Financial tools for the modern investor

A look at some resources to help you get ahead

All investors are undoubtedly looking for an edge in today’s market. Fortunately, there are a number of financial tools available to help the modern investor get ahead, from those that provide you with everything from the latest financial news to mobile stock quotes straight to your smartphone.

Here’s a look at a few examples of resources to help you find, research and analyze the information you need on a daily basis, whether you’re looking for charting information, or real-time quotes:

• Stockhouse’s easy-to-use Stockstream Mobile, described as a “great tool for investors who realize the value in keeping an eye on their stocks while on-the-go” provides investors with real time quotes, global data and technical charting to their Blackberrys and is the only consumer product of its kind to offer Reuters news.

• Similarly, Stockstream Desktop allows investors to access professional-level tools such as real time market data and news, detailed Level II data, charting tools, interactive watchlists of stocks as well as the ability to track your entire portfolio in one place.

• The TradeStation Network, operated by online brokerage TradeStation Securities, delivers real-time and delayed index, equity and equity options, forex, and futures and futures options data, as well as foreign market data, market news feeds and free fundamental data. The company says the network also offers access to TradeStation’s historical database for the real-time exchanges to which you are subscribed.

• Stockcharts.com has a number of interesting tools for either beginner or more advanced chartist. The site offers some free content including daily and weekly charts created from delayed data, predefined scan results, an educational area, and free blogs. Subscribers can have access to intraday charting, user-defined technical scans, saved chart annotations, non-delayed data, as well as a subscription newsletter service.

• For those seeking information about precious metals, retailer Kitco.com delivers precious metal quotes and charts to cell phones and wireless devices, while the website also provides lease rate charts, daily forward, libor and lease rates, financial indexes and international currencies and corresponding charts, live quotes and historical data. Similarly, the London Bullion Market Association website has swap forward rates on gold and silver that give clues about present and future demand.

• eSignal, is a real-time quote service that delivers continuously updating financial data to active traders and individual investors. Included are market quotes for stocks, options and futures, charts, news, research, alerts, back testing, a formula engine for developing chart studies and integrated trading with a choice of direct access brokerages. The service also offers several add-on products, including technical analysis studies, and real time market scanners.