My understanding is that for each tradable asset, there are two prices: Bids and asks; and trades will only happen when asks and bids exist at the same price point.
Most prices we see on tickers are the lowest asks, I believe.
Most prices we see on tickers are the lowest asks, I believe.
So doesn't that essentially mean that at the point of measurement—that is, a trade occurring—the price is both lowest ask and highest bid?
Instantaneously afterward, the highest remaining bid will be below the lowest ask.
When anyone talks about "the price" of a stock it is an approximation of some sort. Probably they mean the last traded price; maybe the midpoint (bid+ask)/2; maybe the symbol is in the middle of an auction and they mean the auction clearing price.