Categories
Forex Price-Action Strategies

Breakout Confirmation Candle and the Difference It Makes

Breakout trading strategy traders first wait for the breakout with good momentum. Then, they are to wait for the breakout confirmation candle. A breakout can be confirmed in two ways. It can take the price towards the trend, or it could come out as in inside bar reversal candle. As long as the candle closes below the breakout level, it confirms the breakout. However, these two types of breakout confirmation push the price towards the trend a bit differently. In today’s article, we are going to demonstrate an example of this.

The price after being bearish makes a bullish correction. The last candle comes out as a bearish pin bar. This is a strong bearish reversal signal. The sellers are to wait for the price to head towards the level of support, where the price has a bounce earlier.

The price heads down with good bearish momentum. It seems that it is going to make a breakout at the drawn level. The breakout sellers are to keep their eyes on the pair closely to take a short entry upon a bearish breakout and breakout confirmation.

Here it comes. The last candle breaches the level of support closing well below it. This is an explicit breakout, which the sellers wait for. If the next candle confirms the breakout, the sellers may drive the price towards the South further.

The next candle comes out as a bullish inside bar. However, it closes within the breakout level. It means the breakout is valid. It is not an A+ breakout confirmation. It offers less reward and does not drive the price towards the trend with good momentum. If the candle came out as a bearish candle closing below the breakout candle, it would be a different ball game. The price may make a move towards the downside by offering 1R at least. Let us see what happens here.

The next candle comes out as a bearish candle. Some sellers may trigger a short entry. In most cases, it does not travel as far as it has traveled to offer the entry.

It produces a strong bearish candle. It seems that the sellers are in control. The question is whether it travels the same distance of Stop Loss-Entry or not. Let us find out from the next chart.

The price starts making an upward correction. It goes back within the breakout level. This chart does not look good for the sellers any more unless it makes a bearish breakout at the last lowest low.

We have seen that the breakout candle and breakout momentum are good. However, the price does not head towards the trend and travel the distance as it usually does. This is what happens if the breakout confirmation candle comes out as an inside bar reversal candle. Thus, it is best if we skip taking such entry.

Categories
Forex Elliott Wave

Validation Rules on Impulsive Waves – Intermediate Level

Introduction

In our previous articles, we have seen that impulsive waves have construction rules. However, some rules, or principles, allow the wave analyst to validate or confirm each guideline. These rules are divided into two groups, which we will detail in this educational article. 

First Rule – Validation of the Trend Line 2-4

This rule will apply once the impulsive pattern ends. The wave analyst must trace the trendline joining the end of waves 2 and 4. Then, the impulsive wave will be confirmed if the price action pierces the trendline 2-4 in the same or less proportion of time it took to form wave 5.

In case the fifth wave takes longer, the price develops a terminal structure or wave 4 that has not still ended, another possibility is the wave analyzed does not correspond to an impulsive formation, but to a corrective wave.

Second Rule – Retracement from the fifth wave

Within an impulsive wave, the wave analyst must recognize which the extended segment is. Depending on this factor, it will be possible to determine the level at which the price could fall, determined by the wave 2 and 4 price range within the momentum structure.

First Wave Extension

In this case, the retracement should go to the end of wave 4. However, if the price extends its retracement beyond the end of wave 4, then the impulsive wave will end up with a larger correction in terms of price and time.

Third Wave Extension

The price has to return to the fourth wave area of ​​the impulsive pattern and will generally finish near the end of that wave. If the retracement comprises more than 61.8% of the complete motive sequence, then the third wave would involve a higher degree impulse wave completion.

Fifth Wave Extension

When the extension appears in the fifth wave, the price should reverse at least 61.8% of that wave, although it might not retrace the complete wave. If the price retraces the complete progression of the fifth wave, then the retracement would complete a higher degree pattern.

In this case, the following could happen:

  1. The fifth wave extension pattern is part of a higher degree impulse, which is also a fifth wave extension, or
  2. The extension of the fifth wave is a wave C of a flat pattern or a zigzag.

Fifth Wave Failure

A fifth wave failure occurs when wave 5 of an impulsive sequence is shorter than wave 4 high. It generally occurs when the opposing trend is stronger than the initial impulsive movement trend. Consequently, if the wave analyst detects this type of failure, it should notice that the movement following the fifth wave is highly likely to reverse the forward movement of the impulsive movement completely.

On the other hand, if the motive movement was bullish, there should not be further highs until the price has fully retraced the impulsive bullish sequence. This affirmation is analogous if the impulse is bearish.

Conclusions

In this educational article, we have seen how to validate an impulsive sequence in terms of its correction. Also, we commented on the potential of the next path, respecting the fifth wave retracement and what is the extended wave in the impulsive sequence.

Likewise, we have seen the case of the failure in a fifth impulsive wave and what will be the impact in the next movement.

In the next educational article, we will see the process of validation of corrective structures.

Suggested Readings

  • Neely, G.; Mastering Elliott Wave: Presenting the Neely Method; Windsor Books; 2nd Edition (1990).

 

Categories
Crypto Videos

Make Crypto Trading Profits Using Forex Techniques – The Three Line Strike!

 

Generate profit trading cryptocurrencies – Three Line Strike

Many traders rely only on indicators, while only a few take into consideration patterns that appear in the market. Even fewer people are spotting small candlestick patterns, which they might think of as insignificant. However, they are far from insignificant.

Three Line Strike

A three-line strike represents a continuation group of candlesticks that is formed by three candlesticks in the direction of a trend, then followed by a final candlestick that pulls back to the starting point.
There are two versions of a three-line strike: Bullish/Bearish

The bullish three line strike consists of three strong bullish candlesticks that close higher than the last one, then followed by a final candle, also known as the strike candle. The strike candle goes in the opposite (bearish) direction and opens at or higher than the third candlestick, but closes below the open of the first candle in the pattern.

A bearish three line strike is everything, but in reverse, three strong descending candles that close progressively lower followed by a bullish strike candlestick. The strike candle opens at or lower than the third candle close and closes above the first candlestick open.

Validating the pattern

To validate this pattern, we need to confirm that the first three candles are at least of average size. They need to have a defined stair-case like appearance in order to be reliable.
A bullish three line strike should be treated as an extension of the three white soldiers pattern, while a bearish three line strike as an extension of the three black crows pattern.

Market Sentiment

The assumption behind the three-line strike amongst traders is that the strike candle shows a temporary correction that will not be prolonged, while the main trend will follow the first three candles. The pullback of the strike candle is a reaction to the strong move to one direction in the first part of the pattern.

Buyers should use the low point of the pattern to create an entry opportunity. Sellers, on the other hand, should use the high point of the pattern to create an opportunity to sell high.

Three Line Strike Reliability

The three-line strike is not a very common pattern in cryptocurrencies. However, it is quite reliable when paired up with volume indicators, and traded with the larger time frame trend. A thing to note is that the bearish three line strike is slightly more reliable than the bullish one when it comes to crypto trading.

While the bearish pattern was accurate over 60% of the time, the bullish one was accurate, only 50% of the time.
Bullish Three Line Strike – Example
The example will show a chart which created a bullish three line strike. The first three candlesticks lined up in a three white soldiers formation, signaling reliability.

A buy signal was confirmed when the low of the strike candle reached below the first candle open.
Bearish Three Line Strike – Example
This example will show a chart that illustrates a bearish three line strike. The high of the strike candle does not reach the open of the first candle, but remains within tolerance levels, and is close enough to be classed as a bearish continuation.

Categories
Forex Daily Topic Forex Price-Action Strategies

Do Not Give Up Until It Is Void

Forex traders have to have no given up attitude. With patience, discipline, and diligence they have to stick with a chart unless it is completely messed up. In today’s lesson, we are going to demonstrate an example of this.

The chart shows that the price makes a strong bearish move. It finds its support and heads towards the North for an upward correction. Look at the last candle on the chart. This comes out as a bearish engulfing candle, which the sellers wait for in such price action. If the price heads towards the downside and makes a breakout followed by a breakout confirmation, the sellers are going to trigger a short entry. Let us proceed to the next chart.

The sellers do not expect this. The price does not head towards the downside. It rather goes towards the North and roams around the level of resistance. It is painful for the sellers. However, observe on the chart that the level of resistance is still intact. The price may head towards the North but the sellers still have a chance. Let us see what happens next.

The sellers are on their toes again. The chart produces an inverted hammer followed by another long bearish candle. If the price makes a breakout and confirms that, the sellers are going to trigger a short entry.

Here comes the breakout candle. A good-looking bearish candle breaches the level of support closing well below it. This is an explicit breakout. The sellers are to wait for the next candle to close below the lowest low of the breakout candle to trigger the entry.

The next candle comes out as a bearish candle closing well below the breakout candle. The sellers must not waste a second here but trigger the entry right after the last candle closes. A dead-looking chart for the sellers ends up producing entry. Let us proceed to the next chart to find out how the trade goes.

The price heads towards the South in a hurry. It is quite a big bearish move, which offers more than 1R. A trade setup works wonderfully well for the sellers.

Let us recap the entry again. It looks good at the beginning. The price then goes towards the upside and it seems that it may not offer a short entry. The price finds its resistance at the same level; makes a breakout followed by a breakout confirmation. As far as breakout strategy is concerned, the sellers trigger a short entry and make a profit out of it. This is why traders must not give up but stick with the chart as long as it’s valid to produce a signal.

Categories
Forex Daily Topic Forex Price-Action Strategies

Don’t Lose Patience if a Chart Does not Produce the Signal

Breakout strategy traders wait for a breakout followed by a breakout confirmation candle. If the next candle does not close with a new higher high/lower low from the breakout candle, traders must not trigger entry. The price may go towards the trend sometimes, but it often goes another way. In today’s lesson, we are going to demonstrate an example of this where everything looks good, but it ends up without producing a signal candle.

The chart shows that the price heads towards the North with good bullish momentum. It finds its resistance and makes a correction. Upon finding its support, the chart produces a bullish engulfing candle. The candle suggests that the price may head towards the North. The buyers are to wait for the breakout followed by a breakout confirmation candle to trigger a long entry.

The price heads towards the North but does not make a breakout candle yet. The last candle closes within the level of resistance. The buyers must wait and keep their eyes on the chart since the breakout may take place anytime soon.

Here it comes. The last candle on the chart breaches through the level of resistance closing well above it. This is one good breakout candle. This must attract the buyers to stick with the chart and hope for the next candle to close above the breakout candle to trigger the entry. It looks extremely good. The entry is knocking at the door. Let us proceed to the next chart.

The breakout strategy buyers must be disappointed. After all the hours of waiting, the chart produces a bearish inside bar. Pullback buyers may wait for a bullish engulfing candle to go long in the pair. However, this chart does not have anything to offer for the breakout strategy traders at the moment. Let us proceed to the next chart to find out what happens.

The chart produces a bullish inside bar. However, the price heads towards the South with good bearish momentum. The last candle seems to hit the level of support as well. This means it does not produce any signal for the pullback buyers as well. It is disappointing when traders do not get the signal they wait for a long time. However, it does not hurt as much as a losing trade does. After a long wait, if a chart does not produce the signal, it often leads us towards taking bad entry in other pairs. Let us make sure we never do that. Patience is a great virtue as far as Forex trading is concerned. Traders must make sure that they have this virtue.

Categories
Forex Elliott Wave

Analyzing the Triangle Pattern – Intermediate Level Part 3

In the previous article, we expanded the ideas of the triangle pattern; in particular, we talked about the contracting triangle and its variations. In this last part dedicated to the triangle pattern, we will review the non-limiting triangle.

Non-Limiting Triangle

Non-limiting triangles do not differ much from limiting triangles. Both types of triangles must meet the minimum construction requirements. However, they will have the following characteristics:

– Channeling. In the case of the non-limiting triangle, the trend lines are not convergent but divergent.

1. Congestion occurs just at or near the apex of the convergence lines.

The wave analyst should note that the term “just or near the apex” refers to the end of wave E being close to the intersection of both trend lines and the extent of wave E to be measured in terms of the time spent in the triangle formation.

b. The triangle pattern is considered Non-Limiting if the measurement of time elapsed from its beginning until the end of wave E, and the apex occurs after 40% of the interval has passed.

c. There must be a post-thrust correction that must return to the apex area.

If the triangle met any of these three conditions, then the triangle will be said to be of the non-limiting type.

Post-Triangular Thrust

The distance of the thrust outside the limits of the non-limiting triangle does not have a specific restriction. However, it can reach the length equivalent to the longest segment of the triangle. 

Likewise, once reached this extension, there is a possibility that the price will continue in the original direction of the thrust.

Expanding Triangles

Expanding triangles are very frequent in complex corrections. It is characterized because as it progresses in its formation, each segment, or the majority, is larger than the previous one.

The rules that characterize the expanding triangles are described below:

  1. Wave A or Wave B will always be the smallest wave in the triangle.
  2. In most cases, the E wave will be the longest.
  3. Expanding triangles cannot be part of wave B of a zigzag pattern. Nor can they be part of an intermediate wave, that is, waves B, C, or D of a triangle of higher degree.
  4. In most cases, the E wave will be the longest and most complex segment of the triangle. This wave can be formed by a zigzag or by a complex correction.
  5. Generally, wave E will pierce the trend line joining the ends of waves A and C.
  6. Line B-D should act similarly to contracting triangles.
  7. The extension of the thrust of the expanding triangle must be less than the longest wavelength of the triangle.
  8. When comparing the length from wave E to wave A, it must be verified that each previous wave must be greater than or equal to 50% of the next wave.

The following figure shows the three most common types of expanding triangles, of which the irregular is the most likely to appear in the real market.

 

In expanding triangles also exists limiting and non-limiting triangles. However, in this type of formations, there is no post-triangular variation between one and the other. The difference lies in the wave position that the triangle holds, which can be “standard” or be part of a complex correction.

Limiting Expanding Triangle

The term “limiting” refers to whether the triangle is a fourth wave or a B wave. Its main characteristics are described below.

1. An expansive limiting triangle usually appears in wave B, particularly in irregular failures or in flat wave formations with failure in wave C.

2. The thrust outside the triangle is a minimum of approximately 61.8% of the structure, measured from its highest to the lowest level.

Horizontal Expanding Triangle

This variation rarely appears in the real market. However, this does not mean that there is no possibility of it showing up in real markets.

The main characteristics of a horizontal triangle are:

1. Wave A must be the smallest of the formation.

2. Waves B, C, D, and E y must each exceed the final point of the previous wave.

3. There is a possibility that wave E will exceed the guideline of waves A-C.

Irregular Expanding Triangle

This variation is more common, and its characteristics are as follows:

1. Wave B is smaller than Wave A, while the rest of the waves maintain their increasing characteristics.

2. The longer the duration of the pattern, the higher the chance that the guideline will tilt up or down.

Continuous Expanding Triangle

This expanding triangle has a bias due, on the one hand, because wave B is longer than wave A, and on the other hand, because wave C is the shortest. The E wave, meanwhile, can be more volatile or “violent” than the rest of the waves.

