ChartSmart — By Steve Hill, AIQ Systems

Master the Indicators. Read Any Chart.

Transform raw chart data into actionable trading insights with the definitive guide to 29 essential technical indicators — every one explained in plain English, with 40+ real chart examples from 2025 markets.

$99$59
LIMITED TIME — SAVE $40
Get ChartSmart Now →
ChartSmart — The Complete Technical Indicators Guide, book cover
Why ChartSmart

Everything Between You and a Confident Chart Read.

29 Essential Indicators

From Moving Averages to Bollinger Bands, MACD to Stochastics — all explained in plain English.

Real Market Examples

40+ recent chart examples from 2025 showing exactly how each indicator performs in actual market conditions.

Actionable Strategies

When to buy, when to sell, and how to combine indicators for stronger confirmation signals.

Optimal Settings

Generally accepted input values and parameter ranges for each indicator so you can start quickly.

Avoid Common Errors

The interpretation mistakes that cost traders money — and how to avoid them.

Any Platform

Strategies that apply across trading platforms, with examples you can implement immediately.

Inside the Book

Learn Proven Strategies — the Combinations Professionals Use.

01

Stochastic Oscillator — Overbought/Oversold Signals

Buy signal: Stochastic crosses above 20 from below (oversold zone), especially with bullish price action.

Sell signal: Stochastic crosses below 80 from above (overbought zone), particularly when price shows weakness.

Pro tip: Use the 14-period setting (SK-14, SD-3) for daily charts. Wait for the %K line to cross above %D in oversold territory for stronger confirmation.
02

MACD — Trend Following & Divergence

Buy signal: MACD crosses above signal line while both are below zero, or bullish divergence (price makes lower low, MACD makes higher low).

Sell signal: MACD crosses below signal line while both are above zero, or bearish divergence (price higher high, MACD lower high).

Pro tip: Standard settings (12, 26, 9) work well on dailies. An expanding histogram shows trend acceleration — watch for histogram contraction as an early warning of exhaustion.
03

Volume + Price Action — Confirmation Strategy

Buy signal: volume spike on a breakout above resistance — institutional accumulation confirming the move.

Sell signal: high volume on a breakdown below support, or declining volume during a rally (distribution phase).

Pro tip: Run a 50-day moving average on volume. Spikes above 2x the average often mark significant turning points — volume should expand in the direction of the trend.
04

Stochastic + MACD — The Power Setup

Buy signal: Stochastic crosses above 20 (oversold) AND MACD crosses above its signal line within 1–3 bars of each other.

Sell signal: Stochastic crosses below 80 (overbought) AND MACD crosses below its signal line within 1–3 bars.

Pro tip: This dual confirmation reduces false signals dramatically — when both indicators align, the probability of a sustained move increases 60–70% versus single-indicator signals.
05

Bollinger Bands — Volatility Breakouts

Buy signal: price touches the lower band, then closes back inside with rising volume — or a "squeeze" (bands tighten) followed by a breakout above the upper band.

Sell signal: price touches the upper band, then closes back inside with volume — or a breakdown below the lower band after a squeeze.

Pro tip: The "Bollinger Squeeze" (narrowest bands in 6 months) precedes explosive moves. Use 20-period bands with 2 standard deviations — 95% of price action should occur within the bands.
06

ZigZag — Identifying Swing Points

Buy signal: ZigZag identifies higher swing lows in an uptrend — buy near the new swing low, stop below the previous swing low.

Sell signal: ZigZag shows lower swing highs in a downtrend — sell near the new swing high, stop above the previous swing high.

Pro tip: Use a 5–8% threshold on dailies to filter noise. ZigZag helps identify Elliott Wave patterns and Fibonacci retracement levels by marking clear swing points.
Real Charts, Real Conditions

See the Indicators in Action.

Stochastic indicator on PFGC
Stochastic IndicatorPerformance Food Group — identifying overbought/oversold conditions
Stochastic and MACD combined on PFGC
Stochastic + MACDMultiple-indicator confirmation for stronger signals
Volume analysis on PLAB
Volume IndicatorPhotronics Inc — volume spike analysis at key price levels
Volume Accumulation Percent on PRAA
Volume Accumulation %Portfolio Recovery — tracking accumulation/distribution
ZigZag indicator on SNEX
ZigZag IndicatorStoneX Group — identifying significant price swings
Trend Channel Index on SPY
Trend Channel IndexSPY — measuring trend strength and potential reversals
40+real chart examples from stocks like GOOGL, TSLA, AAPL, and more — all from 2025 market conditions
What You'll Be Able to Do

From Raw Chart to Confident Decision.

See patterns before they formSpot divergences and non-confirmations that signal reversals.
Identify breakouts earlyUnderstand consolidation patterns and volatility squeezes that precede big moves.
Time entries perfectlyCombine multiple indicators for high-probability entry and exit points.
Build data-driven confidenceReplace intuition with insight backed by proven technical analysis.

Every Indicator You Need.

21-Day High/LowAccumulation/DistributionAdvance/Decline Indicators ADX & ADX RateBollinger BandsCommodity Channel Index Exponential Moving AveragesSimple Moving AveragesMACD Parabolic SARStochastics (SK-SD)Volume Indicators Trading BandsVolume OscillatorVelocity Volatility IndicatorZigZag…and 12 more
Ready When You Are

Start Trading Smarter Today.

Join traders who've transformed their approach with ChartSmart.

$99$59
LIMITED TIME — SAVE $40 · INSTANT DIGITAL ACCESS
Get Instant Access Now →

Want all three AIQ trading books? See The Complete Trader's Library 2026 →

Instant digital delivery · Privacy Policy & GDPR

Privacy Policy and GDPR requirements