Price indicators

Technical Analysis categories / approaches

Technical Analysis can be divided into five major categories:

• Price indicators (oscillators, e.g.: Relative Strength Index (RSI))

• Number theory (Fibonacci numbers, Gann numbers)

• Waves (Elliott's wave theory)

• Gaps (high-low, open-closing)

• Trends (following moving average).

[a] Price indicators

Relative Strength Index (RSI): The RSI measures the ratio of up-moves to down-moves and normalizes the calculation, so that the index is expressed in a range of 0-100. If the RSI is 70 or greater, then the instrument is assumed to be overbought (a situation in which prices have risen more than market expectations). An RSI of 30 or less is taken as a signal that the instrument may be oversold (a situation in which prices have fallen more than the market expectations).

Stochastic oscillator: This is used to indicate overbought/oversold conditions on a scale of 0-100%. The indicator is based on the observation that in a strong up-trend, period closing prices tend to concentrate in the higher part of the period's range. Conversely, as prices fall in a strong down-trend, closing prices tend to be near the extreme low of the period range. Stochastic calculations produce two lines, %K and %D, that are used to indicate overbought/oversold areas of a chart. Divergence between the stochastic lines and the price action of the underlying instrument gives a powerful trading signal.

Moving Average Convergence/Divergence (MACD): This indicator involves plotting two momentum lines. The MACD line is the difference between two exponential moving averages and the signal or trigger line, which is an exponential moving average of the difference. If the MACD and trigger lines cross, then this is taken as a signal that a change in the trend is likely.

[b] Number theory:

Fibonacci numbers: The Fibonacci number sequence (1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34 ...) is constructed by adding the first two numbers to arrive at the third. The ratio of any number to the next larger number is 61.8%, which is a popular Fibonacci retracement number. The inverse of 61.8%, which is 38.2%,