VOLATILITY IN THE FOREX MARKETHello Forex traders. Today we are going to talk about the concept of Volatility in the Forex market. We will talk about what it is, what volatility depends on, and most importantly how we can use this data to build and improve our own trading strategies and, as a result, get more profit from trading.
What Is Volatility?
Volatility is the range of price changes from high to low during a trading day, week, or month. The higher the volatility, the higher the range during the trading time period. This is considered to be a higher risk for your positions, but it gives you more opportunities to earn money. Volatility can be measured over different time periods. If we open a daily chart and measure the distance from high to low, we will get the volatility of the day:
It turns out that on the chart above, it was 121 pips.
We can also measure on another timeframe, for example, weekly chart. The distance from the high point to the low point was 162 pips. The total volatility during the week was 162 points. Volatility can be measured within a trading session or within a trading hour. This allows us to conclude that it is a fractal value.
As a rule, the average volatility for the last candles is taken into account. If we take daily charts, the average volatility is usually considered for the last 10 days. Roughly speaking, the last 10 candles are summarized and divided by 10.
What Does Volatility Depend On?
It depends on the number of trades in the market, players, trading sessions, the general state of the economy of a currency, and, of course, on speculation. It depends on how speculative the market is about a given currency. Note that volatility can be measured both in points and in percent. But it should be noted that most often, the volatility of stocks is measured in percent. In forex, it is more usual to measure in pips. If you are told that the average price change of EURUSD is 0.7%, you can easily convert it into pips. And vice versa, you can calculate percentages from points if you need them for any research. Now let's move on to the most important question.
How To Apply Volatility Data For Profit?
It's actually quite simple. As they say, everyone knows about it, but no one applies it. This is especially true for intraday trading. Nobody wants to apply the simplest rule.
Suppose you know that the average volatility of GBPUSD is 120 pips. Question: if the price has moved up 100 pips from the beginning of the day, should you open a buy position? The answer is obvious, we should not. Because the probability that the price will go up another number of pips is too low. Therefore, we should not open a buy position and on the contrary, we should focus on bearish positions. But for some reason people forget about this simple technique and follow their system. I believe that it is absolutely necessary to include volatility, at least on intraday strategies, in your checklist for market entry.
The same can be done with higher timeframes. Let's imagine that we know that GBPUSD has an average weekly volatility of 200 pips. If the pair has moved 50 pips since Monday, we can expect that if the price continues to move down, there is a potential of about 150 pips. Of course, there are days when some movements become bigger or smaller, but we try to rely on statistics. With its help we can calculate the sizes of stops and take-outs. If we decided to be guided by the volatility data and open a sale on the pound, then we would try not to put a large (relative to the weekly timeframe) take profit. Because our expectation within the week is 150 pips.
If the average volatility of a pair is 200 pips, it is silly to expect 1000 pips move. At least within a week. Thus, volatility can also be used for risk calculations. If you have opened many positions on different pairs, you can calculate what will happen if all stop-losses are triggered. Of course, the market is not obliged to obey your calculations, but it gives some support for your convenience and trading.
Volatility-based Indicator
The first indicator is ATR
Average True Range indicator invented in 1972. It shows the average volatility and it is used most often to set targets and stop losses. The value of the indicator is multiplied by a multiplier and thus calculate the stop loss or and/or take profit. The calculations will automatically change depending on the current volatility.
Volatility is higher, take profit becomes higher. Volatility is smaller and take profit becomes smaller.
The next indicator is the CCI
It is based on average price and moving average data. It is used as an oscillator, that is, when it is in the oversold zone, it is recommended to buy. And when it is in the overbought zone, it is recommended to sell.
Another indicator, which is known to everyone, is Bollinger Bands
They consist of a standard moving average and a moving average plus and minus standard deviation, which is calculated based on price. These bands are used most often to determine the limits of movement from the standard average. We can draw conclusions based on this indicator about the end of the movement, correction, etc.
Conclusion
In this article I have tried to give you an understanding of what volatility is in the forex market and most importantly how we can apply it in our trading. I hope that it will help you in developing and adjusting your own trading systems.
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Trading-signals
INTUITION IN TRADINGWhy is it that when you feel that you should buy and you buy, the price goes down, and when you feel that you should sell, but do not open an order, the price immediately and sharply goes down? Murphy's Law? What should I do with my inner voice? Should I tell it to shut up or listen to it?
In various sources, one can often find completely opposite opinions about the role of intuition in trading. Some say that only a systematic approach can bring success, while others, on the contrary, claim that it is impossible to achieve significant results without a "sixth sense".
Who is right? Many people are interested in this question and we can make the most adequate conclusion: "Intuition is worth using, but only after you have gained experience of more or less successful trading within a year or two".
Let's think for a second. How can a person who has no experience as a construction worker take a look at a house and immediately realize that there is "something wrong" with it? You can't. The person simply does not have enough experience, he is too poorly informed about the subject to make any judgments.
There is a wonderful book by Malcolm Gladwell called Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking. It deals in great detail with the "Thin-slicing Theory", what we call Intuition. I suggest you read it. So how to apply intuition in trading? The answer is simple.
At first, gain experience by trading according to a mechanical system, without using any judgments like "I feel it, we are about to fall" or something like that. And only then, when you have an insight, be sure to check it with the help of technical analysis. Having found confirmation of your intuitive guess, you can already take some actions.
In fact, there is even a book written on this topic, it is called "Trading from Your Gut". It is written by one of the "Turtles", Curtis Faiths. There is not so much information in this book specifically on the use of intuition, but there are a couple of useful thoughts.
The less fear, the better intuition works.
Perhaps this is the reason why it is so easy to make thousands of dollars on a demo account and so difficult on a real one. When trading on a demo, we release the full potential of our brain, because nothing limits our freedom, because the money is virtual and there is no fear of losing it.
HOW TO IDENTIFY AN ASCENDING WEDGE AND A DESCENDING WEDGEThe wedge pattern is a popular chart formation that traders use to identify potential reversals in the markets. This pattern is formed from a series of higher highs and higher lows in an ascending wedge or lower highs and lower lows in a descending wedge. As the pattern narrows, the price action becomes more compressed, eventually leading to a breakout that can result in a significant move in the opposite direction. In this article, we will look at how to identify and trade this pattern.
How to identify an ascending wedge and a descending wedge
Rising wedge
An ascending wedge is a bullish pattern that forms when price is sandwiched between an uptrend line and a horizontal or slightly upward sloping resistance line.
To identify an ascending wedge:
a. Draw a trend line connecting the lower lows.
b. Draw a resistance line connecting the upper highs.
c. The wedge should look like a symmetrical or slightly expanding formation.
Downward wedge
A descending wedge is a bearish pattern that forms when price is sandwiched between a falling trend line and a horizontal or slightly downward sloping support line.
To identify a descending wedge:
a. Draw a trend line connecting the upper highs.
b. Draw a support line connecting the lower lows.
c. The wedge should look like a symmetrical or slightly expanding formation.
How to trade a wedge
Rising Wedge
When trading a rising wedge pattern:
a. Place a buy stop order above the upper resistance line, aiming for a return to or beyond the initial point of the wedge.
b. Place a stop loss below the lower trend line to minimize potential losses.
c. Exit the trade when price reaches the target or when the pattern does not move beyond it as expected.
Downward wedge
When trading a descending wedge:
a. Place a sell stop order below the lower support line, aiming for a return to or beyond the initial point of the wedge.
b. Place a stop loss above the upper trend line to minimize potential losses.
c. Exit the trade when price reaches the target or when the pattern does not break as expected.
Risk Management
Trading wedge patterns can be profitable, but it is important to manage risk effectively. Consider using a fixed percentage of your account for each trade and set strict stop loss orders to protect your capital. Also, remember that no pattern is foolproof and the market can sometimes give false breakouts.
Conclusion
When properly identified and traded, wedge patterns can provide valuable trading opportunities. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can improve your ability to identify these patterns and capitalize on them. However, always remember that trading involves risk, and a thorough understanding of market dynamics and risk management is essential for success.
SIX HABITS TO ADOPT IN 2024Trading in the financial markets can be both rewarding and challenging. However, it's essential to recognize and overcome certain bad habits that can hinder your success and well-being. In this article, we will discuss six common habits that traders should avoid and provide actionable steps to improve their mindset, performance, and overall happiness.
1. Quit Complaining – Embrace a Positive Attitude
Successful traders do not wallow in self-pity or exaggerate their problems. If you find yourself complaining about your trading issues, seek help from a mentor or support group to resolve your concerns. A positive attitude will not only improve your trading results but also create a more positive atmosphere around you.
2. Monitor Your Vices and Indulgences
Traders often resort to unhealthy habits, such as excessive alcohol consumption or overeating, as a way to cope with stress and disappointment. Be mindful of your weaknesses and replace harmful habits with healthier alternatives that promote well-being and mental clarity.
3. Focus on the Present Moment – Avoid Future-Tripping
Fear often stems from worrying about the future. To avoid this trap, concentrate on the tasks and decisions at hand. Focusing on the present moment will give you a sense of calm, security, and fulfillment that will ultimately improve your trading performance.
4. Continue Learning and Growing
Once you achieve success in trading, don't become complacent or stop learning. Continue developing your skills and exploring new trading strategies. Learning new techniques or refining existing ones will keep you engaged, motivated, and adaptable in an ever-changing market environment.
5. Cultivate Strong Social Connections
As a full-time trader, it's easy to become isolated and withdrawn from social interactions. Make an effort to maintain and build meaningful relationships with family, friends, and colleagues. Strong social connections will provide emotional support, reduce stress, and contribute to your overall happiness and well-being.
6. Practice Gratitude and Kindness
Traders who experience negative emotions, such as envy or resentment, can benefit from practicing gratitude and acts of kindness. By expressing gratitude, volunteering, or offering compliments, you will improve your own happiness while fostering a positive atmosphere around you.
Conclusion
By recognizing and overcoming these six common bad habits, traders can significantly improve their well-being, trading performance, and overall happiness. Embrace a positive mindset, maintain healthy habits, focus on the present moment, continue learning and growing, cultivate strong social connections, and practice gratitude and kindness. By doing so, you will be well on your way to achieving success in the financial markets and leading a fulfilling life.
In 2024, may traders who have yet to find success in the market be blessed with the wisdom to learn from their mistakes and the courage to embrace new strategies. May they cultivate a growth mindset, forging strong connections, and practicing gratitude and kindness. As the year unfolds, let their resilience and determination guide them towards a prosperous and fulfilling future in the world of trading.
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THE ESSENCE OF WYCKOFF'S METHODRichard Demille Wyckoff is a trader whose career coincided with the famous traders of the time: Jesse Livermore, Charles Dow and JP Morgan, W. Gann and others. All of these men are widely recognized for their terrific trading books. Wyckoff became famous for his insight, his trading method. Wyckoff has been involved with the financial markets since he was a teenager, and this is what gave him an understanding of how the market works.
