Real-Time and Delayed Quotes

Real-time and delayed quotes covers delayed quotes, real-time quote feeds, and stock quotes.

Use this branch when timing and feed status determine whether a displayed quote is current enough for analysis or execution. This content is educational and does not endorse any quote feed or data vendor.

What This Branch Covers

Decision Lens

Quote timing changes the evidence value. Delayed data may be acceptable for education or broad context, while execution-sensitive decisions require current quote and order-book evidence plus final execution records.

Move to Executable Quotes and Price Levels when tradeability is the issue. Move to Market Data, Tickers, and Tapes when symbol or feed identity is the issue.

Evaluation Checklist

• Identify data source, timestamp, exchange, delay interval, and field definition.
• Check whether the quote is bid, ask, last sale, midpoint, or indicative.
• Confirm quote size and market status before treating a quote as actionable.
• Watch for stale prices during halts, thin trading, or market holidays.
• Use execution reports to confirm final fill price.

Common Mistakes

• Using delayed quotes for time-sensitive execution.
• Assuming real-time means complete venue coverage.
• Treating stock quotes as full security identity.
• Ignoring quote condition codes and trading halts.
• Comparing vendors without checking latency and field definitions.

For broader context, return to Quotes and Executable Prices.

In this section

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