| ATAA Blast! Newsletter #184 – October 2025
| Dear ~~first_name~~
Welcome to the latest edition of the ATAA Blast! Newsletter, with very useful and informative news.
| In this Blast! edition you can see the following, with links for an easy and speedy go-to to the relevant section below:
- ATAA National President's Update for this month, and an Executive Summary from the recent board meeting, to help keep members informed of what the board has been doing.
- The latest ATAA Website Resource Library updates for the latest month, including uploaded speaker presentation slide decks, and video recording of the presentation.
- List of all of the ATAA Chapters, SIGs and Network Groups - More opportunities for the ATAA members for networking and learning.
- An update on the Trading Expert Series (formerly known as the National Speaker Series) of online presentations - we've had three already with the first one back in April with Brent Penfold, then Gary Stone, and then Zoe Bollinger in September.
- The ATAA 2025 In-Person Conference update - See more details about the upcoming 2025 in-person ATAA Conference in Melbourne, 18-19 October, 2025.
- Updates from the ATAA Chapters and SIGs: Included below are updates for some Chapters and SIGs, noting that the Brisbane chapter is changing meeting details soon. Information below also includes the RealTest Coders Online Workshop, and some chapters: Canberra, Melbourne, Brisbane. Thank you to: Mark (Canberra) for your ongoing contributions.
- IFTA information update: Latest information from IFTA including details about the IFTA Journal which is now available to download - a monster edition jam packed with a lot of useful information.
- TECHNICAL ANALYSIS article - This month we explain another simple exit approach - the Chandelier Exit indicator for use as a Stop Loss.
- Detailed benefits for ATAA members. Just in case you are missing something with your membership.
| I do hope you find this Blast! newsletter useful and interesting reading; but do feel free to tell us what you really think, and how we can improve it.
Robert B Brain
Blast! Newsletter Editor
ATAA Marketing Director
(and ATAA Life Member)
| Our Tag Line:
The ATAA is the knowledge network
for successful financial market
trading and investing
|
From the President's Desk – October 2025
We are now in the final stretch toward the ATAA National Conference, taking place over the weekend of 18–19 October in Melbourne’s CBD. This is the premier event in our calendar – and it’s shaping up to be a great one. The National Conference Working Group has assembled a fantastic speaker line-up and worked tirelessly to make sure everything comes together. Both members and non-members are warmly invited to attend, either in person or online. You can find all the details online at our ATAA website: ataa.asn.au/conference-2025.
The day after the Conference, your Board will come together in person for a full-day strategy meeting – a chance to look ahead and develop the initiatives that will help guide the ATAA into its next phase.
On the marketing front, I am pleased to report that we have finalised an agreement with Melbourne digital marketing agency Mobiweb to support our ongoing promotional efforts. Their work will focus on lifting the ATAA’s visibility across digital and social media platforms and highlighting the benefits that ATAA membership brings to traders and investors.
Finally, a reminder that our Annual General Meeting will be held on Wednesday 12 November 2025. A call for director nominations has already gone out, and I encourage any member who believes they can make a contribution at Board level to put their name forward. The ATAA relies on its volunteer directors to deliver value to its members and keep the Association moving forward.
Jim Haralambidis
ATAA National President
| Executive Summary – ATAA Board Meeting (7 October 2025)
At its October meeting the ATAA Board finalised preparations for the upcoming National Conference, with registrations tracking steadily and sponsorships exceeding expectations. A full-day, in-person Board meeting will follow on the day after the Conference, focused on developing strategy to shape the ATAA’s future direction. The Board also confirmed that a digital marketing campaign, in partnership with Melbourne-based agency Mobiweb, officially commenced on the 29th of September, with early implementation activity centred on expanding the ATAA’s social media reach and visibility. The 2024–25 financial accounts were approved for presentation at the November AGM, and the next National Speaker event is expected to be held later this year. | ATAA Website Resource Library Updates - recordings August-Sept 2025
Our ATAA Resource Library now has many presentations and recordings going back to 2008. You can drill down on these using the website menu: Resources > Presentations by Date. An alternative way to find something specific on a particular topic is to search the library using the menu option: Resources > Search Resource Library.
The materials recently added to the Resource Library include:
- September Trading Expert Series:
- Zoe Bollinger - Building Technical Strategies for Offence and Defence.
- Thursday 11 September - Melbourne Chapter Hybrid meeting
- Robert Brain - All about ETFs in Australia and their (monthly?) dividends.
