<s> Pattern Cycles:Mastering Short-Term Trading Through Technical Analysiswith Alan Farleyemail - trade@hardrightedge.com
Price marks territory as it spikes relative highs and lows within all time frames. Skilledtraders observe this signature behavior throughout all markets and all historical charting.Relative direction also characterizes price movement. A series of lower lows and lowerhighs identify downtrends while uptrends print a sequence of higher highs and higherlows.As bulls and bears fight for control, Pattern Cycles are born. Since markets won’t travelupward to infinity or downward below zero, identifiable swing trades appear within eachtime frame. Driven by emotional behavior, trend inhales and exhales. Falling price ignitesfear as paper profits evaporate. Fresh rallies awaken greed, inviting momentum players tobecome greater fools. On and on it goes.
BottomsBottoms exist as a direct result of this trend physics. The natural movement of impulseand reaction dictates that two unique formations must develop at some point within eachPattern Cycle. In an uptrend, a lower high must eventually follow a higher high and marka new top. In a downtrend, the sequence of lower lows ends when price prints a higherlow. This second event marks the birth of the Double Bottom.Double bottoms draw their predictive power from the trends that precede them. As aseries of lower lows print on a bar chart, downtrends often accelerate. The trading crowdnotices and develops a gravity bias that expects the fall to continue unabated. Thensuddenly the last low appears to hold. The crowd takes notice and bottom fishers slowlyenter new positions. Price stability then triggers more and more players to recognize thepotential pattern and jump in.Stock percentage growth potential peaks at the very beginning of a new uptrend. For thisreason, being “right” at a bottom can produce the highest profit of any trade. But pickingbottoms can be a very dangerous game. Smart traders weigh all evidence at their disposalbefore taking the leap. And strict risk discipline must still be exercised to ensure a safeexit if proven wrong.
Eve's rounded bottom takes longer toform than the sharp Adam spike. Look forvolume to decrease as the stock healsand prepares for a new uptrend. Adamand Eve formations aren't limited tobottoms. Watch for them at the end ofparabolic rallies.
The Adam and Eve Reversal illustrates the importance of the center peak in the creationof Double Bottoms. A very sharp and deep first bottom (Adam) initiates this DB pattern.The stock then bounces high into a center retracement before falling into a gentle, rollingsecond bottom (Eve). Price action finally constricts into a tight range before the stockbreaks strongly to the upside.Many times the top of Eve prints a flat shelf that marks an excellent entry point. Shelfresistance typically develops right along the top of the cent er retracement pivot. Therelationship between this center pivot and current price marks an important focal point asthe skilled trader closely watches the development of a suspected double bottom pattern.Since bottoms occur in downtrends, risk must be managed defensively. The greedy eyewants to believe the immature formation and is easily fooled. Even spectacular reversalsoffer little profit if price can’t ascend back out of the hole it found itself in. Whenchoosing stop and exit points, violation of a prior low is the natural first choice. Makecertain your entry permits you to exit for an acceptable loss at this location. And don'tstick around long. Price will gather downside momentum quickly at broken lows as itsearches for new support.Successful bottom entry takes a strong stomach. Even when all the technicals line up,sentiment will be highly negative at these turning points. The potential for short-termprofit though is outstanding. In addition to other longs ready to speculate on a goodupside move, high short interest will fuel explosive impulses off these levels. Perhaps forthis reason alone, serious traders can’t ignore double bottom patterns.
The Big W pattern can be identified in all time frames and all markets. It is a powerfultool for locating bottom trade entry.
The Big W reference pattern maps the entire bottom reversal process. This signpostidentifies key pivots and flashes early warning signals. The pattern begins at a stock’slast high, just prior to the first bottom. The first bounce after this low marks the center ofthe W as it retraces between 38% and 62% of that last downward move.This rally fades and price descends back toward a test of the last low. The smart traderthen listens closely for the first bell to ring. A wide range reversal bar (doji or hammer)may appear close to the low price of the last bottom. Or volume spikes sharply but pricedoes not fail. Better yet, a Turtle Reversal prints where price violates the last low by afew ticks and then bounces sharply back above support. When any or all of these eventsoccur, focus your attention on the second leg of this Big W.Aggressive traders can initiate entry near the bottom of this second leg when the bellrings loudly. The middle of the W now becomes your pivot for further execution. Forprice to jump to this level, it must retrace 100% of the last decline. This small movefinally breaks the falling bear cycle.Enter less aggressive positions when this emerging second bottom retraces through 62%of the fall into the second low. But sufficient profit must exist between that entry and theW center top for this trade to work. Longer-term traders can hold positions as pricepierces this pivot. Be patient since price will likely pause to test support here.
