John J. Murphy

John J. Murphy began his career as a technical analyst and served as the technical analysis director at Merrill Lynch. He developed expertise across equity, futures, and currency markets, applying technical analysis tools across multiple timeframes and asset classes. He served as a regular technical analysis commentator on CNBC, bringing chartist perspectives to a broad financial audience. His definitive work "Technical Analysis of the Financial Markets" (1999) — an expanded and updated version of his earlier "Technical Analysis of the Futures Markets" (1986) — became the standard comprehensive textbook covering every major aspect of technical analysis: chart patterns, oscillators, moving averages, volume analysis, Elliott Wave theory, and point-and-figure charting. The book is required reading for candidates pursuing the Chartered Market Technician (CMT) designation, the primary professional certification in technical analysis. Murphy also developed intermarket analysis — the study of relationships between different asset classes (bonds, stocks, commodities, and currencies) — as a framework for top-down market analysis. His book "Intermarket Analysis" (2004) systematised this approach. He is one of the most widely read technical analysts in the world, with his textbooks used in finance programs globally.