on stock charts-how do i know if it is a buy or sell order?

Answer 1

charts don't tell you that, but a candle chart will tell you if the time period represented (1/5/15 minute or daily or weekly) was mostly sells or buys by the color of the candle (white {hollow} or black).....did it end higher or lower than it began. When you combine many candles together, the OBV (on balance volume) will tell you if more money is coming in or leaving the stock by comparing the corresponding volume of each candle with it's color.

Answer 2

Charts show the buy AND sell, because for every buy there has to be a sell. If the tick is at 48.00, that means someone agreed to buy it from someone who agreed to sell it for 48.00.