Two numbers, not one
Temporary halt thresholdIf the price moves this far from the reference, trading in the stock pauses briefly and then resumes.
Daily price limitThe furthest the price can go up or down that day. Nothing trades beyond it.
According to press reports of EGX chairman decree 681 of 2021: on the main market the daily limit is 20% from the last close, with a temporary halt at 10%. On the SME market the limit is 10%, with a temporary halt at 5%.
Work it out yourself
ExampleAn invented stock, Qemma Steel, on the main market closed yesterday at 10.00. The halt threshold: 10.00 × 10% = 1.00, so 11.00 on the way up or 9.00 on the way down. The daily limit: 10.00 × 20% = 2.00, so the price cannot go above 12.00 or below 8.00 today.
8.00−20%
9.00−10%
10.00Prev. close
11.00+10%
12.00+20%
Temporary halt at ±10%Daily limit ±20%
Limits are not the same for every stock
The decree itself treated the main market and the SME market differently. The markets have since been re-segmented; according to press reports, a new segmentation applied from 1 September 2026. So the limit that applies to one stock can differ from another's, and can change.
Watch outBefore building on a particular percentage, confirm the current limit for that specific stock on its page or with your broker. The figures above are what decree 681 set, and the rules can be amended.
Check yourself
1. A main-market stock closed at 50. Using decree 681's percentages, where is the upward temporary halt?
50 × 10% = 5, so 55. 60 is the daily limit (20%).
2. What is the difference between the halt threshold and the daily limit?
The halt comes first; the daily limit is further out and cannot be crossed.
Summary
- There are two numbers: a temporary halt threshold, and a daily limit further out.
- Decree 681 of 2021 set 10% and 20% for the main market, and 5% and 10% for SMEs, from the last close.
- Limits vary by market and can change, so confirm the stock's current limit.