Non-Limiting Expanding Triangle

These types of triangles tend to appear in complex corrective formations, for example, in the first or last stage of a complex sequence. In this sense, in a complex corrective structure, the thrust will generate a wave X.

Finally, concerning the apex, it is located before wave A and must be produced before it reaches 20% of the construction time of wave A.

Conclusions

With this article, we have ended the standard corrective patterns defined by the Elliott wave theory. As we have seen in previous examples, expansive triangles also usually appear on waves 4 and B. However, this does not mean that they cannot appear on wave 2.

In the next educational article, we will see the process of validating impulsive structures.

Suggested Readings

  • Neely, G.; Mastering Elliott Wave: Presenting the Neely Method; Windsor Books; 2nd Edition (1990).

 

 

 

 

Categories
Forex Price-Action Strategies

The Benefit of Checking Minor Chart before Taking Entry

In one of our lessons, we have learned that when a breakout confirmation candle comes out with a long upper or lower shadow needs to be checked on the 15-min chart. The last 15 M candle plays a significant role to drive the price towards the breakout direction. A breakout confirmation candle with a long upper or lower shadow does not mean that the last 15M candle comes out as a reversal candle. We are going to demonstrate an example of this in today’s lesson.

The price after being bearish finds its support. The chart produces two bullish candles consecutively. A level of resistance produces a bearish reversal candle. The correction length looks good. Let us proceed to the next chart.

The next candle comes out as a bearish candle as well. However, it closes within the consolidation support. The sellers are to wait for a candle to breach the level closing well below it. It is waiting time for the sellers.

The last candle breaches through the consolidation support. The breakout does not look an explicit breakout. However, it closes below the level. If the next candle closes below the breakout level, that would confirm the breakout. The breakout confirmation candle holds the key for the sellers.

The last candle closes below the breakout candle. This confirms the breakout. However, look at the long lower spike. This looks ominous for the sellers. In naked eyes, it does not look to be a good confirmation candle for the sellers to trigger a short entry. Let us now flip over to the 15 M chart and find out how the last candle comes out.

This is the 15 M chart. The last candle is a strong bearish candle despite having a long lower spike. We do not need to flip over to any minor chart here. This means the pair is having a strong bearish momentum in the 15 M chart, which is a signal for the sellers to trigger a short entry.

As expected, the next candle comes out as a bearish candle. It seems that the price is going to hit 1R in a hurry. Let us proceed to the next chart to find out how the trade goes.

The price heads towards the South with one more candle. It hits the take profit level (1R) with ease. The price may make a more bearish move as well. The trade setup with a less promising breakout confirmation candle works wonderfully well for the traders. Do not forget to check the 15 M chart if the confirmation candle has a long upper/lower shadow. It may help you decide which entry to take and which one not to.

Categories
Forex Elliott Wave

Analyzing the Triangle Pattern – Intermediate Level Part 2

In our previous article, we saw that the triangle pattern is the most common of the three standard formations defined by R.N. Elliott. In this educational post, we will review the different types of variations of this corrective structure.

Contractive Triangle

Within the group of triangles, this formation is the most common of all. The minimum requirements of this structure are:

1. Once the contractive triangle is completed, the price must make a “thrust” that should be greater than or equal to 75% of the largest internal segment. On the other hand, this movement should not exceed 125% of the most extended triangle segment.

The following figure shows two cases. In the first, we see that wave A is the most extended segment of the contracting triangle after wave E is completed. The thrust can reach between 75% and 125% of wave A.

In the second case, we observe that wave B is the most extensive of the contracting triangle. Analogously to the previous case, we distinguish that the thrust made by the price should not be less than 75% nor greater than 125 of wave B.

2. In this type of triangle, the thrust must further exceed the highest (or lowest) end it reached during structure formation.

In other words, when the contracting triangle is about to be completed, two parallel lines should be drawn over the most extended segment, depending on which side the thrust is on, the price should touch the top or bottom line.

3. The E wave must be the smallest of all the segments of the triangle in terms of price.

As we observe in the following figure, the internal segment corresponding to wave E must be the smallest of all in terms of price, but not the time it takes for this movement to complete.

Limiting triangle

R.N. Elliott defined the limiting triangle as a formation that occurs in the waves fourth and B. Its name is because its completion must occur under specific conditions,

The completion of the limiting triangle in wave E must happen in the range of 20% to 40% before the apex point of the triangle.

Horizontal Limiting Triangle

1. The trendlines of the triangle must move in opposite directions.

In other words, when drawing the ends of the triangle corresponding to the end of waves A-C and B-D, the trendlines must correspond to a contracting triangle respecting the basic structure defined by Elliott.

2. The apex of the triangle must be within a range whose amplitude is 61.8% of the most extended segment of the triangle and whose center is the midpoint of that segment.

In the case of the previous figure, the most extended wave is wave B. However, this is analogous for the situation in which wave A or wave C is the longest in the triangle.

3. Wave D must be smaller than the internal leg corresponding to wave C. Likewise, the segment corresponding to wave E must be shorter than wave D.

 

Irregular Limiting Triangle

This type of triangle must perform a higher thrust and with greater speed than in the case of the horizontal triangle. The distinctive element of this formation is wave B, which must be longer than wave A. In general, its main characteristics are as follows.

  1. Wave B should not be higher than 261.8% of Wave A. Under normal conditions, it should be less than 161.8% of Wave A.
  2. Waves C, D, and E must be smaller than the previous wave.
  3. The trend lines of the triangle must have opposite directions.

Running Limiting Triangle

This type of wave can be confused with the Double Three corrective structure. Its main characteristics are:

  1. Wave B is longer than Wave A. It is also the largest segment of the triangle.
  2. Wave C is smaller than Wave B.
  3. Wave D is shorter than Wave C.
  4. Wave E is shorter than Wave D and is the smallest of the triangle.
  5. The thrust after the completion of wave E can become more extensive than wave B and even reach 261.8% of wave B.

Conclusions

In this educational article, we have examined the different variations of triangles and expanded their contracting variants. We must emphasize that its importance lies in the fact that this type of formations, in particular, the contracting triangle, is the most common of all triangular patterns. The knowledge of how triangles behave can provide the wave analyst with an advantage that would allow him to more accurately predict what the next market move would likely be.

In the next article, we will see the last part of the corrective formations. In particular, we will review the non-limiting triangles and their main characteristics.

Suggested Readings

– Neely, G.; Mastering Elliott Wave: Presenting the Neely Method; Windsor Books; 2nd Edition (1990).

Categories
Forex Price-Action Strategies

Shallow Consolidation to Skip, Deep Consolidation to Go For

In price action trading, consolidation length is a vital factor. The deeper the consolidation, the further the price goes towards the trend. Sometimes, shallow consolidation takes the price towards the trend direction as well. However, we may skip taking entry when the price makes a shallow consolidation. In today’s lesson, we are going to demonstrate an example of these in the same chart.

This is a daily chart. The price after being bearish produced a bullish engulfing candle. The breakout trading strategy traders are to wait for the price to consolidate and produce another bullish engulfing candle to offer them entry.

The price consolidates with a doji candle followed by a bullish engulfing candle. It makes a shallow consolidation. Moreover, the bullish engulfing candle has a long upper shadow. The buyers may skip taking the entry. Let us proceed to the next chart.

The chart shows that the last candle comes out as a bearish candle. If the price consolidates from here, it is going to be a deep consolidation. Let us wait for a bullish engulfing candle closing well above consolidation resistance to trigger a long entry.

Here it comes. The chart produces a bullish engulfing candle closing well above consolidation resistance. The buyers may trigger a long entry right after the candle closes. The last swing high is quite far, offering more than 1R.

The next candle comes out as a bullish candle as well. The candle has a long upper and a lower shadow. Nevertheless, it is a bullish candle. It looks good for the buyers. The price keeps going towards the North with good momentum. It looks the price hits the last swing high easily.

It does not take more than two candles to hit the last swing high. The last candle suggests that the price may go further up. However, the buyers may consider closing their entry or at least take partial profit. The plan has worked wonderfully well for the buyers.

In this chart, we have seen a shallow and a deep consolidation together. Both have offered entries. However, to be safe, we need to stick with the breakout trading strategy’s rule. We may skip taking entry when the price makes shallow consolidation. In most cases, shallow consolidation brings less liquidity. It means it often goes wrong. On the other hand, if the price makes a deep consolidation followed by an engulfing reversal candle, we may trigger an entry.

Categories
Forex Elliott Wave

Analyzing the Triangle Pattern – Intermediate Level – Part 1

The triangle is a corrective pattern that has five internal segments. In this educational article, we will review how to analyze the triangle formation.

Triangles and their Characteristics

Within the set of corrective structures defined by R.N. Elliott, triangle formations are more complex to analyze compared to flat and zigzag patterns. This complexity occurs because there is no specific time span that marks the end of this structure.

Despite the complexity of the triangles, it is the most common Elliott pattern to find in the real market. The knowledge of this formation will help wave analysts to understand the price position within the market.

Construction Rules

The construction rules defined for the triangle pattern are detailed as follow:

– Triangles have five internal waves, regardless of the complexity of the inner segments.
– A complete three-wave corrective structure builds each part that makes up the triangle.
– The triangle can have a bullish or bearish inclination. However, its internal structure should not change.
– The triangle has six reference points of the same degree, the origin of wave A, and the end of waves A, B, C, D, and E. From these six extremes, the wave analyst should only channel four points through the contraction lines. The points to consider are the end of wave A with the end of wave C and the end of wave B with the end of wave D.
– The base-line of the triangle is the line that joins the end of waves B and D, and its function is similar to the guideline that joins waves 2 and 4 in an impulsive wave.

The following figure represents the construction model of the triangle pattern.

As can be noted, the triangle pattern tends to appear in a fourth wave or a wave B, in some exceptional cases, this pattern could appear in a second wave.

GBPUSD Consolidates in a Triangle Sequence

The next figure illustrates the GBPUSD pair in its 4-hour timeframe. In the chart, we observe that the Cable rallied since September 03rd when the price found its bottom at level 1.19589.

Once the GBPUSD pair moved in three waves identified in green, the fourth wave consolidated sideways, developing an expanding triangle.

The triangle pattern reveals the alternation principle in terms of time and price.

The GBPUSD pair alternated in terms of time being the triangle pattern more extended in comparison with the second wave. In the same way, the retracement developed by the second wave is sharp compared with the narrow correction realized by the fourth wave.

JP Morgan Consolidated in a Triangle Pattern

The chart below shows JP Morgan Chase & Co (JPM) in its log-scale 2-day timeframe. The ticker JPM developed a bullish impulsive sequence subdivided in five waves from early 2016 when the price found buyers at $52.50 per share.

In the same way, the third wave that was formed corresponds to an extended wave, which makes us conclude that the first and fifth waves will not be extended, and they will be similar in terms of price, time, or both. In this case, both waves are identical in terms of time.

On the other hand, we observe that JPM consolidated developing an expanding triangle pattern with a slight bearish bias. Besides this structural bias, the internal sequence is respected by the price action.

Also, we distinguish the wide extension of the triangular sequence, which moved from late February 2018 until mid-August 2019, when JPM ended its internal wave E labeled in green.

Once JPM completed its fifth internal segment, the price action continued its previous bullish trend and soared to record highs at $141.10 per share.

Conclusions

From the cases analyzed, we can verify the Genn Neely’s affirmation that suggests that “the triangle pattern is a common formation that appears in the market.”

Also, we verified how the alternation principle works in the real market, while a corrective wave is simple, the other will be complex.

Finally, according to the examples reviewed, the triangle pattern could appear independently of the market analyzed,  as on currencies, stocks, indices, etc.

In the next article, we will review the different variations of the triangle pattern.

Suggested Reading

  • Neely, G.; Mastering Elliott Wave: Presenting the Neely Method; Windsor Books; 2nd Edition (1990).
Categories
Forex Daily Topic Forex Price-Action Strategies

Long Shadow in Breakout Confirmation Candle

In price action trading, breakout, as well as confirmation candle’s attributes, plays a significant role. In today’s lesson, we are going to demonstrate an example of how the upper/lower shadow of a breakout confirmation candle plays a role in offering us an entry. Let us get started.

This is an H1 chart. The chart shows that the price makes a strong bearish move. It finds its support. Having a bounce, it goes towards the North. The last candle suggests that the price may have found its resistance too. If it makes a breakout at the level of support, upon getting breakout confirmation, the sellers may go short in the pair.

The price heads towards the South but not with good momentum. It takes only one candle to make a breakout. The sellers must wait. Let us find out what happens next.

Here it comes. The last candle breaches through the level of support. It has a lower shadow, but it closes well below the level. The sellers are to wait for the second important factor, which is breakout confirmation.

The next candle comes out as a bearish candle closing well below the breakout candle’s lowest low. In naked eyes, the sellers may trigger a short entry right after the last candle closes. However, the confirmation candle has a long lower shadow. To be sure about it, we may flip over to the 15 M chart. Let us have a look at the 15 M chart.

Look at the last 15M candle. This is a bullish pin bar, which is a strong bullish reversal candle. The 15 M traders may push the price towards the North. It means the H1 sellers may have to wait to reach the target. That may even end up being a losing trade. Let us flip over to the H1 again.

The last candle comes out as a bullish corrective candle. Usually, the price goes down after a breakout confirmation in such a setup. It this case, it does not. It may keep pushing towards the North even further. Let us find out what happens next.

The last candle comes out as a bullish corrective candle. Usually, the price goes down after a breakout confirmation in such a setup. It this case, it does not. It may keep pushing towards the North even further. Let us find out what happens next.

Yes, the price heads towards the North further. The last candle breaches through the breakout level as well. This does not look good for the H1 sellers. It all starts with a long lower shadow (in a selling market).

Whenever we see a long lower/upper shadow in an H1 chart, we may check it with the 15 M chart. If the last 15 M candle is a strong reversal candle (for opposite trend), we may skip taking the entry.

Categories
Forex Price-Action Strategies

Forex Price Action: Trendline Breakout Strategy

In today’s lesson, we are going to demonstrate an example of trendline breakout trading. Price action trading is mainly based on support/resistance and breakout. It does not mean that support/resistance is only horizontal. A trendline works as support/resistance as well. Let us now proceed and find out how a trendline breakout offers entry.

The price has been bearish by obeying a down-trending trendline. The price has rejection at the trendline four times. Now, it is the sellers’ territory. However, one bullish candle may change the game.

