Understanding Fibonacci ExtensionsUnderstanding Fibonacci Extensions
Have you ever noticed that market movements often occur in repeatable patterns? Well, that’s where Fibonacci extensions come into play. Join us in this article as we dive into the world of Fibonacci extensions and discover how they can be a strong addition to your trading arsenal.
A Primer on Fibonacci Ratios
Fibonacci ratios originate from the Fibonacci sequence, where each number is the sum of the two preceding ones (e.g., 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34). The key ratio, known as the Golden Ratio, is approximately 1.618. This is calculated by dividing a number in the sequence by its immediate predecessor (e.g., 34 ÷ 21 ≈ 1.619). Conversely, dividing a number by the next number yields approximately 0.618 (e.g., 21 ÷ 34 ≈ 0.618).
In trading, these ratios are used to identify potential support and resistance levels through Fibonacci retracements and extensions:
- Fibonacci Retracements. These indicate where the price might pull back within an existing trend. Common retracement levels are 23.6%, 38.2%, 50%, 61.8%, and 78.6%. They are derived from the ratios between numbers in the sequence and are applied to measure potential correction points.
- Fibonacci Extensions. These project potential price targets beyond the current range. Key extension levels include 100%, 161.8%, 200%, 261.8%, and 423.6%. They are calculated by extending the Fibonacci ratios past the 100% level to anticipate where the price might move following a retracement.
Note that these ratios can be expressed as either integers or percentages, e.g. 0.618 or 61.8%.
What Are Fibonacci Extensions?
Fibonacci extensions (also known as Fibonacci expansions or Fib extensions) are a technical analysis tool that allows traders to determine potential levels of support and resistance for an asset’s price. Like regular support and resistance levels, they are considered as areas of interest rather than where the price will turn with pinpoint precision. They’re most frequently used to set profit targets, although they can also be used to find entries.
Fibonacci extensions can be applied to any market, including forex, commodities, stocks, cryptocurrencies*, and more, and work across all timeframes. While not foolproof, using the Fibonacci extension tool combined with other forms of technical analysis might be an effective way to spot potential reversal points in financial markets.
Fibonacci Retracements vs. Extensions
Both Fibonacci retracements and extensions are based on the Fibonacci sequence and the Golden Ratio, but they are used to measure different things in the market. The former shows support and resistance levels during a pullback from a larger move. The latter measures the potential levels of support and resistance for an asset's price after a pullback has occurred.
As shown in the chart above, the Fibonacci retracement tool can be applied to identify where the price may pull back to – 50% in this scenario. Then, the Fibonacci extension tool is used to plot where the price could end up beyond this pullback. The 100% and 161.8% levels posed significant resistance, causing the price to reverse.
It’s easy to see how both tools can be used in conjunction to build a strategy. Generally speaking, traders tend to enter on a pullback to one of the key retracement levels, and then take potential profits at the extension levels. However, either tool can be used to find areas suitable for entries and exits.
Fib Extensions: How to Use Them in a Trading Strategy
If you’re wondering how to use Fib extensions in your own trading, here are the steps you need to follow.
- Click to set the first point at a major swing low if expecting bullishness or swing high if expecting bearishness.
- Place the second point at a swing in the opposite direction.
- Put the third point at the low of the pullback if a bullish move is expected or the high if a bearish move is expected.
That’s it! You now have an idea of where price may reverse as the trend progresses, allowing you to set profit targets or plan entries. You can also double-click the tool to adjust it to your preferences, like removing certain levels and changing colours.
Bullish Example
In this example, we have a swing low (1) followed by a swing high (2) that makes a retracement (3). These three points are all we need to plot a Fibonacci extension. Notice that the 138.2% level didn’t hold, showing that price isn’t always guaranteed to reverse in these areas. However, the wicks and sustained moves lower at the 100% and 161.8% areas gave traders confirmation that a reversal might be inbound.
Bearish Example
Here, we can see that each of the three areas prompted a pullback. Some traders might not consider the 138.2% area valid to trade. However, the most common way to get around this is to look for confirmation with a break of the trend, as denoted by the dotted line between extensions. Once the price gets beyond that swing high (intermittently breaking the downtrend), traders have confirmation that what they’re looking at is likely the start of a reversal.
Some traders believe that if the price closes beyond a level, it’ll continue progressing to the next area. While this can sometimes be the case, it can just as easily reverse. Here, the price briefly closed below the 161.8% level before continuing much higher.
How Can You Confirm Fib Extensions?
While Fibonacci extensions suggest potential areas where price movements may reverse or stall, traders often seek additional confirmation to enhance their confidence in these levels. Here are some methods traders typically use to validate Fib extension levels.
- Confluence with Other Fibonacci Levels. Traders can look for alignment between Fibonacci extensions and retracements from different timeframes or price swings. This overlap may indicate a more significant level where the price could react.
- Support and Resistance Zones. If a Fibonacci extension level coincides with established support or resistance areas on the chart, it can reinforce the likelihood of a market response at that point.
- Candlestick Patterns. Observing specific candlestick formations, such as doji, hammer, or engulfing patterns at Fibonacci extensions, can provide insights into potential reversals or continuations.
- Technical Indicators. Incorporating indicators like moving averages, RSI, or MACD can help confirm the validity of a Fibonacci extension level. For example, if the RSI indicates overbought conditions at a key extension level, traders might anticipate a pullback.
- Trendlines and Chart Patterns. Aligning Fibonacci extensions with trendlines or chart patterns like the Head and Shoulders can offer additional confirmation. Traders often find that extension levels intersecting with these tools carry more significance.
- Volume Analysis. An increase in trading volume near a Fibonacci extension level may suggest stronger market interest, potentially validating the importance of that level.
- Multiple Timeframe Analysis. Traders might analyse Fibonacci extensions across various timeframes to identify consistent levels of interest. A level that appears significant on both charts could be considered more reliable.
- Market Sentiment and News Events. While primarily technical, acknowledging fundamental factors such as economic news or market sentiment can help traders assess whether a Fibonacci extension level might hold or be surpassed.
Limitations of Fibonacci Extensions
Fibonacci extensions are valuable for projecting potential price targets, but they come with limitations that traders should consider. Understanding these can lead to more informed use within a trading strategy.
- Lack of Confidence in Price Movements. While based on mathematical ratios, Fibonacci extensions don't account for unexpected market events like economic news or geopolitical developments that can significantly impact prices.
- Subjectivity in Point Selection. The effectiveness of extension levels hinges on correctly identifying swing highs and lows. Different traders may choose varying reference points, leading to inconsistent levels and interpretations.
- Ineffectiveness in Certain Market Conditions. In sideways or highly volatile markets, prices may not respect Fib extensions, reducing their reliability as indicators of support or resistance.
- Conflicting Signals Across Timeframes. Extension levels vary between different timeframes, potentially causing confusion and conflicting signals in analysis and decision-making.
- Overreliance on Technicals. Focusing solely on Fib extensions might cause traders to overlook other critical technical indicators or fundamental factors influencing the market.
- Unnatural Price Movements. Widespread use of Fibonacci levels can lead to price reactions simply because many traders expect them, creating artificial support or resistance that may not hold.
- Psychological Biases. Traders might experience confirmation bias, seeing what they expect at Fib levels, which can lead to misguided trading decisions.
Making the Most of Fibonacci Extensions
By now, you may have a decent understanding of what Fib extensions are and how to use them. But how do you make the most out of Fibonacci extensions? Here are two points you may consider to improve your trading strategy.
- Look for confirmation. Instead of blindly setting orders at extension levels, you can look for price action confirmation that the price is starting to reverse at the area before taking potential profits or entering a position. You could do this by looking for breaks in the trend, as discussed in the example above.
- Find confluence. Similarly, you can use other technical analysis tools like trendlines, indicators like moving averages, or even multiple Fibonacci extensions, to give you a better idea of how price will likely react at a level.
Your Next Steps
Now, it’s time to put your understanding to the test. Spend some time practising how to use Fibonacci extensions and try backtesting a few setups to see how you could get involved in a trade. Once you feel you have a solid strategy, open an FXOpen account to start using your skills in the live market. In the meantime, why not try exploring other Fibonacci-related concepts, like Fibonacci retracements and harmonic patterns? Good luck!
FAQ
How Can You Use Fibonacci Extensions?
Fibonacci extensions help traders identify potential future support and resistance levels beyond the current price range. To use them, traders select three points: the start of a trend, its end, and the retracement point. They then apply the Fibonacci extension tool to project where the price may move following a retracement.
How Should You Draw Fibonacci Extensions?
The process starts with choosing the trend-based Fib extension tool in your charting software. Then, the next step is to select the swing low/high (start of the trend), then the swing high/low (end of the trend), and finally the retracement low/high. The tool will display extension levels indicating possible future price targets.
What Is the Difference Between Fibonacci Retracements and Extensions?
Fibonacci retracements identify potential support and resistance levels during a price pullback within an existing trend. Extensions, on the other hand, project levels beyond the current price range, indicating where the price might move after the retracement. Retracements focus on corrections; extensions focus on trend continuations.
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Community ideas
Are You a Technical or Fundamental Trader? (And Why It Matters)Financial markets are a battleground of opposing forces: buyers vs. sellers, bulls vs. bears, diamond hands vs. paper hands. But one of the oldest rivalries in trading doesn’t involve price movements at all — it’s the ongoing feud between technical and fundamental traders.
One side believes the charts hold all the secrets (you, maybe?), while the other insists that cold, hard data dictates market direction (you, maybe?). In this Idea, we break down the two and ask: which side are you on?
📈 The Chartists: The Lost Art of Tape Reading
Technical traders are the wizards of the candlestick, seeing patterns where others see chaos. To them, a moving average isn’t just a squiggly line — it’s guidance. Fibonacci levels ? More sacred than grandma’s secret pie recipe. They don’t care if a company just launched the greatest product of the century — if the RSI says it’s overbought, they’re out.
Technical analysis thrives on one simple principle: price action reflects all available information and hints at the next possible move. Instead of diving into earnings reports or economic data — the fundamental traders’ bread and butter — technical traders study past price movements, volume, and momentum indicators to predict the next leg up or down. They’re the ones glued to their TradingView charts, eyes darting between support and resistance levels, waiting for the perfect breakout.
💸 The Fundamentalists: Betting on Real-World Events
Fundamental traders scoff at the idea that lines on a chart can predict the future. Instead, they dig into earnings reports , economic calendars , and all sorts of reports and data. They believe markets, like everything else in life, move based on value, supply and demand, and macroeconomic forces—not just on price action.
To them, a stock isn’t just a ticker symbol; it’s a business with revenues, expenses, and growth prospects. If they’re trading forex , they’re looking at interest rates USINTR and inflation reports USCPI , not head-and-shoulders patterns. The goal? To determine an asset’s intrinsic value and bet on it going up or down, ideally running ahead of the pack.