Then expect another upward leg. Price at this level has a high probability of moving evenhigher. It can easily retrace 100% of the original downward impulse, completing both theDouble Bottom and Big W patterns. This tendency allows for further entry at the firstpullback to the center pivot after the next break.BreakoutsSignificant declines evolve into long bottoms characterized by failed rallies and retestingof prior lows. As new accumulation slowly shakes out the last crowd of losers, a stock'scharacter changes. Prices push toward the top of key resistance. Short-term relativestrength improves and the chart exhibits a series of bullish price bars with closing ticksnear their highs. Finally the issue begins a steady march through the wall marked withpast failures.Stocks must overcome gravity to enter new uptrends. Value players build bases but can’tsupply the critical force needed to fuel rallies. Fortunately, the momentum crowd arrivesjust in time to fill this chore. As a stock slowly rises above resistance, greed rings a loudbell and these growth players jump in all at the same time.The appearance of a sharp breakout gap has tremendous buy power. But the skilled tradershould remain cautious when the move lacks heavy volume. Bursts of enthusiastic buyingmust draw wide attention that ignites further price expansion. When strong volume failsto appear, the gap may fill quickly and trap the emotional longs. Non-gapping, highvolume surges provide a comfortable price floor similar to gaps. But support can be lessdependable, forcing a stock to swing into a new range rather than rise quickly.Fortunately this scenario sets up good pullback trades. The uptrend terrain facespredictable obstacles marked by Clear Air pockets and congestion from priordowntrends. These barriers can force frequent dips that mark good buying opportunities.The trader must identify these profitable zones in advanc e and be ready to act.
Gap breakouts aremore likely to risetoward higher pricesimmediately thansimple volumebreakouts. Waiting for adip may be futile.Extreme crowdenthusiasm ignitescontinued buying athigher levels andmarket makers don'tneed pullbacks togenerate volume. Ifentry is desired, use atrend-following strategyand manage risk withabsolute price orpercentage stop loss.
As trend builds momentum, surges register on technical indicators such as MACD andADX. Volatility absorbs each thrust and parabolic rallies erupt. Dips will cease duringthese runaway expansion moves as price range expands bar to bar, often culminating in asecond (continuation) gap and a final exhaustion spike.After rapid price movement, markets need time to absorb instability generated by thattrend’s momentum. They pause to catch their breath as both volume and price rate ofchange drop sharply. During this consolidation period, new price levels undergocontinuous testing for support and resistance. To the pattern reader, this rangephenomenon reveals itself through the familiar shapes of Flags, Pennants andRectangles.Relatively simple mechanics underlie the formation of these continuation patterns. Theorderly return to a market’s mean state sets the foundation for a new thrust in the samedirection. In a series of sharp trend moves, congestion tends to alternate between simpleand complex in both time and size. Trade defensively when the prior pattern was bothshort and simple. Go on the offense after observing an extended battle in the last range.When examining continuation patterns, traders must pay close attention toproportionality. This visual element will validate or nullify other predictive observations.Constricted ranges should be proportional in both time and size to the trends that precedethem. When they take on dimensions larger than expected from visual examination, oddsincrease that the observed range actually relates to the next trend larger in scale than theone being viewed. This can trigger devastating trend relativity errors, in which positionsare executed based on patterns longer or shorter than the time frame being traded.
