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Records the first transaction price of the session, exposing the market's initial consensus after absorbing overnight information.
Open price is the first traded price of the period. It shows where trading starts after overnight or weekend news.
Open price is the first traded price of the period. It shows where trading starts after overnight or weekend news.
Why open price matters:
- News reaction: Gaps between previous close and open reflect overnight developments
- Market sentiment: Opening direction can set the tone for the session
- Trading reference: Some strategies focus specifically on the open
- Gap analysis: Difference between open and previous close signals significant news
Types of gaps:
- Gap up: Open above previous close; bullish sentiment
- Gap down: Open below previous close; bearish sentiment
- Full gap: Open outside previous day's range
- Partial gap: Open creates gap but within previous range
Trading considerations:
- Volatility: The open often sees higher volatility and wider spreads
- Liquidity: Auction process determines opening prices; not always smooth
- Institutional activity: Large orders often execute at or near the open
- Gap fill probability: Many gaps eventually fill during the session or subsequent days
The open price is one of four prices in standard OHLC (open, high, low, close) price bars used in technical analysis and charting.