If a company’s earnings are strong, like Spotify’s SPOT latest earnings figures , they buy—regardless of what a stochastic oscillator says. And vice versa, if a company’s earnings are weak, like Google parent Alphabet’s GOOGL latest showing , they sell.
👉👈 Who’s Right?
Both, depending on who you ask. Technical traders argue that prices move in patterns, and those patterns repeat. Fundamental traders counter that real-world events drive prices, and charts are just a delayed reflection of reality.
The truth may actually be somewhere in the middle — markets are a mix of both. Even the most die-hard fundamentalist will glance at a chart before making a trade, and many technical traders keep an eye on economic calendars to avoid being blindsided by major news.
💡 Why It Matters
Your trading style affects everything: the markets you trade, the tools you use, and even your level of stress. If you’re a fundamentals-first trader trying to scalp five-minute charts, you’re in a world of pain. Conversely, if you’re a technical trader attempting to hold trades for years without considering financial data, you might miss obvious warning signs.
Understanding your own tendencies can help refine your strategy and improve your results. Are you more comfortable crunching numbers and reading financial statements? You might be in the same boat with other cash-flow guys like Warren Buffett and Ray Dalio. Do you prefer spotting patterns and reacting to price action? Say hello to your billionaire buddies Paul Tudor Jones and Stanley Druckenmiller.
💚 Final Thoughts
Bottom line, trading isn’t about proving one method superior — it’s about making the right decisions, and, let’s be frank, turning a profit. Whether you’re a chart junkie or an earnings aficionado, what matters most is having a strategy that works for you.
So now the big question… which side are you on? Fundamental analysis or technical analysis? Comment below and let’s see who’s who!
Leap Ahead with a Regression Breakout on Crude OilThe Leap Trading Competition: Your Chance to Shine
TradingView’s “The Leap” Trading Competition presents a unique opportunity for traders to put their futures trading skills to the test. This competition allows participants to trade select CME Group futures contracts, including Crude Oil (CL) and Micro Crude Oil (MCL), giving traders access to one of the most actively traded commodities in the world.
Register and compete in "The Leap" here: TradingView Competition Registration .
This article breaks down a structured trade idea using linear regression breakouts, Fibonacci retracements, and UnFilled Orders (UFOs) to identify a long setup in Crude Oil Futures. Hopefully, this structured approach aligns with the competition’s requirements and gives traders a strong trade plan to consider. Best of luck to all participants.
Spotting the Opportunity: A Regression Breakout in CL Futures
Trend reversals often present strong trading opportunities. One way to detect these shifts is by analyzing linear regression channels—a statistical tool that identifies the general price trend over a set period.
In this case, a 4-hour CL chart shows that price has violated the upper boundary of a downward-sloping regression channel, suggesting the potential start of an uptrend. When such a breakout aligns with key Fibonacci retracement levels and existing UnFilled Orders (UFOs), traders may gain a potential extra edge in executing a structured trade plan.
The Trade Setup: Combining Fibonacci and a Regression Channel
This trade plan incorporates multiple factors to define an entry, stop loss, and target:
o Entry Zone:
An entry or pullback to the 50%-61.8% Fibonacci retracement area, between 74.60 and 73.14, provides a reasonable long entry.
o Stop Loss:
Placed below 73.14 to ensure a minimum 3:1 reward-to-risk ratio.
o Profit-Taking Strategy:
First target at 76.05 (38.2% Fibonacci level)
Second target at 77.86 (23.6% Fibonacci level)
Final target at 78.71, aligning with a key UFO resistance level
This approach locks in profits along the way while allowing traders to capitalize on an extended move toward the final resistance zone.
Contract Specifications and Margin Considerations
Understanding contract specifications and margin requirements is essential when trading futures. Below are the key details for CL and MCL:
o Crude Oil Futures (CL) Contract Details
Full contract specs: CL Contract Specifications – CME Group
Tick size: 0.01 per barrel ($10 per tick)
Margin requirements vary based on market conditions and broker requirements. Currently set around $5,800.
o Micro WTI Crude Oil Futures (MCL) Contract Details
Full contract specs: MCL Contract Specifications – CME Group
Tick size: 0.01 per barrel ($1 per tick)
Lower margin requirements for more flexible risk control. Currently set around $580.
Choosing between CL and MCL depends on risk tolerance and account size. MCL provides more flexibility for smaller accounts, while CL offers higher liquidity and contract value.
Execution and Market Conditions
To maximize trade efficiency, conservative traders could wait for a proper price action into the entry zone and confirm the setup using momentum indicators and/or volume trends.
Key Considerations Before Entering
Ensure price reaches the 50%-61.8% Fibonacci retracement zone before executing the trade
Look for confirmation signals such as increased volume, candlestick formations, or additional support zones
Be patient—forcing a trade without confirmation increases risk exposure
Final Thoughts
This Crude Oil Futures trade setup integrates multiple confluences—a regression breakout, Fibonacci retracements, and UFO resistance—to create a structured trade plan with defined risk management.
For traders participating in The Leap Trading Competition, this approach emphasizes disciplined execution, dynamic risk management, and a structured scaling-out strategy, all essential components for long-term success.
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.
BTCUSDT soon below 100K$ and heavy fall will leadThis post is also educational and now as we can see the pump and breakout was fake and the fall started:https://www.tradingview.com/chart/BTCUSDT/sbV6gZGS-Bitcoin-major-sign-of-Stop-loss-hunting-and-dump-seen/
so the question is this that why we are looking for below 100K$ or 90K$?
1. first reason: stop loss hunting which is mentioned as i said before makes a good volume and liquidation for them to enter the position and make a good profit and if you take look at chart we have two Fakeouts at same time and with one high volume candle it is all done, yes the first one is those sellers which enter with resistance of red trendline and the other sellers also joined with resistance of ATH and both of them which used high volume now are out because they had the Felling that if Bitcoin break ATH it will pump and they put stop loss close and both get loss and gets out of trade + we have two major buyers which get in the trade to open long and first are those who enter after breakout of trendline and add more volume after ATH broke and others are those who open long after ATH breakout and were looking for more rise and gain so soon their stop loss will also hit or already done and that is another good volume for them.
2. second reason: usually like previous time which we can see fake breakout we have good move to the upside or downside and i think the dump just started and it will continue more at least to 90K$.
Always do your own research and also remember more reasons and ... will cause this fall and here i mentioned two of them you can add more in comments and mention why we are looking for more fall?
DISCLAIMER: ((trade based on your own decision))
<<press like👍 if you enjoy💚
8-Minute Guide to Trading Support & Resistance Feeling like you're guessing instead of trading? I've got you covered with this 8-minute crash course on finding support and resistance on TradingView. We'll look at where prices love to bounce back or break through, how to use that for your trades, and a quick trick to spot a real breakout.
Kris/Mindbloome Exchange
Trade What You See
Is Dogecoin at risk of being replaced by Musk-themed coins?Hello and greetings to all the crypto enthusiasts, ✌
Reading this educational material will require approximately 10 minutes of your time . For your convenience, I have summarized the key points in 10 concise lines at the end . I trust this information will prove to be insightful and valuable in enhancing your understanding of Dogecoin and its role in the global financial landscape.
Dogecoin has gained significant prominence in Elon Musk's business ecosystem, thanks to its widespread use in Musk-associated ventures and Musk's personal advocacy. His vocal support has propelled Dogecoin into the mainstream, cementing his position as one of the most influential figures in the cryptocurrency space. While Musk has previously commented on Bitcoin, it was his involvement with Dogecoin that truly bridged the gap between the business world and cryptocurrency, making Dogecoin the first cryptocurrency to connect him to the broader crypto universe.
Given Musk's continued backing, it is unlikely that Dogecoin will face a sharp decline in the near future. Instead, it is poised to benefit from Musk’s influence and growing presence in the crypto space. However, the dynamic nature of the cryptocurrency market means new competitors could emerge, potentially impacting Dogecoin's market share. For example, projects like Floki have quickly risen by leveraging high-profile personalities and branding, which could inspire other cryptocurrencies to challenge Dogecoin’s dominance.
Musk’s upcoming ventures, such as XMoney—a blockchain-powered payment platform for his companies like Tesla and SpaceX—could increase demand for Dogecoin. This platform will provide a decentralized payment infrastructure across Musk’s businesses, potentially further solidifying Dogecoin's place in his ecosystem. While the full impact of these developments is still unclear, Musk's leadership in integrating cryptocurrency into established industries is likely to continue.
Another notable factor is Musk's connection with former President Donald Trump, whose recent engagement with the cryptocurrency market has added further attention to the sector. This intersection between high-profile figures has sparked fresh interest in digital assets, creating upward momentum for Dogecoin and other related assets. This growing attention could drive Dogecoin’s price higher as the market responds to this renewed liquidity.
On the technical side , indicators for Dogecoin are increasingly positive. Analysts suggest it may soon break out of its current price channel, signaling the potential for a significant price surge. If Dogecoin can surpass key resistance levels, a bullish phase could emerge, leading to notable price increases in the short-to-medium term. This potential breakout is supported by Musk's ongoing influence in both the tech and crypto spaces, which tends to have a substantial impact on market sentiment.
The broader cryptocurrency landscape is also contributing to Dogecoin's promising future. Trends such as blockchain technology development, institutional adoption of cryptocurrencies, and growing recognition of crypto as a legitimate asset class suggest that Dogecoin will remain a significant player in the market. As the cryptocurrency market evolves alongside technological and regulatory changes, Dogecoin’s relevance appears likely to endure.
Furthermore , the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) in the crypto space could shape Dogecoin's future. As AI technologies continue to advance, they will influence cryptocurrency trading, market dynamics, and risk management systems. Musk’s involvement in both AI and crypto may provide opportunities to leverage AI-driven tools to enhance Dogecoin's appeal and utility, making it more accessible and efficient for users, which could boost mainstream adoption.
Lastly , the regulatory environment around cryptocurrencies will play a crucial role in determining the future of assets like Dogecoin. While regulations remain uncertain in many areas, the increasing push for clearer frameworks could provide stability to the market. As governments and financial institutions set up structures for cryptocurrency adoption, established cryptocurrencies like Dogecoin could gain more legitimacy, integrating into traditional financial systems and further elevating their market position.
🧨 Our team's main opinion is: 🧨
Dogecoin has become a significant asset in Elon Musk's business ecosystem, driven by his strong support and advocacy. Musk's involvement has helped propel Dogecoin into the mainstream, bridging the gap between the business world and crypto.
While new competitors may emerge, Musk’s continued backing ensures Dogecoin’s relevance.
The launch of XMoney, a blockchain payment system for Musk’s companies, could further boost Dogecoin's use. Musk’s connection to Trump has also sparked renewed interest in digital assets, providing upward momentum for Dogecoin. Technical indicators suggest a potential price surge as Dogecoin nears a breakout.
