Retraces are welcome news if we missed the initial breakout or looking for a spot to add-on to existing trade.
First, identify if we just had a leg up or down. Just a small move does not make a leg of a possible new trend. In other words we must have a trend to have a retrace. A swing within a range, even if the range is wide is NOT a trend. A mkt trading in a range is just a number of players trading each others money back and forth. Such a mkt will not draw new players (money) in to expand the range. When the range shows a breakout, other players eyes will get wide-eyed and prepare for action because something or someone is changing the sentiment of the mkt.
Lets say we see a new high for the day after we were in a small opening 5 handle range for the first hour. The new high is going to immediately get all of the SHORTS attention, the shorts were conditioned to not pay attention to the previous high because they saw that price maybe 2 or 3 times before in the range and they held firm. Now the shorts are getting squeezed and some will bail real fast and help the new LONGS as well as the old LONGS. A new high should bring in new LONGS to sustain the move. Ok, lets assume the move travels the length of the previous ranges 5 handles. I consider that a new leg.
The fresh leg now consists of more new longs and happy old longs than before so the longs are in control of the mkt. The shorts are either near dead or new and nervous. The shorts that hung in for this new upmove will probably stay in until a NEWER high occurs because once most traders have seen a price move against them and backs off they are willing to hang onto the hope roap for price to come back to them. The newer shorts are betting price just went to high but because of the just witnessed upmove have tight STOPS just above the last high. Visualize a retrace coming.
Ok, the longs just used up most of their buying power and price settles down for a consolidation. The shorts are not defeated but licking their wounds. The longs are getting braver and want more. Price drops back some and draws in new shorts believing price has topped out. Assume also some of the longs are adding-on to their old positions with the fresh profits now showing in their accounts... new buying power.
The longs know another leg up will smack the weak new shorts and will kill off the old near dead shorts as they bite the bullet and bail. New legs are usually fast starters because you have a combination of new longs jumping in AND shorts buying their way OUT.
Retraces draw in food for a continuation of the trend. Once the trend quits getting fed the move will show a reversal because then the shorts have run out of powder to fight the longs and the longs detect the change in sentiment and add to the reversal by cashing in by selling.
Rinse and repeat. Over and over.
Thats a retrace in a nutshell. Make a run.......regroup, bring in new blood to feed on, repeat the trend. After a leg, always assume that side of the mkt has the other side by the shorthairs and are in control.