What is the difference between last price and closing price?

A: The last price and the closing price are usually the same thing. If they vary, the closing price should be used as it refers to the last 'on market' traded price. After the market closes, brokers have a half hour window during which they can transact last minute orders and report the deal on the trading screen. Sometimes these trades are done at a different price to the last traded price, but you should still use the last 'on market' price for your data.

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