The broader crypto market trends, blockchain development, and growing institutional adoption signal a positive future for Dogecoin. AI advancements may further enhance Dogecoin's appeal, increasing its accessibility.
Clearer cryptocurrency regulations could increase stability and legitimacy for Dogecoin. As Musk remains a key figure, Dogecoin is likely to maintain its strong position in the crypto ecosystem.
Give me some energy !!
✨We invest countless hours researching opportunities and crafting valuable ideas. Your support means the world to us! If you have any questions, feel free to drop them in the comment box.
Cheers, Mad Whale. 🐋
Earnings Season Playbook: What Traders Should Know to Stay Ahead🏈 It’s Earnings Season — Game On
Earnings season is the market’s quarterly equivalent of the Super Bowl (with just as much action) or the Oscars (minus the red carpet but with just as much drama). Every three months or so (every quarter), companies parade their financial performances, guiding traders and investors through a rollercoaster of beats, misses, and that classic "in line with expectations" snooze-fest.
It’s exciting, nerve-wracking, and, if played right, potentially profitable. So, how do you navigate this high-stakes quarterly event? With a solid playbook and a lot less stress than you might think.
🌀 Know When Things Kick Off
Timing is everything. Earnings reports trickle in on a quarterly basis and are usually released after the regular trading session (for the most part) or before the opening bell (for the banks, mostly).
Having a scheduled earnings calendar means that traders have enough time to digest the numbers — or panic — before the next batch of updates. So make sure you keep an eye on the earnings calendar — you don’t want to be caught holding ill-fated shares if Tesla TSLA announces its profit margins have shrunk because of that quirky Cybertruck, right? Preparation here means knowing who’s reporting, when, and what the expectations are.
📝 Read Between the (Income Statement) Lines
Earnings reports are more than just numbers. Of course, revenue and EPS (earnings per share) are the headliners, but the juicy details often lurk in the fine print. Look out for annualized revenue growth (or shrinkage), profit margins, and forward-looking guidance.
If a company beats earnings but lowers its full-year forecast, it’s like winning the lottery but learning half your prize is in Monopoly money. Market-fluent traders dig deep and connect the dots rather than reacting to headlines.
💡 Forward-Looking Projections: The Market’s Guiding Light
Forward projections or guidance is among the most powerful tools companies use to set the tone. A quarterly performance is old news by the time it’s reported; traders want to know what’s next.
Positive guidance can send stocks soaring, while cautious language can sink even the strongest performers. For example, if a tech company beats earnings but announces reduced hiring or slower revenue growth projections, brace for turbulence. Think of guidance as the “what’s next” teaser for a Netflix NFLX series you can’t stop binging.
Btw, Netflix really outworked everyone in the last quarter.
☎️ Earnings Calls: Raw Market Reactions
Earnings calls are where the magic — or chaos — happens. CEOs and CFOs are tasked with selling their story to analysts and investors, balancing optimism with realism. Listeners keep an ear out for key phrases like … you know it … “AI,” “generative AI” and “AI data centers”.
It’s also where you’ll catch nuggets about new projects, market conditions, and management’s confidence—or lack thereof. Pro tip: Look for a transcript if the financial jargon on live calls makes you feel like you need subtitles.
🎡 The Volatility Playground: Trading Earnings Gaps
Earnings season is a volatility wonderland. Stocks can gap up or down significantly in reaction to results, creating opportunities for savvy traders. Trading these gaps requires a blend of technical analysis and fast decision-making.
Did the stock gap down despite a solid earnings beat? That might be a buy-the-dip moment. Conversely, a massive gap up can shout overbought. The trick is understanding the context of the move — is it justified, or is it speculative?
🐏 Avoid the Herd Mentality (or at Least Try to)
Earnings season brings out the FOMO. Traders see a stock soaring post-earnings and rush in, only to get burned when the euphoria fizzles. It’s tempting to follow the herd, but disciplined traders stay cautious.
Always ask: is this stock moving on fundamentals, or is it riding a hype wave? If it’s the latter, step back and let the dust settle — the market loves to overcorrect.
🖼️ Sector Trends: The Bigger Picture Matters
Earnings season isn’t just about individual stocks; it’s a pulse check on entire sectors. If a major bank reports a sharp jump in profits, it’s a bullish sign for the financial sector (yes, we’re talking about JPMorgan’s JPM latest quarterly update ).
Similarly, a blockbuster quarter from a tech titan might lift the entire tech space. By keeping an eye on sector trends, traders can spot opportunities and avoid pitfalls. Think of it as reading the room before making your move.
🎮 Play the Long Game
Earnings season isn’t just for day traders. Long-term investors can use it to reassess their positions and look for entry points. If a company misses earnings due to short-term challenges but maintains strong fundamentals, it might be a buying opportunity.
On the flip side, a stock riding high on hype but lacking substance could be a signal to exit. Patience pays off, especially when everyone else is chasing the next shiny object.
✍️ Wrapping It Up: Stay Sharp, Stay Informed
Earnings season is as unpredictable as the plot twists in Succession. But with the right preparation and mindset, it’s also a goldmine of opportunities. Do your homework, keep your emotions in check, and don’t be afraid to sit out if the setup doesn’t feel right.
So grab your coffee (or tea, no judgment), fire up your TradingView account, and get ready for the financial fireworks.
How To Navigate: Breakouts with Tools, Indicators & StrategyHaving a Clear and Precise understanding of whether you're dealing with a Breakout or False Breakout can help you:
1) Find potentially profitable opportunities
&
2) Avoid making risky investment moves!
Also knowing how to Confirm Trend Change can:
1) Rise probability of profitable trades
&
2) Limit the total # taken!
So today, I lay out the tools, indicators and tips I use to visualize and to make a decision!
Examples:
COINBASE:XLMUSD & BITSTAMP:XRPUSD
Tools:
- Trendline
- Parallel Channel
- Rectangle
Indicators:
- Volume
- RSI
- "True or False" Formula : Close + 20-25% Break + 5-6 Days Outside of Break = Breakout
An Educational Journey into Technical Analysis with Dogecoin/USDIn this tutorial, we'll dive deep into the art of technical analysis using the Dogecoin USD chart as our canvas. You'll discover how to blend Fibonacci tools, Elliott Wave Theory, and the Wyckoff Method to forecast potential market movements. Whether you're new to trading or looking to refine your analytical skills, this guide will provide you with practical insights into identifying entry and exit points, understanding market phases, and preparing for future trends. Let's embark on this educational journey together to enhance your trading strategy toolkit.
When in doubt, Zoom Out!
Below I was looking at Arguments for a Significant Short Position Before the Continuation of the Bullish Trend and the Pursuit of New All-Time Highs
Elliott Waves: From the bear market bottom at 4.5 cents, we started wave 1 and concluded with wave 5 at the current top. Following five waves, we expect an ABC correction. Waves A and B have been completed, and we are now in wave C.
Fibonacci 1: Trend-Based Fibonacci Extension - From the all-time high (ATH) to the recent bear market bottom, then to the current 48-cent top. The 0.382 Fibonacci level suggests a target of 0.2130 for the upcoming drop, which I believe is necessary for liquidity ahead of the next upward movement.
Fibonacci 2: Regular Fibonacci Retracement - From the bottom of wave 4 to the top of wave 5, the 0.618 level is at 0.235 cents. I've marked a green box between these two targets.
See in the image below how Backtesting this strategy on the two previous cycles shows that before breaking ATHs, Dogecoin always hit this 0.382 Fib level!
I use these 2 Fibonacci targets to place the green box between them and where I expect price to go in the newxt couple of weeks.
Additional Observation: The green line below the 0.618 Fib retracement and above the 0.382 trend-based Fibonacci extension also marks a retest of the wave 3 high at 0.23 cents.
Now that we've examined the macro perspective, let's Zoom In to the current action:
Wyckoff Schematic: Check my previously published idea on Bitcoin, linked here, where Bitcoin is in a Wyckoff Distribution Schematic #1. Dogecoin seems to follow with Wyckoff Distribution Schematic #2. I've added vertical lines for phase separation, a red resistance box, and a green support box.
Link to Richard D. Wyckoff, his Method and Story www.wyckoffanalytics.com .
ABC Pattern: Wave A from top to bottom is exactly 0.222 cents or -45.81%, suggesting wave C should be of similar magnitude. Wave B measures 0.1724 cents and 65.65% to the upside. Using an arrow tool, the 0.222 cent drop points exactly to the 0.382 Fibonacci target from the trend-based extension we did in the macro analysis, now highlighted in yellow. Link to chart.
Zooming in on the 4-hour Chart: I've drawn another Fibonacci retracement just for wave B, colored in turquoise blue. Notably, the 1.272 Fibonacci extension aligns with our macro 0.382 Fibonacci target, now colored yellow for clarity.
Speculations for Future Moves:
Fibonacci Circle and bottom timing prediction: Drawn from A to B, this circle in orange might help us predict when we hit the green box target at the bottom. Considering that the A drop measures exactly 12 days and 4Hours I have added another vertical line now marking a timeframe of 5 days from Thursday 30 January to Monday 3 February 2025 This is speculative but worth watching. It includes also a weekend so a CME gap before weekend plus filling the week after could also be in play.
Wyckoff Phases: According to earlier discussions, we're moving through phases A to E. I've added a vertical line where the Fib circle crosses our 1.272 and 0.382 Fib levels, suggesting we'll enter phase E on January 23, 2025, potentially concluding by February 2, 2025.
Predictive Arrows: Blue arrows indicate possible future price movements based on current patterns.
After hitting our target, I'll analyze again and publish a new idea with plans for breaking the ATH and targets for the anticipated bull market.
Enough for now, as it's getting late. Give me a follow, share if you liked this analysis, and stay tuned for updates.
Using Volume to Validate Market MovesVolume is one of those metrics that often sits quietly at the bottom of your chart, unnoticed by many traders. Yet, it plays a critical role in understanding the market’s behaviour. Think of volume as the fuel behind price movements—without it, even the most promising breakout can fizzle out. But, just like with fuel, more isn’t always better.
Today, we’re focusing on the simple volume histogram that appears at the bottom of most charts. While there are countless indicators built around volume—like On-Balance Volume (OBV) or the Volume-Weighted Average Price (VWAP)—the histogram is a straightforward, effective tool for gauging participation in the market. Let’s explore how to use it, how to put volume into context, and how it behaves with different price patterns, including the concept of volume divergence.
Simple Volume Histogram
Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results
Why Volume Matters (and Why More Isn’t Always Better)
Volume measures how many shares or contracts change hands during a given period. When volume spikes, it signifies heightened interest—buyers and sellers actively engaging. However, it’s not as simple as “more volume equals better signals.”
