A
security exchange in which
buyers make
bids and
sellers make
offers in order to make
transactions in a
security. On an auction market, the
current price for a
share in a security is the highest
price a buyer is willing to pay and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept. For example, if potential buyers for Security A enter bids of $50, $51, and $52, and potential sellers enter offers of $52, $53, and $54, the current share price is $52. Only the bid/offer for $52 is
executed; others must make better bids and offers in order to conduct transactions. The
New York Stock Exchange is a major auction market.