Quick Start for Stock Charts

Video Tutorial for Stock Charts

Getting started with Stock Charts

The first step is to set your search tool for your required markets, currencies and indices. Next to the search box is a funnel icon - this links to your data settings.

[1] Search for a stock, index or currency pair and load a chart.

[2] Along the top is a list of icon menu options; tool-tips on each describe what the icons do. Options available are are Draw, Chart, Multiview, Indicators, Profiles, Period, Options, New Signal, and Help

[3] To add an indicator, drop-down the Indicator menu bar and all of the indicators become available.

Tip: You can even add an indicator to an indicator eg Moving average on RSI.

For each indicator the source data can be defined as open, high, low and closing price (or an indicator in the case of the seven moving averages). Parameters of the indicator are defined and colour and line thickness can be changed or altered via the colour or advanced colour options.

Completed indicators can then be added to the stock chart or forex chart. Indicators which are price overlays are directly added to the chart, indicators like Relative Strength, MACD, Stochastics etc. are added as tabbed menu options directly beneath the volume bars.

To remove an indicator; Under each indicator name is a drop down menu with Edit and Remove options.

You can find Fibonacci Fan and Retracements, Fibonacci time, Gann Fan lines, Darvas Boxes and Side Volume Bars under the Draw menu.

[4] To Compare charts click on [Chart] in the top menu options and then Compare. Pre-existing overlays are removed prior to a comparison stock been done. Either a stock or stocklist can be added. Each stock or set of stocks added has a dropdown to set the colour of the comparison line for each. Stocks can also be removed by clicking the minus icon.

You can also use the Compare feature to quickly view stocks without having to open a new chart window; click on the symbol name to view the chart.

[5] Predefined support/resistance, trendline and channels is available from the [Draw] menu. A 'sensitivity variable' is required; suggested values are between 5-10 for short term conditions, 11-30 for intermediate time frames and above 31 for long term condition. The sensitivity period relates to the number of days in the look-back period. A Fibonacci multiplier is added to the initial time period and the requisite support, trends and channels are calculated. E.g. A sensitivity variable of '5' will find support/resistance over 5 days, 10 days, 15 days, 25 days, 40 days, 65 days, 105 days.

[6] You can enter a trade signal for a Managed Strategy. With a Managed Strategy you can earn revenue in a share with Zignals (50:50). Your Managed Strategy is a Public Portfolio where your trade signals are shared with your subscribers. Signals can be entered directly from the Portfolio application or can be created directly from the Charting application.

A Managed Strategy Signal requires a quantity of stock, a target price and a stop price before it can be created. A Managed Strategy Signal entered when the market is closed will register as a pre-market / after-hours signal and will fill at the next available open price.

[7] Charts can be edited with annotations and highlight regions. Clicking the Draw icon will show the drawing tools.

Before an angle, region, line or text box is added it’s necessary to select a colour first. You can create your own custom colours from the Advanced Tab.

Angled boxes can be dragged from three points; mousing over the area of the angled box will bring up an [x] to cancel

Horizontal region boxes can receive text by clicking on the note icon located bottom centre of the box. The Horizontal Region box can be removed by clicking the [x] on rollover.

Notes are text comments on your chart and the colour can be set as for highlight regions. Mousing over a note box will bring up an [x] to cancel.

When adding a line it is also necessary to set stroke thickness in addition to colour; lines can be adjusted from either end and mousing over a line brings up an [x] to cancel.

[8] The chart Options icon allows you to choose different chart types including line, candlestick, OHLC and Kagi. The Options menu also allows you configure your crosshair settings from full, freeform or none at all.

[9] Clicking on Period in the top menu, allows you to view different time frames. In addition to various intraday time frames you can view daily, weekly and monthly data back to 2000.

Time can also be adjusted along the bottom of the stock chart using the slider.

[10] Stock charts, index charts and forex charts can be saved and viewed inside the chart gallery. The save chart option is available under the Chart menu option. Saving a chart will create a unique URL which can be shared in an email, forum or blog post or shortened for posting to twitter.

Charts can also be emailed with supporting commentary. More than one chart can be attached at a time to an email.

[10] Use Profiles to save formats of your price overlays, technical indicators, time-frame, alert and trading strategy views. A number of different profiles can be created depending on whether you are following stock charts, index charts or forex charts. The Profiles menu offers the capability to create, manage or apply a profile.

You can also delete or change Profiles from the Manage option

[11] With Multiview you can view up to four charts at the same time. Charts can be entered directly from the search bar, or a stocklist can be selected from the dropdown and the [View Entire List] selected. From the Chart bar it's also possible to add a stock to a stocklist.

[12] If you come across a bad data point you can report it to us using the Report Bad Data Point from the Chart menu.