Stock FAQs

what is the "volume" on stock chart

by Ramona McCullough V Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Key Takeaways

  • Volume measures the number of shares traded in a stock or contracts traded in futures or options.
  • Volume can indicate market strength, as rising markets on increasing volume are typically viewed as strong and healthy.
  • When prices fall on increasing volume, the trend is gathering strength to the downside.

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Volume measures the number of shares traded in a stock or contracts traded in futures or options. Volume can indicate market strength, as rising markets on increasing volume are typically viewed as strong and healthy.

Full Answer

How to interpret volume on a stock chart?

Three Volume Indicators

  1. On Balance Volume (OBV) OBV is a simple but effective indicator. ...
  2. Chaikin Money Flow Rising prices should be accompanied by rising volume, so Chaikin Money Flow focuses on expanding volume when prices finish in the upper or lower portion of ...
  3. Klinger Oscillator

What does volume have to do with stock trading?

Volume Analysis in Day Trading

  • Buying Volume. ...
  • Selling Volume. ...
  • Relative Volume. ...
  • Higher Volume. ...
  • Analyzing Stock Price Movements. ...
  • Pullbacks. ...
  • The Final Word. ...
  • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Which stock exchange has the most volume on average? ...

What impact does the stock volume have on the stock?

Volume is the lifeblood of any stock. It represents the interest in the trading activity of said shares. Heavier volume indicates heavier interest and vice versa or lighter volume. A rise in volume tends to kick off significant price moves in many cases, however it is not a requirement.

What determines the stock volume of the stock?

Volume in stock market, In the context of a single stock trading on a stock exchange, the volumeis commonly reported as the number of shares that changed hands during a given day. The average volume of a security over a longer period of time is the total amount traded in that period, divided by the length of the period.

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What does volume on a stock chart mean?

the number of shares tradedVolume is simply the number of shares traded in a particular stock, index, or other investment over a specific period of time.

What is a good volume number for a stock?

Thin, Low-Priced Stocks = Higher Investment Risk To reduce such risk, it's best to stick with stocks that have a minimum dollar volume of $20 million to $25 million. In fact, the more, the better. Institutions tend to get more involved in a stock with daily dollar volume in the hundreds of millions or more.

What does high volume in a stock mean?

Stocks can be categorized as high volume or low volume, based on their trading activity. High volume stocks trade more often. Meanwhile, low volume stocks are more thinly traded. There's no specific dividing line between the two. However, high volume stocks typically trade at a volume of 500,000 or more shares per day.

Is it good to have high volume in stocks?

If you see a stock that's appreciating on high volume, it's more likely to be a sustainable move. If you see a stock that's appreciating on low volume, it could be a dead cat bounce. Logically, when more money is moving a stock price, it means there is more demand for that stock.

Is low-volume good for stocks?

The reality is that low-volume stocks are usually not trading for a very good reason—few people want them. Their lack of liquidity makes them hard to sell even if the stock appreciates. They are also susceptible to price manipulation and attractive to scammers.

Does high volume increase stock price?

How Does Volume Affect Stocks? If a stock with a high trading volume is rising, it means there is buying pressure, as investor demand pushes the stock to higher and higher prices. One the other hand, if the price of a stock with a high trading volume is falling, it means more investors are selling their shares.

What is a good volume indicator?

What Are Some Popular Volume Indicators? Popular volume indicators include three mentioned above—on-balance volume (OBV), Chaikin Money Flow, and Klinger oscillator—as well as the volume price trend indicator and Money Flow Index.

How do you read a volume indicator?

A high positive multiplier with high volume indicates strong buying pressure which pushes the indicator higher. On the other hand, a low negative number with high volume indicates strong selling pressure which pushes the indicator lower.

How do you know if buying or selling volume?

Key Takeaways You can distinguish buying volume from selling volume based on whether a transaction occurs at the bid price or the ask price. Changes in volume can give traders short-term indications of where the price might go next.

What does 0 volume mean in stocks?

When the trading volume of a company's shares falls to zero, it means that the stock exchange is no longer accepting or processing buy or sell orders.

How do you analyze stock volume?

1:414:46Stock Volume Explained - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipFor example if a stock breaks above resistance on higher than average volume some investors believeMoreFor example if a stock breaks above resistance on higher than average volume some investors believe that this is confirmation.

Is it worth it to buy 1 share of stock?

While purchasing a single share isn't advisable, if an investor would like to purchase one share, they should try to place a limit order for a greater chance of capital gains that offset the brokerage fees.

What is Volume in Stocks?

Volume is counted as the total number of shares that are actually traded (bought and sold) during the trading day or specified set period of time. It is a measure of the total turnover of shares. Each ticket represents a trade and counted towards the total trading volume. While the same shares may be traded back and forth multiple times, the volume is counted on each transaction. Therefore if 500 shares of XYZ were bought, then sold, then re-bought and then re-sold again resulting in four tickets, then the volume would register as 2,000 shares, even though the same 500 shares may have been in play multiple times.

How to calculate volume of a stock?

