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A technician believes that it is possible to identify a trend, invest or trade based on the trend and make money as the trend unfolds. Because technical analysis can be applied to many different time frames, it is possible to spot both short-term and long-term trends. The IBM chart illustrates Schwager's view on the nature of the trend. The broad trend is up, but it is also interspersed with trading ranges. In between the trading ranges are smaller uptrends within the larger uptrend. The uptrend is renewed when the stock breaks above the trading range. A downtrend begins when the stock breaks below the low of the previous trading range.
In Nov/Dec-99, Lucent Technologies (LU) formed a trading range that resembled a head and shoulders pattern (red oval). When the stock broke support at 60, there was little or no time to exit. Even though there is a long black candlestick indicating an open at 59, the stock fell so fast that it was impossible to exit above 44. In hindsight, the support line could have been drawn as an upward sloping neckline (blue line), and the support break would have come at 61. This is only 1 point higher and a trader would have had to take action immediately to avoid a sharp fall. However, the lows match up rather nicely on the neckline, and it is something to consider when drawing support lines.
Bailout: A bailout is a financial term referring to an extraordinary act of lending, or outright giving, capital to an entity (a company, bank, individual, etc.) that is in danger of failure due to bankruptcy or insolvency. A bailout can also be given to a failing entity to allow it to exit gracefully without leading to a contagion.
General Steps to Technical Evaluation
Many technicians employ a top-down approach that begins with broad-based macro analysis. The larger parts are then broken down to base the final step on a more focused/micro perspective. Such an analysis might involve three steps:
Broad market analysis through the major indices such as the S
Strengths of Technical Analysis
Focus on Price
If the objective is to predict the future price, then it makes sense to focus on price movements. Price movements usually precede fundamental developments. By focusing on price action, technicians are automatically focusing on the future. The market is thought of as a leading indicator and generally leads the economy by 6 to 9 months. To keep pace with the market, it makes sense to look directly at the price movements. More often than not, change is a subtle beast. Even though the market is prone to sudden knee-jerk reactions, hints usually develop before significant moves. A technician will refer to periods of accumulation as evidence of an impending advance and periods of distribution as evidence of an impending decline.
Uptrend Line
An uptrend line has a positive slope and is formed by connecting two or more low points. The second low must be higher than the first for the line to have a positive slope. Uptrend lines act as support and indicate that net-demand (demand less supply) is increasing even as the price rises. A rising price combined with increasing demand is very bullish, and shows a strong determination on the part of the buyers. As long as prices remain above the trend line, the uptrend is considered solid and intact. A break below the uptrend line indicates that net-demand has weakened and a change in trend could be imminent.
Baltic Dry Index: The Baltic Dry Index covers dry bulk shipping rates, or the costs of moving raw materials by sea.
Shipping costs vary according to the type of commodity being shipped, the amount (supply and demand).
This index is managed by the Baltic Exchange in London and the data can be directly subscribed to by major financial news services as well as the Baltic Exchange.
What Is Support?
Support is the price level at which demand is thought to be strong enough to prevent the price from declining further. The logic dictates that as the price declines towards support and gets cheaper, buyers become more inclined to buy and sellers become less inclined to sell. By the time the price reaches the support level, it is believed that demand will overcome supply and prevent the price from falling below support.
Support does not always hold and a break below support signals that the bears have won out over the bulls. A decline below support indicates a new willingness to sell and/or a lack of incentive to buy. Support breaks and new lows signal that sellers have reduced their expectations and are willing sell at even lower prices. In addition, buyers could not be coerced into buying until prices declined below support or below the previous low. Once support is broken, another support level will have to be established at a lower level.
Broadening Formation: A broadening formation is an example of a consolidation pattern and a highly useful tool in the prediction of the likelihood of a reversal in the direction of a current trend. When found in an uptrend it indicates not a continuation of that trend, but a near-term reversal of the price action.
The broadening formation occurs when the fluctuation within the price produces a series of higher highs and of lower lows that steadily widen over time and are generally thought to be found only in found in topping formations where they are considered to be the result of unrealistic expectations of bullish investors.
