No one has time to sit in front of the computer all day and watch the stock market. We have jobs that require most of our attention. We have activities that require us to be away from the computer, trips to the grocery store, taking kids to piano lessons, picking up pizza and a DVD to watch. And even if you had the time, no one really wants to spend all day watching the stock market move up and down, up and down, throughout the trading day.

That?s where the alerts on Real Time Markets come in so handy. The alert function allows you to be away from the computer and still know if something important is happening with the stocks you are either trading or watching.

With alerts, you simply tell the computer that you want to be notified when the stock reaches a specific high or low point during the day. When that happens the computer sends you an alert in the form of a text message or an e-mail to let you know the target has been met.

When do you use an alert? Say, for example, you were watching a stock and expected it to lose value. But after going through a complete technical analysis, you decide not to enter the trade unless it reaches a specific price. So you go to Real Time Markets, click the alerts button, and designate a price target for the low of the day. If that price is matched at any time, the alert will send you a message and give you time to leap into action. Most traders will check the stock when the alert goes off and then determine whether the trade is worth getting involved in.

The alerts are a powerful tool. They free you up, but still give you total control over the stocks and options you're watching. Alerts can be a very helpful tool to have.