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Changing Tick Sizes?, Steven D. Dolvin
Changing Tick Sizes?, Steven D. Dolvin
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In 2001, exchanges began listing stock prices in penny increments, as opposed to fractions such as 1/8th or 1/16th of a dollar. The change was intended to simplify pricing and reduce bid-ask spreads. Recently, however, there has been an increasing call to move to higher increments (such as nickel or dime pricing). The rationale is that such a move would promote trading and reduce volatility. It doesn't hurt that it would also allow trading firms to generate more profit. See article here, WSJ.
Preferred Stock, Steven D. Dolvin
Preferred Stock, Steven D. Dolvin
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Preferred stock, also called perpetual stock, is considered a type of hybrid security. It has characteristics of debt, the primary of which is a fixed dividend. However, it also has similarities to equity, in that it is equity, so the dividend is not guaranteed. So, it has higher risk than comparable bonds, but less risk (and less upside) than common stock. Moreover, the price of preferred stock is primarily responsive to changes in interest rates (i.e., like a bond). See related article here, Wall Street Journal.