To become a successful trader, it is not enough to have good theoretical knowledge. Experience is the key to your success. That is why Wyckoff recommended to follow the tape for weeks to intuitively understand what is happening on the market.
THE ESSENCE OF THE WYCKOFF METHOD
The essence of Richard Wyckoff's idea is that in order to gain a large position in the market and not to move the price with large orders, a professional market maker needs to balance supply and demand. The equilibrium is observed when the price is in a narrow range of consolidation. After a position is gained, the price is pushed out of the trading range.
WYCKOFF'S THREE LAWS
The trading method is based on three laws:
Supply and Demand. Wyckoff believed that the price of each asset goes up or down only by an overabundance of one thing. For example, the price goes up if demand exceeds supply. Simply put, if a whole city decides to buy 10 tons of apple, and the apple is in limited supply from the suppliers, they will start to raise the price because of the high demand.
Cause and Effect. When an asset starts to rise in price - this is the consequence, and the previous news or a small price range this is the cause. When the price is between support and resistance zones for the X amount of time (cause), then a trend will start in the short term (effect).
Effort vs. Result. A large volume traded, for example, during one day is an effort, while a price change is a result. Example: If a large player has spent a lot of money buying up most of the sell orders, and the price is still standing, it means that the effort spent did not bring the expected results.
ACCUMULATION AND DISTRIBUTION
The basic principle of trading is to see the equilibrium of supply and demand in time. Consolidation (also called range, zone, rectangle, sidewall, etc.) is a trading range of prices where accumulation or distribution takes place. Wyckoff's method is the use of accumulation and distribution phases.
Accumulation is the formation of a trading zone where orders for further movement (price reversal) are accumulated within a certain time. Here "smart" money keeps the price at approximately the same level, where they buy up most of the market orders in order to sell (distribute) them at a higher price.
Distribution is the formation of a trading zone where orders are distributed for further movement (price reversal) within a certain time. Similarly, to accumulation, smart money sells out all its previously accumulated assets in order to benefit from it.
Consolidation is the place where the previous movement with the outweighing force of demand or supply stops and relative equilibrium finally occurs. This trading zone is a great time to make money, because it is the place where preparation for an explosive bull rally or bearish fall takes place. Consolidation can be considered as a place of refueling for a car, if not refueled, there will be nothing to drive on - it is the accumulated force, the reason that creates the subsequent movement. The longer the refueling takes place, the farther one can go. Therefore, after a long trading range, we should expect an equally long upward or downward movement.
On the way to move from one zone to the opposite zone, the price does not fall in one go, it always makes pullbacks and stops, which are called accumulation.
After his death, Wyckoff left trading methods for such zones. The principle is quite simple: Before the formation of a sideways trading range, sales peak and the accumulation phase begins. During the whole time the price is in this range, a large player buys up most of the sell orders. The price goes beyond the support and resistance zones, then reverses and the growth phase begins. At the end of the growth phase, the buying peaks. Then it is the same for the distribution phase.
ACCUMULATION
In the accumulation phase, professional traders buy up sell orders from uninformed traders. Usually it happens on the news, from all channels they say that shares of some company will fall, it is waiting for almost bankruptcy, everything is bad, etc. In Forex, various negative news on unemployment and similar. At this moment people start to get rid of long positions, and traders start to short the instrument. Wyckoff supporters realize that it is worth waiting for the price drop to stop and they should get ready to look for an entry point to buy the asset.
Phase A and phase E are trend price movements, the phases between them are the trading range, which is analyzed by the Wyckoff trading method. Horizontal lines are support (at the bottom) and resistance (at the top) of the trading range. Do not consider them as exact lines, they are approximate ranges, in which the big one turns the price back to sideways.
DISTRIBUTION
Everything is similar to buying in the accumulation phase, only now those assets bought earlier should be sold off. This is just the basis, the main rules of trading according to the Wyckoff method in trading. Richard Wyckoff himself applied it on stocks and on daily charts (although he did not use charts, only tape). But nowadays, the time of algorithms, you can trade on any timeframe and any instruments. The method works well on the minute. It should be understood that there can be many phase patterns, the trading range can be different, the culmination with large candles and small, the volume is high and not very high, tests after the exit from the zone may or may not be. It all depends on who the big player is, when the accumulation or distribution occurs, what instrument you are watching and what timeframe is on the chart.
Trading will be quite successful if you strictly follow your trading strategy according to the Wyckoff method, written on paper, competently determine the level of risk and position size. Observe the chart, find consolidations, see what happened inside and where the price went. You need to analyze every step, every movement. Big money thinks everything through, every price action on the chart is not accidental. And remember that whatever the big money does, it always leaves its traces.
Good luck in trading!
TRADING PSYCHOLOGY: HOW TO OVERCOME YOURSELF?Hello forex traders! How much money have you lost because of emotions? How many losing trades have you closed because they went negative and it annoyed you? And how many times did the currency immediately reversed after you recorded a loss? As we all know up to 80% of success in forex trading depends on psychology. Money management is of great importance and only then strategy. Not everyone realizes it, but this is the harsh reality. How to defeat yourself? How to remain calm in any situation? How to protect yourself from negative emotions that cloud your mind?
The Impact Of Emotions On Analysis
When you are sitting in losses, you do not pay attention to what is happening on the chart. That is, your brain rejects the signals that indicate that the price will continue to go against you. On the contrary, your brain tries to convince you that the price is about to turn around, which, of course, does not happen. If you close the position and look at the market with a clear eye, you will realize that the situation in the market is not the same as it was in your head a moment ago. This distraction in the form of a minus on the position affects your attentiveness, and you do not notice the obvious.
There is such a thing as analysis paralysis. That is, when some event literally knocks you out of the rut, after which you cannot adequately perceive the situation. This can be avoided with the help of reasonable sufficiency. That is, you stop looking for the perfect solution. Instead, you make the most correct and simple decision to close a losing position.
Also, traders are often afraid of losing profit. But then again, how many times have you held a losing trade, hoping for a reversal, and it still went against you? It is the same with profitable trades. There is a constant feeling that the price is about to turn around and all the profit will be lost. As an option, in this case you can use a trailing stop. Then you will in any case know that in case of price reversal, the profit will not be lost.
In principle, the cure for the influence of any emotions on the analysis is correct money management. That is, you just need to simply reduce your trading lot. The goal is to place such a lot, which would not cause you strong emotions.
Until you are used to being disciplined in every situation, it is better to trade at a lot that you could forget about. For example, you could open a trade on the daily chart and forget about it (accidentally or naturally). At the very initial stages this approach is justified, as no open positions will not prevent you from analyzing the situation competently. At the same time, the very fact of a negative trade will not knock you out of your game.
You Are Not Perfect
Remember, you are not perfect. There is no person who, like a robot, does not get nervous about trades, who performs absolutely perfect trading and never makes mistakes anywhere and ever. All of us make mistakes, it is normal, and it should be understood. Let's say you read that you need to reduce the lot, not to be emotional, and you still make mistakes. The thought that "I am smarter" does not leave your head. But, in general, if you read the biographies of successful people in other areas, you will learn that they also made mistakes. Often, a person needs to make all possible mistakes only in order not to make them later. So, to speak, we learn from our mistakes.
The average person believes that he is smarter than 80% of people. At the same time, there are always excuses for the question "why are you so smart, but so poor?" - something prevents you, you are too old, too young, your wife/husband prevents you, you were born in the wrong country and so on. Almost everyone thinks they are, so you don't have to worry, you are not the smartest.
The Vicious Circle Of A Beginner Trader
Searching for a system: you find a strategy that appeals to you.
Trading: as a rule, this period lasts 1-2 days, at best a week if.
First Losses: taking your first losses. It's usually down to the first few trades.
Anger: naturally, there is a feeling of being cheated as the system did not deliver the promised profits;
Blame: the system does not work; forex is a scam and the author of the system is a scammer. Someone is necessarily to blame, for example, the broker that closed the position a point later, but not the trader himself. And everything starts all over again.
Exit From The Circle:
Finding a system.
Backtesting from the beginning to the end: the strategy should be either tested manually on the history or in a tester if the strategy is automatic.
Absolute confidence in the strategy: when you have fully tested the strategy, know all the statistics, know all the pros and cons, you gain confidence in the chosen strategy.
Good money management: further, you add a good money management.
Now it is "your" trading strategy: the strategy should be completely yours. If you are not comfortable holding positions for 3-4 days, move to a smaller timeframe. Or, on the contrary, if you are too lazy to open trades often, choose a larger TF. That is, the strategy should suit your temperament and be customized for you.
In general, all these pieces of the mosaic lead to the exit from the enchanted circle. You find a system, then trade, adequately perceiving losses. Accordingly, you further work with this system, solve problems with emotions, inputs and outputs, improve, tune-up and so on.
A Little Bit About Our Brain
The fact is that our brain compared to a computer has a very large hard disk, but a very small amount of RAM. Do you know the feeling when the brain is so overloaded that absolutely no information, even seemingly simple ones, can be stored in it? Of course, we cannot expand this memory, but we can control the number of simultaneously opened applications/programs. That is, we need to fight the so-called white noise. Remove social networks Facebook, messengers, YouTube, checking mail, and so on. This is all white noise that clogs your brain and prevents you from working adequately.
There are many opponents and many supporters of meditation. Meditation is, in fact, nothing more than to lie/sit under calm music and go into a certain semi-trance state. Humans periodically need three states: being awake, sleep and a trance state. Usually after a certain mental effort, you start to get very dumb without doing any useful work. This is the brain signaling that you are lacking the trance state. 30 minutes of trance a day is quite enough.
Do Not Set Goals In Trading
When you set yourself a specific goal, for example, to make 1% every day it doesn't work. You start looking for non-existent trades again, clouding your brain. Therefore, you should not set profit targets. On the other hand, it is possible and even necessary to set loss limits!
Sometimes, there is a sudden unreasonable desire to open a trade. Although the system did not give a signal. As a way out of this situation, you can try to open two accounts, one for adequate trading, where you will open trades clearly according to the rules of the system. Another smaller one for aggressive trading, when you have an irresistible desire to open a trade. If it really "works", you will still get profit, though not so big.
Bottom Line
As you can see, strategy is often not the deciding factor in trading. Psychology is what ultimately makes you act in one way or another. It takes the right approach and practice to be unstoppable in trading. The rest comes with experience over time.
TILT IN TRADINGAs it is known, a trader on the market is under constant pressure, the market is a constant process, in fact it is a river, and a trader should dive in and out of it to earn money. It is difficult to stay on the shore, when there is an endless river of money flowing nearby, hence the constant desire, well and of course stress, because the market gives unlimited opportunities at the same risk. Everyone knows that the two worst emotions for a trader are fear and greed, although it is only fear, greed is one of the types of fear (fear of losing profit). Fear breeds many related behaviors that only bring financial pain and frustration in trading. Let's look at some of the groups of emotions that fear gives rise to.
