AMR+ & OHLC Statistical MappingMy entry was based on AMR+ (Average Range Levels indicator) & +Manipulation from OHLC Statistical Mapping indicator
target was as always opposing manipulation :)
Community ideas
Advances Camarilla Concepts (2)Advanced Camarilla Concepts: Mastering Two-Period Relationships
In the sophisticated realm of Camarilla pivot trading, understanding two-period relationships is crucial for discerning the market's directional bias and anticipating movements in upcoming sessions. This analytical approach focuses on the third layer (S3 and R3) of the Camarilla pivots, similar to Pivot Width Analysis, but delves deeper into nuanced market signals across seven distinct types of relationships.
Exploring the Seven Two-Period Relationships
Higher Value (Bullish Signal): This occurs when the current period’s S3 is above the previous period’s R3, suggesting a robust bullish outlook. This scenario is a strong buy signal on pullbacks to the current period's S3. Key to this analysis is:
Acceptance: Price opens above S3 and pulls back to it, affirming bullish continuation.
Rejection: Price opens below S3, turning it into resistance, with potential declines anticipated.
Lower Value (Bearish Signal): Defined by the current period's R3 being below the previous period's S3, indicating bearish conditions. This setup suggests selling on rallies to R3. Observations include:
Acceptance: Price opens below R3 and ascends to it, confirming the bearish trend.
Rejection: Price opens above R3, using it as support, which may signal rising prices.
Overlapping Higher Value: A modestly bullish sign indicating a possible slowdown in the uptrend, suggesting that the market might enter a distribution phase leading to range-bound conditions. Both acceptance and rejection criteria apply, similar to the 'Higher Value' scenario.
Overlapping Lower Value: A slightly bearish signal hinting at a weakening downtrend, potentially leading to accumulation and subsequent range-bound activity. Like its bullish counterpart, acceptance and rejection are key to understanding this signal.
Unchanged Value: Represents neutrality, where the current period's S3 and R3 align exactly with the previous period's levels. Markets may be in a phase of accumulation or distribution, and traders should watch for breakout signals closely.
Outside Value: Another neutral indicator where the current period’s S3 and R3 completely encompass the previous period’s levels, suggesting a quiet, range-bound market environment.
Inside Value: Indicates that a breakout is imminent, as the current period’s S3 and R3 are entirely contained within the previous period’s levels. This scenario offers opportunities for low-risk and high-reward trades.
Strategic Implications and Trading Strategy
Utilizing these two-period Camarilla relationships equips traders with a refined lens for market analysis, enabling them to tailor their strategies to the evolving market context. Whether it's leveraging bullish signals for robust buying opportunities or identifying bearish setups for timely exits, understanding these nuanced relationships enhances strategic execution.
By integrating these advanced Camarilla concepts into your trading toolbox, you can significantly enhance your ability to navigate through volatile markets with precision and confidence.
Stay tuned for further insights as we continue to explore the depths of Camarilla pivot trading and its application in real-world scenarios. This exploration not only broadens your understanding but also sharpens your trading skills in anticipating and reacting to market dynamics.
Volatility in Focus: A Trader's Perspective on S&P 500 Futures1. Introduction
Volatility is a critical concept for traders in any market, and the E-mini S&P 500 Futures are no exception. Traditionally, traders have relied on tools such as the Average True Range (ATR) and Historic Volatility (HV) to measure and understand market volatility. These tools provide a snapshot of how much an asset's price fluctuates over a given period, helping traders to gauge potential risk and reward.
ATR measures market volatility by analyzing the range of price movement, often over a 14-day period. It reflects the degree of price movement but doesn’t differentiate between upward or downward volatility. Historic Volatility looks at past price movements to calculate how much the price has deviated from its average. It’s a statistical measure that gives traders a sense of how volatile the market has been in the past.
While these traditional tools are invaluable, they offer a generalized view of volatility. For traders seeking a more nuanced and actionable understanding, it's essential to distinguish between upside and downside volatility—how much and how fast the market moves up or down.
This article introduces a pragmatic, trader-focused approach to measuring volatility in the E-mini S&P 500 Futures. By analyzing daily, weekly, and monthly volatility from both the upside and downside perspectives, we aim to provide insights that can better prepare traders for the real-world dynamics of the market.
2. Methodology: Volatility Calculation from a Trader’s Perspective
In this analysis, we take a more nuanced approach by separating volatility into two distinct categories: upside volatility and downside volatility. The idea is to focus on how much the market tends to move up versus how much it moves down, providing a clearer picture of potential risks and rewards.
Volatility Calculation Method:
o Daily Volatility:
Daily upside volatility is calculated as the percentage change from the prior day's close to the next day’s high, assuming the next day’s high is higher than the prior day’s close.
Daily downside volatility is the percentage change from the prior day's close to the next day’s low, assuming the next day’s low is lower than the prior day’s close.
o Weekly Volatility:
Weekly upside volatility is determined by comparing the previous Friday’s close to the highest point during the following week, assuming the market went higher than the prior Friday’s close.
Weekly downside volatility is calculated by comparing the previous Friday’s close to the lowest point during the following week, assuming the market went lower than the prior Friday’s close.
o Monthly Volatility:
Monthly upside volatility is measured by taking the percentage change from the prior month’s close to the next month’s high, assuming prices moved higher than the prior monthly close.
Monthly downside volatility is calculated by comparing the prior month’s close to the lowest point of the following month, assuming prices moved lower than the prior monthly close.
3. Volatility Analysis
The E-mini S&P 500 Futures exhibit distinct patterns when analyzed from the perspective of upside and downside volatility. By measuring the daily/weekly/monthly fluctuations using the trader-focused approach discussed earlier, we gain valuable insights into how the market behaves on a day-to-day basis.
Key Insights:
Trend Observation: The data reveals that during periods of market distress, such as financial crises or sudden economic downturns, downside volatility tends to spike significantly. This indicates a greater propensity for the market to fall rapidly compared to its upward movements.
Implication for Traders: Understanding these patterns allows traders to anticipate the potential risks and adjust their strategies accordingly. For instance, in highly volatile environments, traders might consider tightening their stop losses or hedging their positions to protect against sudden downturns.
4. Comparative Analysis: Rolling Volatility Differences
To gain deeper insights into the behavior of the E-mini S&P 500 Futures, it’s useful to compare the rolling differences between upside and downside volatility over time.
Rolling Volatility Differences Explained:
Rolling Analysis: A rolling analysis calculates the difference between upside and downside volatility over a set period, such as 252 days for daily data (approximately one trading year), 52 weeks for weekly data, or 12 months for monthly data. This method smooths out short-term fluctuations, allowing us to see more persistent trends in how the market behaves.
Volatility Difference: The volatility difference is simply the upside volatility minus the downside volatility. A positive value suggests that upside movements were more significant during the period, while a negative value indicates stronger downside movements.
Key Insights:
Trend Observation: The rolling difference analysis reveals that downside volatility generally dominates, particularly during periods of economic uncertainty or financial crises. This confirms the common belief that markets tend to fall faster than they rise.
Implication for Traders: Traders could use rolling volatility differences to anticipate changes in market conditions. A widening gap in favor of downside volatility may signal increasing risk and the potential for further declines. Conversely, a narrowing or positive rolling difference could suggest improving market sentiment and potential opportunities for long positions.
5. Volatility Trends Over Time
Understanding the frequency and conditions under which upside or downside volatility dominates can provide traders with valuable insights into market behavior. By analyzing the percentage of days, weeks, and months where upside volatility exceeds downside volatility, we can better grasp the nature of market trends over time.
Volatility Trends Explained:
Percentage of Days with Greater Upside Volatility: This metric shows the percentage of trading days within a given year where the upside volatility was higher than the downside volatility. It highlights the frequency with which the market experienced more significant upward movements compared to downward ones on a daily basis.
Percentage of Weeks with Greater Upside Volatility: Similarly, this metric calculates the percentage of weeks in a year where the upside volatility was greater than the downside. It provides a broader perspective on market trends, capturing sustained movements within weekly timeframes.
Percentage of Months with Greater Upside Volatility: This metric reflects the percentage of months in a year where upside volatility exceeded downside volatility. It is particularly useful for identifying longer-term trends and understanding the market’s behavior over extended periods.
Key Insights:
Trend Observation: Historically, again, we can see the data shows that downside volatility tends to dominate, especially during periods of market stress. However, there are years where upside volatility has been more frequent.
Implication for Traders: Traders can use these insights to adjust their strategies based on the prevailing market conditions. In years where downside volatility is more frequent, defensive strategies or hedging might be more appropriate. Conversely, in years where upside volatility dominates, traders might consider more aggressive or trend-following strategies.
6. Key Takeaways for Traders
The analysis of the E-mini S&P 500 Futures’ volatility, broken down by daily, weekly, and monthly intervals, provides crucial insights for traders. Understanding the distinct patterns of upside and downside volatility is essential for making informed trading decisions, particularly in a market that often behaves asymmetrically.
Practical Conclusions for Traders:
Risk Management: Given the dominance of downside volatility, traders should prioritize risk management strategies. This includes using stop-loss orders, protective options, and other hedging techniques to mitigate potential losses during volatile periods.
Strategic Positioning: Traders might consider adjusting their position sizes or employing defensive strategies during periods of heightened downside volatility. Conversely, when upside volatility shows signs of strengthening, more aggressive positioning or trend-following strategies could be beneficial.
