Trading Strategy - Ascending Triangles Downside Breakout

By Jeff Cartridge

The ascending triangle chart pattern is a very well known pattern that has been used by many successful traders over the years on the long side, but is not always traded short. An ascending triangle is formed when the price action is contained within two lines. The top line is close to horizontal while the bottom line slopes up towards the top line.

Ascending Triangles, Not Usually Traded Short

The ascending triangle is not often traded as a short pattern, but when it does break down, historically 36% of the time, it can be profitable. An ascending triangle breakout to the downside is not as reliable as a breakout to the upside with only 44% of the trades profitable. The average profits are also less at 0.31% in 9 days.

Improve Your Trades

As you would expect a break to the downside works better in a falling market environment, but the best trades actually occur at market turning points. By using filters that require the market and the stock to be in a consolidation or an up trend, while the sector is in a consolidation or a down trend, you can improve the results.

A breakout from an ascending triangle is best if it occurs later in the pattern, in fact all the way to the point of the pattern is good, but not near the start. The best trades occur when a down side break occurs after the stock bounces off the lower boundary and drops back before hitting the upper boundary.

If volume supports an ascending triangle breakout then the profitability of the trades improves. For volume to support the breakout, volume when the stock is going down should be greater than volume when the stock is going up.

Ascending Triangles Can Be Profitable

You can improve your trading results by using a series of simple filters that have been outlined here. This select group of ascending triangles delivers an average profit of 1.07% in 10 days and is profitable on 52% of the trades. Overall this makes ascending triangles mildly attractive to trade on the short side.

Statistics for this article have been provided by Patterns Trader after analyzing over 60,000 chart patterns on the Australian market from 2000 - 2008. - 23167

About the Author:

Jeff Cartridge is a private trader and created the website LearnCFDs.com Ways to Make Serious Money With A Small Investment

Ascending Triangles -Short Trading Strategy

By Jeff Cartridge

Ascending triangles have been very popular with traders on the long side and are not so often traded when it breaks in the downward direction. An ascending triangle is defined by two lines, one on the upper boundary of the price movement which is horizontal and one on the lower side which slopes up.

Ascending Triangles Can Be Profitable Short

Most ascending triangles would be expected to break up and most of the time this is true, but 36% break out to the downside making it possible to trade on the short side. Just 44% of these breakouts are profitable and on average the profit per trade is only 0.31% over a period of 9 days. The ascending triangle is not one of the best chart patterns when it breaks to the downside, but applying some filters can make this pattern more attractive to trade.

Specific Setups to Improve Profitability

Short breakouts from ascending triangles work better in falling markets which is clear from the results that were achieved in 2000, 2002 and 2008. The best short trades occur at market turning points. The market and the stock should be in an up trend or consolidating, with the sector consolidating or falling for the best results when trading ascending triangles short.

Avoid ascending triangle trades that break down at the start of the pattern, but it is ok to let the trade go all the way to the point of the ascending triangle before breaking out. Another key to picking successful short breakouts from ascending triangles is to look for a turning point up from the lower boundary that fails to reach the upper boundary and then falls away.

Ensure that the volume is supportive of the breakout, i.e. volume as the stock falls is greater than volume as the stock rises.

Ascending Triangles Profitable on the Short Side as Well

Incorporating these simple changes when selecting ascending triangles to trade short, dramatically improves the results. With an average return per trade of 1.07% in 10 days and a hit rate of 52% it is possible for ascending triangles to be traded short successfully.

Note: Statistics for this article have been provided by Patterns Trader after analyzing over 60,000 chart patterns on the Australian market from 2000 - 2008. - 23167

About the Author:

Jeff Cartridge is a private trader and created the website LearnCFDs.com A Simple Timeless Method for Huge Gains

Professional Forex Trading - What It Takes

By James Oleander

One of the misconceptions concerning foreign exchange trading is the belief that you need a skill set derived from years of formal education and training. Now, it is true that you need certain skills and knowledge but you do NOT need any formal qualifications at all. In fact, the industry is open to anyone with the right qualification, regardless of what formal degrees one may or may not have.

A professional trader needs to be qualified or have business contacts that can help him or her get started; otherwise a job at a financial powerhouse is out of the question. The situation is different, however, if you work for yourself. Then all you need is your own computer, the ability to get online, and some money to start trading with.

Wouldn't it be wonderful to earn good money without getting out of your pajamas in the morning? This is very possible with forex trading. There are those who are very successful who have degrees in business and finance, but there are also those who are very successful and who have none of that.

Still, you're probably asking what skills you do need to begin this career. This is a very good question.

As for generalized knowledge, it's always good to have at least a rudimentary understand of the math, arithmetic, perhaps also some statistics. Those skills will help you analyze things faster and save you valuable time you can spend analyzing other aspects of the market. Aside from those things, you are pretty much set to begin your foreign exchange trading.

