Pattern day trader: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Type of stock trader}}

{{Use American English|date=June 2020}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2020}}

{{howto|date=April 2024}}

In the [[United States]], a '''pattern day trader''' is a [[Financial Industry Regulatory Authority]] (FINRA) designation for a [[stock trader]] who executes four or more [[Day trading|day trades]] in five business days in a [[margin account]], provided the number of day trades are more than six percent of the customer's total trading activity for that same five-day period.<ref>{{cite web|title=Pattern Day Trader|url=https://www.sec.gov/fast-answers/answerspatterndaytraderhtm.html|website=SEC.gov|publisher=[[Securities and Exchange Commission]]|date=February 10, 2011|accessdate=June 1, 2020}}</ref>

A FINRA rule applies to any customer who buys and sells a particular security in the same trading day (day trades), and does this four or more times in any five consecutive business day period; ''the rule applies to margin accounts'', '''but not to cash accounts'''. A pattern day trader is subject to special rules. The main rule is that in order to engage in pattern day trading you must maintain an equity balance of at least $25,000 in a margin account. The required minimum equity must be in the account prior to any day trading activities. Three months must pass without a day trade for a person so classified to lose the restrictions imposed on them. Pursuant to NYSE 432, [[brokerage firm]]s must maintain a daily record of required margin.

The minimum equity requirement in FINRA Rule 4210 was approved by the [[Securities and Exchange Commission]] (SEC) on February 27, 2001 by approving amendments to NASD Rule 2520.<ref name="ref2" />

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==Round trip==

A '''round trip''' is the purchaseopening and subsequent saleclosing of equitiesa security position. Whether you buy or sell to open, when you close the position, you’ve completed a round trip.

Day trading refers to buying and then selling or selling short and then buying back the same security on the same day.<ref name="ref7" /> Interpretation for more complex situations may be subject to interpretation by an individual brokerage firm. For example, if you buy the same stock in three trades on the same day, and sell them all in one trade, that can be considered one day trade,<ref name="ref8" /> or three day trades.<ref name="ref9" /> If you buy stock in one trade and sell the position in three trades, that is generally considered as one day trade if all trades are done on the same day. Three more day trades in the next four business days will subject your account to restrictions (you can only close existing positions or purchase with available cash up front) for 90 days, or until you deposit enough to have $25,000 in your account, whichever comes first. Day trading also applies to trading in option contracts. Forced sales of [[securities]] through a [[margin call]] count towards the day trading calculation.

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==Day trading in cash accounts==

The Pattern Day Trading rule regulates the use of margin and is defined only for margin accounts. Cash accounts, by definition, do not borrow on margin, so day trading is subject to separate rules regarding Cash Accounts. Cash account holders may still engage in certain day trades, as long as the activity does not result in [[Free riding (stock market)|free riding]], which is the sale of securities bought with unsettled funds. An instance of free-riding will cause a cash account to be restricted for 90 days to purchasing securities with cash up front. Under Regulation T, brokers must freeze an investor's account for 90 days if the investor sells securities that have not been fully paid (i.e. paid for with unavailable funds). During this 90-day period, the investor must fully pay for any purchase on the date of the trade.<ref name="ref10" />

==References==