Technicians "homework" is very intense learning to start with. We learn to recognize patterns in the markets along with the correlation between currencies, commodities, gold, treasuries, the FED, unemployment and other equities. All this information taken from charts and headlines can give us indications which direction the market will head in the short term and intermediate term. Once pattern recognition is perfected my homework takes me about a minute of looking at a chart and I can set up a trade or decide to pass it up for the next opportunity.

I'll be honest... Cramer's style is not my style. I disagree with a lot of things he says, but he's operating under the assumption that his viewers are investing and not trading, and fundamentals matter more in long term trades than in short term trades.

I encourage anyone and everyone to join my Trading Ideas section of Talking Technicals for FREE. Listen to my commentary on the markets. Watch what I'm watching and see if you can learn something from it. If you disagree with my commentary.... well someone has to be on the other side of my trade.