Kaufman Efficiency Ratio Technical Analysis & Kaufman Efficiency Ratio Trading Signals

Developed by Perry Kaufman. Described in his book entitled "New Systems and Techniques".

The Kaufman Efficiency measures the ratio of the relative market speed in relation to volatility. The Kaufman efficiency is often used by traders as a filter to help avoid trading when the trading market is "choppy" or flat ranging markets. The indicator also helps to identify smoother Indices market trends. This is an oscillator that oscillates between +100 and -100, where zero is the center point. +100 is upward trending market & -100 is downward trending markets.

Kaufman Efficiency Ratio

The Efficiency indicator is calculated by dividing the net change in stock indices trading price movement over an n number of periods by the sum of all the bar-to-bar trading price changes taken as a absolute values over these same n periods.

Technical Analysis and Generating Signals

The Kaufman is used to generate stock signals as follows:

The smoother the manner in which the trading market is trending then the greater the Efficiency Ratio shown by indicator. Efficiency Ratio value readings of around zero indicate a lot of inefficiency or "choppiness" in the trend moves (ranging stock markets).

• If the Efficiency Ratio shows a reading of +100 for indices, then indices is trending upwards with perfect efficiency.
• If the Efficiency Ratio shows a reading of -100 for indices, then that stock indices trading price is trending downwards with perfect efficiency.

However, it is almost impossible for a market trend to have a perfect efficiency ratio since any retracement movement against the current trend direction during the time period being used to calculate the indicator would decrease the efficiency ratio.

Bullish/Buy Signal

Efficiency Ratio values above +30 indicate a smoother upward trend.

Buy signal gets generated above center-line mark.

Buy Signal

Bearish/Sell Signal

Efficiency Ratio values below -30 indicate a smoother downward trend.

Sell Signal gets generated below zero center-line mark.

Sell Trade Signal

However, it is good you experiment with other values to determine the most appropriate levels for indices being traded and the value that is the best for your trading methodology that you're using.