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Next, choose the indicator you'd like to view. SmartText help is available for some of our most complex technical indicators: Moving Average, Bollinger Bands, MACD, Parabolic SAR, Price Channel, Slow Stochastics, Relative Strength, On Balance Volume, Williams % R, Directional Movement Indicator and the Ultimate Oscillator. Select one or more of these indicators from the Upper Indicators and Lower Indicators menus above the chart.

Upper Indicators are going to be charted directly on the candlestick chart, and Lower Indicators will appear in a narrow horizontal chart below the candlestick chart. SmartText will appear on the right.

For example, let's choose two indicators: MACD (Moving Average Convergence-Divergence) and Slow Stochastics. Here's what the chart and SmartText will look like:

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Notice that even if you choose more than one indicator, you'll still see detailed SmartText explanations for each one.

SmartText is designed to help investors at all levels of experience, so there are different parts of the information provided that will be useful for different investors. For example, here's the SmartText explanation of the Stochastics for this particular stock on this particular day:

"The Stochastic Oscillator is registering a bullish signal as the %K line is above the %D; however the oscillator has moved above the critical value of 80 and is now overbought. The overbought condition means that the upwards momentum experienced in this stock is not sustainable."

A beginning investor might not have any idea what "%K", "%D", "oscillator" or even "stochastics" mean (or how to pronounce them, for that matter!), but there is still valuable information to be gleaned from this explanation. On a very basic level, we know:

• This stock is bullish, or trending upward.
• This stock is overbought.
• Being overbought means that the current upward trend isn't likely to continue.

Now let's combine that with the information on MACD:

"The MACD for stock XYZ currently indicates a strong bearish signal for two reasons. First, the MACD is below the signal line, a 9-day moving average. Second, the MACD is below the critical level of 0, which implies that the underlying moving averages are trending lower."

Again, different investors will pull different bits of information from this explanation, but on a basic level, we know:

• The moving averages are bearish, or trending downward.

Combine this with our stochastics, and we know that not only is the stock overbought and likely to take a downward turn, but the underlying movement is trending downward as well. Armed with this analysis, the investor can make a more informed decision about whether now is the right time to purchase fictional stock XYZ.

Plus, if you are a beginner who is not familiar with these technical indicators, using SmartText can be a great way to learn more about the indicators and how to read them. In the MACD explanation, for example, you see the general indication ("strong bearish signal"), but you also see two reasons why that conclusion can be drawn. Looking carefully at the charts yourself and pairing what you see with the SmartText explanation can help you learn to apply the same analysis to charts on your own.

If you need help using SmartText, contact your local branch office.

The analytical tools, and examples, described in this article are for information purposes only and their use does not guarantee a profit. None of the information provided should be considered a recommendation or solicitation to invest in, or liquidate, a particular security or type of security. Investors should fully research any security before making an investment decision.