- This article, written by Alan Collins is taken from the FX Trader Magazine (JAN/MARCH 2013 issue).
The Relative Strength Indicator, created by Welles Wilder, has long been used by many market participants in their analysis. For the most part this application has been applied via daily charts, or longer periods, primarily as a means to identify trend. But there are a number of methods that RSI can be used for;
- As a measure of an overbought/oversold situation.
- An indicator of the underlying trend & of trend breaks.
- A buy/sell signal when the 50% line is crossed.
- An indicator of possible Divergence
For the investor or proprietary trader these methods are without doubt tools that, taken in context with other technical indicators, will prove useful. But do they work, and can they be successfully employed, in shorter intraday time frames? In this article I will use the same hourly GBPUSD chart, and the same 8 period RSI, and apply the four methods above to illustrate how to use them and assess whether they’re likely to be beneficial. Lastly I’ll add a lesser known but powerful number of other situations were only warnings of what turns out to be minor profit taking rallies inside the more pronounced trend.
Editors’ Picks
EUR/USD advances above 1.1800 ahead of German inflation data
EUR/USD stretches higher above 1.1800 in the European session on Friday, helped by sustained US Dollar weakness. Attention now turns toward the release of the preliminary inflation data for February from Germany and its major states during the day.
GBP/USD struggles near 1.3500 amid UK political drama, BoE easing bias
GBP/USD struggles to build on the overnight modest bounce from the weekly low and oscillates in a narrow band near 1.3500 in European trading on Friday. The Gorton and Denton by-election, held on February 26, has become a focal point of political drama in the UK, along with the Bank of England (BoE) easing expectations, acts as a headwind for the British Pound and the GBP/USD pair.
USD/JPY falls back below 156.00 as Tokyo CPI backs BoJ's hawkish outlook
USD/JPY attracts fresh sellers for the second straight day following the release of Tokyo CPI, which grew slightly more than expected in February. This comes on top of hawkish comments by BoJ officials and backs the case for further policy tightening, providing a modest lift to the Japanese Yen. Apart from this, sustained safe-haven buying, amid trade-related uncertainties and geopolitical tensions, benefits the JPY's safe-haven status. However, reduced Fed rate cut bets underpin the US Dollar and could help limit losses for the currency pair.
Editors’ Picks
EUR/USD advances above 1.1800 ahead of German inflation data
EUR/USD stretches higher above 1.1800 in the European session on Friday, helped by sustained US Dollar weakness. Attention now turns toward the release of the preliminary inflation data for February from Germany and its major states during the day.
GBP/USD struggles near 1.3500 amid UK political drama, BoE easing bias
GBP/USD struggles to build on the overnight modest bounce from the weekly low and oscillates in a narrow band near 1.3500 in European trading on Friday. The Gorton and Denton by-election, held on February 26, has become a focal point of political drama in the UK, along with the Bank of England (BoE) easing expectations, acts as a headwind for the British Pound and the GBP/USD pair.
Gold flat lines below $5,200; traders look to US PPI for fresh impetus
Gold struggles to capitalize on its modest gains registered over the past two days and trades below the $5,200 mark through the first half of the European session on Friday. Geopolitical risks remain in play amid a large US naval and air power buildup in the Middle East.
Bitcoin, Ethereum and Ripple consolidate with short-term cautious bullish bias
Bitcoin, Ethereum and Ripple are consolidating near key technical areas on Friday, showing mild signs of stabilization after recent volatility. BTC holds above $67,000 despite mild losses so far this week, while ETH hovers around $2,000 after a rejection near its upper consolidation boundary.
Changing the game: International implications of recent tariff developments
The Supreme Court ruling on International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) tariffs provides limited relief for the rest of the world, with weighted average tariff rates modestly lower.
RECOMMENDED LESSONS
Making money in forex is easy if you know how the bankers trade!
I’m often mystified in my educational forex articles why so many traders struggle to make consistent money out of forex trading. The answer has more to do with what they don’t know than what they do know. After working in investment banks for 20 years many of which were as a Chief trader its second knowledge how to extract cash out of the market.
5 Forex News Events You Need To Know
In the fast moving world of currency markets where huge moves can seemingly come from nowhere, it is extremely important for new traders to learn about the various economic indicators and forex news events and releases that shape the markets. Indeed, quickly getting a handle on which data to look out for, what it means, and how to trade it can see new traders quickly become far more profitable and sets up the road to long term success.
Top 10 Chart Patterns Every Trader Should Know
Chart patterns are one of the most effective trading tools for a trader. They are pure price-action, and form on the basis of underlying buying and selling pressure. Chart patterns have a proven track-record, and traders use them to identify continuation or reversal signals, to open positions and identify price targets.
7 Ways to Avoid Forex Scams
The forex industry is recently seeing more and more scams. Here are 7 ways to avoid losing your money in such scams: Forex scams are becoming frequent. Michael Greenberg reports on luxurious expenses, including a submarine bought from the money taken from forex traders. Here’s another report of a forex fraud. So, how can we avoid falling in such forex scams?
What Are the 10 Fatal Mistakes Traders Make
Trading is exciting. Trading is hard. Trading is extremely hard. Some say that it takes more than 10,000 hours to master. Others believe that trading is the way to quick riches. They might be both wrong. What is important to know that no matter how experienced you are, mistakes will be part of the trading process.
The challenge: Timing the market and trader psychology
Successful trading often comes down to timing – entering and exiting trades at the right moments. Yet timing the market is notoriously difficult, largely because human psychology can derail even the best plans. Two powerful emotions in particular – fear and greed – tend to drive trading decisions off course.