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Beta compares the performance of an issue to that of the market as measured by the chosen index.
When Beta is negative, the issue is moving counter to the market. Alpha measures the part of an issue's performance that is not influenced by the market. That is about as good an example of Alpha as we will ever see. A cumulative total of volume that is adjusted depending on changes in closing prices. Whereas On Balance Volume adds all volume on days when prices close and subtracts all volume on days when prices close lower, the PVT adds only a portion of the daily volume.