quoted price

Ngozi's uncle in Diaspora called her one evening, excited, saying he had checked his phone and MTN Nigeria shares were trading at ₦220 on the NGX app, and he wanted to buy right there and then because that was the price he saw glowing on his screen.

Ngozi had to explain gently that what he saw was the quoted price, the price the market was showing at that exact moment, but by the time his order actually went through, the price could have moved a little, up or down, because prices shift as buyers and sellers keep meeting each other.

A quoted price is simply the price currently on display for an asset on an exchange or trading platform. It is not a fixed sticker price like the one on a bag of rice at the market. It moves because it reflects what buyers are willing to pay and what sellers are willing to accept right now.

Think of it like asking the price of tomatoes at Mile 12 market. The trader tells you ₦3,000 for a basket, but that price can change an hour later depending on supply and how many buyers show up. Shares work the same way, just with more people watching and reacting faster.

In the United Kingdom, someone checking the quoted price of shares in a company like Tesco on the London Stock Exchange app will notice the number ticking slightly every few seconds during trading hours. It is alive, not printed in stone.

So when you see a quoted price, treat it as a helpful guide, a snapshot of the moment, not a guaranteed price you will pay when your order finally settles.