Quote from ArchStanton:
If the volume is 10,000 shares, then 10,000 shares were bought AND 10,000 shares were sold. This constitutes an EXCHANGE of 10,000 shares. I don't see where the factor of 2 fits in.
Yeah, you are right, was in a rush and not thinking about that. I had a brain fart.
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Still, people determine the price of anything, and shares are exhanged between two people for that specific share. You can't trade 1 share to 2 people, you can only trade 1 share to 1 person. 1 to 1 exchange. You can try to sell 100 shares and yes multiple people might be able to take each share, but it's still a 1 to 1 transaction.
That is what this thread is about. The op thought that buying and selling where two different things, and they are, in the fact that it is an intent of a trader to either buy some stock, or sell it to another person, but in the end, it results in an exchange and the last exchange price is the last price, aka the price we see.
Just figured I'd clear that up for all newbies.
The mechanics of people moving markets though, that's a whole other discussion completely, and I'm sure there are tons of them. People exchanging shares at a higher price means the stock is worth more, and vice-versa, it's all human emotion and stuff.... I don't really care all that much, as long as shares are being exchanged quickly and spreads are tight and it moves. I am then happy.

