Browse Market Structure

Price Action and Gap Moves

Trading terms for price action, stock gaps, downticks, and new-high/new-low market moves.

Price action and gap moves covers trading terms for price action, stock gaps, downticks, and new-high or new-low market moves.

Use this branch when the reader needs to describe specific price movement evidence. This content is educational and should not be read as a forecast or individualized trading recommendation.

What This Branch Covers

TopicUse it when the question is aboutEvidence to check
Price ActionMovement in market prices over a chosen periodPrice series, timeframe, venue, volume, volatility, and comparison benchmark
Stock GapDifference between prior reference price and opening or current pricePrior close, opening price, session, news, volume, and corporate actions
Down-TickA trade or quote movement below the previous priceTick sequence, trade print, quote source, timestamp, and venue
New High/New LowPrice reaching a defined high or low over a periodLookback period, adjusted price, data source, volume, and market context

Decision Lens

These terms describe what happened in the price record. They do not explain why it happened unless the evidence also includes news, liquidity, order imbalance, corporate action, or broader market context.

Move to Session Prices and Price States when the issue is opening price, last sale, high, or unchanged data. Move to Volatility and Overbought Conditions when the issue is movement size or variability.

Evaluation Checklist

  • Identify the exact price field, comparison price, lookback period, session, and data vendor.
  • Check volume, spread, news, and corporate actions before interpreting the move.
  • Confirm whether highs and lows are adjusted or unadjusted.
  • Compare the move with a relevant benchmark or sector when context matters.
  • Keep the label descriptive unless separate evidence supports a decision.

Common Mistakes

  • Calling a stock gap without checking the reference price.
  • Treating a downtick as meaningful without volume or sequence context.
  • Comparing highs and lows without a defined period.
  • Ignoring adjusted data after corporate actions.
  • Treating price action as a complete investment thesis.

For broader context, return to Price Action, Gaps, and Tick Moves.

In this section

Choose a subsection first. Deeper term pages live inside each subsection, which keeps large topic hubs readable.

Down Tick

A down tick is a trade at a lower price than the previous trade, signaling a small downward move in transaction price.

New High/New Low

A new high or new low marks a security reaching its highest or lowest price over a defined lookback period.

Price Action

Price action refers to the movement of a security's price over time, forming the basis for a securities price chart and making technical analysis possible.

Stock Gap

A stock gap occurs when a stock opens or trades meaningfully above or below the prior price range without intermediate trading.

Revised on Sunday, June 21, 2026