Tech Charts Year in Review – Year Five, May 2022 Webinar

Tech Charts Year in Review. Aksel compares the before and after of charts shared with Members over the last year followed by a live Q&A. Tech Charts Year in Review – Year Five
  • A study on Chart Pattern Reliability with the available sample data over the past year.
  • Rectangle has been a reliable chart pattern with the H&S variations. Examples and studies on those reliable patterns.
  • Detailed statistics on different types of breakouts.
  • The impact of different market cycles on chart pattern opportunities.
  • Live Q&A
Live questions from Members
  1. SLIDE 5 - I only look for patterns that begin with a pivot point countering the preceding trend. However, I see on slide 5 that you've labeled the pattern beginning with two lower pivots after an uptrend. Am I being too rigid in defining my patterns? 50:55
  2. SLIDE 8 - In a Type 4 breakout, if the price reverses down and the negation level is hit, but the price then rebounds/recovers and breaks out again, why is the chart pattern destroyed? 52:20
  3. How is the breakout confirmation price calculated? 54:21 (Technical Analysis of Stock Trends, 5th Edition, Edwards and Magee) 
  4. In Peter Brandt's book "Diary of a Professional Commodity Trader: Lessons from 21 Weeks of Real Trading," he described the average duration of some classic patterns; my question is: do you have your own durations for classic chart patterns, or is the average duration universal to all classic chart patterns? 55:35 (Diary of a Professional Commodity Trader, Peter L. Brandt) 
  5. Do you take profits once a chart reaches its target, or do you let the trade run until you see signs of reversals? 56:35
  6. How many concurrent positions do you recommend a breakout trader hold? I'm reading the Mark Minervini books from your reading list, and he recommends holding no more than 4 positions (non-margined) to 8 positions (fully margined). Do you recommend similarly? 57:40
  7. I just want to make sure I understand that 1. the success rate is calculated from subjectively identified inside pattern minor price points? and hence 2. the success rate showed here has nothing to do with my trading success rate because everyone's stop level can be different? so 3. if that's the case, what's the point of calculating the success rate here unless we all use that minor point inside the pattern as a stop level? 59:03
Recorded live 05.19.2022 Read More

Chart Pattern Reliability & Review of Current Market Opportunities – March 2022 Tech Charts Webinar

Chart Pattern Reliability & Review of Current Market Opportunities - March 2022 Tech Charts Webinar

We are continuing our Member webinar series with chart pattern reliability and how the latest market conditions have impacted success rates on different chart patterns. Webinar Outline
  • Review of chart pattern statistics and discussion on chart pattern reliability covering the first quarter of 2022
  • Review of markets and latest opportunities
  • Open discussion on answering members’ questions on different markets and specific charts they want to discuss
  • Education/analysis of fine points on classical charting as we go through different charts/questions

Live questions from Members

  1. SLIDE 3 - Is it possible to publish this data only for the US market? 01:07:37
  2. SLIDE 14 - When drawing the channel's lower boundary, I would have used the lows in 2014 and 2018 to connect the trendline. What made you confident ignoring those lows? 01:08:38
  3. Can you look at praj.ns. listed on the NSE in India? A rectangle with a premature breakout and now trying again? 01:10:46
  4. Do you use a minimum volume threshold to determine which ETFs make it into your asset universe? 01:12:17
  5. Do you believe AKAM is a valid rectangle? 01:13:21
  6. Do you have plans to add commodities to your reports? 01:14:35
  7. ARES chart, please. 01:14:54
  8. Do you adjust stock data for dividends? 01:16:12
  9. Is there technically a proper H&S top on ADBE? 01:17:42
  10. Another stock you've covered in the past is Indian hotel listed on NSE...another breakout rectangle breaking? 01:18:57
  11. When you wait for the 3% breakout threshold, do you only buy on the next day or at the close? 01:20:19

Educational Videos mentioned in this webinar 

Recorded live 03.31.2022  Read More

Two Different Strategies for Trading Classical Chart Patterns – December 2021 Tech Charts Webinar

Two Different Strategies for Trading Classical Chart Patterns - December 2021 Tech Charts Webinar We are continuing our Member webinar series with chart pattern reliability and how the latest market conditions have impacted success rates on different chart patterns. Webinar Outline
  • Review of chart pattern statistics and discussion on chart pattern reliability
  • Two types of strategies with chart patterns, the breakout and the range-bound.
  • Fine points of trading those two strategies with logical levels of stop-loss, price targets and chart pattern negation levels
  • Review of latest market opportunities and conditions
  • Member Q&A
Read More

