Yahoo! Finance Blog

If you’ve clicked the thumbnail chart — or a time period link below it — on our quote page, you’ve likely visited our Interactive Chart. The Interactive Chart is a relatively new addition to Yahoo! Finance; it became generally available in April. There are several things you can do on the Interactive Chart that you can’t do on the Basic Chart. Here are some of my favorites:

1. Drilling down for more information: When you see a dramatic change in price or volume, move the Interactive Chart’s cursor to a specific point on the chart to read the date/time and price and volume.

2. Comparisons: You can compare any security to any other security. Start by clicking the Compare link. The Compare dialog then shows you key competitors and indices. Check the box next to the ones you want to add for comparison. If you want to add a comparison security that’s not in the list, simply enter the security’s name or symbol in the text box.

Click the Draw button when you’re done, and you’ll see the Interactive Chart update to plot the comparison securities and/or indices you requested.

3. Customization: You can change the plot line (candlesticks, line, or OHLC), chart scale (linear or logarithmic), and even the chart cursor (ball, crosshairs, or none). These options are under the Chart Settings menu. If you miss the open, high, and low values we once showed by default, you’ll find the option to turn them on in this menu, too.

4. Technical Indicators: Choose from 12 indicators (plus volume) by clicking the Technical Indicators menu.

After you select one from the menu, you can customize its input values.

5. Time Range adjustment: You can change the beginning and end date of the chart plot. If you know the dates you want, type them in the FROM and TO boxes and click Enter on your keyboard. Alternatively, you can use the graphical time range adjustment at the bottom of the chart. The slider bar moves the time window back and forth in time. You can change the size of the time window by clicking and dragging the handles.

To save you the hassle of reconfiguring your settings, the Interactive Chart carries over your technical indicator settings and chart settings as you plot different charts. The settings also carry over to the next browser session as long as you don’t clear your browser cookies. You can force-clear the Interactive Chart’s settings at any time by clicking the Reset link above the chart.

There are also some key links beneath the chart. Note the link to the Basic Chart, which you can use in case you prefer its simpler presentation. The Print link allows you to print the Interactive Chart area of the screen. Finally, click the Send Feedback link beneath the chart to send us your impressions and ideas. We’ve made changes to the chart in response to user feedback, so please keep it coming.

Tags: Charts, comparison, finance, indicator, interactive