FINRA Series 7Processes and Confirms TransactionsMedium

A customer instructs the representative that a sell order for 2,000 shares must be executed in its entirety immediately, or the entire order should be cancelled at once. Which order type matches this instruction?

  1. ANot held order
  2. BDay order
  3. CAll-or-none order
  4. DFill-or-kill order
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: D. Fill-or-kill order

A fill-or-kill (FOK) order requires the entire order to be executed immediately in full; if it cannot be filled in its entirety right away, the whole order is cancelled instantly.

Why the other options are wrong

  • A. Not held orders give the broker time/price discretion, unrelated to the immediate all-or-nothing requirement.
  • B. A day order simply expires at the end of the trading day if unfilled, not the same requirement.
  • C. AON allows the order to remain open waiting for a full-size fill; it does not require immediate execution.

Fill-or-Kill (FOK) Order

An order that must be executed immediately and completely, or it is automatically cancelled.

  • Immediate execution required
  • All-or-nothing quantity requirement
  • If not fully executable right away, order is killed

Memory trick: FOK: Fill it Or Kill it — now, no waiting!

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