Technical Analysis of Financial Markets

Hardcover: 576 pages

Publisher: Prentice Hall Press; Subsequent edition (January 4, 1999)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0735200661

ISBN-13: 978-0735200661

This highly academic book covers technical analysis almost in its entirety. It has taken me several weeks and 40 over pages of notes to record down what I have garnered from this text. Murphy has certainly written a great educational text despite it being published a few years back.

The following are the chapters within the book itself and some inadequately brief descriptions:

1. Philosophy of Technical Analysis
• The basics with an argument against fundamental analysis
2. Dow Theory
• The beginning of stock analysis
3. Chart Construction
4. Basics Concepts of Trend
• Trends can be relative at different points of a chart so trend analysis is more of an art than rocket science.
• Volume plays a huge role in trends
5. Major Reversal Patterns
• Pre-requisite is to have prior trend
• Many patterns and can often be misinterpreted
6. Continuation Patterns
• Made up of triangles
• A resting pause in trends
7. Volume and Open Interest
• Volume precedes price
• Increasing volume suggests continuing trend
8. Long Term Charts
• Not for trading purposes
9. Moving Averages
• Best for trending markets and worst for sideways/choppy market
• Use for signaling a change of trend
10. Oscillators and Contrary Opinion
• Best in non-trending markets, especially for end of market moves
11. Point and Figure Charting
• Pure study of price movement
12. Japanese Candlesticks
• Trend must be determined before interpreting Japanese candlesticks
• Has many reversal and continuity patterns
13. Elliot Wave Theory
• Important factors to note are pattern, ratio and time
• Characterized by 5-wave advance and 3-wave decline
• Each Wave is characterized by a smaller wave
14. Time Cycles
• Longer term – more than 2 years
• Intermediate term – 9 to 26 weeks
• Short (trading) term – 4 weeks
15. Computers and Trading Systems
16. Money Management and Trading Tactics
17. Intermarket Analysis
• Cascade effect: Currency affects commodities, which affects bonds, which affects stocks
18. Stock Market Indicators
• The more market averages move together, the stronger the trend
19. Putting it all together
• A checklist is made to systematically analyze the market and to facilitate decision making
20. Appendix
• Advance Technical Indicators
• Market Profile
• The Essentials of Building a Trading System
• Continuous Future Contracts

Anyone who wants a well-rounded picture of technical analysis is highly recommended to read this book. Just be warned that it is not for the leisure-reader or the light-hearted.