Chart Pattern Reliability & Statistics – September 2021 Tech Charts Webinar

Chart Pattern Reliability & Statistics - September 2021 Tech Charts Webinar We continued our Member webinar series with chart pattern reliability and how the latest market conditions have impacted success rates on different chart patterns. What are the patterns that are robust in different types of market cycles?   Webinar Outline
  • Review of chart pattern statistics and discussion on chart pattern reliability
  • How to measure price objectives with bearish breakdowns
  • How to treat range-bound markets and take advantage of trading opportunities during well-defined ranges
  • Review of some of the latest breakout opportunities
  • Member Q&A
Read More

Tech Charts Year in Review with Aksel – May 2021

Tech Charts Year in Review. Aksel compares the before and after of charts shared with Members over the last year followed by a live Q&A. Tech Charts Year in Review – Year Four
  • A study on Chart Pattern Reliability with the available sample data over the past year.
  • Rectangle has been a reliable chart pattern with the H&S variations. Examples and studies on those reliable patterns.
  • Detailed statistics on different types of breakouts.
  • The impact of different market cycles on chart pattern opportunities.
  • Live Q&A
Live questions from Members
  1. Are there certain stocks (MSFT, GOOGL, etc.) that have a greater likelihood for Rectangles? 58:47
  2. When do you enter into position on breakout day? Near closing time at market price or enter into position as soon as breakout occurs during the day? 59:39 
  3. Do you consider volume or any other similar confirmation indicator on breakout day? 1:00:36
  4. If you see the momentum is getting weaker, do you have any exit strategy before stop-loss is triggered, or you only exit when SL is triggered, or target is achieved? 1:00:52 
  5. Do you have any pyramiding strategy when entering into position, or you enter full position on breakout day/level? 1:02:07
  6. Do you still buy/sell 3% from the boundary? Stop-loss on the boundary? 1:02:28
  7. What do you think about using of Fibonacci and also the using of it for reentry during long position in the type 3 and 4 breakout. 1:03:08
  8. Do you take profits when reaching target? Some stocks seem to keep running and that means giving up extra profits. 1:03:59
  9. Is the reentry point usually at the same level as the original breakout? 1:04:30
  10. Would you consider a set up in PEP as a possible two patterns 1) Rectangle and 2) cup and handle as well is FDX both H/S and cup and handle. 1:05:21
  11. What order types do you prefer? 1:05:51
  12. What risk/reward level you see most successful? 1:06:14
  13. On inverse H&S, I guess on H&S as well, your pattern negating level is sometimes too big to use as a stop loss, won't a stop loss just below the 200MA work better? 1:06:45 
  14. What was the gain-loss ratio during last year of your strategy? 1:07:18 
  15. Does it concern you to place a stop order. I have heard that the market makers will try and hit your stops. 1:07:58
  16. During a parabolic advance, the break of the parabola could mean an 80% correction. How do you draw the parabolas? Do you think BTC and ETH have broken their parabolas? 1:08:34
  17. Can Cup and Handle formation act as continuations, upward reversals or both? 1:09:08
  18. Do you care about the number of stock shares number and check the same fundamentals data? 1:09:42 
Recorded live 05.20.21 Read More

