A technical analyst is a professional who analyzes and forecasts the price movements of stocks, currencies, commodities, and many other products. A technical analyst can make useful predictions about the future price movements of a particular stock or commodity. A prediction is a definite statement about the future price of a stock or commodity. Such predictions can be based on the analysis of data about past price movements, such as a daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly history of a stock or commodity.

A technical analyst can use various methods and techniques to make a prediction. These methods include using charts, indicators, and patterns.