- Russell Markham - High Dividend Yield, Safety & Capital Growth: Achieve All 3!
- Tuesday 19 August - Canberra Chapter meeting
- Phil Johns - Challenging the Myths you trade by.
- Thursday 14 August - Melbourne Chapter Hybrid meeting:
- Paul Ash - Technical Analysis for Investment - Chuck Hughes' Strategies.
- Alan McKay - Trading Techniques.
All of these items can be found from the ATAA website menu: Resources > Presentations by Date. Make sure to browse the earlier recordings in the Resource Library, because you might never know what you've been missing. And you can also search the Resource Library by keyword. If your local chapter or SIG has a video recording, or a (PowerPoint) slide deck of a recent session, then it can also be added to our library collection. | |
ATAA National Board updates
| | | Trading Expert Series – Markets, Models and Mindsets | These webinars are usually held on a Saturday every 3 months or so. The last one was with Zoe Bollinger on 13 September on the subject of Building Technical Strategies for Offence and Defence, and a recording of the session is in the ATAA website Resource Library. Stay tuned for details of the next event.
Thank you to everyone who attended that very informative Trading Expert session with Zoe Bollinger. In case you missed it, or if you’d like to revisit it, you can watch the full recording online here.
We are planning a final Trading Expert session for this year sometime in November with another excellent speaker. Please keep an eye on your inbox for further details and registration information. | ATAA 2025 Annual Conference (In-Person and Online)
Saturday, Sunday October 18 and 19 |
“The Future of Trading – Blending Classic Tactics with Smart Technology”
Conference: Saturday 18 - Sunday 19 October 2025, in Melbourne
We’re keenly looking forward to this year’s highly anticipated ATAA National Conference, where trading meets innovation!
Whether you're an experienced trader or investor, or simply looking to sharpen your edge, this event is your opportunity to stay ahead of the curve in a rapidly evolving industry.
And it's not too late to register!
Why You Cannot Afford to Miss this Event:
- Expert Sessions: Gain invaluable insights from industry-leading trading specialists from both Australia and overseas over two packed days of learning.
- Actionable Strategies: Discover practical trading ideas, risk management tips, and how to leverage cutting-edge AI tools to boost your performance and profits.
- Unparalleled Networking: Connect with like-minded independent traders and industry professionals to expand your network and open new doors.
- Market Mastery: Learn strategies to navigate all market phases, especially during these uncertain times.
- Exclusive Gala Dinner: Socialise with speakers and fellow attendees in a relaxed, elegant setting.
- Premier Venue: Enjoy Melbourne’s vibrant central location, with discounted room rates available exclusively through conference registration.
The conference brings together industry experts, traders, and investors from across the country and around the globe to discuss the latest developments in the financial markets and share insights on trading strategies.
Join like-minded local and international technical professionals, traders, and investors for two days of learning, networking, and inspiration.
Don't miss our line-up of industry-leading speakers, including: Phil Anderson, David Bird, Michael Berman, Laurent Bernut, Richard Brennan, Cameron Buchanan, Michael McCarthy, and Kyle Potter. They'll share their expertise on: trading strategies, financial markets, trading psychology, and the latest developments in risk management.
Devote two uninterrupted days to your trading and investing goals. Immerse yourself in an environment free from distractions – allowing you to enhance your skills, expand your knowledge, and refine your strategies.
Join us in person or by livestream | Book Now (Hurry! it's not yet too late!) | | |
Members and non-members of ATAA equally welcome at this event. (Non-members will receive a complimentary 12-month ATAA membership as part of their registration package).
Two incredible days of learning, networking and inspiration. Let's shape the future of trading together!
In-Person Location: Mantra on Russell Hotel 222 Russell Street, Melbourne
Located in the Melbourne CBD between Little Bourke and Lonsdale Streets.
We recommend booking early. Early Bird rates are available and in-person capacity is limited!
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Norgate Data provides expertly curated, survivorship bias-free market data for charting, backtesting, system development, analytics, and trading.
Visit the NorgateData website. | | | CHAPTER and Special Interest Group (SIG) news and updates
| ATAA Chapters, SIGs and Network groups
For the benefit of ATAA members everywhere, the ATAA has a number of: Chapters, and Special Interest Groups, and Network Groups. Current financial members are free and welcome to participate in any of these. We are hopeful that all of these groups will submit some information for publication in the Blast! News from time to time, to help our hundreds of readers understand more about the opportunities and benefits for ATAA members.
