Volume refers to the number of shares or contracts traded in an asset or security over a specific period. In the context of technical analysis, volume can be used to confirm price trends and generate trading signals based on divergences between volume and price.
What it is and what it shows
Volume represents the level of interest or activity in a particular asset. A high volume indicates strong interest and heavy trading, while low volume can suggest a lack of interest or a period of consolidation.
Several key insights that volume provides include:
- Strength Confirmation: A price movement accompanied by high volume is generally seen as having more strength and conviction. It suggests that the move is widely accepted and supported by traders.
- Potential Reversals: If price reaches new highs or lows but volume doesn’t support it, there might be a lack of conviction in the trend. This divergence can signal a potential reversal.
- Breakouts and Breakdowns: When price breaks out of a consolidation range or a specific pattern (e.g., a triangle or channel) on high volume, it adds validity to the breakout. Low volume breakouts may be suspect and prone to failure.
- Accumulation and Distribution: Periods of quiet consolidation with increasing volume might indicate accumulation (buying) or distribution (selling). Watching volume patterns can give hints about the potential next move.
How to trade it
Volume can be integrated into various trading strategies:
- Volume and Breakouts: When a stock breaks above a resistance level (or below a support level) on high volume, it’s often a valid signal that the breakout is genuine. This can be an opportune time for a trade.
Example: If a stock has been trading between $10 and $12 and suddenly breaks above $12 on significantly higher volume than the recent average, it might indicate strong buying interest and a potential continued upward move.
- Volume Climax: A sudden spike in volume after a strong trend might indicate a climax or exhaustion move. This can be a sign of a potential trend reversal.
Example: If a stock has been steadily climbing and then sees a sharp upward move on very high volume (much higher than previous days), it could suggest a buying climax and potential for a pullback or reversal.
- On Balance Volume (OBV): OBV is a momentum indicator that uses volume flow to predict changes in stock price. It adds volume on up days and subtracts volume on down days. A rising OBV suggests that volume is flowing into an asset, while a falling OBV indicates outflow.
- Volume Divergence: When price and volume diverge, it can signal a potential trend change. For instance, if price is rising but volume is decreasing, it could suggest a lack of conviction in the upward move and a potential reversal.
Example: A stock reaches new highs, but the volume starts to decline with each new high. This divergence can be a warning sign that the uptrend may not be sustainable.
When using volume in technical analysis, it’s essential to always use it in conjunction with other indicators and tools. No single indicator should be used in isolation.