Unlike the majority of other consolidation patterns, broadening formations feature increasingly wide ranges and are subject to much greater levels of volatility as time passes. Volume levels increase as the share price rises, which although normally indicates a bullish position rallies in this instance usually prove to be very short lived and the following declines are prone to decimating former support levels leading to an eventual collapse.
Group Selection
If the prognosis is for an expanding economy, then certain groups are likely to benefit more than others. An investor can narrow the field to those groups that are best suited to benefit from the current or future economic environment. If most companies are expected to benefit from an expansion, then risk in equities would be relatively low and an aggressive growth-oriented strategy might be advisable. A growth strategy might involve the purchase of technology, biotech, semiconductor and cyclical stocks. If the economy is forecast to contract, an investor may opt for a more conservative strategy and seek out stable income-oriented companies. A defensive strategy might involve the purchase of consumer staples, utilities and energy-related stocks.
Conclusion
Trend lines can offer great insight, but if used improperly, they can also produce false signals. Other items - such as horizontal support and resistance levels or peak-and-trough analysis - should be employed to validate trend line breaks. While trend lines have become a very popular aspect of technical analysis, they are merely one tool for establishing, analyzing, and confirming a trend. Trend lines should not be the final arbiter, but should serve merely as a warning that a change in trend may be imminent. By using trend line breaks for warnings, investors and traders can pay closer attention to other confirming signals for a potential change in trend.
The uptrend line for VeriSign (VRSN) was touched 4 times, and seemed to be a valid support level. Even though the trend line was broken in Jan-00, the previous reaction low held, and did not confirm the trend line break. In addition, the stock recorded a new higher high prior to the trend line break.
Descending Triangle: A descending triangle is a simple chart pattern used in technical analysis. The descending triangle is formed from two trendlines, one for high prices and one for lows. The upper trendline of the triangle is a descending trendline, while the lower trendline is a horizontal trendline. The resulting shape is a right triangle whose hypotenuse moves downward over time.
In order to confirm a descending triangle on an asset's chart, traders must note two reaction lows of similar magnitude and two reaction highs, each declining in price over time. There should be a reasonable amount of distance between each low or high. Descending triangles usually form and develop over a one to three month period.
The descending triangle is always a bearish pattern, indicating a strong sell signal. Prices on the upper trendline continue to decline, narrowing the triangle formation, until the level of support represented by the lower trendline is broken. When a level of support is broken, it becomes a level of resistance, confirming the overall downward trend of the asset's price over time.
What is a mutual fund's N.A.V.?
The Net Asset Value (NAV) is the current price of a mutual fund, which is calculated at the end of each business day. It is the total value of the fund's assets minus its liabilities and divided by the total number of shares outstanding. It is similar to a stock's closing price for the day.
Support/Resistance
Simple chart analysis can help identify support and resistance levels. These are usually marked by periods of congestion (trading range) where the prices move within a confined range for an extended period, telling us that the forces of supply and demand are deadlocked. When prices move out of the trading range, it signals that either supply or demand has started to get the upper hand. If prices move above the upper band of the trading range, then demand is winning. If prices move below the lower band, then supply is winning.
Business Acumen
One of the most obvious, but less tangible, rewards of fundamental analysis is the development of a thorough understanding of the business. After such painstaking research and analysis, an investor will be familiar with the key revenue and profit drivers behind a company. Earnings and earnings expectations can be potent drivers of equity prices. Even some technicians will agree to that. A good understanding can help investors avoid companies that are prone to shortfalls and identify those that continue to deliver. In addition to understanding the business, fundamental analysis allows investors to develop an understanding of the key value drivers and companies within an industry. A stock's price is heavily influenced by its industry group. By studying these groups, investors can better position themselves to identify opportunities that are high-risk (tech), low-risk (utilities), growth oriented (computer), value driven (oil), non-cyclical (consumer staples), cyclical (transportation) or income-oriented (high yield).
Average True Range: Average True Range is one measure of volatility of a given market. The measure was created by J. Welles Wilder, Jr. in his 1979 book “New Concepts in Technical Trading Systems”.
