Forex Trading - Combining Internal and External Indicators for Bigger Profits

If you are involved in forex trading, you obviously need to generate forex trading signals for profit and you will be able to make bigger profits and achieve long term currency trading success, if you combine a visual view and then trade off shifts in price momentum, so let's look at how to do this.

A Visual view

Be objective! The right price is the market price and you can see this clearly by using trend lines. There is no better way to spot areas of support and resistance to trade than to use trend lines.

Many traders however like to use subjective indictors to do this like cycles and Elliot wave but these require you to decide where support and resistance lies.

Why bother?

Drawing trend lines and looking at support and resistance gives you the reality and objective areas you can trade against.

You can use other indicators such as moving averages and Bollinger bands, but you need to start with trend lines and use these as back up.

Furthermore avoid Fibonacci retracments, they are simply assumed levels and they break at least as often as they hold.

An internal view.

As we have discussed above, good old fashioned trend lines will give you the reality of price and important support and resistance levels clearly right in front your eyes.

You now need to calculate the odds of success of trading into these levels.

You will need some momentum indicators to do this - these will tell you the strength of price movement up or down and help you calculate the odds of success.

For example if price momentum weakens into resistance chances are it will hold if it increases on a break of resistance chances are the trend will continue.

There are two great price momentum indicators that any novice can use effectively:

The relative strength Index (RSI)

Developed by trading legend Wells Wilder (if you have not read new concepts in technical trading get a copy) its over 25 years old but a classic work and this is a classic powerful indicator.

The stochastic indicator

Developed by George Lane, this is one of the best momentum indicators if not the best, you can use.

There easy to use in forex trading and are covered in our other articles in more detail.

Trading is an odds game!

Trading is an odds game and for this you need to see the reality of price as it is and then get the odds in your favour by watching shifts in price momentum.

It is the shifts in price momentum you can use to execute your trading signals and get the odds in your favour.

If you follow the above tips and get both an external visual view and combine this with price momentum, you will have the basis of a powerful currency trading system.

Furthermore, you will be using objective analysis and trading on the facts, rather than using subjective analysis, which means you have to predict, which by its very nature is doomed to failure.

Follow the above tips and they will help you get the odds in your favour when trading forex and lead you to currency trading success.

Read more...

Forex Charts - Using The ADX Indicator For Bigger Profits

If you're using charts, then you want to trade the strong trends - and the Average Directional Movement Index Indicator, or ADX, enables you to do this.

Wells Wilder developed the ADX, and outlined it in his classic book "New Concepts in Technical Trading Systems".

Let's look at this essential indicator in more detail - and see how to apply it on your forex charts, to give you greater accuracy when generating your trading signals.

Determining the Strength of the Trend

The ADX is a momentum indicator, which aims to measure the strength of the trend - and attempts to determine if the market is trending, or is trading sideways.

The Advantages of the ADX

A core belief of technical analysis is that a strong trend in motion is more likely to continue, than reverse. Therefore, you always want to be trading strong trends - as your odds of success are higher. The Average Directional Movement is a good indictor - and you should consider using it as part of your currency trading system.

The Technical Bit

For the boffin's out there, here's the technical bit - don't worry if you don't understand the calculation, its easy to use when visually plotted. The ADX is based on the comparison of two other directional indicators, both of which were also developed by Wilder, and they are:

Positive Directional Indicator (+DI) and the Negative Directional Indicator (-DI) to produce ADX as showed in the following formula:

ADX = SUM[(+DI-(-DI))/(+DI+(-DI)), N]/N

Where:

N: Refers to the period of calculation. The formula above produces the ADX line, which oscillates between 0 to 100 values. The +DI and -DI are both present and can be seen to make up the indicator.

You don't need to understand the above calculation to use the indicator - you only need to accept that the indicator works.

The indicator is easy to use when it's visually plotted - and you'll find it included, with most of the good forex chart services.

How to Trade using the ADX Indicator

The ADX it's not a bullish, bearish trading signal generator - and should never be used as such.

The ADX indicator simply indicates the strength of the trend - and other indicators should be used to enter, and exit trades.

