Stochastic Oscillator Commodities Technical Analysis & Stochastic Oscillator Trading Signals

Developed by George C. Lane

The Stochastic Oscillator is a momentum indicator - it shows the relation between the current closing commodities price relative to the high and low range over a given number of n periods. Oscillator uses a scale of 0-100 to draw its values.

This Oscillator is based on the theory that in an up commodity trend market the commodities price closes near the high of the commodities price range and in a downwards trending market the commodities price will close near the low of the commodities price range.

The Stochastic Lines are drawn as 2 lines- %K and %D.

• Fast line %K is the main
• Slow line %D is the signal

3 Types of Stochastics Commodity Oscillators: Fast, Slow and Full Stochastics

There are Three types are: fast, slow & full Stochastic. The 3 indicators look at a given chart period for example the 14-day period, & measures how the commodities price of today's close compares to the high/low range of the time period that is being used to calculate the stochastic.

This oscillator works on the principle that:

• In an upward commodity trend, commodities price tends to close at the high of the candlestick.
• In a downwards commodity trend, commodities price tends to close at the low of the candlestick.

This commodity indicator shows the momentum of the Commodities trends, & identifies the times when a market is overbought or oversold.

Commodities Technical Analysis & Generating Trading Signals

The most common techniques used for analysis of the Stochastic Oscillators to generate commodities signals are cross overs signals, divergence signals and over bought over-sold areas. The following are the techniques used for generating trade signals

Commodities Trading Crossover Trading Signals

Buy signal - % K line crosses above %D line (both lines moving upwards)

Sell signal - %K line crosses below the %D line (both lines moving downwards)

50-level Crossover:

Buy signal - when stochastic lines cross above 50 a buy commodity signal is generated.

Sell signal - when stochastic lines cross below 50 a sell commodity signal is generated.

Divergence Commodities

Stochastic is also used to look for divergences between this indicator and the commodities price.

This is used to determine potential commodity trend reversal trading signals.

Upwards/rising commodity trend reversal- identified by a classic bearish divergence

Commodities Trend reversal - identified by a classic bearish divergence

Downwards/descending commodity trend reversal- identified by a classic bullish divergence

Commodities Trend reversal - identified by a classic bullish divergence

Oversold/Overbought Levels on Indicator

Stochastic is mainly used to identify potential overbought & over-sold conditions in commodities price movements.

• Overbought values greater than 70 level - A sell commodity signal occurs when the oscillator rises above 70% and then falls below this level.

Overbought - Values Greater 70

• Over-sold values less than 30 level - a buy commodity signal is generated when the oscillator goes below 30% and then rises above this level.

Oversold - Values Less Than 30

Trades are generated when Stochastic Oscillator crosses these levels. However, overbought/oversold levels are prone to whipsaws especially when the commodities trading market is trending upward or downwards.