A system and method for mitigating effects of a market spike caused by triggering and election of a conditional order in an automated matching system. The system includes evaluation logic which monitors conditional orders submitted to a trading engine compares a price of an order to a first predefined price range (“first range”) and delay logic which delays matching of the submitted orders when the price thereof lie outside of the first range. Pricing logic derives an opening price for use by the trading engine. Timing logic measures a time interval to delay matching of the orders until the opening price is within a predefined price range up to a maximum delay time set by a control center.