Timing Entries and Exits: Understanding the patterns of volatility can help traders better time their entries and exits. For instance, entering the market during periods of lower downside volatility or after a significant downside spike can offer better risk-reward opportunities.
Adaptability: The key to successful trading in volatile markets is adaptability. Traders should remain flexible and adjust their strategies based on the prevailing market conditions, as indicated by the volatility analysis.
By incorporating these insights into their trading approach, traders can better navigate the E-mini S&P 500 Futures market, enhancing their ability to capitalize on opportunities while managing risks effectively.
When charting futures, the data provided could be delayed. Traders working with the ticker symbols discussed in this idea may prefer to use CME Group real-time data plan on TradingView: www.tradingview.com This consideration is particularly important for shorter-term traders, whereas it may be less critical for those focused on longer-term trading strategies.
General Disclaimer:
The trade ideas presented herein are solely for illustrative purposes forming a part of a case study intended to demonstrate key principles in risk management within the context of the specific market scenarios discussed. These ideas are not to be interpreted as investment recommendations or financial advice. They do not endorse or promote any specific trading strategies, financial products, or services. The information provided is based on data believed to be reliable; however, its accuracy or completeness cannot be guaranteed. Trading in financial markets involves risks, including the potential loss of principal. Each individual should conduct their own research and consult with professional financial advisors before making any investment decisions. The author or publisher of this content bears no responsibility for any actions taken based on the information provided or for any resultant financial or other losses.
Identifying Key Support and Resistance Levels: Beginner’s GuideWelcome to the market’s game of zig-zag. On the one side, we’ve got the bulls pulling prices up (doing the zigging), and on the other, the bears dragging them down (doing the zagging). Somewhere in there lies a delicate balance—where prices pause, reverse, or break through. These are support and resistance levels, and if you want to play in the big league and run shoulders with big sho(r)ts, you need to know how to spot them. Let’s dive in.
Support and Resistance: The Basics
Imagine the market as a ping-pong ball bouncing between two invisible walls. These invisible walls are called support and resistance . The floor is support—where buyers step in to catch the fall. The ceiling? That’s resistance, where sellers say, “Not so fast,” and push the price back down. Your job? Figure out where these walls are and use them to your advantage.
Support is the price level where a downtrend could pause due to strong enough demand, or buying momentum. Think of it as a safety net—a level where the price stops its freefall, cushioned by determined buyers.
Resistance is the opposite. It’s the price level where an uptrend might stall because sellers step in, seeing the price as overbought. It’s the market’s ceiling, and breaking through it can be tough.
How to Spot Support and Resistance
Here’s the good news: spotting these levels is easier than you think. Start by zooming out on your chart and identifying where price reversals have occurred. Where has the market consistently bounced up from? That’s your support. Where has it been smacked down? That’s your resistance.
That’s also when everyone becomes a chartist and technical analyst—draw horizontal lines at these levels. And boom, you’ve just identified key support and resistance zones. But there’s more to it than just connecting the dots.
Horizontal Levels: The Classics
The classic way to identify support and resistance is to look for horizontal levels. These are price levels where the market has historically reversed multiple times. If the price has bounced off $50 three times, you’ve got yourself a solid support level. Likewise, if $75 has been a brick wall for the price, it’s a clear resistance level.
Trendlines: The Dynamic Duo
Horizontal lines are great, but what if the market’s trending? That’s where trendlines come in. Draw a line connecting the higher lows in an uptrend or the lower highs in a downtrend. These lines can act as moving support or resistance levels. They’re not just lines—they’re the market’s roadmap. Want to get things even more heated up? Look for channels by identifying the higher lows in the uptrend coupled with the higher highs. Apply the same but in reverse for downtrending markets—lower highs and lower lows is what makes up a channel.
The Role of Volume
Here’s where it gets a little spicy. You have to add volume in the mix. When you see a support or resistance level holding up with high volume, it’s like getting a thumbs-up from the market. If the price breaks through a level with high volume, it’s more likely to keep moving in that direction. Low volume? Don’t get too excited—it could be a fake-out.
Psychological Levels: The Round Numbers Game
Ever noticed how prices tend to stall at round numbers? That’s no accident. Humans love round numbers and the market is no different. Levels like $100, $1,000, or even $100,000 (did someone say Bitcoin BTC/USD ?) often act as psychological support or resistance. It’s not science—it’s market psychology.
How to Trade Support and Resistance
Now that you know where the walls are, or inflection points, let’s talk strategy. Trading support and resistance isn’t about guessing where the market will go—it’s about stacking the odds in your favor.
Buying at Support (DYOR, tho) : When the price pulls back to a support level, it’s a prime buying opportunity. Just remember, you’re not the only one watching this level—fellow retail traders, professional money spinners and lots of algorithms are trained to chase trends. Use additional confirmation, like a bunch of indicators stacked together , before you pull the trigger.
Selling at Resistance (DYOR, tho) : If the price rallies to a known resistance level, it’s time to think about selling. Again, wait for some confirmation—a rejection, bearish pattern, or a volume spike—to avoid getting caught in a breakout.
Breakout Trades (DYOR, tho) : If a price breaks through support or resistance with conviction (read: strong volume), it often leads to significant moves. You can trade these breakouts, but be cautious of false breakouts. Nobody likes getting trapped.
Final Thoughts
Support and resistance levels are like the market’s heartbeat. They reveal where the big players are making their moves and where the action is likely to heat up. Whether you’re looking to jump in or bail out, these levels are your go-to guide. So, the next time you’re analyzing a chart, remember—those lines aren’t just random. They’re the market’s battle lines, and now, you’ve got the intel to trade them.
Let’s wrap this up with some inspiration from legendary trend follower Paul Tudor Jones:
“I believe the very best money is made at the market turns. Everyone says you get killed trying to pick tops and bottoms and you make all your money by playing the trend in the middle. Well for twelve years I have been missing the meat in the middle but I have made a lot of money at tops and bottoms.”
Do you trade with support and resistance levels? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section!
How To Pick Top Pharma Stocks like a ProAnalyzing the pharmaceutical industry, whose products play a key role in improving the quality of life of people around the world, is quite challenging sometimes also it requires deep knowledge and a careful approach, as I believe that investors should consider many factors, starting with evaluating the efficacy of the analyzed company's medications, including in relation to its competitors and the "gold standards," and ending with an analysis of its financial indicators
In this article you will learn how to pick Top Pharma stocks like a pro trader and which factors you should consider, so buckle up
1/ Recognizing the risks
At the very beginning, an investor you must recognize that the pharmaceutical industry is highly competitive, where a company's investment attractiveness depends not only on the rate of expansion of its portfolio of product candidates, revenue growth, margins, the amount of total debt and cash on the balance sheet but is also heavily influenced by the expiration of patents on medications and vaccines.
Moreover, in recent months, the healthcare sector has increasingly felt the impact of the upcoming 2024 US presidential elections, as some politicians are aiming to further tighten regulation of drug prices despite the existing Inflation Reduction Act.
2/ Leveraging data to your advantage
The second step use data wisely, you should check all kinda data including stock screener, transcripts of earnings calls, financial results for the last quarters, analyst expectations, options data... The goal is to filter companies in poor financial condition, as well as those that trade at a significant premium to the sector and/or competitors
I would also like to point out that in the current market environment, with Fed interest rates remaining at multi year highs, I do not recommend investing in companies with market caps below $500 million, as they typically have limited cash reserves and weaker institutional backing
Also, I'd recommend investors read 10-Ks and 10-Qs, especially the section related to debt and sources of financing of the company's operations, to reduce the likelihood of an "unexpected" drop in the share price. A striking example is Invitae Corporation aka NVTAQ which declared bankruptcy in mid February 2024!
Was there a prerequisite for this? The answer is yes since the company continued to generate negative cash flow and also had convertible senior notes maturing in 2028.
Convertible notes can involve significant financial risks if the company cannot effectively use the cash to grow the business and break even. In this case, management will not be able to pay off the bonds with cash reserves and will have to resort to significant dilution of investors. In my opinion, Pacific Biosciences of California, Inc. NASDAQ:PACB may face this problem because it has convertible senior notes maturing in 2028 and 2030.
Factors that concern me include the company's declining revenue and total cash and short-term investments in recent quarters, while its operating expenses remain extremely high at around $80 million per quarter.
Let's return to the second step in my approach to selecting the most promising assets in the healthcare sector.
When selecting companies with market caps between $4 billion and $40 billion, I use more parameters since most of them already have FDA approved drugs and/or vaccines.
As a result, it is also necessary to consider the rate of growth of operating income, net debt/EBITDA ratio, and how management copes with increased marketing and production costs.
Finally, let's move on to the last basket, which contains pharmaceutical companies with market capitalizations exceeding $40 billion. I think, this group is best suited for more conservative investors looking for assets offering attractive dividend yields and growing net income, supported by a rich portfolio of FDA approved and experimental drugs.
So, from Big Pharma, I like Pfizer Inc NYSE:PFE , AbbVie Inc NYSE:ABBV , Merck & Co NYSE:MRK and AstraZeneca PLC NASDAQ:AZN . I also want to include Novartis AG NYSE:NVS and Roche Holding AG OTC:RHHBY in this group
sometimes investors need to make exceptions, namely if one larger company buys out a smaller player and/or when a major partnership agreement is concluded, as was the case between Merck and Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited OTC:DSKYF in 2023.
