A really good read is the book called Stock Cycles by Michael Alexander.
As a scientist (mathematician and physicist), numbers intrigue and fascinate me.
Take Pi, it is mysterious, it is elegant, it is beautiful, and has been known for thousands of years. It is irrational, The number Pi (π) is so magical that its decimal portion is unique and there is no repetition of patterns. It is defined as the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter. Pi Day is celebrated by math enthusiasts around the world on March 14th. [Pi = 3.1415926535..]
One of the most famous equations in all of physical sciences is theLeonard Euler identity equation that is the most powerful and yet simple expression: [ei * pi + 1 = 0]
This is the Euler identity [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euler’s_identity]
Just in case you want to know pi (π) is in number format to 1,000 decimal places:
[3.1415926535897932384626433832795028841971693993751058209749445923078164062862089986280348253421170679821480865132823066470938446095505822317253594081284811174502841027019385211055596446229489549303819644288109756659334461284756482337867831652712019091456485669234603486104543266482133936072602491412737245870066063155881748815209209628292540917153643678925903600113305305488204665213841469519415116094330572703657595919530921861173819326117931051185480744623799627495673518857527248912279381830119491298336733624406566430860213949463952247371907021798609437027705392171762931767523846748184676694051320005681271452635608277857713427577896091736371787214684409012249534301465495853710507922796892589235420199561121290219608640344181598136297747713099605187072113499999983729780499510597317328160963185950244594553469083026425223082533446850352619311881710100031378387528865875332083814206171776691473035982534904287554687311595628638823537875937519577818577805321712268066130019278766111959092164201989]
The study of market cycles and market geometry uses pi (π) to pin-point the exact reversal date and price for stock markets and other financial markets. Yes it potentially appears in stock market indices. Imagine that, Pi and Economics.
What is interesting, is that by measuring the average distance between market ups and downs through the 19th and 20th centuries, it is thought that there is a an economic rhythm or cycle that is now referred to as the Princeton Economic Confidence Interval of 8.6 years. It is thought that a multiple 8.6 year cycles in the markets existed that build in intensity to form a long-wave of economic activity measuring 51.6 years. Now 8.6 years happens to equate to 3,141 days which is very close to the mathematical value of pi (3.14159) times a thousand. Twice pi times 1000 is 6,283 days or 17.2 years.
Hmmmmmmm. Perhaps pure co-incidence or a fluke, or perhaps something beautifully clever in the mystery of Pi.