StockCharts.com

That's a lot to evaluate, including the relative merits of charting methods. Charts help, but some skill in interpretation has to be there. Do you have any experience with charting? Which methods are you already familiar with? Are you basically a trader, or an investor? With that background, you should be able to compare the various charts online brokers make available, stockcharts, and decide which you prefer.

There are various books on charting available. I believe the accepted authorities are Martin Pring, or Edwards / Magee, also Elliott Wave Theory, today principally expounded by Bob Prechter. Have you read these?

I used to like them.

But that was before I learned how to download historical pricing data into Microsoft Excel and other statistical tools. You can do all your own charting and data analysis that way.

Steven Is that historical pricing data available without cost? Thx JD

======================================= MODERATOR'S COMMENT: A reminder to all posters: Please trim the post you respond to and try to be as succinct as possible.

Nope. A friend suggested that I study that web site as he made some money in the current market interpreting charts to guide him when he should buy/sell particular stocks.

Aside from "buy low, sell high" None.

I'm someone that is just starting out building a portfolio with an IRA I opened. So I guess that would make me an investor

No but I guess I will need to huh?

Only if you believe that these methods work. To my knowledge, evidence of their effectiveness does not exist.

-Will

william dot trice at ngc dot com

J -

As an investor you should look to financial anlysis first. The often recommended is "Security Analysis" by Graham, Dodd, Cottle.

Charting plays the moods of the market. It is tricky, but one can pick up obvious indications from time to time. My favorite is Elliott - Prechter called the 1987 top almost exactly (with five DJIA points, as I recall). Back in 2002 he published "Conquer the Crash" in which he made a strong case for a very big market top, and said FNM and FRE would get bailed out, talked a lot about safe banks, and basically predicted what's going on today with astounding accuracy. He ties Elliott together with financial analysis, IMO.

It still amazes me that it is possible to draw trendlines over a chart, and see the tops touch the upper line, and the bottoms touch the bottom line. But go with the financial analysis first. The amount of work you have to put in is very small compared to the gains you make. Recently, three people have asked me if now is the time to sell their funds. I discovered that none of them had any idea what their funds held! Amazing! I looked at three of the (many) funds and found very solid companies in them, so I told them not to sell. Then I got bored doing their work for them.

The current market crash may have charting indicators marking it (especially in hindsight), but I think it is clear that the financial aspects of the mess are the motivation for the selling in stocks. So go for the financial analysis, first, and make that your reason to buy and hold, and eventually sell.

THAT said, it is possible to pick up strong charting indications of major tops or bottoms, before these occur, from time to time, and be aware something might happen. A guy called Larry Williams (commodity trader) developed a technical indicator he called %R. Many years ago he accepted a challenge, and turned $10,000 into $1,000,000 in one year (actually, more like $1,234,000). But ... that's what he does for a living. And if you look at some of the trades he put on (mostly oil futures), you see he has a pair. He published a book on it all.

Financial analysis and accounting, first. Then charts.

In this very newsgroup, I called the beginning of the 2009 bull market to the day (assuming that I'll be correct of course...). Doesn't make me a genius. Wait, maybe it does. If I end up being right, maybe I'll write a book and make up some reasons for my incredible insight.

That's what happens when you draw trend lines through tops and bottoms that have already happened. But what happens in the future?

Really? He must own the universe now because I'm sure this is a skill he continued to use after the challenge, right?

-Will

william dot trice at ngc dot com

O great one,

To my great misfortune I overlooked your prescient call on the 2009 bull market. Would you please take pity on us mere mortals and restate it.

Your humble admirer,

-HW "Skip" Weldon Columbia, SC

My humble admirer,

The 2009 bull market has already begun, it did so on Nov. 21, 2008 as declared by me on Nov. 22, 2008 in response to a query from none other than yourself. You should feel blessed that such wisdom was imparted, for the oracle does not often reveal the inner workings of the universe to the unwashed masses.

-The Great One.

P.S. Don't think that you can steal my book rights just because you're the grand poohbah of this newsgroup.

On behalf of on all of us unwashed masses, we are truly blessed by your presence.

If it does not trouble you much, are you willing to give us some insight on how 2009 will go for stocks, and on which sector(s) we might focus upon?

-HW "Skip" Weldon Columbia, SC

My guess is Dow 7,500 - 8,000 on 12/31/09.

If we are discuss "I think we are at or near the bottom."

-- The Greater One.

P.S. Now the market is certain to prove us both wrong.

You'll have to buy the book. :)

-Will

william dot trice at ngc dot com

You make a flim-flam, weasel-word statement like that; I call it to the day, and you are the greater one?! Such temerity!

Shhhh. I don't want the market to hear us. It is tantalizingly close to bull market status as I write this...

-Will

william dot trice at ngc dot com

Yahoo!Finance has most of it.

The open-source and shareware financial tools often download their data from Yahoo!Finance.