NEW YORK, June 7, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- MarketWatch has announced the relaunch of Virtual Stock Exchange, its online simulation stock trading game that enables users to easily create virtual portfolios and participate in public and private games. Now amateur and professional traders can buy and sell stocks in a fun, risk-free environment.
This powerful tool helps traders build skills, test and refine strategies and gain important investing experience free of charge -- without losing "real" money.
"Virtual Stock Exchange has been enhanced with valuable new features that make the individual simulation games closer to real-life investing," said Maria Molland, general manager of MarketWatch. "Game simulations are now easier to set up and customize thanks to improved navigation and functionality, and game organizers have easy access to all the portfolios within a game."
The game is designed to attract sophisticated and affluent investors, the kind of audience that is appealing to media buyers and advertisers.
Another new feature allows players to access an expansive collection of news, research and analytic tools from MarketWatch, all fully integrated into their portfolio view. This effectively marries the up-to-the-minute information they need to make investment decisions with their trading environment.
"MarketWatch's free stock-simulation game is now better, faster, more flexible and feature-rich," said Ms. Molland. "Players will be able to access real-time rankings for their games and get the thrill and experience of trading, without the consequence of losing money."
Relaunch marketing efforts include a special two-month kickoff game sponsored by Palm, Inc. who will provide prizes, including a Palm(r) Treo(tm) 650 smartphone, awarded weekly for nine weeks and three grand prizes of a Palm Treo 700w smartphone.
As part of the special game, Virtual Stock Exchange pits professional market strategists against each other and against individual investors, including Mark Hulbert and Jim Lowell of MarketWatch; Louis Navellier, editor, of Blue Chip Growth; James Dlugosh, editor of The Rational Investor; and Philip Durell and Mathew Emmert of the Motley Fool. Each entrant starts out with $100,000 of play money in his/her virtual portfolio and can buy, sell, and otherwise trade any and all investment vehicles available on the NYSE, NASDAQ Stock Market ("NASDAQ") and American Stock Exchange ("AMEX") and listed on the Virtual Stock Exchange.
"This upgrade is part of the overall MarketWatch effort to continually enhance our users' experience and increase their investment knowledge," added Ms. Molland.
To get started using Virtual Stock Exchange, please visit at www.VirtualStockExchange.com
About MarketWatch, Inc.
MarketWatch, Inc., is a wholly owned subsidiary of Dow Jones & Company and is a leading provider of business news, financial information and analytical tools. The Company operates two award-winning Web sites, MarketWatch.com and BigCharts.com, as well as the stock market simulation site, VirtualStockExchange.com. The Company produces the syndicated MarketWatch Weekend television program and provides radio updates every 30 minutes on the MarketWatch.com Radio Network. MarketWatch also offers subscription products for individual investors, including the Hulbert Financial Digest suite of products, Retirement Weekly and ETF Trader. The Company's MarketWatch Information Services group is a leading licensor of market news, data, investment analysis tools and other online applications to financial services firms, media companies, wireless carriers and Internet service providers.
Palm and Treo are among the trademarks or registered trademarks owned by or licensed to Palm, Inc.
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