Universe of Securities
A set of securities with a common feature whether by sharing the same market capitalization, industry or index. It can also refer to securities within a defined price range, securities that deal in specific commodities and/or securities with the same product line.
Investopedia Commentary
Usually referred to in the context of technical analysis to backtest for technical trading strategies. For example, in order for a technical trader to test a specific trading strategy targeted toward small-cap stocks, he/she would need to limit their backtesting analysis to include only small caps. Thus, a trading strategy geared towards a specific universe of securities may not provide reliable results if the strategy was tested on a broad universe of securities.
Related Links
Introduction To Technical Analysis
Backtesting: Interpreting the Past
See also: Backtesting, Large-Cap, Market Capitalization, Small-Cap, Technical Analysis, Test