For instance, a breakout on high volume often reflects strong conviction, but it can also indicate exhaustion at the end of a trend. Conversely, a low-volume breakout might lack the interest needed to sustain the move. Understanding the relationship between volume and price action is key to avoiding false signals.
A Simple Trick: The Volume Moving Average
One of the easiest ways to contextualise volume is by applying a moving average to the volume histogram. Platforms like TradingView make this simple: double-click the volume histogram, select ‘Style,’ tick the Volume MA box, and adjust the average length under ‘Inputs.’
A 9-period moving average, for example, acts as a baseline. When volume spikes significantly above the average, it suggests increased participation and potentially more meaningful price moves. Conversely, volume below the average often reflects quieter market phases.
Adding MA to Your Volume Histogram
Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results
Volume Divergence: When Volume and Price Don’t Align
Volume divergence occurs when price action and volume move in opposite directions, often hinting at weakening trends or potential reversals.
Imagine an uptrend where the price makes higher highs, but volume decreases at each new peak. This divergence signals fading participation, suggesting the trend may be losing steam.
On the other hand, if the price trends lower while volume rises, sellers could be gaining momentum, increasing the likelihood of further downside.
Take the example below, where volume divergence on the FTSE 100 preceded a period of sideways consolidation.
Volume Divergence: FTSE 100 Daily Candle Chart
Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results
Patterns That Thrive on High Volume
Certain price patterns rely on strong volume to confirm their validity. A classic example is a triangle breakout. As the price consolidates within the triangle, volume often contracts. When the breakout finally occurs, you want to see a surge in volume, confirming that participants are backing the move. Without it, the breakout might lack the conviction needed to sustain the trend.
Patterns That Prefer Lower Volume
Other patterns work best with subdued volume. A pullback within a trend is a great example. Let’s say a stock is in a strong uptrend and starts to retrace slightly. Ideally, you want to see declining volume during the pullback. This suggests the selling is more about profit-taking than aggressive distribution.
Once the pullback completes and the trend resumes, volume should pick up again. If the pullback occurs on high volume, it could indicate stronger selling pressure, signalling that the uptrend might be in trouble.
A Practical Example: DXY Pullback and Breakout
Let’s apply these concepts to a real-world case. In October, the dollar index (DXY) formed a steady uptrend followed by a pullback, creating a descending channel or bull flag.
During the flag formation, average volume declined, indicating reduced selling pressure. When the price broke out, volume surged to nearly triple the 20-day average—a clear signal of strong buying interest. This breakout led to a multi-week uptrend.
DXY Daily Candle Chart
Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results
Final Thoughts
The volume histogram is a simple yet invaluable tool for traders. By applying a moving average to identify volume trends and watching for divergences between price and volume, you can gain a clearer understanding of market dynamics.
Volume isn’t just about how much activity is happening—it’s about when and how it aligns with price action. Whether you’re trading breakouts, pullbacks, or reversals, understanding volume can provide an essential layer of confirmation and help you spot potential warning signs.
Keep in mind, volume is just one piece of the puzzle. But when used correctly, it can give you a better sense of whether a price move has the backing it needs to succeed—or if it’s running on empty.
Disclaimer: This is for information and learning purposes only. The information provided does not constitute investment advice nor take into account the individual financial circumstances or objectives of any investor. Any information that may be provided relating to past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results or performance. Social media channels are not relevant for UK residents.
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Bitcoin: Don't be blind to the world (Trump inauguration)Regular readers will know that we avoid fundamental analysis In these reports - we stick to the price.
But that doesn’t mean being blind to the world around us.
On Monday January 20, Donald Trump will be inaugurated as US President.
I’m sure many of you have your political views about Trump - but just keep those away from your trade ideas!
The crypto market - and Bitcoin especially - has been on a huge rally since Trump spoke at a Bitcoin conference in favour of cryptocurrencies last year.
There’s a chance President Trump could mention Bitcoin in his inaugural speech but even if he doesn’t, the prospect of favourable regulation is broadly positive for Bitcoin - or if we’re more honest - the idea of better regulation could be enough justification to keep the crypto bull run going for now.
Bitcoin
On the weekly chart, we can see Bitcoin (BTC/USD) has been trading sideways around the $100,000 level - with roughly $90,000 as support.
But bigger picture it’s a huge uptrend and we want to trade in line with the trend (as always)
Importantly - it just closed the week back over the critical $100K mark - and it did so with a bullish engulfing candlestick that engulfed the previous 3 weeks.
As a reminder - where the week closed is more important than the high or low of the week - and a weekly close is more significant than a daily close. You can think of the closing price as the price that everybody agreed was the right price for that period.
The final missing piece to the bullish breakout is a weekly close at a new record high.
On the daily chart we are watching the broken trendline as well as the $100k level as support that needs to hold if the breakout is going to happen soon.
But while the price trendline is not especially reliable with only two ‘touches’ or swing points the broken RSI trendline is much more significant and shows a big pickup in momentum that will be needed if the price is to break out.
If the breakout does happen, the first barrier that needs to break is $110,000 but after that $120k then even $130k could come quite quickly given Trump’s inauguration this week.
But - as always - that’s just how my team and I are seeing things, what do you think?
Share your ideas with us - OR - send us a request!
Send us an email or message us on social media.
cheers!
Jasper
Example of how to use the Trend-Based Fib Extension tool
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There was a question about how to select the selection point when using the Trend-Based Fib Extension tool, so I will take the time to explain the method I use.
Since it is my method, it may be different from your method.
-
Before that, I will explain the difference from the general Fibonacci retracement tool.
The Fibonacci retracement tool uses the Fibonacci ratio as the ratio to be retracement within the selected range.
Therefore, the low and high points are likely to be the selection points.
The reason I say it is likely is because the lowest and highest points are different depending on which time frame chart it was drawn on.
Therefore, in order to use a chart tool that specifies a selection point like this, you must basically understand the arrangement of candles.
If you understand the arrangement of candles, you can draw the support and resistance points that make up it and determine the importance of those support and resistance points.
The HA-MS indicator that I am using is a more objective version of this.
Unlike the published HA-MS indicator, several have been added.
I do not plan to disclose the formulas of these added indicators yet.
However, if you share my ideas, you can use them normally at any time.
The selection point for using the current Fibonacci retracement tool is the point that the fingers are pointing to.
In other words, the 1st finger is the low point, and the 2nd finger is the high point.
One question may arise here.
Why is it the position of the 1st finger?
The reason is that it is the starting point of the current wave.
Therefore, you can find out the retracement ratio in the current rising wave.
In fact, it is not recommended to use the Fibonacci ratio as support and resistance.
This is because it is better to use the Fibonacci ratio to check how much wave is being reached and how much movement is being shown in chart analysis.
However, the Fibonacci ratio can be usefully used when the ATH or ATL is updated.
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If the Fibonacci Retracement tool was a chart tool that found out the retracement ratio in the current wave, the Trend-Based Fib Extension tool can be said to be a chart tool that found out the extension ratio of the wave.
Therefore, while the Fibonacci Retracement tool requires you to specify two selection points, the Trend-Based Fib Extension tool requires you to specify three selection points.
That's how important it is to understand the arrangement of the candles.
The chart above is an example of drawing to find out the extension ratio of an uptrend
The chart above is an example of drawing to find out the extension ratio of a downtrend
Do you understand how the selection points are specified by looking at the example chart?
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The chart above is the chart when the 1st finger point is selected.
The chart above is the chart when the 1-1 hand point is selected.
When drawing on a lower time frame chart, you should be careful about which point to select when the arrangement of the candles is ambiguous.
Examples include the 1st finger and the 1-1 finger.
It may be difficult to select 1-1 and 1 depending on whether they are interpreted as small waves or not.
The lower the time frame chart, the more difficult this selection becomes.
Therefore, it is recommended to draw on a higher time frame chart if possible.
The reason is that the Fibonacci ratio is a chart tool used to analyze charts.
In other words, it is not drawn for trading.
In order to trade, you trade based on whether there is support or resistance at the support and resistance points drawn on the 1M, 1W, and 1D charts.
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Thank you for reading to the end.
I wish you successful trading.
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Behind the Curtain: Top Economic Influencers on ZN Futures1. Introduction
The 10-Year Treasury Note Futures (ZN), traded on the CME, are a cornerstone of the fixed-income market. As a vital benchmark for interest rate trends and macroeconomic sentiment, ZN Futures attract institutional and retail traders alike. Their liquidity, versatility, and sensitivity to economic shifts make them a go-to instrument for both speculation and hedging.
In this article, we delve into the economic forces shaping ZN Futures’ performance across daily, weekly, and monthly timeframes. By leveraging machine learning, specifically a Random Forest Regressor, we identify the most impactful indicators influencing Treasury futures returns. These insights can help traders fine-tune their strategies and navigate the complexities of this market.
2. Product Specifications
Contract Size:
The standard ZN Futures contract represents $100,000 face value of 10-Year Treasury Notes.
Tick Size:
Each tick corresponds to 1/64 of 1% of par value. This equals $15.625 per tick, ensuring precise pricing and manageable risk for traders.
Margins:
Approximately $2,000 per contract (changes through time).
Micro Contract Availability:
While the standard contract suits institutional traders, the micro-sized Yield Futures provide a smaller-scale option for retail participants. These contracts offer reduced tick values and margin requirements, enabling broader market participation.
3. Daily Economic Drivers
Machine learning models reveal that daily fluctuations in ZN Futures are significantly influenced by the following indicators:
Building Permits: A leading indicator of housing market activity, an increase in permits signals economic confidence and growth. This optimism often puts upward pressure on yields, while a decline may reflect economic caution, boosting demand for Treasuries.
U.S. Trade Balance: This metric measures the difference between exports and imports. A narrowing trade deficit typically signals improved economic health, leading to higher yields. Conversely, a widening deficit can weaken economic sentiment, increasing Treasury demand as a safe-haven asset.
China GDP Growth Rate: As a global economic powerhouse, China’s GDP growth influences global trade and financial flows. Strong growth suggests robust international demand, pressuring Treasury prices downward as yields rise. Slower growth has the opposite effect, enhancing Treasury appeal.
4. Weekly Economic Drivers
When analyzing weekly timeframes, the following indicators emerge as significant drivers of ZN Futures:
Velocity of Money (M2): This indicator reflects the speed at which money circulates in the economy. High velocity signals robust economic activity, often putting upward pressure on yields. Slowing velocity, on the other hand, may indicate stagnation, increasing demand for Treasury securities.
Consumer Sentiment Index: This metric gauges the confidence level of consumers regarding the economy. Rising sentiment suggests stronger consumer spending and economic growth, often pressuring bond prices downward as yields rise. Conversely, a decline signals economic caution, favoring safe-haven assets like ZN Futures.
