Will Asx Open Higher Tomorrow

An in a single day selloff on Wall Street additionally dampened sentiment after US shares closed out the primary unfavorable quarter in two years. Australian miners superior on stronger metals charges and as buyers search to hedge inflationary risks, with good points from BHP Group (1.3%), Fortescue Metals (2.1%), Rio Tinto (0.9%) and South32 (5.2%). Clean energy-related names additionally gained, which includes Pilbara Minerals (7.3%), Allkem Ltd (7.4%) and Lake Resources (12.3%). Meanwhile, Australian know-how companies tracked their US friends decrease on issues about growth, with losses from Block Inc (-3%), Seek Ltd (-1.5%) and Pointsbet Holdings (-2.1%). At a broad level, if markets are set to rise, particular person inventory charges are more probable to take action as well. Short-term merchants could make buy/sell selections centered on the information.

For instance, if markets are set to rise after which a know-how business enterprise releases excellent information earlier than the opening bell, that company's inventory is probably going to rise on the open. The Australian share market seems set to shake off considerations concerning the warfare unfolding in Ukraine, with futures suggesting nearby shares could play catch up after US markets rallied strongly on Friday evening. The Nasdaq has risen nearly 9% from the low on the open of Thursday's buying and selling session.

What occurs in Asian inventory markets impacts what occurs in European Stocks markets, which in flip impacts what occurs in U.S. inventory markets. If S&P futures are trending downward all morning, it's probably going that inventory quotes on U.S. exchanges will transfer decrease when buying and selling opens for the day. Once again, the other is usually true, with rising futures quotes suggesting a better open. A shorter buying and selling session compresses all buying and selling recreation right into a smaller time interval which results in improved liquidity, smaller spreads, and extra useful markets. Shorter buying and selling periods may additionally cause much less volatility. Material information throughout the time of buying and selling hours may finish up in value volatility.

With a smaller buying and selling period, extra information will turn up outdoors common buying and selling hours which provides buyers extra time to digest information and may forestall rushed buying and selling decisions. Understand the ASX Matching ProcessThe opening and shutting phases of the market, when all ASX shares undergo an identical process, are crucial durations in figuring out even if a trader's day is triumphant or not. The similar matching course of happens after a corporation releases information to the market for the duration of buying and selling hours.

The aspiring day dealer must totally comprehend this process, along with how the opening phases differ from the close. Don't let brokerage expenses kill youWhether you're buying and selling massive or small, as a brief time period dealer scalping comparatively small profits, excessive brokerage expenses can shortly erase your hard-earned gains. A key rationale many merchants go for derivatives markets is that they're deterred by the upper brokerage on equities. If it is easy to safe tremendously aggressive equities brokerage rates, then you definitely can steer clear of the upper dangers of derivatives.

Investor sentiments have been boosted on the returned of falling crude oil charges and easing of rigidity between Russia and Ukraine as each nations seek diplomatic path to finish the incessant tussle. The euphoria was magnified after the statements of Chief financial advisor Mr V Anantha Nageswaran stating that India is nicely positioned to counter the consequences of conflict on account of robust assumption within the value range for FY23. The lowered promoting strain from FII promoting additionally despatched constructive alerts to the market.

Likewise, procuring and promoting essentially 24 hours a day, index futures can point out how the market will probable development on the beginning of the subsequent session. S&P 500 futures are sometimes used bymoney managersto both hedge probability over a particular time interval by promoting the contract short, or to extend their stockmarket exposureby procuring it. MarketBeat empowers particular person buyers to make more desirable procuring and promoting selections by offering real-time financial information and goal market analysis. Whether you're on the lookout for analyst ratings, company buybacks, dividends, earnings, financial reports, financials, insider trades, IPOs, SEC filings or inventory splits, MarketBeat has the target information that you must analyze any stock.

One valuable attribute of futures contracts is that they commerce just about 24 hours per day. This means one could inspect the worth of both the futures contract for the S&P 500 or the futures contract for the Dow Jones Industrial Average earlier than the inventory market opens and see the place the futures contract is trading. If the worth is decrease than the closing value from yesterday, you recognize the inventory market is perhaps going to open lower. If the worth is greater than the closing value from yesterday, you recognize the inventory market is perhaps going to open higher. Stay LocalUnderstanding market sentiment is an valuable facet of trading. It's arduous sufficient understanding what's happening in your native market, with out heading off to some unique locale, specifically one in a unique time zone.

