A tool in technical analysis that is used for determining potential areas of support and resistance. This tool, consisting of three trendlines, is created by drawing the first trendline from the most recent low to the most recent high when the asset is in an uptrend, and from the most recent high to the most recent low when the asset is in a downtrend. The other two trendlines are drawn with smaller angles in an attempt to predict areas that will act as possible barriers in the event of a retracement. Speed resistance lines are similar in interpretation to the Fibonacci Fan indicator. Many traders will watch for a move below the two-thirds level to signal a continued retracement toward the one-third level. It is important to remember that other technical indicators should be used when the price of the asset is near the trendline to confirm the strength of the predicted support/resistance.
A ratio comparing the volume of trades upon the American Stock Exchange and the NYSE. Many of the shares transacted on the AMEX are small cap and speculative. Therefore, when the volume on the AMEX is relatively higher than that of the NYSE, it is considered to be a sign of increasing speculation in the markets.
A price-bar formation that gives real-time price signals of support and resistance. When a series of price bars reverses direction, it is considered a structural pivot (not a calculated pivot).The price bar has an open, high, low and close. The pivot is composed of a minimum of three bars and occurs in every time frame. The pivot lows and highs are used to draw trendlines to show support, resistance and trend direction. Think of the price pivot as an axis, which is a shaft that supports something that turns. Every pivot is a price turn and shows support (a pivot low) or resistance (a pivot high) for that time frame.
An indicator used in technical analysis that ranges between zero and one and is created by applying the Stochastic Oscillator formula to a set of Relative Strength Index (RSI) values rather than standard price data. Using RSI values within the Stochastic formula gives traders an idea of whether the current RSI value is overbought or oversold - a measure that becomes specifically useful when the RSI value is confined between its signal levels of 20 and 80. The StochRSI is deemed to be oversold when the value drops below 0.20, meaning the RSI value is trading at the lower end of its predefined range, and that the short-term direction of underlying security may be nearing a correction. Conversely, a reading above 0.80 suggests the RSI may be reaching extreme levels and could be used to signal a pullback in the underlying security.
A technical momentum indicator that compares a security's closing price to its price range over a given time period. The oscillator's sensitivity to market movements can be reduced by adjusting the time period or by taking a moving average of the result. This indicator is calculated with the following formula:%K = 100[(C - L14)/(H14 - L14)] C = the most recent closing price L14 = the low of the 14 previous trading sessions H14 = the highest price traded during the same 14-day period.%D = 3-period moving average of %K The theory behind this indicator is that in an upward-trending market, prices tend to close near their high, and during a downward-trending market, prices tend to close near their low. Transaction signals occur when the %K crosses through a three-period moving average called the "%D".
A short-term trading oscillator that compares the amount of volume flowing into advancing and declining stocks. STIX is a variation of the Advance/Decline Line.
A term used in technical analysis that refers to the troughs reached by an indicator or an asset's price. A swing low is created when a low is lower than any other point over a given time period. Successively lower swing lows indicate that the underlying asset is in a downtrend, while higher lows mean it is in an uptrend. Swing lows are useful for an investor who holds a long position in an asset because swing lows can be used to determine strategic positions for a stop-loss order. One main tenet of the Dow Theory is that a if a major average breaks below a previous low, this movement can be interpreted as the beginning of a downtrend. In the case of an indicator, if it fails to make a new swing low while the price continues to decline, a divergence occurs which could mean that the downtrend is coming to an end.
Any class of metrics whose value is derived from generic price activity in a stock or asset. Technical indicators look to predict the future price levels, or simply the general price direction, of a security by looking at past patterns. Examples of common technical indicators include Relative Strength Index, Money Flow Index, Stochastics, MACD and Bollinger Bands. Technical indicators, collectively called "technicals", are distinguished by the fact that they do not analyze any part of the fundamental business, like earnings, revenue and profit margins. Technical indicators are used most extensively by active traders in the market, as they are designed primarily for analyzing short-term price movements. To a long-term investor, most technical indicators are of little value, as they do nothing to shed light on the underlying business. The most effective uses of technicals for a long-term investor are to help identify good entry and exit points for the stock by analyzing the long-term trend.