Although the ADX fluctuates from 0 to 100, it rarely moves above 60.

Use the ADX in the following way:

Readings above 40 indicate the strength of the trend.

Readings below 20 indicate range trading and flat periods of consolidation.

You can use the crossing of +DI and -DI to determine the trend direction; when +DI crosses -DI upward, it's a bullish signal, on the other hand, when +DI crosses -DI downward it's a bearish signal.

The ADX line is a great momentum indicator and like the RSI (also developed by Wells Wilder), the ADX it will help you trade the strongest trends - and give you advance warning of changes in momentum.

The Bottom Line

If you want currency trading success, you can't just trade support and resistance levels, and hope they hold or break. You need confirmation of momentum to get the odds on your side - and the ADX indicator will assist you.

Final Words

New Concepts in Technical Trading Systems was published in 1978, and was one of the first trading books I ever bought. Every trader should make this book a part of his or her forex education. If you want to learn forex trading the right way, get the book, and use the ADX indicator to increase your chances of making big FX Profits.

Read more...

Forex Charts - Essential Indicators For Bigger Forex Profits

If you want to use forex technical analysis, then you will need to look at forex charts to decide where to execute your trading signals.

You will of course need to combine indicators to do this - Here we will give you some essential ones, to help you achieve currency trading success.

Before we look at how to use forex charts correctly, lets make two things clear.

1. Day trading

Do not even try and attempt it. The time frame is to short and all volatility is random, so you have no valid data and will lose. Day trading profits is one of the biggest myths of forex trading - Don't fall for it.

2. You can't predict market turns in advance

Forget the far out investment theories like Elliot wave, Fibonacci numbers, cycles etc that are supposed to repeat with scientific accuracy - they don't. If they did everyone would know the price in advance - so there would be no market.

Right lets move on and look at forex charts and how to get trading signals for longer term profits.

Determining the trend

You have a choice trend lines or moving averages.

The former are better, as you have more precise levels but there is no harm in using moving averages as back up.

Your main aim is to determine support and resistance levels and decide if they are going to break or hold.

Determining Price Momentum

You need to ALWAYS trade in the direction of price momentum. An accelerating price momentum through resistance for example would favour the bulls; if price momentum drops it favours the bears.

There are two essential indicators you can use and if you don't know what they are learn them - the stochastic AND Relative Strength Index ( RSI) - these are simply great indicators for helping you enter trades and take profits.

Determining Volatility

You need to know about volatility from the point of view of warning pf price reversals and determining targets and there is no better tool than the Bollinger band.

This indicator should NOT be used to generate trading signals but as a warning of trend change coming, or in determining targets there is no better tool.

Using trend lines to determine areas of support and resistance combined with momentum indicators to time entry and exit levels is all you need.

These are objective tools that tell you what to do - Ignore ANY Technical tool that means you have to make subjective judgements i.e Elliot wave or cycles -they will simply see you lose.

The indicators above are essential tools and if you learn about them and combine them, you will have a simple robust method t trend follow or swing trade and ALWAYS trade with the odds in your favour.

If you remember the above in relation to your forex charts, you can achieve longer term currency trading success.

Read more...

Best Forex Trading Indicators - For Bigger Long Term Profits With Less Risk

Here we will look at some best Forex trading indicators and how you can use them to make bigger Forex profits...

Here are some of well known indicators which every trader should make part of their Forex education. We will give you a quick overview of them and some tips, on how to use these indicators for bigger Forex profits.

Bollinger Bands

Gives you a view of the volatility of a currency and standard deviation of price. If you want to trade Forex successfully, you must understand the impact of volatility and standard deviation of price. Bollinger Bands help you see volatility at a glance and while we don't have time to cover all the advantages of Bollinger bands in this article, below you will find a trading tip which is extremely useful for entering a trend in motion.

Trading Tip

In strong trends, buying back to the mid Band (the center moving average) offers a great low risk, high reward entry point.

Moving Averages

Short term price spikes never last long and are normally driven by emotion and prices then fall back to an average which is in line with a longer term moving average. There are several moving averages which are great for spotting areas of value when trend following and here are two of the best.

