CHAPTER V

POWERS OF INTERVENTION OF COMPETENT AUTHORITIES ...
SECTION 1

Powers of competent authorities

Power to restrict short selling of financial instruments temporarily in the case of a significant fall in price
Article 23
1
Where the price of a financial instrument on a trading venue has fallen significantly during a single trading day in relation to the closing price on that venue on the previous trading day, the FCA ... shall consider whether it is appropriate to prohibit or restrict natural or legal persons from engaging in short selling of the financial instrument on that trading venue or otherwise limit transactions in that financial instrument on that trading venue in order to prevent a disorderly decline in the price of the financial instrument.
Where the FCA is satisfied under the first subparagraph that it is appropriate to do so, it shall in the case of a share or a debt instrument, prohibit or restrict natural and legal persons from entering into a short sale on that trading venue or in the case of another type of financial instrument, limit transactions in that financial instrument on that trading venue in order to prevent a disorderly decline in the price of the financial instrument.
2
The measure under paragraph 1 shall apply for a period not exceeding the end of the trading day following the trading day on which the fall in price occurs. If, at the end of the trading day following the trading day on which the fall in price occurs, there is, despite the measure being imposed, a further significant fall in value of at least half of the amount specified in paragraph 5 of the financial instrument from the closing price of the first trading day, the FCA may extend the measure for a further period not exceeding 2 trading days after the end of the second trading day.
3
The measure under paragraph 1 shall apply in circumstances or be subject to exceptions specified by the FCA. Exceptions may in particular be specified to apply to market making activities and primary market activities.
4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5
The fall in value shall be—
a
10% or more in the case of a share which is considered to have a liquid market under Article 1 of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 2017/567 of 18 May 2016 supplementing Regulation (EU) No 600/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to definitions, transparency, portfolio compression and supervisory measures on product intervention and positions; and
b
the amount specified in Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 918/2012, or in regulations made by the Treasury under paragraph 7, in the case of any share which is not considered to have a liquid market, or for other classes of financial instruments.
6
...
The Treasury may by regulations modify the thresholds referred to in paragraph 5 of this Article, taking into account the developments in financial markets.
7
The Treasury may by regulations specify what constitutes a significant fall in value for financial instruments other than liquid shares, taking into account the specificities of each class of financial instrument and the differences of volatility.
8
For the purposes of this Article, the FCA may make technical standards specifying the method of calculation of the 10 % fall for liquid shares and of the fall in value specified by the Treasury as referred to in paragraph 7.
......
Word in Art. 23 substituted (31.12.2020) by The Short Selling (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/1321), regs. 1(2), 11(7)(a) (with savings in S.I. 2019/680, reg. 11); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)
Words in Art. 23(1) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Short Selling (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/1321), regs. 1(2), 11(7)(b) (with savings in S.I. 2019/680, reg. 11); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)
Art. 23(4) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Short Selling (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/1321), regs. 1(2), 11(7)(c) (with savings in S.I. 2019/680, reg. 11); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)
Art. 23(5) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Short Selling (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/1321), regs. 1(2), 11(7)(d) (with savings in S.I. 2019/680, reg. 11); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)
Words in Art. 23(6) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Short Selling (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/1321), regs. 1(2), 11(7)(e)(i) (with savings in S.I. 2019/680, reg. 11); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)
Words in Art. 23(6) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Short Selling (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/1321), regs. 1(2), 11(7)(e)(ii) (with savings in S.I. 2019/680, reg. 11); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)
Words in Art. 23(7) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Short Selling (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/1321), regs. 1(2), 11(7)(f) (with savings in S.I. 2019/680, reg. 11); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)
Words in Art. 23(8) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Short Selling (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/1321), regs. 1(2), 11(7)(g)(i)(aa) (with savings in S.I. 2019/680, reg. 11); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)
Word in Art. 23(8) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Short Selling (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/1321), regs. 1(2), 11(7)(g)(i)(bb) (with savings in S.I. 2019/680, reg. 11); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)
Words in Art. 23(8) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Short Selling (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/1321), regs. 1(2), 11(7)(g)(ii) (with savings in S.I. 2019/680, reg. 11); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)
Words in Ch. 5 heading omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Short Selling (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/1321), regs. 1(2), 11(1) (with savings in S.I. 2019/680, reg. 11); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)