Today I wanted to talk about something that I’ve never really written about here before but I think is a really important point that I want to make sure I get across. I’m lucky that I get to chat with investors all over the world on a daily basis. Whether you are a professional investor with 30 years of experience, or a student in Hong Kong who just made his/her first trade, I am always willing to chat. Not only does this help me learn about different strategies, objectives and cultures, but also helps give me perspective from all sorts of different angles.
A common theme that I get a lot is regarding chart patterns and pattern recognition: “JC how did you know that consolidation would resolve higher?”. Other times I get, “JC how did you know that was a failed breakout and how come this example $XYZ is one you don’t consider to be a failed breakout?” The explanations you guys give me make plenty of sense, “But momentum is diverging with prices making new highs!” And in most cases you’re probably right. But to me, it’s bigger than that. The analysis is not just about one pattern or one divergence or even just one chart. It’s about taking these patterns and divergences within the context of a much larger, more macro thesis. [Read more…]