When it comes to day trading and investing, timing is everything. It’s crucial to stay on top of the latest market movements, and a great way to do so is by keeping an eye on live market quotes throughout the day.
What is a real-time quote?
As the name suggests, a real-time quote refers to the real prices of stocks and other assets that are offered in the market. In most cases, many companies that offer these numbers usually have a 15-minute delay because of the cost involved in buying real quotes.
Therefore, as a trader, having a company that gives the real prices of assets can help you make better decisions. This is the main reason why many institutional investors are willing to pay huge fees for this data.
The opposite of a real-time quote is known as a delayed quote.
How Real-Time Quotes work
The idea behind RTQ is relatively easy. It starts with how companies are listed. In the United States, most companies are listed in the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the Nasdaq.
NYSE and Nasdaq then sell their data to other companies that can distribute them to the market. In most cases, they sell this data to companies like Bloomberg, Reuters, and FactSet (some of the best news sources). These companies then package the data and sell them to other firms like CNN and Reuters.
Best sources for real-time market quotes
Real-time stock market quotes information is available from numerous sources. We’ve compiled the 12 best options for you.
- CNBC U.S. Markets – With its simple, easy-to-navigate interface and impressive assortment of data, CNBC’s stock market quotes are sure to be useful to any trader. At a glance, you can check out market movers across the S&P, NASDAQ, the Dow and more.
Conveniently, you can sort data by criteria like stock symbol, price, price change, previous close and many others. - Economic Times Stock Quotes – The main thing that makes this site a standout is that you can quickly bring up information about a specific company.
From there, you can learn key information about it, including live stock prices, 52-week highs and lows, intraday and historical price charts, comparative analyses, profit-loss data and more.
Within the same profile, you can get up to speed on company news and announcements, which allows you to be the most informed trader possible. - CNN Money – CNN Money has long been a trusted source of accurate stock market information, so you can’t go wrong by using this simple yet very informative site.
Right at the top, you’re greeted with a rundown of live-streaming information for the Dow, NASDAQ and the S&P. Gainers and losers by company are prominently displayed.
Not surprisingly, this site also includes in-depth news coverage of U.S. and world markets. - Bloomberg Stocks – Quickly stay abreast of the latest information about America’s stock indices with this handy site. It’s all presented in convenient chart form. Charts for the Dow, the S&P, NYSE, NASDAQ and Russell are all included. At a glance, you’ll see information like value, change, and change percentage.
By clicking on a stock, you’ll get even more in-depth information, including open price, previous close, year-to-date performance and more. - Market Watch – This site is an offshoot of the Wall Street Journal. It’s billed as the single place to watch live updates of a wide array of markets. However, Market Watch takes it one step further by providing commentary along with live market quotes.
Insights from other sources across the web and social media are also featured, and they help you get a much better idea of how a specific stock is performing on a given day. - Reuters European Markets – If you trade on the European markets, this is the site for you. Important headlines are prominently displayed above the fold. Indices are laid out on easy-to-read charts that include a huge wealth of information.
Quickly and easily receive market reports for the indices of your choice, and keep track of key information like last price, change, change percentage and more. - NASDAQ – For those who trade on NASDAQ, going right to the source for information is a good idea. This is where to do it. Since 1971, NASDAQ has allowed traders to quickly trade on a computerized, transparent system. The index includes more than 3,000 stocks, with most of them falling into the tech or biotech spheres.
This site lets you enter up to 25 symbols at a time for quick, easy access to the information you need the most. - Google Finance – Google has long been the most trusted source for searching the Internet, and the search engine giant also delivers exceptional financial news through this handy site. Google’s stellar reputation makes it a great option for real-time stock market quotes.
You can use your Google account to create your own virtual portfolio, which allows you to track your stocks in an instant without having to re-enter the information every time. - Yahoo Finance – With its long track record and reputation for providing clear, direct information, Yahoo is trusted by traders across the world. Like Google, the site allows you to make your own portfolio to quickly keep an eye on the stocks that matter to you.
At the top of the screen, crucial information about the Dow, NASDAQ and the S&P is displayed, and top stories from the world of finance are too. - Live Charts UK – If you ever trade UK stocks, this site is an absolute must. It rounds up crucial information from the top day trading charts, so you don’t have to search high and low to make informed decisions.
UK share prices and other information, including historical data, up shares, down shares, up sectors and more is included. Be sure to check out the message boards too. - Wall Street Journal – The Market Data Center that’s provided by the Wall Street Journal should be one of your first stops when researching the major indices. In the Market Diary section, you’ll find advances, declines and unchanged stocks all handily outlined.
From industry groups to U.S. stocks and indexes, this source makes it a snap to keep your finger on the pulse of the world of finance. - Investing.com – This site may not have many bells or whistles, but the information it provides is current, accurate and direct.
The U.S. financial markets section includes information on indices, stocks, ETFs, futures, bonds and more. Quickly get up to speed by checking out the most active stocks, top gainers, top losers and sector summaries.
When used in conjunction with a few other sources, Investing.com will help you lay the foundation for successful and profitable trading.
- WeBull – WeBull is one of the best platforms that offer real-time data. It is a Chinese broker that offers a great trading platform and news.
Most trading platforms offer these real-time quotes. These include platforms like Robonhood, Schwab, and TD Ameritrade.
Summary
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when researching stocks. By putting these handy online sources to use, though, you’re sure to have a much easier time finding the best stock market quotes. Give each one a try.
You’re sure to find at least one or two that suit your needs perfectly, and your trading ventures should be the better for it.