All patterns must be evaluated within the context of trend relativity. The existence of anyrange depends upon the time frame being analyzed. For example, a market may print astrong bull move on the weekly chart, a bear on the daily and a tight continuation patternon the 5-min bar, all at the same time. A range drawn through one time frame does notsignal similar conditions in the other periods that particular market trades through.TrendsThe cult of Elliott Wave Theory intimidates the most experienced traders. But don’t letwave voodoo stop you from adding important elements to your chart analysis. Strongtrends routinely print orderly action-reaction waves. EWT uncovers these predictivepatterns through their repeating count of 3 primary waves and 2 countertrend ones.Wave impulses correspond with the crowd's emotional participation. A surging 1st Waverepresents the fresh enthusiasm of an initial breakout. The new crowd then hesitates andprices drop into a countertrend 2nd Wave. This coils the action for the sudden eruption ofa runaway 3rd Wave. Then after another pullback, the manic crowd exhausts itself in afinal 5th Wave blowoff.Traders can capitalize on trend waves with very little knowledge of the underlyingtheory. Just look for the 5-wave trend structure in all time frames. Locate smaller wavesembedded in larger ones and place trades at points where two or more time framesintersect. These cross- verification zones capture major trend, reversal and breakoutpoints.For example, the 3rd wave of a primary trend often exhibits dynamic vertical motion.This single thrust may hide a complete 5-wave rally in the next smaller time frame. Withthis knowledge execute a long position at the 3rd Of A 3rd, one of the most powerfulprice movements within an entire uptrend. While waves seem hard to locate, the trainedeye can uncover these price patterns in many strong uptrends.Many 3rd waves trigger broad Continuation Gaps. These occur just as emotion replacesreason and frustrate many good traders. Since common sense dictates the surging stockshould retrace, many exit positions on the bar just prior to the big gap. Use timely waveanalysis (and a strong stomach) to anticipate this big move just before it occurs.4th Wave corrections set the sentiment mechanics for the final 5th wave. The crowdexperiences its first emotional setback as this countertrend generates fear through a sharpdownturn or long sideways move. The same momentum signals that carry traders intopositions now roll over and turn against them.
The greedy crowd ignitesa powerful December rallyin AMGN. Note theembedded 5 wavepatterns, typical withsurging uptrends. The 3rdof a 3rd identifies the mostdynamic momentumexpected in a sharp pricemove.
As they prepare to exit, the trend suddenly reawakens and price again surges. During thisfinal 5th wave, the crowd loses good judgement. Both parabolic moves and aborted ralliesoccur here with great frequency. Survival through the last sharp countertrend adds anunhealthy sense of invulnerability into the crowd mechanics. Movement becomesunpredictable and the uptrend ends suddenly just as the last greedy participant jumps in.When trend finally turns back through old price, skilled traders then use past action toidentify effective momentum and swing trades. Battles between bulls and bears leave ascarred landscape of unique charting features. For example, gaps provide one of the mostprofitable setups in all of technical analysis. Continuation gaps rarely fill on the first try,except with another gap. Use a tight stop and execute your trade in the direction ofsupport as soon as price enters the gap on high volatility.Past breaks in support identify low risk short sales. The more violent the break, the morelikely it will resist penetration. Head and Shoulders, Rectangles and Double Tops leavetheir mark with strong resistance levels. These patterns often print multiple doji andhammer lows prior to a final break as insiders clean out stops at the extremes of thepattern.Clear Air prints a series of wide range bars as price thrusts from one stable level toanother. Rapid price movement tends to repeat each time that trading enters itsboundaries. Potential reward spikes sharply through these unique zones. But watch out.Reversals tend to be sharp and vertical as well. Tight stops are advised.
Pattern Cycles recognize that important features may not be horizontal. What the eyeresolves as uptrend or downtrend contains multiple impulses shooting out in manydirections. The most common of these is the Parallel Price Channel. Use these priceextremes to enter contrary positions with stop losses just on the other side of the paralleltrendlines.HighsShort-term traders discover great rewards in uncharted territory. Stocks at new highsgenerate unique momentum properties that ignite sharp price moves. But these dyna micbreakouts can also demonstrate very unexpected behavior. Old battlegrounds ofsupport/resistance disappear while few reference points remain to guide entry and exit. Inthis volatile environment, risk escalates with each promising setup.The final breakout to new highs completes a stock's digestion of overhead supply. But thestruggle for greater gains is far from over. Issues reaching new highs often undergoadditional testing and preparation before resuming their dynamic uptrends. The skilledtrader can follow this building process through the typical pattern development expectedduring these events.Price may return to test the top of prior resistance several times. This can create a varietyof stepping or basing ranges before trend finally moves sha rply upward. Other times,stocks will immediately go vertical when new highs are printed. The challenge is todecide which outcome is more likely.Use Accumulation-Distribution analysis to predict whether new highs will escalateimmediately or just mark time. Price either leads or lags accumulation. When stocksreach new highs without sufficient ownership or buying pressure, they will often pause toallow these forces to catch up. Other times, accumulation builds more strongly than price.The initial thrus t to new highs confirms this accumulation. The breakout triggers a newround of buying interest and price immediately takes off with no basing phase.On Balance Volume and similar accumulation-distribution indicators are essential toolsto evaluate the strength of new high breakouts. Expect an immediate upward thrust whenOBV draws a pattern more bullish than the price chart. Alternatively, when multiple accdis readings show ownership limping behind price, prepare for an extended basingperiod. And always use caution with NASDAQ stocks. Their odd transaction reportingmay lead to false OBV readings.Final phases of congestion often print sharp initiation points for the breakout impulse.Locate this hidden root structure in double bottom lows embedded within the congestionjust prior to the trend move. The distance between these lows and the top resistanceboundary will yield price targets for the subsequent rally. Barring larger forces, this newhigh breakout should extend no more than 1.38 times the distance between that low andthe resistance top before establishing a new range.
