1. Library Sources for FIN 312: Investments Colleen D. AndersonColleen D. Anderson, Reference Librarian Business & Economics Specialist Douglas & Judith Krupp Library Fall 2009

2. Table of Contents  The Markets  Stocks  Index Funds  Bonds  Mutual Funds  Commodities, Options, and Futures  “Best of the Web” finance sites

3. Resources Available in the C.V. Starr Financial Markets Center (FMC) The Financial Markets Center, located on the second floor of the Bello Center, is managed by the Finance Department and has its own unique schedule of operation. Open hours are posted on the FMC doors. Products housed in the FMC include:  Bloomberg …a unique terminal providing access to Bloomberg services through which users can access and monitor data, analytics, and news.  Factset …a financial data and analytics product for portfolio management.

4. The Markets  The NYSE Euronext http://www.nyse.com/ The NYSE Euronext http://www.nyse.com …current market activity is presented on the right side of the page. To obtain historical stock data, click on Investor Relations, Stock Information, and then Charts, Historical Data & Calculators on the left blue menu.  The NASDAQ http://www.nasdaq.com/ The NASDAQ http://www.nasdaq.com …the world’s largest U.S. electronic stock market. The National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System is the world’s largest U.S. electronic stock market. Click on the Market Activity tab to view current market movements.  The American Stock Exchange (the AMEX) http://www.amex.com/ The American Stock Exchange (the AMEX) http://www.amex.com … as of January 2009, Amex has become part of NYSE Euronext.

5. Long-Term Market Performance  Stocks, Bonds, Bills, and Inflation. 2008Yearbook (library first level REF HG4915.I21x) …a history of returns on the capital markets from 1926 to present.  Standard & Poor’s Statistical Service: Security Price Index Record (library reference backfile HG4915.S68a) …historical data on daily, weekly, and monthly indexes and averages for the S&P. See also: S&P 500 Data & Overview from the S&P website.S&P 500 Data & Overview

6. Stocks…Analysts Opinions  Mergent Horizon http://www.mergenthorizon.com/rp/xa/ …get detailed information on companies and industries/sectors. Includes segment financials, earnings estimates and history, price history and more. Mergent Horizon is a subscription product available only to Bryant students and faculty. Mergent Horizon http://www.mergenthorizon.com/rp/xa/  Standard & Poor’s Stock Reports on S&P NetAdvantage http://0-www.netadvantage.standardandpoors.com.helin.uri.edu/NASApp/NetAdvantage/Companies.do Standard & Poor’s Stock Reports on S&P NetAdvantage http://0-www.netadvantage.standardandpoors.com.helin.uri.edu/NASApp/NetAdvantage/Companies.do …click on the Companies tab and select Stock Reports from the 1 st drop down box.  Value Line Investment Survey http://0-www.valueline.com.helin.uri.edu/secure/vlispdf/stk1700/index.aspx Value Line Investment Survey http://0-www.valueline.com.helin.uri.edu/secure/vlispdf/stk1700/index.aspx …select Lookup Company from the left bar menu to search for a company by name or ticker symbol and view the Value Line report.  Wall Street Journal’s Markets Data Center http://WSJMarkets.com Click on U.S. Stocks and look for the section labeled Analysts’ Ratings Changes to get upgrades and downgrades on stocks. Wall Street Journal’s Markets Data Center http://WSJMarkets.com

7. Stocks…Performance Ratios  Mergent Online http://0-www.mergentonline.com.helin.uri.edu/compsearch.asp Mergent Online http://0-www.mergentonline.com.helin.uri.edu/compsearch.asp …run a company search and click on the retrieved underlined company name. Select the company financials tab and then ratios to access profitability ratios. Ask a reference librarian to find out how to run a peer ratio analysis using Mergent Online.  Hoover’s Academic http://premium.hoovers.com/subscribe/ Hoover’s Academic http://premium.hoovers.com/subscribe …search under companies to access a particular company. Click on your retrieved company name to view a left menu bar. Under financial data select comparison data to display profitability and valuation ratios for your company, its industry and market. (click on market data for more stock information, including 12,36, and 60 month EPS and dividend growth).

8. Stocks…Historical Prices  Yahoo! Finance http://finance.yahoo.com/ Yahoo! Finance http://finance.yahoo.com/ …type the ticker symbol for your stock in the get quotes box and then click on go. Select historical prices from the quotes option on the left bar menu.  Big Charts from MarketWatch.com http://bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/ Big Charts from MarketWatch.com http://bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical …type in the symbol for your stock of interest and then a date for which you would like to see a security’s exact closing price. You will be able to view a quote and mini chart for that security.

9. Stocks…Dividends  Standard & Poor’s NetAdvantage http://0-www.netadvantage.standardandpoors.com.helin.uri.edu/NASApp/NetAdvantage/Companies.do Standard & Poor’s NetAdvantage http://0-www.netadvantage.standardandpoors.com.helin.uri.edu/NASApp/NetAdvantage/Companies.do …select the companies tab from the top to search for and display your company record. Select dividends & stock splits from the left bar menu.

10. Index Funds  Definition of Index Funds from the SEC http://www.sec.gov/answers/indexf.htm Definition of Index Funds from the SEC http://www.sec.gov/answers/indexf.htm The U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission definition of index funds with links to more information on the topic.  About Index Funds http://mutualfunds.about.com/od/activevspassivefunds/a/Index_Funds.htm About Index Funds http://mutualfunds.about.com/od/activevspassivefunds/a/Index_Funds.htm …all about index funds from About.com.About.com  The S&P 500 Index Fund from Motley Fool http://www.fool.com/mutualfunds/indexfunds/indexfunds01.htm?source=LN The S&P 500 Index Fund from Motley Fool http://www.fool.com/mutualfunds/indexfunds/indexfunds01.htm?source=LN …the “fools” explain the logic behind investing in index funds.