TILT IN TRADING
What is tilt? Tilt comes to us from poker; it means the inability to perform reasonable actions while being at the mercy of emotions. Tilt is not a one-time process. First, there must be preconditions for its occurrence. Most often, it is a series of unsuccessful trades in a short period of time (scalping), after which the trader starts to lose control and, trying to recoup losses, goes all the way, forgetting both the rules of trading strategy and money management rules. The most interesting thing is that the same thing can happen during a series of profitable trades, i.e., tilt can be earned at any time; it is only necessary to let go of some emotion for some time. The worst thing (except for the loss of money, of course) is the acquisition of bad emotional habits, from which it is very difficult to get rid.
Tilt can occur even on expectations, for example, the price is about to approach the level of trade open, and suddenly it turns around. Your finger froze over the buy/sell button and then it's over! And waiting for the next approach turns into a tilt. Market factors also provoke tilt in a trader, for example, increase of volatility during news, the price flies back and forth like crazy and pushes the trader to open a trade.
SO HOW DO YOU AVOID TILT?
The answer to this question is always right under our noses. It is discipline, and only discipline. The rules of the trading system and the rules of money management, and as few emotions as possible. Do not trade in an agitated, tired, and painful state; wait it out; the market will not run away from you.
With the emergence of the crypto market, new concepts have appeared, but they already relate to the psychological manipulation of traders, and although they are based on the same fear, we will try to describe them separately. Besides, these concepts have always been there and apply to all kinds of markets, not just the cryptocurrency market.
FOMO & FUD cycle
FOMO (Fear of missing out) information throwing in the bright prospects of some crypto coin or crypto market as a whole, in order to provoke the purchase, often and densely along with Pump of a particular crypto coin.
FUD (fear, uncertainty, and doubt) is a negative information dump to provoke sales. All the same, only sales and DUMP (sharp sale of crypto-asset), the purpose is to reset the price of the crypto asset, again, to make it attractive to the investor. No, what a concern for potential investors! Both pump and dump are reverse actions, and the goal is the same attractiveness for investing! The only difference is the timing.
The topic of psychology in trading is big; we covered only a couple of psychological aspects: one is the trader's problem, and the other is the trader's provocation by the market and information space. In general, psychology accounts for 80% of all trading. You can memorize techniques, but it is very difficult to understand and change yourself in terms of psychology. To understand how the "crowd" acts, what will be the reaction of "big money"? All this is what you should strive for in your search for profit. Therefore, the trader's "holy grail" is patience, self-discipline, and as few emotions as possible. If you feel that you are about to lose it, just leave the terminal and go to your family, to the gym, or to nature. Do not sit at the terminal on an emotional tilt. Work on your emotions and you will be profitable.
BROADENING PATTERNSBroadening patterns are very unstable from a technical point of view. They are usually formed after the trend has already gained strength. It looks as if the battle between buyers and sellers is out of control, as the price starts to move in a wider and wider range. The situation is exactly the opposite of triangles, where the price shrinks to an extremely balanced state before the breakout.
Broadening patterns are formed when three or more price waves expand so much that their highs and lows can be connected by two expanding trend lines. Just as there are two types of triangles, there are two types of broadening patterns. They are called the conventional (classic) pattern and the rectangular pattern. The last one can also be called an expanding pattern with a flat top or flat bottom.
Conventional Broadening Patterns
It consists of three trends where each high is higher than the previous high. The highs are separated by two lows, where the second is lower than the first. These patterns are more likely to indicate the completion of a rising market, rather than a breakout higher. The conventional broadening top is sometimes called an inverse triangle, because that is exactly what they are. In general, some patterns are just perfect for trading, as they mark by default the places where to place stops with low risks. A rectangular triangle broken close to the top is just a good example.
But conventional broadening tops, however, alas, do not have this feature. Such patterns are extremely difficult to detect before the final top is formed. Besides, there is no obvious support line, the breakdown of which would serve as a convenient tool for us. The furious, emotional reaction of price and volumes reflects chaos and complicates the work with such patterns.
Of course, it is not easy to determine the breakout in such conditions, but if the pattern is more or less symmetrical, there are options. It is a decisive movement under the descending trend line, which connects both lows or even a movement below the second low, which will serve as a warning of a future decline. Targets are not easy to determine either, however, the volatile price reaction during the extension indicates that the distribution phase is almost complete. Successful completion of such a pattern is usually followed by a proportional fall in price. But the rectangular expanding patterns, which we will talk about next, are another example.
Rectangular Broadening Patterns
Most simply defined broadening patterns with a flat top or bottom are the easiest to identify. This is called a rectangular broadening pattern. Since the very concept of wild price movements implies an extreme degree of emotional involvement, it is difficult to add volume here. At market tops, though, volume is usually quite significant.These patterns also resemble a head and shoulders pattern, except that the "head" in an broadening pattern is the last element of the pattern. In this case, the bearish signal is activated with a decisive downward breakdown of the pattern.
A broadening pattern with a flat top is an accumulation pattern, and it is important that the volumes grow on the breakdown. They are essentially head and shoulders in a situation so bearish (or bullish) that price simply does not have time to form a right shoulder.
Psychological Perspective Of The Broadening Patterns
From a psychological perspective, expanding patterns can be seen as a reflection of the changing attitudes and beliefs of market participants. As the pattern widens, it suggests that there is increasing disagreement among traders about the direction of the market. This can lead to greater volatility and larger price swings as different groups of traders try to push the market in their preferred direction.
At the same time, broadening patterns can also be seen as a sign of indecision and uncertainty. Traders may be hesitant to commit to a particular direction, leading to a widening range of prices as buyers and sellers struggle to gain control. This can create a sense of tension and anxiety among traders as they try to navigate an increasingly complex and unpredictable market.
Target Points
To determine where the price can reach, you need to take the distance from the maximum (minimum) of the pattern and its horizontal line. Then the same distance is set aside in the direction of the breakout. Rectangular expanding patterns often show pullbacks like any other patterns. Since these patterns are very emotional and unstable, these pullbacks can be sharp and volatile. Fortunately, they don't live very long. In this case, the downside price target was reached on a downside breakout. Generally, a subsequent sharp reversal is a rare thing, as the price usually goes much farther than the price target.
Failed Broadening Patterns
Occasionally, such patterns fail to produce the expected result. Unfortunately, there is no super-reliable way to recognize that the pattern has failed. This will only become obvious when a small bottom or price top is formed after the breakout. However, we can protect ourselves from such situations by using the 50% rule, in which we measure half of the final price reaction in a pattern for a rise or fall.
Which is shown by the dotted line, once reached, the pattern is considered a failure. Of course, sometimes there are patterns that work even after breaking through the 50% zone with a subsequent pullback. However, breaking such a line with a strong trend in most cases indicates that the pattern has failed. In any case, carefully use the patterns that predict the price movement in the direction of the trend that was previously the main one.
In Summary
Broadening patterns are a trading range after a trend, between two extended trend lines. At least two touches are needed. It will take imagination to draw, as the touches are not always accurate. However, this is true for many other patterns as well. The maximum depth of the pattern is put off in the direction of the breakout. Since these are very dynamic and volatile patterns, pullbacks are usually short but very fast. False breakout is difficult to detect: the signal can be a price rise above the previous low/maximum or a pullback of more than 50% against the breakout. Overall, broadening patterns can be a useful tool for traders looking to understand the psychology of the market. By analyzing these patterns and the underlying factors that are driving them, we can gain valuable insights into the attitudes and beliefs of other market participants. This can help to make more informed trading decisions and better manage their risk in a rapidly changing market environment.
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TIMING IS EVERYTHINGWhat is timing in simple words? Timing is the time when you SHOULD trade the market. It is very desirable to trade on the market when the market is active, i.e. there is increased volatility, which in turn is associated with any time factors affecting the activity of traders.
Timing must be taken into account by almost any trading system, starting from scalping and ending with positional trading, meaning that timing is not the main period of displaying your chart, but the most effective for trading time that you spend in front of the screen. Even if you trade on a weekly chart, your timing will be Friday evening which is the closing time of the weekly candle.
🕕 TYPES OF TIMINGS
So, the basic timings:
• Intraday
• By type of trading instrument
• News
• On days of the week
• Periods (month / quarter / season)
📊 INTRADAY TIMINGS
Intraday timings on Forex are related to the inclusion of the work of exchanges (sessions) in different parts of the world due to time zones. So-called European session, American and Asian, so in the language of traders denotes trading during the work of exchanges located in different time zones.
European: from 07:00 - 16:00 (GMT).
American: from 13:00 - 21:00 (GMT).
Pacific: from 20:00 - 05:00(GMT).
Asian: 00:00 -09:00(GMT).
Although there are 4 sessions, but only 3 of them are taken into account, as the Pacific Exchange has a very small influence on the market due to small volumes. The most active are Europe and America, often going in opposition to each other, so intraday traders should take into account the time of inclusion of America, as it can confuse all the cards and turn intraday trends. Well, at night the harsh Japanese samurai come and make their own contribution and confusion. A lot of intraday systems are built precisely on turning on or off this or that stock exchange in the work, picking up the nuances of their influence. Intraday timings are also present on stock markets, the calmest time is the so-called evening session. But the mass introduction of trading bots even here can try to shake up the market and lure many traders into it.
📊 BY TYPE OF TRADING INSTRUMENT
There are timings by type of trading instruments. For example, gold and oil are better to trade on the American session, and the main volatile pairs EURUSD and GBPUSD are better to trade in the European session. Of course, it is all rather conditional, but nevertheless, it is necessary to take into account.
📰 NEWS TIMINGS
Everything is simple here. If it is scalping or intraday trading, then hands off the keyboard because the market shakes during the release of important news. But if you like to trade specifically on the news, then it's time, the most timing.
📅 TIMING BY DAYS OF THE WEEK
It has long been noted that the market is volatile differently on different days of the week:
Monday is sluggish and unclear, often markets open with gaps.
Tuesday all are awake, pumped up and the market goes and runs.
Wednesday and Thursday are active too, but on Thursday there are bank reports and, you can say, the banks, having made money, start to aim somewhere.
Friday is the day of losing trades. Very often unpredictable in terms of the previous week's movement, on Friday short-term traders close their positions, which also brings its own turmoil.
📆 TIMING THAT OCCURS DURING A SPECIFIC PERIOD OF THE MONTH
For example, this overlaps with news timing, non-farm peyrols (NFP), the economic news released every first Friday of the month. It is the second most important news after GDP. Be sure to watch the economic news release calendar. The impact of this news may well be spread out over the long term.
💼 QUARTERLY TIMINGS
Directly related to the quarterly closings of futures contracts in stock markets such as the CME. Futures and currency pairs with the same name are considered to influence each other. This can also include the release of quarterly reports of various companies that have their shares on stock exchanges.
🍂 SEASONAL TIMINGS
This is, for example, the New Year and Christmas. Also, the financial new year in Japan, which for some reason occurs in March, and in the U.S. in October. And futures on the same coffee, cotton and sugar should be considered taking into account the time of the year.