Trading Tip

Notice in a strong trend, how important the 18 day MA is and how short term spikes away from the average and then returns to it. Take a look at the 40 day moving average as well, as it makes a great stop level in a strong trend.

Simple moving averages are a very effective tool and all traders should study and use them.

Average Directional Movement

Want to know if a market is trending and the strength of a trend?

The ADX line is a great indicator to help you do this.

Trading Tip

Want to know when to bank some profits and get advance warning when a trend might end? Watch for the following:

Watch for a move above 40 and a turn down, as a great profit taking warning. This set up often warns of the end of a strong trend and allows you to tighten stops or take some profit.

Relative Strength Index

The RSI measures the strength of the trend. Trading divergences of the RSI from the price trend can be a great way to warn of a trend change and get out of existing positions or get in to contrary trades.

Trading Tip

Look for changes in the RSI from chart extremes above 80 below 20, to warn of important trend changes and contrary trading opportunities.

The Stochastic

The stochastic is based on a simple concept:

If a trend is strong, the price will close, closer to the high in a bull market and vice versa in a bear market. Trading crosses on the stochastic, with bullish or bearish divergence from overbought or oversold levels, is a great way to time trading signals with greater accuracy.

Trading Tip

Watch for extreme readings in the RSI and a divergence away from the trend then, use a stochastic crossover (also from extremes) to confirm the move and execute your trading signal.

Learn how to use these best Forex trading indicators and combine them correctly and you can enjoy bigger Forex profits.

Read more...

Best Forex Trading Indicators - 4 of the Best Indicators For Bigger Profits

Many traders use numerous indicators - but over the last 22 years I have four favourites and I will share with you here and they have worked for me and they will work for you. Let's look at them...

Today, good old bar charts have gone out of fashion but I think their essential and use them in conjunction with the indicators below. I don't use candlestick charts, there is a big myth there better but there not. If you like using them, then do so but the relationship between the daily range open and close is obvious.

Here are the four indicators and you can read more about them in our other articles. There available on most free chart services and will take you around 30 minutes each to learn and then, your all set to start using them on your forex chart and start making bigger profits.

1. The Stochastic

For me this is the ultimate timing tool.

Trading stochastic crossovers with bullish or bearish divergence, into chart resistance or support, from overbought or oversold levels, is simply the best market timing tool. If the stochastic crosses from chart highs or lows the signal is even more powerful.

2. Relative Strength Index

This gives you the strength of the trend and when RSI weakens or strengthens, when the trend is still up or down, especially from over bought or oversold levels, you have advance warning of a contrary move.

When combined with the stochastic, you have a great combo for better market timing.

3. The Bollinger Band

Gives you the volatility of price and you simply need to understand it to make money at forex trading.

I love using pops to the outer band, near chart support and resistance, to look to take profit or, initiate a contrary trend. Also in a strong trending market, dips back to the centre band ( the moving average) are great value areas to look to add extra positions in a strong existing trend.

You don't time with them - you look for areas in line with support and resistance to trade into.

4. Moving Averages

Simple moving averages are great and I have just mentioned the mid band of the Bollinger band, which is in fact a simple moving average, to buy and sell back to in existing trends.

In strong trends dips to the 18 - 25 day moving average are a great place to load in new trades.

Another excellent time period is the 40 day moving average which acts as the last line in a strong trend with nearby support or resistance. In strong trending moves we like to trail our stop behind this level and it keeps us in the long term trends.

When trading with the above and support and resistance lines you will get market timing for your trading signals.

There are some other useful technical indicators and we like the ADX line and the MACD too - but the above are the four we use all the time. If you spend 30 minutes on each one you will soon have four powerful indicators that you can use in your own forex trading strategy, to seek currency trading success with.

Check them out, they're simple, powerful and can work for you too with a little practice.

Read more...

Learn Forex Trading - Little Known Technical Indicators That Make Bigger Profits

To learn Forex trading, you need to know the best technical indicators to incorporate in your Forex trading strategy. Here we outline the best indicators - and give some tips on how to use them to make bigger trading profits.

Some of these technical indicators are well known, but some you may never have heard of before. However, they're all fantastic Forex profit tools - if you use them in the right way.