To put it succinctly--motivation, motivation, motivation. That has got to be the key attribute you need to be a forex trader. You have to have that so that you have the fire in you to begin and the courage to continue when you run into the inevitable crisis. Deals will explode and you'll feel inadequate at times, but you must forge on to the next one. You probably won't make huge profits right away, but with persistence the sky is the limit!

As with any profession, one of the keys those crucial intangibles to succeeding is discipline. As I stated earlier, foreign exchange can markets can be unpredictable, volatile even (which is what makes them so potentially profitable). You must understand that there will be times where these market gyrations are simply marginal events and you should NOT abandon your overall game plan. Keep to your gameplan, which in all likelihood, if you keep to it, will turn profitable in the long run. The temptation to change plans at midstream will seem great, so be prepared for such moments.

Like I said, anyone has the potential to be successful trading on the forex market. The qualities you will need to have -- which are more important than any education or financial skills -- are a high level of motivation, and the discipline that allows you to remain focused even when you are losing money in the short term. - 23167

About the Author:

To trade forex, you definitely need to check out this website: Forex Trading Platform Review

Forex Trading Software - Scam Or Easy Moneymaker

By Kurt Naulaerts

Do you know why there is so much interest lately on forex trading? Today this market is attracting small and medium investors so banks and other financial establishments are no longer the only players. This market deals with trading the currency of one country for that of another country. This makes it one of the most dynamic financial markets of the world.

The advent of internet and advance communication technologies coupled with automated forex trading systems, today anyone can join in the trading provided he has a computer with an internet connection, a forex brokerage account and good knowledge of how trading works. This global market place is open twenty four hours a day so if you want to stay abreast of market developments, you must keep a constant watch. You could choose a currency and its price before hand with the help of these automated systems. Your buy and sell orders can get instantly executed so all you need is your seed money and a broker to help you.

You do not have to be a professional to earn profits from this trade because the automated forex trading systems take care of all the work for you. When you trade through managed accounts, the automated system carries out the work for you. Any dependable trading platform helps you to save valuable time, since you no longer do the trading manually. Unlike manual trading, the auto systems allow you to manage multiple accounts simultaneously with the help of a trading platform. The biggest advantage of these programs is that you are allowed trading many systems in many markets.

With these forex trading systems that operate automatically, you can trade any time of the day or night and you do not have to be present. Even when you are absent from your computer, you can not miss a single trade. Taking advantage of multi-prong forex strategies and various systems therefore becomes easy. Different trade factors impact different systems; you can therefore direct your investments and control risks.

The best part about these automated forex trading systems is that it does not take into consideration any human factors which often stand in the way of making rational trading decisions. This way you have the ability to manage and monitor several currencies at the same time as well as trade them as you like.

Using an auto forex trading system does not spare you from learning the basics of trading, fundamental and technical analysis, study of market indicators, etc. Several factors and variables influence the forex market so just using an automated system can not guarantee you long term success in this venture. You can customize the automated forex trading system according to your specific requirements. - 23167

About the Author:

Honest reviews on automated trading software are hard to find. I managed to find a Fap Turbo Review at http://www.thepowhatan.com/fap-turbo-forex-software

Trading Strategy - Descending Triangles Upside Breakout

By Jeff Cartridge

Descending triangles have been very popular with traders on the short side, but not so often traded when it breaks in the upward direction. A descending triangle is defined by two lines, one on the lower boundary of the price movement which is horizontal and one on the upper side which slopes down.

Descending Triangles, Surprise On The Upside

Most descending triangles would be expected to break down but, in fact 43%, break out to the upside making this pattern tradable on the long side. Only 41% of these breakouts are profitable and on average the profit per trade is 0.87% over a period of 8 days. The descending triangle is not the best chart pattern when it breaks to the upside, but applying some filters makes this pattern attractive to trade.

Refine Your Entries

When you look at the performance of a descending triangle in bearish market conditions you will see the results were not as strong as they were in more bullish years. Trading descending triangles when both the sector and the market, are in an up trend or consolidating improves your trading results. Because of the shape of the pattern the share will naturally be in a down trend so in effect you are entering a retracement in the share during a bullish market phase.

Descending triangles that breakout early in the pattern, produce inferior results. A breakout is better if it occurs after the pattern gets 30% of the way to the point of the pattern. Shallow patterns are also best avoided, where the pattern height is less than 2% when compared to the stock price.

Illiquid stock can sometimes be identified by two identical closes or highs and if this is the case you are better to avoid these trades. If volume supports a descending triangle breakout then the profitability of the trades improves. For volume to support the breakout, volume when the stock is going up should be greater than volume when the stock is going down.

Descending Triangles Can Deliver Good Profits

By following these simple rules profitability of trading descending triangles can be improved substantially. With an average return per trade almost doubling to 1.45% in 10 days and a hit rate of 51% descending triangles can be trade successfully when the market conditions are right.

Note: Statistics for this article have been provided by Patterns Trader after analyzing over 60,000 chart patterns on the Australian market from 2000 - 2008. - 23167

About the Author:

Jeff Cartridge is a private traderand created the website LearnCFDs.com A Simple Timeless Method for Huge Gains