1) Major trend reversals
A bull trend is a series of higher lows and highs, and a bear trend is a series of lower highs and lows. Trading a major trend reversal pattern is an attempt to enter at the start of a new trend, hoping that a series of trending highs and lows will follow. Since traders are entering before the new trend is clear, the probability of even the best looking setup is usually only 40%. These traders are looking for low risk (a tight stop), but that almost always comes with low probability. The math is good for both these early entry traders and for those who wait for the strong breakout into a clear trend. The components of a major trend reversal include a
- Trend
- Pullback that breaks out of channel
- Resumption of the trend
- 2nd pullback that grows into opposite trend
There were several major trend reversal (MTR) buy setups. Buying above bar 1 would have resulted in a small loss, and buying above bar 2 would have created a small profit or a breakeven trade. Buying above either bars 3, 4, or 5 would have resulted in a profit that was many times greater than the risk, and the wedge bottom increased the chances of a swing up. Many traders prefer higher probability trades and would have begun to buy around the close of bar 6, after the strong breakout. The odds of higher prices in the form of different measured moves at that point were at least 60%. The trade-off was that the risk was greater (the stop was below the bottom of the bull leg, like below bar 3 or 4).
GOOG had a failed breakout above the top of a bull channel and then a micro double top that was followed by a strong measured move down, well below the bottom of the channel. Bears were alerted to look to sell the next rally, betting that it would fail to go above the bull high and instead be followed by at least a 2nd leg down. They shorted below the bar 3 lower high, which was a successful lower high major trend reversal (it was also a small wedge bear flag). The market entered a broad bear channel and bears shorted each strong rally, expecting it to fail to get above the prior lower high.