438 entries
Technical analysis
Chart-based analysis — candlesticks, support and resistance, patterns, indicators, oscillators.
- Exponential Moving Average A moving average that weights recent price data more heavily, making it responsive to recent price changes than a simple moving average.
- Failed Breakout Pattern A failed breakout chart pattern occurs when price penetrates resistance or support but cannot sustain the move, often reversing sharply—a tradeable reversal signal.
- Failed Head and Shoulders Pattern Understand what happens technically when a head-and-shoulders pattern fails: the short squeeze, breakout momentum, and how to identify failure early.
- Falling Three Methods A bearish continuation candlestick pattern where three small rallying candles are held within the range of a large black candle.
- Falling wedge A falling wedge is a chart pattern with two downward-sloping converging lines, often signalling a bullish reversal when in a downtrend.
- Falling Wedge Pattern A chart pattern where price converges downward between two falling trendlines, typically signaling continuation of the uptrend or a bullish reversal.
- Falling Wedge vs Descending Triangle Understand how falling wedge vs descending triangle patterns differ: converging resistance vs flat support, and what each signals for price direction.
- False Breakout at Support and Resistance Explained Why price pierces support or resistance only to snap back, how to spot false breakouts before they trigger, and the traps they set.
- False Breakout Pattern in Technical Analysis What a false breakout pattern is, how it forms, and how traders use volume and closing price to distinguish genuine breakouts from traps.
- Fibonacci Levels Price retracement and extension levels derived from Fibonacci ratios (0.618, 0.786, 1.618), used to identify support, resistance, and profit targets.
- Fibonacci Retracement Golden ratio levels (38.2%, 50%, 61.8%) used to forecast pullback depth and support within an established trend.
- Fisher Transform Indicator A statistical transformation that converts price data into a Gaussian normal distribution to sharpen the detection of price reversals.
- Flag and Pennant Continuation Patterns How flag and pennant chart patterns signal trend continuation, measured-move targets, and volume behavior during breakouts.
- Flag pattern A flag pattern is a continuation pattern consisting of a sharp move (the pole) followed by a short, tight consolidation (the flag), before resumption of the original trend.
- Force Index An indicator that combines price movement and trading volume to measure the strength of buying and selling pressure in a market.
- Gap Fill as Support and Resistance Why unfilled price gaps on charts act as magnetic zones where price often returns to complete the gap, creating predictable support or resistance.
- Gap Fill in Technical Analysis Gap fill technical analysis explains why price gaps tend to close over time and which gaps are more likely to persist or remain open.
- Gap-Up Open on a Candlestick Chart: What It Means A gap-up open on a candlestick chart occurs when the opening price jumps above the prior session's high. Understand what gap-up opens signal and how follow-through confirms them.
- Gartley Pattern A five-point harmonic retracement pattern using Fibonacci ratios to identify high-probability reversal zones.
- Golden Cross and Death Cross 50-day and 200-day moving-average crossovers that signal long-term bullish and bearish regime shifts in price trends.
- Golden Cross vs Death Cross Golden cross vs death cross: bullish and bearish moving average crossovers that signal trend changes, with evidence of reliability and false positives.
- Gravestone Doji A candlestick pattern with a long upper shadow and no lower shadow, signalling early buying pressure overcome by sellers.
- Guppy Multiple Moving Average Two clusters of exponential moving averages that reveal the conflict between short-term traders and long-term investors.
- Hammer candle A hammer candle is a candlestick with a small body at the top and a long lower wick, resembling a hammer. It signals that buyers defended a lower price level and is often interpreted as a bullish reversal signal.
- Hammer vs Hanging Man Candlestick How the same candlestick shape signals a reversal in different trends. Learn why context—not shape alone—determines the meaning.
- Hanging man A hanging man is a candlestick with a small body and a long lower wick, identical in shape to a hammer but appearing after an uptrend. It signals potential bearish reversal, indicating that sellers may overwhelm buyers.
- Harami A harami is a two-candle pattern where a small candle's range sits entirely within the previous candle's range, signalling indecision and potential consolidation before a reversal.
- Head and shoulders Head and shoulders is a bearish reversal pattern consisting of three peaks—a lower left shoulder, a taller head, and a lower right shoulder—with equal lows connecting them.
- Head and Shoulders Measured Price Target How to calculate the price target after a head-and-shoulders breakdown using the neckline projection method, with a step-by-step worked example.
- Head and Shoulders Neckline Slope and Its Effect on Targets How the angle of a head and shoulders pattern's neckline—flat, rising, or declining—changes pattern reliability and measured-move price targets.
- Head and Shoulders Pattern: The Neckline Explained The neckline in a head-and-shoulders pattern is the key line that generates the trade signal. Learn how to draw it, why its slope matters, and how to confirm the breakout.
