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Educational trading program allows user to simulate commodities trading

FYI -- Traders Network, a discount brokerage firm, has introduced an educational program on how to trade commodities. The Windows-based software for beginners or advanced traders, called Trade Simulator, is designed to replace paper trading as the road to improving the trader's skills.

The user can inspect daily, monthly or yearly commodities charts derived from 10 years of historical commodities data in 22 categories and plot up to 12 technical indicators on the charts. After placing a simulated trade, the user can check to see how the trade works out on historical data, with the goal of developing and refining a trading strategy.

A special window in the program displays personal account data, including latest trade, account balance, account history, total deposits, total profit before and after commissions and trade margins. The program won't allow the user to make an improper trade, such as trying to trade on a negative balance or on an inadequate margin.

Charting in multiple markets at once is permitted so the user can practice trading in several different markets at once. The program suggests buying levels based on each day's market activity.

Trade Simulator costs $59.95. Users can step up to Trade Simulator Plus software ($159.95; upgrade, $99.95) to place actual trades.

Traders Network, 504 West Eisenhower Blvd., Suite 302, Loveland, CO 80537. Phone 800 831-7654, 800 521-0705, 970 663-5016. Internet https://www.tradersnetwork.com.

Trading course teaches dynamic trading method

NEW -- Dynamic Traders Group has released Dynamic Trader Software and Trading Course, which incorporates the time and price projection techniques developed by Robert Miner, president of Dynamic Traders Group.

Dynamic Traders publishes the monthly Dynamic Trader Analysis Report and Dynamic Trader Weekly Fax Report, which provide analysis and recommendations for major financial and commodity markets. Each report includes an educational tutorial on technical analysis or trading strategy.

Dynamic time projections in Dynamic Trader Software

Dynamic Traders Group Inc., 6336 N. Oracle, Suite 326-346, Tucson, AZ 85718. Phone 520 797-3668. Internet https://www.dynamictraders.com.

Options program is Excel add-on

UPGRADE -- Option Wizard version 6.0 for IBM-compatible or Macintosh computers from Sarkett & Associates is a customizable template for Microsoft Excel spreadsheet software that prices calls and puts. The new version adds a dividend adjuster, price and strike series tables and autocheck call-put parity. Its new streamlined workbook format is composed of four worksheets: instruction-definitions, volatility, call-put price series and call-put strike series. Each prints on one page.

Option Wizard displays option premium time decay in a days-from-now table format. It comes with a companion publication, Tales from the Option Wizard, which presents case studies for options trading from 1996-97 markets.

A risk-free trial costs $59.95 by E-mail or $64.90 on disk. Upgrade price for previous customers is $20 (E-mail) or $24.95 (disk).

Sarkett & Associates has also released Backtest Wizard, another Excel template for the PC or Mac that tests technical trading strategies on stocks, options, commodities and futures. Backtest Wizard is an inexpensive alternative to more pricey standalone backtest systems for an entry- to intermediate-level environment, suitable for a trader following a small number of tradables or for paper trading.

Backtest Wizard uses the logic function of Excel to backtest strategies that is, apply a trading strategy to historical price data and analyze the results. The add-on program includes moving averages, stochastics and the force index. Backtest Wizard ships with sample data.

A risk-free trial of Backtest Wizard is $39.95 by E-mail or $44.90 on disk. Both products carry a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Sarkett & Associates Inc., 485 Sunset Rd., Winnetka, IL 60093. Phone 847 446-2222. E-mail jas@interaccess.com. Internet https://homepage.interaccess.com/~jas/option_wizard.html.

Internet product gives user continuously updated real-time portfolio information

NEW -- Quote.com has introduced Quote.com Live!, a family of interactive financial applications that offer investors the ability to track the value of their portfolios; display market activity on continuously updated charts; and retrieve real-time news to guide their investment actions. The line of products which includes Quote.com Live! Portfolios, Quote.com Live! Charts and Quote.com News are customizable yet simple-to-use Java applications.

The Quote.com Live! Charts program displays intraday charts of real-time ticker data on securities and indices. Quote.com News is a real-time professional news service. Quote.com Live! Portfolios allows the user to manage multiple dynamic portfolios, each composed of as many as 50 stocks, commodities or other tradables. Portfolios are updated automatically and continuously with intraday data, either in real-time or delayed. The portfolio screen also gives the user one-click access to news and other information.

Quote.com Live! Charts is a 16K applet that runs in the background of the user's desktop browser. The user controls the time interval of the charts (one minute to one hour) and selects the chart type (candlestick, bar or line). Color-coding provides detail for each trade.

Quote.com Live! Portfolios and Quote.com Live! Charts are bundled with Quote.com subscription packages. A Quote.com basic-level subscription is $9.95/month; an extra-level subscription is $24.95/month; premium is $99.95/month. A free 30-day trial is available.

Quote.com, phone 415 930-1000. E-mail info@quote.com. Internet https://www.quote.com.

Package for individual investors teaches covered call options

NEW -- Investment Enhancing Systems has released Enhancing Portfolio Value with Covered Call Options ($89.95). The software is designed to help individual investors understand covered call options and their use in self-directed stock portfolios. The package includes a manual that discusses options, particularly covered call options. The user sets his or her own level of risk.

The user inputs price data from a newspaper on stocks of interest. The program then measures stock performance against established parameters, calculates returns and identifies option symbols.
 

Investment Enhancing Systems Inc., 15774 South LaGrange Rd., Suite 243, Orlando Park, IL 60462. Phone 708 403-2629. Internet https://www.ies-invest.com.