Here it is. One big bullish candle breaches through the trendline’s resistance closing well above it. Usually, trendline breakout traders wait for the price to come back at the trendline again and get a reversal candle to take entry. This is the safest thing to do in trendline breakout trading.

The chart shows that the price heads towards the North for two more candles and comes down for a correction. Trendline’s resistance becomes support now, which is what happens with horizontal support/resistance. The buyers are to wait for a bullish reversal candle to go long in this chart. Typically, a bullish engulfing candle is the best reversal candle to go long as far as the trendline breakout trading strategy.

The chart produces two doji candles. These are reversal candles. However, look at the last candle. This is a bullish engulfing candle; thus, the buyers may go long right after the candle closes. Stop loss is to be set below the new support.

The next candle comes out as a bullish candle too. This looks good for the buyers. Since the price makes a breakout, confirms the breakout, and produces a bullish engulfing candle, it may make a new higher high. However, the safest option to set take profit is at the last swing high.

The price heads towards the North with good bullish momentum. The price hits the last swing high in a hurry. It gets us 2R here. As long as it offers us 1R, we shall go with it. If it offers less than 1R, we may skip taking the entry. The last candle comes out as a bullish candle. It suggests that the price may make a bullish breakout. That is another game. If we want to take a long entry upon the next bullish breakout, it would be based on a horizontal breakout trading strategy.

Trendline breakout trading is quite simple and rewarding. Stay tuned to get to more about trendline breakout trading strategy in our fore coming lessons.

 

Categories
Forex Price-Action Strategies

Skip Some Entries to Maintain Winning Consistency

Forex price action breakout trading strategies mainly rely on the breakout. Breakout candle’s attributes mean a lot, whether we shall take entry or not. If a breakout takes place with a strong bullish/bearish candle followed by another strong bullish/bearish candle, it is considered a good entry. On the other hand, if a breakout takes place right from the support/resistance level, it is not considered a good entry. In today’s lesson, we are going to demonstrate an example of a breakout from the breakout level. Let us find out what happens in the end.

The price after being bearish finds its support. It has been making a bullish correction. The sellers should wait for the price to produce a bearish reversal candle and a breakout with a good-looking bearish candle.

The price heads towards the level of resistance. If the last candle makes a breakout closing well below the level of resistance, it would be a perfect breakout by a good-looking bearish candle. It rather closes adjacent to the level, which may not produce a strong bearish candle to make the breakout.

It produces more candles but does not make the breakout. The price is roaming around the breakout level, which is not a good thing for the sellers. Usually, if a candle closes below the breakout level right from the level, it consolidates. Traders are to wait more and get less reward.

The next candle closes below the breakout level. It is a breakout but not the breakout that the breakout traders would love to get. Let us proceed to the next chart to find out what happens next.

The next candle closes well below the breakout candle. It confirms the breakout. A question may be raised here whether the sellers take the entry or not. Since the breakout is rather a fragile breakout, it is best to skip such entry. The price often comes back to the breakout level and takes time to finds its next direction. Yes, sometimes it continues to go towards the breakout direction too. Let us proceed to the next chart and find out what happens here.

The price here heads towards the South with extreme bearish pressure. The last candle suggests that the trend is strong, and it may continue. According to our today’s lesson, we shall skip taking such entry. It means we have wasted an opportunity. Do you really believe so?

Do not think it is an opportunity missed. A losing trade hurts a lot. We do not only lose money, but we also lose our faith. Forex trading is a psychological game. To be consistent, we must have strong faith in our trading strategy. To have that,  we must maintain winning consistency.

Categories
Forex Elliott Wave

How to Analyze the Zigzag Pattern – Intermediate Level

The zigzag pattern is a three-wave structure that has a limited number of variations. In this educational post, we’ll present how to analyze the zigzag pattern under an intermediate level perspective,

The Elliott’s Zigzag Pattern

R.N. Elliott, in his work The Wave Principle, described the zigzag as a corrective formation that follows an internal sequence defined by 5-3-5.

The wave analysis analyst should consider that corrective patterns are not easy to recognize while the structure is not complete; however, it results revealing and useful to make forecasts once the formation is complete.

Zigzag Construction

Glenn Neely, in his work Mastering Elliott Wave, describes the zigzag construction as follows:

  1. Wave A shouldn’t retrace beyond 61.8% of the impulsive wave.
  2. Wave B should retrace at least 1% of wave A, but shouldn’t exceed 61.8% of wave A.
  3. Wave C must finish at least slightly beyond the end of wave A.
  4. If wave B retraces more than 61.8% of wave A, thus the movement developed doesn’t correspond to the end of wave B. In this case, the move realized correspond to a segment of a complex wave B.

The following figure illustrates the steps of the zigzag pattern construction previously described.

Types of Zigzag

According to the extension of wave C, the zigzag pattern would be classified as normal, extended, or truncated.

Normal zigzag: In this case, wave C can reach between 61.8% to 161.8% extension of wave A. Concerning wave B, this segment doesn’t retrace more than 61.8% of wave A, and wave C shouldn’t extend beyond 161.8% of wave A.

Truncated zigzag: This formation is less frequent than the other two zigzag pattern variations. Further, wave C shouldn’t be lower than 38.2% of wave A, but not greater than 61.8% of wave A. 

Once wave C ends, the next path should retrace at least 81% of the entire zigzag formation. According to Neely, this pattern it is likely that appears in a triangle structure.

Extended zigzag: This variation is characterized by having a more prolonged wave C than the other two models, which surpasses the 161.8% of wave A, being similar to an impulsive sequence. 

Once completed the wave C, the next path tends to retrace at least 61.8% of wave C.

Canalization Process

To canalize a zigzag formation, the wave analyst should pay attention to wave A and the end of wave B. 

The canalization process begins with the trace of a base-line linking the origin of wave A with the end of wave B, then using this line, a parallel line is projected at the end of wave A.

If the wave analyst encounters a zigzag pattern, then the corrective formation could move inside the channel, violate it, but never move in a tangent way to the channel. If it occurs, then the corrective sequence may correspond to a complex correction.

Finally, once the price violates the base-line O-B, we can conclude that the zigzag pattern ended.

NASDAQ e-mini and its Zigzag Pattern

The following figure represents to NASDAQ in its 12-hour timeframe. The chart reveals the upward process that the technologic index developed in the Christmas rally of 2018 at 5,820.50 pts.

The impulsive bullish sequence completed its internal five-wave moves at 7,879.50 pts on April 24th, 2019, from where the price began to develop a corrective zigzag pattern.

As illustrated in the last figure, the wave (a) in blue looks as a five-wave structure that ended at 7,290 pts on May 13th, 2019. The second leg of the zigzag pattern advanced close to 61.8% of the wave (a), which accomplishes the requirement of zigzag construction.

The next bearish path, corresponding to wave (c) produced a second decline in five waves and dropped beyond the 61.8% and below 161.8% of (a) which lead us to conclude that the type of zigzag pattern is normal.

At the same time, we observe that the price didn’t violate the lower line of the descending channel. However, once NASDAQ soared above the upper line of the descending channel, the corrective structure ended, giving way to the next upward motive wave.

Conclusion

In this educational article, we reviewed the characteristics of the zigzag pattern and how the wave analysts can differentiate from another kind of corrective formation. 

At the same time, the Fibonacci tools represent a useful way to validate what structure develops the market. In this context, this knowledge will allow the wave analyst to identify potential zones of reaction, which would enable us to incorporate into the trend.

In the next article, we will review the triangle pattern and how to recognize its variations.

Suggested Readings

  • Neely, G.; Mastering Elliott Wave: Presenting the Neely Method; Windsor Books; 2nd Edition (1990).
  • Prechter, R.; The Major Works of R. N. Elliott; New Classics Library; 2nd Edition (1990).
Categories
Forex Price-Action Strategies

If Price finds New Level of Support/Resistance

To measure risk-reward, price action traders must identify the level of support/resistance accordingly. It gets tricky sometimes. In today’s lesson, we are going to demonstrate an example of that.

This is an H1 chart. The chart shows that the price has a bounce at a level. Upon producing a bullish engulfing candle, it heads towards the North. It finds its resistance and produces a bearish engulfing candle followed by another bearish one. If it makes a breakout and confirms the breakout, the sellers may trigger short entry by setting stop-loss above the level of resistance and take profit with 1R.

The price does not make a breakout, but it heads towards the North. The sellers must wait to find out what happens next. It may go back to the level of resistance, have a rejection at double top, and make a breakout.

It may even make a breakout from here. Let us find out from the next chart what happens.

The price finds its resistance at a new level. It produces a bearish engulfing candle again. If it makes a breakout at the level of support and confirms it, it would be a short signal.

The chart produces a bearish candle, which breaches the level of support. If the next candle closes below the last candle, the sellers may trigger a short entry.

The next candle confirms the breakout. The sellers may trigger a short entry right after the candle closes. Question is where do they set their stop loss and take profit? Do they use the new level of resistance to set stop loss and take profit or use the old one? We find out the answer in a minute.

The price heads towards the South with good bearish momentum. Trade setup works as well as it usually does in breakout trading strategy. The price keeps making lower lows, and it seems it may go further down. However, since the price makes an upward correction before making the breakout, we may consider the second level to set our stop loss. We may set our take profit with 1R by measuring the same number of pips from the entry point to stop loss as well. This provides fewer pips as a reward, but to be safe with an entry like this, we may do this. The price often makes a consolidation, or it makes a correction (once it hits 1 R from the new resistance/support) after such breakout. A correction/consolidation sometimes leads towards a trend reversal as well. Thus, there is no point in taking a loss for hunting some extra pips. Always remember ‘safety first.’

Categories
Forex Daily Topic Forex Price-Action Strategies

Price Action Trading: The Daily Chart’s Consistency

The Price Action Breakout Strategy works in almost all the charts. However, it works best on the daily chart. In today’s lesson, we are going to demonstrate an example of a breakout-trading example of that. The chart has a bullish gap, but consolidation followed by a bearish engulfing candle offers an excellent entry for the sellers.

The chart shows that it makes a strong bullish move. Upon finding a level of resistance, it produces a bearish engulfing candle. The sellers may want to keep an eye in this pair to go short.

The price keeps going towards the South. The sellers must wait for the price to consolidate and produce a bearish reversal candle. The swing low is far enough, which offers the price to travel towards the South further.

Here it comes. The chart produces a bullish candle. The sellers are to be attentive here. The chart may produce a bearish reversal candle and offer a short entry to them. Do not miss the point that the price has a little bullish gap. The gap is not visible explicitly, but if you count the last candle’s opening and the closing one before it suggests that the price starts with a gap.

The chart produces a bearish engulfing candle closing well below consolidation support. The sellers may trigger a short entry right after the candle closes by setting stop-loss above the signal candle’s highest high. The space between the last swing low and the signal candle’s closing price suggests that the entry offers 1R. This should be enough to bring enough liquidity and drive the price towards the South.

As anticipated, the price heads towards the swing low and hits the target. The sellers achieve 1R here with ease. The last candle comes out as a bullish reversal candle since it closes within the previous candle’s lowest low. The sellers may want to close their whole trade and wait for the next one.

Price action breakout strategy works in 5M to the weekly chart. However, the daily, the H4, and the H1 are the three best charts that work best with the strategy. Usually, the gap creates confusion among traders. It creates more confusion among price action traders. In this example, we have demonstrated that the gap does not create confusion, but the Price Action Breakout Strategy works well as it usually does. The little gap may be one of the reasons. However, if the daily chart produces a trade setup like this, it does not usually go in vain.

Categories
Forex Daily Topic Forex Price-Action Strategies

Keeping an Eye on Some Levels Comes Handy

Forex price action trading requires a clearer chart. Traders are to keep an eye on candlesticks’ attributes, consolidation, reversal candle, and support/resistance levels. The last swing high and the last swing low are two levels that traders must count. However, the price often reacts to certain levels, where it reacts heavily earlier. We may keep an eye on those closely since they often offer entries. In today’s lesson, we are going to demonstrate an example of that.

The chart produces a bullish engulfing candle after being bearish for a long time. The buyers still hold the key. However, the sellers may keep start eyeing on the pair as well. The chart shows a pullback level in its bearish wave. The highest high is further up, though. Thus, if the price makes a bullish move from here, it would be a big one.

The price heads towards the North with good bullish momentum. The buyers are to wait for the price to consolidate and produce a bullish signal candle to go long on the pair. A level of resistance (drawn level) is nearby. The price may consolidate around the level. Thus, this is time for the buyers to keep an eye in the pair closely.

The price does not consolidate around the level of resistance, but it makes a breakout.  Some traders may think that they have wasted time here by keeping an eye on the pair, which is never right. In Forex trading, we need to invest money and time. After such a breakout, the price usually keeps going towards the trend’s direction for one or two more candles before having consolidation. Do not forget, it often consolidates around the breakout level and offers entry.

The chart produces one more bullish candle followed by a bearish candle. The last candle closes within the breakout level. This means the price is having consolidation around the breakout level. If the chart produces a bullish engulfing candle closing consolidation resistance, the buyers are going to push the price towards the North.

The buyers crave for getting such a good–looking bullish candle to go long from here. The equation is simple here. The buyers may trigger a long entry right after the candle closes. Let us find out how the entry goes.

The price heads towards the North with good bullish momentum. The buyers achieve their 1R easily here. The highest high is further up. Thus, it may remain bullish for some more candles.

The price may consolidate and offer entry at any level when it is trending. However, it tends to consolidate around some particular levels often. By spotting them out, we may make our trading life a bit easier.

Categories
Forex Elliott Wave

Corrective Waves Analysis – Intermediate Level – Part 1

Corrective waves are formations produced between two impulsive movements. In this educational article, we’ll see the standard corrective patterns defined by R.N. Elliott.

The Basic Structure

R.N. Elliott, in his treatise, defined corrections as a movement that develops against the trend built by motive waves.

Corrective formations characterize themselves by having three internal segments. Its analysis process tends to be more difficult than on motive waves, due to different variations that can arise while the movement is in progress.

However, the corrective structure will be clear once the formation completes its internal sequence. In this context, the wave analyst has to be patient as the price action advances.

Rules Construction

In simple words, if price action doesn’t endorse the rules of an impulsive wave, as commented in our previous articles (read more), then the market advances in a corrective structure.

The basic, or standard, corrective patterns defined by Elliott are as follows:

  • Flat (3-3-5)
  • Zigzag (5-3-5)
  • Triangle (3-3-3-3-3)

Similarly as the alternations on impulsive waves, corrective waves also alternate in terms of price and time.

Price: This kind of alternation applies only to the zigzag pattern. Wave A will alternate with B in terms of price; wave B will be a 61.8% or lower than the wave A length.

Time: The alternation in terms of time acquires more relevance. In particular, if the first segment elapses a specific length of time, the second leg will advance in a related 61.8% or 161.8% of the time spent by wave A.

