MARGIN CALL

A call or demand from a broker to an investor using margin to deposit additional cash or marginable securities to abide with the minimum maintenance margin. It happens when the account value decreased to a value computed by the broker’s specific formula. It is also a call from a clearinghouse to a clearing member to follow the house maintenance requirement in purchasing or short selling of securities, or countering a price movement.

Sometimes, also known as federal margin call or maintenance call.