Library Sources for FIN 312: Investments

1
Library Sources for FIN 312 Investments

• Colleen D. Anderson, Reference
  LibrarianBusiness Economics SpecialistDouglas
  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.
• Factseta financial data and analytics product
  for portfolio management.

4
The Markets

• The NYSE Euronexthttp//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 NASDAQhttp//www.nasdaq.com/
• the worlds largest U.S. electronic stock
  market. The National Association of Securities
  Dealers Automated Quotation System is the worlds
  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/
• as of January 2009, Amex has become part of
  NYSE Euronext.

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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 Poors Statistical Service Security
  Price Index Record
• (library reference backfile HG4915 .S68a)
• historical data on daily, weekly, and monthly
  indexes and averages for the SP. See also SP
  500 Data Overview from the SP website.

6
StocksAnalysts Opinions

• Mergent Horizonhttp//www.mergenthorizon.com/rp/x
  a/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.
• Standard Poors Stock Reports on SP
  NetAdvantagehttp//0-www.netadvantage.standardand
  poors.com.helin.uri.edu/NASApp/NetAdvantage/Compan
  ies.do
• click on the Companies tab and select Stock
  Reports from the 1st drop down box.
• Value Line Investment Surveyhttp//0-www.valuelin
  e.com.helin.uri.edu/secure/vlispdf/stk1700/index.a
  spx
• 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 Journals Markets Data
  Centerhttp//WSJMarkets.comClick on U.S. Stocks
  and look for the section labeled Analysts
  Ratings Changes to get upgrades and downgrades on
  stocks.

7
StocksPerformance Ratios

• Mergent Onlinehttp//0-www.mergentonline.com.heli
  n.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.
• Hoovers Academichttp//premium.hoovers.com/subsc
  ribe/
• 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
StocksHistorical Prices

• Yahoo! Financehttp//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.comhttp//bigcharts.m
  arketwatch.com/historical/
• type in the symbol for your stock of interest
  and then a date for which you would like to see a
  securitys exact closing price. You will be able
  to view a quote and mini chart for that security.

9
StocksDividends

• Standard Poors NetAdvantagehttp//0-www.netadv
  antage.standardandpoors.com.helin.uri.edu/NASApp/N
  etAdvantage/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.

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Index Funds

• Definition of Index Funds from the
  SEChttp//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 Fundshttp//mutualfunds.about.com/od/
  activevspassivefunds/a/Index_Funds.htm
• all about index funds from About.com.
• The SP 500 Index Fund from Motley
  Foolhttp//www.fool.com/mutualfunds/indexfunds/in
  dexfunds01.htm?sourceLN
• the fools explain the logic behind investing
  in index funds.

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Bonds

• Mergent Onlinehttp//0-www.mergentonline.com.heli
  n.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 companys debt,
  including ratings.
• BondsOnline.comhttp//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.comhttp//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.

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Bonds

• TreasuryDirect.govhttp//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 Poors Bond Reportshttp//0-www.netadv
  antage.standardandpoors.com.helin.uri.edu/NASApp/N
  etAdvantage/Companies.doselect 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.

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Mutual Funds

• 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 Surveyhttp//0-www.valueli
  ne.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.

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Mutual Funds

• Morningstar Mutual Funds http//0-library.morning
  star.com.helin.uri.edu/?CustIdCLoginCTypeCNa
  me
• ...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 Fundshttp//personal.fidelity.com
  /products/funds/funds_frame.shtml.cvsrview
  research from Fidelity, including a fund
  evaluator, fund facts, a section for comparing
  funds, and related links.

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Commodities, Futures, and Options

• 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/
• 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.

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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.
• 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.

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Best of the Web Finance Sites

• Bloomberg.comhttp//www.bloomberg.comenter a
  ticker symbol and click on the green button for
  quotes, charts, and/or news on a stock or bond.
• Google Financehttp//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.comhttp//www.marketwatch.com/?avatar
  seendistctmw
• 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.comhttp//finance.yahoo.com
• market information, top financial news, stock
  research tools, an excellent industry research
  center, and much more.

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Need Help? Librarians Have Answers!

• Contact Colleen AndersonBusiness Economics
  Subject Specialist canderso_at_bryant.edu
• Phone [phone]
• Email a Reference Question
• refdesk_at_bryant.edu
• Text a Librarian at 401.595.7306
• Fall 2009