How to Use the Stochastic Indicator
The Stochastic oscillator is another technical indicator that helps traders determine where a trend might be ending.
The oscillator works on the following theory:
- During an uptrend, prices will remain equal to or above the previous period closing price.
- During a downtrend, prices will likely remain equal to or below the previous closing price.
This simple momentum oscillator was created by George Lane in the late 1950s.
Stochastics measures the momentum of price. If you visualize a rocket going up in the air – before it can turn down, it must slow down. Momentum always changes direction before price.
The 2 lines are similar to the MACD lines in the sense that one line is faster than the other.
How to Trade Forex Using the Stochastic Indicator
The Stochastic tells us when the market is overbought or oversold. The Stochastic is scaled from 0 to 100.
When the Stochastic lines are below 20 (the blue dotted line), then it means that the market is oversold.
As a rule of thumb, we buy when the market is oversold, and we sell when the market is overbought.
Looking at the currency chart above, you can see that the indicator has been showing overbought conditions for quite some time.
Based on this information, can you guess where the price might go?
If you said the price would drop, then you are absolutely correct! Because the market was overbought for such a long period of time, a reversal was bound to happen.
That is the basics of the Stochastic.
Many forex traders use the Stochastic in different ways, but the main purpose of the indicator is to show us where the market conditions could be overbought or oversold.
Over time, you will learn to use the Stochastic to fit your own personal forex trading style.
Okay, let’s move on to RSI.
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