Also, in the event of a major acquisition or merger, the company's debt may temporarily increase sharply. If its management has previously implemented effective R&D and financial policies, the "net debt/EBITDA ratio"
A remarkable example of a company falling into the "value trap" is Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited NYSE:TAK , which overpaid for Shire. This deal did not significantly strengthen or rejuvenate the Japanese company's portfolio of drugs.
As a result, it had to sell off billions of dollars in assets to pay off its debt partially. However, despite all the efforts of Takeda's management, its net debt/EBITDA ratio, although it fell below 5x, remains high, namely about 4.7x at the end of March 2024.
3/ Identifying promising therapeutic areas
In general, the more prevalent a disease is, the larger the total addressable market for a drug and, as a result, the higher the chances that it will become a commercially successful product.
Global spending on cancer medications will reach $377 billion by 2027, followed by immunology, and diabetes will come in third with an estimated spending of about $169 billion
What challenges arise when choosing pharmaceutical companies?
you should also keep in mind that the larger the market, the higher the competition between medicines, as companies strive to grab as big a piece of the pie as possible.
As a result, for drug sales to take off, they need to have significant competitive advantages over the "gold standard." These competitive advantages may include greater efficacy in treating a particular disease, less frequent administration, a more favorable safety profile, and a more convenient route of administration.
So, in recent years, competition in the global spinal muscular atrophy treatment market has intensified. Spinal muscular atrophy is a genetic condition. Currently, three drugs have been approved to combat the disorder, including Biogen Inc.'s (BIIB) Spinraza, Roche/PTC Therapeutics, Inc.'s (PTCT) Evrysdi, and Novartis AG's (NVS) gene therapy Zolgensma.
All three products have similar efficacy, but Evrysdi has a more favorable safety profile and is the more convenient route of administration, namely the oral route, which is reflected in its sales growth rate from year to year.
The second pitfall is the company's pipeline of experimental drugs.
I believe that financial market participants opening an investor presentation that presents a company's pipeline, especially if its market cap is below $5 billion, should also pay close attention to what stage of clinical trial activity its experimental drugs are in.
if a pharmaceutical company has most of its product candidates in the early stages of development, this represents a significant risk because, in this case, institutional and retail investors are often overly optimistic about the prospects for the drugs' mechanisms of action and/or clinical data obtained in a small group of patients. Simultaneously, as is often the case, the higher the optimism, the less favorable the risk/reward profile.
In most cases, the larger and more diverse the patient population, the weaker the efficacy of a drug relative to what was seen in Phase 1/2 clinical trials. This ultimately leads to a downward valuation of its likelihood of approval and casts doubt on its ability to take significant market share from approved medications.
This may subsequently reduce the company's investment attractiveness, making it more difficult to attract financing for its operating activities.
As a result, I recommend excluding any company that, instead of focusing its financial resources on the most promising product candidates, conducts multiple early-stage clinical trials to evaluate the efficacy of its experimental drugs.
In my experience, the most successful pharmaceutical companies focus their efforts on bringing up to three product candidates to market and then reinvesting the revenue from their commercialization into developing the rest of the pipeline.
The table below highlights the following parameters that I use to screen out the least promising companies.
A third factor that investors, especially those new to the investment world, should consider is that large pharmaceutical companies are leaders in certain therapeutic areas, with a rich portfolio of patents covering various mechanisms of action and delivery methods of drugs, making it more difficult and more prolonged for smaller players to find product candidates that could potentially have the competitive advantages.
So, Novo Nordisk A/S NYSE:NVO and Eli Lilly and Company NYSE:LLY have long been leaders in the global diabetes and weight loss drugs markets, and only very recently, they may be joined by Amgen Inc. NASDAQ:AMGN , Roche Holding, and several other companies
4/ Assessing a company's drug portfolio in comparison to competitors
Evaluating the effectiveness, safety profile, and mechanism of action of a medication, as well as comparing clinical data with its competitors, takes a lot of time and effort. I provided examples of drugs and the most promising mechanisms of action in the obesity treatment market. Their manufacturers are Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk, Roche Holding, Viking Therapeutics, Inc, Amgen, Pfizer, Altimmune, Inc, OPKO Health, Inc, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Zealand Pharma A/S
5/ When market exclusivity for a company's key medications ends
Every financial market participant who is considering investing in pharmaceutical companies should consider the expiration time of key patents of medicines.
Marketing exclusivity represents protection against the entry of a generic version and/or biosimilar of a branded drug into the market, thereby allowing the company to recoup the resources spent on its development and, in the event of its commercial success, also reinvest the money received to accelerate the development of the remaining product candidates.
Where can you find information about patent expiration dates?
All the necessary information is either in 20-Fs/10-Ks or on the FDA website, namely in the "Orange Book" section. let's take Eli Lilly as an example. Open the latest 10-K. Then, the CTRL + F combination opens the ability to find specific words in the document. I usually enter "Expiry Date" or "compound patent" to find the patent section.nvestors can also find information about patents on the FDA website.
As an example, I enter "Mounjaro" in the top line, and a list of patents opens that protect Eli Lilly's blockbuster from the introduction of its generic versions onto the market.hen, clicking on "Appl. No." will open information about the submission date of the patent and when it will expire.
6/ Evaluating the impact of insider share transactions
The next step in selecting the most interesting assets in the healthcare sector is to analyze Form-4s. The CEO, CFO, and other key members of the company's management buy or sell shares from time to time.I am only interested in analyzing purchases since, most often, sales by management are option exercises carried out to pay taxes.
When management starts making large outright purchases of a company's shares, it can signal that it believes in its long-term growth potential.if more than two top managers buy a large block of shares within two weeks of each other, it significantly increases the likelihood of the company's stock price rising in the next two months from the moment of their transactions
But as with everything, there are exceptions, such as in the case of OPKO Health, which is developing a long-acting oxyntomodulin analog for the treatment of obesity together with LeaderMed Group.Over the past 12 months, OPKO's management, especially CEO Phillip Frost, has purchased over 12 million shares.
However, despite this, its stock price has fallen by 27% over the same period. I believe that the key reasons for the divergence between these two facts are investors' lack of confidence in Phillip Frost's ability to make the company profitable again, as well as its low cash reserves. Therefore, companies like OPKO Health have already been eliminated at the second step of selection using Seeking Alpha's screener.
7/ CEO Performance in Business Development
The CEO plays a crucial role in the success of a pharmaceutical company since the pharmaceutical industry is highly dynamic, and the competition between Big Pharma is especially high, I advise readers to pay attention to the track record of the CEO, especially how he copes with force majeure situations, as well as how effective the R&D policy is carried out under his leadership.
8/ Identifying Entry and Exit Points for Long-Term Investments
The eighth step is in addition to the information that was obtained in the previous steps, as well as the analysis of financial risks and various financial metrics of the company, including its net debt, maturity dates of bonds, historical revenue growth rates, EBIT, gross margin, I build a DCF model with the ultimate goal of determining the price target.
it is necessary to conduct a technical analysis of them, as well as the main ETFs that include them. In my opinion, the key ETFs are the SPDR® S&P Biotech ETF AMEX:XBI , Fidelity Blue Chip Growth ETF AMEX:FBCG , iShares Biotechnology ETF NASDAQ:IBB , and VanEck Pharmaceutical ETF $PPH. The purpose of technical analysis is to determine the stop-loss level and entry points at which the risk/reward profile is most favorable. taking profit is not that easy cuz you must master your emotions and greed which damn hard
9/ Creating a Watchlist Based on Risk/Reward Ratio
The purpose of which is to create a watchlist of the companies I have selected based on the previous steps. I make several lists of companies based on their market caps and also rank them according to risk/reward profile, that is, in the first place is the stock that I think has minimal risks and at the same time can bring the greatest potential profit.
I also advise creating small notes on each company, which can include information about risks, support/resistance zones, dates of publication of clinical data, and any thoughts you have that will make your decision more conscious when opening a position
“What’s your secret sauce for choosing pharma stocks?”
YOU ONLY NEED 3 TIMEFRAME TO BE PROFITABLE !!!most of the time people on the internet bombard us with so many information when it comes to trading. like use this use that you have to use 5 or 6 timeframes, but in fact using this much could make you even more confused . so in this post I will share the easiest way for you you can to capitalize on timeframe analysis.
THE HIGHER TIMEFRAME - for bias which tells us in what way the price is going.
( up, down, range)
THE MIDDLE TIMEFRAME - to identify our zone for example if your trading system uses FVG you can locate your zone their. i personally use supply and demand so at this time i zone out my i will draw my supply or demand.
THE LOW TIMEFRAME - in this stage use it for entry confirmation.
this multi timeframe analysis can work on every time which means you can scalp , day trade or swing trade .
for example you can use
1 HOUR FOR BIAS
15 MIN ZONE IDENTIFICATION
5 CONFIRMATION
thanks for taking your time and read this post.
tell us your thought in the comment.
