Real-Time Quote (RTQ) Definition

Real-time Quote definition goes as displaying the actual price of some security at the given moment of time. It is defined as the overall prices of security or stocks that get displayed on multiple websites or ticker tapes. Under most scenarios, the given figures might not be real-time numbers in which the securities might be trading but are available in the form of delayed quotes.

On the other hand, in contrary to the real-time quotes, the delayed quotes are known to lag the existing trading Market by around 15-20 minutes. RTQs tend to be instantaneous without any delays.

Getting an Understanding of Real-Time Quotes

Real-time quotes or RTQs also go by the name as quote streaming services. These are highly offered in the form of a free add-on with the presence of several online financial websites as well as online brokerages. However, there are some providers that are still known to charge some additional fee for gaining access to the same. Moreover, information related to real-time pricing with respect to options along with other securities might incur extra fees. This is because these are intended primarily for professional firms and traders.

Working of the Real-time Quotes

A typical quote on any given security is known to consist of an ask or offer price and a Bid Price. It turns out to be a two-way pricing structure. In the given structure, the bid price tends to be the most that any buyer is ready to pay for the respective security or share.

On the other hand, the ask or the offer price tends to be the least amount that the respective seller is ready to take for the given share. The bidding price serves to be the one that the sellers are going to receive for the respective security. On the other hand, the ask price is the amount that buyers will be paying for the security.

Special Considerations

On historical grounds, the price quotes used to arrive through ticker tape relying on the conventional telegraph technology. However, with the passage of time, quotes started disseminating on a daily Basis through television broadcasts or newspapers. Brokerage customers who were looking for some stock quote used to rely on telephones over which a broker would physically make the Call to the respective stock exchange while requesting a quote. However, with the advent of the concept of online trading through the internet, the overall cost of Offering real-time quotes declined significantly. Therefore, this technology soon became quite famous by the time of the 2010s.

Using the same, the stock exchanges were able to offer quotes to the general public. The quotes used to vary depending on the amount of available information. Investors and traders that make use of the given electronic trading mechanisms might receive the quotes of Level I, II, or III.