Technical Analysis
The term technical refers to technical analysis, a form of market analysis most commonly involving chart analysis, trend-line analysis, and mathematical studies of price behavior, such as momentum or moving averages, to mention just a couple.
We don’t know of too many currency traders who don’t follow some form of technical analysis in their trading. Even the stereotypical seat-of-the-pants, trade-your-gut traders are likely to at least be aware of technical price levels identified by others. If you’ve been an active trader in other financial markets, chances are, you’ve engaged in some technical analysis or at least heard of it.
Followers of each discipline have always debated which approach works better. Rather than take sides, we suggest following an approach that blends the two disciplines. In our experience, macroeconomic factors such as interest rates, relative growth rates, and market sentiment determine the big-picture direction of currency rates. But currencies rarely move in a straight line, which means there are plenty of short term price fluctuations to take advantage of — and some of them can be substantial.
Technical analysis can provide the guideposts along the route of the bigger price move, allowing traders to more accurately predict the direction and scope of future price changes. Most important, technical analysis is the key to constructing a well-defined trading strategy. For example, your fundamental analysis, data expectations, or plain old gut instinct may lead you to conclude that USD/JPY is going lower. But where exactly do you get short? Where do you take profit, and where do you cut your losses? You can use technical analysis to refine trade entry and exit points, and to decide whether and where to add to positions or reduce them. Sometimes forex markets seem to be more driven by fundamental factors, such as current economic data or comments from a central bank official. In those times, fundamentals provide the catalysts for technical breakouts and reversals.
At other times, technical developments seem to be leading the charge — a break of trend-line support may trigger stop-loss selling by market longs and bring in model systems that are selling based on the break of support. Subsequent economic reports may run counter to the directional breakout, but data be damned — the support is gone, and the market is selling. Approaching the market with a blend of fundamental and technical analysis improves your chances of both spotting trade opportunities and managing your trades more effectively. You’ll also be better prepared to handle markets that are alternately reacting to fundamental and technical developments or some combination of the two.
Technical analysis is equal to charts, or, in other words, it’s the study of price movement. The thing is that anyone can look at historical price fluctuations, and according to them, predict at some point where the price will go. In the charts one can find trends and patterns which will help you find good trading options. The most necessary thing in technical analysis is the trend! A lot of people know quite well that “The trend is your friend”. You will more apparently succeed if you’re able to find a trend and trade in the same direction, and Technical analysis can help you identify these trends as soon as possible. Then you’ll get more beneficial trading opportunities.
Trading the technical basing your market outlook on chart patterns, trend lines, support and resistance levels, and momentum studies. Technical traders typically spot a trade opportunity on their charts, but they still need to be aware of fundamental events, because they’re the catalysts for many breaks of technical levels.
