Market commentary: Free, vital financial information and where to find it

We’ve all heard about Bloomberg’s or Reuters pricy, trader software, however what one fails to realise when starting out in the financial industry, is that there is a fountain of knowledge available that is absolutely free and reliable.

If you’re on a shoe string budget however, first thing you have to know is that it is very difficult to reach the same level of information offered by the Bloomberg terminal or Reuters 3000 Xtra for free, after all that is why they are able to charge so much, however, that doesn’t mean you are to be left in the dark, it just means that you have a lot more research to conduct.

Understanding your limitations is key, gaining exact figures of current company financials is near impossible, however you can gain enough information to understand a company’s performance, its stock price, and how it might perform in the foreseeable future.   

Getting right into it, Google Finance is your go-to source. Here not only will you find the latest news and events that relate to the organisation in question, but one may also find data like price charts, splits and dividends, a stock price history chart, a comparison of current competitor stock prices and current key stats and ratios. Essentially enough information to give quite a clear understanding of the organisation in question’s current position. 

One issue with Google finance however, is that it does not always update all news and events as frequently, possibly preventing clarity.  This is where one needs to dig deeper. If you want to be on the top of financial information then here are some top picks on what to follow.

Bloomberg.com offer free information on their main website where one may either follow the latest news via their live streaming services or access data for certain futures, commodities, bonds and currencies. By selecting "Economic Calendar" under the "Market Data" heading, you may also view current and upcoming economic announcements.

CNN money is yet another valuable source of business and financial news that gets updated throughout the day. With its user friendly site and appealing layout, it has become favoured by many. This site also enables you to sign up to an alert system that is customizable and adjustable using their iOS/ android app.   

Forbes started out as a magazine, but now Forbes has gone online and now provides news and original articles on business, technology, stock markets, personal finance, and lifestyle with sections of advice, tools, and investing tips that can provide one with an insight on how the markets stand at present and how it might change in the foreseeable future.  

The Financial times (FT) is the classic newspaper that most businessmen/women read on a daily basis.  The FT is split into two sections. The first section covers domestic and international news, editorial commentary on politics and economics from FT journalists while the second section consists of financial data and news about companies and markets. The FT has a huge following and has recently become more popular with its app available on all platforms, for a nominal subscription fee.

Kitco - Precious Metals brings real-time market information like price quotes, trends, market commentary, focusing mainly on precious metals. Investors can quickly find real-time price quotes for precious metals, the top five performing gold equities and exchange rates on the website's home page. Additionally, under the "Charts & Data" tab on the home page, investors can find live, historical and technical charts for precious metals.

XE - Foreign Exchange focus is on currency services, and investors and traders can find real-time currency quotes, currency news and analysis, currency converters and a variety of currency calculators.

Social media is the one source that many underestimate. Whether it’s Twitter, Facebook YouTube etc, companies like to leave hints or small tips here and there that indicate where they might be heading. A strong example of this would be to follow CEOs’ twitter feeds and see what they’re doing and where there doing it, every time they publish a tweet.

Tools like Bloomberg terminal are fantastic at what they do, is essentially group all the above information types into one medium, making it available at greater speeds; however it’s not essential unless you work in an investment firm. 

This article was issued by Steve Diacono, Intern at Calamatta Cuschieri. For more information visit, www.cc.com.mt. The information, view and opinions provided in this article is being provided solely for educational and informational purposes and should not be construed as investment advice, advice concerning particular investments or investment decisions, or tax or legal advice. Calamatta Cuschieri & Co. Ltd has not verified and consequently neither warrants the accuracy nor the veracity of any information, views or opinions appearing on this website.