A chart is a view of data assembled from several choices, including the instrument, data series, chart type, and time range. Understanding those inputs makes it easier to compare what you see on screen.
Key concepts
- Tick and point
- A Tick is the smallest permitted price increment for a contract. A point usually means a full one-point price move. Tick size and dollar value vary by contract.
- Data series
- The instrument, interval, and historical range that a chart uses as its input.
- Trading-hours template
- A schedule that defines how chart data is grouped into sessions. Changing it can change where an intraday study resets.
Learn it step by step
- 1Open a Chart from the Control Center's New menu.
- 2In Data Series, choose an instrument and a time interval to study.
- 3Check the chart time zone, trading-hours template, and historical range.
- 4Keep the initial chart style simple; adjust colors or add studies after confirming that the data looks as expected.
Different data settings can produce different chart views. Keep the inputs consistent when comparing charts.