Stock market quotes relate to stock price information given by capital market institutions to investors at different points of time.
These quotes allow the investors to make optimum investment choices over a period of time.
There are various types of quotes requested by U.S. investors from NASDAQ
Flash Quotes:
Available for stocks, mutual funds, and options. Flash quotes contain precise information about the last sale price and net change and volume.
Info Quotes:
More detailed and substantive. They include stocks, mutual funds, and options, and give information on the last sale price, net change, today's high and low, best bid, best ask, daily volume, and previous close.
Included in info quotes are links for much more extensive information about the items selected. Mutual funds and options may also be quoted.
Data Definitions
Stock symbol - This refers to the stock, mutual fund or option characters, which are assigned by the exchange to represent the issue.
Company Name - The company name as registered with the listing exchange.
Last Sale Price - The price at which a stock last traded as reported by the exchange, delayed by 15 to 20 minutes. Quoted in dollars and cents.
Net Change - The difference between the current last sale price and the previous day's official closing price.
Percentage Change - The amount in percentage terms that the last sale price for the stock has changed from the previous trading day's official closing price.
Today's High - The highest sales price the stock has achieved during regular trading hours, the intra-day high.
Today's Low - The lowest sales price the stock has fallen to during the regular trading hours, the intra-day low.
Best Bid - The highest price currently being offered for a block of stock.
Best Ask - The lowest price currently being asked for a block of stock.
Share Volume - The number of shares of the stock traded on the listing exchange during current trading hours. It does not include after-hours volume.
Previous Close - The previous trading day's last reported trading price during official trading hours.
Market - The official market or exchange listing the stock.
Stock Type - A short description of the kind of issue the stock represents, e.g. Common Stock.
Pre-Market Quotes:
These quotes cover stocks, mutual funds and options. They give reviewed, well-summarized information and are considered to be a leading indicator for regular-hours trading.
Data Definitions
Pre-Market Time - the time of the pre-market trade Eastern Standard Time (USA).
Pre-Market Price - the trade price of the pre-market trade.
Pre-Market Share Volume - the number of shares traded in each recorded pre-market trade.
After-Hours Quotes:
After-hours quotes provide information on stocks, mutual funds, and options. They are a leading indicator for next-trading day activity as well as providing insight into global markets, which start up within hours of the close of the U.S. after-hours market.
Data Definitions
After-Market Time - this refers to the time of the after-market trade Eastern Standard Time.
After-Market Price - this refers to the trade price of the after-market trade.
After-Market Share Volume - the number of shares traded in each recorded after-market trade.
Mutual Funds Investment