Wall Street's top regulator on Wednesday unveiled rules allowing stock markets to price shares in increments of half a penny, rather than the current minimum size of 1 cent, aiming to promote more competitive pricing and reduce investor costs.

The SEC’s five commissioners voted unanimously to reduce the so-called “tick size”, or spread, between buy and sell prices to a half-cent from a full penny for stocks that met certain liquidity criteria. The watchdog also slashed the access fees that users pay exchanges by two-thirds.

The price increments at which thousands of stocks and ETFs are quoted look set for an overhaul Wednesday, when the US Securities and Exchange Commission votes on final rules to reduce them to less than 1 cent.

Jon Smith flags up a penny stock that has seen a sharp move lower in its share price but is still on track to deliver a profitable year.

Wall Street's top regulator on Wednesday unanimously voted to allow stock exchanges to price many stocks in increments of half a penny, rather than the current minimum size of 1 cent, aiming to promote more competitive pricing and reduce investor costs on the $55 trillion U.

On Wednesday, the SEC voted to adjust market rules, so that some stocks will be quoted in increments of $0.005. According to Reuters, the decision to apply the change was unanimou