Enhancing Trading Proficiency: Top Educational ResourcesEnhancing Trading Proficiency: Top Educational Resources
Staying abreast of the ever-evolving market trends and honing trading techniques are critical aspects of becoming a successful trader. Luckily, a plethora of educational resources are readily available to aid traders in enhancing their skills and decision-making abilities. In this FXOpen article, we will discuss the best websites, books, online trading classes, and other information sources that can help traders succeed.
The Best Educational Resources for Traders
We recognise the importance of having a readily accessible knowledge base to find prompt answers to your trading queries. Below, we have curated a list of the most sought-after educational resources for traders, covering a diverse range of topics, from technical analysis to risk management.
1. Investopedia: A highly popular website that offers comprehensive learning materials suitable for traders at any experience level. Alongside trading, Investopedia delves into investing and personal finance, presenting a vast array of articles, tutorials, and videos.
2. TradingView: This social platform is a haven for traders, providing access to various trading tools, including charts of a wide range of financial instruments from different trading platforms, as well as technical analysis tools. Additionally, it hosts a vibrant community where traders can engage in discussions and share educational ideas.
3. ChartSchool: Specialising in technical analysis and charting, ChartSchool presents articles covering essential topics such as chart patterns, indicators, and other technical tools. If you harbour an interest in technical analysis, this resource furnishes all the necessary information to deepen your understanding of various instruments.
At FXOpen, we regularly update our blog with market analysis and educational articles for traders with any level of experience.
Top Trading Courses to Be Aware Of
Corporate Finance Institute: an online education platform that offers courses on finance, accounting, and investment banking. It provides in-depth knowledge and practical skills for traders. CFI’s courses cover topics like financial modelling, valuation, risk management, and portfolio management.
Babypips: a platform that provides one of the best stock trading courses for traders. Any online trading course from this platform for forex trading education will be of great help. Babypips offers a structured curriculum and interactive quizzes.
Coursera: an education platform that offers great trading courses. The courses taught by industry experts focus on financial markets, trading strategies, and risk management. Coursera trading courses are flexible, and there’s the possibility of self-study.
Udemy: an e-learning platform that allows instructors to create and publish online courses. With Udemy’s course development tools, instructors can upload various materials — videos, audio files, source code, and PDF files — to enhance their students’ learning experience.
Websites That Publish Economic News
In this section, we’ll explore the top websites that publish economic news and highlight their key features. Here is a list of them:
- Financial Times: a renowned news outlet. With a team of journalists, the Financial Times provides analysis and commentary on the latest economic events and trends. In addition to informative articles, the site offers market data.
- Fortune Magazine: a platform that publishes articles on business news and technology. The website features interviews with top executives and entrepreneurs and lists of top companies such as the Fortune 500. It’s a must-read for anyone looking to stay ahead in the world of business.
- Forbes Economy Market News: a well-known business and finance publication. The website has a special economic news section with articles about global financial markets. The site also provides tools like market data, stock quotes, and investment information.
- SEC Website: a website of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The SEC is dedicated to protecting investors, ensuring fair and efficient markets, and promoting capital formation. The SEC seeks to create a marketplace environment that is credible to the public.
- Yahoo Finance: a resource that helps traders effectively manage their investments and stay abreast of the latest market trends and news. The site provides current news, portfolio management tools, international market data, and social interaction — all designed to help readers manage their financial lives with ease.
Books by Famous Traders
In addition to articles and courses, we decided to gather a list of books that will be interesting to traders:
- The Market Wizards – Conversations with America’s Top Traders by Jack D. Schwager
- The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham
- Technical Analysis of the Financial Markets by John J. Murphy
- The Psychology of Trading by Brett N. Steenbarger
- How to Trade In Stocks by Jesse Livermore
If you are ready to try your hand at the real market, you can open an FXOpen account and check out our TickTrader trading platform. Our blog will also help you make rational decisions when trading.
This article represents the opinion of the Companies operating under the FXOpen brand only. It is not to be construed as an offer, solicitation, or recommendation with respect to products and services provided by the Companies operating under the FXOpen brand, nor is it to be considered financial advice.
The Truth About Trading And How to Find EntriesThe truth about trading. Stop listening to Gurus, brokers, analysts and anyone else. Leave it to the charts. Here is how.
AMP Futures - (NEW) Advanced analysis for your bar replayIn this idea we will demonstrate how to access the NEW feature Advanced analysis for your bar replay.
Chart Patterns Within Patterns: A Guide to Nested Setups Daily Chart Analysis:
Pattern Overview:
The daily chart shows an Ascending Channel formation, which generally indicates a bullish trend but can also signal a potential reversal if the upper trendline acts as strong resistance.
Within the ascending channel, there are continuation patterns such as smaller bull flags, which suggest bullish momentum continuation.
Key Resistance and Liquidity Zone (LQZ):
The upper trendline of the ascending channel aligns closely with the recent highs around the $2,530 - $2,540 region, creating a significant resistance area.
The 1-Hour Liquidity Zone (LQZ) at $2,486.793 is marked below the current price, indicating potential areas where price might retest before any significant upward or downward move.
Potential Reversal Signal:
The upper boundary of the ascending channel has recently been tested multiple times, and each time, there has been a slight pullback, indicating selling pressure. This could be a precursor to a possible reversal if this level is not broken with conviction.
4-Hour Chart Analysis:
Nesting Patterns:
The 4-hour chart also reveals several nested patterns within the broader ascending channel, including smaller bull flags and a potential double-top pattern forming at the resistance zone.
The price action is consolidating below the resistance line at $2,530.750, creating a possible Double Top scenario, which could indicate a bearish reversal if confirmed by a breakdown below the neckline support.
Impulse and Correction Phases:
The recent impulsive moves upwards have been followed by corrective pullbacks, which have been forming higher lows, reinforcing the bullish bias in the medium term.
However, the proximity to the resistance and the potential double-top formation might signal caution for long positions.
1-Hour and 15-Minute Chart Analysis:
Short-Term Structure:
The 1-hour chart shows a more detailed view of the recent consolidation phase near the key resistance level. There are signs of weakening momentum as prices approach the upper trendline.
The 15-minute chart further shows a tightening range and potential bear flag or a descending channel, which could indicate a short-term bearish continuation if the lower trendline of this smaller pattern breaks.
Critical Levels:
The support level around $2,486.793 (1HR LQZ) is critical for intraday trading. A break below this could lead to a sharper correction towards the lower boundary of the ascending channel on the daily chart.
For bullish continuation, a clear break above the $2,530 - $2,540 resistance with strong volume would be needed to confirm further upside potential.
Trading Strategy and Recommendations:
Bullish Scenario:
Look for a strong breakout above the $2,530 - $2,540 resistance on the daily chart, accompanied by increased volume and a break above the smaller continuation patterns (flags) on the lower timeframes.
Enter on a reduced risk entry after a pullback to the breakout level, with stops placed below the recent consolidation range or the 1-Hour LQZ.
Bearish Scenario:
Watch for a confirmed Double Top breakdown on the 4-hour chart, with a clear break below the neckline support around $2,486.793.
Consider short positions on the break of the neckline or after a retest of the breakdown level, with stops placed above the recent highs or the upper boundary of the descending channel on the 15-minute chart.
Risk Management:
Given the proximity to a key resistance level and the potential for a reversal, it is crucial to manage risk carefully. Use tight stops and consider reducing position size until a clear directional move is confirmed.
Understanding Volume Oscillator and Its RoleUnderstanding Volume Oscillator and Its Role in Technical Analysis
Navigating the complex terrain of trading requires a grasp of various technical analysis tools. One such tool is the Volume Oscillator, a potent indicator that offers insight into market trends and their strength. This article provides a comprehensive look at this tool, its interpretation, principles, and limitations.
What Is the Volume Oscillator?
The Volume Oscillator is a vital tool in technical analysis, utilising two moving averages of trading volume to generate signals about the strength and weaknesses of trends. Unlike price oscillators which focus primarily on the direction and momentum of price movements, this tool delves into the undercurrents of the market.
Volume, in the context of financial markets, is the number of asset units traded during a given period. As such, it is a measure of market activity.
So what does a Volume Oscillator do? This indicator goes a step further by comparing short-term and long-term buying and selling activity flow to help traders identify potential reversals, breakouts, and other market events. However, it's important to note that this tool doesn't signify bullish or bearish behaviour but rather indicates whether a move has supporting volume.
Calculating the Volume Oscillator Technical Indicator
The calculation of the Volume Oscillator is straightforward. It begins with selecting two lengths of moving averages, often referred to as the short and long periods. The default Volume Oscillator settings used are 5 and 20, but these can be adjusted as per your trading needs.
The indicator is then calculated using the formula: * 100.
This calculation produces a percentage that oscillates above and below zero. If you’d like to practise your Volume Oscillator skills, you can use FXOpen’s free TickTrader platform to get started within minutes.
Principles of Volume Analysis
The principles of volume analysis are integral to understanding and interpreting this indicator. These principles encompass two primary signals: signs of strength and signs of weakness in the prevailing trend.
A sign of strength is identified when the price of an asset moves concurrently with a rise in buying or selling activity. This suggests that the prevailing price movement – whether upwards or downwards – has solid support from traders, leading to a stronger confirmation. Hence, when the fast volume moving average is above the slow volume moving average, the indicator is above the zero line, indicating a stronger market direction.
