What Invalidates an Elliott Wave?
Elliott noticed during the 1920s and 30s that markets tend to move in predictable patterns. After studying 75 years of data, he determined that market emotions like greed and fear usually manifest themselves predictably in predictable patterns.
He developed the Elliott Wave Theory from his observations and it has since become one of the most popular methods for analyzing markets today. However, there may be certain circumstances where its rules can be broken.
Wave 3 is not a retracement
Many Elliott Wave traders fail to recognize why a Wave 3 retracement is not actually a retracement, depending on either their charting platform or eyes alone to compare price moves of Wave 1 and 3. However, such comparison is incorrect and instead involves applying some key guidelines which include extension, truncation and channeling for proper wave counting.
Normal Wave 2 corrections should not retrace more than 100% of the length of an impulse wave and do not cover more than 100% of its price territory – one of the unbreakable rules of Elliott Wave theory.
However, Elliott wave theory dictates that the retracement of Wave 4 should not overlap the price territory of Wave 1. To be specific, an actual Wave 4 usually reaches 161.8% or 261.8% Fibonacci projection levels; otherwise it’s probably an expanded flat pattern.
Wave 4 is not a retracement
As is evident from Wave 4, its trajectory must not retrace more than 100% of Wave 1. Additionally, it should not cross into the price territory occupied by Wave 1; these rules help prevent false signals and invalidations of an Elliott wave count by two methods: either 1) market moves in an unexpected direction; or 2) reaches a price level which disproves your view.
Elliott discovered that market patterns repeat themselves at ever smaller scales – this phenomenon is known as fractal. He used this discovery to make accurate stock market predictions using these fractal properties, ultimately developing his Elliott wave theory based on these reliable characteristics; Impulsive waves net travel in the direction of larger trends while corrective ones go against them, usually subdividing into five waves each time.
Wave 5 is not a retracement
Traders are often disoriented when their Wave 5 retracements don’t follow the expected pattern, leading them down an unexpected path and sometimes ending in trades being stopped out when prices reach levels where they expected them to retrace. Elliott’s rules provide traders with tools to avoid falling into this trap.
Elliott Wave Theory dictates that Wave 3 cannot be the shortest impulse wave and Wave 4 must not overlap the price action in Wave 1. Additionally, Elliott Wave Theory predicts that Wave 4 retracement levels of 38.2% or 61.8% for wave 3.
As an easy way to calculate Wave 5 targets, draw a channel. This will give you a good indication of how long wave five should last. Truncated Wave 5s are relatively rare and usually occur after Wave 3 was particularly strong; their presence indicates either overextension in the market or invalidation of wave counts.
Wave 6 is not a retracement
If a market moves sideways for an extended period, it could be signalling an Elliott wave correction pattern. Unfortunately, tracking this type of price action can be challenging since prices appear to move back and forth without making significant strides forward or back. But there are rules you should abide by when tracking an Elliott wave correction pattern.
According to these rules, corrective waves cannot retrace more than 100% of previous impulse waves and cannot overlap the start of Wave 1.
Correction patterns must not last too long or too short, as too short of a period could mean flat correction while too long may indicate triangle formation. Tracking these types of price movements may be challenging but remember they’re temporary occurrences not indicative of changing trends.
Comments are closed here.