handelsvolumen

Handelsvolumen, commonly translated as trading volume, is the total quantity of a financial instrument that changes hands within a defined period on a market or exchange. It is typically reported as the number of shares, contracts, or lots traded during a given day, although some sources present turnover in monetary value. The period can be daily, weekly, or monthly, and data may cover a single venue or multiple trading venues.

Interpretation and use

Volume reflects market participation and liquidity. Higher volume generally indicates greater liquidity and easier execution with less price impact, while low volume can lead to larger price moves on individual trades. Traders and analysts often study volume together with price to assess market strength: rising prices on increasing volume may signal a durable uptrend, whereas rising prices on declining volume may indicate weakness. Volume spikes can also precede reversals or signal news-driven activity. However, volume is not a standalone predictor: it can be noisy and is affected by opening or closing auctions, market fragmentation, and the presence of dark pools.

Measurement and reporting

Exchanges publish daily volume data, and real-time tick data provide intraday volume. In derivatives markets, volume counts contracts traded. Corporate actions such as stock splits may require adjustments to reported volume. Analysts frequently use related metrics such as volume-weighted average price (VWAP) and other liquidity indicators to supplement volume data.

Related concepts

Related terms include liquidity, turnover, bid-ask spread, and VWAP. Handelsvolumen is a key indicator of how actively a security is traded and how easily positions can be entered or exited.