Presentation
This tool allows you to visualize the order book for a security and to monitor its evolution over time. The information is displayed in 2 ways: in a table and a graph.
Advantages:
  • Access in-depth financial market information, from the most basic to the most detailed, which has up till now, only been available to the professionals.
  • Have a precise idea of the liquidity of a security by knowing the number of buyers and sellers and monitoring the spread: the price differential between the best sellers and the best buyers.
  • Know the estimated opening price, before the opening or before the resumption of quotes following a stop-trading.
  • Anticipate very short term price trends (for the specialists).



The table

The table is divided into two parts, offers (sales) above, requests (buys) below.
Each line represents one or several orders. For example, first line "4.39 19777 (5) 15:06:08" means that there are 5 orders at the price of 4.39 adding up a volume of 19777 shares. The most recent order among the 5 was added at 15:06:08.
Each line also represents a column of the graph

The graph:

The graph, below-left, shows the information contained in the table in a more accessible format and shows:
  • along the x-axis: the price differences between the different orders
  • along the y-axis: the volumes
  • at the top: the spread during trading hours only.

During trading hours, the graph displays the average of the best offer and the best request. The x-axis points and spread are shown in percentages terms in relating to this figure.
Outside of trading hours or during stop-tradings, the graph displays the estimatied opening price.
Finally, the most recent transaction is highlighted in light yellow.

Explanatory messages:

An explanatory message is posted above the graph to clarify the characteristics of the order book, according to the different stages of trading (pre-opening, continuous trading, closing auction…) or regarding any measures taken on a security (stop-trading).
Agreement of colors
For the table :

  • A new offer or request indicating an upward trend in trading prices.
  • A new offer or request indicating a downward trend in trading prices.
  • An update of the last transaction, either upwards or downwards.
  • This colour pinpoints the corresponding table line when you move your mouse over a bar on the graph, to help you to read both at the same time.
  • Blue lines corresponds to Quotematch.

Couleur des bâtonnets du graphique :


  • Identifies the initial status and stays as long as the offers and requests remain unchanged, as in the case of securities with low liquidity.
  • A new offer or request indicating an upward trend in trading prices.
  • Memorizes the previous green state. The text of the corresponding table line becomes green.
  • A new offer or request indicating a downward trend in trading prices.
  • Memorizes the previous red state. The text of the corresponding table line becomes red.
  • Identifies any concentration or dilation of offers and requests without focusing on the price differentials.
  • Last transaction (last paid price).
  • Blue lines corresponds to Quotematch.
Technical Help
Some more technical help can be found in :
Swissquote > Aide > Technical recommendations > JAVA Tools
Your questions - our answers
- Who can use this tool?
Each subscriber listed of Swissquote Premium.

- Does this tool require a specific software?
No, not at all. It is very simple ! All what you need is a Java compatible navigator of the last generation (for exemple:.typ Netscape Communicator 4.08 and superior or Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 and superior).