What price is a limit buy and a limit sell order settled at?

Question

A market has an existing limit buy order at $1.00. The market then receives a limit sell order at $0.95, what price is the transaction settled at?

Answer 1

While Victor's answer might be correct for the broker's he listed, you should know that the exchanges will usally define exactly (on a per-asset, sometimes per-instrument base) how marketable limit orders (that's what they're called) are treated.

I would claim that in most (all?) dealer markets the sell order would be filled at $1.00 (provided the quantities suffice), because it was marketable upon entry, see:

• CME: http://help.tradestation.com/09_00/tradestationhelp/routes/cme_globex.htm
• NASDAQ Equities: Rule 4751(f)(3) (http://nasdaq.cchwallstreet.com/NASDAQtools/bookmark.asp?id=nasdaq-rule_4000&manual=/nasdaq/main/nasdaq-equityrules/)

Answer 2

It depends on which order, order is already placed. If there is existing buy order with higher limit and then if sell order placed with less limit then filling cost would be limit cost of first placed order here in this case it would be $ 1.00

In other scenario, If there is existing sell order with lower limit and then if buy order placed with less limit then filling cost would be limit cost of first placed order here in this case it would be $ 0.95