First things first: No indicator works all, the time - or by itself. It's essential to combine several indicators together in order to generate trading signals - and here we will look at the indicators and how to combine them.

If you want to learn Forex trading, you need to spot trends. You also need to confirm entry with momentum of price on your side. So, let's look at the best indicators for doing this:

1. Indicators for Trend Confirmation

Good old-fashioned trend lines are your first clue to important support and resistance. You need to know where important support or resistance is - and you can easily spot this by drawing trend lines.

Moving averages are a great back up to trend lines in order to identify trends. Moving averages combined with trend lines are all that you need.

Many traders simply like to buy into support - or sell into resistance and "hope" the trade is going to go their way. However, to get the odds in your favour, you need to confirm that price momentum supports your view of the market.

2. Indicators for Trading Signals Entry and Exit

When you take a currency-trading signal, you should have short-term price momentum in your favour. If short-term price momentum is not in your favour, then the odds are not in your favour - and you'll lose.

Two great indicators are RSI and Stochastic - and both give an excellent visual picture of the strength of price. You can learn how to visually spot price momentum changes easily and competently with these two indicators. You don't need to understand the equation behind them - just know that they work.

Another useful indicator for defining strength of price is Average Directional Movement (ADX)

Many Forex traders use Bollinger bands and MACD for timing price momentum and entering trades. This is wrong - they essentially gauge volatility - so only use them for that purpose.

3. Contrary Trading Tools

Do you want to get advance warning of every major trend change - and know when a big move is coming? Of course, you do - and these are the indicators to use:

1. % Bullish

2. Net Traders Position Report

These two indicators are not commonly used by Forex traders - yet they give you advance warning of all the big trends - and these yield the biggest profits.

You need to gauge when to enter (use momentum indicators) - but the % Bullish, and Net Traders Position Report will tell you when the market is ripe for a big move.

Consider this fact: Currency markets tend to have huge trend changes when the fundamental consensus is extremely bullish or bearish - and the % Bullish measures peoples view of the market.

In simple terms when the consensus is over 80%, then price is too bullish. When the consensus is under 20% then price is too bearish - and a trend change is due.

After looking at the tool you can confirm a trend change is due by looking at Net Traders Positions published bi weekly by the CFTC. It relates to the futures markets - but movements in spot currencies tend to mirror the set ups.

You can track hedgers - these are the real pro traders. These traders know the value of a currency - it's their living. You then compare the hedger's positions with the speculators - who always get the major turning points wrong.

If you're trading online currencies and you see hedgers going the opposite way to speculators - and this is backed up by the % bullish being over bought or oversold - then a big move is imminent. It's then time to look at your charts - in order to time an entry opposite to the majority.

In Forex markets contrary trades offer you the biggest reward for the lowest risk - and the % Bullish and Net Traders Position Report will help you spot them.

So now you know the best tools, which when combined with your Forex education, could top up your regular Forex trading profits, with a few spectacular gains.

Read more...

Best Forex Trading Indicators - 4 of the Best For Bigger FX Profits

There are lots of Forex indicators to choose from but here I will look at five that all traders should know about and if they are used correctly, they can enhance your profit potential lets take a look at them.

These indicators all complement each other and can be used in the same strategy. You can learn them in around an hour each, their visual and if combined with normal bar charts come together to give you a flexible and powerful way to trade. Lets look at our best Forex trading indicators for bigger profits.

Bollinger Bands

This indicator, doesn't generate trading signals but it gives you a view of volatility and all traders need to know and understand how volatility affects price.

A very simple effective way to use it is to use the mid band or 20 day moving average, as a simple way to get into existing trends.

Look to buy currencies in moves back to the mid band in a bull market and sell them, in a bear market - Simple? Yes but look at a chart and you will see how effective it is.

The Relative Strength Index

Developed by trading legend Wells Wilder, this indicator can give you advance warning of trend changes watch for the RSI to turn against the direction of the trend in overbought areas in bull markets and oversold areas, in bear markets to take profits or to enter contrary trades.

The Stochastic

The stochastic is the ultimate indicator for entering trades in our view, simply look for stochastic crossovers from overbought or oversold levels in bull or bear markets to enter trades, in the direction of the crossover and enter your trading signals.

