What is technical analysis?
Technical analysis is all about studying stock price graphs and a few momentum oscillators derived thereof. It must be understood that technical studies are based entirely on prices and do not include balance sheets, P&L accounts (fundamental analysis), the assumption being that the markets are efficient and all possible price sensitive information is built into the price graph of a security / index.
Therefore, technical analysis supports the efficient market theory as against the "random walk theory" which supports the belief that stocks can be bought / sold on random events like flipping a coin!!! Technical analysis is more dynamic as compared to fundamental analysis based on one simple argument - fundamental analysts depend on corporate events like quarterly results and special announcements like earnings guidance and policy changes in operations to generate a buy / sell recommendation.
If fundamental analysis was the single most reliable indicator of trends, prices would predominantly fluctuate only 4 - 5 times a year - around quarterly results and special announcements like mergers and acquisitions etc!! Why would prices fluctuate almost daily? If the prices fluctuate ever so often, is there a way to forecast them? Yes according to technical analysis!!
Technical analysis is all about studying stock price graphs and a few momentum oscillators derived thereof. It must be understood that technical studies are based entirely on prices and do not include balance sheets, P&L accounts (fundamental analysis), the assumption being that the markets are efficient and all possible price sensitive information is built into the price graph of a security / index.
Therefore, technical analysis supports the efficient market theory as against the "random walk theory" which supports the belief that stocks can be bought / sold on random events like flipping a coin!!! Technical analysis is more dynamic as compared to fundamental analysis based on one simple argument - fundamental analysts depend on corporate events like quarterly results and special announcements like earnings guidance and policy changes in operations to generate a buy / sell recommendation.
If fundamental analysis was the single most reliable indicator of trends, prices would predominantly fluctuate only 4 - 5 times a year - around quarterly results and special announcements like mergers and acquisitions etc!! Why would prices fluctuate almost daily? If the prices fluctuate ever so often, is there a way to forecast them? Yes according to technical analysis!!