In general, timing is one of the most important factors that must be taken into account in your trading system, starting from the stage of its development. When tracking trading statistics, be sure to look at what time your trading system is most effective and whether it is possible, for example, to increase risk at that time or not to trade at other ineffective times at all.
HOW TO TRADE GAPSA gap is a seemingly simple thing. It is such a period when the price minimum in a certain trading period is higher than the maximum in the previous period or vice versa - the maximum is lower than the minimum from the previous period. Gaps are not displayed on line charts or charts with closing prices, so they can only be seen on charts with bars or Japanese candlesticks. There they will look like an empty vertical space between trading periods, and this is the zone of extremely heightened emotions.
They are usually formed after the trading session, during the overnight period, when the market is digesting fresh negative or positive news. On daily charts gaps are much more common than on weekly charts, because on a weekly chart a gap can appear only between Fridays. Monthly gaps are rare and such gaps on the chart can be formed only between monthly price ranges. The easiest way to find a gap on an intraday chart is to open a trading session.
Gaps are an important emotional zone
Where gaps form on a chart is an important, potential reversal zone because emotions are running high. As charts are a reflection of the psychological state of market participants. Consequently, when price returns to the area of the previous gap, its upper and lower points become important support and resistance zones where short-term trends can briefly reverse.
Why most gaps close from a psychological perspective
A gap close is filled when price reverses and rolls back to the full range of the gap, thus "closing" it. On a daily chart it sometimes takes several days, sometimes it takes weeks or even months. And in some rare cases this process may not be completed at all.
"The market does not tolerate a void"
In other words, gaps are filled, sooner or later, almost always. Of course, there are exceptions, but they are quite rare. The psychology of this process is quite simple. It can take months and sometimes years to fill the gap in the market. That is why you should not create a trading system only on the assumption that the gap will be filled tomorrow. In most cases, the market will try to close the gap, but it often ends up with a partial closing attempt.
Why do gaps close at all?
Simply, like any emotional phenomenon, they reflect the psychology of market participants: excessive fear or greed, for example, depending on the direction of the trend. The decision to buy or sell at any price by itself is not objective or rational. Consequently, when the market cools down, people will begin to retroactively reconsider their decisions. Which will lead to either closing the gap or trying to close it at least partially.
Gaps should be treated with respect, but do not overestimate their importance. If a gap appeared on the formation of a price pattern, it is a general or gap zone. They close quickly and are not particularly important from the technical point of view. Therefore, we are much more interested in three other types of gaps, strong ones, which we will consider:
Breakout gaps
Continuation gaps
Exhaustion gaps
Breakout Gaps
A breakout gap is created when price breaks a price pattern or any other trading range. In general, if a gap appears, it emphasizes the bearish or bullish nature of the breakout, depending on its direction. Nevertheless, it is highly desirable that an upward breakout be accompanied by higher volumes. However, if the gap breaks down, it usually does not require high volumes.
Not every gap on a breakout is important, because as we know there is no such thing as a "sure thing" in technical analysis. However, a gap that is formed on a breakout is more important than one that appears by itself somewhere on the chart. There is a danger of buying on a breakout gap because you will get right into the epicenter of the market storm. The desire to buy at any price will in most cases end in disappointment when the price inevitably rolls back down after the emotions have subsided.
Breakout gaps that are formed in the early stages of a major bullish trend are much more reliable than those that are formed after a long rise in price. If a breakout gap is formed at the end of a bull market, the chances of emotional burnout increase. Bulls sell out everything and do not buy back the asset on pullbacks, they are not interested in a low price anymore.
Continuation gaps
Continuation gaps occur when the price is falling or rising in a straight line, when the price is flying fast and emotions are running high. Sometimes such gaps are closed very quickly, literally within a day. Sometimes they are open much longer and do not close until the market shows a strong or intermediate reversal in the opposite direction from the main trend. The same trend that created such a gap. Such a gap is usually formed between the previous breakout, in the middle of the price movement that follows it.
That is why such gaps are also called measuring gaps. It is not uncommon for one trend to have several such gaps at once. Continuation gaps are much more common in weak stocks or markets than in active and strong ones. The reason for this is that the window of opportunity is quite narrow and if everyone tries to get into it at the same time, only a few participants will get what they are looking for at the desired price. In the end, the demand to buy or sell will only be met by a much higher or lower price.
Exhaustion Gaps
If you see several continuation gaps in a trend, it means that the trend is being influenced by powerful forces. A second or third gap will also hint to a good technical analyst that the trend is stabilizing quickly. Therefore, there is a chance that the second or third continuation gap will be the last one. Accordingly, an exhaustion gap is the final stage of a rapid rise or fall in price, which will be the last of the continuation gaps. And there are cases when the exhaustion gap can develop after a long and extended trend.
In the end we have a breakout gap, this is the beginning of the price movement. A continuation/measurement gap is usually in the middle of a new move. And the exhaustion gap is the final gap in a price movement.
Therefore, exhaustion gaps are associated with rapid and prolonged price movement. They indicate that buyers gradually give up and stop believing in a new buying opportunity in the form of a pullback. In a downtrend, the opposite is true - sellers are losing at the top into a pullback higher for downside purchases.
Intraday Gaps
Generally, there are two types of opening gaps on intraday charts. The first one is formed after the price opens below the trading prices of the previous session. The second, much more widespread type of gap is formed exclusively on intraday charts, where the opening price of a new day jumps far away from the closing candle of the previous trading session.
Intraday traders should avoid trades when the market opens sharply up or down. In the stock market, this happens due to extreme imbalances, where liquidity providers are forced to open down positions to meet the demand from open orders.
Therefore, the ideal situation for them is when the price bounces slightly at the opening and then declines, allowing the liquidity providers to close all or part of the down positions. This process will be exactly the opposite if the price opens with a fall. Therefore, it is critical to observe what happens to the price after the opening range. As a rule, if after a gap up, the price goes further and opens a new trading range, it sets the sentiment for the whole market for at least a few hours, and sometimes even longer.
Island reversals
An island reversal is a small trading range that is formed at the end of a long price movement and is separated from the previous price by an exhaustion gap and a breakout gap.
Remember that islands do not occur very often on charts, and when they do, they do not last long. However, they are a frequent guest at the end of an intermediate or even major trend and are formed as part of a price pattern. Such as the top/bottom of a head and shoulders (or inverse head and shoulders). In addition, islands are often a one-day phenomenon.
Summary
Gap on the chart that was formed due to excessive emotions in the market. Gaps are closed almost always. They also act as potential support and resistance zones. The high volume on the gap confirms its importance. A breakout gap is formed at the beginning of the price movement, continuation gaps in the middle of the movement, and exhaustion gaps at the end of the trend. An island reversal is a small price pattern on a 1-day chart, isolated from the main price by two gaps. They often indicate the end of an intermediate trend.
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LIQUIDITY GRAB IN TRADINGLet's talk about liquidity grab and why the market moves against you the moment you open a trade. At Smart Money, liquidity grab is at the heart of the trading systems, because without it, there can't be a market.
✴️ Market Liquidity
No matter how long you have been trading, at some point you must have questioned the depth in the market you are trading. In other words, its liquidity. Liquidity is the #1 element that makes a market work and competitive. For a market to be rich in liquidity, there must be broad participation from both buyers and sellers.
That's why it makes sense for smart money or market makers to extract liquidity from the market. Liquidity hunting is a very common practice. It is nothing but the art of forcing losing players out of the market who are known to be weak long and short holders.
✴️ Liquidity Grab Often Occurs Against The Underlying Trend
The bigger and brighter the liquidity zone, the more likely it is that Smart Money will target that particular zone, especially if it is located against the underlying trend.
For example, in a bearish trend structure, you can often see clear liquidity picking up from below, against the trend, and reversing the price up. This is more common in very liquid markets with high trading volume (e.g. Forex, stock market).
Why does it happen? Big players know that most of us use various indicators, moving averages, candlestick and chart patterns and other popular tools for our day trading, scalper trading. The big players can easily lure retail traders to enter the market at bad points and act against their positions.
Many traders use significant levels to place stop losses and buy or sell stops for exits and entries respectively. It is these price levels that are used by smart money to provide their needs with the right liquidity. Institutional players cannot trade the same way as retail traders because in low liquidity price zones, they can up/down too much on large orders. So, they use high liquidity zones to place their own large orders in the market without having too much impact on the price.
Liquidity grab is actively used mainly in the forex and cryptocurrency markets, as these markets are quite volatile and attract inexperienced traders. Besides, it is easy to use margin trading on them. Inexperienced (and even experienced) traders don't know, and those who do, don't believe that a market maker uses their stops to "make a market" on a regular basis.
✴️ More is Better
The more liquidity that accumulates above a significant price level, the more likely that liquidity will be harvested. Where price consistently bounces off a demand (support) or resistance (supply) level several times, there is a huge concentration of stops by some players and orders in the other direction by others. It is important to focus on finding these spots, as you can find great entries after liquidity is collected. The more bounces, the better.
The key factor for a major player is time. The more time passes, the more liquidity there will be. And if price cannot break through areas with multiple highs or lows, it is likely that liquidity around those price levels will increase over time. The more time that passes, the more liquidity will increase (unless major highs/lows are broken). Because of this factor, if you want to trade a liquidity seeking pattern, you should be aware of how time plays a role in consolidating orders above/below key liquidity zones.
✴️ Grabing Liquidity And Finding Stop Losses
A liquidity grab is a liquidation event in which buyers' or sellers' stop losses are removed and traders who took a trade on a breakout are trapped.
✴️ Stop Loss Grab By A Major Player
Stop loss finding and liquidity grab are similar concepts. Finding a stop loss is when price drops or rises behind the structural elements of the chart, or just goes to a round value. The smart money knows there aren't many stops and liquidity accordingly. These places are visible to almost all traders, everyone sees some "key" level, where the price hits the same place a hundred times. A big player realizes that half of the players will play on the rebound, putting their stops above or below the zone, while the other half will play on the breakout, jumping in after the breakout of this zone. As long as stop losses of the former and pending (buy/sell stops) or market orders of the latter are triggered, smart money will absorb all these orders.
✴️ Look For A Quick Price Reversal After A Breakdown
The goal of the Smart Money trading system is very simple - retail traders, should avoid falling into the trap of the market maker and just follow the market maker. A liquidity grab should always be accompanied by a quick, strong reversal move after reaching a critical low/maximum essentially a quick turn in price back to structural support or resistance. How quickly the price will come back, we do not know, but the time of being outside the demand or supply zone will depend on the liquidity of the market itself and the volume of big players.
✴️ Monitor The Lowest Low And The Highest High Of The Structure
When you do not see areas with the same lows or highs on the chart (consolidation), the main area to monitor is the lowest minimum or the highest maximum of the structure, i.e. where the highs or lows are connected by the trend line.
✴️ Maximum And Minimum Of The Market Structure
Most traders' stop losses will be located exactly where the high or low of the trend is visible. When the price falls below/below the start of the move, then stops will be triggered and new orders will be opened in the hope that the trend has finally changed. Liquidity will also be under other lows, traders will also jump in there to update the nearby structure, but the very beginning of the move will be the key level. This can be attributed to the time frame or simply fractality. There is a difference between targeted and non-targeted liquidity, i.e. caused by a market maker or caused by general market action.
