The financial markets are made up of people from very diverse backgrounds but whether by long or short term investment these market participants all have a desire to win by varying degrees. Many market participants, especially short term traders are often too interested in the release of some fundamental statement or some rumor or the latest bank recommendations than in the trading price of the asset which leads them to trade and fail because of emotions based trading. The daily price movements, the patterns, the volatility that appear on charts, are for whatever reason, the results of the actions of the crowd. To avoid making decisions based on heightened emotions, it is necessary to create your own plan based on your own analysis.

This book has been developed to demonstrate how a few relatively straight forward techniques can create a plan that does not rely on outside investment recommendations and therefore takes the emotions out of trading. The book demonstrates how to interpret the market price action in the shape of forms or patterns and Japanese candlesticks to help you:

• Find markets that are changing from bullish to bearish and from bearish to bullish
• Locate entry and exit points
• Monitor the position for signs of change.

The book provides a series of charting techniques involving the use of candlesticks as graphical representations of market price actions in the Foreign Exchange markets. It presents methods of chart technical analysis for medium to long-term investing, in a market where despite strong returns when compared with other asset types, it is difficult to realize a profitable return.

The title does not dwell on already-known 'signals' represented by candlestick formations, but concentrates instead on how to confirm these signals by applying a variety of confirmation techniques which form a step-by-step process through the chapters of the book to finish by 'Putting It All Together'.