The dollar volume is the total value of the shares traded. Dollar volume is calculated by trading volume multiplied by price. For example, if XYZ has a total trading volume of 100,000 shares at $5, then the dollar volume is $500,000. Money managers use dollar volume metrics to determine whether a stock has enough liquidity to support a position. Dollar volume can also be used to get an idea of money flow when scanning for stocks breaking out or breaking down that are generating the highest dollar volume during the day.

Why Does Volume Matter?

Volume is the lifeblood of any stock. It represents the interest in the trading activity of said shares. Heavier volume indicates heavier interest and vice versa or lighter volume.

What is liquidity in stock market?

Liquidity refers to how much the market can absorb either buying or selling without making a market impact. How many shares can you buy or sell without moving the price of the stock? Liquidity overrides price. This is especially true for large stock traders and fund managers. High frequency trading programs and smart algorithms detects large orders and can possibly front run the orders causing traders to chase entries and exits.

Why do money managers use dollar volume?

Money managers use dollar volume metrics to determine whether a stock has enough liquidity to support a position. Dollar volume can also be used to get an idea of money flow when scanning for stocks breaking out or breaking down that are generating the highest dollar volume during the day.

What is volume analysis?

Volume analysis should be used in the context of the trading market environment with other supporting technical indicators. To determine if the volume is trading heavier or lighter than normal, traders can refer to the relative volume figure. Higher Relative Volume can bring volatility to a stock and make it easier to move.

What does the heaviest volume bar mean?

Often times, the heaviest volume bar forms at the peak of the move. It indicates the last of the chasers. This is why heavy volume hammer and shooting star candlesticks can form highly effective reversal signals. Volume analysis should be used in the context of the trading market environment with other supporting technical indicators. To determine if the volume is trading heavier or lighter than normal, traders can refer to the relative volume figure.

What is Stock Volume?

Stock volume is the count of the number of shares traded in a given time period , usually daily for a typical chart. For any given transaction, there is a buyer and a seller; the stock volume is a count of the number of shares exchanged between a buyer and a seller. Stock volume is the count of shares traded, not the dollar value of the shares exchanged.

What is Volume in the Stock Market?

During times of stock market volatility, for example, in 2008, the volume of stocks traded topped 1.3 trillion for the year.

What is the Volume Stock Chart Indicator?

The Volume indicator on a stock chart is usually expressed as a histogram (series of vertical bars) at the bottom of a chart. If 20,000 shares were traded, then the bar will show 20,000. The changes in volume from day to day indicate that a stock is more in demand if the volume bar rises and the stock price increases or less in demand if volume drops on price decreases.

What Does High Volume Mean in Stocks?

High volume in stocks can mean two things. High volume when the price is decreasing means there are more sellers than buyers; a sell-off. High volume when the stock price is going up means there is a rally in the stock price, meaning more buyers than sellers, which increases demand, which pushes stock price up.

What is Good Volume for a Stock?

Try to stick to trading stocks with at least $1 million traded per day. That means Stock Price * Volume = $ Volume Traded. There is another easy way to see if a stock has enough volume. If you see large gaps between the open and closing price for any stock, it means there is not enough liquidity in the stock. This means not enough volume for good liquidity.

How to see volume on a chart?

Perhaps the best way to visualize volume is by using the VAP indicator and the volume bars together on the same chart. This enables you to see the volume at a specific price point and the volume along the timeline.

How much volume does a penny stock have?

Penny stocks often do not have enough volume. For example, if the stock price is $1 and the volume is 5,000, that means only $5000 of stocks is traded in a single day; that is not for a fair and equitable market.

What does volume mean in stock market?

Volume measures the number of shares traded in a stock or contracts traded in futures or options. Volume can be an indicator of market strength, as rising markets on increasing volume are typically viewed as strong and healthy. When prices fall on increasing volume, the trend is gathering strength to the downside.

What is trading volume?

Trading volume is a measure of how much of a given financial asset has traded in a period of time. For stocks, volume is measured in the number of shares traded and, for futures and options, it is based on how many contracts have changed hands.

What are some examples of charting tools that are based on volume?

On Balance Volume and Klinger Indicator are examples of charting tools that are based on volume.

What is the purpose of indicators based on volume?

Indicators based on volume are sometimes used to help in the decision process. In short, while volume is not a precise tool, entry and exit signals can sometimes be identified by looking at price action, volume, and a volume indicator.

Why is volume important in trading?

In fact, volume plays an important role in technical analysis and features prominently among some key technical indicators.

What is volume used for?

Volume is a handy tool to study trends, and as you can see, there are many ways to use it. Basic guidelines can be used to assess market strength or weakness, as well as to check if volume is confirming a price move or signaling that a reversal might be at hand.

What does it mean when a stock price drops on volume?

Increasing price and decreasing volume might suggest a lack of interest, and this is a warning of a potential reversal. This can be hard to wrap your mind around, but the simple fact is that a price drop (or rise) on little volume is not a strong signal. A price drop (or rise) on large volume is a stronger signal that something in the stock has fundamentally changed .