Conversely, a sign of weakness is indicated when the price movement is not supported by strong activity. This means that the price is increasing or decreasing while trading activity is declining. In such a case, the Volume Oscillator is below the zero line, implying a potential lack of conviction in the current price direction, thereby signalling a potential reversal or slowdown.
Volume Oscillator Interpretation
This tool’s interpretation is primarily based on its trend direction in relation to the zero line. When trending upward and above the zero line, it indicates growing conviction in the current price movement, whatever its direction. Conversely, a downward trend above the zero line suggests diminishing confidence in the ongoing price action.
Below the zero line, an upward trend in the oscillator points to a potential shift in momentum, indicating that the conviction in the current price direction might be returning, while a downward trend implies that the uncertainty in the market's direction is intensifying.
It can also provide divergence signals, which occur when its direction deviates from the price movement direction. For instance, if prices reach new highs while the indicator fails to achieve new highs, it may suggest a weakening upward price trend, potentially heralding a downturn. Conversely, if prices hit new lows and the tool does not follow suit, it could be a sign of an impending upward reversal.
Limitations
Despite its usefulness, this indicator is not infallible and has certain limitations. Primarily, it may produce false signals in periods of low trading activity or in thinly traded assets where the market participation data can be sporadic. Moreover, while it is excellent at confirming price movements, it may be less effective at predicting reversals, particularly in highly volatile markets.
The Bottom Line
By gauging the intensity behind trends, the Volume Oscillator adds a depth dimension to market analysis. While it has its limitations, its ability to identify the strength of price movements and potential reversals makes it a beneficial part of any trader's toolkit.
If you would like to put your Volume Oscillator knowledge into action, you can open an FXOpen account. Once you do, you will access lightning-fast execution speed and competitive trading costs. Happy trading!
This article represents the opinion of the Companies operating under the FXOpen brand only. It is not to be construed as an offer, solicitation, or recommendation with respect to products and services provided by the Companies operating under the FXOpen brand, nor is it to be considered financial advice.
Identifying Market Correction EndpointsCorrection or trend? How deep is the correction if it exists? When can we expect a reversal? These are common questions among traders who utilize trend strategies. The foundation of trend trading systems rests on the understanding that a trend can become 'exhausted.' Prices cannot rise indefinitely nor plummet to zero. Unlike stocks, currency pairs operate within ranges established by central banks, leading to frequent reversals and corrections.
Corrections differ from trends in both depth and duration. If the price retraces more than one-third of the previous trend's length after a reversal, it is often considered the beginning of a new trend rather than a mere correction, which is the basis for counter-trend strategies. However, local corrections can occur, enabling the trend to continue. Entering the market at the end of a correction allows traders to secure positions at optimal prices, which is the essence of swing trading.
📍 METHODS FOR DETERMINING THE END OF A CORRECTION
1. BY PATTERNS. This straightforward and logical approach relies on market psychology. As a trend ascends, more buyers enter the market. When news prompts some to sell, a correction occurs, causing temporary price declines. However, buyers often see this as a chance to purchase at lower prices. A key indicator of the end of this correction is a candle with a small body and a long downward wick, suggesting that selling pressure has subsided and buyers are stepping back in.
2. BY CANDLE BODY SIZE. The size of candle bodies reflects price movement. When candle bodies decrease in size during a correction, it indicates waning interest in the asset. In an upward trend that turns bearish, if the correction shows small candle bodies, it likely signals a recovery of the trend. Conversely, during a downtrend, large downward candlesticks signify strong selling, while small bodies during corrections suggest minimal price movement.
3. CHANGE IN TRADING VOLUMES. Similar to the analysis of candle bodies, observing changes in trading volumes can signal the end of a correction. A decline in volume may indicate that the correction is over. However, a limitation of this method in Forex trading is the absence of aggregated volume data, necessitating reliance on indicators that may show tick volumes or specific broker volumes.
4. FIBONACCI LEVELS. Based on mathematical concepts, Fibonacci levels help identify potential retracement points. The end of a correction is most likely to occur at the first or second Fibonacci level after a reversal. If the price retraces to the 50% level, it often indicates the potential continuation of the initial trend.
5. TECHNICAL INDICATORS. Technical indicators, particularly oscillators like the Stochastic and Relative Strength Index (RSI), can be valuable tools for identifying the end of a correction. When these oscillators reach overbought or oversold territories and subsequently reverse their direction, it often signals that the correction has concluded, indicating a potential resumption of the original trend.
6. FUNDAMENTAL FACTORS. Local reversals frequently occur in response to news events. For instance, a cryptocurrency might be on the rise, but negative news—such as a significant fund dumping its holdings or regulatory actions by the SEC—can lead to a temporary price pullback. However, if positive news later arises, it can trigger renewed buying interest, signaling the end of the correction and a potential return to upward momentum.
📍 CONCLUSION
In trading, there are no infallible tools for pinpointing trends, corrections, or their respective beginnings and endings. A correction can seamlessly shift into a new trend, while a reversal following a correction may lead to a false breakout. Given these uncertainties, it is prudent to combine multiple analytical tools into a cohesive signal system. By doing so, we can enhance our decision-making process and improve ability to interpret market movements. Additionally, it is essential to test this system against historical price data to ensure its effectiveness and reliability in various market conditions. This comprehensive approach allows us to better navigate the complexities of the market and make more informed trading decisions.
Traders, If you liked this educational post🎓, give it a boost 🚀 and drop a comment 📣
XAU/USD Strategy: Pattern Recognition and Trade ExecutionComprehensive Market Breakdown for XAU/USD (Gold Spot) Based on Multi-Time Frame Analysis
Overview:
The analysis of XAU/USD across multiple time frames (15-minute, 30-minute, 1-hour, and 4-hour) indicates a complex market structure with both bullish and bearish signals. This detailed breakdown will provide insights into the current market conditions, key patterns to watch, potential trading strategies, and risk management considerations.
1. 15-Minute Time Frame: Symmetrical Triangle Pattern
Pattern Details:
Symmetrical Triangle: This pattern is characterized by converging trend lines connecting lower highs and higher lows, indicating indecision in the market.
Apex Proximity: The price is nearing the apex of the triangle, suggesting a potential breakout is imminent.
Implications:
Neutral Bias: The symmetrical triangle does not inherently suggest a bullish or bearish bias but indicates a potential breakout in either direction depending on market sentiment.
Volume Confirmation: A breakout with a significant surge in volume will confirm the direction of the move.
Trading Strategy:
Bullish Breakout: If the price breaks above the upper trendline with strong volume, consider entering long positions targeting previous resistance levels.
Bearish Breakout: Conversely, if the price breaks below the lower trendline with increased volume, consider short positions targeting previous support levels.
Stop-Loss Placement: Place stops just outside the opposite side of the breakout point to mitigate risks from false breakouts.
2. 30-Minute Time Frame: Mixed Channels (Descending and Ascending)
Patterns Observed:
Descending Channels: Suggest bearish continuation if in a downtrend or a potential reversal if broken to the upside.
Ascending Channels: Suggest bullish continuation if in an uptrend but signal a potential reversal if broken to the downside.
Market Implications:
Corrective Phase: The presence of both descending and ascending channels indicates the market is in a corrective phase, oscillating between support and resistance levels.
Range-Bound Trading: Until a significant breakout occurs, the market is likely to remain range-bound.
Trading Strategy:
Range Trading: Consider buying at the lower boundaries of the channels and selling at the upper boundaries.
Breakout Preparation: Prepare for a potential breakout by setting alerts around key levels (upper and lower boundaries of the channels).
Stop-Loss Placement: Place stops just outside the channels to protect against unexpected breakouts.
3. 1-Hour Time Frame: Rising Wedge Pattern
Pattern Details:
Rising Wedge: This pattern is characterized by higher highs and higher lows within a narrowing upward slope, typically a bearish reversal pattern.
Implications:
Bearish Reversal: The rising wedge suggests that upward momentum is weakening, and a potential breakdown could follow.
Reversal Zone: The price is near the upper boundary of the wedge, which may serve as a reversal zone, especially if a breakout to the downside occurs on high volume.
Trading Strategy:
Short Entry on Breakdown: Enter short positions if the price breaks below the lower trendline of the wedge with confirming volume.
Target Levels: Target the lower boundary of the larger ascending channel or previous support levels as take-profit points.
Stop-Loss Placement: Set stops above the most recent high within the wedge to protect against false breakouts.
4. 4-Hour Time Frame: Broader Rising Channel and Nested Patterns
Patterns Observed:
Broad Rising Channel: Indicates a larger uptrend is intact, providing a bullish bias.
Nested Descending Channels: Smaller corrective patterns within the broader uptrend suggest temporary pauses or consolidation phases before potential continuation moves.
Key Levels to Watch:
Resistance at 2,540: A break above this level would suggest a bullish continuation and potential for new highs.
Support at 2,470: A break below this level would indicate a significant shift in market sentiment towards bearishness.
Market Implications:
Potential Continuation or Reversal: The larger rising channel gives more weight to potential continuation moves, but the presence of smaller corrective patterns within suggests caution.
Echo Phase: The nested descending channel could represent an echo phase, a corrective move within the larger uptrend.
Trading Strategy:
Long Positions on Break Above 2,540: Enter long positions if the price breaks above this resistance level with confirming volume.
Short Positions on Break Below 2,470: Consider short positions if the price breaks below this support level with increased volume.
