NASDAQ rules zap little guy. (many small, publicly traded Massachusetts companies may be bumped off NASDAQ and Boston Stock Exchanges)

NASDAQ rules zap little guy

Higher listing requirements and a slumping economy may conspire to bump many small, publicly traded companies from Massachusetts off the NASDAQ stock market and the Boston Stock Exchange.

"Getting delisted from NASDAQ certainly hurts," said Harold Mahar, president of Semicon Inc., a Burlington defense electronics contractor. Semicon's stock was delisted from NASDAQ on July 27. Because of the increasing minimum capital requirements and share prices, the company won't predict that it will be relisted anytime soon.

"There's no question that [the new rules] will have a major impact. If the changes do get passed and they do get imposed, we'll look to somehow restructure to make the requirements. Being listed is vital," said Raymond Shea …