What is FUNDAMENTAL?
Imagine you want to buy a toy. Fundamental analysis is like checking if the toy is made well, if it's popular, and if the company making it is doing a good job. It's all about looking at the basics to see if something is valuable.
What is TECHNICAL ANALYSIS?
Technical analysis is like watching how many kids are lining up to buy a certain toy. If lots of kids are buying it, the price might go up! Technical analysis uses charts and patterns to try and guess what prices will do next.
Key Differences
- What they look at: Fundamental analysis looks at the company itself – its money, its products, and its plans. Technical analysis looks at the price of the company's stock and how it has moved in the past.
- What they're trying to do: Fundamental analysis is trying to find companies that are worth more than people think. Technical analysis is trying to predict whether the price of something will go up or down.
- How they do it: Fundamental analysis involves reading reports and learning about companies. Technical analysis involves drawing lines on charts and looking for patterns.
- Timeframe: Fundamental analysis is usually used for long-term investing, like saving for college. Technical analysis is often used for short-term trading, like trying to make a quick profit.
When to Use Each One
If you want to buy a piece of a company and hold it for many years, you should use fundamental analysis. For example, if you think a company that makes electric cars is going to be very successful in the future, you would use fundamental analysis to see if the company is making progress and has a good chance of growing. If you want to try and make a quick profit by buying and selling stocks, you might use technical analysis. For example, if you see the price of a stock going up quickly, you might use technical analysis to try and guess when it will stop going up so you can sell it for a profit.
The Bottom Line
Fundamental analysis is like doing your homework before buying something important. Technical analysis is like trying to guess what will happen based on what you see happening right now. Both can be useful, but it's important to understand the difference and use them wisely. Starting with fundamental analysis is a great way to learn about companies and investing, and then you can explore technical analysis later if you're interested!