Introduction to MetaTrader 4 Stocks 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 MetaTrader 4 stock platform software. This MT4 stock platform is the software that you will connect to your stocks broker with and execute stocks trade transactions and monitor your stocks account balance from this MT4 stock platform.

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

For this MT4 tutorial we shall look at a brief introduction for each of these learn stocks 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 navigation menus that can be used to navigate the MetaTrader 4 software. As a beginner trader you can start by just clicking any of these MT4 navigation menus to familiarize yourself with the various MT4 buttons that are arranged as MT4 sub menus within these MT4 navigation menus.

These MT4 navigation menus will be discussed in details in the next MT4 tutorials about navigation menus.

2. Tool Bars

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

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

3. Chart Window

This MT4 stocks chart window is the main area where MT4 stocks charts are displayed and a stocks 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

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

A stocks trader can choose which MT4 stocks account to login by expanding the Accounts menu, choose an MT4 stocks indicator by expanding the MT4 stocks 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 selected by a trader. To save internet 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 internet bandwidth.

6. Terminal

This is the MT4 window that is like the bank account transaction area for your MT4 stocks trade transactions, on this MT4 window you can view your account balance, profit and losses statement, equity, margin used also retrieve a copy of all your MT4 stocks trade transactions history.

This MT4 window will also list all open stocks trade transactions and calculate all the profit and loss in real time as the stock charts move up or down.

7. Connection Bar

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

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

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

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

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

To connect to the Stocks Broker Trading Server:

To place a stocks trade order one 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 stocks brokers' servers and allow stock traders to place stocks orders at any time from their computer.

To analyze stocks charts usings trading technical analysis tools

To place a buy or sell stocks order one 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 and various different stocks chart timeframes from which one can analyze stocks price moves using the stock chart timeframes of their choice.

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

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