ASX gives as clear a market as any on offer, and the recreation degrees of the most effective buying and selling shares (which are so central for day-traders), are normally excessive sufficient to allow beneficial day-trading. As for these days when recreation falls to very low levels, possibly it is an excellent time to provide your self the day off. There is restricted liquidity for the duration of prolonged hours which may trigger improved volatility, bigger spreads and higher worth uncertainty.

Earnings studies and different substantial information are frequently introduced after frequent buying and selling hours end. This can cause main worth swings in after-hours markets. After-hours buying and selling pastime is a standard indicator of the subsequent day's open. Extended-hours buying and selling in shares takes place on digital markets often recognized as ECNs earlier than the monetary markets open for the day, in addition to after they close.

The Australian share market fell sharply on Monday amid a surge in oil quotes because the struggle in Ukraine continues to rock commodity and fairness markets. Australian shares soar to a one-month high, led by technological know-how and mining stocks, as world markets advance after the US Federal Reserve raises charges of curiosity as expected. Be Careful about believing your "Theories"Remember that your theories about which means the market is headed are only that, theories.

They could be proper on the cash or completely off-beam, or anyplace in between. Good merchants cannot be working strictly to their very personal theories about which means the market or a specific inventory is heading. Rather, they're going to in simple terms be looking for to take advantage of anything course being taken by the market and the actual shares they're trading.

Keep an in depth eye on the important thing market indicatorsSharp strikes within the futures and market indices ought to cause instantaneous differences in a day trader's urge for food for risk. This is particularly related when the market opens strongly and appears set for a optimistic day, earlier than a delicate after which accelerating change of momentum happens after key assist degrees are breached. A fall in world crude oil charges additionally aided optimistic market sentiment today. Brent crude oil, the usual for worldwide pricing, declined $2.63 to $110.04 per barrel. Benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty closed larger for the fifth straight session on Monday, led by features in banking and IT stocks. Major US inventory indexes closed principally decrease on Monday, led by a greater than 2% drop in Nasdaq, as buyers bought tech and large progress names forward of this week's Federal Reserve assembly and an envisioned hike in curiosity rates.

Will Asx Go Up Tomorrow Sensex closed 935 factors greater at 56,486 and Nifty zoomed 240 factors to 16,871. Earnings bulletins made after the shut or earlier than the open in key corporations can affect the market's direction. During January, April, July, and October, the overwhelming majority of companies launch their effects for the quarter. Good information from a bellwether agency in many instances effects in a better inventory market open at the same time dangerous information can have the reverse effect.

Stocks shook off a noon stoop and closed increased on Wall Street, nevertheless power enterprises led to the pink as crude oil rates fell sharply. Extended Trading Hours are periods earlier than and after the official buying and selling session for the duration of which buying and selling might be carried out electronically. Pre-market buying and selling and after-hours buying and selling usually have much less quantity than through the common buying and selling hours and could have diverse buying and selling rules.

Shows the constituent shares which have risen in worth some of the most during the final 24 hours, situated on the share change because the final shut of trading. On the opposite hand, for those who should purchase 100,000 shares that rise two cents each, you may make a fast $2,000 —not dangerous for an hour's work. If you should purchase 500,000 shares that rise 10 cents, you may make a fast $50,000, and the numbers go up from there. For huge institutional traders, there's critical cash to be made on these moves. In an period of rapid-fire digital trading, even worth motion measures in a fraction of a cent may end up in huge features for deep-pocketed merchants who make the ideal call.

By listening to overseas developments, home buyers can get an concept about what course they will anticipate neighborhood markets to maneuver once they open for the day. Major inventory exchanges in Tokyo, Frankfurt, and London are sometimes used as barometers for what is going to occur within the united states In addition to presenting market entry pretty much 24 hours a day, a serious advantage of futures is their excessive liquidity degree after-hours in contrast with shares traded on ECNs. This liquidity affords tighter spreads, that are crucial since the broader the spread, the extra a commerce has to maneuver in your favor simply to interrupt even.

Futures contracts commerce primarily primarily centered on the values of the inventory market benchmark indexes they represent. S&P 500 futures commerce primarily primarily centered on the worth of the Standard & Poor's 500, simply as Dow futures commerce primarily primarily centered on the worth of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Australian shares have risen on Friday, pushed by a rebound in tech shares after Wall Street closed sharply greater in a dramatic reversal. Australian shares are reasonably higher, as information over the weekend of harder Western sanctions towards Russia dampens the flow-through from a worldwide market rally on Friday.