4 Types of Breakouts and How To Trade Them – March 2021 Tech Charts Webinar

4 Types of Breakouts and How To Trade Them - March 2021 Tech Charts Webinar We are continuing our Member webinar series with the types of breakouts a chart pattern can experience. In the following webinar, we will review the 4 types of breakouts that chart patterns experience and how to manage each one. Webinar Outline
  • Review of chart pattern statistics and discussion on chart pattern reliability
  • 4 types of breakouts and examples on each breakout situation
  • How to manage open trades with each type of breakout
  • 4 types of breakouts (hard re-test, re-test, failed breakouts, breakouts without any pullback)
  • Review of latest chart pattern setups
  • Member Q&A
Live questions from Members Question 1: When you post ideas on Twitter, where can I find them on the member's site? 56:21 Question 2: Do you use stops and how do you set them? Also, would you look at trailing stops to exit a position? 57:12 (LINK: ATR Trailing Stop-Loss - H&S Top) Question 3: Do you invest in any volatility futures, Aksel? If so, what is your strategy in terms of technical analysis since even the futures themselves could be extremely volatile? Can this be covered in the Tech Charts report? 57:44  Question 4: Is the Rectangle pattern similar to a Flag pattern? 58:35 Question 5: Which broker do you use that provides you to trade HK, Canada, South Africa, and Turkey stocks? 59:04 Question 6: You showed in a weekly chart that for H&S top failed breakdown, exceeding the negation level is enough, or don't you prefer to see the weeks closing in order to be sure it's a failed breakdown as you prefer for daily charts? 59:59 Question 7: How do you decide on the price level of horizontal lines? To be more specific, in the daily scale of a chart, let's say if 5 bars are reaching the bottom horizontal line of a rectangle pattern, and all their close and low price levels are different even though the prices so close to each other, how do you decide on the bottom horizontal lines price level? Do you consider the lowest closing price level or average or median of lows, etc? 01:01:06 Question 8: Do you use the gap strategy in your trades? If so, do you have success percentage of those (for the price coming back to the level of the gap)? 01:01:53 Question 9: Could you give your opinion on Silver futures or SLV at this time? 01:02:38 Question 10: Does using a trailing stoploss create problems during pullback? How do you deal with that? 01:03:04 Question 11: The double bottoms that keep forming in various charts do they qualify as eve & eve or eve & adam? Would they qualify for bottom reversals or continuations? Can you explain them in comparison to cup & handle? 01:04:05 Question 12: Do you use cycle analyses in selecting stocks? 01:05:22 Recorded live 03.11.2021     Read More

Chart Pattern Statistics, H&S continuation and H&S failures – December 2020 Tech Charts Webinar

Chart Pattern Statistics, H&S continuation and H&S failures - December 2020 Tech Charts Webinar

We are continuing our Member webinar series with several important and frequently asked topics. Given that the topics are different concepts in technical analysis/classical charting and trading, each section will have a +/- 10 min presentation followed by Q&A on that section.

Webinar Outline
  • Review of chart pattern statistics and discussion on chart pattern reliability / Q&A
  • Current market conditions and review of major benchmarks/important chart pattern developments / Q&A
  • A frequently asked chart pattern, H&S continuation and review of H&S failures and how to trade them / Q&A
  • A typical day for me, the daily routine, selection of markets, review and research tips / Q&A
  • Additional Q&A
Live questions from Members Concept One 2:30
  1. No Questions 
Concept Two 16:45
  1. I wanted to know more about log scale and how to set targets using it. For instance, I have seen some chartist giving two targets for H&S, one for each scale. 28:44
  2. Where do you usually set your "stop loss" in the H&S bottom/continuation? Is it the negation level, or do you use other criteria? 30:35
  3. Do you use the 200 SMA or Exponential & why? Any other moving average you use? 32:11
  4. Could you provide another example or two for setting the H&S target? Do we measure from the neckline to the bottom of the lowest candle body in the head, or to a wick? 33:31
  5. Do you always get out of 100% of your trade when it gets to its objective? Or do you switch to a trailing stop? 33:47
Link of interest Concept Three 34:15
  1. On the last chart, it didn't look the H&S pattern had been completed by breaching the neckline, so why is it a H&S failure? (Possibly page 17 or 18.) 49:09
  2. How did you calculate the H&S failure price target on page 19? 50:21
  3. In the H&S bottom with NON-Horizontal neckline (neckline with slope), how do you measure the price target? 51:03
  4. If you wait for the closing price for the breakout signal, how do you decide the trigger price? 51:38
  5. Are you discounting the validity of vertical necklines against the horizontal ones? 52:35
  6. How do you handle spindles? By using Stop Close Only orders? 53:28
  7. If a stocks breaks down and then reverses and goes above the right shoulder, is that a H&S failure? 54:26
Concept Four 55:05
  1. In this BTC Monthly chart, in the log scale, do you see "Cup & Handle" with a neckline at $13,880? 1:05:00
  2. How do you look at Netflix now? 1:06:16
  3. How did you set the target about the sym triangle in slide 30? from the first point? 1:06:53
  4. Do you ever take any help from any indicator while identifying the chart patterns? 1:07:32
  5. Please check GH & KO in you have time 1:08:35
  6. With weekly patterns the chart validation points usually have much wider risk; what % of NAV risk for each position do you use for weekly and what for daily patterns breakouts? 1:08:44
Concept Five 1:11:33
  1. In the US Marker review, for example, I am assuming you are not going chart by chart and have a certain criteria "as starting point" to pick your charts. Do you mind sharing your criteria (if any)? 1:16:24  
  2. Vacation? 1:17:49
  3. Can you explain a bit more about how you use volatility to identify possible patterns? I'm not sure how you review so many stocks! 1:18:05
  4. Do you scan charts by industry? 1:20:14
  5. Do you enter orders during 1 hour before the close? 1:20:41
  6. Would you elaborate a bit further about cases that you can open a position intraday, and do you keep stops during weekends? 1:21:20 
Additional questions 1:23:44
  1. The filter I find useful is the MA 18 weekly rather EMA 200 . What do you think about it? 1:23:45
  2. Could you suggest about position size strategy? 1:24:27
  3. I know you previously mentioned about sending a report on Chinese stocks. Are you still planning to do so - thanks for all you do. 1:25:17
  4. Aren't Keltner channels more useful than Bollinger bands? After all, Keltner is based on ATRs -- actual price ranges, not just the moving average close which Bollinger uses? 1:25:42
  5. Do you think the volume of stocks is relevant for the pattern success ratio? 1:26:31
Link of interest Recorded live 12.03.2020   Read More

