sell the book

Sell the book

Used for listed equity securities. Order to a broker by the holder of a large quantity of shares of a security to sell all that can be absorbed at the current bid price. The term derives from the specialist's book - the record of all the buy and sell orders members have placed in the stock one handles. In this scenario, the buyers potentially include those in the specialist's book, the specialist for its own account, and broker-dealers.

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sell the book

A customer order to a broker to sell as much of a security as possible at the current bid. Purchases also may be made by a specialist or other interested broker-dealers. The phrase derives from the book of existing orders that a specialist keeps.