Neural networking is simplified

NEW -- Ward Systems Group has released NeuroShell Easy Predictor, a program designed to simplify the creation of a neural network. Neural nets can be used to help solve forecasting and pattern-recognition problems.

Ward Systems' prediction system uses two algorithms with no parameters to set. One of the models uses a neural net that grows hidden neurons and trains quickly. The other combines a genetic algorithm with a statistical estimator to produce a model that also shows the relative importance of the inputs.

NeuroShell Easy Predictor includes an instruction program that guides the user through the creation of a prediction system. The program uses standard text files that can be imported from or exported to spreadsheet programs.

An optional Runtime module is available for embedding the resulting neural models into programs or for distributing the results. NeuroShell Easy Predictor is $295.

Ward Systems Group Inc., Executive Park West, 5 Hillcrest Drive, Frederick, MD 21703. Phone 301 662-7950. Fax 301 662-5666. E-mail WardSystems@msn.com. Internet https://www.wardsystems.com.

Trade Simulation is all good fun

FYI -- SpecTrader+ is a trading simulation game that aims to teach and entertain. Players buy, sell or sell short stocks, bonds, currencies and penny stocks in randomly generated market scenarios.

SpecTrader+ uses a forward-pricing model combined with randomly generated economic news releases and other news stories to create challenging market scenarios. Players can measure and test trading and investing skills in an entertaining game environment, facing random market situations that may include takeovers, bankruptcies and stock tips. The simulation program offers beginning, intermediate and expert levels for traders of varying skill to practice trading without risk.

The program, $34.95, comes on a 3-1/2-inch floppy disk with a 40-page instructional manual.

Cavlogix Corporation, 2601 Elliott Ave., Suite 1341, Seattle, WA 98121. Phone 206 441-6324. Fax 206 441-6455. E-mail meyer@cavlogix.com. Internet https://www.cavlogix.com.

Online futures trading service uses Windows interface

NEW -- Vision Limited Partnership has introduced Internet Order Express (Iox) for futures traders. The service transmits and retrieves orders over the Internet at discounted commissions.

Instead of using a World Wide Web forms-based interface, which is commonly used by securities trading firms, Iox incorporates a Windows graphical interface. It provides encryption through a product developed by Citrix Systems and under license from Microsoft.

Traders receive free software by E-mail. Orders go directly to trading terminals and commodity exchanges worldwide. Traders have a written log organizing all orders placed for their account for each day, week and month.

Vision Limited Partnership, phone 800 221-2917, 212 859-0200. Fax 212 859-0250. Internet https://www.visionip.com/iox, www.futures-trading.com.

Economic data comes as user-friendly software

FYI -- Global Exposure's Business Cycle Indicators software for the PC allows the user to review, chart and export more than 250 data series from the Bureau of Economic Analysis' Survey of Current Business. Data includes the leading economic indicators, prices, employment, industrial production, inventories, exports/imports and more.

Users can view multiple charts at once, view any specified date range, pan or magnify charts, overlay charts, dynamically scale the vertical axis, customize colors, and smooth irregular data, among other display options. The user can export the data to Ascii, MetaStock or Lotus 1-2-3 data formats.

The price is $129 and includes software and historical data from 1948. Monthly data updates ($10) are delivered via floppy disk.

Global Exposure Inc., 8800 Venice Blvd., Suite 217, Los Angeles, CA 90034. Phone 310 842-7137. Fax 310 842-7138. E-mail sales@globalexposure.com.

NEWS RELEASES

INTERNET FORUM ON FUTURES TRADING

Lind-Waldock & Company, a futures discount firm, has introduced an Internet forum for discussion and information about trading. The forum, called "Ask an expert," will feature well-known names in the futures industry who will answer E-mailed questions. Sessions will change regularly with different topics and markets. Topics will range from beginning to advanced.

The Lind-Waldock Web site also features a "squawk box" area, which carries live trading summaries and a dictionary of trading terms.

FUTURES AND OPTIONS CLASSES AT CBOT

The Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) will hold several classes this fall on futures and options.

An advanced course on options trading will concentrate on options relationships; position management and defensive trading; skew trading; and current trading strategies. The class ($150 per person) will be held November 11, 13 and 18 from 3:30 to 5 p.m. on the CBOT campus.

Another three-day minicourse (October 20-22, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., $550 per person with discounts available) titled "Financial basics at the Board" will develop and apply the fundamental concepts of interest rate futures and options, to be taught by industry professionals and CBOT members.

Finally, a one-day minicourse on technical analysis basics (October 23, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., $375 per person with discounts available) will cover classic bar charting and price pattern analysis.

Mary Unger

CBOT Market & Product Development Dept.

141 W. Jackson, Suite 2210

Chicago, IL 60604

Phone 312 435-7207. E-mail mung50@cbot.com

ONLINE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Forbes Digital Media, the new media division of Forbes Inc., has launched a new online business magazine called Forbes Digital Tool on the Internet. The free online magazine covers technology-related news and trends in wireless communications, investing, journalism, international technology and digital entertainment. The publication incorporates advertising with editorial content.

Forbes Digital Tool offers original reporting, noted guest columnists and an array of databases and tools for the user, including the new Forbes 40 index; Tool Tech 101, which lists 101 top technology companies, with information on quarterly and annual sales and profits, as well as research and development spending, P/E ratios and EPS; Scribes, a directory of traditional and new media journalists; and more.

Internet https://www.forbes.com