On the left side we have targeted and on the right side we have untargeted. The difference between the two is that the targeted liquidity grab is initiated by smart money and the non-targeted one by general market action. In the former case the targeted attempt to take out stops will start from the middle of the previous move where there are not many stops and liquidity, in the latter case there is a move under general market action.
HOW TO RECOGNIZE A SCAM SIGNAL PROVIDER WEBSITEForex signal providers can be a good resource for traders looking to access the markets. However, not all signal providers are created equal, and some of them act as scammers, preying on unsuspecting novice traders. In this article, we will look at how to recognize a fraudulent signal provider's website and how not to fall victim to their machinations. The provider's website can be a great indicator of professionalism or, on the contrary, a desire to deceive you.
1. Bad website design
One of the easiest ways to recognize a fraudulent signal provider website is to check its design. Fraudulent sites often have poor design with low-resolution images and poor grammar. You won't find any information about the provider itself on such sites. Non-working buttons or links are also a reason to be cautious. The sites of legal signal providers are usually well designed, have professional images and clear language.
2. Lack of contact information
The websites of fraudulent signal providers often lack contact information or provide fake contact information. In many cases there are icons of almost all social networks, but when you click on the link there is nothing there. If there is even an account in social networks, they are mostly completely anonymous. On the other hand, legitimate signal providers should have a physical address, phone number and e-mail address on their website. Traders should check the contact information provided and make sure it is legitimate.
3. Unverified performance
Fraudulent signal providers may provide unverified results or manipulate performance metrics to appear more profitable than they actually are. It can be easy to show fake trading results on a website. You should treat such results with caution. You should always check the accuracy of the performance results before using services from any signal provider. Legitimate signal providers should provide verified performance results from third-party sources. Our team has already checked a huge number of them and found out who is working correctly and who is falsifying the trading results.
4. Lack of social proof
Social media is a staple of business these days. Social buttons can lead to the homepage of a website, to an empty profile, or to nowhere at all. Social media proof is a powerful tool that can help traders identify fake signal providers. The websites of fraudulent signal providers often have no reviews or they usually have fake reviews. There are always satisfied customers on their website and social media pages with no way to read the comments. Providers using a well-known consumer review system is usually a good sign. But you still should also check third-party review websites to see what other traders are saying about the provider. If there are a lot of short positive reviews you should also be wary as they may be fake.
5. Check the domain name
Domain names registered for a short period of time, say a year, can be suspicious because scammers don't invest a lot of money in their sites. They purchase domain names with short expiration dates to minimize their costs. Websites that are newly created and have a short lifespan are more likely to be fraudulent.
In conclusion, recognizing scam signal provider websites is crucial for traders to avoid falling victim to scammers and achieve their trading goals. By checking for poor website design, lack of contact information, unverified performance, lack of social proof, traders can identify legitimate signal providers and avoid being scammed. Be safe.
Top 6 Most Tradable Currency PairsForex traders have the luxury of more highly leveraged trading with lower margin requirements compared to traders in equity markets. But before you jump headfirst into the fast-paced world of forex, you'll want to know about the currency pairs that trade most often.
Here's a look at six of the most traded currency pairs in forex:
1. EUR/USD: Trading the "Fiber"
The most traded currency pair is the EUR/USD, most likely because of the global prominence of the economies of the European single market and the United States. It made up 22.7% of overall market share, as of the latest BIS survey. That's down from 24% market share in the previous 2019 survey. The high daily volume and liquidity of this pair ensure tight spreads for traders.
The EUR/USD tends to have a negative correlation with the U.S. dollar and Swiss franc (USD/CHF) and a positive correlation with the British pound/U.S. dollar (GBP/USD). This is due to the positive correlation of the Euro, the British pound, and the Swiss franc.
2. USD/JPY: Trading the "Gopher"
The next most actively traded pair was the USD/JPY, with high liquidity and a market share of 13.5%, slightly higher than its prior 13.2%.2 This pair has been sensitive to political sentiment between the United States and the Far East.
It tends to be positively correlated to the USD/CHF and the U.S. dollar/Canadian dollar (USD/CAD) currency pairs. This relationship is due to the U.S. dollar being the base currency in all three pairs. USD/JPY also responds to changes made to interest rates by the Bank of Japan and the effect on the yen relative to the U.S. dollar.
3. GBP/USD: Trading the "Cable"
Trading in the GBP/USD currency pair represented 9.5% of forex market share, a small decrease from the prior survey in 2019. Again, the popularity and volume of trading in this pair reflect the strength of the British and U.S. economies.
The GBP/USD tends to have a negative correlation with the USD/CHF and a positive correlation with the EUR/USD. This is due to the positive correlation between the British pound sterling, the Swiss franc, and the Euro.
4. USD/CNY: Trading the Yuan
The USD/CNY currency pair represents the relationship between the U.S. dollar and the Chinese renminbi, more commonly known as the yuan. Its market share grew to 6.6% from its previous 4.1% of market share in daily forex trades.
The U.S.-China trade relationship has been a volatile one, providing USD/CNY traders with plenty of speculative trading opportunities. Those interested in the USD/CNY should maintain awareness of developments in that relationship, as they could affect the pricing of the pair.
5. USD/CAD: Trading the "Loonie"
Market share for the USD/CAD currency pair increased to 5.5% from 4.4% in the previous survey three years ago. Interest rates in the U.S. and Canada will affect the price of this pair, reflecting the effects on the individual currencies. In addition, as oil is a major economic driver for Canada, its price will affect the price of Canadian currency. This in turn can have an impact on the currency pair.
The USD/CAD tends to be negatively correlated with the AUD/USD, GBP/USD, and EUR/USD pairs due to the U.S. dollar being the quote currency in these other pairs.
6. AUD/USD: Trading the "Aussie"
The AUD/USD currency pair captured 5.1% of forex market share, compared to its previous 5.4%. It tends to have a negative correlation with the USD/CAD, USD/CHF, and USD/JPY pairs due to the U.S. dollar being the base currency in these cases.
The value of Australia's currency is closely tied to the role and value of its exports in its economy. Therefore, a downward movement in that value could affect the AUD/USD currency pair value, strengthening the dollar to the loonie. The relationship between the interest rates set by the respective central banks can affect the currency pair price, as well.
Conclusion
The list of the most actively traded currency pairs starts with the EUR/USD, which has the greatest trading volume. All six currency pairs offer the liquidity that investors who trade them need for profits.
However, various factors such as trade relationships, changing interest rates, economic upheaval, and country disputes, including war, can affect individual currencies (and thus pairs). So make sure that you're up to date on such news and information before leaping into the forex market so you can choose the most viable currency pairs to trade.
HOW TO TRADE RECTANGLESAs we already know, a price trend does not usually reverse instantly. As a rule, upward and downward trends are separated by periods when the price is in a trading range - a sideways trend. To take a simple analogy, imagine a huge ship. It's not easy to slow it down, it takes a lot of time. Now imagine how long it takes to turn around? It's the same with prices. Hence the simple rule that the longer the trend is, the more time it takes for it to reverse.
In this case, the process of reversal, aka the horizontal phase of the market is of great importance. Because it is the horizontal range that separates an upward trend from a downward trend (or vice versa). But when the sideways range comes in the shifting phase, the battle between sellers and buyers is equal. Until, for one reason or another, the price does not go down under selling pressure.
It is the breakout of the sideways range, with a new low being reached, that indicates to the trader that a trend reversal is taking place. In other words, when the price falls out of the trading range, it is a sell signal. When the bearish trend ends, the reversal process begins.
The Reversal Rectangle And The Psychology Behind It
When the rectangle is just starting to form, some news is released on the asset and uninformed market participants, who heard about it for the first time, jump in to buy. At this stage, there are positive forecasts everywhere and to go long seems to be the right choice.
We remember that absolutely every trade has two participants: the seller and the buyer. At the same time sellers have absolutely different view on the market. They diligently bought much earlier, on rumors of positive news. And now the positive news has arrived, which means what? That's right, it's time to sell. And who is the best person to sell to? Uninformed participants. This is how the well-known principle "buy the rumors, sell the facts" looks to everyone.
If price patterns like a rectangle are formed at the bottom of the market, they are called accumulative, and the process itself is called accumulation. Here the psychology is exactly the opposite. Sellers see that the price of the asset is falling and decide to sell when bad news and future forecasts become known to all investors. Potential buyers previously hesitated because they did not want to enter on such bad news.
Simply put, the upper reversal rectangle is just a version of the signal that the series of rising highs and lows will reverse. And exactly the opposite is true for the bottom rectangle. You also need to realize that a reversal pattern needs something to reverse. In other words, there should be a clear trend in the opposite direction from the expected reversal before such a rectangle. Accordingly, there should be a strong upward trend up to the top rectangle, and a downward trend down to the bottom rectangle.
How Is The Rectangle Formed?
In the picture shown above, the upper and lower boundaries of the rectangle are formed by at least 3 touches between two horizontal trend lines. However, the rectangle could actually be made on the first two touches. Don't forget, any sideways trend is just an area where buyers and sellers are fighting. If the battle results in a rectangle with more than two touches, it means that the battle between the two sides has turned intense. It also means that the bearish characteristics of the rectangle in the example above are intensifying.
The more touches the rectangle has, the more significant it is
As you will notice we use the phrases "touches" and "approaches" this is important because on real charts rectangles will not be so perfect and beautiful. Approaching any trend line , including the horizontal one in a rectangle, is as important as actually touching it. So, if the price reaches the boundary and then reverses, it reinforces this support or resistance zone anyway.
Significance Of Any Price Pattern
The principles of price patterns are universal. They can be used on any timeframe, from 1-minute candles to monthly candles. However, it is the size and depth of the pattern that influence how significant it is in a particular timeframe.
1. Timeframe
The larger the timeframe, the more significant the pattern is
If a pattern is drawn on a monthly chart, it means that it is significantly more important than the one seen on an intraday chart. Suppose we are looking at a daily chart and we have noticed two patterns. The first one took 10 days to form, while the second one took 4 weeks. It is understandable that the significance of a 4-week epic battle between buyers and sellers is much higher than a 10-day clash.
2. Significance of price fluctuations
The more price fluctuates within a pattern, the more important it is
If the price stands still for a long time, traders and investors inevitably get used to buying at one price and selling at another. That is why the price moving beyond the usual prices changes the whole picture dramatically and represents an important event from the psychological point of view.
3. Significance of pattern depth
The more in-depth the pattern, the greater its significance
A breakout of a wide trading range is much more important than a breakout of a narrow trading range. The bigger (proportionally) the price fluctuations inside the pattern, the stronger the subsequent movement will be. If the pattern is formed by wide price movements, it means that the end of the pattern is likely to be marked by them as well.
