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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

With refiners able to source competitively priced oil on the spot market, demand for additional term volumes might remain limited.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026

Moller-Maersk: The Danish shipping giant raised its full-year guidance, citing strong demand in the container market and an increase in spot market rates.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026

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

Container ships are more likely to operate on time charters than the spot market.

From Barron's ● Apr. 22, 2026

In New York the spot market is located in the district of lower Wall Street, which includes a block or two each side on Front and Water Streets.

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