Once price clears a new high base, the bull impulse escapes the gravity of finalcongestion. This often triggers a dramatic 3rd wave for the trend initiated at thecongestion low. This thrust can easily exceed initial price targets when it converges withlarger scale wave movement. In other words, when forces in the daily and intraday chartsmove into synergy, trend movement will inevitably be more dramatic than anticipated.
When complex basing occurs early in a dynamic uptrend, alternation predicts majorprice thrusts with few retracements. This CMGI parabolic move supports that theory.Note the extended range at the right shoulder of the Inverse Head and Shoulderspattern, probably driven by inadequate accumulation. Once the building process wascomplete, price ejected into an astounding rally.
Measure ongoing new highs with a MACD Histogram or other widely used momentumindicator. Whatever your choice, allow your math to support the pattern rather than theother way around. For example, if an established trendline can be drawn under criticallows, key your trade timing off that line rather than waiting for your indicator slope toturn up or down.Effective trading of post-gravity impulses relies on the interaction between current priceand your momentum indicator. At new highs, prior support/resistance can't be used topredict swings. Follow the MACD slope to flag overbought conditions favorable forranges or reversals. Enter long positions when price falls but the slope begins to rise. Orbe conservative and wait for the zero line to be crossed from below to above.Patterns point to low risk momentum trades. Enter retracements to a trendline or movingaverage and you’ll ride the dips just as new buyers jump in. Short sales should be avoided
completely when momentum is high unless you’re an experienced trader. Trying to picktops is a loser's game. Delay short sales until momentum drops sharply but price is highwithin its range. Pattern analysis can then locate favorable countertrends with limitedrisk.When a stock breaks to new highs, how long will the rally last? In physics, a star thatburns bright extinguishes itself long before one emitting a cooler, darker light. So it iswith market rallies. Parabolic moves cannot sustain themselves over the long haul.Alternatively, stocks that struggle for each point of gain eventually give up and roll over.So logic dictates that the most durable path for uptrends lies somewhere in-between thesetwo extremes.Overbought conditions lead to a decline in price momentum and illustrate one everpresent danger when trading new highs: stocks may stop rising at any moment and enterextended sideways movement. Watch rallies closely with your toolbox of technicalindicators to uncover any early warning signs for this range development.The first break in a major trendline that follows a big move flags the end of a rally andbeginning of sideways congestion. Exit momentum-based positions until conditions onceagain favor rapid price change. In this environment, consider countertrend swing trades ifother forces favor success. But stand aside once volatility slowly dissipates and crowdparticipation fades.TopsNo trend lasts forever. Inevitably, crowd enthusiasm outpaces a stock's fundamentals andrallies stall. But topping formations do not end uptrends all by themselves. Thesestopping points may only signal short pauses that lead to higher prices. Then again, theycould be long-term highs just before a major breakdown.What hidden patterns can you use to identify and trade reversals before your competitionsees them? Successful short-term traders get in the reversal door early and allow the herdto trigger sharp price movement. Familiar trend-change formations, such as the Head andShoulders and Double Tops, take so long to develop that many profitable entries passbefore they finally signal an impending break to the waiting crowd.First Rise/First Failure offers traders an early method to identify reversals followingnew highs or lows in any time frame. FR/FF identifies the first 100% retracement of adynamic trend move within the time frame of interest. In order for any trend to continue,price movement should find support near a 62% retracement, measured from the startingpoint of the last thrust that pushed price to the new high or low. From this pullback, trendmust base and test its extension before it can break out to further continuation highs orlows.
Cross-verification ringsa loud bell. Note howthe uptrend line brokeon the same bar as theviolation of the 62% fibretracement followingthis late 1998 AMZNexplosion. The familiartriangular shape ofFirst Rise -First Failuremakes identificationeasy when flippingthrough many pricecharts.
