WHAT IS TREND TRADING?
Trend trading depends on the assumption that a stock will follow the pattern it is already in. If a stock is increasing, trend traders assume that the stock will continue increasing and vice versa.
Trend traders, unlike other types of traders, do not attempt to predict price levels. Rather, they take note of new patterns as they start appearing and also when they change direction. Trend traders depend on a system based on rules and signals created from the price and volume data that one can find on a stock chart.
Trends are determined by where the market is heading. Stock prices can move up, down, or sideways. A stock is in an uptrend when a stock price is increasing. A stock is in a downtrend when a stock price is falling. A stock is in a trading range or period of consolidation when a stock is moving sideways.
All types of traders, including short-term and long-term traders can use trend trading. When a stock is in an uptrend, trend traders move into a long position. When a stock is in a downtrend, they move into a short position.
BEST MARKETS FOR TREND TRADERS
Forex Trend Traders
The forex, also known as foreign exchange, FX, or currency trading, is where all the world’s currencies trade. It is the biggest, most liquid market. You are able to trade currencies based on how much you think it is worth. Since the forex market is huge, it is easier to find a buyer when you are selling and a seller when you are buying compared to other markets. Forex trades use two currencies because you are comparing the worth of a currency against another.
STRATEGIES TREND TRADERS USE
How do you identify a trend?
Trend traders utilize various strategies when identifying a trend, which include:
Moving Average Strategies – In this strategy, when a short-term moving average moves above a lower moving average, a trader enters a stock. In other instances, some traders move into a stock when the price of a stock increases above a specific moving average. It is common for most trend traders to combine moving average strategies. They also usually require the price of a stock to be trading over or below a specific moving average before entering.
Technical Indicators – A majority of trend traders use multiple technical indicators in addition to price and volume. Technical indicators include MACD, stochastics, and RSI. These indicators help trend traders know when to enter and exit. Essentially, technical indicators help traders simplify price and volume data.
Chart Patterns – Trend traders can also find new opportunities to buy and sell by identifying patterns on the stock’s price chart. Most trend traders depend on a few chart patterns that are most accurate.
Trendline Analysis – Another strategy that trend traders use involves support and resistance lines that can be drawn on a stock chart. To find potential points of entry or for putting stop losses, bullish traders utilize areas of support, while bearish traders use areas of resistance.
What are the best trend indicators?
Moving averages, which were mentioned earlier as a way traders identify a trend, can be formed for any period of time and price. It uses a average price for a certain amount of time.
The moving average convergence divergence (MACD), which fluctuates around zero, is calculated by following the same logic as a simple moving average. A buy signal is indicated by a MACD moving into positive territory, while a sell signal is determined when it moves into negative territory. This indicator is not usually used alone, but rather as a complement for other indicators.
Another complementary indicator is the relative strength index (RSI). Trend traders use RSI to track the final stretches of a strong trend. RSI can determine if there is excessive sentiment in a trending stock.
To measure volume trend for a security, one can use on balance volume (OBV). Volume trend reveals if a price trend is associated with a high or low number of trades. In general, an upward trend along with a high number of trades is a supporting signal for that trend.
What Are The Most Important Moving Averages?
Different types of moving averages provide specific types of information of traders. The strategy a trader uses depends on the type of moving average and measurement period. Closing price, opening price, low price or a combination of those prices are all factors that affect moving averages.
Most moving averages are a type of the simple moving average (SMA), the average price over a given time period, or the exponential moving average (EMA), which is weighted towards more recent prices. If huge price swings occur, simple moving averages can be too slow. Instead of looking at SMA, traders look at exponential moving averages because they allow for a more accurate result, responding more rapidly to price changes. An EMA and double exponential moving average (DEMA) showcase more accurate price trends in current time.
It is important to get moving averages up to speed. Even though the EMA responds faster to changes in price levels compared to SMA, lagging can still occur over longer periods. DEMA is a way of helping with lagging because it pushes the moving average closer to current price fluctuations.
INTRADAY TREND TRADERS
Intraday consists of securities that trade on markets during normal business hours and their price fluctuations. Day traders monitor intraday price movements, and they make trades to gain from short-term fluctuations in price.
What Are The Best Indicators For Day Trading?
Scalping is utilized to make small profits throughout the day on small price changes.
Range trading helps traders determine buy and sell decisions by using support and resistance levels.
News-based trading takes advantage of trading opportunities based on news events.
High frequency trading strategies utilize algorithims to take advantage of ineffiencies of the small or short-term market.
How Is Intraday Trend Calculated?
Trendlines give an entry and stop-loss strategy. They can be drawn to see the different degrees of each trend and to visualize where price waves will begin and end. Most traders look at equities or ETFS containing a moderate to high correlation with the S&P 500 or Nasdaq indexes. They then look at stocks that are comporatively weak or strong in relation to the index.
TREND TRADING VS SWING TRADING
Trend traders study uptrends or downtrends, while swing traders buy and support and sell at resistance. Trend traders use strategies that can be applied for months, while swing traders use strategies for shorter time periods. Trend traders look at macro influences such as economic, political and environmental matters. Traders do this because these factors could have an effect on risk management or position selection. Swing traders focus on short-term price action, avoiding these effects. Trend traders have less positions compared to swing traders and keep them for longer times.
What Is The Difference Between Trend And Momentum?
Both trend and momentum focus on price, trends and when to exit. The primary means of trend analysis is the moving average indicator, which is a visual of parts of historical data placed together to find significant patterns. Momentum is the rate at which the price is changing. Momentum in technical analysis is used to find trend lines.
