Stock market simulator
Encyclopedia
A stock market simulator is a program or application that attempts to reproduce or duplicate some or all features of a live stock market
on a computer so that a player may practice trading stocks without financial risk.
. Most of the currently active financial simulators use a delayed data feed of between 15 and 20 minutes to ensure that users cannot use their data to trade actively on a competing system. The purpose behind such a system is to let a person practice with fantasy funds in a real-world context so they can determine whether or not they would gain money investing by themselves.
, JavaScript
, ASP
or php
with a mysql
database
. Some of them are open source
, and others are proprietary with the code being sold as valuable prediction market software. Such is the example with the HSX Virtual Specialist. This technology has been sold to major film studios such as MGM and Lion's Gate Films, as well as to the Popular Science team for use in their PPX system.
Stock Market simulator engines can also be customized for other functions than just basic stock information tracking. The HSX engine has been modified to track popular science trends and also to track Youtube
videos. Other applications that can be implemented with this software include popularity tracking and ranking from a set scale rather than an actual numerical value.
games that allows players to trade stocks in a virtual or simulated stock market.
Stock market games exist in several forms but the basic underlying concept is that these games allow players to gain experience or just entertainment by trading stocks in a virtual world where there is no real risk. Some stock market games do not involve real money in any way. Players compete with each other to see who can predict the direction the stock markets will go next. Many stock market games are based on real life stocks from the Nasdaq
, NYSE or other major market indexes.
Stock market games are often used for educational purposes to teach potential stock traders and future stock brokers how to trade stocks.
Some Stock market games are not based on financial markets at all. These virtual stock markets are often based on things like sports or entertainment 'stocks'. Players are asked to invest in a particular sports team for example.If the team is doing well, the stock goes up and if the team is playing badly the stock value for that team falls. Another stock market game, Empire Avenue
, links a player's share value to their activity on social media sites thus motivating players to invest virtual currency in other players whose social media influence ranks highly. Stock market games are often built in to many other prediction games
.
Stock market
A stock market or equity market is a public entity for the trading of company stock and derivatives at an agreed price; these are securities listed on a stock exchange as well as those only traded privately.The size of the world stock market was estimated at about $36.6 trillion...
on a computer so that a player may practice trading stocks without financial risk.
Types
Stock market simulators can be broken down into two major categories - financial market simulators, and fantasy simulators.Financial simulators
Financial market simulators allow users to generate a portfolio based on real stock entries, but with virtual currencyVirtual currency
Virtual currency is used to purchase virtual goods within a variety of online communities; which include social networking websites, virtual worlds and online gaming sites....
. Most of the currently active financial simulators use a delayed data feed of between 15 and 20 minutes to ensure that users cannot use their data to trade actively on a competing system. The purpose behind such a system is to let a person practice with fantasy funds in a real-world context so they can determine whether or not they would gain money investing by themselves.
Fantasy simulators
Fantasy simulators trade shares or derivatives of real world items or objects that normally would not be listed on a commodities or market exchange, such as movies or television shows. Some simulators focus on sports and have been linked to active betting and wager based systems.Technology and implementation
Most of the online stock simulators run on either JavaJava (programming language)
Java is a programming language originally developed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems and released in 1995 as a core component of Sun Microsystems' Java platform. The language derives much of its syntax from C and C++ but has a simpler object model and fewer low-level facilities...
, JavaScript
JavaScript
JavaScript is a prototype-based scripting language that is dynamic, weakly typed and has first-class functions. It is a multi-paradigm language, supporting object-oriented, imperative, and functional programming styles....
, ASP
Active Server Pages
Active Server Pages , also known as Classic ASP or ASP Classic, was Microsoft's first server-side script engine for dynamically-generated Web pages. Initially released as an add-on to Internet Information Services via the Windows NT 4.0 Option Pack Active Server Pages (ASP), also known as Classic...
or php
PHP
PHP is a general-purpose server-side scripting language originally designed for web development to produce dynamic web pages. For this purpose, PHP code is embedded into the HTML source document and interpreted by a web server with a PHP processor module, which generates the web page document...
with a mysql
MySQL
MySQL officially, but also commonly "My Sequel") is a relational database management system that runs as a server providing multi-user access to a number of databases. It is named after developer Michael Widenius' daughter, My...
database
Database
A database is an organized collection of data for one or more purposes, usually in digital form. The data are typically organized to model relevant aspects of reality , in a way that supports processes requiring this information...
. Some of them are open source
Open source
The term open source describes practices in production and development that promote access to the end product's source materials. Some consider open source a philosophy, others consider it a pragmatic methodology...
, and others are proprietary with the code being sold as valuable prediction market software. Such is the example with the HSX Virtual Specialist. This technology has been sold to major film studios such as MGM and Lion's Gate Films, as well as to the Popular Science team for use in their PPX system.
Stock Market simulator engines can also be customized for other functions than just basic stock information tracking. The HSX engine has been modified to track popular science trends and also to track Youtube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
videos. Other applications that can be implemented with this software include popularity tracking and ranking from a set scale rather than an actual numerical value.
Stock market games
Stock market games are speculativeSpeculative
Speculative may refer to:*For economics usage, see Speculation*For usage in literature, see Speculative fiction*For philosophical usage, see Speculative philosophy and Speculative reason...
games that allows players to trade stocks in a virtual or simulated stock market.
Stock market games exist in several forms but the basic underlying concept is that these games allow players to gain experience or just entertainment by trading stocks in a virtual world where there is no real risk. Some stock market games do not involve real money in any way. Players compete with each other to see who can predict the direction the stock markets will go next. Many stock market games are based on real life stocks from the Nasdaq
NASDAQ
The NASDAQ Stock Market, also known as the NASDAQ, is an American stock exchange. "NASDAQ" originally stood for "National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations". It is the second-largest stock exchange by market capitalization in the world, after the New York Stock Exchange. As of...
, NYSE or other major market indexes.
Stock market games are often used for educational purposes to teach potential stock traders and future stock brokers how to trade stocks.
Some Stock market games are not based on financial markets at all. These virtual stock markets are often based on things like sports or entertainment 'stocks'. Players are asked to invest in a particular sports team for example.If the team is doing well, the stock goes up and if the team is playing badly the stock value for that team falls. Another stock market game, Empire Avenue
Empire Avenue
Empire Avenue is a stock market simulation social network game that allows users to buy and sell shares of people and websites. It started in February 2010 as an invitation-only closed beta before launching to the public in July 2010. Registration and game play is free.- Gameplay :Players have...
, links a player's share value to their activity on social media sites thus motivating players to invest virtual currency in other players whose social media influence ranks highly. Stock market games are often built in to many other prediction games
Prediction games
A prediction game is a game which allow users to guess at the outcome of future events. Prediction games are generally operated online and are free for users to play...
.
External links
- Teaching About Stocks for Fun and Propaganda critical article about using these games in High School classrooms. From Dollars & SenseDollars & SenseDollars & Sense is a magazine dedicated to providing left-wing perspectives on economics.Published six times a year since 1974, it is edited by a collective of economists, journalists, and activists committed to the ideals of social justice and economic democracy.It was initially sponsored by the...
magazine