chartist

Intermediate 💰 Finance / Accounting

Definition

A trader who believes that staring at price charts and drawing lines on graphs can predict the future, also known as a technical analyst. They're basically financial astrologers with better software.

Example Usage

The chartist insisted that the head-and-shoulders pattern predicted an imminent crash, just like the last five times it didn't happen.

Origin

Emerged from early 20th-century technical analysis pioneers like Charles Dow

Fun Fact

Academic research consistently shows technical analysis has little predictive power, yet entire trading desks are devoted to it, proving hope springs eternal.

Source: Technical analysis and trading terminology

Related Terms

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