www.protrade.co.za

Over the last three weeks, we’ve explored some of the hidden forces that drive markets.
We started by learning that prices don’t move simply because a stock is cheap or expensive. They move because of liquidity. When there are more buyers than sellers, prices tend to rise. When there are more sellers than buyers, prices tend to fall.
We then looked at how institutional money influences markets. Large funds can spend weeks or even months building or reducing positions, creating sustained buying or selling pressure that often drives long-term trends.
Last week, we explored why gaps happen overnight. New information changes what investors are willing to pay for a share, and the opening auction process helps establish a new equilibrium price before the market opens.
But what happens when the market can’t easily agree on that new equilibrium price?
What happens when thousands of investors suddenly realise they are positioned for the wrong outcome?
That’s when volatility explodes.