Stock Market Quotes 101
What are the numbers and columns in the stock quotes mean? Though most are easily understandable, some may be confusing for a stock market newbie. Here is a review of the common numbers in the stock quotes and what they mean.
Newspaper Stock Market Quotes. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) format is easiest to follow.
Listed below are the columns and a brief explanation for each column.
- YTD % CHG – The Year-To-Date Percentage Change. This represents the stock price percentage change for the year. This percentage is adjusted for stock splits and dividends over 10%.
- 52-Week HI & LO – The two numbers in the column record both the highest and the lowest price the stock is traded for within the last 52-weeks. Previous trading day not included.
- Stock (SYM) – This is where the stock name and symbols are listed. Stock names are usually abbreviated. The stock symbol is printed in boldface. Some newspapers don't print them at all.
- DIV – This stands for Dividend reflecting the annual distribution rate based on the last regular disbursement for a stock.
- Yield % – The yield percentages are the other disbursements paid to stockholders as a percentage of the stock's price.
- PE – The Price to Earnings Ratio is the per-share earnings over the closing price.
- VOL 100s – This means sales volume expressed with two missing zeros.
- CLOSE – The last price the stock traded for a certain day. But it doesn't mean that this will be the price the stock opens at the next trading day.
- NET CHANGE – This is the amount at which the stock closed today against yesterday.
- Footnotes – These notations point out any extraordinary circumstances within the listing such as new highs and lows, unusual dividends, first day of trading, etc.
Online Stock Market Quotes. Online stock resources cover the same information as the newspaper stock quotes. However, the difference is mainly with regards to getting the "live" information. Compared to reading yesterday's stock quotes on the paper the next morning, the information presented on online resources are updated constantly within the course of the trading day.
Indeed, stock market quotes offer a wealth of information when it comes to wise stock investment,as long as one understands what the numbers mean.
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History of the Stock Market
The stock Market is an avenue from which stocks of companies are bought and sold.For some, the stock market and Wall Street are the same. Wall Street in New York is just one example of a stock market.Wall Street is very significant because this is were the concept of stock market began.The Wall Street establishment was built in 1653. Its purpose then was for defense and not for commerce. Dutch . . .