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  Shop-eat-surf file photo.

Billabong requested Thursday morning in Australia that the trading of its stock continue to be suspended while it presses on with negotiations with two groups interested in buying the company.

On Tuesday morning in Australia, Billabong requested what’s called a “trading halt” that would be lifted by the beginning of trading Thursday at the latest or before then if the company was ready to make an announcement.

Today, it asked for a “voluntary suspension” until it is ready to made an announcement. It did not put a time deadline on the voluntary suspension.

From what I gathered from the Australian Securities Exchange website, a trading halt typically lasts a maximum of two days. A suspension is requested when a listed company cannot reasonably expect to make an announcement before the trading halt is due to be end.