Ticker is a free daily trading game that lasts 90 seconds. You trade one fictional company's stock while headlines flash past, and try to end the day worth more than you started. It's play money and made-up companies, so nothing here is investing advice.
How do you play Ticker?
- Press Play. The opening bell shows today's company and its opening price.
- You start holding 5 lots of shares plus $500 in cash.
- Watch the headlines. Each one pauses the market for a moment, with an arrow showing which way it should push the price.
- Press Buy to add a lot of shares, or Sell to drop one. You need the cash to buy. The shares bar shows what you hold.
- From 1:08 on the clock, Short opens. Use it to bet the price will fall.
- After 90 seconds the closing bell rings. Any open short settles, and you see how you did.
On a keyboard, B or the up arrow buys, S or the down arrow sells, and X opens or cashes out a short.
How do you read the headlines?
The headlines are the puzzle. There are 22 of them, and they don't all behave the same way.
- Big news moves the price hard and fast, within a second or so. "Regulators approve" or "CEO arrested" type headlines.
- Slow news drifts the price over several seconds. Analyst upgrades, interest rate hints and supply costs fall here.
- Rumors start with "RUMOR:" or "Unconfirmed:", or pass on a leak, a forum post or chat-room buzz. They move the way the arrow says at first, then most of them fade and reverse.
- Noise has a flat dash instead of an arrow. An office plant dies, someone changes the lobby music. It barely moves the price.
- Earnings get announced early with a countdown, like "earnings call in 50 seconds". When the result lands in the afternoon, it's one of the biggest moves of the day, in either direction.
The rumor rule is the one that catches people. A rumor arrow pointing up is often a chance to sell into the jump, not to buy.
When does shorting open?
Short opens a quarter of the way into the day, at 1:08 on the clock. Before that, the button reads "Short opens at 1:08".
A short is one bet at a time, sized at about $1,000 of stock when you open it. If the price falls, you gain the difference. If it rises, you lose it. The button shows your running gain or loss on the short, and tapping it again cashes out. You can open another short after that. A short still open at the close settles at the final price.
How does the day change as it goes?
Headlines come slowly at the open and closer together toward the end. A dashed line on the chart marks midday, and the afternoon is shaded. With 15 seconds left, a "Closing rush" banner appears and big moves get a little bigger. The last five seconds tick down with a sound.
Tips for a good day
- Don't chase rumors. Wait to see if the move holds before you trade on it.
- Trade during the pause. While a headline is on screen the price is frozen, and you can still buy and sell at that price. Big news is worth acting on before the market moves.
- Keep some cash. You can only buy what your cash covers, so selling first gives you room to buy a dip.
- Ignore the noise. A flat dash means nothing to trade on.
- Plan for earnings. You know when the result is coming. Decide what you'll do in each direction before it lands.
- Use shorts for the drops. A down headline after 1:08 is a chance to make money while you hold fewer shares.
How is Ticker scored?
Your score is your profit or loss for the day in play dollars. The results screen also shows the stock's own move next to yours, so you can see whether you beat just holding. Doing nothing leaves you riding the stock, a little damped by your cash.
Only your first finished run each day counts. You can press Play again to practice, but replays don't change your score. Signed-in players get a daily leaderboard ranked by profit, plus a friends-only board. You'll also see your all-time total, days traded, and, when available, what all signed-in traders made or lost that day.
How do you share your result?
The Share button copies the stock's ticker symbol and your profit or loss:
Ticker #10 / BRWX / +$1,240 perdiem.games/ticker
It uses play money and a made-up company, so it never refers to a real stock.
On a phone, Share opens your share sheet.
Common questions
Is Ticker real trading?
No. The companies, headlines and prices are all made up, and the money is play money. It's a reaction game, not a guide to real markets.
Is the day the same for everyone?
Yes. Everyone gets the same company, price path and headlines on a given day, so you can compare results with friends.
Can I play past days?
Yes. Past days open from the week strip on your results screen. Past days don't count for the leaderboard.
Does the market wait if I open the how-to?
Yes. The market pauses while the how-to is open.
Do I need an account?
No. Ticker is free and runs in your browser. An account keeps your stats across devices and adds leaderboards and friends.