Re-entry, Volatility & ATR based stop-loss – September 2020 Tech Charts Webinar

Re-entry, Volatility & ATR based stop-loss - September 2020 Tech Charts Webinar We are continuing our Member webinar series with several important and frequently asked topics. In the following webinar, we will follow a different approach. Given that the topics are different concepts in technical analysis/classical charting and trading, each section will have a +/- 10 min presentation followed by Q&A on that section. Webinar Outline
  • RE-ENTRY strategy after an out of line movement or hard re-test. We will try to understand how to navigate volatile price action around pattern boundaries. Followed by Q&A
  • Differences between Stop-loss and Chart pattern negation levels.
  • Volatility (Average True Range and Bollinger Bands).
  • 200-day average, how to utilize it as a trend-following tool.
  • ATR based trailing stop-loss and its application on chart pattern breakouts.
  • Follow-up Q&A
Live questions from Members Concept One 2:27
  • Are there any situations in which you'd enter a trade immediately upon breakout, rather than waiting for the daily close? How about the opposite -- are there situations where you might wait a little longer after a breakout to buy? 25:09
  • Do head and shoulders with sloping necklines as reliable as the ones with flat necklines? 27:25
Concept Two 27:52
  1. Would you ignore breakout from chart patterns happening far away from 200dma? 36:47
  2. Except 200 dma, ATR trailing stop loss, which other indicators you use (if you use) for confirmation of a breakout? 37:35
  3. Is the 200 dma simple or exponential? What are the pros & cons of one compared to the other? 38:54 
  4. Why the 200EMA and not the 200SMA? 39:20
  5. Would you track the crossing over of the 50 DMA and 200 DMA? 39:51
  6. EMA on Weekly or Monthly also? 40:05
Helpful video links:  Concept Three 40:53
  1. You use volatility bandwidth instead of bands? 56:05
  2. What is the ATR minimum target you will use for bullish or bearish breakouts? 56:31
  3. What period of EMA would be reasonable to apply on the ATR to identify the volatility. I'm asking this because the volatility usually doesn't change by large amounts in forex. 57:08
  4. Similarly, what is the BB width do you use for bullish or bearish breakouts? 57:48 (Recommended Reading List) 
  5. Can you apply these same practices to predicting breakdowns for shorting? 58:18
Additional Questions
  1. Do you use these patterns mainly for stocks/equities or futures/options as well? If yes, then how do you manage the risk for F&O? 58:35
  2. Has Brent crude oil broken downwards from a wedge pattern today? 59:14  
  3. Please post charts of the companies listed in the US when you post it when listed in Asia or any other country. For example, when you post a chart for Dr.Reddy's Lab, India listed is also listed in the US under ticker RDY along with the chart for Dr. Reddy's, etc. 59:26
  4. Do you use price charts with adjusted dividend data or without adjusted dividend data. What is the reason preferring one over another? 1:01:26   
  5. Why don't you use volumes in your charts? Can you please explain the reasons? 1:03:14
  6. While trading in forex, the 3% breakout rule doesn't seem to apply. Are you aware of any specific measure which could be followed in forex like in terms of pips or percentage? 1:05:24
  7. Just like me, your methods of based heavily on the classical methods on TA. Do you use any automation to scan for classical pattern s on Metastock? I don't think that such automation to scan classical pattern is possible -- and on the other h and, manual flipping of charts is extremely time-consuming. 1:06:10
  8. Do you use that ATR Trailing in MetaStock with a special indicator? 1:07:50 (ATR trailing stop-loss plug in for MetaStock) 
  9. How did you determine the best stoploss ATR? 1:08:46
  10. When is the best time to enter a trade? Just a few minutes before the closing or the day after at opening? 1:09:25
  11. Do you check the relation between volume and the price when deciding to enter or exit the position? 1:10:41
  12. Why do you like Metastock rather than other websites? Any strong reasons? 1:11:16
Recorded live 09.03.2020     Read More

