Newspaper and Online Stock Quotes
Your successful participation on the stock market depends on many factors one of which is the clear understanding of the numbers that are daily quoted by the different sources.
The basic collection of numbers on the stock market activity, which provides the most up to date information, is the stock market quote. It can be found in almost daily newspaper and online source that has financial direction.
Detailed information on the quote can be found throughout the trading day by the numerous offline and online sources. If you are very keen on investing you can observe the changes that occur in the quote in real time.
Information on the performance of the stocks during the previous trading day is readily available through newspapers and online sources on the next day.
The Meaning of the Quotes
Many investors find confusing the interpretation of the many numbers with which they are flooded. Some of the quotes are easy to understand and you must do your best to learn them. On the other hand, others are very complicated and may require an extra effort on your part to master their meaning.
In order to facilitate your familiarization process, we provide you with a list of quotes and their meaning. First we start with quotes generally found in the online resources. Then we move to newspaper quotes.
Online Quotes
With the wide use of the Internet, the stock market services being offered have also expanded. Investors can easily get access to quotes from various sources.
The Internet provides investors with the opportunity to observe quote changes in real time. So, the Internet differs from newspapers by its dynamic nature. The newspapers give you just a report on the changes that have occurred the previous day, whereas the Internet allows you to actually observe these changes.
Nevertheless, the quotes provided by the Internet come with a little delay. For the NYSE it is 20 minutes, whereas for the NASDAQ it is 15 minutes. However, you can still make adjustments to your trading activities based on these numbers.
On the other hand, in return to a fee some online sources may give you with quotes with no delays.
You should not forget that online quote trading hides its dangers. For instance, you may lag behind and enter a trade whose direction is opposite of that of the market.
Newspaper Quotes
These are some of the most common quotes reported by financially-oriented newspapers such as the Wall Street Journal.
| Quote | Meaning |
|---|---|
| YTD % CHNG | Stock price percentage (adjusted for stock splits and dividends over 10%) change for the calendar year. |
| 52-week HI & LO | The highest and lowest price for the stock for the last 52 weeks. Doesn't include the previous trading day. |
| DIV | Annual dividend, which is based on the regular disbursement made last. |
| Yield % | Dividends (or other disbursements) to stockholders; presented as a percentage of the price of the stock. |
| Stock (SYM) | Represents the name of the stock (abbreviated) and the symbol of the stock. |
| PE (Price to Earnings) | = diluted per-share earnings / closing price of the stock |
| VOL 100s | Presents unofficial results with two zeros missing. |
| CLOSE | The last price at which the stock was traded (may be different from the opening price for the next day.) |
| NET CHANGE | Based on the CLOSE from the previous day. Facilitates comparison between the closing price today to the closing price yesterday. |
Footnotes may appear throughout the newspaper listings. They indicate any circumstances out of the ordinary.
You should keep in mind that different newspapers include different quotes. However, these are the basic ones. If you need more information you can always find it in the online resources.
Allocating the needed time to study the different stock quotes will give you as a return a more educated decision making process which will eventually lead you to more successful trades.
| Rate this article : Low | High |
- Stock Investing vs. Saving
- Investment Goals Planning
- Mutual Funds vs Individual Stocks
- Classes of Assets - Asset Class Definition
- Stock Investing Basics
- Setting Stock Prices
- Stock Buyback Reasons
- Stock Basics
- Stock Dividends Basics
- Stock Market Cycles
- Federal Reserve Board (Fed) Functions and Importance
- Stock Market Sectors Classification
- Stock Split Basics
- Stock Market Indexes and Fair Value Indications
- Stock Market Movements
- Stock Share Types
- Bid and Ask Prices
- Stock Trading Basics and Order Types
- Market Makers Role and Responsibilities
- NYSE and Market Specialists
- Company Market Capitalization
- Stock Price Influences
- Stock Order Types
- Stop Loss Order Fundamentals
- Trailing Stop Order Basics
- Advance Decline Ratio Basics
- Foreign Stocks Basics
- Asset Allocation Basics
- IPO Basics and Strategies
- Earnings Season Basics
- Option Basics and Types
- Consumer Price Index Basics
- CPI Basics
- Rising Interest Rates and their Effects
- Stock Market Investing Basics
- Why Do Companies Go Public
- Introduction to Stocks
- Stock Price Volatility
- Fundamental Analysis Technique Basics
- Technical Analysis Basics
- Importance of Current Assets and Current Liabilities
- Price/Book Value Advantages and Disadvantages
- Understanding Return on Equity and Return on Assets
- Understanding Inventory Turnover Ratio
- Price to Earnings Growth Ratio (PEG) Explanation
- Price to Earnings (P/E) Ratio Basics
- How to Read Stock Tables
- Understanding Trade Execution
- Auditing Essentials
- Understanding Mutual Companies
- What Are Financial Analysts?
- What Investors Need to Know about Financial Analysts
- Investment Planning 101 – Getting Started on Investing
- Hedge Funds 101: Introduction to Hedge Fund Investing
- Variable Annuity Contracts Explained
- Closing Price Discrepancies
- Convertible Securities Definition and Types
- Ex-Dividend Date and Record Date Explained
- What Is Day Trading?