How to use Watchlists in Online Share Trading
When you log in to Online Share Trading, you’ll find a wide range of tools, reports and other resources available to help you make informed investment decisions. This guide will help you get to grips with one of those tools: Watchlists.
What is a Watchlist?
The Watchlist tool is one of the most helpful tools inside Online Share Trading and allows you to view and monitor New Zealand and Australian shares that you’re interested in. With this tool you can do a number of things:
When you log in to Online Share Trading, it opens on the Watchlist of your choice. If you haven’t set up your own Watchlist yet, the first Watchlist you’ll see is ‘Biggest Gains’. This is one of five pre-loaded Watchlists available to you and shows the New Zealand and Australian shares making the biggest gains that day, with pricing information 20 minutes delayed. All information shown in a Watchlist is updated when the markets open.
How to read a Watchlist
From this chart you can tell a lot. Starting at the top and moving left, you can see:
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What it means
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Stock
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The unique stock code by which every listed equity can be identified.
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Last
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The price of the last trade made.
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Change
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The price change up or down from the previous day’s closing price. Green shows a rise, while red shows a drop.
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Buy
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The highest price a buyer is currently willing to pay for this share.
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Sell
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The lowest price a seller is currently asking for this share.
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Open
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The price that the first share traded for today.
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High
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The highest price paid for this share so far today.
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Low
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The lowest price paid for this share so far today.
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Volume
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The number of shares that have changed hands so far today.
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Turnover
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The amount of money that has changed hands while trading this share today.
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Recommendations and Announcements
From time to time, you’ll notice a speech bubble or a newspaper icon appear beside the stock code. This means there’s new information available about this stock that may help your investment decisions. To see what’s new, just click on the icon.
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What it means
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A speech bubble shows that analysts have released a new recommendation for this stock.
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A newspaper icon means that there is a new announcement about this company.
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Catch what's happening in the market with preloaded Watchlists
There are a few things that most investors like to keep an eye on, so we make it easy for you with pre-loaded Watchlists.
It’s important to know that all pricing data in a pre-loaded Watchlist is delayed by 20 minutes. Also if you want to update it, press the ‘refresh’ button in the top right corner.
You have five pre-loaded Watchlists:
Biggest Gains
This Watchlist shows the shares that have gained the most in value since the previous trading day. Shares are ranked by the difference in percentage between the previous trading day's closing price and the current market price.
Top Volumes
Volume is the number of shares changing hands between buyers and sellers, and is a measure of market activity. The "Top Volumes" are those shares with the most shares traded during the current business day.
Upcoming Dividends
A dividend is the part of the company's after tax profit paid to shareholders. The "Upcoming Dividends Watchlist" gives a list of companies that have confirmed a dividend payment and have recently gone past the cut-off date for receiving a dividend, or will go past the cut-off date for the next dividend in the near future. This cut-off date is called "ex-dividend". If you purchase on or after the ex-dividend date you will not be entitled to that dividend.
Biggest Losses
This Watchlist shows the shares that have gone down the most in value since the previous day. This is measured as the difference in percentage between the previous trading day's closing price and the current market price.
Top Values
Value is the volume of shares traded multiplied by the traded price to give an overall dollar amount. It is a measure of activity as an overall dollar value.
See stock quote pricing with a personalised Watchlist
Our pre-loaded Watchlists can give you an overview of what's happening in the market. If you trade at least once every 90 days, you'll receive live market data on your personalised watchlist on specific share prices you're interested in.
You can create up to 10 personal Watchlists and add up to 50 New Zealand and 50 Australian shares to each. So you might have one Watchlist for the shares you’re actively considering, and other Watchlists to follow how an industry or sector as a whole is performing.
How to create your first watchlist
You can create your own Watchlist in just a few steps. If you want to get started quickly, make sure you watch our video how to monitor and research shares.
1. Click the ‘+’ icon
You’ll find this beside the dropdown menu on the Watchlist page.
2. Name your list
Give your Watchlist a descriptive name and tick the box if you want this to be your default Watchlist.
3. Click Done
You’ll now see your new list in the drop menu.
Adding shares to your Watchlist
Now you’ve created your own Watchlist you need to add some stocks to it. Again, that’s something you can do in just few quick steps:
1. Click on your new Watchlist
2. Select ‘Add new stock’
3. Type in stock name or code
4. Click ‘Add stock’
That’s it. That stock will now appear in your Watchlist. You can delete an individual stock or an entire Watchlist at any time.
Get the most out of Online Share Trading
Watchlists are just one of the powerful tools you’ll find inside Online Share Trading that can help you make investment decisions. If you haven’t already, it’s a good idea now to read our guide on portfolios, researching companies and charts.
Next steps
Set up a watchlist
Set up an ASB Securities portfolio online.
Enquire now
Email us if you'd like help to get started.
Call us
Contact the ASB Securities team from 7am to 6pm NZT, Monday to Friday.
Other helpful guides
ASB Securities Limited is an NZX firm. When you trade on the NZX markets through ASB Securities you must comply with NZX rules as outlined in the ASB Securities Trading Conduct for Online Share trading. ASB Securities terms and conditions apply. Pricing data supplied by ASX and/or NZX. ASB Cash Management Account, ASB Foreign Currency Account, ASB Margin Lending and ASB Term Deposits are provided by ASB Bank Limited. ASB term's apply. Rates and fees may change. Refer to asb.co.nz for other fees and charges. This page does not have regard to the financial situation or needs of any reader. As individual circumstances differ, you should seek appropriate professional advice. See the ASB Securities glossary for share trading and investment terms or Morningstar for research terms.
