It involves the use of three bands—one for the upper level, another for the lower level, and the third for the moving average. When prices move closer to the upper band, it indicates that the market may be overbought. Conversely, the market may be oversold when prices end up moving closer to the lower or bottom band. Bollinger BandWidth can be found in the indicator list on SharpCharts.
The key to this strategy is waiting on a test of the mid-line before entering the position. You can increase your likelihood of placing a winning trade if you go in the direction of the primary trend and there is a sizable amount of volatility. This strategy is for those of us who like to ask for very little from the markets.
The bands are composed of different lines that are plotted on a chart, including the moving average, an upper band, and a lower band. Bollinger Bands® can be a useful tool for traders for assessing the relative level of over- or under-sold position of a stock and provides them with insight on when to enter and exit a position. Certain aspects of Bollinger Bands®, such as the squeeze, work well for currency trading. Bollinger Bands® are highly technical tools that give traders an idea of where the market is moving based on prices.
- Can toggle the visibility of Bollinger Bands Width as well as the visibility of a price line showing the actual current value of the Bollinger Bands Width.
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- Price exceeded the upper band in early September to affirm the uptrend.
- A price that reacts and rises close to the middle band, followed by a second low inside the lower band, suggests that the price is positioned for an upward move—a good time for traders to buy.
However, the reaction highs are not always equal; the first high can be higher or lower than the second high. Bollinger suggests looking for signs of non-confirmation when a security is making new highs. First, a security creates a reaction high above the upper band. Third, prices move above the prior high but fail to reach the upper band. The inability of the second reaction high to reach the upper band shows waning momentum, which can foreshadow a trend reversal. Final confirmation comes with a support break or bearish indicator signal.
Identifying Head-and-Shoulders Patterns in Stock Charts
This parabolic movement in price and rising volatility does hint at a potential trend reversal (to the upside in this case). Uses for bandwidth include identification of opportunities arising from relative extremes in volatility and trend identification. Chart 5 shows Honeywell (HON) with an extended trading range in the area. There was a move to the upper band in May, but no breakout for a signal. Instead, HON clearly broke below the lower band to trigger a bearish signal in June 2007.
- The key to this strategy is a stock having a clearly defined trading range.
- This parabolic movement in price and rising volatility does hint at a potential trend reversal (to the upside in this case).
- He suggests using the relative strength index (RSI) along with one or two volume-based indicators such as the intraday intensity index or the accumulation/distribution index.
- They are used in pairs, both upper and lower bands and in conjunction with a moving average.
- A step by step guide to help beginner and profitable traders have a full overview of all the important skills (and what to learn next 😉) to reach profitable trading ASAP.
Importantly, however, these conditions should not be taken as trading signals. The bands give no signs of when the change may take place or in bollinger bands bandwidth which direction the price might move. According to Bollinger, it is necessary to look to other indicators to determine breakout direction.
Bollinger Band Width Formula
Many traders believe the closer the prices move to the upper band, the more overbought the market, and the closer the prices move to the lower band, the more oversold the market. John Bollinger has a set of 22 rules to follow when using the bands as a trading system. Bollinger Bands are a trend indicator that detect the volatility and dynamics of the price on the market. During periods of low volatility, the bands are narrow, while Bollinger Bands expand drastically during periods of high volatility. The consensus is that when the price reaches the upper band, it is considered as overbought, and when the price approaches the lower band, it is deemed to be oversold.
You will want to apply trendlines or another indicator to follow price higher. When you are buying securities with such high volatility on a countertrend move, you have to hold on to your position a little longer, so the risk-reward works out on the trade. If you have an appetite for risk, you can ride the bands to determine where to exit the position. Regarding identifying when the trend is losing steam, failure of the stock to continue to accelerate outside of the bands indicates a weakening in the strength of the stock.
#1 – Bollinger Bandwidth and the Broad Market
Here, the Middle Band represents the simple moving average, which allows you to calculate the BBW relative to the average price. Bollinger Bands, named for their creator, John Bollinger, are used in pairs in conjuction with a moving average. They show whether a stock price is trending higher or lower , and the distance between these bands is known as the Bollinger Band Width (BBW).
Bollinger Bands Width
The upper and lower bands are typically two standard deviations from the SMA. The Bollinger Bands Width is a technical indicator that is used to measure the expansion and contraction of Bolling Bands and identify a popular trading signal known as The Squeeze. Another popular strategy to use with Bollinger Bands is called a squeeze strategy. A squeeze occurs when volatility falls to low levels, and the price starts moving sideways in a tight consolidation, narrowing the Bollinger Bands. That relative definition can be used to compare price action and indicator action to arrive at rigorous buy and sell decisions.
How does the Bollinger Band Width indicator work?
You, of course, can make a ton of money placing big bets, but these types of traders usually do not make it over a long trading career (20+ years). As you can see in the above example, notice how the stock had a sharp run-up, only to pull back to the mid-line. You would want to enter the position after the failed attempt to break to the downside. To the point of waiting for confirmation, let’s look at how to use the power of a Bollinger Band squeeze to our advantage. Notice how leading up to the morning gap down the bands were extremely tight.
Applying Bollinger Bands to a Volatility Indicator
Chart 2 shows Nordstrom (JWN) with a W-Bottom in January-February 2010. First, the stock formed a reaction low in January (black arrow) and broke below the lower band. Third, the stock moved below its January low and held above the lower band. Even though the 5-Feb spike low broke the lower band, the signal is not affected since, like Bollinger Bands, it is calculated using closing prices. Fourth, the stock surged with expanding volume in late February and broke above the early February high.
As with most other technical analysis tools, Bollinger Bands, too, come with its own set of unique advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, it’s crucial to understand where this momentum indicator excels and where it fails to get the most out of its use. A breakout to the upside signals traders to initiate long positions or exit short positions. Conversely, a breakout to the downside signals traders to open short positions or exit long positions. A stop-loss order is traditionally placed outside the consolidation on the opposite side of the breakout. In trading, market participants use two contrasting types of analysis.