Margin Call

A demand by a BROKER that an investor who has purchased SECURITIES using credit extended by the broker (on margin) pay additional cash into his or her brokerage account to reduce the amount of debt owed.

A broker makes a margin call when the stocks in the account of the client have fallen below a particular percentage of their market price at the time of purchase, thereby increasing the outstanding debt and the broker's liability should the client become unable to pay. This process is also known as remargining.

A broker might also make a margin call when a client desires to make additional purchases of stock and securities.