Introduction to MT4 Platform Interface

The following screen-shot below shows the main MetaTrader 4 stock platform interface. 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 MT4 stock platform software. This MT4 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 MetaTrader 4 stock platform.

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

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

1. MetaTrader 4 Navigation Menus
2. Toolbars
3. MT4 Stock 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 stocks 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 MT4 platform. As a beginner trader you can begin by just clicking any of these MetaTrader 4 navigation menus to familiarize yourself with various MetaTrader 4 button keys which are arranged as MetaTrader 4 submenus within these MetaTrader 4 navigation menus.

These MetaTrader 4 navigation menus will be discussed & covered in details in the next MetaTrader 4 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 MT4 toolbars will be discussed on other MetaTrader 4 guides that will outline each MT4 button on this MetaTrader 4 tool-bar & how to add & 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 and even place orders from these MT4 stocks trading charts.

4. Navigator

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

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

5. Market Watch

MT4 Market watch is used to show streaming stocks price 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 band width, 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 MetaTrader 4 window that is like the bank account trade area for your MT4 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 window will also list all open stocks trade transactions and calculate all the profit & loss in real-time as the stock charts move up or down.

7. Connection Bar

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

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

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

Stock trading platform is software that's used to access the stocks market and 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 which will connect to the trading servers of their stocks broker & this will allow them to open & 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 trading analysis tools

To place a buy or sell stocks order a trader needs to first analyze the direction of a stocks instrument 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 time-frames from which trader can analyze stocks price moves using the stock chart time frames of their choice.

From the above stocks platform inter-face, the summary of all data required by a trader is provided on this MT4 stock platform interface

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