[b]QUICK QUESTION [/b]

Newbie here with a question and hoping some one can help me understand it. The question marks are my questions. What exactly these numbers represent?

I realize that the # 34 is volume, but does it represent 34 contracts or 34 trades?

Thanks

LG

 

34 contracts

Most platforms come with some sort of help index.

 

But the help index doesn't state anything about those numbers...?

 

Any one else?

 

I use the exact same platfrom -- that's contracts traded. If you look up in the volume column at the top of your platform you'll also see the number 34.

 

ok, but what do the other numbers on the side represent?

 

you are looking at the orderbook those are contracts

only place to find individual trades are in a tickchart

just google ORDER BOOK

http://daytrading.about.com/od/daytradingglossary/a/OrderBook.htm

 

34 contracts traded, the ask size is still 311.

bid size - ask size = -69 hence; ask siz is larger(within 5 levels ask and bid side).

 

and for your other question marks....the numbers above and below the 34 in blue and red is the depth of the market. Those are the orders that are sitting at that price. For example, the 494 below the 34 represents 494 contracts that are waiting to be bought at 1005.75. It's important to note that these numbers are mostly bullshit and completely worthless. The market will trade thru these price levels and you can bet your bottom dollar next to none of those contracts will actually execute. There's lots of games being played on market depth. It changes to quickly for it to be of any use to the human eye. A computer may be able to do something with it but I doubt that too.

The B/A Diff Total is the difference between the quantity bid vs offered at a certain number of price depths. On your example you have 5 so the B/A differential is -69 on 5 levels, or down to 1004.75 and up to 1007.00. Again, since market depth is of no use then this number is of no use. IMO...the only thing the order pad is good for is entering orders.