Board Lot: What it is, How it Works, Examples (2024)

What Is a Board Lot?

A board lot is a standardized number of shares defined by a stock exchange as a trading unit. In most cases, this means 100 shares.

A board lot is what the exchange determines to be a round lot. The purpose of a board lot is to minimize trading "odd lots" and to facilitate easier trading. It's more difficult for a broker to find a buyer for, say, 17 shares, if everybody agrees to trade in 100 share lots. With the advent of efficient online trading and fractional shares, however, odd lot trading is less of an issue than it has been in the past.

Key Takeaways

  • A board lot is what a stock exchange determines as its standard trading unit for round lots.
  • The idea behind board lots is to facilitate more efficient trading by defining blocks of shares for trading, instead of having a random assortment of odd lots being traded.
  • Board lots can lead to tighter spreads and more liquidity, although electronic trading and online brokers have reduced the need for board lots.

Understanding Board Lots

The size of a board lot will vary. A stock exchange might define one board lot as equaling 1,000 shares for stocks priced under $1, and 100 shares for shares valued at more than $1. The thinking is that standardization increases liquidity, thus lowering spreads and making the market more efficient for everybody.

Tighter spreads and more liquidity leads to lower transaction cost, which investors of all varieties prefer. Although most securities bookkeeping today is done electronically, fractional ownership percentages still pose an administrative burden. As such, economies of scale prefer security lots to come in larger increments.

At some trading venues, the board lot is delineated in units of 100 shares. On other exchanges, the board lot size can be much higher. For instance, the standard board lot at the Hong
Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKeX)
was changed from 8,000 shares to 24,000 shares in
Feb. 2019.

For certain hedging applications or other more advanced trading strategies, buying or selling in increments of 100 might be sub-optimal; in these instances, it might make sense for an investor to use a full-service broker to dial in the right amount of securities—no more and no less than what is needed.

It is not uncommon for voice or discount brokerages to limit users to round lots as part of their service agreements. Online brokerages and electronic trading, however, have steadily reduced the inefficiency and cost associated with odd lots. As a result, the need for board lots has decreased dramatically over the past decade.

Example of Board Lots

Unlike the U.S., where board lot sizes are typically standardized to 100 shares, the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX/TMX) has variable board lot sizes that are dependent on the price of the security. They are defined in the Universal Market Integrity Rules (UMIR) that govern trading practices in Canada.

The guidelines are as follows: If the trading price per unit is less than $0.10, the board lot size is 1,000 units. If the trading price per unit is $0.10 to $0.99, the board lot size is 500 units. When the trading price per unit is $1.00 or more, the board lot size is 100 units.

Board Lot: What it is, How it Works, Examples (2024)

FAQs

What is a lot and how does it work? ›

A lot is the standardised number of units of an asset being traded. Often, the actual value of an asset or security means that trading just a single unit isn't viable. In these cases, traders will use a lot: a set amount of a particular asset that you buy or sell in each transaction.

What is a board lot? ›

What Is a Board Lot? A board lot is a standardized number of shares defined by a stock exchange as a trading unit. In most cases, this means 100 shares. A board lot is what the exchange determines to be a round lot. The purpose of a board lot is to minimize trading "odd lots" and to facilitate easier trading.

What is an odd lot theory example? ›

An odd lot is a denomination less than a round lot. If a round lot is usually 100, then an odd lot would be a purchase of stock in an amount less than 100. If you purchased 37 shares of a stock, you're buying an odd lot of shares.

What is the difference between odd lot and board lot? ›

Shares are normally traded in specific amounts called Board Lots of 100 units. Any amount less than board lots are called special lots or odd lots.

What is lot and examples? ›

A lot is a plot of land. When you buy a house, you also buy the lot on which it sits. If there's an empty lot in your neighborhood, it means there's a space covered with grass or pavement that's large enough for a house or building to fit there. Another kind of lot is a set or group of items.

How does IoT work with an example? ›

Internet of Things examples

You likely use IoT devices every day. Some that you may be familiar with include smart thermostats and kitchen appliances, fitness-tracking watches, self-driving cars, and home security systems. Personal medical devices like pacemakers are also IoT devices.

How much is a board lot? ›

A board lot is a standard number of shares that's determined based on two things: the exchange where the security trades and the stock price. Generally, a board lot for stocks priced at $1 or more is equal to 100 shares.

What is minimum board lot? ›

The Board Lot Table determines the minimum number of shares one can purchase or sell at a specific price range. Therefore, the minimum amount needed to invest in stocks varies and will depend on the market price of the security as well as its corresponding board lot. Market Price (in PHP)

What is board lot table? ›

The Board Lot Table determines the minimum number of shares an investor can buy or sell at a specific price range. Therefore, the minimum amount of initial investment varies and will depend on the market price of the stock as well as its corresponding board lot.

What is the lot theory? ›

According to the Odd Lot Theory, traders trade in contradiction to what the odd lot trade signifies. This means if the odd lot purchases by small investors are up, it is a good time to sell, and vice versa.

What is the odd lot rule? ›

While odd lots can include any number of shares between one and 100, a round lot is any lot of shares that can be evenly divided by 100. 2 For example, 75 shares would be an odd lot since it is below 100 shares, while 300 shares would be counted as a round lot since it can be evenly divided by 100.

Is a lot 100 or 1000 shares? ›

A single lot for many exchanges contains a stock's 100 shares. The board lot is also understood as a round lot. A round lot usually has shares in multiples of 100, such as 400, 1000, etc. Stock exchanges, investors, and brokers typically trade in round lots and dissuade trading in odd lots.

How many shares is 1 lot? ›

For example, the standard lot size for the stock market is 100 shares – it is the number of shares that are bought and sold in a normal transaction. This is also known as a 'round lot'. Exchange traded funds (ETFs) are priced in the same way, so that one lot is equal to 100 shares.

How does board lot work in the Philippines? ›

Stock trading on the Philippine Stock Exchange is done by board lot or round lot system. The minimum number of shares you can buy or sell depends on the market price of the stock at the time you place your order.

What is the odd lot problem? ›

Key Takeaways

Odd-lot trades refer to orders involving shares less than a round lot of 100 shares. These odd-lot trades are thought to be made predominantly by individual retail traders who are likely less informed participants in the market. Odd lot theory advises trading against these uninformed traders' activity.

What is a lot used for? ›

A lot, which is often misspelled as alot, means “a large number or quantity” or “very much,” and it can be used as a noun or an adverb.

What is the concept of lot? ›

A lot is the standardised number of units of an asset being traded. Often, the actual value of an asset or security means that trading just a single unit isn't viable. In these cases, traders will use a lot: a set amount of a particular asset that you buy or sell in each transaction.

What is the difference between a lot and a property? ›

Similarly, raw land is any property that is uninhabited and is not yet ready for building. A lot, on the other hand, is a piece of property that is currently ready for building a structure. In most cases, this means that it is already set up for utilities like electricity, telephone lines, gas, water, sewer, etc.

What does lot mean when buying a house? ›

In real estate, a Land lot or plot of land is a tract or parcel of land owned or meant to be owned by some owner(s).

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