Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why won't my postal code work?
Virtual Stock Exchange requires you to enter a US zip code when registering for an account. A workaround is to use a US zip code such as 90210.
I just made a trade, how come it did not show up?
Recently made trades will not show up in your portfolio until around 20 minutes since you placed the order. So please check back again in 20 minutes after the time you placed the order.
It is Monday, January 18, 2010, how come I am not able to make a trade?
January 18, 2010 is Marin Luther King Jr. Day in the US, so even though the competition starts on January 18, you will not be able to make trades until January 19, when the US stock markets are open.
How do I reset my Portfolio?
To reset your portfolio, please do the following:
- Click on the “Overview/Rules” link on the left hand side of the page under the game that you want to reset.
- On the next page click on the “Reset Portfolio” button found at the bottom of the page.
How do I change my screen name on Virtual Stock Exchange?
While logged on to Virtual Stock Exchange, please do the following:
- Click on the "My Account" link on the top right hand side of the screen.
- Edit the Screen Name field with a new screen name of your liking.
- Click on the "Save Changes" button in the middle of the page.
What is the difference between Stop and Limit?
Stop and Limit orders allow you to specify when you want your order to be executed. When you place a stop or a limit order, this means that you do not want the order to be executed at the market price, which is the current price the stock is trading at.
When you place a stop order, your order will only be executed once the price of the stock reaches a particular stop price. For example, if you want to purchase 100 shares of stock A at a stop price of $20, when the current market price is $25, your order will be executed once the stock price reaches $20 or below. This order though will not guarantee that you will be purchasing the 100 shares at a price of $20 or below, it will just execute the order at the market price at that given time when the order is triggered.
A limit order on the other hand will only execute your order when the stock price is lower or higher than the limit price. The limit price is treated as a maximum or minimum price. For example, if you want to purchase 100 share of stock A at a limit price of $20, when the current price is $25, your order will get executed once the price reaches $20 or below. Unlike the stop order though, this order will only get executed at a price that is below the $20 limit price. Because of this though, the order might not get fully executed as there might not be 100 shares available at $20 or below. In addition, it will continually try to buy for you at $20 or lower until the order expires or gets fulfilled. This might not be a good thing as some brokerages might charge each purchase as a separate transaction and therefore transaction fees can rack up on a single limit order.
Both limit and stop orders work similarly on a sell order but instead of the order executing when it reaches a certain price or below, it will get executed once it reaches a certain price or higher.