Tech Charts Year in Review with Aksel – May 2020

Tech Charts Year in Review – Year Three

  • A study on Chart Pattern Reliability with the available sample data over the past year
  • Chart patterns with horizontal boundaries have been more reliable compared with breakouts from chart patterns with diagonal boundaries
  • Long-term trends impact the number of bullish and bearish chart pattern setups and breakout opportunities
  • H&S tops, H&S bottoms and descending triangles have been reliable with breakouts from well-defined horizontal boundaries
  • Developing breakout opportunities
  • Live Q&A
Member Questions
  1. When analyzing charts for possible trading opportunities, do you use good liquidity in the market as a trade filter, and what method do you use to determine good liquidity? 1:00:17
  2. It will be nice if the performance of chart alerts can be tracked in an excel sheet. 1:01:42
  3. How often do you trade personally? Did you trade all of the patterns summarized in the "Phases of market trends" slide? 1:02:19
  4. I understand you don't like to use volume, however in technical-analysis-and-stock-market, Richard talks a lot about high volume on upward breakouts, can you explain why you don't use this at least for breakouts? 1:03:15 (LINK: VOLUME AS A CONFIRMING INDICATOR)
  5. Can you talk about how you place stop losses after entering a position? 1:05:58 (LINKS: Breakout with a pullback – Application of ATR trailing stop-loss and ATR Trailing Stop-Loss – H&S Top)
  6. Do you ever look at charts adjusting for dividends? 1:06:32
  7. The statistics on page 7 - does Aksel include failure signals? Such as H&S failure, cup & handle failure, or even asc. des. triangle failures (breaking out of the diagonal line)? 1:07:11 (LINK: Head and Shoulders Top – Failure)
  8. Why do you ignore wedges? You mentioned this on slide 7; I just wanted to understand your reasons. 1:08:12 (LINK: DIAGONAL BOUNDARIES ARE LESS RELIABLE)
  9. Slide 9 - Can you repeat your MAs for weekly and daily timeframes? 1:10:22
  10. Slide 8 - Can you explain how you set your 'pattern failure' level? 1:10:35
  11. Your charts are mostly weekly - does it mean you disregard shorter timeframe formations? If yes, why? 1:11:35
  12. Your H&S examples are all with horizontal shoulders - what is your view of inclined H&S? 1:12:18
  13. Is it true some stocks follow classical patterns better than others over a long period of time? Hence if we find those names, we should follow them long term even if a chart finished this target/negation? 1:13:06
  14. It would be extremely useful to add to the statistics the average ratio between target and negation levels with respect to the breakout level (sort of profit/loss), per pattern type. 1:14:19
  15. Have you ever used a pullback strategy? It seems quite popular for some traders, what % of traders do you think are doing this? 1:14:34
  16. Do you recommend using different stop strategy in terms of the pattern length? i.e., weekly ATR stop if pattern > 12 month, daily ATR stop if the pattern is 4 - 26 weeks. 1:15:24
  17. Page 20, the symm. triangle, do you usually place negation level at the apex of the triangle because E&M book suggests that's a strong support? 1:16:26
  18. Could you show us a breakdown of BreakOut success/failure statistics by Exchanges (or Countries, currencies)? It is relevant to those who do not trade signals in all exchanges/countries. 1:16:51
  19. Are there national markets that demonstrate less emphasis on chart patterns? i.e., heavier % of "fundamental investors"? 1:17:25
  20. Sometimes, you do not plot the 200MA, is there any particular reason? Besides 200d MA, do you use any other MA? 1:18:19
  21. Are you ever concerned with how extended the minor advance is in a stock prior to the breakout? FDN for example bounced straight from the lower boundary; do we have to be careful of profit-taking? 1:18:53
  22. How do you identify the price for horizontal and diagonal boundaries? 1:19:37
  23. I loved to see the slide of statistics - are there more studies available on the website? (Maybe also compared to different observed timeframes?) 1:19:58
  24. How do you treat spindles crossing the chart boundary during the weekly or daily chart development? Do you use a lower time frame to negate the false breakouts? 1:20:23
  25. In terms of timing, what is the time horizon you usually see breakouts playing out? 1:20:58
  26. How do you balance the initial stop loss positioning between chart pattern boundary and chart negation point to balance the position sizing and the risk as basis points in relation to the market volatility? 1:21:40
  27. Between log scale and linear scale, which one is better? 1:22:14
  28. For double tops-bottoms or H&Ss, is there a limit on the percentage (such as 3%) between highs and lows on double tops-bottoms or between right and left shoulders? 1:23:17
Read More