Mining and vitality shares drive the Australian market higher, at the same time oil charges jumped eight per cent as European Union nations thought-about even if to hitch the United States in boycotting Russian oil. Australian shares have risen the day after the federal budget, nonetheless analysts say the money splash wasn't "market-moving" and the benchmark extra probably adopted Wall Street's optimism concerning the conflict in Ukraine easing. The Australian inventory market is predicted to open increased by 25 factors on Monday reversing some Friday's losses on the to come back of increased world news. Central banks are on the centre of the financial calendar this week, however, monetary markets will proceed to watch Russia's invasion of Ukraine, studies of peace talks, and the next fallout.

Befriend a GeologistIf you are buying and selling the Australian market, then awareness of issues geological is crucial. Because the assets sector gives so lots of our greatest buying and selling stocks, it really is significant to accumulate your personal awareness on geology and the reporting by useful useful resource companies. It's good to have no less than one competent geologist who can aid you with technical interpretations. Avoid LeverageLeverage is usually promoted because the answer to the sub-standard returns of traders' and investors'. In my view using debt massively complicates the buying and selling process, growing the strain on you. In the acute it significantly will improve the danger of margin calls, however even in comparatively modest portions it limits the time-frame inside which you'll be able to comfortably operate.

Shows the constituent shares which have fallen in cost probably the most during the final 24 hours, established on the share change because the final shut of trading. Asian shares surged on Thursday, monitoring Wall Street's positive factors as deliberate diplomatic talks between Russia and Ukraine buoyed sentiment, however analysts warned the rally might possibly be vulnerable to a pointy reversal as disadvantages remain. For a more robust picture, buyers look to worldwide markets which are open when the united states is closed and to financial knowledge launched by countries, or figures launched by companies. The ASX 200, or ASX Index, includes the 200 largest organizations by market capitalization listed on the Australian Securities Exchange. Follow the ASX 200 stay cost applying the real-time chart and skim the newest ASX 200 information and skilled insights to raised perceive the market and fortify your technical analysis. The Australian share market closed sharply larger on Thursday, after a robust day on Wall Street because the oil cost plunged.

Meanwhile, the RBA's deputy governor resigns to go to Fortescue Future Industries. Australian shares rose for a 3rd straight session on Friday as buyers weighed financial penalties of the US Federal Reserve's aggressive fee of curiosity stance. The S&P/ASX 200 dropped within the ultimate minutes of buying and selling as power and tech shares weighed on the market, at the same time all 4 principal banks fell. Meanwhile, power and gold markets are more probably to stay risky over the approaching days. OPEC+ will maintain its month-to-month assembly on Wednesday, and Iran is reportedly inching nearer to a Nuclear program deal that may enable it to renew oil exports. Crude oil holdings and drill rigs may even be scrutinised intently following the current surge in oil prices, and with the US and world allies getting ready to launch world oil reserves.

Use contingent ordersIt is incredibly helpful to have the ability to place in orders which will immediately set off as soon as a share is trading, bid or supplied at a particular price. This can cut down the load on you as soon as you might have quite a lot of trades in play. I would usually arrange such orders to promote a portion of inventory bought to assist lock in some profit. The IRESS system affords a ready-made system for putting varied forms of contingent orders.

Make the development your friendIf you are an extended solely trader, you should specialise in shares which might be going up. The purpose is to purchase a share early and keep aboard whereas this is operating (i.e., not promoting too soon), spreading your promoting into three or 4 tons to catch some income whereas additionally retaining some upside. If you purchase shares which have fallen sharply, chasing a bounce within the price, achieve this with utmost care. Go the place the Actionis The most exceptionally marketable and risky shares are the most effective place to trade.

Many novices undergo from chasing wider spreads and obvious lack of promoting strain in shares which are only not moving. That strategy is boring and, until you actually know your shares or are terribly lucky, it will not make you rich. Shares in China led losses in Asia-Pacific on Tuesday as buyers continued to evaluate the financial outlook, with developments within the Russia-Ukraine struggle being monitored in addition to Chinese financial information releases expected. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index led losses regionally on Tuesday, dropping 3.64% in morning commerce — including to losses after closing at its lowest since March 2016 on Monday. Benchmark indices are anticipated to open on a unfavourable notice as instructed by early tendencies on SGX nifty.

