SMF - What is Margin Call ? How could an investor respond to a Margin Call?

 

What is Margin Call?

A margin call is triggered when the investor’s equity, as a percentage of the share portfolio value, falls below the account's maintenance margin requirement.

This is a request of the Bank to the client to top up the Margin to meet the maintenance margin requirement.  When a margin call is triggered, investor is usually given  3 market days to regularise. Otherwise, will initiate the force selling.

However,  if the margin of finance (MOF) exceed the approved force selling level, investor will have to satisfy the margin call on the same day, otherwise the bank will at liberty to set off any cash and sell/realise any collateral held by the bank.

Eg, Let say the MOF is up to 60%, the margin call is triggered when MOF  is > 72% and given 3 market days to satisfy the margin call. However, the force selling -margin call is triggered if MOF is >85% or at the expiry of the margin call notice, whichever is earlier.

How could an investor respond to a Margin Call

1) Depositing cash in the brokerage account to top up the value

2) Selling margined securities to meet the account's maintenance margin requirement

3) Depositing new shares in the account to increase the collateral value without increasing the loan amount 

If you are interested to know more about SMF , don’t hesitate to fix an appointment with us. We’ll get back to you asap.

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