How to Use the RSI Indicator for Day Trading

Remember that our example is a current downtrend looking to break to the upside. If this was a 50 candle high, we would be looking at the exact opposite of this step. Usually, the RSI trendline breakout precedes the price, because momentum precedes price. Without correct settings, even the best trading ideas can end up in disaster.

In the fast-paced world of day trading, the RSI, in synergy with stochastics and moving averages, can produce trade ideas. Because it is intended for entry point within a trend, Connors uses a much more sensitive lower timeframe – 2 periods on the RSI. Because 2 is such a short timeframe, Connors attempts to filter out the false signals by using the 90 and 10 levels instead of the 70 and 30 levels for overbought and oversold. In essence this a trading method to buy the dip and sell the rip. Of course, the price will get to these extremes less frequently than 30 and 70, thus in theory offering the most reliable trading signals.

RSI Trendline Breaks

According to this indicator, a security with an RSI over 70 (out of 100) can be considered overbought, while a security with an RSI under 30 (out of 100) can be considered oversold. Low RSI levels, below 30, generate buy signals and indicate an oversold or undervalued condition. High RSI levels, above 70, generate sell signals and suggest that a security is overbought or overvalued. A reading of 50 denotes a neutral level or balance between bullish and bearish positions. An RSI trading strategy using the Relative Strength Indicator is a great place to start when day trading and forex trading.

• By combining Bollinger Bands with RSI, traders could gain additional confirmation of overbought or oversold conditions.
• An RSI score below 30 can be interpreted to mean the security in question is oversold.
• After all, if a stock is being overbought, there is a reason why that is happening.
• Using the Relative Strength Index, you can identify whether a price trend is overbought or oversold.

But again, this level of trading takes a ton of practice over an extended period. Fortunately, we spot a hanging man candle, which has a bearish context. Fortunately, these attempts are unsuccessful, and we stay with our long https://www.bigshotrading.info/ trade. Later the RVI finally has a bearish cross, and we close our trade. This long position with FB accumulated $2.01 per share for 4 hours. Then the RSI line breaks to the downside, giving us the first short signal.

The Broader Picture: RSI and Other Technical Indicators

To maximize its efficacy, traders often pair the RSI with other technical indicators such as moving averages and stochastics. We will buy or sell the stock when we match an RSI overbought or oversold signal with a supportive crossover of the moving averages. On that token, we will hold the position until we get the opposite signal from one of the two indicators or divergence on the chart. Wilder advocated RSI indicator trading strategies complementing the use of oversold and overbought levels with the concept of divergence. The choice of indicator settings is best found through experience by each individual trader.

You can mark up support and resistance zones before the start of a trading session. When your alerts sound off, take a closer look to assess the quality of the trading setups. In technical analysis, oscillators are used to make high and low banks that exist between two different extremes. They are momentum indicators that can be used with other indicators to pinpoint corrections and price breakouts. This tool then fashions a trend indicator, which rises and falls within these extreme values. The developer of the RSI, J. Welles Wilder Jr. recommends using the 14-period RSI.

#3 – RSI + RVI

RSI forms a bearish or bullish divergence in the market based on the current price movement. When the price of an asset is above 70, it is a sign how to use rsi for day trading of a trend reversal, and you should exit long and enter short positions. On the other hand, if the RSI is below 30, you can take long positions.

• During an uptrend, the RSI tends to stay above 30 and should frequently hit 70.
• The RSI, used in conjunction with other technical indicators, can help traders make better-informed trading decisions.
• For example, to optimise RSI for day trading, traders may adjust the settings to a shorter lookback, such as 7 or 10 periods, to increase sensitivity to recent price changes.
• First, we define the range where the RSI can track bull and bear markets.

An RSI downtrend is formed by connecting three or more lows on the RSI line as it is falling. When the RSI trendline breaks, it indicates that the market can either continue or reverse. When using the indicator for day trading, you should keep the settings low, as the RSI is prone to false signals. The RSI illustrates overbought and oversold levels to determine price movements. The MACD evaluates the relationship between two exponential moving averages (EMAs), whereas the RSI measures price movement with respect to recent price highs and lows. A bullish divergence arises when the RSI produces an oversold reading, which is followed by a higher low that corresponds to proportionately lower lows in the price.

These swings can take place during uptrends and downtrends, where the former indicates selling activity while the latter represents buying activity. Failure swings occur when the index oscillator doesn’t follow the high point in an uptrend or a low point in the downtrend. Conversely, an RSI that dips below the horizontal 70 reference level is viewed as a bearish indicator. Since some assets are more volatile and move quicker than others, the values of 80 and 20 are also frequently used levels for overbought and oversold assets.

• In the intraday strategy, you can again choose the timeframe you want to trade according to the acceptable trading noise (price fluctuations).
• Conversely, when buying signals emerge, traders may ponder going long.
• This tool measures the speed and change of price movements, with its values fluctuating between 0 and 100.
• Likewise, an overbought reading during a downtrend is much lower than 70.
• As a result, the data becomes less responsive, and there are less signals on which to make your strategy.

This will ensure that you are maximizing your potential to get the most out of the strategy. To place your stop, bump back 1 to 3 time periods and find a reasonable, logical level to put your stop. Just because you see a bullish or bearish divergence, doesn’t mean you should automatically jump in with a position. We have rules in place that will capitalize on this divergence so that we can make a significant profit.

As you see, there were multiple times that BFR gave oversold signals using the relative strength indicator. In this relative strength index example, the green circles show the moments where we receive entry signals from both indicators. In short, we enter the market whenever we receive an overbought or oversold signal from the RSI supported by the MACD. We close our position if either indicator provides an exit signal. Once you find the RSI indicator in your platform’s indicator index, you can edit the settings according to whichever relative strength index trading strategy you want to employ.