Description

William Delbert Gann (June 6, 1878 – June 18, 1955) or WD Gann, was a finance trader who developed the technical analysis tools known as Gann angles, Square of 9, Hexagon, Circle of 360 (these are Master charts). Gann market forecasting methods are based on geometry, astronomy and astrology, and ancient mathematics.  Opinions are sharply divided on the value and relevance of his work. Gann wrote a number of books on trading.

 

Gann was born June 6, 1878 in Lufkin, Texas. His father was a cotton farmer. He started trading in 1902 when he was 24.

He was believed to be a religious man by nature who believed in religious as well as scientific value of Bible as the greatest book ever written. This can be repeatedly observed in his books. He was also a 33rd degree Freemason of the Scottish Rite Order, to which some have attributed his knowledge of ancient mathematics, though he was also known to have studied the ancient Greek and Egyptian cultures.

 

Stock market trading

Main article: Gann angles

Gann described the use of angles in the stock market in The Basis of My Forecasting Method (1935). Calculating a Gann angle is equivalent to finding the derivative of a particular line on a chart in a simple way.  Each geometrical angle (which is really a line extended into space) divides time and price into proportionate parts. The most important angle Gann called the 1×1 or the 45° angle, which he said represented one unit of price for one unit of time. If you draw a perfect square and then draw a diagonal line from one corner of the square to the other, you have illustrated the concept of the 1×1 angle, which moves up one point per day.

There has been a general disagreement whether he made profits by speculation himself.