Stock MT4 Dashboard

The following screen-shot below shows the main MT4 stocks trading platform Dashboard. As a beginner stock trader trying to learn how to execute stock orders in the online stock market, the main tool for trading the stocks market is the MT4 stocks trading platform software. This MT4 stocks trading software is software that you'll connect to your stock broker with & execute stock trade transactions & monitor your stock trading account balance from this MetaTrader 4 stocks trading platform.

The MT4 stocks trading platform software is provided for free through the various stock broker sites. This MetaTrader 4 platform looks like the stocks examples illustrated & described below:

The Main Areas of this MetaTrader 4 stocks software as illustrated above are:

1. MT4 Navigation Menus
2. Toolbars
3. MT4 Stock Chart Window
4. MetaTrader 4 Navigator Window Panel
5. MT4 Market Watch Window Panel
6. MetaTrader 4 Terminal
7. MetaTrader 4 Connection Bars

For this MetaTrader 4 stocks trading platform tutorial we shall look at a brief introduction for each of these learn stock MetaTrader 4 platform:

1. Navigation Menus

The MT4 navigation menus are:

1. File
2. View
3. Insert
4. Charts
5. Tools
6. Window
7. Help

These are the main MT4 stocks trading platform navigation menus which can be used to navigate the MT4 software. As a beginner stock trader you can start by just clicking any of these MT4 stocks trading platform navigation menus to familiarize yourself with various MT4 buttons that are arranged as MT4 sub menus within these MT4 navigation menus.

These MetaTrader 4 navigation menus will be discussed in details in the next MT4 stocks platform guides about navigation menus.

2. Tool-Bars

The MT4 tool bars are used to manipulate MT4 stock charts, either by placing MT4 indicators, MT4 line studies, change MT4 stocks chart timeframes and load MT4 template from a list of saved MT4 templates.

These MetaTrader 4 tool bars will be discussed on other MT4 stocks trading platform tutorials that will outline each MT4 button on this MT4 tool bar and how to add and customize these MT4 tool bars.

3. Chart Panel

This MT4 stock chart window is the main area where MT4 stocks charts are displayed & a trader can analyze the stock trend direction of a MT4 stock chart whether up or down, place MT4 stock chart indicators for technical analysis & even place orders from these MT4 stock charts.

4. Navigator

MetaTrader 4 Navigator will contain information about MetaTrader 4 trading accounts, whether practice or real, this MT4 window will also have a list of all the MT4 technical indicators as well as MT4 Stock EAs and scripts.

A trader can select which MT4 account to login by expanding the Accounts menu, choose a MT4 indicator by expanding the MT4 indicator menu or choose a MT4 Stock Trading Expert-Advisor by expanding the EA menu.

5. Market Watch

MT4 Market watch is used to show streaming stocks quotes for MT4 stock trading instruments. This can list as many quotes provided by your MT4 stock broker or a few chosen by a stock trader. To save inter-net bandwidth, right click inside the MT4 market watch window and select 'Hide All', so as to hide the MetaTrader 4 symbols that you are not transacting on this MT4 stocks platform & save on inter-net bandwidth.

6. Terminal

This is the MetaTrader 4 window panel that's like the bank account trade area for your MT4 stock trade transactions, on this MT4 window you can view your account balance, profit & losses statement, equity, margin used also retrieve a copy of all your MT4 stock trade transactions history.

This MT4 window panel will also list all open stock trade transactions and calculate all the profit & loss in realtime as a stock prices move upwards or downward.

7. Connection Bar

MT4 connection bars - Red bars are for no connection, green bars show that there is connectivity to the servers and MetaTrader 4 stock trade orders can be set. These MetaTrader 4 connection bars should always be green when one logged into their MetaTrader 4 demo stock account or MT4 live account.

These MetaTrader 4 stocks platform main areas form the MT4 stocks trading platform Dashboard and will be the main areas to be covered in detail in the next learn MT4 stocks platform guides. For now it is best to download MetaTrader 4 stocks trading platform software and familiarize yourself with the MT4 software Dashboard.

Why Stocks Platform is Required for Placing Stocks Trade Transactions with Stocks Trading Brokers

Stock platform is software that's used to access the stocks market & analyze these stocks price movements using stocks charts and stocks analysis tools. There are various reasons why a trader requires to use a good stock trading platform. A good stock trading software can determine if a as a trader you make profit or not.

So why does a trader need a good Stocks Trading Software:

To connect to the Stock Trading Broker Trading Server:

To place a stock trade order a trader needs to use a stock software that will connect to the trading servers of their stocks broker and this will allow them to open & close stock trade orders. Good stock platforms will connect with ease to the brokers' servers and allow stocks traders to place stock trade orders at any time from their desktop PC computer.

To analyze stock charts using stocks trading analysis tools

To place a buy or sell stock order a trader needs to first analyze the direction of a stock using stock charts. This is why all good stock platforms provide stocks trading technical tools such as stocks price charts, stock indicators & various different chart time-frames from which one-can analyze stocks price moves using the stocks chart timeframes of their choice.

From the above stock trading platform Dashboard, the summary of all information required by a trader is provided on this MT4 stocks trading platform Dashboard

• Connection - connection to the broker servers
• Charts - price graphs that display stock prices
• Toolbars - toolbars to add tools and technical analysis indicators on stock charts
• Market Watch - for displaying available instruments in MetaTrader 4 platform
• Data panel - provides MetaTrader 4 stock account data and other technical stock trading indicator data
• Exchange rates - shows current market stock trading price
• Menu bar - Shows all menu items on the MT4 platform