Patent ID: 7239317

Claim:
A method comprising: determining a plurality of similarity values between a corresponding plurality of pairs of stocks in a stock market, the stocks comprising a first stock, a second stock, a third stock and a fourth stock; determining a first optimum path, between the first stock and the fourth stock, which optimizes a first function of similarity values between the first stock and the fourth stock; determining a second optimum path, between the second stock and the fourth stock, which optimizes a second function of similarity values between the second stock and the fourth stock; determining a third optimum path, between the third stock and the fourth stock, which optimizes a third function of similarity values between the third stock and the fourth stock; and displaying a first concave region to represent the first stock, a second concave region to represent the second stock, a third concave region to represent the third stock, and a region to represent the fourth stock, the third concave region being angularly adjacent the second concave region, the third concave region having a radial width that differs from a radial width of the second concave region; wherein the first concave region is radially interposed between the second concave region and the region to indicate that the first stock is in the second optimum path between the second stock and the fourth stock; and wherein the first concave region is radially interposed between the third concave region and the region to indicate that the first stock is in the third optimum path between the third stock and the fourth stock.