Stock Market Glossary
spread
Difference between bid and ask – direct trading costs.
In brief: Difference between bid and ask – direct trading costs.
Meaning in practice
For liquid assets the spread is minimal, for illiquid assets it can be significant. Those who trade at high frequencies often pay more in spreads than in fees – an important hidden cost factor.
Context for investors and traders
For traders, this term is most useful when preparing and executing an order. Its meaning depends on the venue, liquidity, time frame and order type. A single reading is not a reliable buy or sell decision.
How to use this in practice
Use the term first to describe the situation and add verifiable data: time frame, benchmark, costs and liquidity. Only then does it become an assessment that can be connected to an investment objective and risk budget.
What to keep in mind
Avoid false precision. Many market terms describe probabilities or historical patterns; they neither guarantee a return nor replace the review of a specific security.