Its the ultimate timing indicator and one, all traders should learn to use.

Average Directional Movement

Another Wells Wilder indicator and it's used, to determine whether a market is trending or not but its best use is, as a profit taking signal in strong trends.

Simply look for the ADX line to rise above 40 and turn down, to take profits and look for contrary trading opportunities.

These 4 Indicators can help you enter new trends, trends in motion with the best risk to reward and also give you advance warning of major contrary trends and if you use them, in conjunction with your bar charts, you will be soon making bigger profits with some of the best Forex trading indicators.

Read more...

Best Forex Trading Indicators - 4 of the Best For Bigger FX Profits

There are lots of Forex indicators to choose from but here I will look at five that all traders should know about and if they are used correctly, they can enhance your profit potential lets take a look at them.

These indicators all complement each other and can be used in the same strategy. You can learn them in around an hour each, their visual and if combined with normal bar charts come together to give you a flexible and powerful way to trade. Lets look at our best Forex trading indicators for bigger profits.

Bollinger Bands

This indicator, doesn't generate trading signals but it gives you a view of volatility and all traders need to know and understand how volatility affects price.

A very simple effective way to use it is to use the mid band or 20 day moving average, as a simple way to get into existing trends.

Look to buy currencies in moves back to the mid band in a bull market and sell them, in a bear market - Simple? Yes but look at a chart and you will see how effective it is.

The Relative Strength Index

Developed by trading legend Wells Wilder, this indicator can give you advance warning of trend changes watch for the RSI to turn against the direction of the trend in overbought areas in bull markets and oversold areas, in bear markets to take profits or to enter contrary trades.

The Stochastic

The stochastic is the ultimate indicator for entering trades in our view, simply look for stochastic crossovers from overbought or oversold levels in bull or bear markets to enter trades, in the direction of the crossover and enter your trading signals.

Its the ultimate timing indicator and one, all traders should learn to use.

Average Directional Movement

Another Wells Wilder indicator and it's used, to determine whether a market is trending or not but its best use is, as a profit taking signal in strong trends.

Simply look for the ADX line to rise above 40 and turn down, to take profits and look for contrary trading opportunities.

These 4 Indicators can help you enter new trends, trends in motion with the best risk to reward and also give you advance warning of major contrary trends and if you use them, in conjunction with your bar charts, you will be soon making bigger profits with some of the best Forex trading indicators.

Read more...

Forex Charts - Essential Indicators For Bigger Forex Profits

If you want to use forex technical analysis, then you will need to look at forex charts to decide where to execute your trading signals.

You will of course need to combine indicators to do this - Here we will give you some essential ones, to help you achieve currency trading success.

Before we look at how to use forex charts correctly, lets make two things clear.

1. Day trading

Do not even try and attempt it. The time frame is to short and all volatility is random, so you have no valid data and will lose. Day trading profits is one of the biggest myths of forex trading - Don't fall for it.

2. You can't predict market turns in advance

Forget the far out investment theories like Elliot wave, Fibonacci numbers, cycles etc that are supposed to repeat with scientific accuracy - they don't. If they did everyone would know the price in advance - so there would be no market.

Right lets move on and look at forex charts and how to get trading signals for longer term profits.

Determining the trend

You have a choice trend lines or moving averages.

The former are better, as you have more precise levels but there is no harm in using moving averages as back up.

Your main aim is to determine support and resistance levels and decide if they are going to break or hold.

Determining Price Momentum

You need to ALWAYS trade in the direction of price momentum. An accelerating price momentum through resistance for example would favour the bulls; if price momentum drops it favours the bears.

There are two essential indicators you can use and if you don't know what they are learn them - the stochastic AND Relative Strength Index ( RSI) - these are simply great indicators for helping you enter trades and take profits.

Determining Volatility

You need to know about volatility from the point of view of warning pf price reversals and determining targets and there is no better tool than the Bollinger band.

This indicator should NOT be used to generate trading signals but as a warning of trend change coming, or in determining targets there is no better tool.

