What is technical analysis in financial markets? 

Technical analysis is a trading discipline used by traders, short-term speculators, and investors to evaluate buy-and-sell investment opportunities. 

Commodity Returns in 2019
S&P 500 returns 2019

“Technical analysis is a trading discipline used by traders, short-term speculators, and investors to evaluate buy-and-sell investment opportunities.”

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Technical analysis does this by identifying trading opportunities in price trends and patterns seen on charts

Technical analysts believe that historic price action and trends of security are valuable indicators of the security’s future price movements.

So technical analysis seeks to predict price movements by examining historical data, primarily price, and volume. 

The discipline helps traders and investors navigate the gap between intrinsic value and market price by leveraging techniques like statistical analysis along with behavioral economics

Some of you may not personally use technical analysis or fundamental analysis. Nevertheless, many professional traders and investors rely on technical analysis for their investment decisions. 

Statistically speaking, 80% of all professional traders use technical analysis, while the remaining 20% opt for other techniques such as fundamental analysis.

Price Breakout

“technical analysis seeks to predict price movements by examining historical data, primarily price, and volume”

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So do value investors use technical analysis?

Value investing is an investment strategy that entails buying securities that appear underpriced using some form of analysis: fundamental or technical analysis.

What is the most accurate technical analysis indicator?

Many indicators in the stock market exist, but Moving-Average Convergence/Divergence line, or MACD is probably the most widely used technical indicator used by investors and technical analysis traders.

the easiest way to learn technical analysis is to gain a solid understanding of the core principles and then apply that knowledge via backtesting or paper trading
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Does technical analysis work in efficient markets?

The efficient market hypothesis states that when new information comes into the market, the price is immediately reflected in stock prices. 

Put another way, when markets are efficient, neither technical nor fundamental analysis can generate excess returns.

What is the best way to learn technical analysis?

Perhaps the easiest way to learn technical analysis is to gain a solid understanding of the core principles and then apply that knowledge via backtesting or paper trading. 

This is not difficult to do, as due to the technology available today, many brokers and websites offer electronic platforms that offer simulated trading that resemble live markets.

Does technical analysis have critics?

Yes, Warren Buffett is the most famous critic of technical analysis 

“I realized that technical analysis didn’t work when I turned the chart upside down and didn’t get a different answer.” After eight years of trying, he concluded that it was the wrong way to invest,” said Warren Buffett.

So Warren Buffet does not use Technical Analysis, and in fact, never will

But there is a string of top traders who only use technical analysis.

Moreover, the entire technical analysis software industry has grown around the benefit of using the discipline for trading and investing. As mentioned above, 80% of traders and investors use technical analysis. 

Their customers keep subscribing to programs so they must be seeing some results in their trading and investing.  

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