Beginner's Guide to Tracking the Stock Market Step by Step

Published on · Reading time: 9 minutes · Category: Stock Market Basics

Clean stock trading workspace on laptop showing charts and indicators for beginners

Many new traders open a chart full of indicators, colors, and news headlines and quickly feel overwhelmed. This guide explains, in simple steps, how beginners can track the stock market without confusion using a clean workspace, a few trusted indicators, and a structured daily routine.

By following the process below, you can transform random chart watching into a repeatable workflow that helps you make better decisions and avoid emotional trades.

1. Start with a Clean Trading Workspace

The biggest mistake beginners make is adding too many indicators to the chart. A clean workspace helps you focus on price and trend instead of noise.

  • Select a single platform for your charts, such as TradingView, and keep the same layout every day.
  • Use candlestick charts with a neutral background so that price action is easy to read.
  • Track only a short watchlist at first, like the main index, one currency pair, and a commodity such as gold.

Pro tip: In ApexTicker you can pin your top five indices and see them in one dashboard, then open detailed charts only when something moves.

2. Use Only Two or Three Core Indicators

Indicators should confirm what you already see on the chart, not replace your thinking. For beginners, it is usually enough to combine a trend indicator with a momentum or strength indicator.

  • Moving Averages (MA): Use a 50-period and 200-period moving average to see the overall direction of the market.
  • Relative Strength Index (RSI): Helps you notice when price may be overbought or oversold.
  • Volume: Confirms whether big players are active when price breaks important levels.

These tools are easy to add in most charting platforms and give enough information for simple swing and position trades.

3. Build a Daily

3. Build a Daily Routine

Consistency is key. Instead of staring at the screen all day, follow this simple 30-minute routine:

  • Pre-market (15 mins): Check the economic calendar on ApexTicker to see if any big news is coming (like CPI or Jobs Report).
  • Market Open (15 mins): Watch the first 15 minutes of price action but do not trade immediately. Let the initial volatility settle.
  • End of Day: Review your watchlist. Did price close above the 50-day Moving Average? If yes, the trend is still up.

4. Stop Loss is Your Best Friend

Never enter a trade without knowing where you will exit if you are wrong. A common rule for beginners is the "2% Rule": never risk more than 2% of your total account on a single trade.

Conclusion

Tracking the stock market doesn't have to be complicated. By keeping your charts clean, using just a few key indicators, and sticking to a routine, you can trade with clarity.

Ready to start? Check out our Live Market Dashboard on ApexTicker to see these principles in action.