Are there any strategies, indicators, or calculations that assist in forecasting the opening price of an listed stock?
Since we want to be on the same side (buy or sell) as the Specialist on the opening, we place buy and sell orders based on fair value calculations, modified for opening indications disseminated by the Post in NY. Since the orders are "opening only" if we don't get filled, then we have not risked anything, and if we do get filled, we are generally on the same side as the Specialist. We try to teach our traders the rules involved in trading prior to them "pointing and clicking" their way to poverty, and a big part of this training is in understanding how the game is played. The Specialist can only "accomodate" not "participate" on the openings (there a couple of exceptions, as in anything), and the Specialist must let the Regionals know (and us) if the stock is going to open more than a certain amount (I believe around 35cents, don't hold me to that exact number). He will try to find some "help" in this accomodation prior to the opening, and we are happy to oblige since we know that he will open the stocks as high or as low as possible to insure that he will not get "caught" in another move after the opening. I hope this helps.