Stock trading halts

Trading halts are typically imposed by one or more of the stock exchanges or a regulator, such as the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) or FINRA (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority).

A trading halt for a specific stock or security can occur for a number of reasons, like waiting for substantial news to be released or during periods of high volatility.

You can track current and historical trading halts on both the NYSE and the Nasdaq websites.

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Trading halts on specific symbols

Trading halts for specific symbols can interrupt your orders to buy or sell particular securities. These stock-based halts are initiated by a regulator or the stock exchange where the stock is listed, not by Robinhood.

During a trading halt, one or more securities exchanges will prevent all trades of the specified security. These halts typically last less than an hour but can be longer. Halts can occur multiple times in a single trading day or remain in place over multiple trading days. If a security is in a trading pause in the last 10 minutes of the current day’s market hours, the primary listing exchange will not re-open trading for that security until the next trading day.

Keep in mind, market-wide trading halts can also be implemented by exchanges during periods of heightened volatility across the broader market.

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What can I do during a halt?

When a halt is in place, you can place orders as usual, but they won’t be processed until after the halt has been removed from the affected security.

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What happens to my new or existing orders during a trading halt?

You can place new orders during a trading halt, but new or existing orders will not be processed until the market reopens or the trading halt is removed. This applies to market-wide halts and halts on specific securities.

If you enter a “Good-til-Canceled” order and the market closes while a halt is in effect, your order will be held for execution at the opening of the next trading day. Additionally, orders entered as “Good for the Day” will be canceled at the end of the trading day regardless of whether a trading halt is in effect.

All new and outstanding orders will remain “pending” until markets reopen, or the trading halt is removed. When the halt ends, your orders will be processed. This also applies to options orders.

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Why are my orders not filling after a halt is lifted?

Your stock orders might not be filled after a halt is lifted for a number of reasons. The most common reasons are:

However, be sure to check the details of your specific order to determine why it was not filled.

Market order collaring

We’re currently phasing out market order collaring. Market order collaring has more details about this reason for an unfilled order.

Limit orders

It's possible for a halted security to begin trading at a very different price when trading resumes for it. If your stop or limit price hasn’t been reached, your order will remain pending until there's a buyer or seller willing to trade at your specified price or until the order expires.

Canceling a pending order

While a halt is in place, you can still cancel a pending order before it’s executed in the market if the order is for whole shares. However, there are some differences when trying to cancel a pending fractional order.

The option to cancel your fractional order might show as an option, but your order can't be canceled until the halt is lifted and the stock begins trading again. Also, if your order includes a fractional share amount, has been routed to a market center, and a trading halt goes into effect before the order executes, you can’t cancel the order. The order will execute when the halt is lifted.

Note

We’re working to make improvements with this experience. These halts are not Robinhood's decision and the timing of them is beyond our control.

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Why are charts flat during a trading halt?

When trading is halted, charts reflect the price of the last filled order. No trades are being executed, so prices neither rise nor fall. Rest assured, the price most likely didn’t flatline at zero. When the market reopens, the chart should display normally again.

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Why do option prices display as $0.01 during a trading halt?

During a trading halt, no orders are being processed so the “mark price” defaults to the $0.01 on your Robinhood app. Market prices should display normally after the halt is over.

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I have a concern about an order placed during a trading halt

If you believe one of your orders was affected by a trading halt and still have questions, contact our support team. Be sure to give us as much information as you can about the order(s) you placed and share any questions. We’re happy to assist you.

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Disclosures

Trading during extended hours comes with additional risks such as lower liquidity and higher volatility. You can learn more in the Extended-Hours Trading Disclosure.

Fractional shares are not liquid outside of Robinhood and not transferable. For a complete explanation of conditions, restrictions and limitations associated with fractional shares, see the Fractional Shares section in our Customer Agreement.

Reference No. 2734697
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Brokerage services are offered through Robinhood Financial LLC, (RHF) a registered broker dealer (member SIPC) and clearing services through Robinhood Securities, LLC, (RHS) a registered broker dealer (member SIPC). Cryptocurrency services are offered through Robinhood Crypto, LLC (RHC) (NMLS ID: 1702840). Robinhood Crypto is licensed to engage in virtual currency business activity by the New York State Department of Financial Services. The Robinhood spending account is offered through Robinhood Money, LLC (RHY) (NMLS ID: 1990968), a licensed money transmitter. A list of our licenses has more information. The Robinhood Cash Card is a prepaid card issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC, pursuant to a license from Mastercard®. Mastercard and the circles design are registered trademarks of Mastercard International Incorporated. RHF, RHY, RHC and RHS are affiliated entities and wholly owned subsidiaries of Robinhood Markets, Inc. RHF, RHY, RHC and RHS are not banks. Products offered by RHF are not FDIC insured and involve risk, including possible loss of principal. RHC is not a member of FINRA and accounts are not FDIC insured or protected by SIPC. RHY is not a member of FINRA, and products are not subject to SIPC protection, but funds held in the Robinhood spending account and Robinhood Cash Card account may be eligible for FDIC pass-through insurance (review the Robinhood Cash Card Agreement and the Robinhood Spending Account Agreement).

Options trading entails significant risk and is not appropriate for all customers. Customers must read and understand the Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options before engaging in any options trading strategies. Options transactions are often complex and may involve the potential of losing the entire investment in a relatively short period of time. Certain complex options strategies carry additional risk, including the potential for losses that may exceed the original investment amount.

Commission-free trading of stocks, ETFs and options refers to $0 commissions for Robinhood Financial self-directed individual cash or margin brokerage accounts that trade U.S. listed securities and certain OTC securities electronically. Keep in mind, other fees such as trading (non-commission) fees, Gold subscription fees, wire transfer fees, and paper statement fees may apply to your brokerage account. Check out Robinhood Financial’s Fee Schedule for details.

© 2023 Robinhood. All rights reserved.