What is a bid and ask?

The term "bid and ask" (also known as "bid and offer") refers to a two-way price quotation that indicates the best potential price at which a security can be sold and bought at a given point in time. The bid price represents the maximum price that a buyer is willing to pay for a share of stock or other security.

What is a bid price?

A bid price is a price for which somebody is willing to buy something, whether it be a security, asset, commodity, service, or contract. It is colloquially known as a “bid” in many markets and jurisdictions. Generally, a bid is lower than an offered price, or “ask” price, which is the price at which people are willing to sell.

What determines the spread between bid and ask prices?

The spread between the bid and ask prices is determined by the overall level of trading activity in the security, with higher activity leading to narrow bid-ask spreads and vice versa. Most quotes in securities markets are two-sided, meaning they come with both a bid and an ask.

What is an example of a ask price?

The ask price is the price that an investor is willing to sell the security for. For example, if an investor wants to buy a stock, they need to determine how much someone is willing to sell it for. They look at the ask price, the lowest price someone is willing to sell the stock for.