It is also important to note that if you get a very narrow rectangle, it means that the battle between buyers and sellers is very balanced. This is especially true if there is almost no trading activity. When the balance is broken for one reason or another, the price will often move faster and further than initially expected.
How To Measure The Impact Of A Breakout
To assess the impact of a breakout, simply measure the distance between the inner boundaries, and then project them downwards. In most cases, the price will go further than the potential target we have highlighted. In very strong movements it will go further by many percent. Moreover, these price range projections often become important support and resistance zones in themselves.
Unfortunately, we cannot determine exactly where the next level will be after the price move, because technical analysis, again, does not allow us to accurately determine the duration of the price movement. However, we can well estimate the probability of whether this zone will be support or resistance. To put it plainly, this approach is a minimum expectation of the price movement.
Cancellation Effect
The minimum distance after a breakout can become a new zone where another accumulation or distribution begins. It usually takes a long period in the new range for the price to move back into the old range.
That being said, if there was a breakout of, say, a 2-year rectangle and price reached the minimum target, even though it didn't go any further, it will usually need the same accumulation/distribution period as it did in the previous range. It is only then that price can move back up.
False Breakout
As we have already found out, a price breakout outside the price pattern, even if it is small, often indicates a trend reversal or its confirmation (if the price was in an accumulation/rectangle). However, it is not uncommon for price to show deceptive, movements, so we need to introduce clear rules to avoid mistakes. It is quite ironic that false breakouts actually confirm the significance of certain support or resistance zones.
For example, on a daily chart, you see a confident breakout of a rectangle. But if the price does not hold above the broken line for more than one day, such a signal becomes suspicious. From a technical point of view, such a breakout can be much less significant, because if it does not hold, it means that the momentum is exhausted.
If the price has uncertainly broken the level, in most cases it turns in the opposite direction to the breakout
A hesitant breakout is often accompanied by further concentration of the price in the range until the price structure is technically prepared for a new breakout. When the price has confidently exited the pattern, this is an indication that the breakout has taken place.
Indications of a false upside breakout: price is moving back into the range and breaking the previous lows, the rising trendline connecting the previous lows.
Indications of a false downside breakout: price moves back into the range, breaks the previous high, a descending trendline connecting the previous highs.
Keep Risk Management In Mind
We remember that an upward breakout indicates a possible price rise. However, the same can be said about a pullback. If the price is back in the range, the probability of it reaching higher values decreases rapidly. Unfortunately, there are no quick and easy ways to determine this in any market conditions. Every market situation is different. This is the reason why you need to think everything through in advance, even before opening a trade. Otherwise, if the trade is already open, your emotions will come into play and affect the result. If you do not think over your risks in advance, if things go badly, you will be emotionally stressed and tense when you exit the trade. You will be influenced by some news, sharp price movements and in general anything except a sober, logical plan thought out in advance.
Let's Summarize
A rectangle is a trading range between two parallel trend lines. We measure the consequences of a breakout: the depth of the pattern is projected in the direction of the breakout. Indications of a false upward breakout: price moves back into the range and breaks the previous lows, the rising trendline connecting the previous lows. Indications of a false downside breakout: price moves back into the range, breaks the previous high, downward trend line connecting the previous highs.
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LIQUIDITY TYPESThere are a huge number of trading strategies in trading, however, there are some that significantly prevail over all others. They are based on the concept of liquidity. Let's look at them in detail.
✴️ STRUCTURED LIQUIDITY
Swing High and Swing Low are market highs and lows respectively, and Equal high and Equal low are equal market highs and lows respectively.
BSL (Buy Side Liquidity) - liquidity at the highs
SSL (Sell Side Liquidity) - liquidity at the lows
Trend liquidity. Trend is the most popular trading model all over the world and has been used for decades. No matter what you read, no matter what you watch, everywhere there will be a system of trend detection and trading logic described. It is hard not to guess where market participants, who trade both along the trend and against it, will set stop-losses.
✴️ LIQUIDITY IN A BULLISH TREND
Let's consider where liquidity appears behind the nearest maximum in an upward trend. Historically, the most traders set stops above/below some highs or lows.
The first participants are sellers who started shorting the market and successfully caught the reversal. These traders set their stop losses behind the nearest maximum, i.e. over the top where the reversal started. Those with experience will start to partially close their orders or get rid of the whole position during the pullback.
The second participants are those who trade the reversal, who do not believe in the continuation of the trend. They set their limit orders for a rebound from a significant zone (or jump on the market) and set their stop losses in the same place as the first ones - over the nearest maximum. It is understandable, if it goes higher, it means that the analysis was wrong.
And here are the third participants who trade breakouts, who trend trade and enter the battle only when the price updates the maximum. There are two options to enter the trade: buy-stop or manual, where both types of orders are market orders. It's simple, if the price breaks through the resistance zone, then they jump just follow the trend.
What have we found out? The first ones set stops behind the level, the second ones set their stops in the same place, the third ones work according to the market. All this crowd set tons of market orders behind the nearest maximum. All these market orders are liquidity. What do you think, if the big player has plans to mark down the price, will it go after this liquidity?
✴️ LIQUIDITY IN A BEARISH TREND
Liquidity in a bearish trend is the same, but in reverse.
✴️ LIQUIDITY POOL
Equal high (EQH) and Equal low (EQL) are equal market highs and lows, respectively. From technical analysis are support and resistance zones.
When price approaches the previous high in a bull market, participants begin to both buy and sell. What happens if the price does not make the high in a continuation of the trend and bounces back? Those who doubted the rebound from this zone start jumping in by the market, putting their stops above this high.
What do we have? The first stops were put by those who caught the reversal at the peak, the second ones are those who came in on the rebound, the third ones are those who are still waiting for the breakout and do not believe in the reversal, and the fourth ones are those who start jumping on the rebound. And there are also those who have not decided what to do. How to get them into the market? Simple is to show more rebound from this zone. The more touches of one significant zone are made, the more liquidity accumulates behind this zone.
✴️ TREND LIQUIDITY
When the price rolls in one direction, clearly bouncing off the trend line visible to everyone, it does it for a reason. In addition to those who jump on the market structure, there are those who open trades from the trend line. Stops of all participants are distributed below the lows (if we consider the trend line upwards), someone puts thembelow the first, someone below the second, someone fears to put them farther away. More often than not, all this liquidity will be cleaned out in the near future, and very often it happens in one sharp move. Why? To show the effect of surprise and prevent most from jumping out of the trade. Essentially, it's liquidity both structural and trend-following.
Since the market is fractal, this happens on all timeframes. You don't think that you have seen a trend and you need to urgently open a trade in the other direction. You need to realize that this liquidity can be collected once, collected by the same movement or not collected at all. It all depends on the market context of the higher timeframe.
✴️ DAILY LIQUIDITY
It's simple here liquidity accumulated behind the previous day's high and low.
✴️ SESSION LIQUIDITY
Similarly liquidity generated outside the minimums and maximums of the time sessions. Someone trading to collect session liquidity usually hunts for Asian session liquidity.
TRADING BASICS: TRENDLINESTrend lines are the simplest and most basic concept of technical analysis. It is also, paradoxically, one of the most effective tools. Since almost all price patterns require the use of trend lines, the latter are the basic element of both pattern definition and its use. Now we will discuss what trend lines are, how to work with them and how to determine whether they are working.
A trendline is a straight line that connects descending lows in a rising market or highs in a falling market. Lines that connect lows are called rising trend lines, and those that connect highs are called falling trend lines. To make a falling trend line, we connect the first high to the subsequent highs. When the price breaks the trend line, it is a hint that the trend may change. Similarly, for a rising line.
How to draw a trend line? ✔️
For a trend line to be real, it must connect the previous highs or lows. Otherwise, there is no sense in such a line at all. This is called the major trend line. It is where the first low of a bearish trend connects to the first intermediate low. In the example below, the trend line is not particularly steep (it is at a low angle, and angles are important in a trend). Unfortunately, price then accelerates sharply after the next low.
In a situation like this, it's best to simply redraw the trendline as price moves further away. This is called a new line in the picture and it reflects the changed trend much better. This line will be a secondary trend line. Well, the downtrend lines are drawn in the same way, but in reverse.
Since the trend can go sideways, it is quite possible to guess that trend lines can be drawn horizontally. This is often the case when we find price patterns like the "neck" in the Head and Shoulders pattern, or the upper and lower borders of triangles. In such patterns, if the trend line is crossed, it is an indication that the trend is changing. The same is true for rising and falling trends.
It is also important to realize that drawing a trend line is a matter of using common sense, not a set of very strict rules.
A trendline breakout could indicate a reversal or consolidation
The completion of a price pattern can indicate:
1. reversal of the previous trend, aka reversal pattern;
2. continuation of the previous trend, aka consolidation or continuation pattern.
Similarly, a trend line breakout indicates either a reversal of the trend or a continuation of the trend.
An example demonstrates this concept for a downtrend.
In this case, the trend line connecting one high after another is broken in a downtrend. The fourth high will be the highest point of the bearish trend, so an upward breakout of the trend line in this case indicates the beginning of a bullish trend.
In the picture above we see again a rising trend and a trend line breakout, but this signal has a completely different outcome. The reason is that the break of the trend line caused the trend to continue, but at a much slower pace. The third scenario is when the price goes into consolidation (aka sideways) instead of reversing, which is shown in picture. Accordingly, when a trendline is broken, it is a strong indication of a trend reversal. A changed trend can eventually reverse or go sideways after rising or falling.
Unfortunately, in most cases we can't tell accurately what will follow a trendline breakdown. However, there can be some pretty good clues, such as the angle of the trendline. Since trends that run at an acute angle are less stable, their breakout more often leads to sideways rather than reversals. Useful hints can be hidden in the general state of the technical structure of the market. In addition, a trend line breakout often occurs at the successful completion of a reversal price pattern or shortly before.
Extended trend lines ✔️
Many beginners, when they see that a trend line is broken, automatically conclude that the trend is about to change and immediately forget about the line. After all, an extended trend line can be as important as the fact of its breakdown. For example, if a rising trend line is broken, the price very often returns to the same line, but later. This is called a throwback.
Significance of trend lines ✔️
So, we have it all figured out - a trend line breakout leads to either a trend reversal or a trend slowdown. Of course, it is not always possible to say what exactly happens there, but we need to understand how effective a trend line breakout is in general, which we are going to do now.
In general, the significance of this event depends on three factors:
The length of the line;
The number of touches;
The angle of inclination or rise.
1. Trend line length ✔️
A trend line is used to measure a trend. The longer the line, the longer the trend and the more such a line will become important to us. If descending lows come one after another for 3-4 weeks, such a trendline is less relevant. If the trend line lasts 1-3 years, its breakout is extremely important to us. The breakout of an old trend line is very important, it is a powerful signal. The breakout of a fresh (relatively) trend line is a less important signal.