Finally, the third segment will last similar to one of the previous sections or be 61.8 or 161.8% span of one of the two earlier waves.

Flat Pattern

The flat pattern is characterized by having an internal subdivision that follows a 3-3-5 sequence. The next figure shows its structure.

Likely, its most important characteristic is that among the standard corrective formations, this pattern has the broadest kind of variations.

The construction process and its basic rules are as follows:

Once price completes its first movement against the trend, and its form holds an internal three-segment subdivision, the recovery developed by the next sequence has to be, also formed by three internal waves that advance at least 61.8% of the first decline.
Finally, the price progression of the C wave must be over 38.2% greater than wave A.

The flat pattern has several variations defined in terms of the strength of its wave B, wave C, or both.

To understand what type of flat formation and its depth the market is developing, we should trace two parallel horizontal lines from the A wave extremes. Thus, based on the obtained evidence, we can conclude that:

  1. If wave B moves between 61.8% and 81%, the flat pattern develops a weak wave B. In this case, the wave C should be at least 61.8% of wave B.
  2. If wave B moves between 81% and 100%, then the flat pattern advances in a normal wave B. In this scenario, there are two options for wave C, the failure, and the extended wave C.
  3. Finally, if wave B extends over 100% to 127.2% of the A wave, then we are in the presence of a strong wave B. In this case, waves A and C should be similar in terms of price.

The U.S. Dollar Index and its Flat Pattern

The U.S. Dollar Index (DXY), in its 2-hour chart, shows the progression that price developed in five waves from June 25th, 2019 low at 95.84.

The five-wave sequence identified in green was completed on July 09th at 97.59, from where the Greenback began to retrace in three waves. The figure reveals that after having completed the first decline identified as wave “a” in green, DXY bounced slightly over 81% of wave a, which makes us conclude that the U.S. Dollar index runs in a potential normal flat pattern.

The next decline corresponds to wave c; the figure shows that once pierced slightly below the end of wave a, the price found fresh buyers at 96.67 completing the three-wave sequence of the flat pattern.

Conclusions.

In this educational article, we review the concepts of corrective waves and its rules of construction. Similarly, we presented how corrective waves alternate in terms of price and time. These new concepts of alternation add to the definitions given in our basic level article on corrective waves.

On the other hand, we presented the flat pattern that the Dollar Index has recently developed and how this formation did not achieve the Fibonacci levels as stated by Gleen Neely in his work “Mastering Elliott Wave.”

In the next article, we will present the zigzag pattern and its analysis process.

Suggested Readings

  • Neely, G.; Mastering Elliott Wave: Presenting the Neely Method; Windsor Books; 2nd Edition (1990).
  • Prechter, R.; The Major Works of R. N. Elliott; New Classics Library; 2nd Edition (1990).
Categories
Forex Basic Strategies Forex Daily Topic

Significance of Breakout Confirmation or Reversal at Pullback

Breakout trading is one of the most widely used trading strategies in the Forex market. Breakout confirmation is equally important. Without breakout confirmation, a breakout may not work in favor of the traders in many cases. Thus, if we want to have a tremendous rate of winning, we may wait for breakout confirmation or reversal at pullback before taking entry. In today’s lesson, we are going to demonstrate an example of this.

The price after being rejected at a resistance level heads towards the South. It produces a bullish inside bar and heads towards the North again. The momentum suggests that the price may make a breakout at the level of resistance. Breakout traders are to keep an eye on the pair to get a breakout followed by breakout confirmation or reversal candle at the pullback to go long on the pair.

The last candle breaches through the level of resistance. Candle’s attributes suggest that this is an ideal breakout candle. The candle barley has the upper shadow. The breakout traders are to wait for either for the next candle to close above the breakout candle or the price to come back at the breakout level to consolidate and produce a bullish reversal candle to offer them a long entry.

The price does not head towards the North. It comes back at the breakout level closing within the breakout level. The breakout is still valid. However, the buyers must wait to get a bullish engulfing candle to close above consolidation resistance to trigger a long entry by setting stop loss below the breakout level. Let us proceed to the next chart to find out what happens next.

The price breaches the level of support and closes well below the breakout level. The sellers may take control soon in the pair. Traders taking a long entry right after the breakout candle closing are to have a loss here. If they set stop loss below the lowest low, the risk-reward would not be lucrative. When the price breaches a breakout level, it usually generates more momentum and changes its trend. Let us see what happens here.

The price goes back to the breakout level. This time it makes a bullish correction. The equation changes completely another way round. If the chart produces a bearish engulfing candle closing below consolidation support, the sellers may go short and drive the price towards the lowest low.

The chart produces a bearish engulfing candle followed by another strong bearish candle. It looks like a different ball game completely now. It is now the sellers’ territory.

In the bullish market, the chart does not produce a bullish reversal candle; thus, the price gets bearish. In the bearish market, it produces a bearish reversal candle (engulfing) and offers entry to the sellers. By taking entry upon breakout confirmation, we may not find as many entries as we would like, but it gets us more consistency in winning trades.

Categories
Forex Basics

Some Spikes are Not to Be Ignored

Forex traders often struggle with spikes on their trading charts. The Line chart does not show spikes, but Candlestick Chart does. Price action traders usually use candlestick charts as one of their weapons to trade effectively. Thus, they face this problem every now and then. There is no sure method confirming which spikes are to be ignored, and which are not to be ignored. We have to be sensible about that. In today’s lesson, we find out a kind of spikes that are not to be ignored. Let us get started.

The price heads towards the South with good bearish momentum. It finds its support and produces a bullish reversal candle. The last candle comes out as a bullish candle as well. The sellers are to wait for a bearish reversal candle to go short in this chart.

Here comes the bearish reversal candle that the sellers wait in such price action. We have not drawn any resistance line. If we closely observe, we find that the last two candles’ bodies suggest a line of resistance. Candles’ bodies play a significant role in determining the support/resistance line. Let us draw a line of resistance here.

Here it is. The combination of the last two candles and their bodies suggests that we may draw a line right above their bodies. In most cases, we are to do this. However, the last two spikes have something more to think about. If we closely look, we find that the last two spikes are lined up. They have had their rejection at the same level. This means that the line is significant, which must not be ignored. Thus, if we want to take entry here, we may count the line above as the level of resistance. Let us have a look at the chart below with more drawn lines.

Look at the Stop Loss level. To be safe, we may not ignore such levels, where the price gets rejected multiple times. The candles may end up having spikes, but these spikes shall be counted to determine our stop loss, take profit, and breakout level. Let us not proceed to find out how the entry goes.

The trade setup works well for the traders. The price heads towards the South with more bearish pressure. It gets 1R to the sellers in a hurry. Now many of us may say the price never goes back to the level. In 80% of cases, the price does not go back near to the resistance. In the rest of the 20% cases, it may go. That is when we are to take an unnecessary loss. As they say, it is better to be safe than sorry. Let us be safe with spikes like these.

Categories
Forex Basic Strategies Forex Daily Topic

An Old Theory about Support/Resistance

In price action trading, traders rely on support/resistance a lot. Beginners often ask a question of whether they are predetermined. In answer to this, they are predetermined to some extent. A trader can guess level/levels that may work as support/resistance. The idea is simple. Support becomes resistance, and resistance becomes support. In today’s lesson, we are going to demonstrate an example of this.

The price has a bounce at the drawn level and heads towards the North. The last candle comes out as a bearish engulfing candle. The price may head towards the South. If that happens, the sellers are to wait for a breakout at the drawn level. Let us proceed to find out what happens next.

The next candle comes out as a bearish candle as well. However, it does not make a breakout. This is an interesting chart for both the buyers and the sellers. The buyers may wait to get a bullish reversal. Since this is the level where the price has bounce earlier, this may become double bottom support. On the contrary, if the price makes a bearish breakout at the drawn level, the sellers dominate in the pair.

The bear wins. The last candle closes well below the drawn level. This is an explicit breakout. The sellers are to wait for the breakout confirmation. If the chart produces another bearish candle closing below the last candle, the price may find its next resistance at another significant level. In most cases, the price usually goes back and finds its resistance at the breakout level, which was the level of support earlier.

Look at the chart. The price goes back to the breakout level and creates a doji candle. Do you notice the doji candle is produced right at the drawn level? This means the level may drive the price towards the South by being the level of resistance.

The level produces a bearish engulfing candle closing below consolidation support (This may become resistance later as well). The last candle suggests that the price may head towards the South with good bearish momentum. The sellers have found the new resistance.

As expected, the price heads towards the South for one more candle. It usually happens when support/resistance produces an engulfing candle as a reversal candle. In the end, a level of support flips and becomes a level of resistance. If we closely observe, we find this is what happens almost every time. Support becomes resistance, and vice versa. By obeying the theory, experienced traders spot out the levels of support/resistance well ahead.

Categories
Forex Price-Action Strategies

Price Action Trading: Weekend and Partial Profit Taking

Partial profit taking is an option to be safe with our investment. It provides less reward to some extent. However, for the Forex traders, it is a great way to make sure that they cash in some profit or lose less money in a particular trade. In today’s lesson, we are going to demonstrate an example of a trade setup offering an entry four hours before the market closes. Traders have only one H4 candle to hit their target, or they would have to carry the trade during the weekend. Let us find out what we should do in such a situation

This is an H4 chart. The price heads towards the South at a moderate pace. The last candle comes out as a bullish engulfing candle. This may work as a bullish reversal for the minor charts’ traders. However, the H4 breakout sellers are to wait for the chart to produce a bearish engulfing candle closing below consolidation support to offer them a short entry.

The price makes a bearish breakout. However, the H4 breakout sellers do not wait for such a breakout. The last candle comes out as a bearish engulfing candle, but the consolidation is shallow. Thus, the sellers may skip taking this entry as well.

Again, the price consolidates and makes another bearish move. This time it does not make any bearish breakout. The chart may end up producing a double bottom here. It is a long way to go. Meanwhile, the sellers must wait.

The chart produces a bullish engulfing candle followed by a bearish inside bar. Now, it looks that the buyers may take control. Let us proceed to the next chart and find out what happens next.

What a Surprise for the H4 breakout sellers! The last candle comes out as a bearish engulfing candle closing well below consolidation support. The sellers may trigger a short entry right after the last candle closes with 1 R by setting stop-loss above consolidation resistance. Do not forget this is Friday. The market is closing within 4 hours.

This is how the last candle looks. It suggests that the price may keep heading towards the South. However, carry trade during the weekend on the H4 chart is risky a little. The market often starts Monday with big gaps that affect the H4 charts. Thus, the sellers may consider taking a partial profit just before the market closes on Friday. It would not get them to achieve 1R in the end, but it would make sure that they earn some profit out of it. Even if the rest of the trade hits the stop loss, he will not lose as much as he would with his whole trade.

 

Categories
Forex Elliott Wave

Intermediate Wave Analysis – Impulsive Waves – Part 3

Impulsive waves are characterized by their directionality; thus creating trends; however, how the wave analyst can recognize the stage of the trend? To answer this question, we will present the canalization process.

Canalization

Until now, we presented a set of rules that allow that wave analyst to identify which kind of structure the price action is creating. However, these rules do not provide any clue about its target area.

To aid in solving this question, R.N. Elliott, in his Treatise, introduced the use of channels to identify the potential target zone of the next path.

Channels are a useful tool to recognize if an impulsive sequence is complete, and to identify the potential ending points of waves in progress.

In motive waves, there exist two kinds of base-line of channels; these are base-line 0-2 and 2-4. The way to trace them is as exposes the following figure.

In the left-side figure, we observe the trace of the 0-2 line. The dotted line represents a preliminary 0-2 line that was violated by the price action. In this case, the wave analyst must update the base-line 0-2 until the confirmed end of wave 2.

Once the ending of the second wave and traced the base-line is validated, the wave analyst must project a line parallel to the 0-2  line at the end of wave 1, this channel will provide a potential target of the third wave.

Analogously, on the right-side figure, we distinguish the trace of base-line 2-4 and its projection at the end of wave 3. The channel projection will provide the potential end of the fifth wave.

The procedure for executing the canalization process is as described below.

Once the price has created the first impulse wave and, then, completed the second corrective wave, a base-line is projected linking the origin of the first impulse wave to the end of the second wave.

The base-line is then projected at the end of wave 1. This channel will provide the wave analyst with the potential target of wave 3.

When wave 3 is complete, the ends of wave 1 and 3 are joined, then a parallel line is projected towards the end of wave 2.

The projection of this channel will provide information about the possible end of wave 4.

Subsequently, once wave 4 is complete, the ends of waves 2 and 4 are joined, then the line parallel to the end of wave 3 is projected, this channel will provide the potential target of wave 5.

EURNZD – Channels Suggests a Five-Wave Sequence Completion

The following chart illustrates to EURNZD cross in its 4-hour timeframe. From the figure, we observe the rally developed by price action that began on January 24th, low at level 1.66642.

EURNZD made a first rally that boosted the price in five waves until 1.71764 level reached on last February 02nd. Once its first upward sequence has been completed, the price retraced in three waves.

The corrective process brought the price to find fresh buyers at 1.67854 on February 10th. The completion of waves (i) and (ii) allow us to trace the first channel in blue, from where the next path corresponds to wave (iii).

On the figure, we observe that the price extended its third upward sequence until 1.78755 level on March 02nd. Once this fresh higher high was reached, EURNZD started to consolidate in a fourth wave. The ending of this corrective structure drives us to trace the second upward channel in brown.

The upper-line breakout of the second ascending channel carried the EURNZD cross to complete its fifth wave that found resistance at 1.90725 level, reached on March 09th.

Once it peaked at 1.90725 level, the price action pierced the base-line of the second ascending channel, this movement could drive the cross to start a corrective sequence in the coming trading sessions.

Conclusions

In this article, we have seen how the use of channels can assist the wave analyst in the process of identifying impulse wave targets.

From the example exposed, we observed how the canalization process worked in the real market. It is essential to consider that the fifth wave can fail, and not surpass the upper-line of the ascending channel.

In this context, the wave analyst should consider the signals that can reflect the end of the five-wave sequence, for example, the base-line breakdown.

Suggested Readings

  • Neely, G.; Mastering Elliott Wave: Presenting the Neely Method; Windsor Books; 2nd Edition (1990).
  • Prechter, R.; The Major Works of R. N. Elliott; New Classics Library; 2nd Edition (1990).
Categories
Forex Daily Topic Forex Price-Action Strategies

Price Action Trading: An Important Thing to be Remembered

To draw Support/Resistance, price action traders are to be sensible. They often need to be adjusted. In today’s lesson, we are going to demonstrate an example of this. To spot out support/resistance, traders are to aim the zones. Then, in the end, they are to draw levels to have the confirmation of a breakout. Let us learn more about this from the examples below.

