At what point is market equilibrium reached in a supply and demand graph?

Market equilibrium is established at the point where the supply curve and demand curve intersect on a graph. This intersection signifies that the quantity of goods that producers are willing to sell matches exactly with the quantity consumers are willing to purchase at a given price. At this equilibrium point, the market is in a state of balance—there is neither a surplus nor a shortage of goods.

When supply is above demand, it leads to a surplus, meaning that there are more goods available than consumers want to buy at that price, causing prices to fall. Conversely, when supply is below demand, it indicates a shortage, where consumers want to buy more than what is available, typically driving prices up. Similarly, if demand exceeds supply, it reinforces the idea of a shortage, again pushing prices higher. None of these situations represent equilibrium, which is only found when the curves intersect, denoting an equal quantity for buyers and sellers at a stable price.