Many traders use technical analysis in their day to day trade selection and we have covered the approach in previous articles. We know that technical analysis is concerned with supply and demand in the marketplace. While other approaches attempt to develop ideas which lead to actions, technicians focus on actions that lead to further actions. By examining price history and volume data, technicians ignore what has caused an event and focus on the event itself. By studying stock charts, we emphasize the effect over the cause, eliminate confusion, and allow ourselves to predict the future path of prices.


Before embarking on a journey to technical trading, we ask ourselves, what assumptions will one have to make when relying on technical analysis?

1.Art over science - Many investment approaches require us to perform a great deal of math to generate an answer. Technical analysis does not. Looking at the same chart, many investors will derive different answers. Therefore, reading charts evolves into an art form where each analyst can provide a unique insight. No matter how you try to fight it, technical analysis is an art that evolves over time.

2.No need to know - As more information becomes available, people become obsessed with knowing why events occur. Why did the stock do that? What caused such a move? In the markets, we often never know. Instead of searching for the next piece of data that magically unlocks the puzzles, technicians focus on the past and interpolate how it will affect the future.

3.History repeats - A study of history shows that set patterns repeat themselves over long periods. Not all patterns repeat, and not all of them repeat reliably but by relying on the past to predict the future, one can hope to take advantage of these patterns.



In many markets, technical analysis serves as a solid series of guiding posts. By examining trends, we increase the likelihood that markets remain in our favor and trades remain profitable. As always, choosing one investment style is never suggested. Consider a combination of efforts that bring you to your eventual strategy.