The chart is an interactive widget that allows users to visualize stock price information over time.
A chart is a graphical representation of stock prices over a specified period. To simplify the chart's usage, two colors were introduced: red and green. Red indicates when the stock was down, while green shows when the stock was up.
The default chart style is the Candlestick chart.
Generally, candlestick charts are considered more visually appealing and easier to interpret. Traders can easily compare the open and close prices along with the highs and lows. Hollow candlesticks, where the close price is greater than the open price, indicate buying pressure. Filled candlesticks indicate selling pressure, where the close price is less than the open price.
Additionally, a table above the chart assists the user in reading it. Its columns – Time, Open, Close, High, Low, Volume, Bid, Ask – provide detailed information about the stocks at a specific minute. The table populates when the mouse cursor hovers over the chart. See the following table for further explanation:
|
Element |
Description |
|
Time |
The time at which a stock got a certain price. |
|
Open |
The price that is the opening price of an exchange on a given trading day. It is important, especially for those interested in measuring short-term results, such as day traders. |
|
Close |
The final price at which a stock is traded on a given trading day. The close price is the most up-to-date valuation of stock until trading commences on the next trading day. |
|
High |
The highest price on a given trading day. |
|
Low |
The lowest price on a given trading day. |
|
Volume |
The number of shares traded on a given trading day. |
|
Bid |
The price at which a buyer is willing to buy a stock. |
|
Ask |
The price at which a seller is willing to sell a stock. |
The user can determine how much detail to include in the chart. The timeline extends from the last 30 minutes to the past year. Likewise, users can choose whether to display the data in intervals of 1, 2, 3, 15, or 30 minutes, as well as in 1-day segments. The chart style is selectable from available options like candles, lines, or bars.
A wide variety of other tools, alerts, and indicators can be selected. All of them are described in the following chapters.
Panning
This is the default behavior. Panning is accomplished by clicking, holding, and moving the mouse left or right (dragging). It enables you to navigate through the available data timeline for the selected period.
Zooming
Zooming can be achieved in one of two ways:
1. By using the buttons at the bottom left of the chart widget (
and 
)
2. By using the scroll wheel on your mouse.
Last Traded Price
The last trade price is indicated on the chart by a green tick, which signifies the price moving along the right edge of the chart.
Cursor Information
When hovering over a chart, the cursor will be indicated by vertical and horizontal lines that show the current values at the cursor position: time and price.
Additionally, the chart information panel will display the information for the hovered candle.
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Cam M.