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Why Watch Market Indicators?

A common and effective way to gain perspective on stock price fluctuations is to compare the movement of your stocks to that of indices or market indicators. About 100 years ago, as the number of individual stocks grew, the need to measure how the stock market performed became obvious. A common and effective way to gain perspective on stock price fluctuations is to compare the movement of your stocks to that of indices or market indicators. About 100 years ago, as the number of individual stocks grew, the need to measure how the stock market performed became obvious. In 1896 The Dow Jones Company took groups of stocks and averaged their prices to create the first indices, the Dow Jones Averages. They created four different indices: one for industrial companies, one for utilities, one for transportation companies and a composite that included the three other indices.

In the 1920s, Standard & Poor's Corporation (S&P) created separate indices. These indices also measured the market as a whole in addition to some sectors of the market. In 1957, when technology enabled the companies to start calculating their indices on an hourly basis, S&P created the S&P 500 Index, which measured the performance of a larger proportion of the market compared to the more popular Dow Jones Industrial Index.

Over the years, the S&P and Dow Jones indices have remained popular, leading both companies to create other indices. In addition, other companies and even the exchanges themselves have created more indices.

Different indices are calculated in different ways. Few remain as simple averages. An index moves when the stocks in it move. When a stock in an index goes up or down, so does the index. Hence, when you hear that the Dow Jones closed at 10,500, down 20 points for the day, it means that the average of the prices of the 30 stocks that comprise the Dow is 10,500 and the combined value of these 30 stocks (as calculated by the index) dropped 20 points during that day's trading.

Calculation method aside, all indices measure the performance of the stock market or some subsection of it on a continuing basis throughout each trading day. By tracking an index, or a variety of indices, investors can quickly gauge market trends that may impact investment decisions.

What is the point of following the indices when what you care about is your own stock portfolio performance?

Indices often reflect trends in the market and in the economy. Watching overall market performance can be the key to making smart decisions about your individual investments. For example:

1) Indices can function as benchmarks to compare the performance of the stocks you own against the market in general.

2) Comparing today's market movement with similar market movements from the past may help you become aware of trends, and the best times to buy or sell.

You may want to create an index of your own stocks so you can measure your own investments against the performance of the more established indices.

There are a couple of ideas to keep in mind when analyzing indices. First, the percentage move is often more meaningful than the move in points. It means a lot more when the DJIA moves 50 points if it is at 1,000 than if it is at 10,000. Second, while individual stock prices, at least for the time being, are generally expressed as fractions, indices are displayed in decimals.

Martin Chandra is a full-time investor. He has been researching investment strategies and make his own living. For more information please go to http://martinchandra.com/peter-bain/

Some Quick Forex Information

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TREND TRADING: Accumulation and Distribution
Forex market like any other market works in a very simple way. It accumulates in a certain area for awhile, and once the accumulation is over, it advances to a certain distance until distribution starts, and accumulation happens again and advances to a certain distance again, and repeat and repeat. Day trading may not yield the best results while the accumulation and distribution work out itself, being double-murdered by zig-zag moves, while the market starts advancing out of accumulation area, day trading is a sure way of cutting profit short. In general, day trading is not the best form of yielding the most profits in my experience contrary to what some writers who never made real money in this game try to say. The safe and better way in making some money must be wait to for "accumulation" to be over and ride the whole length of advance until "distribution" starts and reverse as the market dictates as a short-term trade for 2-10 days, as the case may be.

forex currency trading

There are risks in trading foreign currencies. Like any investment, forex investing carries substantial risk. You can lose all of your money and foreign currency trading can be extremely volatile. Make sure you thoroughly research futures trading and foreign exchange trading entirely before setting off on your adventure.

foreign exchange rate

The Foreign Exchange Market (FOREX) fx is the largest financial market in the world. For the beginner forex currency trading has the highest liquidity in the financial market with daily volume in excess of $1.95 trillion. The forex currency trading market is more than three times the total of the stocks and futures markets combined.
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