← Glossary · Buying and selling
Market order
Buy or sell immediately at the next available price, with no price limit.
A market order is executed as quickly as possible at the next available price. You know for sure that the trade will happen, but not exactly at what price.
For heavily traded shares during trading hours the difference is usually small. For thinly traded securities, right after the open or in hectic markets, the execution price can differ noticeably from the last price shown. A limit order protects against that.