Flash Crash | featured news

In a breakdown that resembled a mini version of the 2010 "flash crash," a series of blunders hit the market debut of BATS Global Markets Exchange Inc on Friday, causing the company to take the extremely rare step of withdrawing its initial public offering of shares.

The Securities and Exchange Commission unveiled a long-awaited plan designed to protect the markets from volatile price swings following the May 6 "flash crash."

U.S. regulators should stem the growing tide of anonymous stock-trading and consider charging high-frequency traders fees for the disproportionate amount of orders they send into the marketplace, said a panel of experts advising how to avoid another "flash crash."

Traders tiptoed around stocks early Friday as they absorbed the government's jobs report, but the market flipped a switch mid-morning and settled into a rally mode that pushed the major indexes up to their best levels since May.