Knowing the major market cycles is important for you and your trading system. Each market cycle requires a different approach from your trading system. There are four major market cycles. Adapting to market cycles can improve your profitability.
Lets discuss these market cycles now. The four major market cycles are: 1) Trending, 2) Consolidating, 3) Breaking out of a consolidation and 4) Corrective.
Remember the saying, Trend is your friend. Trending is when the market starts to move consistently in one direction either up or down. How a trend is inherently defined? A trend can be defined as progressively higher lows and higher highs. If price movement consisted of a straight line either up or down, identifying a trend would obviously be too simple. In reality, currency prices move around incessantly, often denying the technical analyst an easy trend read. There are primarily three modes of price movement that can be readily identified. They are uptrend mode, downtrend mode, and non -trending (sideways) or consolidation mode.
On a chart, a Consolidation market will look like a sideways horizontal line. Consolidating is when the market is struck between two horizontal support and resistance levels.
Now what is breaking out of a Consolidation? After the market has been consolidation for at least 20 bars Breaking out of a Consolidation is when there is a sharp increase or decrease in the price.
Corrective is a short sharp reverse in prices during a longer market trend. In addition to these four market cycles, many traders also use Elliott Wave Theory to determine waves which are also an indication of market cycles.
Elliott Wave Analysis is a full subject in itself. Some traders dont believe in Elliott waves while others are its die hard fans. However, using Elliott Waves is somewhat advanced for most traders. There are five Elliott waves and each one has its own relevance in determining the trading strategy. You need to have a thorough understanding and ability to correctly determine which wave the market is in at that point.
Incorrectly identifying the market with either the four market cycles or by using the Elliot Waves can be a costly mistake. For example suppose the market is only in consolidation and you incorrectly determine that the market has entered a trend.
You might enter a trend trade and get immediately stopped out. Your best plan of action should be constant observation. Market experience is the best teacher and only overtime you will be able to correctly figure out the market cycle.
Right side of the chart is always an unknown quantity for the trader until it reveals itself. Hindsight is always perfect but trying to predict the markets can be an elusive and impossible endeavor.
Remember spring, summer, autumn and winter, the four seasons of a year. The markets have four cycles just as there are four seasons in a year. You need to learn what the different market cycles are in addition to having a trading system. That means you should develop the skill of correctly identifying the different market cycles at the right time.
Effectively identifying the market cycles is a skill that all successful traders have mastered. You need to learn how to adopt your approach to those cycles to remain profitable. For example in a choppy, sideways bracketed market, you need to adopt your system and rules so that you do not get whip sawed and stopped out a lot. - 32177
Lets discuss these market cycles now. The four major market cycles are: 1) Trending, 2) Consolidating, 3) Breaking out of a consolidation and 4) Corrective.
Remember the saying, Trend is your friend. Trending is when the market starts to move consistently in one direction either up or down. How a trend is inherently defined? A trend can be defined as progressively higher lows and higher highs. If price movement consisted of a straight line either up or down, identifying a trend would obviously be too simple. In reality, currency prices move around incessantly, often denying the technical analyst an easy trend read. There are primarily three modes of price movement that can be readily identified. They are uptrend mode, downtrend mode, and non -trending (sideways) or consolidation mode.
On a chart, a Consolidation market will look like a sideways horizontal line. Consolidating is when the market is struck between two horizontal support and resistance levels.
Now what is breaking out of a Consolidation? After the market has been consolidation for at least 20 bars Breaking out of a Consolidation is when there is a sharp increase or decrease in the price.
Corrective is a short sharp reverse in prices during a longer market trend. In addition to these four market cycles, many traders also use Elliott Wave Theory to determine waves which are also an indication of market cycles.
Elliott Wave Analysis is a full subject in itself. Some traders dont believe in Elliott waves while others are its die hard fans. However, using Elliott Waves is somewhat advanced for most traders. There are five Elliott waves and each one has its own relevance in determining the trading strategy. You need to have a thorough understanding and ability to correctly determine which wave the market is in at that point.
Incorrectly identifying the market with either the four market cycles or by using the Elliot Waves can be a costly mistake. For example suppose the market is only in consolidation and you incorrectly determine that the market has entered a trend.
You might enter a trend trade and get immediately stopped out. Your best plan of action should be constant observation. Market experience is the best teacher and only overtime you will be able to correctly figure out the market cycle.
Right side of the chart is always an unknown quantity for the trader until it reveals itself. Hindsight is always perfect but trying to predict the markets can be an elusive and impossible endeavor.
Remember spring, summer, autumn and winter, the four seasons of a year. The markets have four cycles just as there are four seasons in a year. You need to learn what the different market cycles are in addition to having a trading system. That means you should develop the skill of correctly identifying the different market cycles at the right time.
Effectively identifying the market cycles is a skill that all successful traders have mastered. You need to learn how to adopt your approach to those cycles to remain profitable. For example in a choppy, sideways bracketed market, you need to adopt your system and rules so that you do not get whip sawed and stopped out a lot. - 32177
About the Author:
Mr. Ahmad Hassam has done Masters from Harvard University. Learn These Candlestick Patterns. Try These 1500 Pips A Day Forex Signals from heaven!
