A Journey to Master Forex Trading (FX Trader from Singapore)

Saturday, December 6, 2008

Trend Analysis: Support/Resistance Levels

Reprinted from: http://www.alpari.co.uk/en/market-analysis-guide/technical-analysis/support-and-resistance.html

Trend Analysis: Support/Resistance Levels

Support and Resistance levels are patterns of classical technical analysis. All trend (channel) lines, reversal and continuation chart patterns are only combinations of support and resistance levels.

Support level is a starting point of an uptrend, and is actually a tangent to the minimum prices. It is commonly thought that when the price falls down to the support level, Bulls (buyers) start to resist against further price decrease thus giving it support. This explains why is many cases the price will bounce back and start rising after having reached a support level.

After several attempts the price may break the support level. Once the support level is broken, it becomes the resistance level:

Support level

There is an example of when a support level became resistance in September 14, 2003:

September 14, 2003 (after the breakout): support level becomes resistance

Resistance level is a tangent to the maximum prices:

Resistance level

It is assumed that once the price reaches this level it will not point higher. After several attempts the price may break the resistance level. Once the resistance level is broken it becomes the support level.

Support and resistance levels are very easy to create and they are a very effective method to forecast price behaviour. In order to define if the support/resistance level breakout is true, please refer to the criteria outlined for trend lines.

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