Test Your Trading Strategies at These Web Sites

Wouldn't it be great if you could devise a trading strategy, test it against historical data for five months, five years, whatever, and then let that system run on automatic for a while -- paper trading so you can see how it works?

In fact, software lets you do just that has existed for years. Problem is, the programs have been so clunky that only hardcore programmers could use them. Or else -- as I talked about in a column in March -- the software was locked away in the backrooms of investment firms.

Now analytical trading software is beginning to creep onto the Web. Whether that's good or not we can deal with in a moment. But the fact is, right now you can register with several Web sites and test drive strategy-developing software for free. Moreover, at least one online brokerage plans to make analytical trading a major part of its service package.

Robotrader

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