Trading is a fascinating activity.
There are so many layers to it. And so many paths that you can go down.
Soon after we first got interested in the stock market I became captivated by technical analysis. I finally felt that I was in control. It gave me great confidence to have all these tools to use.
We bought some expensive charting software and I started playing with the hundreds of indicators that it contained. Exotic sounding devices with impossible to understand mathematical formulas.
So, armed with all these new tools, I was sure we would be making a killing in no time. Because now we had science on our side!
And so I spent night after night, weekend after weekend trying to understand them. Backtesting. Trying one and then another.
But still we struggled to pick the winning trades.
I can remember buying this add-on to our software that gave us even more indicators. And I was convinced this would finally make the difference.
So I tried yet more indicators. Using different settings and different combinations.
But success still eluded us.
And it took us quite a long time before we understood why.
But before I explain what we discovered, let me tell you about eating bitumen.
My office is close to home. So some years ago I decided it was silly for us to have a second car. And so I traded it in and bought a scooter.
Now the only real problem with scooters or motor bikes [apart from getting wet in the rain] is that you are fairly likely to get hit by a car at some point!
It just stands to reason.
So I am always careful to watch cars to see which way they indicate they are going to turn or whether they are stopping.
But this one day I was in a bit of a hurry.
And as I approached an intersection a car was parked at the stop sign on my right. I was going straight through and the driver was indicating to turn left.
[At this point I should remind some of our overseas friends that we drive on the left side of the road!]
So I knew it was OK for me to keep going straight through the intersection. Or so I thought!
Next minute I am slamming on my brakes as the car accelerates across the street immediately in front of me. As my scooter hits the fender I go flying across the front of the car and land on the pavement on the opposite side.
For anyone who has experienced such an event you will know what I mean when I say that it was like the whole thing happened in slow motion. Quite weird!
I can remember looking at the car as it headed for me and not believing that this was really happening.
Because I was convinced it was going to turn left. The driver had indicated that he was turning so what was he doing on my side of the road?
But there he was. I couldn't believe my eyes but eating bitumen convinced me that this was indeed reality!
Ever since, I don't trust car indicators. Instead I have learned to look at the front wheels. Because this is the true indication of which way the car is actually going to go.
And you can't rely on looking at the driver, even if you can see them. Because they often don't seem to know where they are going, either!
But the wheels don't lie!
The car can only go in the direction they are pointed.
Now what on earth has this got to do with what I was talking about before?
You remember I was telling you about the problems we were having with technical indicators? Well what finally dawned on us was that we were not taking enough notice of price action.
And so we started to study the chart before adding any indicators.
And suddenly we saw what was really happening. It was like looking at the car's wheels instead of its blinkers.
You see, technical indicators are just what they say they are ? indicators. Not reality. Not price action.
But an interpretation of price. A filter.
And so you need to look at a stock's price chart on its own to get a picture of what is really going on.
This is not to say that technical indicators are not useful. But the critical thing is to only use them after you have analyzed price action. Not before.
Just remember ? the wheels tell the truth!
David Chandler
Ordinary People Making Extraordinary Profits!
For free mini-course on stock and options trading click the following link:
http://www.stockmarketgenie.com
Or visit our blog at:
http://www.stockmarketgenie.com
The above comments are offered for educational purposes only. We are not providing you with financial advice. We are simply sharing with you what has and hasn't worked for us personally. If you wish to trade or invest in the stock market you should obtain advice from a registered licensed advisor.
shuttle to Midway Beardstown .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareAn insane person cannot evaluate an insane evaluation system.As you... Read More
Have you been listening to the talking heads on CNBC-TV?... Read More
Because there are so many stocks that are NOT paying... Read More
Yesterday I received my monthly issue of MONEY magazine. This... Read More
On Monday, November 25, 2000 Investor's Business Daily listed on... Read More
Have you ever thought of investing? Do you have a... Read More
After some forty years of banking and investments, I retired... Read More
I often hear from people, "I don't trade. I invest.... Read More
Every year I go to the Money Show in Orlando,... Read More
When you become interested in a stock or mutual fund... Read More
Congress recently passed another new law that is supposed to... Read More
According to Investopedia Inc. the penny stock market has seen... Read More
This is a rather simple strategy with which I am... Read More
Reach in your pocket and take out that big roll... Read More
With all the bad news that has been dumped upon... Read More
In one of my previous articles (Investing in the stock... Read More
Everyone who invests in the stock market wants to be... Read More
Mutual funds were created with the idea that one person... Read More
Options trading can increase the profits you make when trading... Read More
This article describes the model of a natural relationship between... Read More
Are you one of those many people who dread reading... Read More
If there is one term over-used when talking about making... Read More
You have heard about a particular mutual fund from a... Read More
We need a rabbit!This was a pretty horrible week for... Read More
I am hearing predictions by brokers, financial planners, talk show... Read More
Green Bay Hummer H2 SUV rentals ..Have you seen all those big full page ads for... Read More
One of the most believed bits of conventional wisdom from... Read More
Mutual funds were created with the idea that one person... Read More
If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck... Read More
The spring-loaded rat catcher is the ultimate low-tech device invented... Read More
Even if you don't own any of their stock or... Read More
This is a guide to the different types of mutual... Read More
Peter is a professional trader, Paul is not. Peter has... Read More
As an investor you will want to check out any... Read More
Duck! No I don't mean a quack, quack. I meant... Read More
Before you buy another car you walk around the lot,... Read More
When most analysts, financial planners, fund specialists and investors try... Read More
You have a lock on your house. You have a... Read More
This is an extract of an article which was first... Read More
Day trading is all about making buy and sell decisions.... Read More
Quick, look out the window. It's raining. No, the sun's... Read More
The stock market is very unstable at this time going... Read More
Every stock market investor faces one primal enemy. An enemy... Read More
You probably know the story of Sherlock Holmes and the... Read More
Carefully thinking through your goal as a trader is of... Read More
In his wonderful book, 'Multiple Streams of Income', best selling... Read More
Investors who exclusively use broadly diversified, no load mutual funds... Read More
Every successful trader has a winning system. There are of... Read More
Is really not as important as to how you invest... Read More
Unfortunately, most of you who are reading my column are... Read More
Stocks & Mutual Fund |