Technical Analysis = CRAP

Status
Not open for further replies.
Quote from Fireplace:

I'm trading my own account, I don't manage money for anyone else. When I started back in the late 90's I had about 25k saved up from previous work. I started off very slowly, spent the first couple years treading water while devoting myself almost entirely to figuring out what works best for my temperament. Also combed through years of data and tried to line up scenarios that worked and didn't work and then worked hard at separating out the commonalities of the unsuccessful trades and also identifying why the successful ones worked. Over time, the more I understood about what led to successful vrs unsuccessful trades, I figured out a way to view the mkt (via proprietary TA, created by looking at several key components) in order to capture intraday turning points more precisely.

I've made my money entirely from this base. Of course I took my sweet time and was very conservative in the beginning but this allowed me to survive while I learned. I can't also discount the work I put in, most wouldn't ever think of devoting as much time as I did but that also helps separate out the serious traders from the hobby traders.

thanks. I am impressed, thats a great story. I hope you realize its very unique.

surf
 
Quote from marketsurfer:

If its the second, I would like to meet these folks.

thanks,

surf

Never happen unless they wish it and I really doubt that happening.

I could name an individual you know by name and see his name in the news and business advertisements year in and year out associated with another business-to-business venture but he makes the bulk of his income from being a chartist. Don't ask because I won't tell you. You just don't understand that most that have achieved that level of success don't want the notoriety.
 
I think you'd be surprised, it may not be that common but I'm sure it's not that unique either. It's just that most who are in this position keep very quiet. I personally know of two other traders in a similar position as me, and they never go on ET or other trading forums. Guess I am just less focused than they are :D

Quote from marketsurfer:

thanks. I am impressed, thats a great story. I hope you realize its very unique.

surf
 
Quote from Fireplace:

I'm trading my own account, I don't manage money for anyone else. When I started back in the late 90's I had about 25k saved up from previous work. I started off very slowly, spent the first couple years treading water while devoting myself almost entirely to figuring out what works best for my temperament. Also combed through years of data and tried to line up scenarios that worked and didn't work and then worked hard at separating out the commonalities of the unsuccessful trades and also identifying why the successful ones worked. Over time, the more I understood about what led to successful vrs unsuccessful trades, I figured out a way to view the mkt (via proprietary TA, created by looking at several key components) in order to capture intraday turning points more precisely.

I've made my money entirely from this base. Of course I took my sweet time and was very conservative in the beginning but this allowed me to survive while I learned. I can't also discount the work I put in, most wouldn't ever think of devoting as much time as I did but that also helps separate out the serious traders from the hobby traders.

My story sounds very similar. We even started around the same time. You're right about the dedication and hours put in. Most have no clue what it takes going in. I know I sure didn't.
 
Quote from marketsurfer:

But just to clarify, these guys strictly, 100% base their decisions on price charts?

I doubt anyone is 100% pure either TA or FA. Here are the definitions of TA and FA:

Technical Analysis - using any data created by the act of trading (such as price or volume history) regardless of how the data is manipulated (statistics, probabilities, indicators, supply/demand levels, pivot points, spreadsheets, etc.) in an effort to predict movements of the market.

Fundamental Analysis - using data not created by the act of trading such as news, earnings, rumors, politics, legislation, litigation, world events and weather in an effort to predict movements of the market.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now that we have our definitions I doubt anyone trades 100% TA without considering at least some of the fundamentals. Maybe the TA person is a day trader and the Jobs Report is due out in a few minutes so they exit their trades and sit on the sidelines waiting for that report. Maybe they are trading corn futures and are watching the news to see if that super cell storm is going to hit some major corn fields. They may still be 90% TA but I doubt 100%. The closest thing to a pure TA traders is most likely the 100% automated systems at big institutions. You don't really think they have someone that is making thousands or hundreds of thousands of trades per day on fundamentals do you?

The same is true for FA traders. I highly doubt anyone trades 100% FA without considering some amount of price action history. Doing so would be just as stupid as trading 100% TA. I have already shown you what happens when good earnings reports come out with a stock just below major historical supply levels. A 100% pure FA trader would get crushed.

So I guess we can say, based on your logic, that Fundamental Analysis = Crap and that you can't name someone who trades on 100% pure FA.
 
IMO, TA is not some "magic indicator". Rather skill set, which is very close to traditional definition of tape reading, but using price, volume or some indicators as tools, instead or in addition to T&S (aka "tape").

I am pretty sure magic indicators do not exist, but even more sure that a trader can develop skills to read the market participants behavior accurately enough to acquire some edge and make consistent profits.

It is more of an art, not exact science. But nobody would say arts "don't work", only because they are not exact sciences. :)
 
I didn't either, until I really got into it and realized how much there was to learn and how little I really knew....glad I stuck with it though!

Quote from Red_Ink_inc:

My story sounds very similar. We even started around the same time. You're right about the dedication and hours put in. Most have no clue what it takes going in. I know I sure didn't.
 
Quote from Neenisti:

I'll guarantee it.

Beauty of life is that it's fair. You don't need them if you put enough efforts into seriously learning profession of a trader.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top