This is an H1 chart. The chart shows that the price has been choppy for quite a while. It has been roaming within a descending triangle. The price may make a breakout to either side. Let us work with horizontal support and spot out point/points where the price bounces twice.

We may spot out two points here. These two levels are nearby to each other. Without any doubt, this is a strong support zone. If we consider levels, we may get confused since we get two levels. In such a situation, we may closely observe what the price does around the last swing low. Let us proceed to the next chart.

The chart shows that the last candle breaches the level of support (the last swing low). This is not an explicit breakout. We must wait for the next candle to have the breakout confirmation.

The next candle comes out as a bearish candle as well as closing well below the breakout candle. If we consider the price action for the last two candles, it is clear that the sellers have taken the control. The level of support at the last swing low holds the key as far as the last two candles’ price action is concerned. The H1 breakout strategy sellers may trigger a short entry right after the candle closes. Let us proceed to the next chart what the price does after triggering the entry.

The price heads towards the South with good bearish momentum. The sellers achieve their 1R with ease. The last candle’s attributes suggest that the price may go towards the South further. In a word, this has been a prolific trade setup for the sellers.

If we consider the first swing low on this chart, we may get confused about the breakout. Considering the price action and the last swing low, it is a basic thing to understand that the price makes a breakout at the last swing low. The last swing low matters most as far as the breakout strategy is concerned. If the price consolidates after a breakout, then other levels (previous levels of support/resistance) may work as flipped support or resistance. This is one important thing to be remembered by the price action traders.

Categories
Forex Daily Topic Forex Price-Action Strategies

Price Action Trading: Entries to Take and Entries to Skip

In today’s price action trading lesson, we are going to demonstrate an example of a chart that offers multiple entries. We try to spot out entry/entries that we may skip and the entry/entries we may take. We try to find out the reasons behind that as well. Let us get started.

The price after being bullish for a long time produces a bearish reversal candle and heads towards the South. Look at the last candle. It comes out as a bullish inside bar. Price action traders start eyeing on such a chart to go short. However, the sellers would love to see the price have deeper consolidation.

The chart does not make a deep consolidation. It produces a bearish engulfing candle closing well below consolidation support. The trend and the reversal candle get 10 on 10, but the consolidation is not deep enough. It is not an A+ entry. It is best if we restrain ourselves from taking such entry. Let us proceed to the next chart.

Many of us may think an opportunity missed. Here is one added lesson on ‘ do not cry over spilled milk.’ Forex traders must obey this. Let us concentrate on the chart again. The last candle comes out as a very strong bearish candle. The pair may offer more short entries.

The chart produces a bullish inside bar again. The equation is simple for the sellers based on price action. The chart is to produce a bearish engulfing candle closing well below consolidation support. Let us proceed to the next chart.

Here it comes. This is one good-looking bearish engulfing candle closing well below consolidation support. The trend, consolidation length, and the bearish reversal candle all get 10 on 10. As far as price action breakout trading strategy is concerned, this is an A+ entry. Let us now find out how the entry goes.

It does not go according to our expectations. It rather produces a bullish inside bar again. It is an inside bar. Thus the sellers still hold the key here. The fact remains at the first consolidation, despite having shallow consolidation, the price heads towards the South with extreme bearish momentum. On the contrary, despite being an A+ entry, the price does not move according to the sellers’ expectations. It may even go towards the North and hits the stop loss. Then again, we must stick with our trading rules and be extremely disciplined. Let us proceed to the next chart to find out what happens next.

Ah! What a move this is! The sellers make some green pips here. The chart makes them wait, but it pays them back. As mentioned, it could go another way. That does not mean we start thinking to change our strategies or start taking random entries. We must make sure we only take entries that get A+ after considering all the segments.

Categories
Forex Daily Topic Forex Price-Action Strategies

Price Action Trading: Let it go

The Engulfing Candle is considered one of the most influential candles to indicate a trend reversal. Price action trading is closely related to identifying trend reversal for which price action traders give value to engulfing candles a lot. In today’s lesson, we are going to demonstrate an example of an engulfing candle, which does not work in favor of the traders. We try to find out the reason behind that.

The chart shows that the price heads towards the South with good bearish momentum. On its way, it makes a breakout and trades below the level for one more candle. The sellers are to keep an eye on this pair for the price to consolidate and produce a bearish engulfing candle closing below consolidation support. Do not miss the point ‘closing below consolidation support’.

The price does not consolidate. It instead produces another bearish candle. It may consolidate now. A candle like this attracts more sellers to go short on the pair. Let us proceed to the next chart.

The chart produces a bullish inside bar. This means the chart is still bearish biased. The signal candle may come out at any time. The waiting game gets intense. The sellers are to keep checking the chart since the next candle may be the signal candle.

The chart makes them wait further. It produces a bearish inside bar followed by a bullish engulfing candle. The chart is still bearish biased, but the chart may get choppy as well if the next candle comes out as a bullish candle. Let us wait and find out how the next candle comes out.

The next candle comes out as a bearish engulfing candle. Is this what the sellers want? Here is a question for you. Would you trigger a short entry?

If the answer is no, you are right. The reason behind that is this is an engulfing candle, but it does not close below consolidation support. Look at the line below. This is where both candles get rejection. Thus, we may consider this one as consolidation support. Even if we consider only their bodies (not the best way), the candle closes within that level as well. The equation is an engulfing candle does not make a breakout. Thus, traders may skip taking this entry. We need to make sure these four things are there before taking entry based on this setup.

  1. Clear trend
  2. Consolidation
  3. Engulfing candle
  4. Breakout

If a trade setup misses any one of these, be patient. Let it go.

 

Categories
Forex Daily Topic Forex Price-Action Strategies

Price Action Trading: Support/Resistance and Breakout

Support and Resistance are the two most important things as far as price action trading is concerned. We often see that too many support levels/resistance levels are nearby being too close to each other. It may confuse us to be sure whether a breakout takes place or not. In today’s lesson, we try to find an answer to that. Let us get started.

This is a daily chart. The chart shows that the price heads towards the South after producing a bearish engulfing candle. Look at the last candle, which comes out as a bullish corrective candle. If the next candle comes out as a bearish engulfing candle closing below consolidation support, the sellers may trigger a short entry.

The last candle comes out as a bearish engulfing candle closing below consolidation support. The question is whether the sellers may trigger the entry or not. Look at those two drawn levels. The price reacts to those levels. Usually, price action traders count such levels to determine risk-reward or to set take profit level. Let us assume a trader takes the entry.

Typically, he should trigger the entry right after the last candle closes with 1R. Do not forget this is a daily chart. The daily chart usually offers more than 1R. Let us proceed to the next chart.

The price heads towards the South with extreme bearish pressure. As mentioned, it gets him more than 1R. It seems it may continue its bearish journey. At least the seller may hold his position until it produces a bullish reversal candle.

Here it comes. It produces a bullish inside bar. This is not a strong bullish reversal candle. However, some traders may consider come out with their profit or at least some part of it. Some sellers may still hold it until it produces a strong bullish reversal candle.

The last candle comes out as a bullish engulfing candle. This time the sellers are to think twice whether they should hold the entry. Many price action traders close their entry here. The trade setup works excellently well here. However, do you remember those two more support levels? The price does not seem to react to those levels at all. You may notice this next time. When support/resistance levels stand too close to each other, the last level and the last breakout gets the priority (in 80% cases). However, if they have enough space in between, then they must be counted by the traders to calculate risk-reward or to set take profit.

Categories
Forex Price-Action Strategies

Price Action Trading: Be Psychologically Strong

Today, we are going to demonstrate an example, which has several lessons. Forex price action traders need to concentrate hard on the trading charts. They must have ‘never give up’ attitude, must not make decisions emotionally. In a word, they need to be psychologically strong. Let us now proceed to our lessons with examples.

This is a daily chart. After being bearish, the chart produces a bullish reversal candle. The combination of the last two candles is called Track Rail. It is a strong bullish reversal pattern. The daily- H4 combination traders may flip over to the H4 chart to go long on the pair.

 

The H4 chart does not look that promising. The price heads towards the North, but the momentum has not been strong. However, the buyers have their first signal to keep an eye on this chart. They are to wait for the price to consolidate and produce a bullish engulfing candle to offer them a long entry.

The price makes a deep consolidation and produces a bullish engulfing candle. However, it closes within a level where the price gets rejection twice. The engulfing candle does not close above the level of resistance, but the next one does. This is not an A+ entry. The buyers may skip taking the entry.

The price continues to go towards the North. Some traders may think an opportunity is missed. Do not forget that we shall only go with A+ trade setups. Here is a question. Look at the last consolidation and the bullish reversal candle. The candle closes well above the level of resistance. However, it is not a deep consolidation. Would you trigger a long entry here? Do not miss the point that it is not a deep consolidation. Thus, this is not an A+ entry either. Let us skip it and concentrate on the next chart.

 

Again, the price heads towards the North. This is where we must not panic and think we keep losing opportunities. It is always better to be safe than sorry. What do you think about the last bearish candle? This seems to be a deep consolidation. If the chart produces a bullish engulfing candle, the buyers may trigger a long entry.

 

The last candle comes out as a bullish engulfing candle closing well above the level of resistance. The price makes a deep consolidation. This is an A + trade setup. We may trigger a long entry right after the last candle closes. Let us proceed to the next chart to find out how the entry goes.

 

The price heads towards the North with good bullish momentum. It gets us more than 1R. At last, our patience has paid off. Do you notice how strong we need to be psychologically? This may seem easy, but it never is when we trade and make a decision in the live market. It is tough to restrain ourselves from taking bad entries. Sometimes they may make a profit and make us upset if we do not take the entry. To be consistent, we must not be upset but wait for the best setup (A+ trade setup) to offer us entry.

Categories
Forex Videos

How To Achieve Free Trades & No Risk Double Up Trades In Forex

Free trade and a no-risk double up trade

In a perfect trading world, we would have no risk trades and be able to double up on those trades if we were 100% confident that price would continue in the direction that our technical charts said they should. Of course, there is no perfect world in trading, and absolutely anything can happen at any time, and we have to guard against those eventualities. However, with some careful preparation, we can protect winning trades from loss, and even double up on those trades, with little or no risk, if we prepare carefully.

Example A


Example A is a 1-hour chart of the GBPUSD the pair. On the face of it, it looks like price action reached a plateau in the middle of the chart and then gradually begins to fall. We are in a bearish descending channel.

Example B


Example B, backs up this theory with two simple descending trend lines. The trend lines A and B are acting as an area of resistance and support for price action and where lower highs and lower lows are clearly evident. Therefore a breach higher than trend line A would be considered a bullish move, and a more likely breach of trend line B would be considered as a bearish move.

Example C


In example C price action has breached trend line B, and this move is associated with bearish candlesticks just before the breach. We have chosen to sell at position 1 with a stop loss at position 2 in case price action reverts higher. Should it do so, we would need to adjust our stop loss lower along the descending line of resistance.

Example D


In example D, and in line with our free trade promise, price action has moved lower, and so we have put a protective stop (PSL) just below the entry point of this trade by a couple of pips. No matter what happens now, we cannot lose money on this trade. It is effectively a free trade.

Example E


In example E, price action has continued to fall. Let’s say by 20 pips from our original sell entry. We can sell this position again using the same amount of leverage as trade 1, with a stop loss of 10 pips; and by bringing our protective stop from trade 1 lower and placing it in the same position as our second trade stop-loss, we have effectively doubled up on this trade with no risk of loss. So if trade two is stopped out at minus 10 pips, it will be netted out by trade one which gained 10 pips, minus your spreads.

As price action continues to fall lower, we simply bring our protective stops lower in order to maximize our profit.

Categories
Forex Daily Topic Forex Price-Action Strategies

Forex Traders: Get Patience, Optimism, and Never Give Up Attitude

In today’s lesson, we are going to demonstrate an example of the daily-H4 combination trading, which makes traders wait for a long time. Usually, if the daily chart produces a daily reversal, it creates an H4 entry within a day or two. In today’s lesson, the H4 chart takes four days after creating a daily reversal to produce the signal candle. Let us find out how it offers us entry.

This is a daily chart. The chart shows that it produces a bearish inside bar at a strong resistance zone. An inside bar is not a strong reversal candle, but a strong resistance zone may attract the sellers to look for short opportunities. The daily-H4 combination traders are to flip over to the H4 chart for the price to consolidate and produce a bearish reversal candle to offer a short entry. We flip over to the H4 chart later. Let us now have a look at the daily chart with four more daily candles.

The chart produces four more candles that are bearish. However, the daily-H4 combination traders do not get any A+ entry to go short. Should they skip eyeing on this pair? Never, they need to perform the same duty. As long as the last daily candle is bearish, they are to flip over to the H4 chart. The last candle on this chart is bearish. Let us flip over to the H4 chart this time.

You may notice that the H4 chart does not make deep consolidation followed by a bearish engulfing candle to offer them a short entry so far. Traders are to flip over to the H4 chart every day with no luck. Let us proceed to the next H4 chart.

The chart shows that it is having a deep consolidation. The last candle comes out as a bullish engulfing candle. However, the chart is still bearish biased unless it produces a bullish daily reversal candle. The sellers are to wait for an H4 bearish engulfing candle closing below consolidation support to offer them a short entry.

Here it is. The last candle comes out as a bearish engulfing candle closing well below consolidation support. The sellers may trigger a short entry right after the last candle closes with 1R.

The price heads towards the South with extreme bearish pressure. The price hits 1R with ease. Some traders may even make much more than 1R by taking a partial profit. In the end, it ends up being a prolific entry.

It does not come easily, though. The daily-H4 combination traders are to keep eying on the charts for four consecutive days. The H4 chart produces the signal on the fifth day after producing the daily bearish reversal candle. This is why Forex traders need to have patience, optimism, and never give up attitude.

Categories
Forex Elliott Wave

Intermediate Wave Analysis – Motive Waves – Part 2

In our previous article, we covered the main rules of impulsive waves. In this educational post, we’ll present a complimentary set of rules of the impulsive waves.

The Alternation Rule

The alternation rule, as defined by R.N. Elliott, is not an author’s invention, alternation exists from the beginning of the universe, and this is a principle that governs nature. In the same way that the day alternates with the night, bullish market alternates with the bearish.

This rule is the foundation of wave theory; without the alternation, the wave theory would not exist. This rule states, “when two consecutive waves are compared, one must be different from the other and both must also be unique in form.

The essential element that distinguishes the alternation in the wave analysis is time. In other words, this means that if a movement on one wave occurs a reduced time span, the next move should take place in an extensive period compared with the previous move.

