This is a summary of a presentation by Greg Bender, CMT and Brian Barry, CMT that was part of the 2012 Annual Symposium on April 19th – 20th, 2012 in New York City. Brian spoke about the applications of technical analysis in algorithmic equity trading. Greg discussed ways to analyze market sentiment using the VIX, new implied volatility benchmarks and tradable products. Brian began the presentation with an overview of the increasingly complex decision process that traders face. At the macro level, traders must decide what and when to trade. They must then decide how to trade, a decision that requires traders to select an execution algorithm. Some traders use scheduled algorithms, which include VWAP (volume weighted average price) and TWAP (time weighted average price). VWAP is defined as the ratio of the value traded (price * volume) to total volume traded over a particular time frame, and is usually defined for one

This is a summary of Steven Hawkins’ presentation made at the 2012 Annual Symposium on April 19th – 20th, 2012 in New York City. Market Profile™ is a hybrid of the statistical bell curve that presents a unique view of the price activity in a market. This tool was jointly developed by renowned trader, software developer and author J. Peter Steidlmayer and the Chicago Board of Trade. Over the years this unique tool has helped traders gain unparalleled understanding of markets and allowed traders to identify profitable trading opportunities. The trading tool is often described as “simple in concept yet complex in detail.” Market Profile™ charts organize a number of elements into an easily understood graphic form. This makes it possible to spot trading opportunities that other methodologies may miss. In general, the technique starts with the concept that trades follow a standard distribution that is turned on its side. In his presentation,

How would you describe your job? Currently I am a partner at TideTraders. We provide online broadcasts that cover live market commentary as well as educating new and struggling traders. My primary focus is helping others develop chart literacy. So, in a nutshell, I teach others how to trade and use technical analysis. I am in charge of the Forex division of the website. I give analysis and market commentary about the major currencies as well as a more in depth market commentary each weekend. In addition I help run the website. What led you to look at Forex instead of stocks or another tradable? I primarily trade the Forex market, but got my start in the futures market.  My very first trade in college was in the soybeans market. I had no clue what I was doing. Looking back it was not a wise idea, but the experience was worth its weight

George Lindsay was a well-regarded technical analyst in the 1970’s and 1980’s. He had developed timing models that allowed him to forecast market turns with great accuracy. In the days before CNBC, Wall Street Week with Louis Rukeyser was a weekly television show on PBS that brought the financial markets into the homes of individual investors. Rukeyser was a pleasant host who challenged his guests when necessary. In the case of Lindsey, Rukeyser delivered praise for his work and called him “uncannily accurate”. The Stock Traders Almanac called his work “the finest long-term forecast we have ever seen.” Despite precisely forecasting the start of the long bull that started in 1982, Lindsay’s work was largely forgotten after his death until Ed Carlson researched Lindsay’s life and work and presented the details in his book, “George Lindsay and the Art of Technical Analysis.” That book was cited as “the best investment book of