Stock Investment

Stock market data comes in a variety of different formats to cater to the demands of investors and investment programs. This data is captured by data vendors on license from the relevant stock exchange. Individuals who use stock market data for analysis purposes can purchase a subscription from a qualified data vendor. Usually the data comes in ASCII, Metastock, CSI other native formats that fit in with programs that are offered by the data suppliers. Vendors that supply data feeds often do so for a variety of different stock exchanges. The price you pay depends on how the data is bundled together and whether it is end of day of real time data.

Real Time Stock Market Data: This type of data is more costly and usually involves exchange royalty fees. There are a number of vendors supplying data and the cost can vary significantly. Individuals who are operating real time charting programs are often confined to formats that can be actively read by the programs they use. Vendors supplying this type of stock market data often provide additional add on services such as daily commentary, market news or stock selection recommendations from industry experts.

Historical Stock market Data: Historical data is usually supplied in end of day format by data vendors. Ten years of history is usually the standard amount carried by vendors. Longer periods of time can be purchased through the relevant exchange or from specialized data service providers. Data for a long term duration is usually very costly. It is normally priced as a fixed fee or charged based on the numbers of years you procure. Globalfindata.com is an example of a site that can cater to specialized historical data requirements.

Internet Data: Stock market data can also be sourced from stock based websites that have integrated online charting. Websites such as Yahoo.com and wealth-lab can provide historical data displayed through the charting interface. You can overlay desired indicators or download it in Excel format for use with offline charting programs. The advantage of using this data is that it is free. Sometimes, however, these services are prone to database updates and the data is not always as clean as that provided by vendors who specialize in providing quality data.

Before you select a stock market data vendor, it is important to determine what type of program you will be using and the formats it supports. Incompatible data can be a challenge to manipulate. Although data conversion programs exist, it is time consuming and messy to orchestrate. Time spent on administration is better spent on selecting stock investments.

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