One useful way to understand the flow of money in and out of the stock market is by looking at market-on-close (MOC) order imbalances. These imbalances reflect whether big institutions such as mutual funds, ETFs, and pensions are leaning more toward buying or selling as the market closes. While retail traders rarely have direct access to this data, at InvestingLive.com we track it and provide insights to help you understand what it could mean for sentiment and direction.Why this matters to stock market investors and tradersMarket-on-close orders represent the final push of the day, where large players rebalance portfolios, add risk, or reduce exposure.A positive imbalance (more buying at the close) can indicate fresh inflows of capital.A negative imbalance (more selling at the close) can suggest outflows or profit-taking.Over time, these imbalances can reveal whether money is quietly entering or leaving the market.Data up to yesterday (25-Aug-2025)Recent daily net order imbalance figures (buy minus sell, in USD):25-Aug: -$192m (large outflow)22-Aug: +$105m (inflow)21-Aug: +$200m (inflow)20-Aug: -$59m (outflow)19-Aug: -$44m (outflow)18-Aug: +$303m (strong inflow)15-Aug: -$128m (outflow)14-Aug: -$89m (outflow)13-Aug: +$3m (neutral)12-Aug: +$103m (inflow)What the numbers sayOver the last 10 sessions, the total net flow is still positive at about +$200m, showing that buying has outweighed selling overall.The 20-day moving average of imbalances is also in positive territory, meaning on balance, more money has been flowing into the market than out.That said, the most recent figure (25-Aug) was a sharp outflow of nearly $200m, which cooled momentum and signals some caution creeping back in.What to watchIf another large outflow shows up in the coming days, it could mean that institutions are beginning to reduce exposure more broadly.If strong inflows return (as we saw on 18, 21, and 22 August), then the market may still be attracting steady demand at the close.In plain terms: the medium-term trend still looks net positive, but the latest outflow means the market could be in a wait-and-see mode.Takeaway for stock market traders and investorsThis is not the only tool to read the market, but it is a helpful extra lens. Right now, the stock market is showing signs of ongoing inflows overall, yet with short-term caution after yesterday’s sell imbalance.If by the end of today another large imbalance appears — either strongly positive or strongly negative — that could be an important hint about sentiment heading into tomorrow.Since most investors don’t have access to this data stream, you can continue following InvestingLive.com (formerly ForexLive.com), where we track it and highlight what it may mean for the next market move.Bottom line:The stock market analysis for today, using market-on-close order imbalances, shows that the bigger picture still leans slightly bullish, but yesterday’s heavy outflow suggests the market is not yet on firm footing. Keep an eye on whether flows stabilize or whether another outflow signals growing weakness.This article is for decision support and educational purposes only, not financial advice. Trade and invest at your own risk.Visit investingLive.com for additional views. This article was written by Itai Levitan at investinglive.com.