only.
Floor brokers and commission brokers execute trades for other investors.
Which of the following statements about specialists is false?
C
Explanation:
The statement that specialists are employees of the exchange on which they oversee trades is false.
Specialists are separate firms that are members of the exchange. Specialists are market makers in the
stocks that are assigned them by the exchange and can earn profits (or losses) on these investments,
just like any other market maker. They are required to maintain a fair and orderly market in their
assigned stocks, however, which means they sometimes must trade against the market. They also
maintain a central limit order “book” in their assigned stocks.
NASDAQ market makers provide investors with assurance that:
A
Explanation:
NASDAQ market makers provide investors with assurance that there is a market for the listed security
by posting bid and ask prices for it. There is no guarantee, however, that the investor will be able to
buy or sell the security at the price he desires or that the investment is high quality and low risk.
SuperDOT is:
C
Explanation:
SuperDOT is an electronic system used to place market and limit orders on the NYSE whereby the
orders are routed directly to the specialist in the assigned stocks. It is not an ECN, which is an
electronic network that is designed to allow buyers and sellers to interact directly with each other,
thereby bypassing the middlemen.
GoForBroke Investments has registered with the SEC to be a market maker in certain NASDAQ-listed
securities. In order to be able to enter bid and ask quotes for the securities in which it is going to
make a market, GoForBroke must subscribe to which level of NASDAQ?
C
Explanation:
In order to enter bid and ask quotes, GoForBroke must subscribe to NASDAQ’s Level II I. Level I
simply allows the user to view the highest bid and lowest ask price for a security, and Level II allows
the user to view all the bid and ask quotes from all the market makers in a security, but only Level III
allows the subscriber to enter quotes. There is no Level IV.
Which of the following is not a characteristic of all auction stock exchanges in the U.S.?
D
Explanation:
The statement that does not describe a characteristic of all U.S. auction stock exchanges is D. Dual
listing is permitted. Stocks listed on one exchange may also be listed on another. In fact, most of the
trading on U.S. regional exchanges is in dual-listed stocks. All of the auction exchanges do have a
central marketplace, listed stocks must meet listing requirements, and brokers wishing to conduct
trades on the exchange must be members of the exchange or hold a license to trade on the
exchange.
Which of the following is an example of a primary market transaction?
A
Explanation:
Exco Resources’ new bond issue is a primary market transaction. The primary market refers to the
market for new issues. The other three scenarios describe transactions in securities that are already
being traded and are secondary market transactions.
NASDAQ is:
D
Explanation:
NASDAQ is a computerized quotation system that is used in the over-the-counter market. It allows
NASDAQ market makers to enter bid and ask quotes and allows subscribers at lower levels to view
the bid and ask quotes available.
All government bonds and the majority of corporate bonds are traded:
D
Explanation:
All government bonds and the majority of corporate bonds are traded in the over-the-counter
market.
Which of the following types of securities would not be traded in the over-the-counter market?
I. stock options
II. government bonds
III. corporate bonds
IV. corporate stocks
D
Explanation:
All of the choices listed-and more-are traded in the over-the-counter market: stock options,
government bonds, corporate bonds, and corporate stocks. Additionally, securities such as warrants,
rights, forward contracts, and foreign currencies also trade in the over-the-counter market.
Which of the following are duties of the specialist on an exchange floor?
I. executing limit orders if/when the limit price specified is reached
II. minimizing any imbalance in supply and demand for the stock(s) that the specialist is assigned
III. determining an opening price for each assigned stock every day
IV. serving as an auctioneer for the shares of the assigned stocks
D
Explanation:
All of the choices listed are duties of the specialist on an exchange floor. The specialist maintains a
limit order “book” and executes those orders if/when the limit price is reached. The specialist is also
charged with maintaining a fair and orderly market in the assigned securities, which means trading
on his own account to ensure that the supply and demand of the stock’s shares match. Additionally,
the specialist is responsible for setting the opening price for the assigned stock each day and for
serving as the auctioneer for the shares of the stock.
The price at which an investor can sell a security to a market maker in the over-the-counter market is
called the:
C
Explanation:
An investor can sell a security to a market maker in the over -the-counter market at the bid price,
which is the price at which the market maker is willing to buy the security.
Mary is interested in buying shares of the Lambchops Corporation, which sells over-the-counter. The
market maker with the best bid price--$3.15--is Veggie Investments. The market maker with the best
ask price--$3.27-is Carnivor Investments. Mary conducts trades in NYSE-listed stocks through her
broker, Omnivor and Associates.
Given this scenario, which of the following statements is true?
D
Explanation:
Mary can buy shares of Lambchops Corporation for $3.27 from the market maker with the best ask
price, Carnivor, by contacting her broker, Omnivor and Associates, which will execute the transaction.
The ask price is the price at which market makers in the over-the-counter market are willing to sell
the stock, and over-the-counter transactions, like NYSE transactions, are executed by brokers.