Technical Analysis
Technical Analysis
Technical analysis is the attempt to forecast stock prices on the basis of market-derived data. Technicians (also known as quantitative analysts or chartists) usually look at price, volume and psychological indicators over time. They are looking for trends and patterns in the data that indicate future price movements.
Dow Theory
This theory was first stated by Charles Dow in a series of columns in the WSJ between 1900 and 1902. Dow (and later Hamilton and Rhea) believed that market trends forecast trends in the economy. A change in the trend of the DJIA must be confirmed by a trend change in the DJTA in order to generate a valid signal.
Hypothesis
The first hypothesis is that no single individual or buyer can influence the major trend of the market. The second hypothesis is that the market discounts everything. The third hypothesis is that the theory is not infallible. It is not a tool to beat the market but provides a way to understand it better.
Secondary Trend
Called the waves by Dow, this is shorterterm departures from the primary trend (weeks to months)
Breakout
Support
Resistance
Indicators
Volume of trade The breath of the market Short sales Odd lot trading Moving average
Volume of trade
Larger rise in price or larger fall in price leads to larger increase in volume. Larger volume with rise in price is called bull market and the larger volume with fall in price indicates bear market.
Short sales
Selling of shares that are not owned. When the demand for a particular share increases, the outstanding short positions also increase and it indicates further rise of prices. Short sales of a particular month is selected and compared with the average daily volume of the preceding month. If the ratio is less than 1 market is said to be weak or overbought and a decline can be expected. Value above 1 indicates bullish trend.
Moving average
The moving averages are used to study the movement of the market as well as the individual scrip price. It indicates the underlying trend in the scrip. For identifying short term trend, 10 day to 30 day moving averages are used. In the case of medium trend 50 day to 125 day are adopted 200 day moving average is used to identify the long term trend.
Charts
The graphic presentation of the data It helps to find out the trend of the price without any difficulty. Spots the current trend for buying and selling Shows the historic movement Indicates the important areas of support and resistance.
X X X XO X XO XO O XO O X
Trend Lines
There are three basic kinds of trends:
An Up trend where prices are generally increasing. A Down trend where prices are generally decreasing. A Trading Range.
Left Shoulder
Right Shoulder
Neckline
H&S Bottom
Neckline
Left Shoulder
Right Shoulder
Head
Target Target
Double Bottom
Triangles
Triangles are continuation formations. Three flavors:
Ascending Descending Symmetrical
Ascending
Symmetrical Symmetrical
Typically, triangles should break out about half to threequarters of the way through the formation.
Descending
Pennants
It looks like symmetrical triangle. There are bullish and bearish pennant. In the bullish pennant the lower tops form the upper trend line. The lower trend line connects the rising bottoms. In the bearish trend the upward trend line is falling and the lower trend line is rising.