On Monday benchmark indices closed in optimistic terrain for the fifth consecutive session. Accurately predicting the inventory market's opening strikes could be a helpful tool. If your projection is accurate, you could have a chance to profit. Of course, step one is to properly gauge the market direction. When home markets are closed for the day, worldwide markets are open and trading. A good day in Asian markets can propose that U.S. markets will open higher.

Devastating losses abroad can result in a decrease open at home. Leveraged buying and selling in overseas foreign money or off-exchange merchandise on margin carries noticeable danger and is probably not suited for all investors. We advise you to fastidiously reflect on even if buying and selling is acceptable for you primarily based in your private circumstances. We advocate that you just search unbiased information and make certain you totally realize the negative aspects concerned earlier than trading. Australian oil producers and the neighborhood overseas money are taking a hit, because the value of Brent crude oil comes down from weeks of frenzied trade.

Australian shares rise, led by miners on sturdy iron ore prices, as buyers assess fee of curiosity hikes and the impression of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Bond merchants have ratcheted up their outlook for charges of curiosity after the govt handed down its pre-election budget. View our full suite of monetary calendars and market files tables, all for free.

Alan has intensive expertise in stockbroking and the economic expertise sector spanning greater than 30 years, such as fairness research, head of research, company advice, fairness raisings, buyer advisor and stockbroking management. He is government chairman and founding father of the State One Stockbroking, amscot Stockbroking and the State One Capital Group. Don't maintain overnightAlthough holding in a single day can be a most moneymaking strategy, earnings can be blown away by a nasty evening on Wall Street. Think like a fish, not like a rockA triumphant day-trader will usually transfer with the market trend, not attempt to face in opposition to it. So if the market begins to reverse trend, that you would like to promptly go together with it. For the very lively on-line trader, amscot gives the Bulking of brokerage, which includes the aggregation of repeated trades within the one inventory over the day into only one contract note.

You must take into account amscot's bulking charges when you discover that you're repeatedly buying and selling efficiently within the one inventory through the day. Spread your RiskDon't tie up all of your attainable funds in day trading. At all occasions keep in mind that brief time period buying and selling is not greater than an adjunct to your lengthy run funding strategies.

How To Use Dashes In A Sentence Examples

The em dash is created by typing two hyphens on a computer keyboard. Em dashes can be used to replace pairs of commas and parentheses. They can also be used as a substitute for colons, and em dashes can be used to show interrupted thoughts or dialogue. Em dashes add emphasis to the words they enclose, but this special punctuation mark should be used sparingly. There are 14 punctuation marks that are commonly used in English grammar. They are the period, question mark, exclamation point, comma, semicolon, colon, dash, hyphen, parentheses, brackets, braces, apostrophe, quotation marks, and ellipsis.

Following their correct usage will make your writing easier to read and more appealing. Now that you're familiar with hyphens, em dashes and en dashes, consider brushing up on other commonly used punctuation marks in English grammar. You can also explore how to use other misunderstood punctuations such as the colon and semicolon.

To dig a little deeper, learn the basic punctuation rules that every writer must follow. Ask yourself if yourparenthetical remarkwill add nuance and insight to your writing or just confuse the reader. If it's the latter, return the dashes to your punctuation tool bag and use a comma, colon, or semicolon instead, or revise the sentence so that you can omit the dreaded dash. When people think of punctuation marks, it is usually the handy comma, the imperious colon, or the overly excited exclamation mark that comes to mind.

The stodgy semicolon and sinuous question mark might get thrown into the mix, but rarely—if ever—will somebody mention a punctuation mark that, while omnipresent, often goes unnoticed. This is surprising considering that this punctuation mark is highly versatile and a favorite of skilled writers. It can add a spice—or a dash, if you will—to a sentence by adding emphasis to certain words and phrases.

When you know how to use a dash correctly, it can be a handy piece of punctuation. The problem is that sometimes it is difficult to know exactly when to use an em dash (—) or an en dash (–). Generally speaking, an em dash is used to create emphasis or to establish an informal tone.

An en dash is common when indicating a range of numbers or creating compound adjectives. Just remember a few basic rules and your writing will be dashing along in no time. The em dash can function like a comma, a colon, or parenthesis.

Like commas and parentheses, em dashes set off extra information, such as examples, explanatory or descriptive phrases, or supplemental facts. Like a colon, an em dash introduces a clause that explains or expands upon something that precedes it. Dash (-) is one of those punctuation marks which create a dramatic impact in the written language.

