{"id":542175,"date":"2023-01-13T14:30:11","date_gmt":"2023-01-13T13:30:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ftmo.com\/?p=542175"},"modified":"2023-08-14T08:24:37","modified_gmt":"2023-08-14T06:24:37","slug":"the-wyckoff-theory-and-its-application-in-trading","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ftmo.com\/en\/the-wyckoff-theory-and-its-application-in-trading\/","title":{"rendered":"The Wyckoff theory and its application in trading"},"content":{"rendered":"
Have you ever looked at the charts and thought to yourself that there are patterns or cycles that keep repeating themselves but you find it hard to decipher them? Have you ever found yourself searching for an entry but you were unsure due to your biases? In this article, we will discuss the Wyckoff theory which will introduce you to the concept of viewing the charts and determining the current phase of the market.<\/p>\n
History<\/span><\/h2>\n
Richard Demille Wyckoff was considered one of the five main pioneers of technical analysis and the technical approach to studying the stock market in the early 20th century. He got in touch with the industry at a very young age and by the time he was in his 20s, he already became head of his own firm. He was also a founder of The Magazine of Wall Street and throughout the years, his efforts escalated in teaching the public about the concepts of smart money and his perceptions of the rules in trading.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
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This article offers a summary of Wyckoff’s theoretical and practical approaches to the markets, along with tips on how to spot trade ideas and execute long and short positions, analyze trading ranges of accumulation and distribution, and use Point and Figure charts to pinpoint price targets.<\/p>\n
Wyckoff Price Cycle<\/h2>\n
Wyckoff claims that by thoroughly analyzing supply and demand, which can be determined by the price action, volume, and time, the market may be understood and anticipated. He was able to determine the future intentions of those powerful interests by studying the behavior of highly successful individuals and groups that dominated particular issues because of the access to information he had as a broker. He did this by using what he called vertical (bar) and figure (Point and Figure) charts, however, nowadays thanks to advanced technology, we can enjoy the luxury of the Japanese candlestick chart that can portrays the same information as on the Point and Figure charts. The image below shows an ideal scheme of how he imagined the big interests planning and carrying out bull and bear markets.<\/p>\n
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Three Wyckoff Laws<\/h2>\n
Wyckoff’s chart-based methodology is built on three core “rules” that have an impact on a variety of analysis-related factors. These include identifying the current and potential future directional bias of the market and individual stocks, choosing the best stocks to trade long or short, determining whether a stock is ready to exit a determined trading range, and extrapolating price targets in a trend from a stock’s trading range behavior. These laws guide the evaluation of each chart and the choice of each stock for trading.<\/p>\n
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The direction of prices is determined by the law of supply and demand.<\/strong> The foundation of Wyckoff’s approach to trading and investing is based on this idea. Prices increase when demand exceeds supply, and they decrease when supply exceeds demand. By comparing price and volume bars over time, the trader or analyst can examine how supply and demand are balanced. Although this law appears straightforward, it takes a lot of effort to accurately assess supply and demand on bar charts and comprehend the ramifications of supply and demand patterns.<\/li>\n
The law of cause and effect<\/strong> aids traders and investors in setting price objectives by estimating the possible size of a trend that could emerge from a trading range. In a Point and Figure chart, the horizontal point count represents Wyckoff’s “cause,” and the price movements that match to the point count represent the “effect.” The force of accumulation or distribution inside a trading range, as well as how this force manifests itself in a following trend or movement up or down, can be regarded as the functioning of this law. A cause’s impact can be estimated and measured using point and figure charts. (For an example of this rule, see “Point and Figure Count Guide” below.)<\/li>\n
The law of effort versus result<\/strong> gives an early indication of a potential trend change that could occur soon. Divergences between price and volume can indicate a shift in the trend of a price. After a significant rally, for instance, if there are numerous high-volume (great effort) but narrow-range price bars, with the price failing to reach a new high (little or no result), this could indicate that big interests are selling shares in preparation for a trend change.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
A Five-Step Approach to the Market<\/h2>\n
While selecting an entry or an instrument to trade, the method suggested by R. Wyckoff can be summarized in this five-step approach. Although the approaches were mainly applied in the stock market, they can be applied to any market that involves institutional traders.<\/p>\n
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Determine the current state of the market and its possible future trend.<\/li>\n
Select instruments in harmony with the trend.<\/li>\n
Select instruments with a \u201ccause\u201d that equals or exceeds your minimum objective.<\/li>\n
Determine the markets\u2019 readiness to move.<\/li>\n
Time your commitment with a turn in the stock market index.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
Analyses of Trading Ranges<\/h2>\n
Increasing market timing when taking a position in advance of a move where there is a good reward\/risk ratio is one goal of the Wyckoff approach. Trading ranges (TRs) are areas where the prior trend (up or down) has stopped and where supply and demand are relatively equal. Institutions and other powerful professional groups gather (or distribute) shares within the TR as they get ready for their subsequent bullish (or bearish) campaigns. \u201cThe Composite Man\u201d actively buys and sells in both accumulation and distribution TRs, with the difference being that in accumulation, the number of shares bought exceeds the number of shares sold, whilst in distribution, the opposite is true.<\/p>\n