Support And Resistance in Stock Market: Overview & Understanding Technical Analysis

30 Dec, 2022
7 mins read

Table of Contents

When traders talk about support and resistance, they are referring to the prices at which a particular asset or security is likely to stay in a given range.

Support is defined as a price level at which a security or asset is likely to remain stable or increase in value. Resistance is defined as a price level at which a security or asset is likely to decrease in value.

When traders see support and resistance levels, they will often try to buy the asset at the level that corresponds with the support level to take advantage of the potential for an increase in value. Conversely, when traders see resistance levels, they will often try to sell the asset at the level that corresponds with the support level to take advantage of the potential for a decrease in value.

Analyzing the Impact of Support and Resistance  

When analyzing the impact of support and resistance, it is important to keep in mind the following:

  1. Support and resistance are important indicators of market sentiment.

  2. When support is broken, it indicates that the market will fall further and make a new low.

  3. Resistance is a sign that the market is not ready to move lower.

  4. When resistance is broken, the markets are ready to move up and make a new high.

  5. When support and resistance are close together, it indicates that the market is in a range-bound phase.

  6. When support and resistance are far apart, it indicates that the market is in an oversold or overbought condition.

  7. Remember that once the resistance level can become the support level or vice versa.

Drawing Lines of Support and Resistance

To identify support and resistance, traders analyze price action. A strong support level indicates that buyers are interested in buying the stock below the current price, while a resistance level indicates that sellers are interested in selling the stock above the current price. When one or both of these levels breakdown, it can indicate an imbalance between demand and supply, which can lead to increased volatility.

Spotting Breakouts Above Resistance Levels  

If you spot a breakout above resistance levels, it can signal an impending trend reversal. When prices break out of a downtrend and rally to new highs, this is often called a "bull market." Conversely, if prices break below Resistance levels and then hold there, this is often called a "bear market." It's important to use caution when interpreting these indicators; over-reacting could lead to losses.

Psychologically Relevant Price Levels for Support & Resistance

When studying technical analysis, it is important to understand the concept of support and resistance. These terms are used to identify psychologically relevant price levels to make better trading decisions. When prices take the support, at the support level, they tend to rebound strongly. Conversely, when prices break below a resistance level, they tend to decline sharply.

The concept of support and resistance is important for two reasons. First, it allows traders to reduce their risk exposure by identifying key areas where prices may temporarily pause or reverse course. Secondly, it provides traders with a snapshot of current market sentiment - which can be useful in predicting future market changes.

Leveraging Trading Strategies Around Support & Resistance Zones 

Traders often turn to support and resistance zones for help in making informed decisions about when to open positions or sell assets. Understanding how these zones work and using that knowledge to your advantage, can provide a leg up in the market.

A support zone is an area where buyers are more likely to act based on historical data. In fact, there must be prior demand (volume) near the zone's price before it becomes a support level - meaning that buyers aren't just randomly buying and selling at the zone without reason. A resistance level is another area where sellers tend to predominate and will push prices higher if they can get them there. Again, there must be enough demand present before sellers show their hand - meaning they won't budge until they see real interest from buyers above their chosen price point.

Identifying Bullish and Bearish Divergences at Support & Resistance 

One of the most important aspects of trading is identifying support and resistance levels. When traders identify these levels, they can better predict the future direction of an asset. Trades that are executed near support or resistance levels tend to perform better than those that are not.

A key component to understanding support and resistance is knowing when a level has been breached. If a trader identifies a rally as it approaches a level of support, but the level ultimately fails to hold, then the trader may have lost money on that trade. Likewise, if a trader sees a decline approaching a level of resistance, but the level ultimately holds, then he or she may have made money on that trade. The ability to identify these divergences at S/R levels is an important skill for any trader.

Analyzing Price Action at Support and Resistance

There are certain times in which traders can use support and resistance levels as a reference point to make trading decisions. When prices are near the boundaries of support or resistance, it can be an indication that demand is strong enough to sustain a price level, while sellers may be weak and could push the price down if they become too numerous.

Similarly, when prices test the boundaries of support or resistance, it can be an indication that buyers or sellers have created a stronghold at these levels and will not budge easily. It can also provide clues about how long it might take for prices to move beyond these points - providing investors with some idea about where future movement may occur.

To identify bullish and bearish divergences at S/R levels, traders must understand how price action at these boundaries affects the market. To do this, they should examine volume and RSI indicators as they move within and outside support or resistance zones.

In cases where prices have been largely controlled within a particular zone(support or resistance), buyers and sellers may not be active enough to cause major fluctuations. On the other hand, when prices break out of a zone without much fanfare, it could be due to an imbalance in demand and supply which will create more volatility for investors.

Utilizing Technical Indicators to Identify Support and Resistance  

Supports and resistances are important indicators of price movement. When buyers and sellers agree on a particular price point, it is known as a support level. If the price take this support, it may indicate that strong buying pressure exists, which could push prices higher. Conversely, if the price falls below this support level, it may indicate that selling pressure is influencing the market and can lead to a decline in prices. The existence of support and resistance ensures that buyers and sellers have an agreed-upon location for trading.

Technical indicators can also be used to identify areas of potential resistance or support. When examining charts, traders should look for reversals of previous Fibonacci levels or other patterns that can provide clues about where prices will next move. Additionally, looking at relative volume can indicate if buyers or sellers are in control of the market. When identifying areas of potential resistance, traders should keep in mind that prices will eventually break through this level if strong buying pressure exists. Conversely, when identifying support levels, traders should remember that prices may not necessarily fall below this point if selling pressure is dominating the market.