Though not used as frequently as other punctuation marks, such as commas, full stops, question marks, semi colons, inverted commas, dash have their own value in the language. One should be careful about the places where dash could be inserted. Using it indiscriminately and inappropriately should be avoided. The em-dash can be used to replace parentheses, colons, and commas.

Generally, using the em-dash makes the writing style more informal—as if you were writing to an old friend. Create an em dash by typing two hyphens without spaces between the hyphens and no spaces before or after the hyphens. Em-dashes are not generally used in formal documents. Some circumstances, such as indicating date or number ranges, will always call for en dashes. Others, such as offsetting information or creating a pause, don't always need an em dash.

Use dashes to create greater emphasis or to foster an informal tone in your writing. Don't rely on them for situations when another form of punctuation will do. Essentially, semicolons, colons, and dashes offer you different ways to join your ideas together, and you can use them to adjust how you want your sentences to sound. A comma between two independent clauses creates a run-on sentence that doesn't give enough definition between your ideas, while a period between them sometimes distances them too much. But remember that when deciding whether to use a period or a semi-colon, a colon or a fash, it is more a stylistic/rhetorical choice than a choice of right or wrong.

Colons, semicolons, and dashes are perhaps the three most misunderstood punctuation marks in the English language. Each of these are used to indicate a pause or break in a sentence. In some instances, these punctuation marks are not interchangeable. In other instances, it's up to the discretion of the writer. Let's take a deep dive into each of these pause-makers and see which one will suit your next line of prose.

Each of these is used to indicate a pause or break in a sentence. A good rule is to use parentheses, commas, semicolons, and colons instead of em dashes in formal writing. Like commas, parentheses can often be replaced by em dashes in a sentence if we want to draw more attention to the information within them.

Just be aware that em dashes are considered much less formal than parentheses, so they should be avoided when writing professional or academic material. In addition, em dashes can be used instead of colons and semicolons in less formal writing, and they can also be used to represent missing or omitted text and to indicate a break in dialogue. The em dash is an incredibly versatile punctuation mark that can be used instead of parentheses, commas, colons, or quotation marks in a sentence. I am talking about the em-dash, which looks like two hyphens connected into one long line. Depending on the sentence, the em-dash can have a similar function to parentheses, colons, commas, and even semicolons. But an em-dash is not the same as these other marks; it brings a different flavor to the sentence and adds a special emphasis that wasn't there before.

Again, the em-dash can be used to replace parentheses, colons, and commas. It may be particularly useful when you need to set off information that already contains some sort of punctuation, like commas. Em-dashes can be used to suggest an afterthought, to set off extra information within a sentence, to signal an abrupt shift, and to emphasize a thought or sentence. In less formal writing, we can often substitute an em dash for a colon if we want to quickly indicate or emphasize a list or clarifying information.

Note that some style guides do not recommend using an en dash when a range is introduced by a word like from or between. In very formal or professional writing, consult your school's or employer's style guide; otherwise, it is largely a matter of personal preference. The em dash (—) sets off a word or clause and adds emphasis. Or, it can signal an interruption (see our article on interrupting sentences for more on that!) or amplification ("expanding") of an idea. It's also the longest of the dashes (e.g., hyphen, en dash). Yes, we're still mainly talking about em dashes and not semicolons; apologies for any confusion.

There's obviously a lot going on in this sentence, of which the humble em dashes are only a small part. But what I like is how all the inner punctuation—semicolons, parentheses, dashes—is used to build new asides within asides, with the marks varying for texture. It's also the longest of the dashes (e.g., hyphen, en dash).

Em dashes can be used in pairs to replace commas when writing a parenthetical or interruptive phrase. The dashes have a slightly more emphatic feel, making the reader focus on this information that is set inside the special marks. "Usage of Full stop" Punctuation forms the backbone of any language. Without proper punctuation marks, it will be difficult to make sense of language, whether in written or spoken form. Commas, semi-colons, question marks and full stops are some of the commonly used punctuation marks. A dash is a horizontal line that shows a pause or break in meaning, or that represents missing words or letters.

Note that dashes are rather informal and should be used carefully in writing. Dashes are often used informally instead of commas, colons and brackets. A dash may or may not have a space on either side of it.

