Bid, ask and the spread

The first thing that strikes a beginner opening a trading platform is that they see two prices, not one. This is not a platform error — it is how the market works.

The two prices

• The bid — the price at which the market buys from you, that is, the price at which you sell. It is the lower one.
• The ask — the price at which the market sells to you, that is, the price at which you buy. It is the higher one.