Intraday

Intraday describes events that occur within a single trading day. In financial markets, the term distinguishes price movements, trades, and quotations that happen from market open to close from those unfolding over longer horizons. Intraday data typically refers to real-time or near-real-time price quotes and traded volumes within the day, as opposed to daily, weekly, or longer-range data.

Intraday trading refers to strategies that open and close positions within the same trading day, thereby avoiding overnight exposure. Day traders and scalpers use intraday analysis, such as intraday charts and real-time level-2 data, relying on short-term patterns, liquidity, and volatility. Markets where intraday activity is common include equities, futures, options, and currencies.

Market dynamics: liquidity tends to be highest at the opening and closing periods. Intraday price behavior can include rapid moves, intraday reversals, and gaps between sessions; risk management is important because positions may be liquidated quickly. Traders often set stop-loss and take-profit levels, and employ leverage with caution. End-of-day settlement or marking-to-market processes may differ by instrument and market.

In other contexts, intraday can refer to any within-day activity, such as intraday electricity trading where traders balance supply and demand for the rest of the day; intraday markets enable participants to adjust positions as new information arrives. The term should not be confused with interday or overnight trading, which spans multiple days.