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Common Gaps
Sometimes referred to as a trading gap or an area gap, the common gap is usually uneventful. In fact, they can be caused by a stock going ex-dividend when the trading volume is low. These gaps are common (get it?) and usually get filled fairly quickly. "Getting filled" means that the price action at a later time (few days to a few weeks) usually retraces at the least to the last day before the gap. This is also known as closing the gap. Here is a chart of two common gaps that have been filled. Notice that after the gap the prices have come down to at least the beginning of the gap? That is called closing or filling the gap.
Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) Gap example chart from StockCharts.com
A common gap usually appears in a trading range or congestion area, and reinforces the apparent lack of interest in the stock at that time. Many times this is further exacerbated by low trading volume. Being aware of these types of gaps is good, but doubtful that they will produce a trading opportunities.
Breakaway Gaps
Management
In order to execute a business plan, a company requires top-quality management. Investors might look at management to assess their capabilities, strengths and weaknesses. Even the best-laid plans in the most dynamic industries can go to waste with bad management (AMD in semiconductors). Alternatively, even strong management can make for extraordinary success in a mature industry (Alcoa in aluminum). Some of the questions to ask might include: How talented is the management team? Do they have a track record? How long have they worked together? Can management deliver on its promises? If management is a problem, it is sometimes best to move on.
AMFE announce the opening date of their largest “Snakes and Lattes” RANCHISE location to date! Projected to add 8million a year in additional revenue to amfil’s books!
Audit/uplist/dividend/spinoff combo are also imminent. Before thanksgiving all these things will happen. Time to buy is NOW!!
http://www.otcmarkets.com/stock/AMFE/news/Amfil-Technologies-Inc--Is-Pleased-To-Announce-The-Opening-Date-For--Midtown---The-Third--amp--Largest-Snakes--amp--Lattes-Corporate-Owned-Location-To-Date?id=174595&b=y
Dovish: Refers to the tone of language when describing a non-aggressive stance or viewpoint regarding a specific economic event or action. It’s often used when describing the economy or interest rates of a country.
Central bankers are described as "dovish" because they generally favor economic growth and employment over tightening interest rates.
Opposite of Hawkish (hawk).
Financial Analysis
The final step to this analysis process would be to take apart the financial statements and come up with a means of valuation. Below is a list of potential inputs into a financial analysis.
The list can seem quite long and intimidating. However, after a while, an investor will learn what works best and develop a set of preferred analysis techniques. There are many different valuation metrics and much depends on the industry and stage of the economic cycle. A complete financial model can be built to forecast future revenues, expenses and profits or an investor can rely on the forecast of other analysts and apply various multiples to arrive at a valuation. Some of the more popular ratios are found by dividing the stock price by a key value driver.
This methodology assumes that a company will sell at a specific multiple of its earnings, revenues or growth. An investor may rank companies based on these valuation ratios. Those at the high end may be considered overvalued, while those at the low end may constitute relatively good value.
Currency Manipulation: Currency manipulation is the act of changing its value against other currencies instead of leaving it free to fluctuate based on market dynamics. This can be done by fixing the exchange rate or deliberately increasing or decreasing its value.
This practice is usually frowned upon since it results to an artificial distortion in currency prices. In fact, it is considered an illegal practice based on US laws and international agreements.
This could also give way to unfair trade advantages since artificially devaluing a country's currency could make its exports relatively cheaper and more attractive. In the long run, this could eventually result to a global trade imbalance
What is Technical Analysis?
Technical Analysis is the forecasting of future financial price movements based on an examination of past price movements. Like weather forecasting, technical analysis does not result in absolute predictions about the future. Instead, technical analysis can help investors anticipate what is "likely" to happen to prices over time. Technical analysis uses a wide variety of charts that show price over time.
