In Chapter 2, I discuss how to use the stocks operator to link seamlessly from Google to selected financial sites to get stock prices. Here, I want to explain how Google can search on stock ticker symbols, as well as unabbreviated company names, giving distinct results for each type of search.
Stock ticker symbols are understandable keywords to Google. When not preceded by the stocks operator, the first result of such a search gives the company name and a link to a price quote at Yahoo! Finance. (Using the stocks operator takes you directly to Yahoo! Finance, bypassing the search results page.) Typical Google search results follow below the link, as shown in Figure 16-8. Above the results is also a link to the Google Directory page holding that company's listing.
Figure 16-8: Search results for a stock ticker symbol as a keyword.
Searching on the true company name shows a Directory category (not necessarily the same one as when searching on the ticker symbol), followed by a selection of headlines related to that company, if available. Below those information blurbs are the regular Web search results. Figure 16-9 illustrates this search results page, using Microsoft as the company name.
Figure 16-9: Searching on a company name (not its stock symbol) yields a directory category and news headlines.
Tip
When searching for a company whose name has two words, use quotation marks around them (for example, 'General Motors'), enforcing the exact phrase operator.
Remember
When you merge a company name with its ticker symbol (for example, 'general motors' gm), Google gives precedence to the company name and doesn't instantly recognize any desire on your part to see a stock price.