Using trend lines to determine areas of support and resistance combined with momentum indicators to time entry and exit levels is all you need.

These are objective tools that tell you what to do - Ignore ANY Technical tool that means you have to make subjective judgements i.e Elliot wave or cycles -they will simply see you lose.

The indicators above are essential tools and if you learn about them and combine them, you will have a simple robust method t trend follow or swing trade and ALWAYS trade with the odds in your favour.

If you remember the above in relation to your forex charts, you can achieve longer term currency trading success.

Read more...

Forex Trading - Combining Internal and External Indicators for Bigger Profits

If you are involved in forex trading, you obviously need to generate forex trading signals for profit and you will be able to make bigger profits and achieve long term currency trading success, if you combine a visual view and then trade off shifts in price momentum, so let's look at how to do this.

A Visual view

Be objective! The right price is the market price and you can see this clearly by using trend lines. There is no better way to spot areas of support and resistance to trade than to use trend lines.

Many traders however like to use subjective indictors to do this like cycles and Elliot wave but these require you to decide where support and resistance lies.

Why bother?

Drawing trend lines and looking at support and resistance gives you the reality and objective areas you can trade against.

You can use other indicators such as moving averages and Bollinger bands, but you need to start with trend lines and use these as back up.

Furthermore avoid Fibonacci retracments, they are simply assumed levels and they break at least as often as they hold.

An internal view.

As we have discussed above, good old fashioned trend lines will give you the reality of price and important support and resistance levels clearly right in front your eyes.

You now need to calculate the odds of success of trading into these levels.

You will need some momentum indicators to do this - these will tell you the strength of price movement up or down and help you calculate the odds of success.

For example if price momentum weakens into resistance chances are it will hold if it increases on a break of resistance chances are the trend will continue.

There are two great price momentum indicators that any novice can use effectively:

The relative strength Index (RSI)

Developed by trading legend Wells Wilder (if you have not read new concepts in technical trading get a copy) its over 25 years old but a classic work and this is a classic powerful indicator.

The stochastic indicator

Developed by George Lane, this is one of the best momentum indicators if not the best, you can use.

There easy to use in forex trading and are covered in our other articles in more detail.

Trading is an odds game!

Trading is an odds game and for this you need to see the reality of price as it is and then get the odds in your favour by watching shifts in price momentum.

It is the shifts in price momentum you can use to execute your trading signals and get the odds in your favour.

If you follow the above tips and get both an external visual view and combine this with price momentum, you will have the basis of a powerful currency trading system.

Furthermore, you will be using objective analysis and trading on the facts, rather than using subjective analysis, which means you have to predict, which by its very nature is doomed to failure.

Follow the above tips and they will help you get the odds in your favour when trading forex and lead you to currency trading success.

Read more...

Best Forex Trading Indicators - 4 of the Best For Bigger FX Profits

There are lots of Forex indicators to choose from but here I will look at five that all traders should know about and if they are used correctly, they can enhance your profit potential lets take a look at them.

These indicators all complement each other and can be used in the same strategy. You can learn them in around an hour each, their visual and if combined with normal bar charts come together to give you a flexible and powerful way to trade. Lets look at our best Forex trading indicators for bigger profits.

Bollinger Bands

This indicator, doesn't generate trading signals but it gives you a view of volatility and all traders need to know and understand how volatility affects price.

A very simple effective way to use it is to use the mid band or 20 day moving average, as a simple way to get into existing trends.

Look to buy currencies in moves back to the mid band in a bull market and sell them, in a bear market - Simple? Yes but look at a chart and you will see how effective it is.

The Relative Strength Index

Developed by trading legend Wells Wilder, this indicator can give you advance warning of trend changes watch for the RSI to turn against the direction of the trend in overbought areas in bull markets and oversold areas, in bear markets to take profits or to enter contrary trades.

The Stochastic

The stochastic is the ultimate indicator for entering trades in our view, simply look for stochastic crossovers from overbought or oversold levels in bull or bear markets to enter trades, in the direction of the crossover and enter your trading signals.

Its the ultimate timing indicator and one, all traders should learn to use.

