MARKET STRUCTURE INDICATORS

It’s a type of Technical Analysis.
Technical Analysis is a method of chart analysis, usually of price, using various formulae designed to highlight specific characteristics and provide signals to help forecast market movements. Indicators can also be derived from the use of trendlines and price patterns, which are not based on formulae and are more subjective. The idea is to predict the future price levels, or simply the general price direction, of a security by looking at past patterns.
How is it different form Fundamental Analysis?
Market Structure Indicators (Technical Indicators or Technicals) are distinguished by the fact that they do not analyze any part of the fundamental business, like earnings, revenue and profit margins. They are used most extensively by active traders in the market, as they are designed primarily for analyzing short-term price movements. To a long-term investor, most technical indicators are of little value, as they do nothing to shed light on the underlying business. The most effective uses of technicals for a long-term investor are to help identify good entry and exit points for the stock by analyzing the long-term trend.
Technical analysts believe that the historical performance of stocks and markets are indications of future performance.
Eg: In a shopping mall, a fundamental analyst would go to each store, study the product that was being sold, and then decide whether to buy it or not. By contrast, a technical analyst would sit on a bench in the mall and watch people go into the stores. Disregarding the intrinsic value of the products in the store, the technical analyst's decision would be based on the patterns or activity of people going into each store.

Types of Market Structure Indicators: 1. Moving Average: It shows the average value of a security's price over a set period. Moving averages are generally used to measure momentum and define areas of possible support and resistance.

Interpretation: Moving averages are used to emphasize the direction of a trend and to smooth out price and volume fluctuations, or "noise", that can confuse interpretation. Typically, upward momentum is confirmed when a short-term average (e.g.15-day) crosses above a longer-term average (e.g. 50-day). Downward momentum is confirmed when a short-term average crosses below a long-term average 2. Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD): A trend-following momentum indicator that shows the relationship between two moving averages of prices. The MACD is calculated by subtracting the 26-day exponential moving average (EMA) from the 12-day EMA. A nine-day EMA of the MACD, called the "signal line", is then plotted on top of the MACD, functioning as a trigger for buy and sell signals.

Interpretation: There are three common methods used to interpret the MACD:

1. Crossovers - As shown in the chart above, when the MACD falls below the signal line, it is a bearish signal, which indicates that it may be time to sell. Conversely, when the MACD rises above the signal line, the indicator gives a bullish signal, which suggests that the price of the asset is likely to experience upward momentum. Many traders wait for a confirmed cross above the signal line before entering into a position to avoid getting getting "faked out" or entering into a position too early, as shown by the first arrow.

2. Divergence - When the security price diverges from the MACD. It signals the end of the current trend.

3. Dramatic rise - When the MACD rises dramatically - that is, the shorter moving average pulls away from the longer-term moving average - it is a signal that the security is overbought and will soon return to normal levels.

Traders also watch for a move above or below the zero line because this signals the position of the short-term average relative to the long-term average. When the MACD is above zero, the short-term average is above the long-term average, which signals upward momentum. The opposite is true when the MACD is below zero. As you can see from the chart above, the zero line often acts as an area of support and resistance for the indicator.

3. On-Balance Volume (OBV): A method used in technical analysis to detect momentum, the calculation of which relates volume to price change. OBV provides a running total of volume and shows whether this volume is flowing in or out of a given security. This indicator was developed by Joe Granville.

Interpretation: OBV attempts to detect when a financial instrument (stock, bond, etc.) is being accumulated by a large number of buyers or sold by many sellers. Traders will use an upward sloping OBV to confirm an uptrend, while a downward sloping OBV is used to confirm a downtrend. Finding a downward sloping OBV while the price of an asset is trending upward can be used to suggest that the "smart" traders are starting to exit their positions and that a shift in trend may be coming.

4. Relative Strength Index (RSI): It compares the magnitude of recent gains to recent losses in an attempt to determine overbought and oversold conditions of an asset. It is calculated using the following formula:
RSI = 100 - 100/(1 + RS*)
*Where RS = Average of x days' up closes / Average of x days' down closes.

Interpretation: As you can see from the chart, the RSI ranges from 0 to 100. An asset is deemed to be overbought once the RSI approaches the 70 level, meaning that it may be getting overvalued and is a good candidate for a pullback. Likewise, if the RSI approaches 30, it is an indication that the asset may be getting oversold and therefore likely to become undervalued. A trader using RSI should be aware that large surges and drops in the price of an asset will affect the RSI by creating false buy or sell signals. The RSI is best used as a valuable complement to other stock-picking tools.

5. Stochastic Oscillator: It is a technical momentum indicator that compares a security's closing price to its price range over a given time period. The oscillator's sensitivity to market movements can be reduced by adjusting the time period or by taking a moving average of the result. This indicator is calculated with the following formula:

%K = 100[(C - L14)/(H14 - L14)]

C = the most recent closing price
L14 = the low of the 14 previous trading sessions
H14 = the highest price traded during the same 14-day period.

%D = 3-period moving average of %K

Interpretation: The theory behind this indicator is that in an upward-trending market, prices tend to close near their high, and during a downward-trending market, prices tend to close near their low. Transaction signals occur when the %K crosses through a three-period moving average called the "%D".

6. Money Flow Index (MFI): A momentum indicator that is used to determine the conviction in a current trend by analyzing the price and volume of a given security. The MFI is used as a measure of the strength of money going in and out of a security and can be used to predict a trend reversal. The MFI is range-bound between 0 and 100 and is interpreted in a similar fashion as the RSI.
The money flow index is calculated by using the following formula:

Typical Price = (High + Low + Close) / 3
Money Flow = Typical price * Volume
Money Ratio = Positive Money Flow/Negative Money Flow

Note: Positive money values are created when the typical price is greater than the previous typical price value. The sum of positive money over the number of periods used to create the indicator is used to create the positive money flow - the values used in the money ratio. The opposite is true for the negative money flow values.

Money Flow Index = 100 - (100/ (1 + Money Ratio))

Interpretation: The money flow index is similar to the relative strength index (RSI). The fundamental difference is that the MFI also accounts for volume, whereas the RSI only incorporates price. Many traders watch for opportunities that arise when the MFI moves in the opposite direction as the price. This divergence can often be a leading indicator of a change in the current trend.

7. Price Rate of Change: A technical indicator that measures the percentage change between the most recent price and the price "n" periods in the past. It is calculated by using the following formula:

(Closing Price Today - Closing Price "n" Periods Ago) / Closing Price "n" Periods Ago

ROC is classed as a price momentum indicator or a velocity indicator because it measures the rate of change or the strength of momentum of change.

Interpretation: Many traders use a value greater than zero to indicate an increase in upward momentum and a value less than zero to indicate an increase in selling pressure. However, some of the most valuable signals are generated when the price of the asset and the ROC are heading in opposite directions (known as divergence). For example, in the chart above you can see that the ROC is sloping downward while the price of the asset is increasing. This is generally an early indication that a sharp decline may be on the way.