Apart from "normal" symbols, time and sales documents can also display so-called chain symbols. This is a special symbol type that is in essence a pointer to a list of normal symbols of different types, usually a list of index constituents. The list of symbols contained in a chain is automatically updated on the server. This means that when for example some new stocks are added to the list of index constituents, the list of symbols will be automatically updated in the time and sales document.

Chain symbols can also hold a so-called main symbol. This symbol is usually an index symbol (if the chain holds a list of index constituents). The main symbol is shown in the price page view of time and sales – in contrast to normal multi-symbol time and sales documents, the list symbols are not displayed there. The name of the chain symbol is shown in the title of the time and sales documents – chain symbol names typically contain with a pound sign (for example, DAX#XETRA or INDU#US).

Note             Some chains do not contain a main symbol. In that case, the price page view is automatically hidden and cannot be shown.

To open a chain symbol in time and sales

▫       Use Symbol Search to find and open a specific chain symbol: See Opening Symbols from the Search Results.

▫       Type the ticker or name of a chain symbol into a time and sales document (Smart Symbol Search) to replace all symbols that are currently visible in time and sales with the chain: See Calling Symbol Search from a Document.

▫       Open a chain symbol that was stored in FastLook: See Opening Symbols from FastLook.

Different behavior in comparison to normal multi-symbol time and sales documents

Showing chain symbols in a time and sales document seems similar to using a normal multi-symbol time and sales document. However, there are some differences in the behavior of time and sales documents when they contain a chain symbol:

 

Normal multi-symbol time and sales document

Time and sales document with chain symbol

Adding / removing symbols

You can manually add or remove symbols.
See also Adding and Removing Symbols in Time and Sales

The symbol list is loaded automatically from the server, and also updated automatically. You cannot add or remove symbols manually.

Initial loading of historical data

When you open the document, the latest historical data is automatically loaded from the market data server according to the settings under Properties > Time&Sales > Time Region.

See also Changing the Amount of Data Displayed in Time and Sales

When the time region is set to Records, no historical data is loaded when opening the document. New time and sales data is shown as it comes in, up until the maximum set in Properties (by default, last 50 records).

For all other time region settings, loading of historical data works the same as in normal time and sales documents.

Price page view

The price page view shows all symbols that have been added to the document. You can show or hide the price page view.

See also Showing and Hiding Views

The price page view shows the main symbol of the chain. If the chain does not contain a main symbol, the price page view is automatically hidden and cannot be shown.

Showing market activity for a only single symbol

You can show data for a single symbol or for all symbols in the time and sales view of the document.

See also Showing Data for a Single Symbol or Multiple Symbols in Time and Sales

You cannot show data for a single symbol. The command Show Selected Symbol is disabled.

Linking of documents

You can link other documents, like charts, to the price page view of the time and sales document.

See also Linking Documents to Time and Sales

You cannot link other documents to the time and sales document.

 

Note             When you drag and drop a new (normal) symbol to a time and sales document that currently displays a chain, TeleTrader WorkStation automatically suggests breaking the connection with the chain symbol.

The following message is shown in that case: This operation will break the connection with the chain symbol for this document. Lists will no longer be updated. Do you want to continue?

Click Yes to turn off automatic list updates and add the new symbol to the document. The document will now behave like a normal multi-symbol time and sales document, which means that the symbol list is not automatically updated anymore when there are changes to the chain.

Click No to keep automatic lists updates turned on and cancel the adding of the new symbol. The list of symbols which are part of the chain is now still automatically managed on the server. New symbols are added to the chain, other symbols are removed from the chain in regular intervals. If you display a chain symbol in time and sales, the symbol list will be automatically updated after a server-side change. This means that for example you'll always get the current list of index constituents for the DAX#XETRA or INDU#US index chain.