Direct answer: A dagger (†) or tilde (~) on a Daily Board price means the figure was not the final exchange settlement when the issue closed.
It can be a delayed print, a preliminary number, a cash quote, or an estimate.
Do not cite a daggered number as the official close.
The next issue replaces it if the final settle differs.
Why daggers appear
The Daily Board is written after the cash session but before every exchange has published its official settlement.
Some markets (especially energy and metals) can still be updating.
A dagger flags that the printed number is the best available figure at the time of writing, not the final exchange settle.
How to use a daggered print
Treat the direction and the approximate size of the move as usable.
Do not quote the exact price as the official close in a report or conversation.
The following day’s Board will carry the corrected settle if it changed.
A tilde (~) is used the same way.
Both mean “not yet final.”
The Board is written in plain text on purpose so the flag travels with the number.
Frequently asked questions
What does a dagger mean on The Daily Board?
The printed figure was not the final exchange settlement when the issue closed.
It may be preliminary, delayed, or an estimate.
Should I use a daggered price as the official close?
No.
Wait for the next issue or check the exchange settlement before treating the number as final.
Why does The Daily Board use daggers instead of waiting?
So the morning brief can go out with the best available information while still warning readers that a number may still update.
Does a dagger mean the market is closed or open?
It means the figure is not yet the official settle.
The market itself may already be closed; the exchange simply has not published the final settlement price.
See also How to Read The Daily Board and the commodity market glossary.