LIFFE
Technique
Thumb and index fingers are held to form the letter "L."
Origin
"L" in locals.
Locals
1 of 32
Thumb and index fingers are held to form the letter "L."
"L" in locals.
Index and pinky fingers are pointed downward.
Fingers form part of the letter "M" for the last name of the firm.
Thumb and pinky finger are extended upward.
Fingers represent the letter "W" for first letter of the firm's last name.
Index and middle finger are extended and held beneath nose.
Hitler's mustache.
Closed fist is held at arm's length and moved side-to-side with slight arc.
Steering a car.
Index finger is pointed at eye.
Last letter in firm name.
Both hands mimic holding kite string.
Flying a kite.
Index and middle fingers are pointed downward while hand moves horizontally across body.
Fingers chasing.
Index finger is pointed outward and thumb is moved up and down.
Wild West pistol.
Thumb is pointed downward from fist.
Opposite of firm slogan "The bank that likes to say yes."
Thumb is pointed upward then curled downward to index finger.
Detonating explosives.
Index finger is extended and pulls back corner of eye.
Stereotype of Asian with slanted eyes.
Both hands are joined to form triangle above head.
Traditional hat worn by Asian agricultural workers.
Hand is held to forehead with index and pinky fingers pointed upward.
Horns of Merrill Lynch's bull logo.
Hand is held over heart.
Americans place hand over heart during national anthem.
Tounge is pressed against cheek while hand is raised to mouth.
"BJ" portion of firm name. Signal used also for firm Hoare Govett as Hoare sounds like whore.
Hands are held out and curled to mimic revving a motorcycle.
Revving a motorcycle.
With fingers curled as if holding an apple, trader mimics taking a bite.
Eating a Fuji apple.
One hand mimics injecting syringe into other arm.
Injecting heroin.
Fingers are formed into "O" and moved back and forth at belt level.
Play on "cock" in firm name.
Index finger is pointed at ring finger on opposite hand.
Pointing to where a gold wedding ring is worn.
Index finger is pointed to wrist of opposite hand.
Swiss-made watch.
Fist is struck against open palm of opposite hand.
Morgan Guaranty Bank is referenced by the stamp, as if guaranteed.
Both hands mimic holding reins.
Lloyd's logo is a horse.
Index finger extended outward and draws an "S" in the air.
"S" is first letter of firm's name.
Participants
The ability to recognize all market participants was what made open outcry trading transparent and from this, signals were developed for the larger brokerages and for some large local traders. In cases where a more universal signal was never developed, their hand signal in the pit would simply be their three digit firm number.