Nasdaq to Cancel U.S. Trades Moving More Than 60% Before Plunge

Nasdaq OMX Group Inc. said it will cancel stock trades on all of its exchanges that were more than 60 percent above or below prices at 2:40 p.m. New York time, just as U.S. equities plummeted from down approximately 300 points to down nearly 1,000.

Nasdaq, which investigated trades between 2:40 p.m. and 3 p.m., said it will provide a list of stocks affected and the prices at which the trades will be canceled. The decision cannot be appealed.

The New Highs List

On a day like yesterday, I that they can buck major downward pressure. Below are stocks that hit 52 week highs yesterday (Note: I have removed securities that may be up only for technical reasons or Bear Funds which would go up automatically with a down market. What's left are stocks that bucked the trend.) Here they are:

NYSE

Alberto Culver
Campbell Soup
Church & Dwight
Covidien
General Mills
Hanover Insurance
ITC Holdings
Leggett & Platt
Longs Drug
MFS Government Markets Income Trust
Putnam Municipal Opportunities
Ralcorp Holdings
Standex International
Tredegar Corp

NASDAQ


Applied Signal
Arrow Financial7
BancFirst Oklahoma
Dynamex
Hancock Holdings
Hawaiian Holdings
International Bancshares Corp
Martin Transportation
Northern Trust
Steve Madden
United Financial Bancorp

AMEX
Apex Bioventures Acquisitions
Community Bankshares (South Carolina)
Hawk Corp. Class A

Obviously what stands out here, on a day when the financials led the market lower, is the number of banks stocks at NASADAQ at 52 week highs. I am just guessing here, but the new highs could be the result of an analyst or some research outfit putting out a list of financially strong banks that don't have any toxic mortgages like subprimes.

-Robert Wenzel