2. Number of touches or approaches to the trend line ✔️
The more touches or interactions with the trend line, the more important it is, there is a direct correlation. Why is this so? Because the trend line represents a dynamic zone of support or resistance. Each successful touch of the line strengthens it, reinforces its importance as a support or resistance zone. Thus, the trend line's role as a guide for the trend as such is also strengthened. Approaching the trend line is no less important than touching it, because this is how the zone is actualized. If the trend line has become strong due to the touches, its continuation will be no less strong, but from the other side. After all, in an extended trend line, support often becomes resistance and vice versa.
3. Angle of slope ✔️
A very steep trend is usually unstable and easily broken, even by a short sideways movement. All trends break sooner or later, this is a fact. However, steep trends break much faster. The breakout of a steep trend is less significant than the breakout of a smooth and gradual trend. It sounds paradoxical, but the point is this - the break of a steep trend usually causes a short correction, sideways price movement, after which the trend resumes, but much less strong and smoother. Accordingly, the breakout of a steep trend line is a confirming pattern, not a reversal pattern at all.
To summarize
Trend lines are an easy tool to understand, but they must be used correctly and thoughtfully. A trend line breakout indicates a temporary interruption of the trend or a reversal of the main trend. The significance of a trend line consists of its length, the number of touches/approaches to it and the slope angle. A good trend line always reflects the underlying trend and forms significant support and resistance areas. Extended trend lines change former support/resistance in places, which should be paid special attention to.
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INDUCEMENT IN TRADINGInducement is the most popular phenomenon in the smart money concept, but most traders don't know how to label it properly and what its definition is. This post will definitely improve your ability to pinpoint the exact location of the inducement and how to use that inducement to your advantage.
What is Inducement? Inducement is labeled IND on the chart, sometimes you may see IDM. Inducement is the area and specific point that encourages (incentivizes) traders to buy and sell. In the Smart Money concept, most traders buy after the breakdown of the previous high and sell after the breakdown of the previous low. This is a normal phenomenon and it is what most people do, because this is what all classic trading books teach from the point of view of market structure.
✴️ Examples
Look at the initial structure. The bullish movement is accompanied by small pullbacks. According to the classics, if the price breaks the last low, the bullish movement will be replaced by a bearish one. What we see is that the pullback starts and the price updates the previous low. Traders start to buy on the pullback towards the continuation of the movement and sell on the breakout, towards the new, bearish direction.
The previous low in a bull market is the Inducement. This is the place where inexperienced traders give their money to the big player, a bait, not otherwise. After liquidity is collected, the big player drives the price in the direction of the true trend. When the price updates the high it will be a BOS, i.e. confirmation of the structure. Note that when the price rises, lows are formed again, these are again the places where you usually buy and sell.
✴️ The idea behide it
As you can see, the real market structure is a bit more complicated than retail traders imagine. After the last example, the price can go higher again, there is nothing to prevent it, but we will just move our structural low under the previous inducement. The essence of price movement is only one thing and that is to collect and form liquidity. That is why the price very often goes down when trending up and updates the low, and then continues to fly up, but without you. The same is true for a downward trend.
In the picture above you can see the logic of price movement. As you may know or already know from classic books, the price after an impulsive movement starts to make a pullback. This pullback is done not because the price needs to rest, but because the price needs liquidity to continue the trend. Each pullback is an achievement of inducement, that is, a set of liquidity, and within each pullback you can find the same thing. That is, there are pullbacks within a pullback, and within that another pullback, etc.
The market itself it is a fractal. This is what confuses millions of traders to choose the right place to enter a position. Reality is very different from what is portrayed in books, people just don't realize which low will be the break. Which top is extreme? Show one chart to 10 traders and all 10 will show a different structure. It also strongly influences why some traders make money while others, in the same pattern, lose.
As you have already realized, price will always take out highs and lows to gather liquidity. If you buy or sell without understanding and practicing such a concept, that liquidity will be you. You must understand and be able to identify where that very spot will be inducement. The main thing to remember is that IND appears only when the price updates a structural high or low.
You don't have to incorporate a bunch of Smart Money trading principles into your trading strategy. You just need to realize that without liquidity there will be no movement in the market. Price needs only one thing and that is liquidity. You can trade profitably, even without using any instrument, if you understand what highs and lows most traders buy and sell.
BULLISH AND BEARISH FLAG PATTERNSBullish and bearish flag patterns are common patterns in forex that are used by traders to determine potential price movement in a trending market. These patterns can provide clues about market sentiment and help us make informed decisions about when to enter or exit a trade. It should be remembered that this pattern is a continuation pattern, not a reversal pattern, as these patterns appear after a strong movement. How to apply in trading patterns bullish and bearish flag?
The bull flag pattern is a continuation pattern that forms after a strong upward price movement. This pattern is characterized by a sharp price rally, followed by a period of consolidation in the form of a descending channel or flag, and then a continuation of the movement. The flag is usually accompanied by a decrease in market volatility and momentum, which indicates a temporary pause in the uptrend. The price is resting after a strong bullish movement before continuing.
How to apply in trading?
1. Identify a strong upward movement (flagpole): The first step is to identify the flagpole of the initial strong upward price movement that precedes the formation of this pattern.
2. Flag formation: After identifying the flagpole, traders must draw a trend line connecting the highs and lows of the consolidation to see the flag pattern. You need to watch the price closely because this pattern can turn into an ascending triangle.
3. Breakout of the contraction: Then wait for a breakout above the upper trend line of the flag pattern, accompanied by an increase in momentum. A breakout of the co-principal level confirms the continuation of the uptrend and is a potential entry point for long positions. Usually the price makes a move equal to the flagpole, which gives an approximate take profit point.
Conversely, the bearish flag pattern is a continuation pattern that is formed after a strong downward price movement. This pattern is characterized by a sharp decline in price followed by a period of consolidation in the form of an ascending channel or flag. Similar to the bull flag pattern, the bear flag pattern is accompanied by a decrease in momentum, which indicates that the price is temporarily resting in a downtrend.
How to apply in trading?
1- Identify a strong bearish move (flagpole): The first step is to identify the flagpole of the initial strong downward price movement that precedes the formation of the flag pattern.
2. Flag formation: After identifying the flagpole, we must draw a trend line connecting the highs and lows of the consolidation boundary to recognize the flag pattern.
3. Waiting for support breakdown: We should wait for a breakdown of the lower trendline of the flag pattern, accompanied by an increase in price momentum. Such a breakdown confirms the continuation of the downtrend and is a potential entry point.
In conclusion, the use of bullish and bearish flag patterns in trading requires identifying a flagpole, building a flag pattern and waiting for a breakout to confirm the continuation of the trend. By understanding and effectively utilizing these patterns, we can enhance our analytical skills. This pattern can complement your existing trading method.
SIGNAL PROVIDERS: EXPERT ADVISORSAs the world of trading evolves and expands, new signal providers are popping up every day, promising to help traders identify potential market opportunities. However, there are many problems among legitimate providers from one of them: signal providers offer fraudulent Expert Advisors (EAs). These unscrupulous providers promise extraordinary returns and flawless trading systems, but in reality, they disappoint and lead to financial losses for unsuspecting rookie traders. In this post, we will examine the reality of EA fraud and give important tips on how to protect yourself in the trading industry.
EA scams primarily target traders looking for automated trading solutions using EAs. 99% of the time these are traders who have been in the industry for no more than a year. Signal providers often use deceptive tactics to lure people into their schemes. The main signs of fraud can include:
1. Unrealistic promises:
This is the biggest red flag. Signal providers make big claims of guaranteed profits or excessively high returns in a short period of time. Things get to the point of nonsense like 100% capital growth every week. But in reality, no trading system can do such results in a short period of time completely eliminating risk or ensuring error-free success.
2. Fabricated results:
To attract inexperienced clients, scammers show fabricated evidence of high EA returns using fake data or false reviews. It is crucial to independently verify track records and performance data as our team has done.
3. Lack of transparency:
Signal providers often lack transparency in their operations. They may withhold important information such as the strategy or methodology behind their EAs, making it impossible for traders to evaluate their performance. An EA may be behind a sliding line crossover. As a consequence, the EA gives signals when the market is in sideways movement, which is likely to lead to losses.
Protecting against expert advisor scams:
1. Do your due diligence:
Before signing up with any signal provider or purchasing an EA, conduct thorough research. Read reputable sources of user reviews and independent analysis to assess the reliability and performance of the provider. Since the reputation of the provider itself comes first. If the provider has a good reputation, they will not offer anything that is not of any use.
2. Check the track record:
Request supporting documents from the signal provider or developer, such as statements from real trading accounts or third-party verification results like we do. Reliable providers should be transparent about their historical performance.
3. Be skeptical of unusual claims:
Be cautious when encountering providers promising guaranteed profits or unusually high returns, this is always a red flag. Remember that trading always involves risk, and no system can completely eliminate it.
4. Test periods and money back guarantees:
Choose signal or EA providers that offer trial periods or money back guarantees. Legitimate providers are confident in their services and allow traders to test them with minimal financial commitment.
5. Get professional advice:
We have reviewed hundreds of signal providers and if you are unsure or inexperienced in evaluating signal providers or advisors, get advice from professional traders who will help and show you the right way.
Conclusion:
Although there are both genuine signal providers and effective advisors in the trading industry, traders must remain vigilant to protect themselves from EA scams. By conducting thorough research, checking history, using regulated platforms, being skeptical of unusual claims, using trial periods and money-back guarantees, and seeking professional advice, traders can reduce the risk of falling victim to scammers.
DOUBLE TOP FORMATIONWhat is a double top?
This pattern appears when the price reaches some levels, makes a high, then goes down for a while. Then it comes back to about the same level and draws the same high at about the same level as the previous one, and then turns around and goes down. With a double top, this pattern is a reversal pattern and favors, subsequently, a downward price move.
What should I pay attention to?
Let's say you had some buys open; you saw a double top and, accordingly, decided to exit. So, how can you determine whether it is a quality pattern or not?
First of all, you should pay attention if there is a resistance level at the level of the double top. In this case, we have one top, the second one and we can pay attention to the fact that there is a level nearby. And it almost overlaps with our double top.
This gives additional strength to the pattern and it becomes more significant. Secondly, there should be at least six candlesticks between the two tops. That is, the tops should not literally follow each other.
There should be at least six candles between the tops. So that it visually looks like 2 peaks, not 2 or 3 candles next to each other. But at the same time take into account that if the second peak is very far from the first one, then this pattern is most likely not a pattern and it is just a coincidence, and most likely you will not see any strong trend reversal. A correction, perhaps, but no more than that. Accordingly, the farther the first top is located from the second one, the weaker the pattern is. This is because the significance of the chart formation is simply lost in time. Therefore, try to select trades in which the second touch is lower than the previous one, if possible.
And in case the reversal does take place, you can catch a very big movement. And if the space on the left looks filled, then accordingly, you should not count on any strong reversal. But strong global reversals are not so common, so it is not easy to catch them in any case. As they appear by themselves quite rarely.
How to enter the market?
Let's look at an example. As we know, this pattern is a reversal pattern. We have formed the first top, then the second top was formed and the price went up. You do not know what to do, to enter or not to enter, when to enter, where to put stop loss and take profit.