100% retracement violates the major price direction and terminates the trend it corrects.Completion also provides significant support/resistance, where bounce trades can beinitiated with low risk. From this point, continuation trends may reawaken in the nextlarger time frame by a new break through the 38% (prior 62%) S/R and continued pushpast the 62% retracement, toward a test of the high/low extension.Bounce reversals represent superb entry points when the 100% violation coincides with a38% or 62% retracement of the next higher dynamic time frame. However risk: rewardrequires careful measurement, as the trade may develop more slowly than expected. Inother words, a successful position must be held through expected congestion at the 38%62% zone before it can access a profitable retest of the double top/double bottomextreme.
Allow minor testing violations for all major Fibonacci retracements before takingpositions. Specialists and Market Makers know these hidden turning points and conductstop-gunning exercises to take out volume just beyond the breaks. And watch out fortrend relativity errors. Bull and bear markets exist simultaneously through different timeframes. Limit FR/FF trades to the time frame for which the retracement occurs unlesscross-verification supports other setups.Every popular topping formation has its own unique pattern features. But all tell acommon tale of crowd disillusionment. Whether printed in the manic highs and lows ofthe Head & Shoulders or the slow capitulation of the Rising Wedge, the final result
remains the same. Price breaks sharply to lower levels while unhappy shareholdersunload positions as quickly as they can.Early in a rally, value and improving fundamentals attract knowledgeable holders. But asan uptrend develops, the motivation for new participants becomes vastly different. Newsof a stock's rise generates excitement and attracts a greedier crowd. These momentumplayers slowly outnumber the value investors and stock movement becomes morevolatile. The issue continues upward as this frantic buying crowd feeds on itself wellbeyond most reasonable price targets.Both fire and ice will kill uptrends. As long as the greater fool mechanism holds, eachnew long allows the previous one to turn a profit. Eventually changing conditions force afinal end to the upside action. A shock event can suddenly kill the buying enthusiasm,forcing a sharp and immediate reversal. Or the trend’s fuel just runs out as the lastinterested buyer enters one last position.Many traders mistakenly assume bulls turn into bears immediately following a dramatic,high volume reversal. They enter short sales well before the physics of topping anddecline rob the crowd of its momentum. In fact, these early shorts provide fuel for thesharp covering rallies seen in most topping formations.Skilled traders wait and measure the process of crowd disillusionment before they enterlarge short sales. Decline characteristics can be predicted with great accuracy usingpattern analysis. While they wait, the repeating character of the topping event provides anatural playground for swing positions.ReversalsNo chart pattern better illustrates this slow evolution from bull market to bear declinethan the Descending Triangle. Within this simple structure, the trader examines how lifedrains slowly from a dynamic uptrend. Variations of this destructive formation precedemore breakdowns than any other reversal. And they can be found doing their dirty deedsin all time frames and all markets.But why does it work with such deadly accuracy? Most traders don’t understand how orwhy patterns predict outcomes. Some even believe these important tools rely onmysticism or convenient curve fitting. The simple truth is more powerful: congestionpatterns reflect the impact of crowd psychology on changes in price and momentum.Shock and fear quickly follow the first reversal marking the triangle's major top. Butmany shareholders remain true believers and expect their profits will return when sellingdissipates. They continue to hold as hope slowly replaces better judgement. The selloffthen carries further than anticipated and their discomfort increases. Just as pain begins toescalate, the correction suddenly ends and the stock firmly bounces.
For many longs, this late buying reinforces a dangerous bias that they were right allalong. Renewed confidence even prompts some to add to positions. But smarter playershave a change of heart and view this new rally as a chance to get out. As they quietlyexit, the strong bounce loses momentum and the stock once again turns and fails. Thosestill riding the issue now watch the low of the first reversal with much apprehension.Prior countertrend lows present trading opportunities for those familiar with doublebottom behavior. As price descends a second time toward the emotional barrier of the lastlow, traders step in looking for a good DB play. Price again stabilizes near that priorvalue, encouraging new investors (with very bad timing) to enter final long positions.By this time, the stock's bullish momentum has slowly drained through the criss-crossprice swings. Relative strength indicators now signal sharp negative divergences as pricecontinues to hold up through this sideways action. Momentum indicators roll over andBollinger Bands contract as price range narrows.
The double bottom appears to hold as a weak rally draws a third high. But this finalbounce fades and traders exit quickly. Shorts now smell blood and enter initial positions.Fear increases and stops build just under the double low shelf. Price returns for one finaltest as negative sentiment expands sharply. Often, price and volatility then contract rightat the break point.SEEK sketches a perfectDescending Triangle reversal andbreakdown following its 1998rally. Sharp, parabolic rallies oftenset the stage for dramatic toppingformations. Note how the triangleis also a variation of the Adamand Eve pattern.
