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Friday, April 26, 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.

Bearish Abandoned Baby

Bearish Abandoned Baby

Bearish Abandoned Baby

A type of candlestick pattern that is used by traders to signal a reversal in the current uptrend. This pattern is formed by three distinct candlesticks that show

Bearish Belt Hold

Bearish Belt Hold

Bearish Belt Hold

A candlestick pattern that forms during an upward trend. This is what happens in the pattern: following a stretch of bullish trades, a bearish or black candlestick occurs; the opening price, which becomes the high for the day, is higher than the close of the previous day; the stock price declines throughout the day, resulting in a long black candlestick with a short lower shadow and no upper shadow.

Bearish Engulfing Pattern

Bearish Engulfing Pattern

Bearish Engulfing Pattern

A chart pattern that consists of a small white candlestick with short shadows or tails followed by a large black candlestick that eclipses or "engulfs" the small white one.

Bearish Harami

Bearish Harami

Bearish Harami

A trend indicated by a large candlestick followed by a much smaller candlestick with a that body is located within the vertical range of the larger candle's body. Such a pattern is an indication that the previous upward trend is coming to an end.

Blowoff

Blowoff

A term in technical analysis that refers to a sharp price increase that comes after a long period of price appreciation, and is followed by a fall in the price. A blowoff is seen as a rally's last breath and is a highly bearish sign.

Blow-Off Top

Blow-Off Top

Blow-Off Top

A chart pattern that indicates a steep and rapid increase in a security's price and trading volume followed by a steep and rapid drop in price and volume. The rapid changes indicated by a blow-off top, also called a blow-off move or exhaustion move, can be the result of actual news or pure speculation.

Bollinger Band

Bollinger Band

Bollinger Band

A band plotted two standard deviations away from a simple moving average, developed by famous technical trader John Bollinger.

Box Size

Box Size

The minimum price change that must occur before the next mark is added to a point and figure chart. A point and figure chart's box size determines the value of price movements that will be recorded by each mark on the chart. Technical analysts use charts to view past and current price information for particular trading instruments, such as stocks or futures contracts. A traditional bar chart plots price changes at specific time intervals, such as a daily chart or a five-minute chart. Point and figure charting, on the other hand, adds a new mark only after price has moved a specified amount. This amount is known as the box size.

Breadth Indicator

Breadth Indicator

A mathematical formula that uses advancing and declining issues to calculate the amount of participation in the movement of the stock market. By evaluating how many stocks are increasing or decreasing in price and how many trades investors are placing for these stocks, breadth indicators can show whether overall market sentiment is bullish (positive market breadth) or bearish (negative market breadth). Investors can also use breadth indicators to evaluate the behavior of a particular industry or sector, or to analyze the magnitude of a rally or retreat.

Breadth Thrust Indicator

Breadth Thrust Indicator

A technical indicator used to ascertain market momentum. The breadth thrust indicator is computed by calculating the number of advancing issues on an exchange such as the NYSE divided by the total number of issues (advancing + declining) on it, and generating a 10-day moving average of this percentage. The indicator signals the start of a potential new bull market when it moves from a level of below 40% (indicating an oversold market) to above 61.5% within any 10-day period, a sentiment shift that occurs only rarely.

Breakaway Gap

Breakaway Gap

Breakaway Gap

A term used in technical analysis. A breakaway gap represents a gap in the movement of a stock price supported by levels of high volume.

Broadening Formation

Broadening Formation

Broadening Formation

A pattern that occurs during high volatility, when a security shows great movement with little direction. The formation is identified by a series of higher pivot highs and lower pivot lows. A trendline drawn over the pivot highs and under the pivot lows frames out the widening pattern. It looks like a megaphone and, in fact, it is also known by that name.
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