Trendlines

A trendline is a line which connects two nearby tops or bottoms, and is used to identify the current trends in a market. It is one of the oldest tools among traders.

The most important feature of a trendline is its angle because it identifies the force that is currently dominant in the market.

There are some important points one should remember regarding a trendline:

• Longer the time frame, the more important the trendline.
• The Longer a trendline is, the more is its validity.
• More the contacts between prices and trendline, the more valid the trendline is.
• The angle between the horizontal axis and the trendline reflects the emotional intensity of the dominant crowd.

If volume expands when prices move in the direction of a trendline, it confirms the trendline. If volume shrinks when prices pull back to a trendline, it also confirms the trendline. If volume expands when prices return to a trendline, it warns of a potential break; if volume shrinks when prices pull away from a trendline, it warns that the trendline is in danger.

The breaking of a trendline shows that a dominant crowd has lost its power.

Trading rules for trendlines:

• Trade in the direction of the slope of a trendline, i.e., buy when the slope is pointing up and vice-versa.
• A trendline provides a support or resistance level. When the prices rise, place buy orders at the uptrend line and protective orders below it. Reverse the procedure for a downtrend.
• If a trendline is steeper than 45 degrees, place a stop order right at the trendline and adjust it daily.
• Draw a channel line parallel to the trendline to use it as a target for profit-making.
• A price often retests the latest extreme after breaking a steep trendline. A pullback rally to an old high on falling volume and with indicator divergences provides a good opportunity to short sell.

Trendlines can also be applied to volumes and indicators. Rising volumes signifies that more people are getting involved in a market and vice – versa.

A trendline channel line marks the area of maximum power of bulls and max power of bears.