In wave theory, we observe the alternation in the following characteristics:

  1. Price: it is the vertical distance that the market advances.
  2. Time: it is the horizontal distance elapsed in the market progress.
  3. Severity: this corresponds to the percentage that price retraces an impulsive movement.
  4. Complexity: corresponds to the number of segments that conforms to the wave sequence.
  5. Construction: corresponds to the type of formation that market develops, for example, flat, zigzag, triangle, etc.

The Equality Rule

  1. The extension rule says that in an impulsive sequence, one of three motive waves must be the most extended. When the wave analyst has identified the extended wave, then, can apply the equality rule that refers to the other two waves that are as follows:1. If wave 1 is extended, then the rule applies to waves 3 and 5.
  2. If wave 3 is extended, then the rule applies to waves 1 and 5.
  3. If wave 5 is extended, then the rule applies to waves 1 and 3.

The equality rule establishes that two of non-extended waves tends to be equal in terms of price, time, or both.

This rule is useful, especially when the third wave is the extended wave, and the fifth fails. However, it is not helpful when the first wave is extended or is a terminal formation.

Superposition Rule

The superposition principle can be used in two different ways depending on the kind of impulsive structure; it means if the motive wave corresponds to a trend movement or a terminal sequence.

If the price action develops a trend movement, then waves two and four will never overlap. In terms of its internal sequence, the motive wave will have a 5-3-5-3-5 sequence.

If the price action follows a terminal move, then wave four will penetrate the second wave area partially. The internal subdivision of this find of waves will follow a 3-3-3-3-3 sequence.

GBPUSD Pair Follows the Elliott Wave Principle

The GBPUSD pair in its 12-hour chart illustrates the Elliott wave principle in the real market.

In the figure, we observe how the GBPUSD pair follows the Elliott wave principle. Firstly, the motive wave has five internal segments that create an upward trend; the third wave is not the shortest, and as shown in the chart, the third move corresponds to the extended wave.

Once finished the five-wave sequence, it starts a corrective move in the opposite direction of the trend following a three-wave structure, which still seems in progress.

Following the alternation rule, we observe that the first wave advanced 625 pips in 17 days, while the third jumped 817 pips in 11 days. Finally, the fifth wave ran 691 pips in 16 days. These measurements enable us to observe that the GBPUSD comply with the extension, equality, and superposition rules.

At the same time, we observe that corrective waves also alternates between themselves. The second wave retraced the movement formed by the first wave in 16 days, while the fourth wave retraced the advances of the third wave during 36 days.

Conclusion

In this article, we extended the toolbox for the wave analysis process, from where rules as the alternation, equality, and superposition, add to the seven basic rules and extension defined in our previous educational post.

In our next educational post, we will present the canalization process, which will allow the wave analyst to understand the price action from the Elliott wave perspective.

Suggested Readings

  • Neely, G.; Mastering Elliott Wave: Presenting the Neely Method; Windsor Books; 2nd Edition (1990).
  • Prechter, R.; The Major Works of R. N. Elliott; New Classics Library; 2nd Edition (1990).
Categories
Forex Price-Action Strategies

A Pair Offering Multiple Entries on Different Charts

In today’s lesson, we are going to demonstrate an example of a chart, which ends up offering two breakout entries for the price action traders. There is a saying, “do not put all your eggs in the same basket.” Forex traders are to maintain this as well. However, sometimes we may have to do things a bit differently. Let us find out why and how.

This is a daily chart. The chart shows that a bearish engulfing candle followed by a bullish inside bar sets a strong bearish tone in the chart. If a bearish candle closes below consolidation support, the sellers may go short on the pair.

Here it comes. The last candle on this chart closes below consolidation support. This is an explicit breakout. The daily breakout traders may trigger a short entry right after the candle closes by setting their stop loss above the signal candle’s highest high and by setting their take profit with 1 R.

Here is something interesting you may have noticed. Since the daily chart is bearish biased, the H4 chart shall be bearish as well. Let us flip over to the H4 chart.

This is how the H4 chart looks. The price consolidates and produces a bearish reversal candle already, although it is not a deep consolidation. Let us not talk about it. Let us proceed to the next chart.

The last candle comes out as a bullish inside bar. This time there is a deep consolidation as well. If the chart produces a bearish engulfing candle, the sellers may trigger a short entry. Let us not forget that the daily breakout traders have already taken an entry.

The H4 chart produces a beautiful bearish engulfing candle closing below consolidation support. The H4 breakout traders may trigger a short entry right after the last candle closes by setting stop-loss above the signal candle’s highest high and by setting take profit with 1R.  Let us find out how the trade goes.

The price heads towards the South with extreme bearish pressure. Some H4 breakout traders may get 3R from this chart. Now the question may arise here is whether we should take an entry on the H4 chart as well? If we go by saying, “do not put all your eggs in the same basket’, we may not.

We actually should take the entry on the H4 chart as well after taking the first entry on the daily chart. First, we are not taking the second entry based on the daily chart. It is a different setup, although the strategy is the same. If we are confident and experienced in trading different charts, we are all right to take entry in the same pair. This usually brings us a bagful of pips.

Categories
Forex Price-Action Strategies

A Thing You May Notice in the H1 Breakout Strategy

We are going to demonstrate an example of the H1 breakout strategy in today’s lesson. Usually, the H1 breakout strategy does not make traders wait too long to hit the target. However, if the breakout level is a double top or a double bottom level on the H4 chart, the price gets even more momentum to hit the target. Today’s breakout level is a double bottom level on the H4 chart. Let us now find out what happens after the breakout.

After making a bearish move, the price makes a correction. The last candle on the chart comes out as a bearish engulfing candle. This means the price finds its resistance. If it heads towards the swing low and makes a breakout, price action sellers may jump into this chart to make some green pips by going short in the pair.

The last candle makes a breakout at the level of support. This is an explicit breakout. Please note that the price bounces at the same level earlier. This means this is a double bottom support level on the bigger chart. This is an H1 chart. Thus, this must be a double bottom support level of the H4 chart.

The next candle closes below the breakout candle. It confirms the breakout. The sellers may trigger a short entry right after the last candle closes by setting stop-loss above the level where the trend starts and setting the take profit with 1R.

The price heads towards the South with extreme pressure. The price is about to hit the target on the next candle after triggering the entry. It does not, but the sellers get their message. A strong bearish candle like this suggests that the pair would remain bearish at least for two more candles. That would be enough to hit the target.

The chart produces a bullish inside bar before hitting the target. If we count, it takes only three candles to hit take profit level. As mentioned, the H1 breakout strategy hits take profit level in a hurry. So does this one. If we calculate the next candle after the signal candle, we see that the candle comes out as a very strong bearish candle and generates strong bearish momentum. This is often seen when the H1 chart makes a breakout at a level, which is a double top or double bottom level on the H4 chart too. We do not need to concentrate on this if we aim to trade on the H1 breakout strategy. However, noticing such things help us be better traders to some extent.

 

Categories
Forex Basic Strategies Forex Daily Topic Forex Price Action

Support, Resistance and Trade Management

-Support and Resistance are the two most important concepts in the financial market. Forex traders strongly rely on support and resistance, as well. Price action traders’ main weapon is support and resistance. In today’s article, we are going to demonstrate an example of how the price reacts to a major level of support and resistance. Let us get started.

Look at the chart. The price consolidates around the red-marked level, it finds its resistance there and makes a bearish move. After having a correction, it makes the new lowest low. This is now the sellers’ territory. Let us assume that there is no significant level, which may hold the price as support. Thus, we are not able to mark any level as support. The sellers are to wait for the price to consolidate and produce a bearish reversal candle to offer them short entry in this chart.

The price makes new lowest lows and heads towards the South with good bearish momentum. However, it seems that it may have found its support. It consolidates for a while around the red-marked level and produces a bullish engulfing candle. The buyers on the minor chart may get them engaged to keep an eye on the chart to go long above the highest high of the last candle. Let us find out what happens next.

The price heads towards the North. It consolidates and produces another bullish engulfing candle. It means the chart is now the buyers’ territory. This is where the game of support and resistance begins. You may have noticed that we have red-marked the level. This is the most significant level in this chart for the buyers. The price may consolidate and find its resistance in this chart before it reaches the red-marked level. However, this is where traders may make a decision concerning their long position. They may either close their whole trade or take partial profit.

The price keeps heading towards the North. It buyers are having a party here. They must not forget the red-marked level, though. Let us proceed to the next chart.

Look at the chart carefully. Do you notice that the price consolidates around the red-marked level, which is the swing high in this chart? It produces a bearish engulfing candle followed by another bearish one. The last candle on this chart comes out as a bullish inside bar. If the next candle comes out as a bearish engulfing candle, the sellers may drive the price towards the South. I am sure now you know where the sellers are to be careful with their trade management. Yes, they must take the red-marked support (swing low in this chart) into account to manage their short entries.

Categories
Forex Daily Topic Forex Price-Action Strategies

Manage Your Trade Differently on Different Charts

In today’s lesson, we are going to demonstrate an example of an H1 breakout strategy. Before hitting the target, at some point, the price gets sluggish. Nevertheless, it hits the target in the end. Let us now proceed to find out the lesson it has to offer us.

This is an H1 chart. The price gets choppy within these two horizontal lines. It has a rejection and makes a bearish move upon producing a bearish inside bar. The chart is yet to make a breakout. Until it makes a breakout, it does not have anything to offer to the buyers or the sellers. However, as it stands, the buyers may have an upper hand here. Let us proceed to the next chart.

Here it comes. After a long while, a candle breaches through the level of support closing well below it. The candle has a long lower shadow, but the breakout is explicit. The sellers are to wait for the next candle to close its lowest low to trigger a short entry.

The next candle comes out as a strong bearish candle. This is one perfect looking bearish candle to attract the sellers to trigger an entry. The sellers may trigger a short entry right after the candle closes, setting stop-loss above the level where the trend starts with 1R.

As expected, the price heads towards the South with good bearish momentum. However, look at the last candle. It comes out as a spinning top. In a strong bearish trend, it is not considered as a strong bullish reversal candle. Moreover, it is an H1 chart, and the entry is triggered based on the H1 breakout strategy. Thus, the sellers must hold their position and wait. To be precise, they should not even look at this chart anymore by following the rule of ‘Set and Forget.’

The price hits the target. The next candle, after the spinning top comes out as a bearish candle. However, it closes within consolidation support. If it were an H4 or the daily chart, the sellers would have to close the trade manually. This is the difference between trading on the minor chart and major chart.

If we have a plan to take trading as our fulltime business, we may have to trade on different charts from the 15M to Weekly. Trade management varies from chart to chart. This is what we must remember. In the beginning, we shall master on a particular chart that we are comfortable with. Then, we may start trading on the other charts, preferably on the demo first. Once we are confident, we may trade on that chart in our live account. We must not apply a strategy or manage the trade the same way on the weekly chart that we are successful on the H1 or the 15 Chart.

Categories
Forex Elliott Wave

Intermediate Wave Analysis – Motive Waves – Part 1

In our previous article, we presented the different standard Elliott wave formations, among which we highlight the impulsive sequence. In this educational post, we will look at the rules and principles to identify impulsive waves.

Understanding the Impulsive Waves

Impulsive waves are characterized by developing in a definite direction; this is which distinguishes a motive wave with a corrective sequence. The characteristics that must possess an impulsive structure are as follow.

  1. It must be built by five consecutive segments that follow a structure of a trend sequence or a terminal formation.
  2. Three of its five internal segments correspond to impulses in the same direction, which could be bullish or bearish. The other two moves will reverse one of the three impulsive segments moving in the main trend.
  3. Once the first impulsive movement ended, the price action must develop a smaller move in the opposite direction.
  4. The third segment moves in the same direction as the first impulsive movement. This movement cannot be of less magnitude than the first move.
  5. At the end of the third movement, the price develops a fourth segment, which pulls back the move of the third leg. This movement must never penetrate the region of the first impulsive movement.
  6. The fifth and last move is characterized by being longer than the fourth movement.
  7. When measuring and comparing the extension of waves first, third, and fifth, it can be observed that not necessarily the third wave will be the largest move; however, this segment cannot be the shortest of the three impulsive movements.

If the price action does not accomplish one of these rules, the market is not moving in an impulsive sequence. Rather, it advances in a corrective structure.

The Extension Concept

The extension is the main characteristic of motive waves, and it is used to describe the largest move of an impulsive sequence.

The basic rule to classify and identify a wave as an extension states that the largest wave must surpass the next largest move, at least by 161.8%.

The Use of Labels to Identify Sequences

Until now, we have used Intermediate Wave Analysis – Motive Waves – Part 1 labels them as W1, W2, and so on, to identify each segment. From now, we will use tags as 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, to identify each movement.

Labels are a useful tool to aid the wave analysis process. The wave analyst should consider that, in R.N. Elliott’s words, the labels are not the end of the wave analysis, it is only a tool to maintain order in the analysis process.

It should be noted that according to the labeling process described by R.N. Elliott, we will use variations to differentiate degrees, which corresponds to the timeframe that belongs to each Elliott wave structure.

Example

To comprehend the structure of an impulsive wave and the extension concept, in the following chart, we observe the GBPUSD pair in its 12-hour timeframe.

The figure shows the impulsive advance developed by the Cable when the price found buyers at 1.1958 on September 02nd, 2019. The first motive wave, identified as “1” in green, resulted in a GBPUSD advancement of 624.1 pips, rising to 1.2582.

The third wave advanced over 814 pips or 6.68%. On the chart, we observe that wave 3 in green surpasses the 161.8% of the first wave. In the same way, the fifth wave gained 691.1 pips or 5.39%, which is similar to the first wave.

Concerning corrective waves 2 and 4, we observe that the second wave is shorter than the first move, and the fourth wave does not penetrate into the first wave region, which accomplishes the rules of construction of impulsive waves.

Furthermore, we observe that the third wave advanced beyond 161.8% of wave 1; similarly, the progression of the fifth wave is slightly lower than 161.8% of the third wave.

In consequence, GBPUSD shows the progress of a bullish five-wave impulsive sequence, with Cable having developed an extended wave in the third movement of the bullish cycle. Finally, once the fifth wave reached its end and the end of the bullish cycle, a three-wave movement in the opposite direction of the previous upward sequence will occur.

Conclusion

The impulsive movement is a structure that creates trends, which follows a five-wave sequence. The knowledge of its structure allows the wave analyst to understand the degree of the advancement of the prices and, in consequence, the potential next movement of the market under study.

In the next educational article, we will unfold additional concepts to understand the nature and rules of impulsive waves.

