Stocks Chart for Valley Businesses Makes Its Debut Today

The Valley Stocks chart begins today as a regular feature in the Times’ Valley Business section. Each Tuesday, the chart will give data about the shares of companies that have headquarters or more than 2,000 employees in the San Fernando Valley area.

Two of the chart’s features are intended to show the overall performance of Valley stocks during the week ending Monday.

The Valley Stocks index shows how investors would fare if they invested equal amounts of money in each of the companies tracked by the chart. It is based on closing prices of all of the Valley stocks as of Dec. 31, 1985, when the index was set at 100. Thus, when the index is 117, it means the investors have enjoyed a 17% gain since the end of last year.

Also reflecting the overall performance of Valley stocks are the numbers of gainers and losers--the stocks whose prices advanced or declined during the week’s trading.

The chart highlights the stocks that showed the five biggest percentage gains and losses. Also, to indicate the most actively traded issues, it lists the companies that had the highest percentage of turnover of outstanding shares.

All statistics are provided by MPACT Securities of Austin, Tex. Monday closing prices are taken one hour after the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange. Thus, MPACT officials say, the chart’s Monday closing prices may differ slightly from composite figures, which, compiled later in the day, take into account the full day’s trading on regional exchanges.