Essentials of Technical Analysis for Financial Markets is an all-encompassing handbook on navigating the financial markets successfully using technical analysis. Clearly written, easy-to-understand, and straightforward, this guide focuses on the key information needed by traders and investors to take on any financial market effectively.
Introduction:
Technical analysis is the study of how past and present price action in a given financial market may help determine its future direction. At the same time, however, technical analysis should not be considered a crystal ball. Rather, the skills of a technical analyst are used primarily to help determine the highest-probability reactions to past and current price movement, as well as likely future price movement. Therefore, technical analysis is less about actually predicting the future and more about finding high-probability potential opportunities to trade in the financial markets.
The primary tool used by technical analysts is the ubiquitous price chart, which generally plots prices over a given period of time. The various major chart types are discussed in detail in Chapter 4, which covers the basics of technical analysis. Different analysts/traders may choose to use different types of charts at different times, whether it is a line chart, a bar chart, a candlestick chart, a point-and-figure chart, or any of a number of other chart types.
The methods of utilizing technical analysis are many and varied. They include such ubiquitous concepts as head and shoulders, support and resistance, trends, moving averages, and double-tops. But they also include concepts that are less popularly known, such as linear regression, bullish engulfing patterns, Elliott Wave, and point-and-figure charts. All of these elements of technical analysis, and much more, are discussed in the pages of this book.
The main focus of this book is to provide the essential knowledge about technical analysis that is necessary to begin serious analysis of any major financial market. With that goal, this book outlines and describes the primary tools used by technical analysts and traders. Of course, technical analysis is a huge subject that is growing every day, and no book could ever hope to cover all of the information within the field adequately. Therefore, this book provides substantial coverage of the essentials, as the title suggests, while necessarily omitting some of the more esoteric concepts in the field.
Contents:
- Introduction to Technical Analysis: Pursuing Profit in the Financial Markets
- The Story of Technical Analysis: From the Japanese Rice Markets to Dow Theory to Automated Trading
- The Power of Technical Analysis: Principles of Price Action
- The Basics of Technical Analysis: Bars, Candlesticks, Lines, and Point and Figure
- The Heart of Technical Analysis: Uptrends and Downtrends
- The Soul of Technical Analysis: Support and Resistance
- Primary Drawing Tools: Trend Lines, Trend Channels, and Horizontal Support and Resistance
- Chart Patterns: Bar Shapes and Candlestick Formations
- The World of Moving Averages
- Key Technical Indicators and Oscillators
- Fibonacci and Elliott Wave
- Point-and-Figure Charting
- Volume
- Technical Trading Strategies: Practical Applications
- Risk Control and Money Management
Essentials of Technical Analysis for Financial Markets By James Chen pdf
Kingston Guevara (verified owner) –
Trend trading technical analysis is the most important lesson for all investors and Essentials of Technical Analysis for Financial Markets is a great start. If you choose to ignore technical analysis, I guarantee a lifetime of very difficult money-making.
Skye Vu (verified owner) –
A serious, workmanlike book, a terrific introduction to technical analysis. Chen offers beginners a clear sample of methods and techniques from which a reader may choose in what to specialize.
Kamdyn Harris (verified owner) –
great
Savanna Atkinson (verified owner) –
I read half this book. Why? I was asked by a friend to join him and help him find some good books on trading. I have over 10 years of experience and have been making nice contributions to my retirement account by doing so.
I wanted to find him a nice book that would teach technical analysis…not scrape the surface, only to bounce off and never come back!
The problem is, this book only tells you minor details. You could say this is an introduction to an introduction!
OK, so what do I mean exactly?
Say you wanted to learn about cars. You open the book and it tells you there are foreign cars and domestic cars. DUH! Then it tells you the domestic cars can break down to Ford, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, etc. DUH again! Did you learn anything? NO!
Mr. Chen does not even begin to scratch the surface of Technical Analysis. To be fair, he does title the book “ESSENTIALS”. I would argue there is nothing “ESSENTIAL” about any of the pages in his book.
Why? Two simple reasons.
1 – There are better introductory books on this subject that cost less and will teach you more.
2 – There is nothing in this book that you could not learn for free on the numerous and excellent trading websites and blogs on the internet. And they will teach you tons more than this book…errr, scratch that…than this $30 RAG ever will!
Does this book introduce you to technical analysis? Sure..if you consider being introduced to ice cream by sampling it from the head of a pin!
Penelope Alexander (verified owner) –
James Chen is a clear thinker and a deep thinker, and he has graced the oeuvre of technical analysis with an enormously valuable contribution. Like all good writing, the writing is easy to read. Yet he makes words count. That is to say, there is no lack of substance. Each and every sentence adds cumulative value. In summary, this is a terrific introduction for anyone who is seeking a fundamental understanding of the principles of technical analysis, the forces that impact on price, and how practitioners of the former exploit the latter. Whereas one could read this book quickly, don’t. There is much on which to reflect within its 270+ pages, and you will get more than your money’s worth if you invest in readig it the time it deserves. Highly recommended for anyone who is either new to technical analysis or who wants to shore up their knowledge after reading other introductory texts.