Nonfarm Productivity: This measures output per hour worked in the nonfarm sector and serves as an indicator of economic efficiency. Rising productivity typically reflects economic strength and may lead to higher yields, while stagnation or declines can shift sentiment toward Treasuries.
5. Monthly Economic Drivers
On a broader monthly scale, the following indicators play a pivotal role in shaping ZN Futures:
Net Exports: This metric captures the difference between a country’s exports and imports. A surplus indicates strong global demand for domestic goods, signaling economic strength and driving yields higher. Persistent deficits, however, may weaken economic sentiment and increase demand for Treasuries as a safe haven.
10-Year Treasury Yield: As a benchmark for longer-term borrowing costs, movements in the 10-Year Treasury Yield reflect investor expectations for economic growth and inflation. Rising yields suggest optimism about future economic conditions, potentially reducing demand for Treasury futures. Declining yields indicate caution, bolstering Treasury appeal.
Durable Goods Orders: This indicator measures new orders placed with manufacturers for goods expected to last three years or more. Rising orders signal business confidence and economic growth, often leading to higher yields. Conversely, a decline in durable goods orders can indicate slowing economic momentum, increasing Treasury demand.
6. Applications for Different Trading Styles
Economic indicators provide distinct insights depending on the trading style and timeframe:
Day Traders: Focusing on daily indicators like Building Permits, U.S. Trade Balance, and China GDP Growth Rate to anticipate short-term market movements. For example, an improvement in China’s GDP Growth Rate may signal stronger global economic conditions, potentially driving yields higher and pressuring ZN Futures lower.
Swing Traders: Weekly indicators such as Velocity of Money (M2), Consumer Sentiment Index, and Nonfarm Productivity could help identify intermediate trends. For instance, rising consumer sentiment can reflect increased spending expectations, potentially prompting bearish positions in ZN Futures.
Position Traders: Monthly metrics like Net Exports, 10-Year Treasury Yield, and Durable Goods Orders may offer a macro perspective for long-term strategies. A sustained increase in durable goods orders, for instance, may indicate economic expansion, influencing traders to potentially adopt bearish sentiment on ZN Futures.
7. Conclusion
The analysis highlights how daily, weekly, and monthly economic indicators collectively influence ZN Futures. From more immediate fluctuations driven by Building Permits and China GDP Growth Rate, to longer-term trends shaped by Durable Goods Orders and the 10-Year Treasury Yield, each timeframe provides actionable insights for traders.
By understanding these indicators and incorporating machine learning models to uncover patterns, traders can refine strategies tailored to specific time horizons. Whether intraday, swing, or long-term, leveraging these insights empowers traders to navigate ZN Futures with greater precision.
Stay tuned for the next installment in the "Behind the Curtain" series, where we examine economic drivers behind another key futures market.
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.
The TrumpCoin Craze: What’s Really Going On?Yesterday, something truly bizarre happened in the world of crypto. Donald Trump—yes, that Donald Trump—launched his very own cryptocurrency, TrumpCoin ($TRUMP).
At first, like everyone else, I thought his account had been hacked.
I mean, launching a meme coin just days before his presidential inauguration? Come on...
But nope, it’s 100% real. Verified.
Like many others, I got curious and, let’s face it, greedy. So, I bought in. The result? I cashed out at a nice 3x profit, enough for a fun night out. But before we dive into the crazy market activity, let me clarify a couple of things:
- I’m not a Trump fan. This isn’t about politics.
- I don’t think this is a rug pull, at least not intentionally .
It seems more like someone who doesn’t fully understand how crypto works decided to jump in.
A Brief Timeline of Chaos
TrumpCoin was announced on his social platforms, including Truth Social and X (formerly Twitter). Initially, everyone thought it was fake news. I mean, a meme coin with his name on it? Right before inauguration day? It screams “scam.” But soon after, major crypto news outlets confirmed its legitimacy.
And then the madness began. Within hours:
- Market cap: Over $14 billion at the time of writing(and climbing).
- Trading volume: A jaw-dropping $11 billion in just one day.
- Price swings: The coin hit a high of $3.30 before dipping below $1.50 and now is above $4.
Trump’s company, CIC Digital LLC, reportedly holds 80% of the coin supply, making this a financial windfall for him—even if the project crashes.
The Crypto Community Splits
This move has divided the crypto space. On one hand, you have people who are treating $TRUMP like any other speculative asset. ( Hi, that’s me! )
On the other, there are folks who see it as a statement of loyalty to Trump. Then there’s a third group—the skeptics—who warn that this could end in disaster.
The real problem? Newbies are piling in without understanding what they’re doing. The hype is pulling in people who don’t know a rug pull from a blockchain. They’re buying and buying, hoping to ride the wave, and are likely to get burned when the bubble bursts.
Is This a Rug Pull?
Let’s address the elephant in the room. With 80% of the supply in Trump’s control, the setup raises eyebrows. But is this an intentional scam? Probably not. If anything, this feels more like a PR stunt gone wild—a way to cash in on his fame and make a splash before returning to the White House.
That said, the outcome could still be the same. At some point, the hype will die, the price will tank, and many will lose money. The bigger it gets, the harder it’ll fall.
My Take: Enjoy the Ride, but Be Careful
TrumpCoin is the epitome of crypto’s wild side: volatile, unpredictable, and more about hype than substance. If you’re diving in, know what you’re getting into. For me, it was a quick trade—buy low, sell high, and get out. But I worry about the inexperienced investors who are holding on, hoping for it to hit $10, $20, or even higher.
So, here’s my advice:
Don’t invest more than you can afford to lose.
Take profits while you can.
Remember, just because something is popular doesn’t mean it’s sustainable.
Whether $TRUMP reaches a $25 billion, $50 billion market cap or crashes spectacularly, one thing’s for sure—it’s going to be one heck of a ride.
Stay safe out there, and happy trading!
Morning Routines of Successful Day Traders: It’s Not Just CoffeeIt's pretty busy right now in the market , so we figured why not pull you in for a breather and spin up an evergreen piece that’ll lay out some practical advice to our absolutely magnificent audience. This time we’re talking about routine, morning routine.
The time of day when the majority of us fall into two buckets: those who rise and those who hit snooze until their phone falls off the nightstand. Day traders? They’re a different breed.
Successful day traders aren’t rolling out of bed, rubbing their eyes, and clicking buy before their first sip of coffee. If you think trading is all instinct and luck, you’re in for a wake-up call.
The best in the game have morning routines that look more like pre-game rituals – calculated, precise, and yes, sometimes superstitious.
🧐 Scanning the Ground Before Dawn
Before the market bell even thinks about ringing, day traders are already glued to their screens. Futures markets? Checked. Pre-market movers? Analyzed. Global news ? Scanned twice, just in case something wild happened overnight to the Japanese yen .
The market isn’t an isolated entity; it reacts to everything and the effects are widespread, spilling over from one asset class to another. Inflation data, gold prices, tech earnings, even the tweet that Elon Musk fired off at 3 AM (especially now with his unhinged political disruption).
📒 The Power of the Trading Journal
A tried-and-tested trader’s morning doesn’t start with the news only. They crack open the sacred document – the trading journal . A quick review of yesterday’s trades is non-negotiable. What worked? What didn’t? Was there a panic sell at 10:05 that didn’t age well?
Documenting trades might feel like high school homework, but the elite money spinners swear by it. It’s not about reliving the glory or shame of past trades – it’s about patterns. Spot the patterns, and you’re already ahead of 90% of the market.
🙏 Stretch, Meditate, and Keep Emotions at Bay
Trading isn’t just charts and numbers. It’s a mental game. One bad trade can spiral into a revenge trade, and next thing you know, you’re shorting Tesla at market open because it "felt right." This is why the best day traders center themselves before the chaos begins.
Some meditate. Others hit the gym. A few just sit quietly with their thoughts, which honestly might be the most terrifying option. Regardless of the method, the goal is the same: shake off the stress, start the day calm. Because calm traders make rational decisions. Anxious traders blow up their accounts.
🤖 Tech Check: The Ritual of Rebooting
Imagine missing a perfect trade because your Wi-Fi blinked out or your trading platform decided to update at the worst possible time. For a day trader, technology isn’t just a tool – it’s the lifeline.
A tech check is part of every serious morning routine (or at least weekly). Charts must load fast, platforms need to run smoother than a Swiss watch, and backup systems stand ready for action.
Most traders have backups of their backups, in the cloud and on their hard drives. If their primary PC goes down, there’s a laptop on standby. If that dies, they have their phone. And if the phone crashes? Well, let’s just say there might be a tablet lurking somewhere nearby.
🛒 Watchlists: The Trader’s Grocery List
Top dogs curate their watchlists daily, especially when it’s still the quiet of the day. It’s not just the usual suspects like Apple AAPL or Nvidia NVDA – it’s a finely tuned selection of stocks primed for movement. It could be big tech, auto stocks and even gold-linked stocks .
Earnings reports , unusual volume, or a sudden spike in options activity – all of these feed the list. The goal is to narrow the focus. Because staring at 200 charts at once is a surefire way to miss everything important.
📅 Economic Calendar: The Absolute Mainstay
Pro traders live by the economic calendar and are more likely to miss the birthday of a loved one than the Fed making an announcement. Is there a jobs report dropping ? The latest consumer prices are in ? These events are market movers, and day traders plan their sessions around them.
Big data dumps can trigger wild volatility, and the last thing any trader wants is to be blindsided by a sudden spike in price out of nowhere. Think of the economic calendar as the market’s version of a weather forecast.
You wouldn’t plan a picnic during a thunderstorm, and you shouldn’t casually load up on the British pound ahead of an expected interest rate decision.
🚀 It's Go Time: Visualization and Execution
There’s a quiet intensity in the room as you prepare for the opening bell (unless you trade forex or crypto). The screens are glowing, the watchlist is set, and the coffee is (hopefully) still hot.
But before the first trade, there’s visualization. Successful traders run through potential scenarios in their heads. “If stock X hits this level, I’ll enter. If it drops below Y, I’m out.”
It’s like rehearsing lines for a play. When the market finally opens, there’s no hesitation – just execution.
🏁 Final Thought: It’s Not Magic, It’s Routine
Day trading might look glamorous from the outside, but at its core, it’s a grind full of decisions, decisions, and decisions again. The traders who consistently win aren’t lucky; they’re disciplined. And it all starts with the morning routine.
So, next time you see all those financial gurus, mentors and course-selling forex influencers on Instagram, picture this instead: a dimly lit room, a couple screens, a watchlist, and a trader calmly sipping their third cup of coffee. Because in this game, the calmest minds – not the flashiest – take home the prize.
Trade Management Using Time StopsTrade management is one of the most crucial skills for any trader, especially when it comes to knowing when to cut your losses early. One of the key methods to achieve this is through the use of Time Stops, which provide a systematic way to assess your trades and manage risk.