For the latest meeting information, check the ATAA website for details, and also scroll down the website home page to see the latest announcements, presentations and updates to the resource library.
| | ATAA Chapters (alpha order) meeting monthly
- Adelaide
- Brisbane
- Canberra
- Melbourne
- Newcastle
- Perth
- Sydney
| | SIGs and Networks (and contact names)
- Melbourne Quant SIG (Mohamed Nasher)
- RealTest Coders (online) Workshop (Chris Meakin, Robert Grigg)
- Bigalow Network (Romy Baker)
- Forex Network - FN (Romy Baker)
- MetaStock Users SIG (Jerry Bongard)
- FX SIG (Mike Smith)
- TA Practice SIG
See the ATAA website for latest information.
| | | Sydney Chapter Members In-Person Only Meeting
Monday 20th October.
Note changed date for October meeting.
About this event: The venue for this October meeting has changed to Forex.com offices, Suite 42.01, Level 42, Australia Square, 264 George Street Sydney.
Meeting Agenda:
6 pm – Arrival and networking
6.15 pm – Welcome and introduction by Giulia Wrede
6.30 pm to 7.30 pm Darryl Nagel
Topic: “RISK MANAGEMENT SIMPLIFIED”
Discover how a disciplined risk management process can simplify trading and empower you to trade with confidence!
7.30 to 8 pm Refreshments and networking
Join Darryl, who will share insights into developing a trading plan with an emphasis on risk management. All traders experience losing trades, which are often accompanied by emotional responses. In his presentation, Darryl will provide a worksheet for you to use as a potential template to assist with your suitable risk management plan.
Darryl will cover how to calculate, account risk, trade risk, and position sizing. The concepts of risk of ruin and drawdowns will also be covered.
Access to a risk management Excel spreadsheet will be available for registered attendees.
About Darryl Nagel
B.A.(Psychology), LLB. – University of Sydney
Corporate Lawyer for the Commonwealth Bank of Australia for 30 years.
Commenced trading in the financial markets in 1986.
Seminar and workshop presenter domestically and overseas since 2005.
Technical analyst panelist on “Your Money Your Call” – Fox Business.
Life member of the Australian Technical Analysts Association
ASIC recognised RG146 qualifications for most financial instruments.
Postgraduate researcher with Central Queensland University
Founder of Method and Madness Education
Darryl Nagel for
ATAA Sydney Chapter
| The Canberra Chapter enjoyed our eighth meeting of 2025 in September in the Board Room of Eastlake Football Club.
Gabriel provided an update of the portfolio competition which has a dedicated group of participants and mixed results by local members in the current market. Bruce continues to remind us of the value of trend lines, Elliot Waves and Fibonacci levels in his ASX Review. Bruce’s charts indicated potentially more upward movement in markets may be possible.
Chris Meakin was our main presenter in September and provided further rule-based trading guidelines and further integration of systematic trading. It would appear the TA world is moving toward rule based and systematic trading. This is reflected in some of the presentations at our conference in October. It is another reason for having the excellent on-going series being taught by Chris.
Following historical precedents in the Canberra chapter, our October meeting will have three presentations giving summaries of presentations from the conference. This will be another in person meeting, and if you need a recap of some conference presentations with discussion, or if you will miss the conference, do join us Tuesday, October 21 at 6.00pm.
Remember to bring your portfolio selection to our next meeting. If you would like to enter the portfolio competition and cannot make it to the meeting, send your selection to gabriel.spacca@ataa.asn.au.
Good trading and good health.
Mark Gleeson
ATAA Canberra Chapter President
[The Canberra Chapter generally meets on the third Tuesday each month.]
| The Brisbane Chapter is changing its meeting time to a morning format. Starting on 11th October, meetings will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon while the frequency will remain on the second Saturday of the month. Each meeting will include a 15-minute networking break with tea, coffee, and light snacks provided.
Venue - All meetings will continue to be held at:
Lithuanian Cultural Association Hall, 49 Gladstone Road, Highgate Hill (corner of Morris Street).
The venue is conveniently located just outside Brisbane’s CBD:
- Free street parking is available on Gladstone Rd, Morris St, and Julia St.
- The no.196 bus from Adelaide St in the CBD stops right in front of the venue on Gladstone Rd.
- It is only a 15 minute walk from the Southbank bus and train stations.
The meeting room is air-conditioned and can comfortably seat at least 25 people at tables.