- Head and Shoulders Volume Confirmation How volume patterns in head and shoulders confirm pattern strength before neckline breaks; declining volume through peaks raises reliability.
- Heikin-Ashi Chart How averaged OHLC values smooth noise and make trend direction visually cleaner than standard candlesticks.
- Hidden Divergence in Momentum Indicators: Trend Continuation Signal Hidden divergence occurs when price makes higher lows but oscillators make lower lows. This momentum indicator pattern signals trend continuation, not reversal.
- High Tight Flag A rare continuation pattern where a near-doubling surge is followed by a tight shallow pullback, signalling strong bullish momentum.
- High Volume With Low Price Movement: What It Means High volume with low price movement often signals institutional absorption or distribution near turning points, revealing hidden market intention.
- High-Low Logic Index Norman Fosback's ratio measuring the proportion of new lows relative to total new highs and lows, serving as a market-extremes warning.
- High-Low Logic Index: How to Read It Norman Fosback's High-Low Logic Index tracks internal market tension by measuring when stocks simultaneously hit new highs and lows—a breadth signal of conviction.
- High-Volume Node A price level where unusually heavy historical trading volume concentrates, anchoring future support or resistance because traders remember and gather there again.
- High-Wave Candlestick Pattern A high-wave candlestick pattern features a small body and unusually long shadows in both directions, signaling extreme indecision. Often found near trend reversals.
- Hikkake Pattern: A False-Breakout Candlestick Setup The hikkake candlestick pattern uses an inside bar and a false breakout to trap traders. Learn to identify the setup, entry trigger, and why it catches longs or shorts.
- Hindenburg Omen A technical signal triggered when surging new highs and new lows occur simultaneously, warning of a fragile, internally divided market.
- Hindenburg Omen False Signal Rate: What the Data Shows Examining the historical accuracy and false signal rate of the Hindenburg Omen, a technical indicator that flags potential market declines.
- Homing Pigeon Candlestick Pattern The homing pigeon candlestick pattern is a two-candle bullish reversal setup where the second candle's body falls entirely within the first candle's range.
- Horn Top Pattern A two-bar bearish reversal pattern formed by two prominent weekly spikes separated by a quieter bar, signalling exhaustion at price peaks.
- How Breadth Divergence Appears During Sector Rotation During sector rotation, breadth divergence occurs when an index rises on concentrated gains in one or two sectors while most stocks decline, signaling deteriorating market health.
- How Breadth Indicators Behave Before a Market Top The deterioration pattern in breadth indicators — declining A-D line, narrowing leadership, fewer stocks above moving averages — that has historically preceded major market peaks.
- How Breadth Indicators Confirm a Bear Market Breadth indicators in combination—advancing/declining issues, new highs/lows, summation index—identify bear markets early and rule out routine pullbacks.
- How Gaps Between Candlesticks Affect Pattern Strength Gaps between candlesticks weaken or amplify reversal signals. Learn how gap size, direction, and pattern context determine pattern reliability.
- How Rare Is a Breadth Thrust Signal? A breadth thrust occurs when breadth indicators surge with conviction after a period of weakness. Such events are rare—roughly 4 times per decade—making them valuable bullish signals.
- How Support and Resistance Strength Varies by Timeframe Why support and resistance levels visible on longer timeframes carry more weight than those on shorter charts, and how to rank levels across different timeframes.
- How Support and Resistance Work in a Downtrend How the S/R dynamic shifts in a downtrend, where failed rallies mark resistance, and why levels that held in an uptrend tend to fail when the trend reverses.
- How the Lookback Period Affects Momentum Indicator Signals Shortening or lengthening momentum indicator calculation windows changes sensitivity, lag, and false-signal rates. How to choose the right lookback period.
- How the Number of Touches Affects Support and Resistance More price touches at a level strengthen support or resistance, but excessive testing may signal a weakening level and imminent breakout. Learn how to read the signals.
- How to Calculate the Advance-Decline Line Step-by-step process for calculating the advance-decline line from daily advances and declines, with a worked numeric example.
- How to Draw Horizontal Support and Resistance Levels Method for identifying and marking horizontal support and resistance levels on a chart, including which price points to anchor to and how many touches confirm a level.
- How to Draw Support and Resistance Levels Step-by-step guide to drawing valid support and resistance levels on charts, including body vs wick anchoring and timeframe hierarchy rules.
- How to Draw Support and Resistance Lines Correctly Methods for correctly placing support and resistance lines using wicks and closes, with guidance on when each approach is most appropriate.
- How to Read a MACD Crossover MACD crossovers signal momentum shifts; bullish when MACD crosses above signal line, bearish when below. Context—price level, trend, volatility—determines reliability.
- How to Read Candlestick Patterns for Beginners The four price points in a candlestick, basic bullish and bearish patterns, and how to interpret them before studying advanced chart patterns.
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