BigProfit Profit through Algo & Technical Trading
Some of the most effective trading strategies involve following market trends. But, identifying one can often prove challenging in volatile or fluctuating markets.
At this stage, momentum indicators such as the Average Directional Index can come in handy to help traders identify trends. They include positive and negative directional indicators to aid traders in understanding trends better.
Trend Strength
Trend following is one of the most effective strategies for profitable trading across stocks, commodities and Forex – but identifying solid trends requires more than simply watching price action alone. That is why many traders turn to trading indicators such as Average Directional Index as an aid in measuring market trends’ strength.
Welles Wilder’s Directional Movement System includes an indicator known as ADX which measures trend strength independent of direction; initially designed for commodity analysis but now utilized across various trading instruments. ADX measures trend strength independent of direction based on other components like positive/negative DI lines in its calculation process.
The Average Directional Index, commonly referred to as ADX, is a line on a chart which measures the strength of trends from zero to 100; with higher values often signifying stronger trends. Sometimes accompanying the ADX line are two additional lines called +DI and -DI which help determine direction but these should not be mistaken as part of ADX’s measurement process.
As its name implies, the average directional index (ADX) is an average of both positive and negative directional indices; however, for it to increase further the negative line does not need to cross into ADX line; rather it only needs to be greater than or equal the positive one.
Traders commonly combine the ADX with other indicators, like Bollinger Bands and RSI, to help identify potential trading opportunities. A trend with an elevated ADX value yet weak price action could signal an opportunity to enter a trade while strong trends with lower ADX values may indicate that market conditions may reverse soon.
An additional way of assessing trend strength is through the Aroon indicator, similar to ADX in appearance. The Aroon has two lines – an “Aroon up” line measuring strength in an uptrend and “Aroon down” line which measures weakness in downtrends; their crossing can indicate shifts in market momentum.
Crossovers
The Average Directional Index was developed by J. Welles Wilder as a momentum indicator, making it a useful tool for traders attempting to spot trending markets. Unlike some other trend indicators, however, it provides not just direction of a market’s movement but also the strength of that movement allowing you to easily identify assets which are in either an uptrend, downtrend, or range-bound state quickly and effectively.
Wilder’s ADX indicator is an amalgamation of two momentum indicators designed by him – positive directional indicator (DI+) and negative directional indicator (-DI). While DI+ and DI- indicate which way the trend is heading, ADX measures its strength. It does this by taking the moving average expansion of DI+ and DI- over time periods with 14 bars being the default time period.
Average Directional Index can also be used as a trading indicator. When one of the DI lines crosses over another, this can signal a change in trend direction and open trading opportunities; when negative DI crosses above +DI this could signal that prices may move in a downward direction and give traders a sell signal.
However, because the Average Directional Index is a lagging indicator, it may produce false positives. Therefore, it’s essential that it is combined with other tools like Relative Strength Index and Parabolic SAR so as to prevent receiving false readings and trading against an established trend.
By combining ADX information with other trend indicators and trading strategies, you can gain more accurate trade signals and increase profits. That is why ADX is such a sought-after tool amongst top traders; PRimeXBT even offers an entire suite of technical analysis indicators and trading tools designed to help traders determine whether a chart is trending or ranging and use that knowledge for more profitable trades.
Range Consolidation
Trading can sometimes make it impossible to be certain about the direction of every trend at any one time, leading to periods of range consolidation in securities markets and price action that appears choppy; these phases usually last until a clear direction becomes evident; during such times traders manage their expectations while using technical instruments like Relative Strength Index or Moving Average Convergence Divergence to gauge if an imminent breakout might be imminent.
One of the best tools for analyzing market trends is the Average Directional Index, or ADX. This indicator measures the strength of any trend whether uptrend or downtrend and can range between 0 and 100; with readings under 20 signalling weak trends and those above 50 showing strong ones.
The ADX is composed of two lines, +DI and -DI. When one line crosses above or below another it signifies an uptrend; conversely when they move in opposite directions it signals a downtrend. The distance between +DI and -DI lines indicates how strong an upward or downward trend might be; larger distances signal stronger trends.
Below you can see that ADX, +DI and -DI are indicators that show Apple is entering a stronger trend, with maximum distance between these lines indicating extreme trend strength. At such moments traders should open positions with low risk/high reward ratio to maximize profit potential and take full advantage of any opportunities presented to them.
However, when the -DI line rises above +DI it indicates that momentum in the current trend may be diminishing and range-bound conditions could soon emerge. When this happens traders should look for entry points with better entry prices or wait until +DI and -DI have established clear trends again – or combine ADX with long-term indicators like RSI and Bollinger Bands for best results in currency pairs, stocks, commodities or any other asset class. This approach works equally well when trading currency pairs, stocks or commodities assets.
Price Action
As a trader, you need a thorough knowledge of how to recognize trends and their strength, along with tools and indicators used for analysis and detection of trading opportunities. A popular trend strength indicator is Average Directional Index which can be combined with other tools to increase your odds of success.
Although the Average Directional Index can be used on its own, traders typically combine it with additional indicators such as Positive and Negative Directional Indicators to further assess market trends and make trading decisions accordingly. Such additional indicators help traders assess if it makes sense to take long or short trade positions or delay trading opportunities altogether.
The ADX indicator was first devised in 1978 by J Welles Wilder, an American mechanical engineer turned real estate developer and technical analyst. While originally intended to analyze commodity price charts, its application has since expanded beyond commodities to any market and timeframe. Traders use two distinct forms of analysis to predict future price action: fundamental analysis (which looks at factors like news headlines, economic/social/political forces and earnings data) and technical analysis – the latter uses charts and technical indicators such as ADX to forecast prices in advance.
When using the ADX to evaluate a market, you’ll notice it is comprised of one single line with values between zero and 100. While its sole function is measuring trend strength without directionality, for optimal use this indicator must be combined with others such as +DI or -DI indicators.
One of the greatest strengths of ADX is its ability to detect trending markets and help avoid false breakouts or range-bound investments. When you see a market with a rising ADX, chances are high it will continue to do so; when its ADX drops suddenly it may indicate that its consolidation phase has begun.
