Ask Size Formula in Excel
Use the Ask Size formula in Excel (with MarketXLS) to easily retrieve the quantity of a security that a market maker is offering to sell at the ask price. This function is particularly useful for analyzing real-time market liquidity and understanding potential selling pressure.
Understanding Ask Size
- Purpose: The Ask Size reveals how many shares, contracts, or units of a security are available at the current ask price.
- Use Cases:
- Tracking liquidity for high-frequency trading.
- Monitoring market depth for stock or option trading strategies.
- Assessing supply levels during intraday or end-of-day analysis.
- Key Benefits:
- Simplifies market data retrieval directly within your Excel workflows.
- Enhances trading decisions by pairing with other MarketXLS formulas like
Ask Price
andLast Price
. - Offers quick access to real-time or delayed data updates, depending on your data subscription.
Syntax and Parameters
=AskSize(Symbol)
Parameter | Description | Required | Example |
---|---|---|---|
Symbol | Ticker symbol or security identifier for the desired instrument. | Yes | "MSFT", "^SPX" |
- Return Value: The function returns the quantity available at the current ask price for the specified symbol.
- Error Handling: If the symbol is invalid, or if there is a connection/licensing issue, the function returns
"NA"
.
?? Note: Ensure you have an active MarketXLS license and a valid data source for real-time or delayed quotes to avoid the
"NA"
return value.
Examples and Usage
Below are several ways to use the AskSize
function with different symbols:
- Stock symbol:
=AskSize("MSFT")
- Index symbol:
=AskSize("^SPX")
- Option symbol:
=AskSize("@MSFT 110122C00020000")
- Cryptocurrency symbol:
=AskSize("BTCUSD:DEFAULT")
? Pro Tip: Use
AskSize
in conjunction withAsk Price
orLast Price
in Excel to get a comprehensive snapshot of market activity.
Common Questions
-
What if I get “NA” as a result?
- Check if the symbol entered is valid.
- Verify your MarketXLS subscription status.
- Ensure you have the correct data bundle for the security type.
-
Does the function work with all instruments?
- Primarily designed for stocks, ETFs, options, and some cryptocurrencies.
- Coverage may depend on your MarketXLS plan and data sources.
-
How often does the data update in Excel?
- Depends on your real-time data subscription or the refresh interval set in Excel.
- The function itself queries data on execution, but automatic refresh intervals are configurable in Excel settings.
-
Can I combine
AskSize
with Excel date functions?- This function only requires a
Symbol
and does not accept date parameters. If you need historical or date-based data, pair it with relevant MarketXLS functions or references to date-based queries.
- This function only requires a
?? Note: Large-scale queries or frequent refreshes may affect Excel performance. Consider limiting real-time calls or using caching features to optimize performance.