Price action traders need skills to predict market conditions and devise effective trading plans. Below are five important skills for a price action trader:
1. Identifying Pivot Swings
Pivot swings are key to understanding market structure and determining support and resistance zones. By understanding pivot swings, traders can identify the current market direction and potential support and resistance zones. Various methods such as using moving averages, zigzag indicators, or Gann Swings can be used to determine pivot swings.
2. Drawing Trendlines
The ability to draw trendlines allows traders to identify market trends and make appropriate trading decisions. Trendlines not only provide insight into trend direction but can also be used as support and resistance levels and to understand trend momentum.
3. Assessing Support and Resistance Conditions
Support and resistance are important concepts in price action trading. A trader must be able to assess whether support or resistance will hold by observing price action on higher time frames. This helps them make better trading decisions.
4. Detecting Buying Pressure and Selling Pressure
Detecting buying and selling pressure allows traders to determine better entry points and reduce trading risks. By understanding price patterns and the intentions behind them, traders can identify whether there is significant buying or selling pressure in the market.
5. Setting Realistic Profit Targets
Setting realistic profit targets is an important skill in price action trading. Traders need to consider support/resistance levels, target projections based on price formations, and volatility size to set targets that align with market conditions.
A price action trader must have a deep understanding of these various concepts and how they relate to each other. With time and experience, a trader can develop the ability to make better trading decisions and consistently profit in price action trading.