Important information about the Data Service

Most, if not all, technical analysis programs consist of two main components, namely a suite of computer programs and a database.

The computer programs are used to draw the graphs as well as for doing the calculations of the various technical indicators and the database contains the historic figures and in some cases financial information for each of the shares.

Having invested in both local and international technical analysis software programs places you at a considerable advantage as our shares database, which in many cases dates back to 1985, is one of the most comprehensive, accurate and longest historical databases available of South African shares.

There are very few competitive products with such a lengthy database and it is therefore very important and in your interest to keep your shares database up-to-date by regularly downloading the daily data file and updating your database.

This process is fully automatic and is done by using the Download option of the PDSNET Data Centre which we provide free of charge to all clients.

Our download service is unique in so far that we provide 2 different download files for each trading day, both of which contain the very latest information at the time these files were released.

The first file is generally available before 20h00 each evening and our second file is available by about 06h00 the following morning.

By supplying 2 download files at different times we are able to provide you with the most recent data not only for the local markets but also for the international markets.

For instance our first data file which is normally available before 20h00 each evening contains the day’s closing data for:

• The JSE Indices
• All local Equities
• Financial Futures
• Single Stock Futures
• Agricultural Futures
• Precious & Other Metals
• International currencies.
• Asian market Indices
• Company Financials
• Stock Exchange News Service (Sens) messages
• Updated Fundamental Comments
• Director’s Dealings report

By the time we are able to release the first data file we have invariably not yet received the closing figures for the Unit Trusts, the local Bonds market and some of the major European market Indices. Furthermore as the North American markets are still trading at that time we are not able to include the closing figures for these indicators in the evening file.

To ensure that our users are always able to refer to the very latest information, our early morning file contains the identical data that was included in the previous evening’s file plus the following most recent closing figures for:

• Unit Trusts
• Bonds
• Currencies
• Major U.S. market Indices
• Major European market Indices
• Brent Oil

Our subscribers have therefore a major advantage in so far that during the evening they can check what the local market has done that day and by doing an additional download the following morning they will be able to make a reasonable prediction about how the local market may move by checking how the major international Indices and Currencies have moved during the most recent 12 hours.

It is not essential to do 2 downloads each day. If you prefer to do your download only in the evening or only in the morning you can do so without creating any problems. Our download system has been programmed to ensure that you will receive the very latest information for all markets and your database will therefore always be up-to-date.

Another major advantage of our download service is that even during local public holidays we do obtain the data of the international markets and your database will therefore never be missing any local or international information.

While most data vendors only include in their daily download file the Close, High, Low and Volume figures and in some cases Opening prices, we go a step further insofar that our data file for Share Friend contains the same data as mentioned earlier but we also provide the Dividend Yield, Earnings Yield, P.E. Ratio, the number of Deals traded and the Tradability of shares.

Although it is advisable to do a daily download, this is not essential as our automated download program remembers the last day you did a previous download and if you are a few days, or even weeks, behind it will automatically download the missing dates when you do your next download.