Suggested Readings

  • Neely, G.; Mastering Elliott Wave: Presenting the Neely Method; Windsor Books; 2nd Edition (1990).
  • Prechter, R.; The Major Works of R. N. Elliott; New Classics Library; 2nd Edition (1990).
Categories
Forex Daily Topic Forex Price Action

A Business of Glorious Uncertainty

Trading on the daily-H4 chart combination often brings more reward than our initial expectation. Typically, traders aim to earn 1R. However, it may even bring up to 5R. In today’s lesson, we are going to show an example of this.

This is a daily chart. The price heads down with good bearish momentum. The last candle is a spinning top. In a strong bearish daily trend, a spinning top does not suggest that the trend may change. However, the H4-daily traders’ strategy is different. They are to flip over to the H4 chart and wait for consolidation followed by a bullish breakout, to go long on the pair. Let us flip over to the H4 chart.

The H4 chart looks good. The chart produces two bearish candles consecutively. The buyers are to wait for a bullish engulfing candle closing above consolidation resistance to go long. The chart suggests that the buyers shall stick with the chart.

It consolidates more and produces a bullish engulfing candle. However, the candle closes within consolidation resistance. They are to wait for more. Look at the last candle. It seems like it is going to have a deep consolidation again.

This time the chart produces a bullish engulfing candle closing well above consolidation resistance. The buyers could trigger a long entry right after the candle closes and set the stop loss below the signal candle’s lowest low.

The trade does not go as per buyers’ expectations. It takes time to hit the target. However, the candle breaches through the take-profit level, closing as a strong bullish candle. The buyers may consider taking a partial profit and let the rest of the trade run. Let us find out what happens next.

This time the price heads towards the North with extreme bullish pressure. It travels about five times the distance of the buyers’ initial target. Assume, by taking partial profit, how much more a trader can earn. This is the beauty of trading on the daily-H4 combination. Since the daily chart is involved here, the price often heads towards daily support/resistance. This brings traders more profit if they deal with their trade accordingly. Another interesting point here to be noticed, despite producing an excellent bullish engulfing candle, the price does not head towards the North with good bullish momentum. On the other hand, once it hits the target level by producing another bullish Marubozu candle, it keeps going towards the North with extreme bullish momentum. This is why trading may be called a business of glorious uncertainty.

 

Categories
Forex Price-Action Strategies

Do Not Ignore Significant Levels of Support/Resistance

Price action trading is considered one of the most effective and easiest ways of trading. Traders are to follow a few rules and be disciplined to be a successful price action trader. One of the most important factors is marking the support/resistance zone/level. If a trader draws support/resistance zone/level; accordingly, trade management gets easy for him. In today’s lesson, we are going to demonstrate an example of how important it is to mark support/resistance levels on our trading chart and manage trade accordingly.

This is a daily chart. The chart shows that the price after being very bullish produces two bullish candles consecutively. The first candle comes out as a bearish engulfing candle as well.  Thus, major intraday charts’ traders may flip over to their charts and look for short opportunities. However, before we proceed, we must mark significant levels that may work as a level of support. Think about the levels that you may mark as the level of potential support. If you are done, proceed to the next chart.

These two levels may work as a level of support. The line below is the most significant level on this chart because this is the lowest low, and this is where the trend starts. The line above is quite significant since it produces a double bottom earlier. There are levels where the price reacted earlier. Thus, they may work as flipped support. However, two marked levels are crucial as far as this chart is concerned.

The chart produces a bullish reversal candle right at the marked level. It has been extremely bearish. The second last candle comes out as a strong bearish candle as well. Price action traders usually keep their eyes on a chart like this to go short upon breakout. That does not happen here. It produces a bullish inside bar. The chart is still the sellers’ paradise. Nevertheless, it is a bullish reversal candle, and it may change the whole equation on this chart. To have a better idea, let us zoom out the same chart.

The chart now tells the whole story. Do you recognize these two marked levels now? The sellers shall plan about trade management before the price hits such levels. It is often seen the price makes a big anti-trend move after reaching such levels. The reason is many traders/ big traders set their take profit at such level. Once they get out of the market with their profit, the price goes another way around, causing an abrupt opposite move. This may make traders lose money and lose profit. Let us make sure we learn how and where to mark the support/resistance zone/level and manage our trade accordingly.

Categories
Forex Psychology

Trading Psychology: Learn the Art of Getting Over a Floating Losing Trade

In today’s lesson, we are going to show an example of a trade setup, which tests our psychology and ask us a big question. This situation is something that often happens with traders trading on the major pairs. We try to find out the answer to what we shall do in such a situation.

This is a daily chart. The price finds its support after being bearish for a long time. It produces a bullish engulfing pattern followed by another bullish candle. Using the daily-H4 combination, traders shall flip over to the H4 chart to get consolidation and a bullish reversal candle to go long above the last swing high. Let us flip over to the H4 chart.

The H4 chart suggests that the buyers may take control soon. A massive bullish engulfing candle followed by an inside bar bearish candle may attract the buyers to go long upon getting another bullish engulfing candle. The buyers are to keep their eyes on this chart since the chart may produce the signal candle anytime.

It does not produce the signal candle immediately. However, after a while, it produces a bullish engulfing candle closing above the last swing high. This is an A+ trade setup as far as the daily-H4 chart combination trading is concerned. The price makes a deep consolidation and produces the signal candle afterwards. This is what breakout traders love to see. A long entry may be triggered right after the last candle closes. Let us proceed to the next chart to find out what happens afterwards.

This must be painful for the buyers. The trade setup looks very good, but things have not been going as expected. The price comes back within the consolidation zone. This looks ominous for the buyers. Since this is an H4 chart, the buyers have the opportunity to look after their trade. They may ask themselves whether they should keep the entry or close it manually? I let you think about it for a minute.

If your answer is the buyers shall close the trade manually, you may not be right. The reason behind this is, once a trade is floating on a loss, traders shall leave it and let it finds its own way. If it hits the stop loss, let it hit it. Traders are to calculate this risk well before they take entry. If a trade is running on profit but acts unusual or gets sluggish at a significant level of support/resistance, that might be a different case. Although the chart suggests that most probably, the price is going to hit stop loss, the buyers shall hold the entry and concentrate on other pairs. If a trader wants to survive in this market for a long time, he must acquire this skill of getting over on a floating losing entry and concentrating on a new trade setup.

Categories
Forex Price Action

Never Know What is around the Corner

In today’s lesson, we are going to demonstrate an example of trend riding along with the H4 breakout trading strategy. We often see that the market is in a strong direction, but it does not offer many entries. It is frustrating, but we must take it easy. We must not be impatient but keep our eyes on the chart. We never know what is around the corner.

This is an H4 chart. The chart shows that the price has been heading towards the South with strong bearish momentum. However, it has not offered any A+ entry yet. It produces some strong bearish engulfing candle breaching through consolidation support. However, consolidations have been shallow. Thus, the sellers on this chart have not been able to make the most of it. Look at the last candle. It comes out as a strong bearish candle as well. It suggests that the bearish trend is strong enough, and it may drive the price towards the South further. Let us proceed to the next chart.

The chart produces a bullish inside bar. This time it looks better since the inside bar candle is a long one. This means if the chart produces a bearish engulfing candle again, it would be after a deep consolidation. The deeper consolidation, the better it is as far as reward is concerned.

The chart produces two more bullish candles. It looks like it has been searching for its support. Deeper consolidation/correction is good, but if it goes too far by making a bullish breakout, equation changes. Let us proceed to the next chart.

Here it comes. An A+ bearish engulfing signal candle this is. The sellers may trigger a short entry right after the candle closes by setting stop-loss above the candle’s high. Take profit may be set with 1:1 risk-reward.

The chart produces another bullish corrective candle after such a nice-looking bearish reversal candle. However, it heads towards the South and hits the target. We learn two lessons here.

  1. A chart may not offer as many entries as we anticipate, even it is on a strong trend.
  2. We never know what is around the corner in the Forex market.

At one point, it seems that the chart may not offer any short entry for the H4 sellers. The price keeps heading towards the North. Deep consolidation is about to get into too deep. At last, the signal candle comes and offers an excellent short entry. While trading, we are always to be on our toes since we do not know what is around the corner in the Forex market.

 

Categories
Forex Videos

Master Forex By Trading Double Tops and Double Bottoms

Double Tops and Double Bottoms

In mastering technical analysis, one of the key pattern formations is the double top and double bottom, and it is essential that you understand what this is, and that you develop your skills for identifying it, and implementing it in your trading because these patterns will recur time after time. It will provide you with invaluable information when it comes to trading around it.
Double tops and double bottoms will enhance your trading by showing you where potential reversals in price action may occur, whether or not they form the basis of technical support and resistance levels.

 

Example A


So what exactly is a double top? Let’s take a look at example A, which is a 5-minute chart of the GBPUSD and where only price action is shown on the chart.

 

Example B


Now, let’s drill down a little further on this chart as per example B, pair and where we have a high at position A and where we have had a pullback, followed by another push higher at position B, and where the price action stopped at the same level as position A, before selling off again.
So what is the rationale behind this double top? Traders read their charts from left to right, because they tell a story of how price action is unfolding as time goes on. Firstly we have the area of support which has seen price action fails to go lower on at least two occasions, which will have been observed by traders, and where price action moved higher from this line, and then ran out of steam at position A, before retreating, and whereby traders would again keenly observes the area of support and therefore started to close out their short positions when price failed to breach the support line while expecting a reversal. This does indeed happen and where we see price action move up to position B, and where traders would have noted the reversal at position A, and used that as a possible area of resistance, and therefore exited their long trades when price failed to move higher than position A, and thus leaving a double top formation.

 

Example C


In example C, we have the reverse, which is a double bottom formation, where we can see that price has failed to breach the resistance line at positions 1 2 and 3, before moving lower to position A, and where price action failed to move any lower and where it reversed before failing to reach the resistance line, and then has a second attempt to move lower to the support line at position B. Thus forming a double bottom formation.

Incidentally, we can see that eventually, price action does move higher and breaches the line of resistance at position 4, which then becomes a line of support for future price action.

Categories
Forex Daily Topic Forex Price Action

Riding on a Trend is rewarding

The trend is the trader’s friend. To be able to spot the trend and reversal point are the two most important factors of price action trading. In the Forex market on the minor charts, trend changes in a second. However, the trend usually continues on major charts such as the H4, the daily as well as weekly. In today’s lesson, we are going to demonstrate an example of how we can ride on a trend and make most of it.

The chart shows that after making a strong bearish move, the price produces three consecutive bullish corrective candles. It finds its support and creates a bearish engulfing candle closing below consolidation support. The sellers may trigger a short entry right after the last candle closes. Let us proceed to the next chart.

The price heads towards the South and hits 1R. Look at the last candle. The candle comes out as a bearish engulfing candle as well after a long consolidation. However, the sellers on this chart shall skip taking this entry for its shallow consolidation. Let us find out what happens next.

The price again consolidates and produces another bearish engulfing candle. The sellers may trigger another short entry right after the last candle closes. This is the second entry of the trend.

As expected, the price again heads towards the South. This time the price moves with strong bearish momentum. The sellers again make some profit here. Let us proceed to the next chart.

The chart after producing one stronger bearish candle consolidates. This time the chart presents an A+ trade setup with deep consolidation and a strong bearish engulfing candle. The sellers may trigger another short entry here with 1R.

This is what tells the story of the Forex market. This one has been the best entry so far on this chart. However, the price does not head towards the trend’s direction as expected. Nevertheless, it hits the target again (1R). The sellers again make some pips. Altogether, it offers three entries and this is called riding on a trend. By looking at the chart, it seems it may provide more. The buyers must stay out of this chart until it produces a strong bullish reversal.

Meanwhile, the sellers shall keep eying on the chart to go short with the same process. It does not happen so often but when it does, traders shall make most of it. As they say, “Trend is your Friend,” and we have just demonstrated that riding on a trend is very rewarding.

Categories
Forex Daily Topic Forex Price-Action Strategies

ABC Pattern Trading: A Little Adjustment Needed According to the Charts

The ABC pattern is one of the traders’ favorite trading patterns for its lucrative risk-reward. It usually offers at least 1:2 risk-reward. In many cases, it offers even more. However, the price may sometimes find it hard to make a breakout at point B. That is where the ABC pattern traders must be patient and hold their nerves while trading on the minor charts. However, with major charts, it is a bit different. In today’s lesson, we are going to demonstrate an example of the ABC pattern trading on a minor chart.

This is an H1 chart. The price heads towards the North with good bullish momentum after having consolidation for a long time. The ABC pattern traders are to wait for the price to make a downside correction and produce a bullish reversal candle at C point.

The price has been on a downside correction. It produces three consecutive bearish candles. The ABC pattern buyers shall keep their close eyes on the chart to get a bullish reversal candle.

The chart produces a bullish engulfing candle. This is an A+ bullish reversal candle. The ABC pattern traders have some drawing work to do before the price produces a reversal candle. We find this out in a minute. Can you guess where the chart produces the bullish reversal candle? Have a look at the chart below.

Do you notice that the price had a massive rejection at the same level earlier? The chart produces the bullish reversal candle at the flipped support. This is an ideal C point. The buyers may trigger a long entry right after the candle closes by setting stop loss below the signal candle. As mentioned, take profit may be set at least with 1:2 risk-reward.

After triggering the entry, the price heads towards the North with good bullish momentum for three more candles. It then starts having consolidation around the last swing high (at point B). It often happens. The buyers must wait and hold their positions since the trade setup in on the H1 chart. The intraday ABC pattern traders must follow the rule “Set and Forget”. With the H4, the Daily, it is different though. Let us proceed to the next chart.

The chart produces another bullish candle and hits the target. The buyers’ have achieved their 2 R target. We must remember that when we trade on the ABC pattern, we adjust our target according to the chart. Intraday charts (5M, 15M, H1) usually makes a breakout at Point B. Thus, we let the trade run and decide its route. On the other hand, if an entry is taken on the charts such as the H4 and the daily based on the ABC pattern, we may consider taking at least 50% profit at Point B. This is where a little adjustment is needed if we trade based on the ABC pattern.

Categories
Forex Basic Strategies Forex Daily Topic

Partial Profit-taking and Decision-making

Traders on major charts such as the daily and the H4 often take partial profits and let the rest of the trade run to earn more profit. This is an effective way to earn more pips without any doubt. Yes, to do that, traders need to have good ideas about price action and enough experience to interpret the market’s language. In today’s lesson, we are going to demonstrate an example of partial profit-taking and a situation where traders to make a decision. Let us get started.

This is an H4 chart. The price heads towards the North with good bullish momentum. It then consolidates and produces a bullish engulfing candle. The buyers may trigger a long entry right after the last candle closes. Typically, the buyers shall aim to earn 1R.

The next candle comes out as a bullish candle as well. Things look suitable for buyers. It seems they do not have to wait too long to achieve 1R. Let us proceed to the next chart.

