what is a limit order 
a limit order in the financial markets is a direction to purchase or sell a stock or other security at a specified price or better this stipulation allows traders to better control the prices at which they trade a limit can be placed on either a buy or a sell order the price is guaranteed but the filling of the order is not limit orders will be executed only if the price meets the order qualifications the alternative to a limit order is a market order which calls for a trade to be executed at the prevailing market price without any price limit specified investopedia joules garcia