Previous Close

Returns the closing price from the previous trading day. This is the reference point for calculating daily changes.

Supported Symbol Formats

Type Format Example
US Stocks SYMBOL AAPL, MSFT
ETFs SYMBOL SPY, QQQ
Indices ^SYMBOL ^SPX, ^VIX
Forex SYMBOL=X EURUSD=X

Notes

  • The previous close is typically the adjusted closing price
  • Used as the basis for calculating daily change and percent change
  • Returns "NA" if data is unavailable

Examples

=PreviousClose("AAPL")
Apple previous close
=PreviousClose("SPY")
SPY previous close
=PreviousClose("^SPX")
S&P 500 previous close
=PreviousClose(A1)
Symbol from cell reference
=Last("AAPL")-PreviousClose("AAPL")
Calculate today's change

When to Use

  • Reference point for daily calculations
  • Calculating custom change metrics
  • Building OHLC displays
  • Comparing opening price to prior close

When NOT to Use

Scenario Use Instead
Current price Last()
Historical close on specific date Close_Historical()
Real-time streaming QM_Stream_PreviousClose()
Pre-calculated change Change()

Common Issues & FAQ

Q: How do I calculate the daily change? A: Use =Last("AAPL")-PreviousClose("AAPL") for dollar change.

Q: How do I calculate percent change? A: Use =(Last("AAPL")-PreviousClose("AAPL"))/PreviousClose("AAPL") or simply Change_PercentChange().

Q: Is this adjusted for splits and dividends? A: Yes, the previous close typically reflects adjusted prices.

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MarketXLS Excel Add-in Tutorial - How to Use Previous Close and Other Financial Formulas
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