Building Permits - Canada: Release Schedule : 8:30 AM (EST); monthly, on the first week of the reporting month
Revision Schedule: The report following next month
Source of Report : Statistics Canada
Web Address : http://www.statcan.ca/start.html
Address of Release : http://www.statcan.ca/english/Release/index.htm
Assist with Entry Point
Technical analysis can help with timing a proper entry point. Some analysts use fundamental analysis to decide what to buy and technical analysis to decide when to buy. It is no secret that timing can play an important role in performance. Technical analysis can help spot demand (support) and supply (resistance) levels as well as breakouts. Simply waiting for a breakout above resistance or buying near support levels can improve returns.
It is also important to know a stock's price history. If a stock you thought was great for the last 2 years has traded flat for those two years, it would appear that Wall Street has a different opinion. If a stock has already advanced significantly, it may be prudent to wait for a pullback. Or, if the stock is trending lower, it might pay to wait for buying interest and a trend reversal.
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.
What is a Margin Account?
A margin account allows you to quickly and easily borrow money from your brokerage to purchase additional shares. In other words, it provides leverage for your account. It also allows you to do short selling. Of course interest is charged interest on any borrowed money and the SEC has very strict regulations on these accounts.
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
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.
Knowing Who's Who
Stocks move as a group. By understanding a company's business, investors can better position themselves to categorize stocks within their relevant industry group. Business can change rapidly and with it the revenue mix of a company. This happened to many of the pure Internet retailers, which were not really Internet companies, but plain retailers. Knowing a company's business and being able to place it in a group can make a huge difference in relative valuations.
Asset Purchases: In recent events, asset purchases usually pertains to the purchasing of government bonds to lower interest rates, inject capital into the economy or both. It is an unconventional monetary policy used by central banks to stimulate the economy, otherwise know as "quantitative easing."
Definition of Fair Value
When market valuations extend beyond historical norms, there is pressure to adjust growth and multiplier assumptions to compensate. If Wall Street values a stock at 50 times earnings and the current assumption is 30 times, the analyst would be pressured to revise this assumption higher. There is an old Wall Street adage: the value of any asset (stock) is only what someone is willing to pay for it (current price). Just as stock prices fluctuate, so too do growth and multiplier assumptions. Are we to believe Wall Street and the stock price or the analyst and market
assumptions?
It used to be that free cash flow or earnings were used with a multiplier to arrive at a fair value. In 1999, the S
Bretton Woods Agreement of 1944: The Bretton Woods Agreement is a pact that was made all the way back in the 1940's by the economic powers at that time to stabilize currencies. What it did was establish a fixed exchange rate for currencies in terms of gold to make trade among nations easier. This kind of exchange rate system lasted until 1971, before the US finally decided to end the convertibility of the dollar to gold.
Business Plan
The business plan, model or concept forms the bedrock upon which all else is built. If the plan, model or concepts stink, there is little hope for the business. For a new business, the questions may be these: Does its business make sense? Is it feasible? Is there a market? Can a profit be made? For an established business, the questions may be: Is the company's direction clearly defined? Is the company a leader in the market? Can the company maintain leadership?
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.
Support and Resistance Zones
Because technical analysis is not an exact science, it is useful to create support and resistance zones. This is contrary to the strategy mapped out for Lucent Technologies (LU), but it is sometimes the case. Each security has its own characteristics, and analysis should reflect the intricacies of the security. Sometimes, exact support and resistance levels are best, and, sometimes, zones work better. Generally, the tighter the range, the more exact the level. If the trading range spans less than 2 months and the price range is relatively tight, then more exact support and resistance levels are best suited. If a trading range spans many months and the price range is relatively large, then it is best to use support and resistance zones. These are only meant as general guidelines, and each trading range should be judged on its own merits.
Returning to the analysis of Halliburton (HAL), we can see that the November high of the trading range (33 to 44) extended more than 20% past the low, making the range quite large relative to the price. Because the September support break forms our first resistance level, we are ready to set up a resistance zone after the November high is formed, probably around early December. At this point though, we are still unsure if a large trading range will develop. The subsequent low in December, which was just higher than the October low, offers evidence that a trading range is forming, and we are ready to set the support zone. As long as the stock trades within the boundaries set by the support and resistance zone, we will consider the trading range to be valid. Support may be looked upon as an opportunity to buy, and resistance as an opportunity to sell.
