Introduction to MT4 Interface

The following image below shows the main MetaTrader 4 software inter-face. As a beginner trying to learn how to execute stock indices orders in the online stock indices market, the main tool for trading the stock indices market is the MT4 software software. This MetaTrader 4 software is the software which you'll connect to your stock indices broker with and execute stock indices trade transactions & monitor your stock indices account balance from this MT4 platform.

The Stock Indices MT4 platform software is provided for free through the various stock indices broker web sites. This MT4 platform looks like the stock indices example illustrated below:

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

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

For this MT4 guide we shall look at a brief introduction for each of these learn MT4 platform:

1. Navigation Menus

The MetaTrader 4 navigation menus are:

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

These are the main MetaTrader 4 navigation menus which can be used to navigate the MT4 platform. As a beginner you can begin by clicking any of these MT4 navigation menus to familiarize yourself with various MetaTrader 4 button keys that are arranged as MetaTrader 4 submenus within these MT4 navigation menus.

These MetaTrader 4 navigation menus will be discussed & covered in details in the next MetaTrader 4 guides about navigation menus.

2. Tool-Bars

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

These MT4 toolbars will be discussed on other MT4 guides that will outline each MetaTrader 4 button on this MetaTrader 4 toolbar & how to add & customize these MT4 toolbars.

3. Chart Window Panel

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

4. Navigator

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

A trader can select which MT4 stock indices account to login by expanding the Accounts menu, choose an MT4 indicator by expanding the MT4 indicator menu or choose an MT4 Stock Index Expert Advisor by expanding the Expert Advisor menu.

5. Market Watch

MT4 Market watch is used to show streaming stock index price quotes for MT4 stock indices instruments. This can list as many quotes provided by your MT4 stock indices 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 platform and save on inter-net band width.

6. Terminal

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

This MetaTrader 4 window will also list all open stock indices trade transactions & calculate all the profit and loss in real-time as a stock index charts move up or down.

7. Connection Bar

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

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

Why Stock Indices Platform is Required for Placing Stock Indices Transactions with Stock Indices Brokers

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

So why does a trader need a good Stock Indices platform:

To connect to the Stock Indices Broker Trading Server:

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

To analyze stock indices charts using trading technical analysis tools

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

From the above stock indices platform inter-face, the summary of all data required by a trader is provided on this MetaTrader 4 platform interface

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