Bollinger Band System adds power, saves time for MetaStock traders

SALT LAKE CITY, April 16, 2001 - Bollinger Band System, a new plug-in for MetaStock ® charting and analysis software, is available today. The new plug-in, also called BBS, combines the expertise of John Bollinger and the analysis power of MetaStock to create an automated trading system that searches thousands of securities to find those most likely to reverse their current trend. Then, from that group, it singles out a few that meet certain, selective criteria. This cycle is completed by unique input from the user, resulting in stocks that consistently perform well and fit each individual's personality and trading style.

"Applied with wisdom and skill, Bollinger Bands can help a trader make spectacular returns in the markets.," says Allan McNichol, president and CEO of Equis, the makers of MetaStock and a Reuters company (NASDAQ: RTRSY). "We're very pleased that John Bollinger helped us add the 'wisdom and skill' ingredients to our system-and very excited to provide the total BBS package to MetaStock users."

When asked about his motivations for creating a Bollinger-Bands-based plug-in for MetaStock, Bollinger himself explains, "Many people, even though more than capable, simply do not have the time to devote to creating a reliable mechanical trading system based on Bollinger Bands. I believe that BBS can effectively fill this void."

What Are Bollinger Bands?

Bollinger Bands are trading bands, or lines drawn above and below the price line on a security price chart that suggest when the security is overbought or oversold. They're unique because of their focus on volatility: By allowing the movement of prices themselves to the set the width of the bands, Bollinger Bands are able to react quickly to market conditions. But they only provide a framework, not absolute buy and sell signals. BBS is a system built to pick up where that framework leaves off-using Bollinger Bands on the best-fit securities and applying them correctly to generate profitable transaction signals for busy traders.

How Traders Will Use BBS

To begin using BBS, traders need at least 3 years of data on a minimum of 5,000 to 6,000 securities. On that data they will run BBS's Watchlist Maker exploration, which filters out low volume/price securities and those that have less than 500 periods of data. The resulting group of securities is called a "Watchlist," and from it, traders will run the BBS exploration.

The BBS exploration finds securities that have generated "buy long" and "buy short" signals according to a carefully assembled MetaStock Expert Advisor based on Bollinger Bands and the trading wisdom of John Bollinger. These securities are the ones that fit well with Bollinger Band trading and will be the candidates for successful trades with BBS.

Finally, traders will open the charts of screened candidates to look them over and apply their own wisdom along with any other favorite MetaStock tools and indicators. This allows BBS to be highly personalized, making sure its results fit with the trading style of each individual user. Some traders may want to apply their knowledge of a security's fundamental data, while others may want to use additional mathematical indicators within MetaStock. BBS is designed to feed high-potential candidates into any trading style. The manual provided with BBS also provides many suggestions for ways to further analyze the data brought up by the BBS exploration.

After traders have used BBS within MetaStock to find long or short trading opportunities, they may also use the Expert Advisor to monitor open trades. To do this, they will attach either a Long or Short Track expert to a chart, depending upon the signal the exploration generated. The experts provide chart-specific feedback on the current status of open long or short trades. When an exit signal for a trade is generated, an expert alert will pop up onscreen when the chart is opened, and an exit arrow will appear on the chart. Users may also view expert commentary and read about the current condition of the open trade.

System Requirements

BBS is programmed for MetaStock 7.2, MetaStock Professional 7.2 and higher. The minimum configuration needed includes Microsoft Windows 95, 98, 2000, or NT 4.0 (or higher) Pentium 166, 32MB of RAM, and 50MB of free hard disk space. The recommended configuration includes 233 MHz (or faster), 128MB of RAM, and 50MB of free hard disk space.

Pricing and Availability

BBS is regularly priced at U.S.$399, but it is currently available for the limited-time introductory price of U.S.$299 plus shipping and handling. These plug-ins can be ordered by phone at 801-265-8886 or 800-882-3040, by fax at 801-265-3999, or by e-mail at sales@equis.com. More information and online ordering are available at http://www.metastock.com.

Journalists and other qualified professionals may obtain evaluation copies by contacting Marilyn McDonald at Equis: mmcdonald@equis.com.

About John Bollinger

John Bollinger, CFA, CMT is the president and founder of Bollinger Capital Management, Inc., an investment management company that provides technically driven money management services. He continues to present weekly market analysis and commentary on CNBC. Publisher of a monthly newsletter, "Capital Growth Letter", he has also developed two web sites, www.EquityTrader.com and www.FundsTrader.com. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), a Chartered Market Technician (CMT), and a frequent lecturer at national and international investment seminars.

About Equis International

Equis International develops and markets MetaStock, award-winning investment charting and analysis software for individual investors, traders, stockbrokers, money managers, and professional analysts. The MetaStock Family includes MetaStock for End-of-Day traders, MetaStock Professional for Quote.com, MetaStock Professional for eSignal, Reuters MetaStock Professional, and MetaStock Online at https://www.metastock.com/online. Equis, based in Salt Lake City, Utah, was founded in 1982. In 1996, Equis was acquired by Reuters (NASDAQ:RTRSY), the world's premier news and financial information company. Additional information about Equis and MetaStock can be found online at http://www.metastock.com.