While traditional stop losses are indispensable for protecting your capital against adverse price moves, they don’t always address the psychological challenge of cutting losing trades early. This is where Time Stops can step in as a complementary tool. By targeting trades that show no meaningful progress within a defined timeframe, Time Stops help reduce the size of your average loss—an often overlooked but critical factor in developing a positive trading edge.
It’s important to remember: Time Stops don’t replace traditional stop losses. Instead, they add an additional layer of discipline to your risk management.
What Are Time Stops?
Time Stops involve exiting a trade after a predetermined amount of time, regardless of whether your stop loss has been triggered. The idea is simple but effective: if a trade isn’t working as expected within the allotted time, it’s better to exit and preserve capital for better opportunities.
This approach works particularly well with strategies where winning trades are expected to show results quickly. These include breakouts, where price moves decisively through a key level, and reversals, which rely on sharp changes in direction. Time Stops provide a structured way to manage trades that fail to live up to these expectations.
Why Use Time Stops?
Time Stops offer several potential advantages:
• Emotional Discipline: One of the toughest aspects of trading is deciding when to exit a trade that hasn’t hit its stop loss but isn’t progressing as expected. Time Stops provide a clear, objective rule for exiting such trades, removing emotional decision-making and promoting a disciplined approach.
• Potentially Enhanced Trading Edge: By incorporating Time Stops, you align your exits more closely with your strategy’s performance expectations. This can help refine your approach by filtering out trades that fail to meet their initial criteria, allowing you to focus on opportunities with greater potential to match your strategy’s objectives.
• Maintaining Flexibility in Trade Allocation: Time Stops help ensure that your focus remains on trades that align with your strategy’s core conditions. By identifying trades that are unlikely to meet expectations early, you can keep your trading approach agile, allowing for greater readiness to act on new opportunities.
Strategies That Can Benefit From Time Stops
Time Stops are particularly effective in strategies that depend on quick, decisive price movements. Let’s examine examples for reversals and breakouts.
Reversal Strategy Example: Tesla Daily Timeframe
Tesla forms a two-bar reversal pattern on the daily candle chart at a key swing resistance level, with negative divergence on the RSI indicating potential weakness. A short trade is placed with a traditional stop loss above the two-bar reversal high and resistance level.
Tesla Daily Candle Chart
Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results
To incorporate a Time Stop, you decide to allow three days for the trade to show signs of a reversal. However, Tesla tracks sideways without breaking lower, suggesting the expected momentum has not materialised.
Tesla T+3
Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results
Using a Time Stop in this scenario prevents prolonged exposure to a setup that hasn’t delivered, allowing you to reallocate focus to trades with stronger potential.
Tesla Stopped Out
Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results
Breakout Strategy Example: EUR/USD Hourly Timeframe
EUR/USD breaks out on the hourly chart with increased volume, signalling a potential upward move. You enter a long trade with a stop loss below the swing low.
EUR/USD Hourly Candle Chart
Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results
With a Time Stop, you give the trade ten hours to demonstrate progress. While price consolidates above the breakout level initially, the anticipated follow-through does not occur within the allotted time. In this instance, the Time Stop allows you to exit and refocus on setups with stronger momentum.
EUR/USD +10 Hours
Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results
EUR/USD +24 Hours
Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results
EUR/USD Stopped Out
Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results
Using Time Stops Effectively
To implement Time Stops successfully:
• Set a timeframe: Define the period based on your strategy and market. Momentum trades may require hours, while longer-term setups may need days.
• Analyse your strategy: Review historical data to identify how quickly successful trades typically progress. Use this as a benchmark for your Time Stop.
• Use Time Stops alongside traditional stop losses: Time Stops handle trades that stagnate, while stop losses protect against adverse price moves.
Summary:
Time Stops are a valuable addition to a trader’s toolkit, particularly for strategies like breakouts and reversals, where winners are expected to perform quickly. They help enforce discipline, refine focus, and manage trades that fail to meet expectations.
By combining Time Stops with traditional stop losses, traders can approach the markets with greater structure and objectivity. Over time, this disciplined approach can support the pursuit of consistent results while managing risk effectively.
Disclaimer: This is for information and learning purposes only. The information provided does not constitute investment advice nor take into account the individual financial circumstances or objectives of any investor. Any information that may be provided relating to past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results or performance. Social media channels are not relevant for UK residents.
Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 83% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading spread bets and CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how spread bets and CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
How Do Traders Identify Overbought and Oversold Stocks?How Do Traders Identify Overbought and Oversold Stocks?
Identifying overbought and oversold stocks is a key part of technical analysis for traders. These conditions occur when a market’s price moves to extremes—either too high or too low—compared to its recent performance. By recognising these signals, traders can spot potential turning points in the market. This article explores what overbought and oversold stocks are, how to find them using technical indicators, and the risks involved in trading them.
What Is an Oversold Stock?
Oversold stocks are those that have experienced a significant price decline, often beyond what might seem reasonable based on their underlying value. This often happens when market sentiment is overly negative, even if the company’s fundamentals remain solid.
Several factors can lead to a stock becoming oversold. For instance, bad news about a company, such as a missed earnings report or legal troubles, can cause investors to sell off shares quickly. Broader market events, like economic downturns or changes in industry regulations, can also drive prices down across the board. Sometimes, even strong stocks get caught up in these waves of negativity.
The concept of overselling isn’t just about price falling, though—it’s about the potential for a reversal. When stocks fall too fast, too far compared to their actual financial performance or growth potential, this is where traders look for opportunities, analysing whether the market is poised for a potential recovery.
What Is an Overbought Stock?
Overbought stocks are those that have risen sharply in price, often to a point where they may no longer reflect the stock’s true value. When a stock is considered overbought, it means there’s been a lot of buying activity, pushing the price higher than what its fundamentals might justify. This often happens when market sentiment is extremely positive, driving demand even when shares may already be trading at high levels.
Several factors can lead to an overbought market. Sometimes, positive news about a company—such as strong earnings, new product launches, or positive analyst reports—can spark a wave of buying. Market-wide optimism, particularly during bullish phases, can also lead to an overbought stock market. Speculative buying, where traders hope to capitalise on short-term price movements, can further inflate the price.
Being overbought doesn’t necessarily mean the stock is due for an immediate correction, but it does suggest that the price may have gone too high, too quickly. The most overbought stocks are often viewed as being in a vulnerable position for a potential pullback, especially if there isn’t enough underlying support from the company’s financial health or growth prospects. Traders consider this an opportunity to sell stocks at potentially good prices.
How Traders Find Oversold and Overbought Stocks with Indicators
Traders use technical indicators to determine whether a stock might be undervalued (oversold) or overvalued (overbought) based on its price action. These indicators allow traders to assess whether a price movement has gone too far in one direction.
Technical indicators are tools that use historical price and volume data to measure things like price momentum and trend strength. When it comes to finding overbought or oversold stocks, momentum oscillators play a key role.
These oscillators measure the speed and magnitude at which an asset’s price is changing. If a market has been rising or falling too quickly, it could be a sign that it’s either overbought or oversold. Also, if a stock has moved too far away from its typical price range, it signals a possible reversal. Traders rely on indicators to determine when the price may be at an extreme, helping them find entry or exit points based on market conditions.
Now, let’s break down some of the most popular indicators used for this purpose.
Relative Strength Index (RSI)
The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is one of the most widely used overbought and oversold indicators. The RSI is a momentum indicator that gauges how fast and how much a stock's price is moving. It gives traders a visual signal of when a stock may have been pushed too far in either direction.
RSI compares the magnitude of recent gains to recent losses to assess whether a stock is overbought or oversold. The indicator ranges from 0 to 100 and is typically used to evaluate whether a stock is moving too fast in either direction. If the RSI falls below 30, the stock is considered oversold, suggesting it could be undervalued and due for a bounce. If the RSI rises above 70, the stock is seen as in an overbought zone, potentially signalling a price correction on the horizon.
While RSI can be helpful, it’s essential to look at it in the context of the broader market. For example, in a strong bull market, a stock might remain overbought for an extended period. Similarly, during a downturn, stocks can stay oversold longer than expected.
Stochastic Oscillator
The Stochastic Oscillator is another momentum indicator. It compares a stock's closing price to its price range over a certain period. The idea behind this indicator is that in an uptrend, prices will close near their highs, and in a downtrend, prices will close near their lows.
The Stochastic Oscillator helps traders identify when a stock’s price has potentially moved too far in either direction relative to its recent range. It’s similar in principle to the RSI, except the Stochastic is considered more useful for detecting shorter-term reversals.
It’s especially useful for identifying overbought and oversold conditions because it moves within a range — between 0 and 100 — similar to the RSI. The Stochastic Oscillator is made up of two lines: %K, which is the primary line, and %D, a moving average of %K. When these lines are above 80, the stock is considered overbought. When they are below 20, it’s considered oversold.
Given its sensitivity, it’s common to see the Stochastic signals a market is overextended for a longer period when there’s a strong trend. This makes it more prone to false signals than the RSI or MACD indicator and typically more useful for trading pullbacks in a broader trend.
MACD (Moving Average Convergence Divergence)
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) is another popular overbought and oversold indicator. Unlike the RSI, which focuses primarily on oversold vs overbought levels, MACD is more about trend strength and its direction. It shows the relationship between two moving averages of an asset’s price and can help identify potential shifts in momentum.
The MACD consists of two lines: the MACD line (which is the difference between the 12-day and 26-day exponential moving averages) and the signal line (the 9-day moving average of the MACD line). When the MACD line crosses above the signal line, it indicates a potential bullish reversal. When it crosses below, it signals a bearish reversal.
Since the lines are based on the difference between two EMAs, it’s also possible to gauge an overbought/oversold stock by examining the distance of the lines between their current values and the 0 midpoint. If the lines are far away from 0 and their historical averages, it could indicate a stock is overbought or oversold.
However, generally speaking, MACD is less about pinpointing specific overbought/oversold levels and more about identifying when momentum is shifting. A rapid crossover of the lines, especially after a strong move, can signal that a reversal might be near.
Considerations When Using Momentum Indicators
While momentum indicators like the RSI and MACD can be useful for spotting overextended stocks, there are a couple of key points to keep in mind when using these oversold and overbought indicators:
Divergences
A divergence occurs when the price moves in the opposite direction to the indicator. For example, if a stock is making higher highs but the indicator is making lower highs, this can signal weakening momentum and a possible reversal. Divergences offer another layer of insight, so it's worth paying attention to them alongside other factors.
Timeframes
Different timeframes can produce different results. An indicator that shows a stock is oversold on a daily chart might not show the same on a weekly chart. It's important to choose the right timeframe for your trading strategy, whether short-term or long-term. Generally, many traders take a top-down approach, allowing higher timeframe signals to better inform your analysis on lower timeframes.