Average True Range is based on the True Range, which is defined as the greatest of three measures:
•The difference between the greatest high and the greatest low
•The absolute value of the current high minus the latest close
•The absolute value of the current low minus the latest close
As a rule, fourteen measurements of the True Range are used in deriving the ATR. These measurements can be taken for four different time intervals: within a day, daily, weekly and monthly. The first ATR in a series is simply the average of the TR for fourteen periods. Future ATRs in the series are derived by the following algorithm:
•Multiply the previous 14-day ATR by 13.
•Add the current ATR.
•Divide the sum by 14.
The measurement is useful due to its sensitivity to large fluctuations in the value of a currency across several periods of measurement, even when the difference between the high and low values for a single period is very small (which would falsely indicate a low overall volatility.)
Investopedia explains 'Golden Cross'
As long-term indicators carry more weight, the Golden Cross indicates a bull market on the horizon and is reinforced by high trading volumes. Additionally, the long-term moving average becomes the new support level in the rising market.
Technicians might see this cross as a sign that the market has turned in favor of the stock.
Read more: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/g/goldencross.asp#ixzz26esuRXve
Depression: The simple definition of a depression is a large scale recession that lasts an extended period of time. Some define a depression as a scenario where real GDP drops by over 10%. Another way to differentiate it from a recession is the period of time. Recessions are said to typically last one year while an economic depression lasts several years.
The term “depression” comes from the Great Depression of the 1930s. Before that event, any modest decline in economic activity was considered to be a depression. The term recession was then used to describe smaller economic downturns while the depression was used to describe major, longer lasting declines like the Great Depression.
After Lucent declined, a trading range was established between 40.5 and 47.5 for almost two months (green oval). The resistance level of the trading range was well marked by three reaction peaks at 47.5. The support level was not as clearly marked, but appeared to be between 40 and 41. Some buying interest began to become evident around 44 in mid- to late-February. Notice the array of candlesticks with long lower shadows, or hammers, as they are known. The stock then proceeded to form two up gaps on 24-Feb and 25-Feb, and finally closed above resistance at 48. This was a clear indication of demand winning out over supply. There were still two more opportunities (days) to get in on the action. On the third day after the breakout, the stock gapped up and moved above 56.
Discretionary Trading: While other trading styles emphasize the reading of signals based on mathematical formulas or price action patterns, or fundamental analysis alone, discretionary traders are the "jack of all trades" of the Forex market and tend to incorporate all forms of analysis. These traders not only rely on their well developed trading processes and framework of the fundamentals and technicals to make a decision, but also sometimes intuition as well (i.e., years of market experience). Because of their experience, discretionary traders tend to be flexible with their trading rules and more adaptable to market changes.
The downside to the discretionary trading style is that trading decisions are more susceptible to the strong emotional effects of managing financial risk. Also, depending on the time frame, it requires more attention to the market than mechanical or automated trading methods.
What is short selling?
Short selling is the act of selling stock that you don't own at a high price by borrowing it from a brokerage and then buying it back at a lower price in the future. The hope is that the stock price will drop in value and a profit can be made. This is an advanced technique that has strict requirements and higher risks.
Short selling is not as common as going long for several reasons:
It requires a margin account, which has special requirements.
There is the risk of losing more than 100% of your money from your investment portfolio.
Some people consider it wrong to bet against a company.
Despite these concerns, short selling is successfully used every day by thousands of traders. It is actually a healthy part of the markets. For example, when the markets are having a bad day, who is buying the shares that most people are trying to get rid of? Short sellers are, along with the "longs" who are trying to buy at bargain prices. They are trying to cover their shorted positions and take a profit.
Divergence: Divergence is a trading pattern in which the relationship between price action and an oscillator indicator is measured.
If the price begins to move in a negative correlation to an indicator, (ie. higher "highs" in price, but lower "highs" in indicator), it could be viewed as a leading indicator for a potential change in price direction.
Supply, Demand, and Price Action
Many technicians use the open, high, low and close when analyzing the price action of a security. There is information to be gleaned from each bit of information. Separately, these will not be able to tell much. However, taken together, the open, high, low and close reflect forces of supply and demand.
