cash market investment & finance definition

A market for an actual commodity or financial instrument, in contrast to the futures market. Commodity markets often have locations where buyers and sellers meet, and where commodities are bought or sold for immediate delivery For example, there are actual sales locations where cattle and oil are delivered for sale. In contrast, a cash market for a financial instrument doesn’t have a centralized meeting place. Instead, transactions occur over a computer system or the telephone. Also called spot market.