Risks of Trading Oversold and Overbought Stocks
Trading oversold and overbought stocks can be appealing, as these conditions often suggest a potential reversal in price. However, there are some risks to consider when relying on these signals. A few important points to bear in mind include:
- False Signals: Just because a market is oversold or overbought doesn’t guarantee a reversal. Prices can continue to decline or rise despite what momentum indicators suggest. Traders need to be cautious about assuming that every extreme condition will result in a price correction.
- Extended Trends: In strong bullish or bearish trends, a stock can remain in overbought or oversold territory for longer than expected. This can lead to premature trades, where investors get in too early or expect a reversal that doesn’t come for a while.
- Market Sentiment: Sometimes, external factors like news events or broader economic conditions can overpower technical indicators. If there’s overwhelming optimism or pessimism in the market, a stock may continue in its overbought or oversold condition for longer than anticipated.
- Lack of Confirmation: Relying on a single indicator can be risky. It’s common to use multiple indicators or combine technical and fundamental analysis for a more balanced view. There may be no other supporting signals when a stock is oversold, meaning the trade carries higher risk.
The Bottom Line
Understanding overbought and oversold stocks, along with the indicators used to identify them, can help traders spot potential market opportunities. While these conditions may signal a reversal, it’s important to recognise there is no one best overbought and oversold indicator and use multiple tools for confirmation. Ready to apply these insights? Open an FXOpen account today to access more than 700 markets, including a huge range of stock CFDs, and four advanced trading platforms.
FAQ
What Is Overbought and Oversold?
Overbought and oversold are terms used to describe extreme price movements in markets. A stock is considered overbought when its price has risen rapidly and above its underlying value, which potentially makes it overvalued. It’s oversold when the price has fallen sharply and below its underlying value, which makes it undervalued. These conditions can signal that a price reversal may be coming, though they don’t guarantee it.
What Does It Mean for a Stock to Be Overbought?
The overbought stock meaning refers to a stock that has increased quickly and is potentially trading higher than its actual value. This often occurs due to strong demand or market optimism. Overbought conditions might signal that the price is at risk of a pullback.
What Does It Mean When a Stock Is Oversold?
The oversold stock meaning refers to a stock that has dropped significantly and may be below its true value. This often happens when there’s been excessive selling, and it could suggest that its price is due for a rebound.
How Can You Find Oversold Stocks?
Traders often use technical indicators like the Relative Strength Index (RSI) to find the most oversold stocks. An RSI reading below 30 typically suggests that a stock is oversold and may present a buying opportunity. Other indicators, like the Stochastic Oscillator, are also commonly used to identify oversold conditions.
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.
Price Action Trading: Key ConceptsPrice Action Trading: Key Concepts
Price action is a popular trading method where traders analyse raw price movements on a chart, without relying on technical indicators. Traders identify patterns, trends, and key levels that help them understand market behaviour. This article explores what price action is, the key concepts, and how to get started with a price action strategy.
What Is Price Action Trading?
Price action is the movement of an asset’s price over time, and it’s one of the purest forms of market analysis. When using price action, indicators like moving averages or oscillators take a back seat, with traders focusing solely on the movement of the market itself. In studying how prices behave in real-time or historically, traders can spot trends, patterns, and potential turning points in the market.
At its core, price action is about reading the market’s “story” through its movements. Traders look at how an asset has moved in the past—whether it’s rising, falling, or ranging—to understand what it might do next. This analysis often revolves around key levels, such as support (where prices tend to stop falling) and resistance (where they tend to stop rising).
Because price action relies purely on market data, it offers a clear view of sentiment without the “noise” of external indicators. This makes it a go-to method for traders who prefer a straightforward approach. Price action also can be used in any market—whether it’s forex, stocks, or commodities—and across various timeframes too, from short-term day trading to long-term investing.
Understanding this style isn’t automatic—it requires practice, observation, and an eye for patterns. However, once traders get the hang of it, price action can provide valuable insight into the market’s behaviour and help them analyse future trends.
Key Price Action Concepts
Now, let’s take a look at some core price action concepts.
Support and Resistance
Support and resistance levels are foundational in price action analysis. These are key levels that the market has historically struggled to move past. Support represents a level where the market tends to stop falling, acting like a “floor,” as buying pressure increases. Resistance is the opposite, serving as a “ceiling” where upward movements tend to halt, as selling pressure grows.
Traders use support and resistance to identify potential levels where the market might reverse or pause. If a price breaks through one of these levels, it can signal a continuation of the trend, while a bounce off the level might indicate a reversal.
Trends
At its simplest, a trend shows the direction in which a given market is headed. In an uptrend, prices are making higher highs and higher lows, showing consistent bullish momentum. In a downtrend, the opposite is true: prices make lower lows and lower highs, indicating bearish sentiment.
Swing highs and lows are critical when spotting trends. A swing high is a peak formed when the market moves up and then reverses down. A swing low is the opposite. Tracking these highs and lows allows traders to identify the current trend.
Trendlines and Price Channels
A trendline is a straight line that connects multiple swing highs or swing lows in a trending market. It visually represents the direction of the trend and helps traders spot potential areas where the market may find support or resistance.
When two parallel trendlines are drawn—one connecting swing highs and the other swing lows—it forms a price channel. Channels help traders see the range in which the price is moving, and it’s common for prices to bounce between the upper and lower boundaries of the channel. Breakouts from them can signal a shift in trend direction.
Candlestick Patterns
Candlestick patterns are formed by the movement of price over a specific period and are widely used in price action trading.
Some common candlestick price action trading patterns include:
- Pin Bar/Hammer/Shooting Star: A candle with a long wick and small body, indicating a rejection of higher or lower prices. It can suggest a potential trend reversal.
- Engulfing Pattern: A two-candle pattern where the second candle fully engulfs the previous one, signalling a shift in momentum. A bullish engulfing pattern suggests buyers are taking control, while a bearish engulfing pattern shows sellers are gaining strength.
- Doji: A candle with little to no body, where the open and close prices are nearly identical. It suggests indecision in the market and can signal a potential reversal, depending on where it appears in a trend.
Chart Patterns
Price action chart patterns are shapes that form on a chart, which traders use to determine future price movements. They can indicate the continuation or reversal of a trend.
Some common chart patterns include:
- Head and Shoulders: A reversal pattern that signals a shift from an uptrend to a downtrend (or vice versa). It consists of three peaks, with the middle one being the highest (the "head") and the outer two being lower (the "shoulders").
- Double Top/Double Bottom: These reversal patterns form when the price tests a level twice and fails to break through, indicating a potential reversal.
- Triangles: Symmetrical, ascending, or descending triangles indicate consolidation periods before a breakout.
Breakouts
A breakout occurs when an asset moves outside a defined support, resistance, or trendline level. Breakouts can signal that the market is gaining momentum in a particular direction.
When prices break beyond a support or resistance level, it can suggest that traders are pushing prices in a given direction and that momentum is likely to continue. Traders often watch for breakouts from chart patterns like triangles or channels.
Reversals
A reversal happens when a market trend changes direction. In an uptrend, a reversal would occur when prices stop making higher highs and higher lows and start forming lower lows instead. Reversals are often marked by candlestick patterns or chart patterns like head and shoulders or double top/bottom.
Retracements
A retracement is a temporary reversal in the direction of a trend, where the asset moves against the prevailing trend but eventually continues in the same direction. Traders often use tools like Fibonacci retracement levels to identify potential areas where the market might retrace before resuming its original trend.
Volume
Volume measures how much of an asset is being traded over a certain period. In price action trading, volume is used to confirm the strength of market movements. For example, if the price breaks through a significant resistance level with high volume, it can indicate that the breakout is more likely to be sustained. On the other hand, breakouts on low volume might suggest the move lacks conviction and could reverse.
Volatility
Volatility refers to the degree of price movement in the market over time. Price action traders pay attention to volatility because it can influence how they interpret patterns and levels. In periods of high volatility, an asset may break through key levels quickly, while in low volatility periods, it might stay within a narrow range.
How Traders Read Price Action
Let’s now look at an overview of how the process typically unfolds:
1. Beginning with a Clean Chart
Price action trading doesn’t rely on indicators, so the first step is to clear the chart of anything unnecessary. Traders focus on raw market data, meaning you’ll only initially need candlesticks or bars in a price action chart.
2. Identifying Market Structure
Once the chart is clean, traders assess the market structure. This means figuring out whether the market is trending or ranging. In a trend, prices make consistent highs and lows, moving upwards or downwards. If the market is ranging, the price moves horizontally within a set range between support and resistance levels.
3. Looking for Patterns and Key Levels
Next, traders focus on spotting recurring patterns and identifying key levels where the price has previously reacted. Patterns such as candlestick formations and chart setups (e.g., triangles or head and shoulders) give insight into what the market might do next. These patterns help traders anticipate reversals or breakouts based on past behaviour. Key levels like support and resistance guide where the price might stall or reverse.
4. Analysing Price Movements in Real-Time
As the price moves, traders observe how it reacts to these key levels or patterns. Does it slow down near resistance, or does it break through with momentum? Does it pull back to support before continuing upward? These real-time reactions tell traders whether the market is maintaining its trend or if a reversal could be on the horizon.
5. Confirming with Volume and Volatility
Traders often look at volume and volatility to further validate what’s happening on the chart. Higher volume can suggest stronger market moves, while volatility reveals how quickly the market is shifting. These extra layers of analysis provide confirmation of whether a breakout or reversal is likely to hold.
Building a Price Action Trading Strategy
Creating a price action trading strategy is about developing a personalised approach based on key patterns and setups that resonate with you. The steps mentioned above form the foundation of price action trading. However, traders usually build their own strategy over time, focusing on a handful of setups they find effective.
Initially, traders choose a few concepts to work with and avoid getting overwhelmed by too much information. For example, you could look for pin bars that appear during retracements at support or resistance in line with a trend. Another approach might be identifying a breakout after a double top or bottom, especially if it’s backed by high volume. Alternatively, traders often use candlestick patterns to trade the upper and lower boundaries of a price channel.
Setups like these can be backtested in trading platforms with FXOpen, using historical data to understand why and where certain setups work. It does take time to develop an eye for price action patterns, but it’s worth the effort to be able to identify opportunities well before lagging technical indicators do.
Lastly, risk management is crucial when trading price action. Before you try out any setup, try to understand the best risk management practices for that pattern. For instance, traders might place a stop-loss just beyond a pin bar’s wick or slightly below the lows in a double bottom to limit potential losses if the market moves unexpectedly.
The Bottom Line
Price action offers traders a straightforward way to analyse market movements and make decisions based on real-time data, prioritising repeating patterns rather than indicators. To put price action trading into practice, consider opening an FXOpen account to access more than 700 live markets and our advanced low-cost, high-speed trading environment.
FAQ
What Is Price Action?
The price action meaning refers to the movement of an asset's price over time. Traders analyse these movements, without relying on indicators, to identify trends, patterns, and potential turning points in the market.
