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L.1 · BEGINNER · 2 MIN

Supply, Demand & Market Prices

Every stock price, commodity price, and interest rate is set by supply and demand. When buyers outnumber sellers, prices rise. When sellers outnumber buyers, prices fall.

Quiz · 5 questions ↓

Compare

ForceEffect on PriceStock Market Example
Demand increasesPrice risesEarnings beat expectations, buyers rush in
Demand decreasesPrice fallsBad news, investors sell
Supply increasesPrice fallsSecondary offering (more shares on market)
Supply decreasesPrice risesShare buybacks (fewer shares available)

Key point

The equilibrium price is where supply equals demand. In the stock market, this changes every second as new information arrives and participants adjust their views.

Try it

Look at any ticker's **volume** bars on the chart. High volume at a price level shows where supply and demand found temporary agreement.

Key insight

Stock prices are not arbitrary numbers. They are the real-time consensus of millions of participants about what a company is worth, updated continuously.

Check-in

A product's price rises 10% and demand falls only 2%. What does this tell you about the business?
Check your understanding

Sit with the ideas.

A pharmaceutical company announces its new drug failed clinical trials. What happens to the supply and demand balance for its stock?

Why:
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