Introduction to MT4 Platform Stocks Dashboard

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

The Stock MT4 stock platform software is provided for free through the various stocks broker web sites. This MetaTrader 4 stocks software looks like the stocks example illustrated and explained below:

Main Areas of this MT4 stock platform as shown above are:

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

For this MT4 stock platform tutorial we shall look at a brief introduction for each of these learn stocks MT4 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 stock platform navigation menus which can be used to navigate the MT4 software. As a beginner trader you can start by just clicking any of these MT4 stock platform navigation menus to familiarize yourself with the 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 stock platform tutorials about navigation menus.

2. Toolbars

The MT4 tool bars are used to manipulate MT4 stocks 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 stock platform tutorials which 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 stocks chart window is the main area where MT4 stocks charts are displayed & a trader can analyze the stocks trend direction of a MT4 stocks chart whether up or down, place MT4 stocks chart indicators for technical analysis & even place orders from these MT4 stocks 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 indicators as well as MT4 Stock Expert Advisors 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 Expert Advisor by expanding the Expert Advisor menu.

5. Market Watch

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

6. Terminal

This is the MT4 window that is like the bank account trade area for your MetaTrader 4 stocks 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 stocks trade transactions history.

This MetaTrader 4 panel will also list all open stocks trade transactions and calculate all the profit and loss in real-time as the stocks prices move upwards or downwards.

7. Connection Bar

MT4 connection bars - Red bars are for no connection, green bars show that there's connectivity to the servers & MT4 stocks trade orders can be placed. These MT4 connection bars should always be green when one logged into their MetaTrader 4 practice stocks account or MetaTrader 4 live account.

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

Why Stocks Software is Required for Placing Stocks Trade Transactions with Stocks Brokers

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

So why does a trader need a good Stock platform:

To connect to the Stocks Broker Trading Server:

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

To analyze stocks charts using technical analysis tools

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

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

• Connection - connection to the broker servers
• Charts - price graphs which display stocks prices
• Tool bars - toolbars to add tools and technical analysis indicators on stocks charts
• Market Watch - for displaying available financial instruments on MetaTrader 4 platform
• Data window panel - provides MetaTrader 4 account information and other indicator data
• Exchange rates - shows current market stocks price of a stocks instrument
• Menu bar - Shows all menu items on the MT4 platform