First, we build a trend line of the previous trend. Moreover, it should capture the lows that preceded the second top. In this case, we had an upward trend, so our trend line will be built approximately like this. Next, we put a horizontal line at the level of our last low that preceded the second top.
We will enter, as you guessed, at the breakdown of our trend line or neckline. And our target will be: the distance from our last low to the level of our last tops.
Entry on the breakoout of middle low. And you can put, of course, pending orders, you do not have to sit in front of the screen and wait for this breakout to happen and the stop-loss will be approximately at the level of our two tops, a little bit higher. And this is how the trade will look like.
UNDERSTANDING MOVING AVERAGEHello traders! 👋 🤗 Today I will try to explain to you guys another perspective and the concept of moving average. This is one of the oldest technical indicators and, perhaps, the most popular and most frequently used, as a huge number of other indicators are based on it. A lot has been written about moving averages. And at the same time, despite the abundance of information and respect for this instrument on the part of almost all traders, the issue of trading on MA is poorly covered. What do we often see about moving averages? Most of it is crossover. When one sacred line crosses another, we should enter the trade or something like that. I would like to show one simple method of working with moving averages.
A few important points
Only Simple Moving Average (MA) on closings is used. When working with moving averages, only 2 parameters are important: PERIOD AND SLOPE ANGLE . Any crossings and other things are not taken into account. Only MAs with a high period (from 100 and above) are used.
Thus, we can see the general direction, which looks a bit smoother and more obvious than a regular chart. In general, it is considered that if the price is above the moving average, it is an upward trend; if it is below the moving average, it is a downward trend. At the same time, the higher the period of the moving average, the more long-term the trend is. For example, with a moving average period of 21, we can say that if the price is above it, it is a rather short-term upward trend.
If the moving average period is much bigger, say 100, and the price is above the moving average with a period of 100, then we can say that there is a solid upward trend. If the price is below the moving average with a longer period (for example, 100), then we realize that there is a solid downward trend.
In other words, the longer the period of the moving average, the more inflexible it is because it has to calculate the average value for the last candles (in our case, 100). This is a lot. And, accordingly, the longer the moving average period, the more important it is in the long term. Our job as traders is to squeeze everything out of the movement. The least job is to stay at breakeven and don’t blow the account. That is why large MA periods are used. And do not believe the words when they say that MAs are lagging.
For the demonstration we will use 3 timeframes: 4 hoursly - 1 daily - 1 weekly. As practice shows, the approach described below works even in the combination of 5 minutes - 15 minutes - 1 hour. This for day traders.
Examples of moving averages
As an example, we will now show the chart of one asset from 3 timeframes as already mentioned above:
Weekly (MA 100) will show us the direction of the global trend
Dayly (MA 200) the medium-term trend
4-hourly (MA 100) the actual entry points and setting Stop loss and Take profit
The essence of working with big MAs is very simple: we can trade only in the direction of MA movement, and at the entry point, the price should be on one side of all MAs (above or below it) on all 3 timeframes. In this case, the mandatory condition is that the angle of slope of the MA of the highest period must be strong, approximately 45 degrees.
AUDCHF weekly
Go down to the daily timeframe and apply MA 200. We highlight the areas where the price is also below the MA 200 on the daily timeframe. We also take into account the slope angle of the current MA. We highlight this movement with a green block.
AUDCHF daily
AUDCHF 4H
Now we go to H4 and apply MA 100. This is the timeframe for a possible entry point. We select the block where the price is below the MA on the current timeframe. We cut off all the moments when the price was above the MA, highlight the price movement below the MA with yellow blocks
3 potential areas where we can look for entry points to open short positions. Let's take a closer look at each area.
First opportunity
Second opportunity
Third opportunity
Of course, on live trading, things would be much more difficult. But as you can see, we got at least two very clean trades that screamed to take them.
Another one
EURJPY weekly
EURJPY daily
EURJPY 4H
Closer look
Again in hindsight everything looks good, but the purpose of this post is to help you build and understand a slightly different method of applying moving averages if you use them. As you can see, trend trading is actually much easier.
What about sideways movements?
If the trend is more or less clear, and as soon as the SMA on the higher timeframe (say, daily) shows a more flat angle of slope for the last 5–10 bars, we have a sideways movement. You can try to take advantage of this on the lower timeframes.
In this post I tried to show how to systematize and demonstrate my approach to trading on moving averages. Of course, there are many methods of trading on short-term moving averages, on the combination of multi-period MAs on one chart, etc. Sometimes it is hard to describe in words what is "right" angle of slope, and the overall price movement, I guess all this comes only with personal experience.
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BUILDING A CHART "BRICK BY BRICK"What is it Renko?
Renko charts were invented in Japan, just like regular candlesticks, many years ago and they are called Renga, which means "brick". They display charts symmetrically and are effective for identifying major trends and structural support and resistance levels. Renko charts are very well suited for trend trading as they are visually appealing, making it easy to screen out noise and highlight trends easily.
Renko charts show a trend in a way that bars and candlesticks charts cannot. They are able to filter out the noise and create the sameness underlying the trend. In order to understand what a Renko is, let's remember what candlesticks show on our charts? They are the fluctuations in the price of a particular currency pair over a certain period of time: price and time.
The main difference is that Renko charts show only the change in price, neither trading volumes nor time intervals are taken into account in their development. The principle of building Renko bricks is based, as already mentioned, only on price fluctuations. In order for the chart to be displayed correctly, first of all, it is necessary to set the size of one brick. For example, many traders use a simple rule: 1 brick equals 10 pips. In other words, for a new brick/block to appear on the chart, the price must change by at least 10 points.
Candlestick chart:
Renko bars:
This is the feature of the Renko chart: it is extremely smooth and clear. All blocks have the same size. At the same time, if the price has changed by only a few points, it will not be displayed on the chart.
There are two types of brick size assignment methods: traditional and ATR-based. It measures the volatility of the asset, i.e. the values will be different at different periods of the trading period and on different time intervals. If you use this method, the value of the Renko bar should be equal to the ATR value.
Main Advantages and Disadvantages
Like any other graphical display of price changes, Renko has its pros and cons.
Advantages of Renko:
• This principle of construction allows to eliminate almost all noise from the chart as mentioned above.
• Renko shows itself perfectly in work with most indicators. Let's remember the main problem of some popular indicators - they output data with some delay (information is substituted into the formula only after the candle is closed). And since Renko is not tied to time, the indicator displays more real information as a result.
• Renko indicators show themselves perfectly in intraday trading. The trader does not need to wait for the candle to close.
The Main Disadvantages of Renko are as Follows:
• The chart does not work with most volume indicators.
• A new brick is built only when the trend increases/decreases by a certain number of points (which is equal to the size of one block). That is, the chart can remain unchanged for a long time if the market is consolidating.
• Renko chart does not show consolidation and impulse moves as seen on regular charts.
• In order to be aware of the likely measurement of trend direction, it is necessary to constantly monitor the market with other charts.
Examples
We will use a simple strategy based on the moving average with a period of 20 on the 15 minute timeframe. The sell and buy signal will be pinbar. Enter the trade when the pinbar is created near the moving average. Of course you can create your own strategy. You just need to spend some time with the chart and you will know if it will work for you or not.
EURAUD
USDJPY
GBPUSD (Sometimes Renko chart gives really beautiful and clear signals.)
Conclusion
Renko charts are quite convenient and practical because they display symmetrical candles and are effective for identifying major trends, support and resistance levels by filtering out noise. They can also be used in combination with other indicators to improve trading results. Renko charts allow you to identify various reversal patterns and see price structures in the market. However, they are mainly suitable for intraday trading.
TRADING SESSIONS CHARACTERISTICSIn this post, we will look at the three major forex sessions and their features to understand when and where we can expect volatility and movement in the forex markets. This will be helpful for those who want to associate their forex market trading as a day trader.
Main Sessions in the Forex Market
When trading currencies or indices, there are three main sessions that occur every day. We all know that the currency market is open 24 hours, but during those hours when the markets are open there are spikes and lulls in volume and volatility that we need to be aware of.
Asian Session
The Asian session comes first. The reason why the trading day starts with it is that it opens the trading week as early as Sunday, at 8:00 am in Tokyo and 9:00 am in Sydney. This session is usually marked by very volatile price action, with the exception of some pairs (JPY, AUD, NZD) occasionally showing volatility during the Asian session. In addition, there is usually little volume or manipulation by banks and financial institutions at this time, resulting in very organic and slow price movements.
Liquidity at the Asian Session
There is one interesting feature here. This thing is that a little volatility in the Asian session is created naturally, because of this over the range of the session, above and below, liquidity is created. As the London session begins, the price moves strongly to one side. When day trading, you must realize and consider that that liquidity above and below the Asian session range is highly likely to be absorbed almost immediately after the London session opens.
London Session
Following the Asian session, the London session opens. This time is the main trading time in the UK and Europe. Why do people love the London session? Asia tends to accumulate liquidity in or around its range, the further out, the more volatile the market gets. When trading opens in Frankfurt or London, there is a huge volume of orders coming into the market. This creates ideal trading conditions, especially for those who want to capitalize on large intraday movements.
Before London Opens
The official opening starts at 8:00 am local time. The London session is characterized by high volatility for the first 2-3 hours, after which this volatility starts to slow down as both retail traders and financial institutions start having lunch. London time is great, especially if you will be trading major pairs, European indices or equities, because London movement is real movement.
Lull in London Session
From about 11:00 to 12:00 (noon), price fluctuations quieten down a bit as the major movements in the London session come to an end. This does not mean that the trading day is over and there is no more volatility, from three o'clock and up to an hour before or after the opening of the New York session you can see it rising again. Most traders who trade both sessions take a break, and those who trade only the London session may call it a day.
New York Session
Next we have the New York session, which is a favorite for those living in North and South America, as well as for Europeans who are just too lazy to get up early for the London session and prefer to start trading at 13:00 local time zone. The New York session is special because it also includes the opening of the US stock market, which leads to volatility in certain asset classes that forex traders can trade, including indices.
Before the Opening New York Session
As with the opening in Frankfurt before London, the hour before the session opens is worth devoting some attention to trading and analysis. There is usually a bit of a lull with volatility during this time frame as well. This is something to be aware of and remember, as a good trader, that normal movement will soon begin again.
Opening of New York Session
Next, the New York currency session opens at 8:00 am EST, which is usually accompanied by a lot of volatility, but not as consistently as the hour or two of the London session. During the New York session, you will usually see a big spike in volatility across the major pairs and North American indices, and sometimes a little volatility into the evening. It should be noted that the London session closes at 4:00 p.m. local time, which means lower volumes from London banks and other financial institutions.
The Highs and Lows of the Day
The day's highs the day's lows are key liquidity levels that can either be consumed or used as target liquidity to drive movement. Typically, you will want to mark the highs and lows of previous days to get an idea of what liquidity is being harvested where, as well as the current day's high and low if globally you are in a price range.
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