Market Not Held Order

This is a market order where the investor gives the floor trader the discretion to execute the order when he feels it is best. If the floor trader feels that the market will decline, he may hold the order to try to get a better fill. This order may not get filled.

Market On Close Order

This is an order to be executed at the market price when the market closes. Institutions frequently use this method to buy or sell large numbers of shares, e.g., when a stock is to be added or deleted from an index and the institution must buy or sell the stock for an index fund. These orders are also used on day trades in order to close a position at the end of the session regardless of the price. It can also be used when you want to exit a position that day, but do not want to cut off a stock that is running during the day-place a market on close order and your trade will be executed at the closing price. As with all market orders, there is risk in that the stock that was rising and hit a target you would be happy at selling at, but then falls right before the close.

Master Limited Partnership (MLP)

Similar to a real estate investment trust (REIT), except MLPs are not limited to a specific industry compared to REITs which must invest in real estate. Both types trade like stocks on the New York Stock Exchange, and both types must distribute most of their earnings in the form of dividends. 

Material Change

A change in an issuer’s affairs that could have a significant effect on the market value of its securities, such as a change in the nature of the business or control of the issuer. Under the principle of continuous disclosure, a listed issuer must issue a news release and report to the applicable self-regulatory organization as soon as a material change occurs.

Message Board

A location on a Web site dedicated to the discussion of a particular topic, usually a single stock or industry sector. Discussions are not real-time. Someone posts a message, and then others respond over a period of hours or days.

Minimum Fill Order

A special term order with a minimum fill condition will only begin to trade if its first fill has the required minimum number of shares. For example, an order to buy 5,000 shares with a minimum volume of 2,000 shares can only trade if 2,000 or more shares become available.