What are the annotations on a dealing screen which often follow the share price, such as XR, AN and so on?
The most common annotations are XR (ex-rights), XC (ex-capitalisation), XD (ex-dividend), AN (the company has made an announcement) and N (news has been released about the company, not from the company itself). The ex date is a line in the sand, after which buyers of the stock are not entitled to that particular benefit. Prior to going ex-dividend, for example (known as the cum or with dividend period) buyers will receive the forthcoming dividend. On the day the stock goes XD, though, any new buyers of the stock will not receive the next dividend. Holders of the stock who choose to sell their shares on the XD date will, however, receive the dividend, even though they have disposed of their shares. This is why a share price is marked down on the ex day by the amount of the entitlement, be that a dividend, capitalisation or rights issue. As Executor for an estate, I came across three Post War Credits certificates, which were dated from 1941 to 1945. They also had values of £5-1-5, £5-4-0
