Margin Note

To compare the historical performances of stocks and other investment alternatives, visit http://www.duke.edu/~charvey/Classes/ba350/history/history.htm.

Internet Exercise

The stockscreener utility at http://screener.finance.yahoo.com/newscreener.html provides the ability to search and sort stocks by thirteen different performance criteria (you may need to allow the utility to install several java-based applets to your computer for functionality). Identify ten stocks that match the criteria that are important for you using Stockscreener. Then, using the portfolio-tracking tool provided at http://biz.yahoo.com/r/, http://www.marketwatch.com/tools/stockresearch/screener/, or some other Website, create a portfolio using the five stocks you have identified. (You can also use the Portman software on the Website if you find that more convenient.) Track the performance of your portfolio through the semester. At the end of the semester, you can reevaluate your portfolio creation strategy and assess its performance using the tools you will be introduced to in this book.