Mass Index

Signals

Donald Dorsey looked for “reversal bulges” to signal a trend reversal. According to Dorsey, a bulge occurs when the Mass Index moves above 27. This initial bulge does not complete the signal, however. Dorsey waited for this bulge to reverse with a move back below 26.50. Once the reversal bulge is complete, traders should use other analysis techniques to determine the direction of the next move. Ideally, a downtrend followed by a reversal bulge would suggest a…

Ease of Movement

Interpretation

The example below shows the Nasdaq 100 ETF (QQQ) with the 1-period EMV in the lower indicator window. I am using EquiVolume bars because these show only the high-low range for the given period. The blue arrows show two small EMV values, one slightly positive and the other slightly negative. Volume on both days was above average, but the high-low range was modest or even small. This means prices had difficulty moving even though volume was…

Force Index

Interpretation

As noted above, there are three elements to the Force Index. First, there is either a positive or negative price change. A positive price change signals that buyers were stronger than sellers, while a negative price change signals that sellers were stronger than buyers. Second, there is the extent of the price change, which is simply the current close less the prior close. The “extent” shows us just how far prices moved. A big advance shows strong buying…

Money Flow Index (MFI)

As a volume-weighted version of RSI, the Money Flow Index (MFI) can be interpreted similarly to RSI. The big difference is, of course, volume. Because volume is added to the mix, the Money Flow Index will act a little differently than RSI. Theories suggest that volume leads prices. RSI is a momentum oscillator that already leads prices. Incorporating volume can increase this lead time.

Quong and Soudack identified three basic signals using the Money Flow…

Rate of Change (ROC)

The Rate-of-Change oscillator measures the speed at which prices are changing. An upward surge in the Rate-of-Change reflects a sharp price advance. A downward plunge indicates a steep price decline. Even though chartists can look for bullish and bearish divergences, these formations can be misleading because of sharp moves. Sustained advances often start with a big surge out of the gate. Subsequent advances are usually less sharp and this causes a bearish…

Price Relative / Relative Strength

The Price Relative is used to gauge relative strength, which is important when it comes to stock selection. Many portfolio managers compare their performance to a benchmark, such as the S&P 500. Their goal is to outperform that benchmark. In order to achieve this goal, managers often look for stocks that are showing relative strength. Enter the Price Relative. The Price Relative rises when a stock shows relative strength and is outperforming its…

Price Channels

Price Channels can be used to identify trend reversals or overbought/oversold levels that denote pullbacks within a bigger trend. A surge above the upper channel line shows extraordinary strength that can signal the start of an uptrend. Conversely, a plunge below the lower channel line shows serious weakness that can signal the start of a downtrend. Once an uptrend has started, chartists can move to a shorter timeframe to identify pullbacks with oversold readings. A…

The Perfect Cycle

The image below shows a perfect cycle with a length of 100 days. The first peak is at 25 days and the second peak is at 125 days (125 - 25 = 100). The first cycle low is at 75 days and the second cycle low is at 175 days (also 100 days later). Notice that the cycle crosses the X-axis at 50, 100 and 150, which is every 50 points or half a cycle.

Crest: Cycle high

Trough: Cycle low

Phase: Position of the cycle at a particular point in time (the example…

Balance of Power (BOP)

Balance of Power (BOP) is an oscillator that measures the strength of buying and selling pressure. Introduced by Igor Levshin in the August 2001 issue of Technical Analysis of Stocks & Commodities magazine, this indicator compares the power of buyers to push prices to higher extremes with the power of sellers to move prices to lower extremes. When the indicator is in positive territory, the bulls are in charge; and sellers dominate when the indicator is…

Support is the price level at which demand is thought to be strong enough to prevent the price from declining further. The logic dictates that as the price declines towards support and gets cheaper, buyers become more inclined to buy and sellers become less inclined to sell. By the time the price reaches the support level, it is believed that demand will overcome supply and prevent the price from falling below support.

Support does not always hold, however, and a break below support…