Quote from spyderman:
reply to Hayman
"I don't believe the Specialists stepped "in front" of the 1987 crash, did they ? Did they really soften the blow, and lose millions in the process ? I sincerely doubt it."
having been on a trading floor in 87 I can tell you that everyone on the street was buying and everyone was deeply under water......specialists included......several little firms went under...taken over by MER, etc......that was the start of the real big boys taking over the specialist operations......the powers to be called the White House........on tuesday mid-day......the broad tape read a who's who of companies announcing buy backs....IBM, BNI, UNP, F, GM, etc.........that saved most of our asses!
Our "groups" were called in on that Tuesday as well...and were told to "keep trading, no matter what"....keep the markets alive. And, much like 9/11 we did our best to make two sided markets.
Don