| Stock market quotes are important for investors to | | | | When investors are stock picking, they need to |
| know how much a stock is being bought or sold for | | | | know what the price is so they can trade it |
| on the market. In the absence of this information, it | | | | effectively. Trading styles like scalping, shaving or |
| would be near impossible for investors trading stocks | | | | swing trading would become useless since they all |
| to buy and sell. Being able to see a stock pick's bid | | | | require information on the Bid/Ask to work |
| ask price is what makes investing in shares possible. | | | | effectively. Stock market quotes did not always |
| If you had to call up your broker by phone to place | | | | exist as we see it today. In the past, investors were |
| and order, it would be very time consuming and you | | | | unable to tell how the market moved on a day to |
| may miss out on many opportunities to get in or out | | | | day basis. They could not tell if it was in an uptrend, |
| at the right time. There would also be the possibility | | | | down trend or sideways trend. They normally |
| that a broker becomes inundated with calls and | | | | invested in bonds as a way to make money, as the |
| cannot answer to everyone. This could mean that | | | | stock markets were not held in high regard. As time |
| you will have no access to trading on the market. | | | | went on, the different indexes started to add more |
| Stock exchanges around the world provide important | | | | information such as trading volumes and price |
| stock market quotes for investors in the stock | | | | movements. |
| market today. The information on share prices is | | | | Professional traders, who trade stocks for a living, or |
| passed on to Electronic Communication networks, | | | | work with financial institutions, will have access to a |
| which allow investors to see the stock's price. | | | | dealing desk. This ensures that as soon as they give |
| Some ECNs can provide quotes from different | | | | an order, it is executed immediately. Most normal |
| systems, allowing more chances to sell or buy with | | | | traders have accounts that are directly connected to |
| other market participants. Technical analysis of a | | | | ECNs so that there are no delays on stock market |
| stock would become extremely hard to perform | | | | quotes. Quotes can have delays of up to 15 minutes |
| since it looks at price and volume movements. | | | | in some cases, depending on which system or ECN |
| Without stock charts detailing a company's share | | | | you are using. That is why it is important to ask your |
| price history, technical analysis would become less | | | | broker about the ECN they use to ensure timely |
| effective in predicting future movements. | | | | information. |