cease trading

USAGE SUMMARY

"cease trading" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you wish to indicate that a trading activity has ceased or been stopped. For example, "The bank announced that they were ceasing trading due to a lack of liquidity in the market."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The company's failure comes days after Kleeneze, one of Britain's oldest catalogue shopping companies, said that it would cease trading.

The Times

Many stores will cease trading well before that date, according to Sky News, and about 50 stores have already closed.

The Guardian - Business

Now, when the value of the Dennis II fund's assets drop to 50percentt of the original investment, the fund is required to cease trading.

The New York Times

The underwear company famous for the cleavage-enhancing bras that launched the business career of Michelle Mone is to cease trading.

The Times

As a result we have made the difficult decision to cease trading the business and commence a wind-down of the estate".

The Guardian - Business

The report also reveals that while BDO was in talks to sell SMG a going concern, its printers – which were owed more than £400,000 – pushed for full payment, effectively causing the business to cease trading.

The Guardian

If someone in Community A didn't pay what he owed, Community A had the choice to either cease trading with Community B or compensate it for the damage and seek retribution from the individual.

The New York Times

We might have expected our government to unequivocally condemn Israel's actions, cease all arms-related exports to Israel, cease giving financial assistance to Israel, cease trading with Israel on preferential terms, and we might have expected it to do everything within its power to halt the massacre and bring those responsible to account.

The Guardian - Opinion

45 days from the end of the month would place the transaction due date as mid May, 3-4 weeks after Peerflix is due to cease trading.

TechCrunch

While there is lots of speculation, TechCrunch has confirmed with two sources with knowledge of developments that government officials have visited a number of top exchanges to instruct that they cease trading services on Chinese soil soon.

TechCrunch

The Age UK review said half of councils had seen a care home provider cease trading in their area, while a third had seen a home care agency fold.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "cease trading" when you want to formally and clearly indicate that a company or entity has stopped its buying and selling activities. This phrase is suitable for official announcements, legal documents, and news reports.

Common error

Avoid using "cease trading" if the intention is to indicate a temporary pause. Instead, use phrases like "suspend trading" or "temporarily halt trading" to convey that the activity might resume in the future.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "cease trading" functions as a verbal phrase indicating the termination of commercial activities. It is commonly used in business and financial contexts to describe when a company or entity stops its buying and selling operations, as seen in Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

68%

Academia

10%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Science

8%

Reference

3%

Encyclopedias

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "cease trading" is a formal phrase used to describe the termination of commercial activities. Ludwig AI confirms that it is grammatically correct and commonly used in business, financial, and legal contexts. The phrase is most frequently found in news and media, academic writing, and formal business communications. For less formal situations, alternatives like "stop trading" or "halt trading" may be more appropriate. Avoid using it for temporary suspensions, opting instead for phrases like "suspend trading".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

stop trading

Replaces "cease" with "stop", a more informal synonym, for a slightly less formal tone.

halt trading

Uses "halt" instead of "cease", implying a more abrupt or temporary cessation.

discontinue trading

Employs "discontinue" for a more formal and definitive sense of ending trading activities.

suspend trading

Suggests a temporary stop to trading, implying a possible resumption in the future.

end trading operations

Replaces "cease trading" with a more descriptive phrase emphasizing the operational aspect.

go out of business

Indicates a complete closure of the business, which results in the end of trading.

close down operations

Focuses on the closure of operational activities, leading to a cessation of trading.

liquidate assets

Emphasizes the selling of assets as a final step before ceasing trading.

file for bankruptcy

Highlights the legal process often associated with a company's decision to cease trading due to financial difficulties.

wind down the business

Describes a gradual process of ceasing operations, rather than an immediate stop.

FAQs

What does "cease trading" mean?

"Cease trading" means to stop buying and selling goods, services, or securities. It implies a halt in commercial activities, often indicating significant financial or operational difficulties.

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "cease trading"?

Use "cease trading" in formal contexts such as business reports, news articles, or legal documents when you need to clearly state that a business or entity has stopped its trading activities permanently or for an extended period.

What are some alternatives to "cease trading"?

Alternatives include "stop trading", "halt trading", "discontinue trading", or "suspend trading" depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

Is there a difference between "cease trading" and "suspend trading"?

"Cease trading" typically suggests a more permanent or long-term halt, whereas "suspend trading" implies a temporary stop with the potential for future resumption. The choice depends on whether the cessation is intended to be permanent or temporary.