Introduction to Chart Patterns
There are hundreds of thousands of market participants buying and selling securities for a wide variety of reasons: hope of gain, fear of loss, tax consequences, short-covering, hedging, stop-loss triggers, price target triggers, fundamental analysis, technical analysis, broker recommendations and a few dozen more. Trying to figure out why participants are buying and selling can be a daunting process. Chart patterns put all buying and selling into perspective by consolidating the forces of supply and demand into a concise picture. As a complete pictorial record of all trading, chart patterns provide a framework to analyze the battle raging between bulls and bears. More importantly, chart patterns and technical analysis can help determine who is winning the battle, allowing traders and investors to position themselves accordingly.
In many ways, chart patterns are simply more complex versions of trend lines. It is important that you read and understand our articles on Support and Resistance as well as Trend Lines before you continue.
Chart pattern analysis can be used to make short-term or long-term forecasts. The data can be intraday, daily, weekly or monthly and the patterns can be as short as one day or as long as many years. Gaps and outside reversals may form in one trading session, while broadening tops and dormant bottoms may require many months to form.
Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) chart patterns example chart from StockCharts.com
Amazon (AMZN)[Amzn]
CIENA Corp. (CIEN) chart patterns example chart from StockCharts.com
CIENA (CIEN)[CIEN]
CFD: In finance, the term 'CFD' stands for Contract For Difference. This is a contract between two parties, typically described as "buyer" and "seller" to exchange the difference in value of a financial instrument between the time at which the contract is opened and the time it is closed. In effect CFDs are financial derivatives that allow traders to take advantage of prices moving up or prices moving down on underlying financial instruments and are often used to speculate on those markets
The Basis of Technical Analysis
At the turn of the century, the Dow Theory laid the foundations for what was later to become modern technical analysis. Dow Theory was not presented as one complete amalgamation, but rather pieced together from the writings of Charles Dow over several years. Of the many theorems put forth by Dow, three stand out:
Price Discounts Everything
Price Movements Are Not Totally Random
"What" Is More Important than "Why"
Double Top: Any chart pattern similar to the one show below is known as a ‘Double Top’ and it is arguably one of the most widely recognized and compelling technical signals known amongst the forex trading community. It is considered a reliable test of a previous high or low.
The double top formation is identified as a distinctive chart pattern revealing a rally to new high followed by a moderate retreat which is then in turn followed by a second rally in which to test the new high.
The double top chart pattern classically reveals itself by occurring in the shape of the letter ‘M’. A third rally added to this would result in the occurrence of a triple top resulting in three peaks.
A double top is considered a bearish and is generally thought to be stronger when the equal points are further apart and the price objective usually occurs at an equal distance beyond the correction low.
Daily Candlestick Chart for AQOGF
[img]stockcharts.com/c-sc/sc?s=AQOGF
Strengths of Fundamental Analysis
Long-term Trends
Fundamental analysis is good for long-term investments based on very long-term trends. The ability to identify and predict long-term economic, demographic, technological or consumer trends can benefit patient investors who pick the right industry groups or companies.
Ascending Trend Channel: An ascending trend channel is a basic chart pattern used in technical analysis.
Ascending trend channels are a useful tool due to their ability to predict overall changes in trend. As long as prices remain within the ascending trend channel, the upward trend in price can be expected to continue. As soon as prices exceed either trendline forming the channel, however, a strong signal either to buy or to sell is generated. A break through the upper trendline generates a strong buy signal, while a break through the lower trendline generates a strong sell signal.