What to Expect - Meetings feature a variety of activities, including:
- Presentations and workshops focused on Technical Analysis Education
- Guest speakers sharing trading insights
- Networking opportunities to connect with other traders
- Discussions on trading ideas, strategies, and experiences.
One of the most valuable benefits of ATAA membership is the chance to network with like-minded traders, exchange ideas, and learn from each other in a supportive environment.
We hope this new meeting format will be more convenient and attract a larger audience. All are welcome.
For questions or more information, please contact:
Tim Young
ATAA Brisbane Chapter President
Mobile: 0414 873 003
[The Brisbane Chapter generally meets on the second Saturday each month.]
| | RealTest Coders online Workshop
| | |
September’s RealTest Coders workshop (operating under the Melb. Quant SIG) saw participants discussing at great length the use of Claude and ChatGPT5. This month's meeting (to be held Monday 13th October) will discuss:
- Growth and Inflation Sector Timing Model;
- Some of the scripts Mohamed and Graham developed during the Quant group meeting;
- If time permits, Cesar Alvarez’s market filters..
The meetings are aimed at competent users of RealTest, but new users and intending users are more than welcome to join. A number of participants have also formed small ‘coding buddy’ groups (2-4 users) to develop and code up strategies collaboratively.
Recordings of the meetings along with any associated material can be found in the RT Coders SIG forum here.
[Always meets on the second Monday of the month.] | The Melbourne Chapter continues to host monthly hybrid meetings and we are still broadcasting the 2-hour segment of 6pm to 8pm by Zoom, and the recordings go into the ATAA website Resource Library - use the website menu: Resources > Presentations by Date. For those of you who are not able to be in the meeting room, you are missing: the invaluable networking (or "common gossip") from 5.15pm to 6pm (including free finger food), the interactions in the room during the broadcast session 6-8pm, and then further networking and guest speaker mingling over dinner after 8pm.
Don’t forget that public transport (tram) runs past the hotel front door, and there is ample car parking around the corner.
Robert Brain
ATAA Melb Chapter President and interim Secretary
(for the Council team: Paul Ash, Jim Haralambidis, Keith Mundy, Tony Hambling, Tony Leonard, Robert Grigg). | We have a total of seven chapters around Australia, including: Brisbane, Perth and Newcastle as well as several Special Interest Groups (SIGs) in which members can participate. You can see a list of the seven chapters and their office-bearers on the website - use the menu option: ATAA Overview > Current Office-Bearers > Chapter Councillors > Subcommittees. See the ATAA website for latest meeting and event details.
- Adelaide Chapter generally meets in-person on the third Wednesday of the month.
- Perth Chapter generally meets on the third Thursday of the month.
- Brisbane Chapter generally meets... second Saturday of the month.
- Sydney chapter - TBA.
- MetaStock Users SIG - Contact Jerry Bongard, jerry.bongard@ataa.asn.au
- RealTest Coders Workshop (sub-group of the Quant SIG) - Meets online, generally on the second Monday of each month at 8:00 pm. EST (to give members in western states a better chance of attending). SIG Coordinators: Chris Meakin and Robert Grigg.
| About IFTA (International Federation of Technical Analysis) - It is the umbrella organisation for Technical Analyst societies around the world.
IFTA webinars: See the latest information about up-coming and past webinars on the IFTA website. | |
"There is no old or new technical analysis. But there are new ideas that can be adopted without discarding the old, cherished approaches. Perhaps the textbooks need to be thicker, or the body of knowledge broader. Because our world just keeps on turning. But it can also be fun and broaden your own horizons."—Dr. Rolf Wetzer, CFTe, MFTA, Journal Editor
”Markets are never wrong – opinions often are.”—Jesse Livermore
Inside this issue:
- MFTA Papers
- Articles (several, including: Stochastic, Prediction is Difficult, GSR Bands)
- Book Review - "The Intelligent Fund Investor" by Joe Wiggins, reviewed by Regina Meani.
| | | IFTA and ATAA members - ATAA members are automatically affiliate members of the International Federation of Technical Analysts. ATAA membership gives you access to IFTA resources including: certification programs, educational events and networking opportunities, including participation in the IFTA Conferences. The information below is the latest update from IFTA.
