Some observations in Learning How to Slalom
Great thread, am learning a lot. There are some real aficionados here and am falling behind the curve so to speak (lol). One thing I am learning is that it is one thing to paper trade, quite another to do it with a real time simulator and totally different to do it with real money. I am just trying to learn how to make a buck here and am very appreciative of everyoneâs contributions. My skill level currently is not sufficient enough to slalom. Far from it.
The way I see it a trend can end in one of three ways:
a) Stall, possibly with varying degrees of retrace, and then continue
b) Break out into a sideways trading range
c) Or reverse
Leaving the first two for the time being and focusing on just the third, are there opportune moments in the trading day when a reversal is imminent and the signs are telegraphed before it happens?
As an example, when a short trend expires, what qualities can be attributed to it that might indicate a severe reversal? Did the pace accelerate as the trend expired? Did the volume peak at the very apex of the channel? Did the steepness of the decline accelerate as the channel broke? 6/12 , 7/3 , 7/14 are examples that comes to mind.
Another scenario comes to mind. Typically, the mornings' trading range creates a high (or low) for the day. For the afternoon to break the HOD (or LOD) effort is needed. This requires volume. Discretion is used in calibrating this. If the volume does not show up when hitting the resistance (or support) level, then many times I consider a reversal( 6/24 - hod, 7/14 - hod, 7/16 - lod are some examples that come to mind). This precludes scenarios where the whole trading day turns out to be rocket oriented, 5/2 as an example.
I may be missing the big picture here, but one component of 'slaloming' is to consider a reaction to a support/resistance level that does not break ?
I also question whether or not to just jump in at any moment in slalom territory if I have missed the opportune entry (i.e. at the end of one channel and the beginning of another). An example of an opportune moment being 7/16 11:15, a reversal using vdu/inside bar combination for the 4 'oclk drift that followed mid afternoon. Signal levels as measured by volume and macd peaks may be very low or non existent to begin with. There is such a thing as a cut off point of no signal and just drift so to speak.
Hope these remarks are not too obtuse, inaccurate or off the beaten track.
On a personal note, I find Mr. Hersheysâ perspective on price/volume relationship extremely helpful and always pay very close attention to volume and price on charts as well as any post that contains the words volume or price (lol)
(this is such a great thread
