Don't know why this keeps coming up.
The purpose of the rule, as I understand it, is not to protect the trader (funny how everything always comes back to "me, me, me"), it is to protect the clearing firms. It may or may not be the "real" reason for the rule. The following rule is from the NASD and was approved by the SEC.
Although the day trader may end the day with no position, the day traderâs clearing firm
is at risk during the day if credit is extended. To address this risk, the NASD and
NYSE require day traders to demonstrate that they have the ability to meet the initial
margin requirements for at least their largest open position during the day. Specifically,
under current margin requirements, a customer who meets the definition of day trader
under the rule must deposit in his or her account the margin that would have been
required under Regulation T (i.e., the 50 percent initial margin requirement) if the
customer had not liquidated the position during the trading day. If the customer day
trades, but is not considered a âday trader,â the customer is still required to post 25
percent of the position held during the day.4 Currently, this payment is due after the risk
has been incurred. Therefore, the funds are not available during the trading day when
the clearing firm is at risk.
Currently, if a customerâs day trading results in a day-trading margin call, the customer
has seven days to meet the call by depositing cash or securities in the account. Because
day traders typically end the day flat and this day-trading âmarginâ deposit is not
securing a margin loan, the customer is not required to leave the margin deposit in the
account and may withdraw the deposit the day after the deposit is made. If the
customer fails to meet a day-trading margin call, no specific action to the customer
account is required to be taken by the firm. There are no securities to liquidate, as there
would be for an existing position, because day traders typically end the day flat.
Description Of Amendments
The amendments address the deficiencies that have been identified with existing rules
relating to day-trading margin activities. Specifically, the amendments provide for the
following changes to current margin requirements........
.
$25,000 minimum, etc, ...