4 Types of Breakouts – March 2020 Tech Charts Webinar

4 Types of Breakouts - March 2020 Tech Charts Webinar

We are continuing our Member webinar series with a review of 4 types of breakouts. 

Type 1 are breakouts that immediately rally to price target. Type 2 are breakouts that pullback to chart pattern boundary after the breakout but do not challenge the previously broken support/resistance. These two breakouts are relatively easier to manage when compared with the breakouts that experience a hard re-test (penetrating the chart pattern boundary after a breakout) and those that fail (Type 3 & Type 4).

We will review all 4 types of breakouts with recent examples and discuss strategies to manage each condition.

Webinar Outline
  • We will review some of those chart pattern breakouts that rally to their price objective without any pullback
  • We will review some of the breakouts that complete an orderly pullback to chart pattern boundary
  • We will look at some of the breakouts that experience hard re-test and challenge chart pattern boundaries
  • We will review some of the breakouts that failed off of the starting gate.
  • We will have a member Q&A at the end of the webinar.
Live questions from Members  
  1. I know you're a classical market technician, but with such a severe one-sided breakdown, are you ever tempted to trade something for a pullback even though you don't have a classical pattern? 36:21
  2. Does the speed with which a pattern breakout achieves the target price indicate that you should let the trade run? 37:24
  3. Can you find signs in the chart that could indicate what type of breakout is going to occur? 38:02
  4. Do you reduce your position sizing (i.e., instead of 1% risk per trade, 0.50% risk) during extended volatility like we're seeing? 39:42
  5. Can you explain how to calculate the trailing stop loss again? 40:10
    1. Additional links ATR Trailing Stop-Loss – H&S Top & ATR plug-in
  6. How do you incorporate sentiment measures (COT DSI etc.) into your decision making? 40:48  
  7. Do you think that in market conditions such as these, the probability of a failed chart occurring is higher? 41:02
  8. Do you ever circumvent your ATR trailing stop and place it below a newly formed chart pattern negation level that's above the initial entry position? 42:32
  9. I noticed that on one trade, you placed an SL at the bottom of a gap, but on another, you placed it at the top of a GAP. Do you have rules for deciding this? 43:50
  10. Is it possible to use this method for long term investing? If yes, would you use the same trailing method? 45:13
  11. Can the ATR stop rule be implemented in a trading platform? 46:19
  12. How do you determine your ATR length and multiplier number? Is it historical chart based and specific to a specific chart? Are commodities different than stock charts? 47:13
  13. As volatility during the day can be larger, have you used one ATR multiple for intra-bar & a lesser ATR multiple near the close, whereby one cancels the other OCO? 49:20
  14. Over the years, the ratio between reversal patterns vs. continuation patterns? Do you cap that ratio, or you let the patterns dictate what you have currently? 50:08
  15. Do you always trade long? Never short? 51:13
Recorded live 03.26.2020    Read More