Technical analysis is a trading style that uses price charts to identify patterns and trends in financial markets. The premise of technical analysis is that past prices, volumes, and open interest are good indicators of future market behaviour. Technical analysts use this data to determine which investment strategies they believe will be profitable.
Price movements on a security’s chart may indicate changes in supply and demand for that particular issue or other factors affecting its underlying value. Some individuals who use this approach, claim to predict future stock-price movements and achieve tremendous success by following their rules. Approaches for buying and selling securities are based on price movements instead of basic information about the company itself.
Here’s How You Can Ensure Successful Forex Trading Through Technical Analysis
Prepare for Trading Before you Start
First, make sure that you are set up for success. Have enough capital to trade with. Have some paper trading under your belt. Have some historical data on the asset or currency pair in which you are interested.
Assess the Market Conditions
Do not be the first person to enter a market if there is too much high volatility. Wait until the market has digested the news, and things have calmed down before entering into a trade. Look deeper into charts that show support areas and resistance levels on them as well as the most recent price action. You can also do studies of technical indicators like MACD, Stochastic Oscillator etc., which help predict a reversal in a stock.
Look for Patterns and Trends to Form
There are many different patterns that you can look for. Some of the most common patterns observed include Doji Lines, Triangles, Pennants, Flags etc., These chart patterns can signal where the price is headed next. You can also perform Technical Indicator analyses like RSI (Relative Strength Index), MACD (Moving Average Convergence Divergence), Stochastic Oscillator etc. After identifying these patterns or indicators, they help you form an educated guess on where the market is heading next- up or down.
Figure Out the Position You Would Like to Enter
Once you have identified your pattern or indicator, it is time to figure out where you would like to enter the forex market. There are several different ways to do this; these include Fibonacci Retracement, EMA (Exponential Moving Averages), Pivot Points, etc. The moving average convergence divergence (MACD) offers an early signal in determining the beginning of a trend and its direction by looking at moving averages of prices. When entering into any trade, it is crucial to ensure that one has risk management plans in place, especially since Trading involves high amounts of leverage.
Manage Your Risk with Stop Losses
It is highly crucial to determine where your stop losses should be. Stop losses are critical because they limit your loss on any trade to a predefined amount. They are generally used as insurance against unexpected price movements in the wrong direction. Stop-loss orders are widely available through most brokers and can be triggered at predetermined price levels to close out trades with minimal impact on price action.
Set Price Targets for Profit Taking
Once you have entered into a position, it is time to set up your profit targets. The first rule of thumb is that the market shouldn’t have more than three successive failed attempts to move beyond a particular level. If this happens, it often signals exhaustion among bulls or bears respectively and usually leads to reversal. One can use Fibonacci retracements, ATR (Average True Range) levels etc., for this purpose.
Prepare to Get Out of Trade
Once all your positions are closed or profit targets are reached, it’s time to get out of the trade. Make sure that no emotions come into play while exiting a trade. It would help if you always planned an exit long before you lock in the actual profits. This way, you will avoid making rash decisions based on emotions like fear, greed etc.; it is essential to note that price action does not always follow your planned setup, and it is better to be safe than sorry.