Volume Confirmation: Ensure any breakout is confirmed with a surge in volume to avoid false signals.
Risk Management: Use wider stops given the higher time frame context to avoid being stopped out by market noise.
5. Synthesis of Multi-Time Frame Analysis:
Confluence of Patterns: The alignment of rising wedges, symmetrical triangles, and mixed channels across multiple time frames suggests a market at a critical juncture. The presence of both bullish and bearish signals indicates that the market is poised for a decisive move.
Key Takeaways for Traders:
Patience and Discipline: Wait for confirmed breakouts with volume before entering trades. Do not rush into trades without sufficient confirmation.
Adaptability: Be prepared to adapt strategies based on the direction of the breakout or breakdown. Use alerts and monitor key levels closely.
Focus on Higher Time Frame Signals: Higher time frame signals carry more weight and should be given priority when making trading decisions.
Risk Management: Employ tight stops and carefully manage position sizes to limit exposure in case of adverse market movements.
6. Final Recommendations:
Potential Bullish Scenario:
Watch for a break above 2,540 on strong volume across multiple time frames. A confirmed breakout could lead to a bullish continuation towards new highs.
Potential Bearish Scenario:
Monitor for a breakdown below 2,470, especially if supported by a break of the rising wedge and descending channel patterns. A breakdown here would signal a shift to a bearish trend.
By combining these insights with real-time monitoring of market conditions, traders can enhance their decision-making process and capitalize on high-probability trade setups in the XAU/USD market.
Advanced Camarilla Concepts (1)Exploring Advanced Camarilla Concepts: The Strategic Role of Pivot Width
In the realm of technical analysis, understanding the nuances of pivot points, particularly within the Camarilla framework, can significantly enhance a trader's ability to forecast and capitalize on market movements. A key aspect often overlooked is the analysis of pivot width, especially the width between the third layers, S3 and R3, which offers crucial insights into impending market dynamics.
Pivot Width Analysis: Decoding Market Behavior
Pivot width, the distance between significant Camarilla support (S3) and resistance (R3) levels, is a powerful indicator of potential market behavior. The interpretation of pivot width can be categorized into two distinct scenarios:
Abnormally Wide Pivot Widths: When the distance between S3 and R3 is unusually large, it often indicates that the market might enter a period of trading range activity. In such scenarios, the market is less likely to exhibit strong directional momentum, and instead, traders might experience extended periods of consolidation. This setup requires strategies that capitalize on range-bound trading techniques, where buying at support and selling at resistance can be particularly effective.
Abnormally Narrow Pivot Widths: Conversely, a tighter than usual gap between these pivot points typically signals the potential for breakout and trending activities. Narrow pivot widths suggest that the market is coiling, much like a spring, ready to release significant energy that could lead to strong directional moves. Traders should prepare for breakout strategies during these conditions, anticipating substantial moves away from the pivot line once a breakout occurs.
Strategic Application in Trading
Understanding and applying pivot width analysis within the Camarilla framework allows traders to adapt their strategies based on anticipated market conditions. By aligning trading approaches with pivot width signals, traders can enhance their tactical execution and improve the probability of success in varying market environments.
For Wide Pivots: Implement range-bound strategies, focusing on capturing the oscillations between the defined support and resistance levels.
For Narrow Pivots: Prepare for potential breakouts by setting entry points near the anticipated breakout levels, with appropriate stop-loss orders to manage risk effectively.
Conclusion: Enhancing Trading Acumen with Pivot Width Analysis
The study of pivot width in the context of Camarilla pivots offers a sophisticated tool for traders aiming to refine their market analysis and execution strategies. By paying close attention to these details, traders can better prepare for the market's next moves, whether they point to a continuation of the range or the start of a new trend.
Stay tuned for further insights into the application of Camarilla pivots in trading, as we continue to explore deeper layers of this powerful analytical tool. This exploration not only enriches your trading toolkit but also enhances your ability to navigate through complex market landscapes.
Winning Forex Trading (5 Step Guide)5-Step Guide to Winning Forex Trading
Here are the secrets to winning forex trading that will enable you to master the complexities of the forex market. The forex market is the largest market in the world in terms of the dollar value of average daily trading, dwarfing the stock and bond markets. It offers traders a number of inherent advantages, including the highest leverage available in any investment arena and the fact that there is market action every trading day. Rarely, if ever, is there a trading day in the forex markets when “nothing happens.”
Forex trading is the last great investing frontier – one market where a small investor with just a little bit of trading capital can realistically hope to trade their way to a fortune. It is also the most widely-traded market by large institutional investors, with billions of dollars in currency exchanges happening all around the world every day that there’s a bank open somewhere.
Trading FX is easy. Trading it well and producing consistent profits is difficult.
To help you join the select few who regularly profit from trading the forex market, here are some secrets to winning forex trading – five tips to help make your trading more profitable and your career as a trader more successful.
Winning Forex Trading Step #1 – Pay Attention to Daily Pivot Points
Paying attention to daily pivot points is especially important if you’re a day trader, but it’s also important even if you’re more of a position trader, swing trader, or only trade long-term time frames. Why? Because of the simple fact that thousands of other traders watch pivot levels.
Pivot trading is sometimes like a self-fulfilling prophecy. What we mean by that is that markets will often find support or resistance, or make market turns, at pivot levels simply because a lot of traders will place orders at those levels because they’re confirmed pivot traders. Often times when significant trading moves occur off pivot levels, there is really no fundamental reason for the move other than a lot of traders have placed trades expecting such a move.
Not saying that pivot trading should be the sole basis of your trading strategy. Regardless of your personal trading strategy, you should keep an eye on daily pivot points for indications of either trend continuations or potential market reversals. Look at pivot points and the trading activity that occurs around them as a confirming technical indicator that you can utilize in conjunction with whatever your chosen trading strategy is.
Winning Forex Trading Step #2 – Trade with an Edge
The most successful traders are those who only risk their money when an opportunity in the market presents them with an edge, something that increases the probability of the trade they initiate being successful. Quality trading is better the quantity trading with FX trading.
Your edge can be any of a number of things, even something as simple as buying at a price level that has previously shown itself as a level that provides significant support for the market (or selling at a price level that you’ve identified as strong resistance).
You can increase your edge – and your probability of success – by having a number of technical factors in your favor. For example, if the 10-period, 50-period, and 100-period moving average all converge at the same price level, that should provide substantial support or resistance for a market, because you’ll have the actions of traders who are basing their trading off any one of those moving averages all acting together.
A similar edge provided by converging technical indicators arises when various indicators on multiple time frames come together to provide support or resistance. An example may be the price approaching the 50-period moving average on the 15-minute time frame at the same price level where it’s approaching the 10-period moving average on the hourly or 4-hour chart.
Another example of having multiple indicators in your favor is having the price hit an identified support or resistance level and then having price action at that level indicate a potential market reversal by a candlestick formation such as a pin bar or doji.
Winning Forex Trading Step #3 – Preserve Your Capital
In forex trading, avoiding large losses is more important than making large profits. That may not sound quite right to you if you’re a novice in the market, but it is nonetheless true. Winning forex trading involves knowing how to preserve your capital. In FX trading you have four options: lose small, lose big, win small or win big- never lose BIG!!!
“The most important rule of trading is to play great defense.” (Tudor Jones is an excellent trader to study and learn from. Not only does he have a nearly unparalleled record of profitable trading, but was instrumental in creating the ethics training program that was adopted as a requirement for membership on all U.S. futures exchanges.)
Why is playing great defense – i.e., preserving your trading capital – so critically important in forex trading? The fact is that the reason most individuals who try their hand at forex trading never succeed is simply that they run out of money and can’t continue trading. They blow out their account before they ever have a chance to enter what turns out to be a hugely profitable trade. Always, start with Demo account and then trade real money with small trades.
It’s only a slight exaggeration to say that having and faithfully practicing strict risk management rules almost guarantees that you will eventually be a profitable trader. If you just manage to preserve your trading capital by avoiding suffering crippling losses, so that you can continue trading, eventually a huge winner – a “home run” trade – will pretty much just fall into your lap and exponentially increase your profits and the size of your account. Even if you are far from being “the world’s greatest trader,” the luck of the draw, if nothing else, will have you eventually stumble into a trade that produces more than enough profit to make your year – or possibly even your whole trading career – a massively profitable success.
Winning Forex Trading Step #4 – Simplify your Technical Analysis
Here are pictures of two very different forex traders for you to consider:
Trader #1 has a large, swanky office, a top-of-the-line, specially-made trading computer, multiple monitors and market news feeds, and plenty of charts, all of which are loaded with at least eight or nine technical indicators – five or six moving averages, two or three momentum indicators, Fibonacci lines, etc.
Trader #2 works in a relatively spare and simple office space, uses just a regular laptop or notebook computer, and an examination of his charts reveals just one or two – perhaps three at most – technical indicators overlaid on the market’s price action.
If you guessed that Trader #1 is the super-successful, professional forex trader, you probably guessed wrong. In fact, the portrait drawn of Trader #2 is closer to what a consistently winning forex trader’s operation more commonly looks like.
There is virtually an endless number of possible lines of technical analysis that a trader can apply to a chart. But more is not necessarily – or even probably – better. Considering a virtually limitless number of indicators typically only serves to muddy the waters for a trader, amplifying confusion, doubt, and indecision, and causing a trader to miss seeing the forest for the trees.