Average Directional Movement

Another Wells Wilder indicator and it's used, to determine whether a market is trending or not but its best use is, as a profit taking signal in strong trends.

Simply look for the ADX line to rise above 40 and turn down, to take profits and look for contrary trading opportunities.

These 4 Indicators can help you enter new trends, trends in motion with the best risk to reward and also give you advance warning of major contrary trends and if you use them, in conjunction with your bar charts, you will be soon making bigger profits with some of the best Forex trading indicators.

Read more...

Best Forex Trading Indicators - 4 of the Best Indicators For Bigger Profits

Many traders use numerous indicators - but over the last 22 years I have four favourites and I will share with you here and they have worked for me and they will work for you. Let's look at them...

Today, good old bar charts have gone out of fashion but I think their essential and use them in conjunction with the indicators below. I don't use candlestick charts, there is a big myth there better but there not. If you like using them, then do so but the relationship between the daily range open and close is obvious.

Here are the four indicators and you can read more about them in our other articles. There available on most free chart services and will take you around 30 minutes each to learn and then, your all set to start using them on your forex chart and start making bigger profits.

1. The Stochastic

For me this is the ultimate timing tool.

Trading stochastic crossovers with bullish or bearish divergence, into chart resistance or support, from overbought or oversold levels, is simply the best market timing tool. If the stochastic crosses from chart highs or lows the signal is even more powerful.

2. Relative Strength Index

This gives you the strength of the trend and when RSI weakens or strengthens, when the trend is still up or down, especially from over bought or oversold levels, you have advance warning of a contrary move.

When combined with the stochastic, you have a great combo for better market timing.

3. The Bollinger Band

Gives you the volatility of price and you simply need to understand it to make money at forex trading.

I love using pops to the outer band, near chart support and resistance, to look to take profit or, initiate a contrary trend. Also in a strong trending market, dips back to the centre band ( the moving average) are great value areas to look to add extra positions in a strong existing trend.

You don't time with them - you look for areas in line with support and resistance to trade into.

4. Moving Averages

Simple moving averages are great and I have just mentioned the mid band of the Bollinger band, which is in fact a simple moving average, to buy and sell back to in existing trends.

In strong trends dips to the 18 - 25 day moving average are a great place to load in new trades.

Another excellent time period is the 40 day moving average which acts as the last line in a strong trend with nearby support or resistance. In strong trending moves we like to trail our stop behind this level and it keeps us in the long term trends.

When trading with the above and support and resistance lines you will get market timing for your trading signals.

There are some other useful technical indicators and we like the ADX line and the MACD too - but the above are the four we use all the time. If you spend 30 minutes on each one you will soon have four powerful indicators that you can use in your own forex trading strategy, to seek currency trading success with.

Check them out, they're simple, powerful and can work for you too with a little practice.

Read more...

Forex Charts - Using The ADX Indicator For Bigger Profits

If you're using charts, then you want to trade the strong trends - and the Average Directional Movement Index Indicator, or ADX, enables you to do this.

Wells Wilder developed the ADX, and outlined it in his classic book "New Concepts in Technical Trading Systems".

Let's look at this essential indicator in more detail - and see how to apply it on your forex charts, to give you greater accuracy when generating your trading signals.

Determining the Strength of the Trend

The ADX is a momentum indicator, which aims to measure the strength of the trend - and attempts to determine if the market is trending, or is trading sideways.

The Advantages of the ADX

A core belief of technical analysis is that a strong trend in motion is more likely to continue, than reverse. Therefore, you always want to be trading strong trends - as your odds of success are higher. The Average Directional Movement is a good indictor - and you should consider using it as part of your currency trading system.

The Technical Bit

For the boffin's out there, here's the technical bit - don't worry if you don't understand the calculation, its easy to use when visually plotted. The ADX is based on the comparison of two other directional indicators, both of which were also developed by Wilder, and they are:

Positive Directional Indicator (+DI) and the Negative Directional Indicator (-DI) to produce ADX as showed in the following formula:

ADX = SUM[(+DI-(-DI))/(+DI+(-DI)), N]/N

Where:

N: Refers to the period of calculation. The formula above produces the ADX line, which oscillates between 0 to 100 values. The +DI and -DI are both present and can be seen to make up the indicator.

