Monday, October 24, 2016 2:46:43 PM
Using RSI(14) TO DETERMINE TREND
In Technical Analysis for the Trading Professional, Constance Brown suggests that oscillators do not travel between 0 and 100. This also happens to be the name of the first chapter. Brown identifies a bull market range and a bear market for RSI. RSI tends to fluctuate between 40 and 90 in a bull market (uptrend) with the 40-50 zones acting as support. These ranges may vary depending on RSI parameters, strength of trend and volatility of the underlying security. Chart 9 shows 14-week RSI for SPY during the bull market from 2003 until 2007. RSI surged above 70 in late 2003 and then moved into its bull market range (40-90). There was one overshoot below 40 in July 2004, but RSI held the 40-50 zone at least five times from January 2005 until October 2007 (green arrows). In fact, notice that pullbacks to this zone provided low risk entry points to participate in the uptrend.
On the flip side, RSI tends to fluctuate between 10 and 60 in a bear market (downtrend) with the 50-60 zone acting as resistance. Chart 10 shows 14-day RSI for the US Dollar Index ($USD) during its 2009 downtrend. RSI moved to 30 in March to signal the start of a bear range. The 40-50 zone subsequently marked resistance until a breakout in December.
In Technical Analysis for the Trading Professional, Constance Brown suggests that oscillators do not travel between 0 and 100. This also happens to be the name of the first chapter. Brown identifies a bull market range and a bear market for RSI. RSI tends to fluctuate between 40 and 90 in a bull market (uptrend) with the 40-50 zones acting as support. These ranges may vary depending on RSI parameters, strength of trend and volatility of the underlying security. Chart 9 shows 14-week RSI for SPY during the bull market from 2003 until 2007. RSI surged above 70 in late 2003 and then moved into its bull market range (40-90). There was one overshoot below 40 in July 2004, but RSI held the 40-50 zone at least five times from January 2005 until October 2007 (green arrows). In fact, notice that pullbacks to this zone provided low risk entry points to participate in the uptrend.
On the flip side, RSI tends to fluctuate between 10 and 60 in a bear market (downtrend) with the 50-60 zone acting as resistance. Chart 10 shows 14-day RSI for the US Dollar Index ($USD) during its 2009 downtrend. RSI moved to 30 in March to signal the start of a bear range. The 40-50 zone subsequently marked resistance until a breakout in December.
Join the InvestorsHub Community
Register for free to join our community of investors and share your ideas. You will also get access to streaming quotes, interactive charts, trades, portfolio, live options flow and more tools.
