Classic Bullish Divergence vs Classic Bearish Trading Divergence

In trading, classic divergence is used as a possible signal for a trend reversal and is used by traders when looking for an area where stock price could reverse and begin going in the opposite trend direction. For this reason this stock setup is used as a low risk entry method and also as an accurate way of exiting out of a trade.

This trading strategy is a low risk method to sell near the top or buy near the bottom, this makes the risk in your trades are very small compared to the potential reward. However, this is one method with very many whipsaws and most traders don't recommend using it.

Divergence in also is used to predict the optimum level at which to exit a trade. If you already have an open trade that's already profitable, a good way to spot a profit booking level would be the point where you spot this trade setup.

There are 2 types, based on the direction of the market trend:

1. Classic Bullish divergence
2. Classic Bearish divergence setup

Stock Classic Bullish Divergence

Classic bullish divergence set-up occurs when the price is making/forming lower lows (LL), but the oscillator indicator is making higher lows (HL). The example expounded & shown below shows a picture of this trade setup.

Index Classic Bullish Divergence Trading Setup

This example uses MACD indicator as a divergence indicator.

From the above example the price made a lower low(LL) but technical indicator made a higher low(HL), this displays there is a divergence setup between the stock price and the technical indicator. The signal warns of a possible trend direction reversal.

Classic bullish divergence setup signal warns of a possible change in the trend from down to up. This is because though the stock market price went lower the volume of the sellers who pushed the stock price lower was less like as shown by MACD indicator. This demonstrates underlying weakness of the downward trend.

Classic bearish Index Trade Divergence Setup

Classic bearish divergence trade setup occurs when the price is making/forming a higher high (HH), but the oscillator trading is lower high (LH). The image screenshot below shows an example of the set-up.

Index Trade Classic Bearish Divergence

This example also uses MACD indicator

From the above example illustration the price made a higher high(HH) but the trading indicator made a Lower High(LH), this displays there is a divergence between the stock price and the indicator. The signal warns of a possible market trend direction reversal.

Classic bearish diverging signal warns of a possible change in the trend from upto down. This is because though the stock market price went higher the volume of the buyers who pushed the stock price higher was less such as displayed and shown by the MACD. This indicates underlying weakness of the upward trend.

In the above example, if as a trader you had used divergence trade setup to trade you would have gotten good signals to enter or exit the trade transactions at an optimal point. However, divergence setup signals just like other indicators, is also prone to fake outs. That is why it's always good to confirm the diverging trading signals with other indicators such as the RSI, MAs Moving Averages and Stochastic Oscillator Indicator.

A good indicator to combine classic diverging setups is the stochastic oscillator & wait for the stochastic indicator lines to move in direction of the divergence signal so as to confirm the signal.

Another good technical indicator to combine with is the Moving Average trading indicator, in this technical indicator a indices trader should use the Moving Average Crossover System

Example of Moving Average Cross-over Method Strategy

Once the divergence signal is given, a stock index trader will then wait for the Moving average cross over trading method to give a trade signal in the same trend direction, if there is a classic bullish setup, one will wait for the moving average system to give an upwards cross-over signal, while for a bearish classic divergence signal the trader should wait for the Moving average cross-over system to give a downward bearish crossover signal.

By combining the classic divergence setups with other indicators this way, a trader will be able to avoid whipsaws in trading the classic divergence signals, because the trader will wait until the stock trading market has actually reversed and is already moving towards this direction, hence the trader will not fall into the trap of picking the market tops & bottoms.

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