11. Bonds  Mergent Online http://0-www.mergentonline.com.helin.uri.edu/compsearch.asp Mergent Online http://0-www.mergentonline.com.helin.uri.edu/compsearch.asp …search your company by name or ticker and then click on the retrieved company name. Select the Long-Term Debt tab to view the company’s debt, including ratings.  BondsOnline.com http://www.bondsonline.com/ BondsOnline.com http://www.bondsonline.com/ …access to and coverage of over 3.5 million stocks, bonds, indexes and other securities. Market data is provided by Reuters and Interactive Data.  Investing in Bonds.com http://www.investinginbonds.com/ Investing in Bonds.com http://www.investinginbonds.com …a complete education in bonds from the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA). Includes information on bond basics, types of bonds, and buying and selling bonds. Data is available on the municipal, government, corporate, and MBS/ABS markets.SIFMA

12. Bonds  TreasuryDirect.gov http://www.treasurydirect.gov/ TreasuryDirect.gov http://www.treasurydirect.gov …the main source of information on municipal, corporate, and treasury bonds. The municipal and corporate sections have a searchable, browesable, and sortable report of daily transactions. A bond glossary is included with substantial introductory information for the novice investor.  Standard & Poor’s Bond Reports http://0-www.netadvantage.standardandpoors.com.helin.uri.edu/NASApp/NetAdvantage/Companies.do …select Companies and then select Bond Reports from the Resources drop down box. Type in the ticker symbol for your company and then click on go to obtain the yield to maturity, current yield and more information on your selected bond. Standard & Poor’s Bond Reports http://0-www.netadvantage.standardandpoors.com.helin.uri.edu/NASApp/NetAdvantage/Companies.do

13. Mutual Funds  Invest Wisely: An Introduction to Mutual Funds http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/inwsmf.htm Invest Wisely: An Introduction to Mutual Funds http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/inwsmf.htm …an introductory guide from the SEC that explains the basics of mutual fund investing; e.g., how funds work, what factors to consider before investing, and how to avoid common pitfalls.  Value Line Mutual Fund Survey http://0-www.valueline.com.helin.uri.edu/secure/vlmfpdf/index.aspx Value Line Mutual Fund Survey http://0-www.valueline.com.helin.uri.edu/secure/vlmfpdf/index.aspx …each monthly fund report reviews approximately 200 funds and provides the investment objective, overall rank, risk rank, and 5-year return for the fund. A separate performance and index provides NAV for each fund and the 5 year growth persistence.

14. Mutual Funds  Morningstar Mutual Funds http://0-library.morningstar.com.helin.uri.edu/?CustId=&CLogin=&CType=&CName= Morningstar Mutual Funds http://0-library.morningstar.com.helin.uri.edu/?CustId=&CLogin=&CType=&CName=...perhaps the most respected mutual fund advisory service. Profiles consist of a description of the type of fund and a written analysis on it, and other essential information for making an informed investment decision.  Fidelity Mutual Funds http://personal.fidelity.com/products/funds/funds_frame.shtml.cvsr …view research from Fidelity, including a fund evaluator, fund facts, a section for comparing funds, and related links. Fidelity Mutual Funds http://personal.fidelity.com/products/funds/funds_frame.shtml.cvsr

15. Commodities, Futures, and Options  Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) http://www.cftc.gov/ Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) http://www.cftc.gov …site of the CFTC, an independent agency created in 1974 to regulate the commodity futures and options markets in the United States. This site includes a glossary, FAQs, exchanges & products, and laws & regulations.  The Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) http://www.cme.com/ The Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) http://www.cme.com …founded in 1898, the CME is the largest futures exchange in the U.S. CME products include: interest rates, equities, foreign exchange, agricultural commodities, and alternative investments. This site includes an education center.

16. Commodities, Futures, and Options  The CRB Commodity Yearbook (REF HF1041.C56) …a compendium of data on the commodity industry compiled by the Commodity Research Bureau, the premier organization for the industry. Commodity Research Bureau  Chicago Board Options Exchange http://www.cboe.com/ Chicago Board Options Exchange http://www.cboe.com/ …the first options exchange. The CBOE page includes quotes, data, trading tools, a learning center and more.

17. “Best of the Web” Finance Sites  Bloomberg.com http://www.bloomberg.com …enter a ticker symbol and click on the green button for quotes, charts, and/or news on a stock or bond. Bloomberg.com http://www.bloomberg.com  Google Finance http://finance.google.com Google Finance http://finance.google.com …type in a ticker symbol to get a quote, beta, P/E ratio, and a full page summary on your stock.  MarketWatch.com http://www.marketwatch.com/?avatar=seen&dist=ctmw MarketWatch.com http://www.marketwatch.com/?avatar=seen&dist=ctmw …winner of the EPAY award for best business site. This site covers economic and business news and commentary, the markets, mutual funds and ETFs, personal finance and more. The site also includes a Tools & Research section that includes a Stock Screener. Sign up for a free member account.  Yahoo Finance.com http://finance.yahoo.com Yahoo Finance.com http://finance.yahoo.com …market information, top financial news, stock research tools, an excellent industry research center, and much more.

18. Need Help? Librarians Have Answers! Contact Colleen Anderson Business & Economics Subject Specialist canderso@bryant.edu canderso@bryant.edu Phone: 401-232-6299 Email a Reference Question refdesk@bryant.edu Text a Librarian at 401.595.7306 Fall 2009