Technical Analysis


Price charts summarise the underlying opinions
and emotions of the market participants.
Every chart tells a story. Understand the stories in the price charts.

Technical Analysis - what on earth is it?
and how can we use it?

The day-to-day and week-to-week performance of companies in the share market depends on the underlying mood and sentiment of all the investors and traders who participate in the market. When a company's share price rockets upward, or dives downward, it is because enough of the market participants have a strong enough view of the stock, or of the market generally, to cause the share price to move.

It is the underlying emotions of fear, greed and hope which drive share prices (often based on fundamental data or news stories), all of which are reflected in the share price charts. The underlying sentiment is reflected in the price charts, and in the volume bars on the chart, and in the relative height of candlesticks on a candle chart, and the presence and length of tails on the individual candlesticks. And successive days or weeks of price movement can form patterns on the chart which also reflect the underlying market sentiment.

"The interpretation of past share prices and volume
(typically on share price charts)
to try to gauge likely future price action."

The field of Technical Analysis is the study and interpretation of the price action of financial instruments
(eg. shares, currencies, commodities, bonds, etc.) and the “statistical prediction” of their future behaviour. In Technical Analysis there is a substantial body of knowledge ranging from simple price charts to complex mathematical and computer studies. 

For some tips and guidance to help you get started with utilising technical analysis, see Robert's
4 Windows approach which provides a great check list, as well as an introduction to a number of key aspects of technical analysis.
 		 The 4 Windows approach

In it's purest form, the application of technical analysis can involve no consideration of Fundamental Analysis; but the two approaches can be combined - eg. in the Funda-Technical Analysis approach.

People who use technical analysis might invest in shares in the share market, or in currencies (forex), or options, warrants, commodities or other sorts of financial instruments. Thousands of people around the world use this to successfully time the market. Nothing is 100% perfect, but when coupled with the right approach, strategy and money management and risk management methods, one can be very successful and profitable.

The study of technical analysis has been around for many centuries - see History details in Wikipedia.

Many people who use technical analysis will look for a rising trend, and invest in the direction of the trend - "the trend is your friend".

See more information about trends.

And this is related to one aspect of Dow Theory.

(Click on the image for a larger version.)		 A simple uptrend.
The ideas of support and resistance on a price chart
have a lot of signifance, and
are clearly explained by the
underlying mood and opinions of
the investors and traders.

See more information about support / resistancee.

(Click on the image for a larger version.)		 Support and Resistance
Some people look for chart patterns,
such as an Ascending Triangle.

(Click on the image for a larger version.)		 Ascending Triangle
Some people use chart indicators like a Moving Average.
There are many more to choose from.

(Click on the image for a larger version.)		 Moving Average on a price chart
Some people look for a price break-out above a trading range,
or outside a chart pattern (like a Triangle)
especially with higher volumes
which shows an underlying interest in the security.

See more information about breakouts.

This is explained in another aspect of Dow Theory.

(Click on the image for a larger version.)		 A sample break-out
The Head and Shoulders chart pattern has
strong underlying significance,
especially when volume is considered.

(Click on the image for a larger version.)		 Head and Shoulders chart pattern
The size, shape and key features of
individual candlesticks on a candlestick chart 
can also tell us a lot.
The Bullish Kicker candle at right is a
good warning of a possible positive
change in market sentiment.
 Bullish Kicker candle pattern
Divergence (and bearish divergence)
The chart feature where the share price is
trending in one direction while
a chart indicator trends in the other.

(Click on the image for a larger version.)		 Bearish divergence on the index

The study of technical analysis provides invaluable insights into the underlying mood and sentiment of the security or the market. It can be applied to price charts of stocks, and the market index, and commodities, and other financial instruments.

Price charts summarise the underlying opinions
and emotions of the market participants.
Every chart tells a story. Understand the stories in the price charts.

The above samples are merely a small collection of samples - there is much more to this field of study.

And if you have trouble with the charts, some people study technical analysis without using price charts at all - the branch of study referred to as numerical analysis, or computational analysis.

There are a number of basic strategies that some people consider implementing.

More information

Technical Analysis - What is it? (more details)...

Technical Analysis - how to get started...

Also see the links in the column at right above.

Practical applications
and case studies

  • See Robert's contributions to several of the ASX Investor Update newsletters, which cover some of the material at left.

More details

For more information on this topic, see:

Also see Wikipedia for another view of technical analysis.

Also a range of classic text books on the subject.

Before investing money in the markets, make sure to check with a qualified financial advisor to check if your planned investment is appropriate for you.

STOP! - Are you Share Market Ready?

Whatever you do,
beware of the sharks
in the ocean!
Beware the sharks in the ocean.


The information presented herein represents the opinions of the web page content owner, and
are not recommendations or endorsements of any product, method, strategy, etc.
For financial advice, a professional and licensed financial advisor should be engaged.
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Last revised: 29 May, 2013.