Daily Candlestick Chart for FLRE
[img]stockcharts.com/c-sc/sc?s=FLRE
Analyst Bias
The majority of the information that goes into the analysis comes from the company itself. Companies employ investor relations managers specifically to handle the analyst community and release information. As Mark Twain said, "there are lies, damn lies, and statistics." When it comes to massaging the data or spinning the announcement, CFOs and investor relations managers are professionals. Only buy-side analysts tend to venture past the company statistics. Buy-side analysts work for mutual funds and money managers. They read the reports written by the sell-side analysts who work for the big brokers (CIBC, Merrill Lynch, Robertson Stephens, CS First Boston, Paine Weber, DLJ to name a few). These brokers are also involved in underwriting and investment banking for the companies. Even though there are restrictions in place to prevent a conflict of interest, brokers have an ongoing relationship with the company under analysis. When reading these reports, it is important to take into consideration any biases a sell-side analyst may have. The buy-side analyst, on the other hand, is analyzing the company purely from an investment standpoint for a portfolio manager. If there is a relationship with the company, it is usually on different terms. In some cases this may be as a large shareholder.
Daily Candlestick Chart for APLN
[img]stockcharts.com/c-sc/sc?s=APLN
Binary Options: In finance, binary option (also called fixed return option, all or nothing or digital option)is a type of option where the payoff is either some fixed amount of some asset or nothing at all.[1] Binary options have been available since the middle of 2008. Binary options are trading options that pay out a pre-set and fixed amount if the underlying asset on which the option is based reaches the trader’s selected ‘direction’ (up or down compared with advertised value at the time of purchasing that option) at expiry time.[2]
The Binary Option is a prediction on which way the price of a stock, commodity, index or foreign currency will move by a designated expiration time. Traders can never purchase or own the asset, they can only predict the direction that the asset will go. There are only two possible outcomes and the price of the asset does not matter, all that matters is if the prediction was correct or incorrect.
Line Chart
Some investors and traders consider the closing level to be more important than the open, high or low. By paying attention to only the close, intraday swings can be ignored. Line charts are also used when open, high and low data points are not available. Sometimes only closing data are available for certain indices, thinly traded stocks and intraday prices.
Daily Candlestick Chart for AGFL
[img]stockcharts.com/c-sc/sc?s=AGFL
Traders usually concentrate on charts made up of daily and intraday data to forecast short-term price movements. The shorter the time frame and the less compressed the data is, the more detail that is available. While long on detail, short-term charts can be volatile and contain a lot of noise. Large sudden price movements, wide high-low ranges and price gaps can affect volatility, which can distort the overall picture.
Investors usually focus on weekly and monthly charts to spot long-term trends and forecast long-term price movements. Because long-term charts (typically 1-4 years) cover a longer time frame with compressed data, price movements do not appear as extreme and there is often less noise.
Others might use a combination of long-term and short-term charts. Long-term charts are good for analyzing the large picture to get a broad perspective of the historical price action. Once the general picture is analyzed, a daily chart can be used to zoom in on the last few months.
Ascending Triangle: An Ascending Triangle is a price action formation signal based on continuation pattern theory.
Continuation patterns also include symmetrical triangles, descending triangles, wedges, flags, rectangles and pennants and are essentially technical patterns that are expected to lead to the continuation of an existing trend. Continuation patterns are considered a powerful trading tool as they usually result in extremely low risk trading opportunities and spectacular returns.
An ascending triangle demonstrated within a chart pattern is recognized as having a bullish position and occurs as a result of price highs and price lows that have begun to converge so that they, in effect, form a point. If a line is drawn above and below the pattern the top line will appear straight whilst the bottom will slope upwards at an angle.
Ascending triangles are considered to be at their most reliable when occurring during an uptrend, and a buy order should be placed on a break above the upper resistance area of the triangle. If however, the pattern is proved to be false, or if the ascending triangle pattern should fail, then it is advisable to sell when the market breaks out and below the triangle.
Daily Candlestick Chart for DUSS
[img]stockcharts.com/c-sc/sc?s=DUSS
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