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Friday, April 19, 2024
Knowledge BaseGlossary

Glossary

Algorithmic Trading can be a complex subject. Keep your knowledge current with this glossary of key concepts, terminology, and technical indicators.

Absolute Breadth Index - ABI

Absolute Breadth Index - ABI

A market indicator used to determine volatility levels in the market without factoring in price direction. It is calculated by taking the absolute value of the difference between the number of advancing issues and the number of declining issues. Typically, large numbers suggest volatility is increasing, which is likely to cause significant changes in stock prices in the coming weeks.

ABX index

ABX index

A financial benchmark that measures the overall value of mortgages made to borrowers with subprime or weak credit. The ABX index uses credit default swap contracts to come up with an overall value and is made up of 20 bonds that is comprised of groups of subprime mortgages. Using this index, financial institutions are able to determine if the market for these securities are improving or worsening. Also referred to as Asset-Backed Securities Index.

Accumulation Area

Accumulation Area

A price range in which investors typically purchase shares of a particular stock. The accumulation area is determined by looking at the volume and its corresponding price. It appears as a rectangle with a price line bouncing up and down between the upper and lower limits. According to technical analysts, stocks that hit the accumulation area presents an opportunity to buy because it is expected to attract more demand.

Accumulation/Distribution

Accumulation/Distribution

Accumulation/Distribution

An indicator that tracks the relationship between volume and price. It is often considered a leading indicator because it shows when a stock is being accumulated or distributed, foreshadowing major price moves.

Accumulative Swing Index - ASI

Accumulative Swing Index - ASI

A indicator used by traders to gauge a security's long-term trend by comparing bars which contain its opening, closing, high and low prices throughout a specific period of time. When the ASI is positive, it suggests that the long-term trend will be higher, and when the ASI is negative, it suggests that the long-term trend will be lower.

Adaptive Price Zone - APZ

Adaptive Price Zone - APZ

A technical indicator that helps investors identify possible market turning points. The adaptive price zone (APZ) can be especially useful in a sideways-moving market. This indicator attempts to signal significant price movements by using a a set of bands based on short-term, double-smoothed exponential moving averages. It can help day traders profit in volatile markets by signaling price reversal points, which can indicate potentially lucrative times to buy or sell. The APZ can be implemented as part of an automated trading system.

Adjusted Debit Balance

Adjusted Debit Balance

The amount in a margin account that is owed to the broker, minus profits on short sales and balances in a special miscellaneous account (SMA). The adjusted debit balance aids an investor in knowing how much he/she owes in the event of a margin call. Under Regulation T, one can borrow up to 50% of the purchase price of securities on margin.

Advance/Decline Index

Advance/Decline Index

A technical analysis tool that represents the total difference between the number of advancing and declining security prices. This index is considered one of the best indicators of market movements as a whole. Stock indexes such as the Dow Jones Industrial Average only tell us the strength of 30 stocks, whereas the advance/decline index can provide much more insight into the movements of the market.

Advance/Decline Line - A/D

Advance/Decline Line - A/D

A technical indicator that plots changes in the value of the advance-decline index over a certain time period. Each point on the chart is calculated by taking the difference between the number of advancing/declining issues and adding the result to the previous period's value, as shown by the following formula:

Advance/Decline Ratio- ADR

Advance/Decline Ratio- ADR

A market-breadth indicator used in technical analysis to compare the number of stocks that closed higher with the number of stocks that closed lower than their previous day's closing prices. To calculate the advance/decline ratio, divide the number of advancing shares by the number of declining shares. The A/D ratio can be calculated for various time periods, such as one day, one week or one month.

Advances And Declines

Advances And Declines

The number of stocks that closed at a higher price than the previous day's close, and the number of stocks that closed at a lower price than the previous day's close. Technical analysts looks at advances and declines to analyze the overall behavior of the stock market, in order to discern volatility and to predict whether a price trend is likely to continue or reverse. Typically, a market will be more bullish if more stocks advance than decline.

Amplitude

Amplitude

The difference in price from the midpoint of a trough to the midpoint of a peak of a security. Amplitude is positive when calculating a bullish retracement (when calculating from trough to peak) and negative when calculating a bearish retracement (when calculating from peak to trough).
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