A relatively simple trading strategy, one that has just a few trading rules and requires consideration of a minimum of indicators, tends to work more effectively in producing successful trades. In fact, we know one very successful forex trader, a gentleman who takes money out of the market almost every single trading day, who has exactly ZERO technical indicators overlaid on his charts – no trend lines, no moving averages, no relative strength indicator, and certainly no expert advisors (EAs) or trading robots. K.I.S.S. strategy can/does work in FX trading. Naked charts and just price action (PA) can work if done correctly.
Simple market analysis requires nothing more than an ordinary candlestick chart. His trading strategy is to trade high-probability candlestick patterns – such as pin bars (also known as the hammer or shooting star patterns) – that form at or near support and resistance price levels that are identified simply by looking at the market’s previous price movement.
But in order to enjoy that trade, you have to have sufficient investment capital in your account to profit from such a trading opportunity whenever it happens to come along.
Paul Tudor Jones is not the only market wizard to counsel traders to utilize an approach to trading that basically consists of, “Just avoid losing all your money until a trading opportunity comes around that is somewhat akin to having a million dollars dumped on the ground in front of you, and all you have to do is pick it up.” No, trading opportunities like that don’t happen every day – but they do happen regularly, and more often than you might imagine.
To reiterate (because it can’t be emphasized too much): The most important practice for successful trading is minimizing your losses – by avoiding overtrading or taking on too much risk in any single trade – and thereby preserving your investment capital. You should risk the same amount of your account on all FX trades, just adjust your risk accordingly with your stops.
Winning Forex Trading Step #5 – Place Stop-loss Orders at Reasonable Price Levels
This axiom may seem like just an element of preserving your trading capital in the event of a losing trade. It is indeed that, but it is also an essential element in winning forex trading.
Many novice traders make the mistake of believing that risk management means nothing more than putting stop-loss orders very close to their trade entry point. It’s true that part of good money management means that you shouldn’t put on trades with stop-loss levels so far away from your entry point that they give the trade an unfavorable risk/reward ratio (i.e., risking more in the event the trade loses than you reasonably stand to make if the trade proves to be a winner). However, one factor that frequently contributes to lack of trading success is habitually running stop orders too close to your entry point, as evidenced by having the trade stopped out for a loss, only to then see the market turn back in favor of the trade and having to endure watching price advance to a level that would have returned you a sizeable profit…if only you hadn’t been stopped out for a loss. Let your stops have breathing room for pa, so you do not get stopped out of most of your trades. Keep risks the same, but adjust lot sizes with trades.
Yes, it’s important to only enter trades that allow you to place a stop-loss order close enough to the entry point to avoid suffering a catastrophic loss. But it’s also important to place stop orders at a price level that’s reasonable, based on your market analysis.
An often-cited general rule of thumb on proper placement of stop-loss orders is that your stop should be placed a bit beyond a price that the market should not trade at if your analysis of the market is correct.
Forex Trading Conclusion
The forex market has its own unique characteristics. In order to trade it profitably, a trader must learn these characteristics through time, practice, and study.
Traders will do well to keep in mind these tips for winning forex trading revealed in this guide:
Pay attention to pivot levels
Trade with an edge
Preserve your trading capital
Simplify your market analysis
Place stops at genuinely reasonable levels
Of course, that isn’t all the trading wisdom there is to attain regarding the forex market, but it’s a very solid start. If you keep these basic principles of winning forex trading in mind, you will enjoy a definite trading advantage. Wish you the greatest success.
My take on how to scalp using Delta Volume and Bollinger BandsIn this video I describe a super easy entry model that works and will help you enter high probability scalps.
Deep dive into Acceleration / Deceleration Indicator Hello, Skyrexians!
Last time we discussed how you can use the Awesome Oscillator to create profitable crypto trading strategies and which type of signals it generates. Today we will deep dive into Acceleration/Deceleration (AC) the next Bill Williams indicator, which can also enhance your cryptocurrency trading strategy. This indicator also can be valuable not only for manual trades, but also for developing your crypto trading algorithm, crypto algo trading platform, crypto trading bot, ai trading bot or grid bot.
The main thing is to understand what is the AC indicator and which signals it generate, which signals we shall use in crypto trading like top crypto traders. Let's go!
What is Acceleration / Deceleration?
The Acceleration/Deceleration Oscillator (AC) is a technical analysis indicator developed by Bill Williams, a notable trader and author known for his work in market psychology and trading systems. This indicator helps traders identify changes in market momentum and potential trend reversals.
How the Acceleration/Deceleration (AC) Indicator Works? The AC indicator is based on the idea that the momentum of the market (speed of price movement) often changes before the price itself changes. By identifying these shifts in momentum early, traders can anticipate potential trend changes.
The AC is derived from the Awesome Oscillator (AO), another indicator created by Bill Williams, which is the difference between a 34-period and a 5-period simple moving average of the median price (the average of high and low prices).
The AC is calculated by subtracting a 5-period simple moving average of the AO from the AO itself. Mathematically, it can be represented as:
AC = AO − SMA5(AO)
Where AO is Awesome Oscillator (calculated as the difference between the 34-period SMA and the 5-period SMA of the median price). SMA5(AO) is 5-period simple moving average of the AO. Now let's consider which types of signals AC can generate.
A simple long-term T/F Stochastic Trick You Will Only Learn Here
Cast your minds back to the end of 2015 guys. I know you probably have no recall on the Gold-price.
So let me tell you how the Gold price was behaving at the end of 2015.
For several years prior (approximately) 2012-2015 the Gold Price was trending down to a support level around December 2015.
Now, take a look at the 3 MONTH-Chart for XAU USD. What do you see when looking at the 2nd bottom of chart indicator the Stochastics. Scan from left to right from 2007 to 2024. How many times does it get over-sold under the crucial 20 level. Do you get my drift?
Just prior to December 2015 the Stochastic on the 3M chart crossed-down below the 20 level. But it would've been pressing-down-hard at the floor so you would not be buying yet.
But now, look what happens to price around December 2015 when the 3-MONTH-STOCHASTIC INDICATOR crosses up the Green-20 line. You are correct, price starts to rally-hard.
Forget the so-called gurus selling the b.s. indicators guys. Stochastics and especially on the Higher-Time-Frame is the "KING" of all indicators. It's only let-down is that it does tend to give you a road-map of when to exit your trade. That road-map can be achieved tracking the MACD, which incidentally, the MACD got you into a trade here in Gold not long after the Stochastic crossed-up the 20, there was a Bullish cross-up of the MACD lines. The lower under the zero line this MACD cross occurs. Following the MACD and RSI can actually create a road-map like you are driving a car and trying to avoid an interest, I might explain this another time.
But again, nobody will teach you this trading secret on the Highertimeframes, you will only learn it from the 100% free subscription service delivered by me here at easy_explosive_trades. Just imagine buying 1 lot in XAU USD and capitalising on that 138% move. I have not done the maths.
These are the big trades I look for on the highertimeframes. I started investing and trading during the GFC in 2008 but in 2015 I did not know about this very insider high-time-frame trick using the number 1 indicator, the King-Stochastics, it get you into trades on HTF with needle point accuracy.
Nobody showed me this trick. I work these things out myself. I wanted to share it with you. As I am proud to have you part of my channel.
Cheers,
Chris
easy_explosive_trader
* Trading is risky. Don't rely solely on my investment advice.
Monday's trades: We are bidding up the Silver price & Palladium. Both of these and especially Palladium are bullish on the HTF.
Hey..... forget these gurus with their 72 day moving averages & 171 day moving averages. You make money sticking to the basics in trading.
Finally, I encourage you to, if you take my trades, to always risk no more than 0.25% to 0.50%. I endeavour always to give you fantastic RR not this 1:1 crap that the expensive subscriptions in Gold and Currency's charge. I make enough money trading, I don't need to make money out of you.
Trading Supply and Demand Zones as they are being createdHere I explain how I trade demand and supply zones as they are being formed.
Camarilla Pivots: A Guide to Mastering Reversals and BreakoutsIntroduction to Camarilla Pivot Points
Before delving into the personal challenges I've encountered with Camarilla Pivots, and the often stark contrast between theoretical strategies and real-world trading outcomes, it's crucial to lay a foundational understanding of the Camarilla Pivot Points. This will set the stage for discussing the adjustments and solutions I implemented to navigate these challenges effectively.
Understanding the Core Layers of Camarilla Pivots: S3 and R3
Camarilla Pivots are structured around multiple layers of support (S) and resistance (R), with the third layer (S3 and R3) playing a pivotal role. Unlike the first two layers, which often see less action, S3 and R3 are key zones where momentum frequently stalls. These levels are battlegrounds for "Responsive Traders" who aim to reverse the price direction based on perceived fair values.
Trading at R3: Recognized as a prime selling opportunity, traders should aim for S3 as a profit target with a stop loss set just above at R4.
Trading at S3: This level is seen as a buying zone, with objectives set towards R3 and a stop loss placed below at S4.
Advanced Layers: S4 and R4 (Reversal/Breakout Points)
Reversal Scenario: S4 and R4 act as the last line of defense for pivot support or resistance. If the price fails to reverse at S3 or R3, it may continue to these outer layers, which then serve as optimal entry points for reversals due to their potentially lower risk and high strategic value.