Em dashes save the day when other punctuation would be awkward. For instance, em dashes can replace parentheses at the end of a sentence or when multiple commas appear in a parenthetical phrase. It is quite common to see writers use hyphens instead of em dashes, due to the speed and ease with which a hyphen can typed.

However, this should be avoided, as having hyphens performing too many functions in a sentence can lead to some very confusing reading. The dash (–) is used to set off additional material within a sentence, often in order to emphasize it, to set off appositives that contain commas, or to indicate missing words. Sometimes confused with the hyphen, a dash comes between words as a form of division, whereas a hyphen generally joins words or parts of words to indicate a connection. The hyphen, double hyphen, and minus sign have been encroaching on the territory of the em dash with increasing frequency in recent years. Colons, semicolons, and dashes are three powerful punctuation marks with a lot of misunderstanding behind them.

They're often used interchangeably when they shouldn't be. Writing is all about clarity to help readers understand your business and connect to increase sales, engage readers in articles, or create enticing fiction. Getting grammar details right helps you communicate effectively. From connecting words and concepts to setting off information, correct usage of hyphens and dashes keeps readers focused on your message. Dashes work to bring attention to a phrase or indicate a phrase as additional information. Like other punctuation marks, dashes are indications of how a reader may think about information.

Clearly, a dash, in most cases, is a useful tool to change the thought or introduce an afterthought in the sentence. Experienced writers know the difference between a dash and a comma, colon and other punctuation marks and use them for the intended impact. Think of the dash as indicating an interruption you want to call attention to. Other punctuation marks—commas and parentheses—serve similar purposes. Commas are more neutral, and parentheses usually enclose information that is extra and incidental.

There are numerous examples of when it would be appropriate to use an em dash in writing. The primary purpose of this kind of dash is to call special attention to a group of words within a statement or question. This type of punctuation could signal that a certain phrase is particularly important or deserving of extra emphasis. The em dash is the largest of the three kinds of dashes.

An em dash is used to indicate a break in a sentence or question. It is used in the same manner as a parenthetical expression. Rather than placing parentheses around a phrase within a statement, writers can opt to surround the phrase with an em dash on either end. The name em indicates that the dash is roughly the size of the letter "m." Learn how and when to use dashes with examples and ESL worksheets. The dash is one of the most important punctuation marksin the English language.

Of a sentence, em dashes can sometimes be useful to add forceful emphasis to the parenthetical statement. However, we must be careful not to use em dashes when they might make the sentence awkward or confusing to read. One reason hyphens and dashes are confused is that only the hyphen has a designated key on the typical keyboard, but there is a way to create them all. The hyphen is simply the minus sign on your keyboard. Creating a dash is slightly more complicated and varies between word processing programs.

For some, tapping the minus sign twice and hitting the space bar is enough, while others require a combination of the shift, control and option keys. A quick online search will help you find the right solution for your writing tools. Here again, an em dash can substitute for a punctuation mark used to separate the parts of a sentence. Like a colon, the semicolon can be used to keep two main clauses apart. A set of em dashes can enclose information that would otherwise be set off by commas. If you were wondering whether you could have used commas in place of parentheses or em-dashes in the examples above, you can.

In terms of adding emphasis to a phrase, the comma falls somewhere between the parentheses and the em-dash. Another thing to keep in mind is that many sentences already have commas so using them to set off a descriptive phrase can make things a little crowded with commas. Let's revisit our "Dennis road trip" sentence to use as an example.

Colons don't have to introduce a list or a quotation. Colons can separate two independent clauses when they are directly related, or the emphasis needs to be placed on the second clause. An em dash is created in most word processing programs when the user types two hyphens. The hyphen keys are typically located next to the zero key on a computer keyboard.

Em dashes are punctuation marks that are useful when a writer wants to emphasize a particular phrase within a sentence. They can also be used to indicate an interruption in thought or conversation. When writing a formal letter or another kind of document, you should always try to avoid informal punctuation symbols. Dashes are one example; exclamation marks are another. Dashes can be replaced by several other punctuations including commas, colons and brackets.

Dashes can be used to add parenthetical statements or comments in much the same way as you would use brackets. In formal writing you should use the bracket rather than the dash as a dash is considered less formal. The dash (—), also called the em dash, is the long horizontal bar, much longer than a hyphen. Few keyboards have a dash, but a word processor can usually produce one in one way or another. If your keyboard can't produce a dash, you will have to resort to a hyphen as a stand-in. In British usage, we use only a single hyphen to represent a dash - like this.