Things do not go according to the buyers’ expectations. However, the price hits their 1R target. Look at the last candle. It comes out as a bullish engulfing candle. Thus, the buyers may consider taking partial profit and let the rest of the trade run. Let us assume that the buyers take out their 50% trade. With 1R, they have free trade running.

After two more candles, things look a bit different. Anyway, the buyers must be patient and hold their positions. Overall, price action has been very bullish biased.

After a long while, the price does not know where to go. It gets trapped within two horizontal levels. Have a guess. What should you do here? It is an H4 chart, and the price action has been very choppy recently.

Yes, traders may close the rest of the entry as well. The price is at the breakeven (a bit above). Traders get ½ R here. In most cases, partial profit-taking rewards more. However, in some cases, it may not give us the maximum reward. Another important thing with partial profit-taking is it is to be applied when we trade only on the major charts. We may not consider taking partial profit if we trade on the 5M, the 15M, or the H1 chart. With partial profit-taking, we need to be well acquainted with using trailing stops as well. Only that is when we will be able to make the most out of it.

Categories
Elliott Wave Guide

Guide to Preliminary Elliott Wave Analysis

We have completed the section that covers the preliminary concepts of the Elliott Wave Analysis described by Glenn Neely. These concepts are explained and include the following aspects.

  1. Introduction to wave analysis. In this section, we introduce the concept of Wave Theory, the benefit of its study, and its pros and cons.
  2. Basic concepts of wave analysis. This section presents the key concepts to understand the wave analysis process.
  3. How to start a wave analysis. In this four-part section, we unfold the essential steps to understand the nature of price movements.
    1. Waves identification.
    2. The concept of directional and non-directional movement.
    3. How to identify the end of a movement.
    4. Waves observation and identification.
  4. How to use retracements to analyze waves. This section, divided into five parts, exposes the use of Fibonacci retracement to discover what kind of Elliott wave movement is in progress.
    1. First Rule. This section presents what occurs when the second wave (W2) retraces less than 38.2% of the first wave (W1).
    2. Second Rule. This section exposes the scenarios when W2 retraces between 38.2% and 61.8% of W1.
    3. Third Rule. This article unveils what kind of pattern is in progress when W2 retraces 61.8% of W1.
    4. Fourth Rule. This article unveils the potential kind of Elliott wave patterns when W2 retraces between 61.8% and 100% of W1.
    5. Rules Fifth to Seventh. In this article, we present what occurs when W2 exceeds over 100% of W1.
Categories
Forex Elliott Wave Forex Fibonacci

How to Use Retracements to Analyze Waves – Part 5

Until now, we studied different scenarios for the retracement of W2 when it is lower than 100% of W1. In this educational article, we’ll review what to expect when the retrace experienced by W2 is higher than 100% of W1.

The Fifth Rule

The fifth rule surges when the price runs in wave two (W2) and its progress extends between 100% and 161.8% of the first wave (W1).

In this case, could exist four possible conditions as follows.

Condition a: this condition occurs if W0 is lower than 100% of W1. As a first scenario, W1 could be part of a corrective sequence, and in consequence, W1 should identify as “:3”. In terms of the Elliott wave formations, W1 could be the first or the second segment of a corrective pattern, like a Flat pattern, a triangle formation, or the center of a Complex Correction.

A second option considers the possibility of a five-wave structure. If it occurs, W1 should label as “:5”, and the structure could correspond to the end of a zigzag pattern.

Condition b: occurs when W0 moves between 100% and 161.8% of W1. In this scenario, W1 should be part of a three-wave structure. It means that we should identify it as “:3”. In consequence, W1 could belong to the first segment of a Flat pattern, a section of a Triangle structure, or the center of a Complex correction.

Condition c: this condition occurs if W0 is between 161.8% and 261.8% of W1. In the same way that condition b, in this scenario, W1 should be part of a corrective formation as a flat (which should be an irregular flat), triangle, or complex correction.

Condition d: occurs when W0 is higher than 261.8% of W1. In this case, W1 likely will be the first part of a corrective structure; then, W1 should identify as “:3”. In terms of the Elliott wave formations, the structure in progress could correspond to a Flat pattern, a triangle, or the center of a complex correction.

The Sixth Rule

This rule will activate if wave 2 retraces between 161.8% and 261.8% of W1. The possible conditions are similar as in the fifth rule and are detailed as follows.

Condition “a”: this condition occurs if W0 is lower than 100% of W1. In this scenario, W1 could be a three-wave structure (labeled as “:3”), and W1 could correspond to a flat, triangle, or the connector of a complex correction. A second scenario considers that W1 could be a five-wave formation (identified as “:5”), then, W1 could be the end of an impulsive movement.

Condition “b”: occurs when W0 moves between 100% and 161.8% of W1. In the same way that Rule 5, condition b, the most probable formation for W1 is a three-wave structure and should identify as “:3”. W1 could be the first segment of a flat, an internal section of a triangle, or the center of a complex correction.

Condition “c”: this condition occurs if W0 is between 161.8% and 261.8% of W1. The structure that W1 develops could correspond to a corrective pattern, which should identify as “:3”, and the formation developed could be a flat pattern with failure in C or an expansive triangle.

Condition “d”: occurs when W0 is higher than 261.8% of W1. In this case, W1 could be part of a zigzag, a segment of a contractive triangle, a flat pattern with a failure in C, or the correction of an impulsive move. In any case, W1 should identify as “:3”.

The Seventh Rule

The wave analyst must use this rule when the retrace experienced by wave 2 is higher than 261.8% of wave 1. In this case, the possible conditions of W0 are similar to rules fifth and sixth, which are as follows.

Condition “a”: this condition occurs if W0 is lower than 100% of W1. In this case, W1 could be part of a three-wave structure (identified as “:3″) developing a complex correction, or a flat with a complex wave B. Another option for W1 could be a five-wave structure (labeled as”:5″) running in the failure of the fifth wave.

Condition “b”: occurs when W0 moves between 100% and 161.8% of W1. In this condition, W1 could be a three-wave structure (identified as “:3”) performing the center of a complex correction, a flat pattern, or a contractive triangle.

Condition “c”: this condition occurs if W0 is between 161.8% and 261.8% of W1. In this case, W1 could be part of a corrective formation as a continuous correction, a flat pattern, or a contractive triangle, and W1 should identify as “:3”.

Condition “d”: occurs when W0 is higher than 261.8% of W1. In this scenario, the structure suggests that W1 could be part of a corrective formation (tagged as “:3”) as a zigzag pattern, the connector of a double zigzag, the center of a complex correction (or wave-x), or a contractive triangle.

 

Conclusions

In this educational article, we reviewed what should be the Elliott wave structure that W1 build when W2 exceeds 100% of W1. As can be observed, in most cases, the formation developed by W1 corresponds to a corrective sequence.

According to R.N. Elliott’s words, the knowledge of the corrective formations could provide to wave analyst an edge over what should be the next move. In this context, the comprehension of different rules and conditions presented could ease and offer a relevant clue in the wave analysis to the Elliott wave trader.

Suggested Readings

  • Neely, G.; Mastering Elliott Wave: Presenting the Neely Method; Windsor Books; 2nd Edition (1990).
  • Prechter, R.; The Major Works of R. N. Elliott; New Classics Library; 2nd Edition (1990).
Categories
Forex Daily Topic Forex Price-Action Strategies

When You Confront a Loss

In today’s article, we are going to demonstrate an example of a failed entry on the daily chart. In a bullish market, the chart produces a bearish inside bar followed by a perfect looking bullish engulfing candle closing well above the level of resistance. However, the price heads towards the South and hits the stop loss. We try to find out what goes wrong here.

The chart shows that the price heads towards the South with strong bearish momentum. The sellers are having a feast here. Any intraday breakout at the lowest low of the last daily candle may get the traders to go short on the respective chart. Let us proceed with what happens next.

The last daily candle comes out as a bullish inside bar. Intraday buyers may search for a long entry on any breakout at the highest high of the last daily candle. On the other hand, the daily chart traders are to wait for the next day’s candle to close as a bearish engulfing candle.

The price heads towards the North with good bullish momentum. The chart produces two more bullish candles after that inside bar bullish candle. The chart looks good for the buyers on the daily chart as well. If the chart produces a bearish reversal candle followed by a bullish engulfing candle closing above the level of resistance, the buyers may go long on the daily chart.

The chart produces an inside bar. This must excite the buyers. If the next candle comes out as a bullish engulfing candle closing above the resistance of this bullish wave, the buyers may trigger a long entry.

Here it comes. This is what the buyers wait for. They may trigger a long entry right after the candle closes by setting stop loss below the candle’s lowest low. The significant level of resistance is far enough, which offers them a tremendous risk-reward. Moreover, this is the daily chart, which is one of the most consistent charts in the Forex market. In a word, this is a good trade setup for the buyers.

The price hits the stop loss the next day. The daily candle one after it comes out as a bearish candle too. The chart looked extremely good for the buyers two days ago. Now things are very different. If we dig into it, we do not find anything particular that the chart misses to produce such bearish candles all of a sudden. Technically, there is nothing wrong with the entry. We must remember this is how the market goes. It happens a lot. We must learn how to absorb such an unpleasant incident.

 

Categories
Forex Daily Topic Forex Price-Action Strategies

Daily-H4 Combination: A Daily Reversal on the Daily, Flip Over to the H4

In today’s article, we are going to demonstrate an example of a daily–H4 combination trade setup. On a strong bullish market, the daily chart produces a bearish reversal candle and offers a beautiful short entry for the sellers, the price gets exceptionally bearish, and it may remain bearish for a long time. Let us get started.

Look at the last candle, which closes as a bearish marubozu candle. Before that candle, the pair heads towards the North with strong bullish momentum. At some point, a bullish engulfing candle engulfs an inside bar bearish candle. This is an extremely good signal for the daily chart’s buyers to go long on the pair. Many daily buyers might have lost money here. However, the next candle (the last candle on this chart) changes the equation for daily-H4 combination traders. It is now time for them to flip over to the H4 chart.

This is how the H4 chart looks after flipping over. The price starts having consolidation, as well. A bearish engulfing candle closing below the lowest low is the signal for the sellers to trigger a short entry.

The next candle comes out as a bearish engulfing candle closing well below the lowest low of the bearish wave. The sellers may trigger a short entry right after the candle closes by setting stop-loss above the level of resistance (with some safety pips) and by setting take profit with 1:1 risk-reward.

As expected, the price heads towards the North with good bearish momentum. It seems that the price is in a hurry to hit the target. It may hit the target within the next candle. Let us find out what it does.

The price hits the target. The last candle comes out as a very strong bearish candle, which suggests that the price may head towards the North further. However, 1:1 risk-reward is achieved. This is what the first target as far as daily-H4 combination trading is concerned.  Considering the last candle’s attributes, the price may produce at least one more bearish wave in this chart. Anyway, we have a lesson to learn from here. We are to wait for the daily chart to produce a strong reversal candle. It does not matter how strong the trend has been. As long as we get a strong bearish reversal daily candle, our job first job is to flip over to the H4 chart. We must wait for the H4 consolidation and the signal candle closing below the highest high/lowest low of the last wave to trigger entry.

 

Categories
Forex Daily Topic Forex Price-Action Strategies

Mind the Gap Price Action Traders

In the Forex market, most pairs start trading with a gap after weekends. Most of them are not visible on charts such as the H1, H4, or the daily. Some pairs begin with a big gap, which is visible even on the major charts. It gets difficult for price action traders to trade and make a profit when a pair starts with an evident gap. In today’s article, we are going to demonstrate an example of this.

The trend starts with a bearish engulfing candle, which is a strong indication that the trend may sustain for a long time. The sellers are to wait for the price to consolidate and strong bearish reversal candle to go short on this chart. However, do not miss that the chart has a gap followed by trend continuation. It finds its support since it produces a doji candle followed by a bullish engulfing one.

The price finds its resistance as well. Look at the last candle on the chart. It is a bearish engulfing candle closing well below the level of support. Usually, the sellers may trigger a short entry right after the last candle closes in such price action. It is not a usual chart since it has a gap. Let us assume we have triggered a short entry here.

The next candle comes out as an inside bar bullish candle. The last candle comes out as a doji candle closing right at the breakout level. The bear still has control.

The last candle on this chart breaches through the level of stop loss. The trade does not go according to the sellers’ plan. The trend initiating and the breakout candle gets a 10 on 10. However, it gets us a loss. Do not forget this could happen any time with any trade setup. With this chart, something works against price action traders in both buying and selling. Can you guess what that is? Yes, it is the ‘Gap.’ Let us proceed to the next chart. It may create more drama.

It produces a spinning top. The buyers may think that they have a chance to take control next if it produces the next candle as a bullish engulfing candle.

It does not. It continues heading towards the South again at a slower pace. A chart with a big gap may act weird like this. Thus, it is best to avoid taking entry on a chart with a big gap.

Categories
Forex Price-Action Strategies

To Maintain Better Winning Ratio, Go with A+ Entry

In today’s lesson, we are going to demonstrate an example of H1 breakout trading. In this example, the breakout candle, as well as the confirmation candle, is not the best one the price action traders like to have. Nevertheless, the price heads towards the trend’s direction nicely. In most cases, it does not happen though.

The price after being bullish gets choppy. It then makes a bearish move but upon finding its support, it produces a bullish engulfing candle. This is the strongest bullish reversal candle, which shall attract the buyers to keep an eye on this chart. Let us proceed to the next chart.

The price does not get bullish as expected. However, an inside bar means that the buyers still hold the key. The chart may produce bullish candle and end up making a breakout at the swing high. The H1-breakout traders must be waiting for a breakout here.

The next candle comes out as a bullish engulfing candle closing above the level of resistance. It is a breakout but the breakout is not explicit. If the candle closes well above the level of resistance, it would attract more buyers. Let us now wait for the confirmation candle. If the next candle comes out as a bullish candle closing well above the breakout candle, it may attract more buyers in the end.

The confirmation candle does not look very promising either. As far as H1 breakout price action trading is concerned, the buyers may trigger a long entry. Considering candles’ attributes, it is not an A+ entry though. Let us proceed to the next chart and find out what the price does.

The price heads towards the North with good bullish momentum. It takes only two candles to hit the target. As mentioned, it is not an A+ entry but the trade gets the buyers some profit. In some cases, we see that even an A+ entry gets us a loss instead.

This is how the market works. We must not lose our patience but stick with our plan. If we take such entry, we may have to encounter less momentum after triggering entry, and more losing trades. We have to have the mental strength to face such losses then. Otherwise, we may skip taking such entry. Such an entry does not always get us profit. We have demonstrated this in today’s lesson.

Another equation we should remember, if we want to take A+ entry, we get less number of entries but more consistency. On the other hand, if we take a signal as long as it meets our trading strategy requirement, we get more entries but less consistency.