The bulls must hold this line. However, odds have now shifted firmly against them.Recognizing the imminent breakdown, traders use all upticks to enter new short sales andcounter any weak bull response. Finally, the last positive sentiment dies and horizontal
support violates, triggering the stops. Price spirals downward in a substantial pricedecline.Stock charts print many unique topping formations. Some classics can be understood andtraded with very little effort. But the emotional crowd also generates many undependablepatterns as greed slowly evolves into mindless fear. Complex Rising Wedges will defy atechnician’s best effort at prediction while the odd Diamond pattern burns trading capitalswinging randomly back and forth.Skilled traders avoid these fruitless positions and only seek profit where the odds stronglyfavor their play. They first locate a common feature found in most topping reversals:price draws at least one lower high within the broad congestion before violating a majoruptrend. This common double top mechanism becomes the focus for their trade entry.From this well- marked signpost, they follow price to a natural breaking point and enterwhen violated.Flip over the Adam and Eve bottom and you’ll find a highly predictive structure fortrading reversals. This Adam and Eve Top provides traders with frequent high profitshort sales opportunities. Enter shorts on the first violation of the reaction low, but usetight stops to avoid turtle reversals. These occur when sharp short covering ralliessuddenly erupt right after the gunning of stops below a violation point.Each uptrend generates positive sentiment that must be overcome through the toppingstructure. A&E tops represent an efficient bar structure to accomplish this task. Theviolent reversal of Adam first awakens fear. The slow dome of Eve absorbs the remainingbull impulse while dissipating the volatility needed to resume a rally. As the domecompletes, price moves swiftly to lower levels without substantial resistance.Observant traders recognize the mechanics of Descending Triangles and Adam & Eveformations in more complex reversals. The vast majority of tops contain characteristicsof these familiar patterns. Crowd enthusiasm must be eliminated for a decline to proceed.Through the repeated failure of price to achieve new highs, buying interest eventuallyrecedes. Then the market can finally drop from its own weight.
DeclinesAs uptrends end, the same crowd that lifts price provides fuel for the ensuing decline.Longs get lulled into a false sense of confidence as rally momentum fades and a toppingpattern forms. As smart money quietly exits, the uptrend hits a critical trigger point: thebulls suddenly realize they're trapped. Seeking to protect profits, they start dumping thestock. Price fails and selling spirals downward through wave after wave.Common features appear through most price declines. Several false bottoms print andfail. Volume repeatedly surges as losers unload positions and price carries well past
downside target after target. Then just as hope collapses, the stock makes a final, multiplebottom.Pattern Cycles offer a superb way for the short-term trader to understand and capitalizeupon this repeating market behavior. Look no further than R. N. Elliott's work in the1930s and you'll find the Five Wave Decline. This structure for price correction is aspowerful today as it was 60 years ago. And as a parable for crowd behavior, traders canuse it without understanding the broader Elliott Wave Theory.The 1st, 3rd and 5thwave impulses in EWTbecome Top-1-2 in theDecline's count. Connectthe 3rd (1) and 5th (2)waves with a trendline.Ignore the 1st (Top)wave, which thetrendline can violate inany way it wants. Thefirst bounce after the(Drop) may come closeto that trendline but willrarely violate it.
5WDs consist of three downward impulses and two corrections. The first impulse (Top)corrects the uptrend that carries an issue to a new high. This Top begins the price failurethat completes through the second impulse (1): the technical breakdown of the stock. Aswith rising markets, this impulse can be very dynamic. But in most declines, the worst isusually reserved for last. As this 2nd impulse completes, a false bottom paints acomforting picture that slows the selling and brings in weak longs. The selling thensuddenly resumes and accelerates into a final 3rd impulse (2) that is so emotional thatprices violate set targets and reasonable support zones.The emotion of this last wave extinguishes selling pressure, bouncing the stock. Rapidupward motion ignites the first impulse of a significant countertrend. This strong rallythen fails suddenly. As the longs brace for more pain, the prior low unexpectedly holds.A new crowd then steps in and price returns to the 1-2 trendline as a double bottomforms. The balance of power shifts and the stock breaks through that line into a newuptrend.
The skilled eye can see 5WDs in all time frames, from 5- min to monthly bars. And theunconscious crowd behavior represented by this fascinating pattern goes well beyonddeclining markets. These volatile movements fit perfectly into the larger structure ofherd mentality that drives Pattern Cycles through their orderly and predictable process.
Copyright © 2000 Traders' Library
<|end|>