- A bid is an offer made by an investor, trader or dealer to buy an asset or compete for a contract.
- The spread between bid and offer is a reliable indicator of supply and demand for a financial instrument.
- Market makers are vital to market efficiency and liquidity.
- Bets can be placed in real time, online, through brokers or through a closed bidding process.
- Bid types include auction bids, online bids and closed bids.