The annotated example below shows a stock that opened with a gap up. Before the open, the number of buy orders exceeded the number of sell orders and the price was raised to attract more sellers. Demand was brisk from the start. The intraday high reflects the strength of demand (buyers). The intraday low reflects the availability of supply (sellers). The close represents the final price agreed upon by the buyers and the sellers. In this case, the close is well below the high and much closer to the low. This tells us that even though demand (buyers) was strong during the day, supply (sellers) ultimately prevailed and forced the price back down. Even after this selling pressure, the close remained above the open. By looking at price action over an extended period of time, we can see the battle between supply and demand unfold. In its most basic form, higher prices reflect increased demand and lower prices reflect increased supply.
How Are Charts Formed?
We will be explaining the construction of line, bar, candlestick and point
Bank of England: The Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom. Sometimes known as the 'Old Lady' of Threadneedle Street, the Bank was founded in 1694, nationalised on 1 March 1946, and gained independence in 1997. Standing at the centre of the UK's financial system, the Bank is committed to promoting and maintaining monetary and financial stability as its contribution to a healthy economy.
The Bank of England has been in place for more than three hundred years, although it wasn't nationalized until 1946. It serves a dual role as both a consumer bank and a government bank. As such, the "Old Lady of Threadneedle Street," as the Bank of England is often called, holds a primary role in the financial status of the United Kingdom.
In 1998 the bank's governing body was changed by the Bank of England Act. Now the Bank of Directors is composed of sixteen non-executive directors, two deputy governors, and the bank's governor. This has modified the bank's responsibilities; their two main purposes now include maintaining the UK's Monetary and financial stability, although it still has as many small-scale account holders as it does large corporate accounts.
In regards to the foreign exchange market, the Bank of England manages the Exchange Equalisation Account. The EEA was formed in 1932 and is the account responsible for influencing the exchange rate of the UK's gold reserves. It also holds foreign currencies and gold for trading purposes
Putting it All Together
After all is said and done, an investor will be left with a handful of companies that stand out from the pack. Over the course of the analysis process, an understanding will develop of which companies stand out as potential leaders and innovators. In addition, other companies would be considered laggards and unpredictable. The final step of the fundamental analysis process is to synthesize all data, analysis and understanding into actual picks.
What is Technical Analysis 2
Technical analysis is applicable to stocks, indices, commodities, futures or any tradable instrument where the price is influenced by the forces of supply and demand. Price refers to any combination of the open, high, low, or close for a given security over a specific time frame. The time frame can be based on intraday (1-minute, 5-minutes, 10-minutes, 15-minutes, 30-minutes or hourly), daily, weekly or monthly price data and last a few hours or many years. In addition, some technical analysts include volume or open interest figures with their study of price action.
Double Bottom: A Double Bottom is a form of chart pattern used in technical analysis. This pattern is characterized by a distinct drop in price, followed by a slight reversal (or recovery) with a second drop occurring soon after to either the same or similar level as the first, before another, significant recovery so that the chart appears to take on the form of the letter 'W'.
The Double Bottom, along with its counterpart, the Double Top, is easily one of the most recognizable chart patterns. While both are reliable reversal patterns, highly indicative of chances in the market, the bullish Double Bottom reflects very strong levels of support and often indicates a strong change of trend.
The double low points are considered to be support levels, with the resistance level measured at the widest point of the 'W' formation. When the rise following the second low breaks the resistance point generally the rise will continue sharply, with these reversal trends garnering more reward following extended downtrends.
It is normally considered that the best entry point on a double bottom formation is around the secondary resistance level, which when broken tends to indicate a the confirmation of the price reversal.
Daily Candlestick Chart for LYJN
[img]stockcharts.com/c-sc/sc?s=LYJN
Convergence: Normally, the contract price of a futures contract is higher than the current price of the underlying asset (normally a commodity). The futures contract price is higher because of the effect of the time value of money. As the expiration date nears, the spread between the spot price and the futures contracts price becomes smaller and smaller. On the delivery date of the contract, the futures and spot prices should be equal.
This process of futures and spot prices approaching one another is called convergence
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