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spot market

American

noun

a market in which commodities, as grain, gold, or crude oil, are dealt in for cash and immediate delivery (distinguished from futures market).

spot market British

noun

commerce a market in which commodities, currencies, or securities are traded for immediate delivery Compare forward market

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of spot market

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

spot market

Continued strong demand in the container market, particularly in East Asia, and a recent sustained increase in spot market rates prompted the group to upgrade its outlook.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026

Slower speeds help truckers save hundreds of dollars weekly, but drivers on the spot market work longer hours for the same pay.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 2, 2026

“The longer this continues, the more likely Asian buyers will need to enter the spot market to cover disrupted contracted volumes,” ING analysts say.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 2, 2026

Freight rates are the prices charged to ship goods, and can be assessed on a time charter or in the daily spot market.

From Barron's ● Apr. 22, 2026

One of these is called the "spot" market; because the importers, brokers, jobbers, and roasters trading there deal in actual coffee in warehouses in the consuming country.

From All About Coffee by Ukers, William H. (William Harrison)

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023