Trapped Traders at Key Areas of S/R

Many traders are often trapped at key areas of support and resistance. This can be because they may be trading with a false sense of security, or they may be overconfident in their ability to take advantage of a breakout. When traders are trapped, they are often unable to take advantage of opportunities that may present themselves.

When traders are trapped, it is important to utilize technical indicators to identify potential support and resistance levels. Technical indicators can help traders identify whether a price is likely to stay below a certain level, or whether it is likely to breakout and reach new heights. By using technical indicators, traders can avoid being trapped and take advantage of opportunities that may present themselves.

Managing Risk With Proper Position Sizing in Support & Resistance Zones

There are a few key areas in which traders can find support and resistance. This is true whether you're looking to trade stocks, commodities, currencies, or any other asset class.

When identifying potential zones of support and resistance for your investment thesis, be sure to take into account the following factors:

  • The Current Trend.

Do we appear to be headed higher or lower? If you believe the trend is still favorable, look for levels of support near the top of the chart (the price has already touched/reached these levels before). Conversely, if you think prices will fall below these levels, then look for zones of resistance near the bottom (the price has yet to touch/reach this level).

  • Supply and Demand.

Are there any major players in the market with a lot of inventory (supply)? If so, these levels may act as support. Conversely, if demand is high and there's not much available, then these levels may act as resistance.

  • Relative Strength.

Are the indicators showing over-bought or over sold area at these levels? This can give you clues about where buyers and sellers are likely to congregate.

  • The Technical Indicators.

Do the indicators look like they're heading in the same direction as the price trend? If not, then you may want to consider looking for support or resistance elsewhere on the chart.

  • The Psychological Factors.

Are people buying or selling at these levels? If so, does that mean that they believe the price will stay where it is or go higher? If they're selling, do they seem confident that prices will fall quickly? The answer to these questions can give you valuable clues about the likely path of the market.

  • Past Performance.

Does anyone have a history of success(or failure) when trading at this level? This can give you some idea about how serious buyers and sellers are about pushing the prices up or down.

How to Identify Support and Resistance Points?  

Support and resistance are important technical indicators that can help traders identify where the market is likely to move in the short and long term. Support and resistance points are defined as points at which a market's price has been stable for a period, indicating that buyers and sellers have reached an agreement.

When identifying support and resistance points, traders should consider the following factors:

  • The length of time the support or resistance has been in place.

  • The volume of trading activity near the support or resistance point.

  • The price action near the support or resistance point.

  • The psychological nature of the support or resistance point.

  • The economic conditions surrounding the support or resistance point.

  • The technical indicators associated with the market.

  • The overall trend of the market.

  • The historical patterns of the market.

  • The current conditions of the markets in question.

  • Similarities to past support or resistance points in other markets.

Benefits of Understanding Support and Resistance  

When trading, it is important to understand support and resistance. Support is a level of prices at which buyers and sellers are willing to transact; resistance is a level at which those same buyers and sellers will not agree to any transactions. When traders identify support or resistance levels, they may place stops (limits) in order to protect their profit or limit their loss. If the price breaks through the stop-loss level, the trader can breathe a sigh of relief as profits have been made on that trade; if the price fails to break through the stop-loss level, losses have been incurred on that trade. It is important to remember that support and resistance are dynamic levels - they will change over time as underlying market conditions change.

Understanding support and resistance can be beneficial to traders. By knowing where buyers and sellers are willing to trade, traders can place stops to protect their profits or limit their losses. If the price breaks through the stop-loss level, the trader can breathe a sigh of relief as profits have been made on that trade; if the price fails to break through the stop-loss level, losses have been incurred on that trade. It is important to remember that support and resistance are dynamic levels - they will change over time as underlying market conditions change.

Working With Indicators to Confirm Trends & Signals at Support and Resistance

Support and resistance can be indicators of the health and trend of a security or market. Traders use these indicators to confirm trends and signals. The following are common support and resistance levels:

Support: A level below which buyers are unwilling or unable to purchase an underlying security, often due to unrealistic price expectations. This level is determined by supply and demand fundamentals, as well as the sentiment of buyers.

Resistance: A level above which sellers are unwilling or unable to sell an underlying security, often due to unrealistic price expectations. This level is determined by supply and demand fundamentals, as well as the sentiment of sellers.

Using Volume Analysis to Spot False Breaks  

Volume analysis is a powerful tool that can be used to spot false breaks and reversals in trend. Volume is a measure of how much an asset or security has been traded over a given period of time. When volume is high, it indicates that investors are confident in the asset's future and are willing to buy and sell it in large quantities. When volume is low, it indicates that investors are less confident in the asset's future and are more likely to sell it in small quantities. Volume can also be used to confirm trends and signals at support and resistance levels.

 

Final Words:

Understanding support and resistance is an essential skill for any trader. By recognizing the importance of key price levels, traders can identify potential entry and exit points, manage risk with proper position sizing, and adjust their stop-losses accordingly. Additionally, by leveraging indicators and volume analysis, traders can confirm trends and spot false breaks at support and resistance levels. With a thorough understanding of support and resistance, traders can increase their chances of success in the markets. For more understanding of resistance and support, visit School of Stocks and community.

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