IFTA Update (quarterly newsletter) - The IFTA Update is a quarterly newsletter that is available to members of the ATAA. | The ATAA Elevator Pitch:
Join the ATAA to improve your understanding of how to
invest or trade successfully in the financial markets
focusing on the correct use and application of Technical Analysis
(if someone asks you what the ATAA does, simply tell them this) | |
TECHNICAL ANALYSIS
and Trading Tips
| | | Technical Analysis – A simple exit approach - Part 2 (Chandelier Exit) | In last month’s article I offered some thoughts on why we might exit a position in the market, and I went on to describe the Parabolic-SAR (P-SAR) as one possible definitive technical analysis tool to help with managing exits. See that September 2025 article in the ATAA Resource Library – using the menu: Resources > Blast! Newsletters.
In this month’s article I am including some notes about another chart indicator to assist with exits – the Chandelier Exit (stop). It is popular for use as a trailing stop in a rising trend (or when going short in downtrends).
Even though the Chandelier Exit can be used for both long and short positions; in this article I am only considering long positions. There is some good reference material on this topic in Dr Alexander Elder’s book “Come into My Trading Room”, 2002 (pp 180-183). In that book Elder says: “...on the price chart the Chandelier hangs from the highest peak, like a chandelier hangs from the tallest point in the room”.
The Chandelier Exit indicator was developed by Charles Le Beau and featured in Elder’s books, and it will rise until prices peel off. It’s basically a dynamic trailing stop-loss indicator, and it uses the Average True Range (ATR) to gauge market volatility and it employs a formula where a multiple of the ATR is adjusted from the highest high (or the lowest low for a short) to determine stop-loss levels. The exact calculation for this indicator can be found in several places online.
The idea is that if the price crosses below the latest high level of the indicator, then exit the position. The weekly chart below (of CBA from April to August 2025) uses the standard default parameters, and in late June (around the middle of the chart), suggests a Stop Loss value of about $170. However, on this weekly chart we can see that the share price drifted lower and lower for several weeks into August.
|  | So, perhaps the daily chart would have been more useful. Otherwise, the indicator parameters ought to be fine tuned (see online discussions for using a weekly chart). In fact, when this indicator was devised, it was intended to be used on daily charts.
Study the next price chart – a daily chart of CBA over the same period, and note that the Chandelier Exit indicator more closely follows the share price. And in fact, the indicator peaks at around $184 in mid-June. If this was taken as the Stop Loss level, then we would have avoided the subsequent decline in the share price. (And perhaps adjusting the parameters on the weekly chart might have produced the same result?)
|  |
Note:
- The default settings (parameters) for the Chandelier Exit (on a daily chart) are typically:
Time Period: 22 – On a daily chart this is roughly one month, and this number of bars is used to calculate the highest high (or lowest low) over the previous 22 bars.
- ATR days: 22 – The number of bars to use to calculate the ATR value for the latest bar.
- ATR multiplier: 3 – That is, set a value that is three times the average volatility over recent bars (over 22 bars if using the default values).
Of course, you can adjust the parameters for your own use of this indicator, and then determine the most useful values.
By the way, the chart shown here is the same as the example as shown last month that had the P-SAR indicator. Just for reference, compare this month’s chart with last month’s chart, and think about which indicator might be most useful.
Summary – Hopefully some of our readers have found this somewhat simple information useful. |
Happy and safe investing/trading
Robert Brain | ATAA Member Perks and Benefits
| If you're not an ATAA member, and you are considering joining, you might be interested to know there are many good reasons to sign-up, including:
- Learn how to protect your hard-earned capital - using wise stock selection, and money and risk management ideas;
- Invaluable education opportunities (with discounts for members);
- Huge and extensive Resource Library (access for members);
- Networking opportunities - meet with like-minded peers for trading and investing discussions;
- Special Interest Groups (SIGs) (only for members) - there are several;
- News and information;
- Online Forums;
- Annual ATAA Conference (discounted for members).
| In Closing
I do hope you have found this edition of the Blast! Monthly News both interesting and useful. Feel free to send my any feedback - good or bad.
NOTES about this newsletter: The appearance of this email newsletter can be a little different depending on how you view it. In Google's Gmail the Gmail Inbox might show just a portion of this edition. At this stage I am not sure of the best way to work around this issue. And my apologies continue for any odd formatting that you might find which I cannot resolve - font size or line spacing etc - as these seem to be oddities in our CE email editor tool (there are probably odd HTML codes hidden behind the text, which we have not found yet). Every month when I prepare this newsletter, I spend ridiculous amounts of time fiddling around trying to make the line spacing consistent throughout, and the font sizes consistent; but it still turns out less than I would want it to.
Robert B. Brain
Blast! Newsletter Editor
| |