How to Read Price Action?
Reading price action involves analysing market movements on a clean chart. Traders identify trends, key levels of support and resistance, and chart and candlestick patterns.
What Is Price Action Trading?
Price action trading is a strategy where traders make decisions based on the raw movements of an asset. Instead of using technical indicators, they focus on chart patterns, trends, and levels of support or resistance to analyse the market.
What Is the M Pattern in Price Action?
The M pattern, or double top, is a bearish reversal pattern that looks like the letter "M." It forms when the price tests a resistance level twice but fails to break through, signalling a potential move downwards.
Do Price Patterns Work?
Price patterns can work, but they are not foolproof. They are often used to identify potential market movements, but outcomes may vary depending on market conditions and other factors.
Do Professional Traders Use Price Action?
Yes, many professional traders use price action as a core part of their trading strategies. It provides a direct way to analyse market behaviour without relying on external indicators.
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.
Understanding Risk Asymmetry in a Table▮ Introduction
With TradingView's new table creation feature , you can easily create and customize tables to enhance your trading analysis and presentations.
In this article I'll use it to explain Risk Asymmetry .
Trading involves a constant evaluation of risk and reward .
One of the critical concepts that traders need to understand is risk asymmetry .
This concept highlights how losses and gains are not symmetrical.
In other words, the percentage gain required to recover from a loss is greater than the percentage loss itself.
This article explores risk asymmetry and illustrates it with a practical example.
▮ What is Risk Asymmetry?
Risk asymmetry refers to the disproportionate relationship between losses and the gains required to recover from those losses.
For instance, if you lose 10% of your investment, you need to gain more than 10% to get back to your original amount.
This is because the base amount has decreased after the loss.
Understanding risk asymmetry is crucial for traders because it affects their risk management strategies.
Knowing that larger losses require exponentially larger gains to recover can help traders make more informed decisions about their trades and risk exposure.
▮ Illustrating Risk Asymmetry
To illustrate risk asymmetry, let's consider an initial investment of $1000.
The table below shows the required gain to recover from various percentage losses:
Explanation:
- Loss (%): The percentage loss from the initial amount.
- Value Lost ($): The lost monetary value from the initial amount.
- Amount After Loss ($): The remaining amount after the loss.
- Required Gain for Recovery (%): The percentage gain required to recover to the initial amount.
This table highlights the asymmetry in trading losses and gains.
As the loss percentage increases, the required gain to recover the initial amount increases disproportionately.
For example, if you lose 50% of your initial amount ( $500 ), it is not enough for you to gain 50% , because the amount left after the loss is $500 , and a 50% gain on the amount of $500 is $250 , which would result in a total amount of $750 with a remaining loss of $250 !
So, the most important question is not how much can I win , but how much can I lose .
Curiosity:
Why 100% is not applicable (-) in this table?
When you lose 100% of your investment, you have lost all your capital. Therefore, there is no remaining amount to recover from, and it is impossible to gain back to the initial amount from zero. This is why the required gain are marked as not applicable.
▮ Conclusion
Understanding risk asymmetry can help traders in several ways:
1. Risk Management:
traders can set stop-loss levels to limit their losses and avoid the need for large gains to recover.
2. Position Sizing:
by understanding the potential impact of losses, traders can size their positions more conservatively.
3. Psychological Preparedness:
knowing the challenges of recovering from significant losses can help traders maintain discipline and avoid emotional decision-making.
It is one thing to lose 100% of a dollar on a casino bet; it is quite another to lose 100% of a lifetime's worth of capital.
Therefore, the larger the capital at stake, the smaller the amount of money that should ideally be risked.
Mastering Fibonacci in TradingMastering Fibonacci in Trading
Unlock the secrets of Fibonacci and its applications in trading. Learn how to utilize this powerful tool to find optimal entry and exit points, manage risks, and enhance your trading strategies.
What is Fibonacci?
The Fibonacci sequence is a series of numbers where each number is the sum of the two preceding ones. The sequence begins as follows:
The sequence is named after the Italian mathematician Leonardo Fibonacci, who introduced it to Western mathematics in his book Liber Abaci in 1202. One of the fascinating properties of this sequence is the ratio between successive numbers, which converges to approximately 1.618—known as the Golden Ratio .
The Golden Ratio and Its Significance
The Golden Ratio (1.618) and its inverse (0.618) appear frequently in nature, art, architecture, and financial markets. In trading, these ratios, along with derivatives like 0.382 and 0.786, are used to identify potential support and resistance levels.
How Fibonacci Became a Trading Tool
Traders and analysts observed that price movements often respect Fibonacci levels, retracing or extending along these key points. This led to the creation of Fibonacci-based tools, such as:
Fibonacci Retracement : Used to identify potential reversal levels during pullbacks.
Fibonacci Extension : Helps forecast profit-taking levels during trends.
Fibonacci Arcs, Fans, and Time Zones : Advanced tools for multi-dimensional analysis.
Using Fibonacci in Trading
Step 1: Identifying the Swing High and Swing Low
Select a clear price movement, either an uptrend or a downtrend, and mark the highest point (swing high) and lowest point (swing low).
Step 2: Applying Fibonacci Retracement
Using the Fibonacci tool on platforms like TradingView, draw from the swing low to the swing high (for uptrends) or from the swing high to the swing low (for downtrends). Key levels to monitor are:
0.236 (23.6%)
0.382 (38.2%)
0.5 (50%)
0.618 (61.8%)
0.786 (78.6%)
These levels often act as support or resistance zones.
ICT Optimal Trade Entry Zone
Fibonacci retracement levels have been widely used by traders, from traditional to Smart Money concepts. While technical analysis has evolved, traditional tools like Fibonacci retracement levels still hold their relevance. A modern adaptation of this is the ICT Optimal Trade Entry (OTE) concept.
The Fibonacci level range from 62% (0.618) to 79% (0.786) is known as the Optimal Trade Entry Zone . This zone is critical for identifying high-probability reversal points during retracements.
Bullish Setup : In an uptrend, the OTE zone provides a favorable entry point when the price pulls back to this area, indicating a potential continuation of the bullish trend.
Bearish Setup : In a downtrend, the OTE zone serves as a resistance area where the price is likely to reverse and continue its downward trajectory.
The Golden Pocket
The zone between the 0.618 and 0.650 levels is also referred to as the "Golden Pocket," emphasizing its importance as a high-probability area for price reversals or trend continuation.
Combining Fibonacci with Other Tools
Fibonacci works best when combined with other technical analysis tools:
Candlestick Patterns : Confirmation signals for reversals or continuations.
Trendlines : Validate key Fibonacci levels.
Volume Analysis : Assess the strength of price movements near Fibonacci levels.
ICT Strategies : Use concepts like mitigation blocks or liquidity voids to refine entry points in the OTE zone.
Practical Applications
Scalping: Use Fibonacci on shorter timeframes to identify intraday opportunities.
Swing Trading: Combine Fibonacci retracements with trend analysis for multi-day trades.
Long-Term Investing: Employ Fibonacci on weekly or monthly charts to identify major turning points.
Conclusion
Fibonacci tools are essential for any trader looking to enhance their market analysis. By mastering these tools, including the ICT Optimal Trade Entry concept, you can:
Identify optimal entry and exit points.
Manage risks more effectively.
Gain deeper insights into market behavior.
Start experimenting with Fibonacci today on TradingView and discover how it can transform your trading strategy!
The Evolution of a Trader: A Structured Path to MasteryTrading in financial markets, especially in the volatile cryptocurrency sector, is both challenging and rewarding. I’m Skeptic , and through my observations, traders grow through distinct stages, each teaching vital lessons. Beginners focus on research, intermediates learn adaptability, and advanced traders refine emotional discipline and strategies. This article explores how to evolve from a novice to a master trader. 🌟
Stage 1: The Total Beginner 🧐📉
Characteristics: Beginners are often optimistic and eager, placing trades based on tips from friends, forums, or influencers. Early successes may create a false sense of confidence.
Challenges: Losses from unreliable tips reveal the necessity of personal research and a deeper understanding of the market.
Psychological Impact: Emotional highs from early wins are quickly followed by the disappointment of losses. This phase teaches humility and emphasizes the need for continuous learning.
Stage 2: The Search for the "Holy Grail" 🔍🔧
Characteristics: Traders enter a phase of hunting for the perfect indicator or strategy. They explore tools like RSI, MACD, or Fibonacci retracements and invest in advanced trading software.
Challenges: The realization that no single method guarantees consistent success. Markets are dynamic, requiring adaptable strategies.
Key Lesson: Success lies not in a magical formula but in understanding market psychology, developing a robust trading plan, and mastering risk management.
Stage 3: Making Money but Not Consistently 💰
Characteristics: Traders begin to see some profits but struggle with consistency. They may prematurely take profits due to fear or hold losing trades too long, hoping for a reversal.
Challenges: Emotional turbulence and inconsistent decision-making hinder progress.
Key Focus: Develop emotional resilience and adhere to a disciplined trading approach. Stick to your trading plan regardless of short-term outcomes.
Stage 4: Consistent Small Profits 📈💵
Characteristics: Traders start achieving consistent small gains by focusing on disciplined risk management and a refined strategy.
Challenges: Avoiding impulsive trades and staying committed to the process over the outcome.
Key Lesson: Small, consistent gains build the foundation for long-term success. Discipline and patience are critical at this stage.
Stage 5: Professional Consistently Profitable Trader 🏆
Characteristics: Trading becomes a reliable source of income. Traders implement advanced money management techniques and stick rigorously to their trading plans.
Challenges: Scaling positions responsibly and maintaining focus during market volatility.
Key Tools:
Position sizing
Trade management (e.g., stop-losses and profit targets)
Continuous performance review
Stage 6: The Master Trader 🎯
Characteristics: Trading becomes second nature. Master traders confidently manage large positions, adapt to market changes, and achieve multi-fold annual returns.
Key Focus: Controlled risks, strategic scaling, and calm decision-making.
The Pinnacle: Mastery is not about taking excessive risks but about deep market understanding and a systematic approach to trading.
Conclusion 📈💡
The journey to becoming a master trader is transformative. Each stage, from the enthusiastic beginner to the seasoned expert, offers lessons that shape both trading skill and personal growth. Success in trading is not about finding shortcuts but embracing the process, persevering through challenges, and continuously learning. 📚
Key takeaways:
Trading requires humility, discipline, and adaptability.
Consistent profits stem from robust strategies, risk management, and emotional resilience.
Mastery involves developing a systematic approach and achieving balance between risk and reward.
Thanks for reading until the end of this article! ❤ Your support keeps me going, and I’m excited to share more insights with you. If there’s anything you want me to cover next, just let me know. Let’s keep learning and crushing it together! ✨ - Skeptic :)