You don't need to understand the above calculation to use the indicator - you only need to accept that the indicator works.

The indicator is easy to use when it's visually plotted - and you'll find it included, with most of the good forex chart services.

How to Trade using the ADX Indicator

The ADX it's not a bullish, bearish trading signal generator - and should never be used as such.

The ADX indicator simply indicates the strength of the trend - and other indicators should be used to enter, and exit trades.

Although the ADX fluctuates from 0 to 100, it rarely moves above 60.

Use the ADX in the following way:

Readings above 40 indicate the strength of the trend.

Readings below 20 indicate range trading and flat periods of consolidation.

You can use the crossing of +DI and -DI to determine the trend direction; when +DI crosses -DI upward, it's a bullish signal, on the other hand, when +DI crosses -DI downward it's a bearish signal.

The ADX line is a great momentum indicator and like the RSI (also developed by Wells Wilder), the ADX it will help you trade the strongest trends - and give you advance warning of changes in momentum.

The Bottom Line

If you want currency trading success, you can't just trade support and resistance levels, and hope they hold or break. You need confirmation of momentum to get the odds on your side - and the ADX indicator will assist you.

Final Words

New Concepts in Technical Trading Systems was published in 1978, and was one of the first trading books I ever bought. Every trader should make this book a part of his or her forex education. If you want to learn forex trading the right way, get the book, and use the ADX indicator to increase your chances of making big FX Profits.

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Relative Strength Index RSI - An Essential Indicator for Bigger Profits

The Relative Strength Index RSI is a popular and powerful technical analysis oscillator which has numerous applications including:

Indicating the strength of a price trend and also generating buy and signals with price divergences. The Relative strength Index is quite simply one of the best indicators to use with your forex charts so let's look at it.

Background

The RSI, as its name implies measures the relative strength of price currently compared to its past price. The RSI was developed by J.Welles Wilder and was outlined in his classic book "New Concepts in Technical Trading Systems" published in 1978.

The RSI does not show just the markets strength - but the strength compared to the markets former price history.

The RSI is calculated as follows:

Do not worry if you don't understand the mathematics, this indicator is very visual and you can simply watch the set ups - you don't need to know how an internal combustion engine works to drive a car and it's the same with the RSI.

For those who like math here is the calculation:

Within a set period of days - the individual difference between the upward closing prices (Close today Close previous day) are added together - the number is then divided by the number of observations in the period chosen minus one.

The end result is the day's mean value of the upward and downward strength of the market which is then displayed visually.

Keep In Mind

The shorter the Period of time used for the RSI calculation, the more volatile the RSI will be. The RSI indicator has a default of 14, which is the value Wilder originally used when he calculated it. Other values have become popular and include 9, 11, and 25 day periods.

Using the RSI

1. Divergence of Price and RSI

Say the market makes new highs on the chart but the RSI fails to get above its previous high - this would indicate that the trend is starting to falter and is running out of momentum.

Here Traders would be alert for trading signals to enter contrary to the current trend.

2. As an Overbought / Oversold Indicator

The RSI measures the market's strength and weakness as we have already seen and works very well as an overbought oversold indicator on forex charts.

An RSI, above 70, indicates an overbought bull market and an RSI below 30 indicates and oversold bear market.

When these levels are reached, traders would be looking for a price break and to execute trading signals in the opposite direction.

Combining RSI Other Indicators

By indicating the strength or weakness of price the Relative Strength Index acts as a leading indicator, to alert you to changes in the trend.

The RSI can be used by long term trend followers or swing traders and is simple and easy to use.

Like all indicators it doesn't work all the time.

To confirm trading signals, it should be used with other momentum indicators and perhaps the best is the stochastic - to actually trigger the signals, once the set up has been spotted on your charts.

The Relative Strength index is now nearly 30 years old - but just like the other indicator Wilder outlined in his book (Average Directional Movement ADX) its a timeless indicator, which will enhance any Forex trading strategy.

Try using it with your forex charts, combined with the stochastic indicator and you will trade with greater accuracy, great profit potential and enjoy greater currency trading success.

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