Trading Techniques Based on Price Action: An Overview
Apr 28, 2023 By Rick Novak

The price action of a security defines the nature of its price fluctuations. Recent price fluctuations are a common lens through which this trend is viewed. Instead of depending entirely on technical indicators, a trader using price action may read the market and present price moves. The price action trading method relies on technical analysis tool since it disregards fundamental analytical variables to focus on recent and historical price movements.

Methods and Equipment for Trading Price Action

Technical analysis tools such as charts, trend lines, price bands, low and high swings, to furthermore etc., are considered by the trader in price action trading according to their preference and trading strategy.

Which Traders Make Advantage of Price Action?

Retail traders, speculators, arbitrageurs, and even businesses that employ traders utilize price action trading to make price forecasts and speculations. Equities, bonds, foreign exchange, commodities, derivatives, etc., are all valid targets.

How To Trade Based on Price Action

Most seasoned price action traders have multiple ways to track trading trends, entry and exit point and other relevant observations. One or more stock trading strategies may be needed to maximise profits. In most cases, there are two stages involved:

  1. Recognizing a situation, such as a stock price entering a bull or bear market, a price range or a breakout from a trading channel, etc.
  2. Identifying trading opportunities: Consider whether a stock is more likely to (a) overshoot or (b) decline after it begins a bull run. This decision is entirely up to the individual trader, even when faced with the same circumstances.

Price Action Trading and Its Growing Use

Short- to medium-term trades with small profit potential are more appropriate for price action trading than long-term investments. Most investors think the market moves chaotically and that there is no reliable method to create a trading plan. 1 2

The popularity of price action trading can be attributed to its ability to combine technical analysis tools with recent price history to discover trade opportunities depending on the trader's interpretation.

Self-defined strategies provide traders with versatility, may be applied to various asset classes, can be used with any trading program, application, or trading platform, and can be easily backtested using historical data.

Moreover, the technique gives traders a sense of agency by letting them choose their course of action rather than being forced to follow predetermined guidelines mindlessly.

What Does The Current Pricing Indicate?

Charts showing the evolution of prices through time are useful for observing and analyzing price movement. To better identify and understand trends, breakouts, and reversals, traders employ a variety of chart types and layouts.

Many traders turn to candlestick charts to better visualise price fluctuations, which show the open, high, low, and close values within the context of up or down sessions. Visual interpretations of price activity. 12

Candlestick patterns are only one-way price movements that may be used to foretell the future. Point-and-figure charts, box charts, box plots, and other diagrams can all benefit from the same layouts. 3 4

What Does Today's Price Movement Imply?

The term "price action" describes the behaviour of a security's or asset's price, usually over a short period. Graphical representations of price behaviour over time, such as line and candlestick charts, allow for examination. 5 6

What Does The Current Pricing Indicate?

Technical analysts study historical price data to predict a security's future performance and determine when to enter and exit trades. Traders can use price action and projections of those numbers to guide their use of technical tools like moving averages and oscillators.

Where Does Price Action Fall Short?

Because of this subjectivity, different traders may arrive at different conclusions after looking at the same chart or price history. Another restriction is that past price movement is not necessarily a reliable indicator of future results. Hence, technical traders should use many resources to verify indications and be ready to cut losses promptly if they are wrong.

The Conclusion

Traders should be mindful of survivorship bias since only success stories reach the headlines, even though many theories and systems on price action trading promise high success rates. The possibility for large gains can be realized through trading. It is up to the individual trader to investigate, evaluate, choose, and take advantage of the most promising possibilities for financial gain.