Breakout Scenario: In instances where the price fails to reverse at R4 and instead pushes above, R4 transforms from a resistance to a support level. This shift marks a critical entry point for traders anticipating further upward momentum, positioning R4 as a new buying zone.
The Role of S5 and R5 (Profit-Taking Layers)
Although not traditionally part of the Camarilla framework, S5 and R5 are frequently used by traders to exit positions, particularly after successful breakouts from S4 or R4. These levels act as final targets for taking profits, capturing gains from momentum-driven market moves.
Practical Trading Tips:
It's often wise to avoid trading within the narrow bands between S3 and S4 or R3 and R4, as these zones typically represent accumulation or distribution phases. Decisions in these areas are fraught with uncertainty, as the market has yet to indicate a clear dominance by either buyers or sellers.
Conclusion and Upcoming Insights
As we progress, I will explore deeper into the nuances of applying Camarilla Pivots in trading, focusing on how to adapt and thrive amidst the unpredictability of the markets. Stay tuned for more insights that will help refine your trading strategies and enhance market performance using Camarilla Pivots.
How Spotting Liquidity Can Help Your Trading StrategyUnderstanding where liquidity exists in the market can help enhance your trading success in a few ways:
1. It can help you understand where potential blocks of liquidation could occur. The market is often attracted to these block and will liquidate there.
2. It can help you confirm patterns that exist on you charts
3. It can help you spot new patterns which you may not have spotted previously.
Let's take a quick look at the "Liquidity Swings" indicator by LuxAlgo in this video.
Gap Between Understanding and Expect;Why forex traders failThis topic explores how uninformed expectations often lead to failure in Forex trading.
The internet is littered with people explaining how they lost money in Forex trading or how Forex is a scam. In your circle of friends and family, should you make the mistake of mentioning Forex trading, you are likely to get salty looks. To many, Forex trading equals failure and heartbreak.
To further emphasize the magnitude of failure in this industry, Forex brokers issue disclaimers on their websites indicating failure rates ranging from 75-90%. To put it into perspective, out of 1000 individuals who venture into Forex trading, up to 900 inevitably will fail and lose their entire capital outlay. A sad statistic indeed. I must admit, in my 10-year trading career, I have formed part of that painful statistic.
Why do we fail? I wonder? Presently, I seem to gravitate towards the belief that fundamentally, our failure is primarily driven by divergence between understanding and expectations. I posit further when we place a premium on expectations over understanding, we should prepare for rather painful results. From experience, many enter the Forex trading space driven by expectations, not understanding.
By definition, understanding is awareness. Expectation is defined as the belief that something will happen. Let me illustrate how the divergence between understanding and expectation causes failure.
Recall your childhood years watching your favorite superhero, say, superman. Watching the indestructible Superman flying around fighting bad guys was quite a motivator. Children are impressionable, therefore, it wasn't hard to find young boys mimicking Superman's behavior to the degree we thought we could fly. It was common to find boys leaping off tables and high surfaces believing and expecting they could fly. At this point, gravity, or the understanding of the effects of gravity was a foreign concept. Later on, of course, gravity was introduced to us painfully, sometimes with an accompanying injury and or beating from our mothers. I believe this reminder illustrates the outcomes when understanding and expectations are not aligned.
Back to Forex trading. If we are honest, we lose not because we seek understanding and mastery, we lose because we seek to fulfill our expectations. The promise of a lavish lifestyle, and the allure of making X % per month without struggling appeals to many. Ultimately, this leads to disastrous decisions that end in heartbreak.
How do you bridge the gap between understanding and expectations?
1. Education and continuous learning
I am in my fourth profitable year in Forex trading. What is different, my desire to consistently improve my knowledge is constant. I am always learning new things that improve my skills and edge. I am not the same trader I was six months ago.
2. Set realistic goals.
Early in my trading career, I would set goals out of desire and ignorance. Consequently, I would trade aggressively and force the markets to meet my expectations. The outcome was always disastrous. Presently, I target a 20% return annually based on experience. This target is achievable and less risky, allowing me to outlast seasons.
In conclusion, mastery is only achieved through understanding. I leave you with a verse from the Bible to reinforce the above statement, Proverbs 4: 5-9
How Market Dynamics Can Improve Your Trades█ Understanding Optimal Trading Strategies: How Market Dynamics Can Improve Your Trades
As traders, whether seasoned professionals or newcomers to the market, we're constantly looking for ways to improve our trading strategies and reduce costs. One area that often goes overlooked is the dynamic nature of supply and demand in the market and how it can impact your trades. In this article, we'll break down the key insights from a study on optimal trading strategies and show you how this knowledge can be applied to enhance your trading performance.
█ The Basics: What You Need to Know About Supply and Demand Dynamics
When you place a trade, you're interacting with the market's supply and demand. Traditionally, many traders think of supply and demand in static terms—like the bid-ask spread or how deep the market is at any given moment. However, the reality is that supply and demand are dynamic—they change over time, especially after a trade is executed. One of the most important concepts from the study is market resilience. This refers to how quickly the market returns to its normal state after a trade has been placed. In simple terms, resilience is how fast new buy or sell orders come in after you've placed your trade. Understanding this can be a game-changer for your trading strategy.
█ The Strategy: Combining Large and Small Trades for Optimal Results
The study suggests an optimal trading strategy that might seem counterintuitive at first. Instead of splitting your trades evenly over time, it recommends a mix of large and small trades. Here’s how it works:
Start with a Large Trade: Begin with a significant trade that moves the market slightly. This "shakes up" the market and attracts new orders from other traders who see the opportunity.
Follow with Smaller Trades: After the initial large trade, continue with smaller, more frequent trades. These smaller trades allow you to absorb the new orders that come in without pushing the market too far in either direction.
Finish with Another Large Trade: As you approach the end of your trading window, place another large trade to complete your order. At this point, you're less concerned about future market conditions since your goal is to finalize the transaction.
█ Why This Strategy Works
This approach leverages the dynamic nature of the market. By starting with a large trade, you create a temporary imbalance that encourages other traders to place orders, which you can then capitalize on with your smaller trades. The key is understanding that markets don’t just respond to one trade—they continuously adjust. By strategically timing your trades, you can reduce the overall cost of execution.
█ How Retail Traders Can Apply This Knowledge
Even if you're trading smaller volumes, you can still benefit from understanding market dynamics. Here’s how you can apply these principles to your own trading:
Observe Market Depth and Liquidity: Before placing a trade, take a look at the market depth (how many buy and sell orders are available at different price levels) and consider the market's resilience. If the market is less liquid, be cautious about placing large trades all at once.
Adjust Your Trade Sizes: Instead of placing a single large order, consider breaking it up. Start with a larger trade to test the market, then follow up with smaller trades to take advantage of the new orders that might come in.
Be Mindful of Timing: Spread out your trades over time, especially in less liquid markets. This can help you avoid moving the market too much and keep your trading costs lower.
█ For Retail Traders Without Access to the Order Book: How to Spot Big Players
Not all retail traders have access to the order book or sophisticated market data. However, you can still benefit from the principles of dynamic supply and demand by analyzing price charts directly. Here's how you can do it:
⚪ Look for Imbalances in the Price Chart: When a large player enters the market, their trades can create noticeable imbalances in the price action. For example, if you see a sharp move in price followed by a series of smaller movements in the same direction, it could indicate that a big player has started trading and is following up with smaller trades, just as the strategy suggests.
⚪ Fair Value Gaps (FVG): Fair Value Gaps are areas on a price chart where there is little to no trading activity, often due to a large, quick movement in price. These gaps can serve as clues that a large order has just been executed, leading to a temporary imbalance. When the market later returns to these gaps, it can be an opportunity to place trades in the direction of the original move, anticipating that the large player might continue to influence the market.
█ The Big Takeaway: Trading Isn’t Just About Prices—It’s About Timing
Understanding that supply and demand in the market are constantly changing can give you a significant edge. By timing your trades strategically and mixing large and small orders, you can reduce the impact of your trades on the market, ultimately saving on costs and improving your returns. Whether you're a retail trader managing a small portfolio or a professional handling large orders, these principles can be applied to improve your trading strategy. And even if you don’t have access to the order book, studying price imbalances, Fair Value Gaps, and other price action cues can help you detect the underlying intentions of big players, allowing you to trade more effectively in their wake.
The next time you plan a trade, remember: it's not just about what you trade, but how and when you trade that can make all the difference.
█ Reference
Obizhaeva, A. A., & Wang, J. (2013). Optimal trading strategy and supply/demand dynamics. Journal of Financial Markets, 16, 1–32.
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Disclaimer
This is an educational study for entertainment purposes only.
The information in my Scripts/Indicators/Ideas/Algos/Systems does not constitute financial advice or a solicitation to buy or sell securities. I will not accept liability for any loss or damage, including without limitation any loss of profit, which may arise directly or indirectly from the use of or reliance on such information.
All investments involve risk, and the past performance of a security, industry, sector, market, financial product, trading strategy, backtest, or individual's trading does not guarantee future results or returns. Investors are fully responsible for any investment decisions they make. Such decisions should be based solely on evaluating their financial circumstances, investment objectives, risk tolerance, and liquidity needs.
My Scripts/Indicators/Ideas/Algos/Systems are only for educational purposes!