What is volume in stock?

Volume refers to the number of shares traded in a given time period. A stock's volume refers to the number of shares that are sold, or traded, over a certain period of time (usually daily).

What is volume?

Broadly speaking, volume in investing means the total amount of a security that changes hands over a given period of time. This can refer to shares of an individual stock, the number of options contracts traded, or the total number of shares exchanged within an index or an entire stock market. Daily volume is the most commonly used time period, but volumes over longer or shorter periods of time can be useful as well.

Why does volume increase when the stock price changes?

Certain events, such as the company's earnings report or a major news release, can cause volume to spike and can lead to a large move in either the positive or negative direction.

What is a high daily volume?

A high daily volume is common when stock-specific news items are released or when the market moves significantly, while a low daily volume can occur on light-news days and calm days for the stock market.

Why do technical analysts use volume?

In addition, technical analysts use a stock's volume in order to determine the best entry and exit points for a trade.

How often is a buy/sell counted?

It's important to note that when counting volume, each buy/sell transaction is counted only once. In other words, if one investor sells 1,000 shares and another investor buys those 1,000 shares, ...

What does volume mean in stocks?

So, what is volume in stocks? Volume is the total number of shares that are traded between buyers and sellers during a specific period, such as a day, week or month.

High volume vs. low volume

One of the easiest ways to identify volume is on a bar chart, which is a chart made up of bars showing trading volume over a specific period of time. When the bars move higher than the average, it can indicate high trading volume at a specific price for that particular time frame.

How does volume affect stock price?

When a stock’s trading volume rises, it can signify that investor demand is high, and stock prices may go up as well. One approach traders use to evaluate a stock is technical analysis. This trading method analyzes trends such as price shifts and volume to help investors assess stocks and identify opportunities to trade.

How to use volume in stocks

When using volume as part of a trading plan, having some strategies for analyzing the strengths or weaknesses of a move can be beneficial, as they can provide insight into an entry or exit point. A few things to identify include:

Helpful volume indicators

We’ve seen that volume can be an important signal for evaluating stock trends, and several indicators may offer some value when making investment decisions. Although there are a variety of volume indicators available, they may not all be relevant for you, as each investor differs in their approach.

The Bottom Line

Trading volume is a valuable tool in evaluating the strength or weakness of a stock at any given time. It offers information about and can assist in confirming price moves and breakouts that can identify price changes and reversals in the stock market, which can help determine trading strategies.

Why use price by volume chart?

Often times, price by volume charts are used in conjunction with other forms of technical analysis to maximize the odds of success, including both chart patterns and technical indicators.

What Is a Price by Volume Chart (PBV)?

A price by volume (PBV) chart is a horizontal histogram plotted on a security's chart, showing the volume of shares traded at a specific price level. Often times, price by volume histograms are found on the Y-axis and are used by technical traders to predict areas of support and resistance.

Where are volume histograms found?

Often times, price by volume histograms are found on the Y-axis and are used by technical traders to predict areas of support and resistance.

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Appearance

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All trading/charting platforms can visually display volume throughout the trading day usually at the bottom of the price chart. Volume is typically displayed as a vertical bar representing the total volume for the specific incremental charting time period. For example, a 5-minute price chart would display volume bars displaying …
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Purpose

  • The trading volume is a measure of the total shares that have changed hands for a specific time period. The dollar volume is the total value of the shares traded. Dollar volume is calculated by trading volume multiplied by price. For example, if XYZ has a total trading volume of 100,000 shares at $5, then the dollar volume is $500,000. Money managers use dollar volume metrics to …
See more on investorsunderground.com

Significance

  • Volume is the lifeblood of any stock. It represents the interest in the trading activity of said shares. Heavier volume indicates heavier interest and vice versa or lighter volume.
See more on investorsunderground.com

Effects

  • A rise in volume tends to kick off significant price moves in many cases, however it is not a requirement. Despite conventional thinking, breakouts or breakdowns dont always require heavy volume especially in this age of algorithms that know precisely what price levels will efficiently trigger significant movement. Many traders have gone bust shorting light volume breakouts tha…
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Use

  • The cliché Never short a dull market. plays right into this. Often times, the heaviest volume bar forms at the peak of the move. It indicates the last of the chasers. This is why heavy volume hammer and shooting star candlesticks can form highly effective reversal signals. Volume analysis should be used in the context of the trading market environment with other supporting t…
See more on investorsunderground.com

Definition

  • Liquidity refers to how much the market can absorb either buying or selling without making a market impact. How many shares can you buy or sell without moving the price of the stock? Liquidity overrides price. This is especially true for large stock traders and fund managers. High frequency trading programs and smart algorithms detects large orders and can possibly front ru…
See more on investorsunderground.com

Example

  • For example, If you own 100,000 shares of a stock currently trading at $8 with an average daily volume 1 million shares, you may cause the stock to fall to $7 when selling the shares in a single session, resulting in an average selling price of $7.50. So while the value of the position is worth $8 million, the actual value of the position is $7.5 million. There was a $500,000 market impact o…
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