Broad Tape
Updated on March 19, 2023
Broad Tape refers to the stream of financial news and business news that was produced by the company. It was the financial information printed by the company on 5 inch wide tapes making them distinct from the stock quotes printed on the narrow format.
In today’s world, the broad tape is the information available on the computer in the boardroom of an investment firm. This continuous stream of information on finance, business and investment allows the investors and brokers to make decisions based on real time data. This information is available to the stakeholders via private subscription as well as on TV and internet.
The broad tape ticker machines were very much part of the stock markets up until 2017 after which they were replaced by computers and electronic displays. The stock market tickers were originally handwritten and passed onto the messengers who were tasked to deliver them to traders on Wall Street. After the invention of electricity, there were machines set up to type and print out the information on broad tape tickers as it was typed.
