Stocks breakout from properly formed bases everyday but many investors don't understand how to locate a pivot point or what patterns to study that may contain this very important buy signal. A pivot point can be described as the optimal buy point or the area at the end of a familiar base pattern where the stock breaks out into new high territory. William O'Neil, the founder of Investor's Business Daily is considered the pioneer of the pivot point in modern times. As Jesse Livermore explains in his book (1941), the pivot point can also be described as the point of least resistance. When a stock breaks the point of least resistance, we are presented with an opportunity where a stock has the greatest chance of moving higher in a short period of time, especially when volume accompanies the breakout.
The pivot point can be calculated as the stock is forming the handle on a cup-with-handle base. The ideal buy price would be $0.10 higher than the highest spot during the handle, also know as the top of the right side of the base. The intraday high can qualify at the highest point and does not have to be the closing price of the stock. If the stock closes at the high for the day, then we will use this number as the high point.
The exact methods used for finding pivot points vary depending on the base pattern that is forming on a daily and/or weekly chart.
When a flat base occurs, an investor should look for a move $0.10 higher than the top point on the left side of the base or the start of the formation.
A saucer-with-handle follows the same rules as the cup-with-handle and is described in detail above.
A double-bottom formation triggers a pivot point that will be $0.10 higher than the middle peak in the "W" shaped pattern.
Many investors will try to cheat the rules and place a position prematurely before the stock breaks out and passes the pivot point. I do not suggest buying until the stock triggers the pivot point on above average volume also known as qualifying volume. The area considered as the least amount of resistance is weighed so heavily because all overhead sellers are gone as we break into new high territory. The pivot point usually comes within 5% to 15% of the stock's old high 52-week high.
Don't chase a stock that is 5% or more above the proper pivot point. This does not mean that you can't buy on normal corrections and pullbacks to support or moving averages, especially if the stock remains in an uptrend. This rule only applies to the pivot point area as the stock becomes extended. If you buy with the pivot point and sell when a stock falls 7-10% from the pivot point, I guarantee that your yearly performance will increase dramatically.
Chris Perruna - http://www.marketstockwatch.com
Chris is the founder and president of MarketStockWatch.com, an internet community that teaches you how to invest your money with solid rules. We don't stop at just showing you our daily and weekly screens, we teach you how to make you own screens through education. Through our philosophy, you will be able to create your own methods and styles to become successful.
Airbnb cleaning service Arlington Heights ..Robert Rodriguez likes to buy stocks at their lows. When... Read More
When it comes to mutual funds, there is a lot... Read More
Let's hope you did not have any of the Enron... Read More
'Sector funds are too risky.' 'I doubled my money with... Read More
For years investors have been taught to look into the... Read More
Disclaimer: Please note that I do not necessarily purchase, own,... Read More
Several times each month I am solicited by various market... Read More
A Guide to Using Stop Loss Orders Stop losses are... Read More
The trading method you employ to approach the stock market... Read More
First let's see what protectionism is. According to Mr. Webster... Read More
There is so much involved in developing peak performance, that... Read More
The Macedonian Stock Exchange (MSE) is not operating successfully. True,... Read More
You may have wondered why your mutual funds have been... Read More
Analyzing growth stocks is an important focus for any investor.... Read More
Have you ever thought of investing? Do you have a... Read More
I was devastated!I just couldn't believe it. I was 10... Read More
What does it mean to short a stock?This means that... Read More
Just about everything you have been told about Social Security... Read More
Look back over the years and try to remember how... Read More
Why? Because I am going to shatter your conventional wisdom... Read More
Have you been listening to the talking heads on CNBC-TV?... Read More
The higher the market goes the more confusing are the... Read More
What is the Series 7 Exam? If you... Read More
Two weeks ago I wrote about what the Securities and... Read More
The stock market has not been very kind to your... Read More
reliable maid service Winnetka ..Most people think the stock market is a zero sum... Read More
On Friday or Saturday evening my wife gets a movie... Read More
Mutual funds were moderately successful in creating a presence in... Read More
The Shadow knows. There used to be a radio program... Read More
Have you ever thought of investing? Do you have a... Read More
"If you don't know where you are going, any road... Read More
One of the big advertising kicks today from mutual funds... Read More
The following are a list of nine things you want... Read More
The demand for world oil is increasing while world reserves... Read More
Are you one of those many people who dread reading... Read More
Picking a beaten-down stock requires a different kind of selection... Read More
(1) CHK stock price $16.74, NAV $32.5CHK is my favorite... Read More
A common problem I often see when working with living... Read More
I was devastated!I just couldn't believe it. I was 10... Read More
What can I expect to make my first year of... Read More
In one of my previous articles (Investing in the stock... Read More
Time to look back2004 is over, now we are in... Read More
After some forty years of banking and investments, I retired... Read More
The stock market has not been very kind to your... Read More
Every day I hear from the "experts" on CNBC-TV and... Read More
The stock market is very unstable at this time going... Read More
Everything you invest in has risk so you want to... Read More
Investors who exclusively use broadly diversified, no load mutual funds... Read More
The Surgeon General of the United States says that smoking... Read More
I have a 2-car garage. There are nice shelves on... Read More
Stocks & Mutual Fund |