The RSI compares bullish and bearish price momentum and displays the results in an oscillator placed beneath a price chart. Like most technical indicators, its signals are what is relative strength index most reliable when they conform to the long-term trend. The RSI was designed to indicate whether a security is overbought or oversold in relation to recent price levels.

For this reason, RSI is usually used in conjunction with other forms of confirmation, such as volume and the overall trend in the broader stock market. Expecting this trend to continue, Harry responds by decreasing his investment in the S&P 500 and increasing his investment in the corporate bond ETF. He hopes to benefit from any ongoing outperformance of bonds relative to stocks. This means that if the downtrend is unable to reach 30 or below and then rallies above 70, that downtrend is said to weaken. For investors who like to use passive-management investment strategies, the RSI may not be as relevant. Instead, you may choose to have a fund manager handle your portfolio, or you may invest in target-date funds or broad-market index funds.

Can the RSI be used in non-trending or sideways market conditions?

Divergences occur when the price moves in the opposite direction of the RSI, i.e., a chart might indicate a change in momentum before a corresponding price change. Generally, an RSI reading of 70 or above indicates overbought conditions. Conversely, a reading of 30 or below points to an oversold situation. However, these traditional levels can be altered to fit the particular security better.

Relating the result of this comparison to price action can give traders an idea of how a security may perform. The RSI, used in conjunction with other technical indicators, can help traders make better-informed trading decisions. Investors don’t have a crystal ball, but they don’t have to rely on blind guessing to predict when a stock’s price will go up or down. The Relative Strength Index is one tool that active traders can use to predict how stocks or other assets may perform in the future.

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Short-term and technical traders also look at relative strength. The RSI is displayed as an oscillator (a line graph that moves between two extremes) and can have a reading from 0 to 100. Welles Wilder Jr. and introduced in his seminal 1978 book, “New Concepts in Technical Trading Systems.” But other trade signals can help traders when overbought and oversold asset prices don’t change course right away. For instance, the moving average convergence divergence and moving average crossovers both allow traders to verify RSI indicators.

When investors notice divergence, it’s a good sign that a trend in the asset’s price will soon slow or change direction. Positive divergence means the asset’s price may increase, while negative divergence suggests it may decline. But divergence isn’t always present when prices change course. RSI looks at an asset’s recent price history, but the past is never a reliable predictor of the future. It is most reliable when the numbers align with long-term trends in the asset’s price.

Can the RSI be applied to different timeframes?

Securities trading is offered through Robinhood Financial LLC. On the flip side, RSI tends to fluctuate between 10 and 60 in a bear market (downtrend) with the zone acting as resistance. Chart 10 shows 14-day RSI for the US Dollar Index ($USD) during its 2009 downtrend. The zone subsequently marked resistance until a breakout in December. Conversely, if the downtrend cannot reach 30 or below and then rallies above 70, that downtrend has weakened and could be reversing to the upside. Remember, both trend lines and moving averages are helpful technical tools to include when using the RSI in this way.

Together, these two conditions indicate rising bullish momentum, and a break above oversold territory could be used to trigger a new long position. One of the main risks of using RSI is its signals aren’t always accurate. This is because RSI can’t factor in events that influence a stock’s price, such as economic news, earnings, and other fundamental aspects. To identify investment candidates, relative strength investors begin by observing a benchmark such as the Nasdaq Composite Index.

Using the RSI To Inform Investment Decisions

When considering which stocks to buy or sell, you should use the approach that you’re most comfortable with. Generally, when the RSI indicator crosses 30 on the RSI chart, it is a bullish sign and when it crosses 70, it is a bearish sign. Put another way, one can interpret that RSI values of 70 or above indicate that a security is becoming overbought or overvalued. It may be primed for a trend reversal or corrective price pullback.

• The same idea applies to a security that technical indicators such as the relative strength index highlight as oversold.
• However, it can also point to a general trend, a trend reversal, or corrective pullbacks in price.
• So when the asset’s price reaches a higher high and the RSI reaches a lower high, the trader can recognize a bearish divergence.
• Making money in the stock market isn’t easy, especially when you’re trying to time the market.
• Technical analysts use an indicator known as the relative strength index (RSI) to generate overbought or oversold signals.

Even though RSI forged a new high and momentum was strong, the price action failed to confirm as lower high formed. This negative reversal foreshadowed the big support break in late June and sharp decline. The chart below shows an example of divergence between price and the Relative Strength Index. However, the RSI (plotted in the lower chart window) does not follow suit and make a corresponding new low. Instead, it has already begun to turn to the upside near the beginning of June.

Combining RSI with other technical analysis tools and fundamental analysis can provide more effective trading strategies. Again, the higher https://www.bigshotrading.info/ high is usually just below overbought levels in the area. Chart 12 shows Starbucks (SBUX) forming a lower high as RSI forms a higher high.