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Comparison between Market Price and Normal Price

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Topics

  • Meaning of Market Price and Normal Price
  • Main differences between Market Price and Normal Price
  • Graphical idea
  • Real-Life Application
  • Key Points: Comparison between Market Price and Normal Price
CISCE: Class 12

Meaning of Market Price and Normal Price

  • Market price is the price that actually prevails in the market at a particular time or day in the very short period.
  • Normal price is the price that tends to prevail in the long run when demand and supply have fully adjusted and firms earn only normal profit.
CISCE: Class 12

Main differences between Market Price and Normal Price

Basis Market Price Normal Price
1. Time period Short‑period price; exists at a particular moment or day. ​ Long‑period price tends to prevail over many months/years. ​
2. Equilibrium type Result of temporary or short‑run equilibrium between demand and supply. ​ Result of long‑run or permanent equilibrium when firms can enter/exit. ​
3. Role of demand & supply Demand is active; supply is relatively fixed in the very short period. ​ Supply is active and adjusts to demand; demand is taken as given in the long run. ​
4. Real vs probable price Actual prevailing price at a given time (real price). ​ Price expected to prevail in the long run (probable price). ​
5. Relation with cost May be greater than, less than, or equal to average cost (AC). Firms may earn supernormal profits or losses. ​ Always equals long‑run average cost (LAC) at its minimum; firms earn only normal profit. ​
6. Profit and loss Can give normal profit, super‑normal profit, or even loss. ​ Leads only to normal profit in the long run. ​
7. Stability of price Changes quickly and frequently; highly unstable. ​ Relatively stable and changes slowly over time. ​
8. Nature of forces Influenced mainly by temporary forces such as weather, festivals, strikes, news, sudden changes in tastes, etc. ​ Influenced by more permanent forces like technology, cost of factors, and scale of industry. ​
9. Kinds of goods Can be found for all goods: perishable, durable, reproducible, and non‑reproducible. ​ Mainly relevant for durable and reproducible goods where long‑run production is possible. 
CISCE: Class 12

Graphical idea

  • Draw a horizontal line labelled Normal Price (NP).
  • Around it, draw a zig‑zag line labelled 'Market Price (MP)' showing prices moving above and below NP over time.
  • The zig‑zag shows frequent short‑run fluctuations, while NP remains comparatively steady.​
CISCE: Class 12

Real-Life Application

  • Example of market price: On a hot summer afternoon, a sudden increase in demand for ice cream can push its price up for that day. If rain starts suddenly, demand falls and price drops again. This day‑to‑day price is the market price.​
  • Example of normal price: Over several seasons, as firms enter and exit the ice‑cream industry, costs and supply adjust so that price settles around a level where firms just earn normal profit. This long‑run level is the normal price.​

A useful analogy is to think of normal price as the average water level of the sea and market price as the waves and tides rising above or falling below that level.

CISCE: Class 12

Key Points: Comparison between Market Price and Normal Price

  • Market price is a short‑run, actual price driven mainly by current demand when supply is fixed.​
  • Normal price is a long‑run equilibrium price determined by cost and full adjustment of demand and supply.​
  • Market price oscillates around normal price; in the long run, firms earn only normal profit where Price = minimum LAC.

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