Its a query over the ex date. I hve traditionally thought, if...

Its a query over the ex date.

I hve traditionally thought, if you never held RIO and bought one day before the ex date, you need to hold them to the rec date?? before you sell them, to ensure that they are in your name by the rec date.

BUT if you already own them, registered in your name, can you then sell them on the ex date, and by the time they are removed from your registration, you are entitled.

ie you sold them without rights, so the rights remain with you, (but they had to be registered to you first)

And the real thrust of my point, is why the neck not just sell them, even all of them, and now buy them back for the rights price.

Was rio going to pay such a dividend that your really worried about your piece of pie getting smaller?

Many will look at the trade difference and that is what causes the sell pressure, to reduce a stock to the rights price.