What are the most reliable TA indicators for short-term trading? (2024)

Moving averages, a good trend indicator which help to identify trend direction, equally capable of giving entry and exit signals through the dead crossing and golden crossing of more than one moving average.Spot low volatility in price with clustered moving averages and high volatility with expanded moving averages. Simple or exponential type of MA is a great too to spot trading opportunities on lower time frame like M5, M15 and M30 minutes. targeting 15pips to 25pips on average

Exponential moving averages (EMAs) are a powerful instrument for short-term trading, offering a more reliable reading to short-term price movements. Other than helping to understand the actual trend in different timeframes, EMAs can be used for determining support and resistance levels. It’s important to choose the right settings and focus on what is working the best for each individuals trader, by backtesting the length of the EMA on different timeframes. Not always the mainstream settings are the best choice. My advice when trading with EMAs is to confront price levels on different times frames, such as with 5,15,30,60 minutes charts, and confirm even on higher time frames, such as the 4h, daily or weekly charts.

RSI and Stochastic are momentum indicators that are very popular among technical analysts gauging the price momentum in the market.RSI is calibrated on a scale of 0-100. Price at RSI zone <30 is a buy opportunity awaiting confirmation. Price at RSI zone >70 is a buy opportunity awaiting confirmation.RSI and Stochastic can both be used to identify divergence in the market and take an advantage of that when found on H1 for example and go to lower timeframe like M15 to look for a more refine and suitable entry for a buy or sell opportunity.

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Trend of a market is important to know, the momentum sustaining the volatility in that trend is also very important. The two common indicators to combine for this are referred to as MACD and BB.MACD's components are:- Macd main line- Macd signal line- Baseline- HistogramWhere the crossing of mainline and signal above/below baseline in support of the direction of the histogram signals a buy or sell opportunity. M30 time frame this works for intraday opportunity. 20 to 30 pips.Bollinger Bands with standard deviation 20 as on default helps a trader to know when to take a short term market advantage as the bands represent dynamic support and resistance.Watch out for reactions of candlesticks formation in the upper & lower band of BB.

Japanese candlesticks surely tell a price story and it is interpretable to technical analysts with sound price action analytical skill.The type of candlesticks formation at resistance or support zone validates a point in the coming opportunity, either a buy or a sell.Identify the candlesticks pattern and what they stand for, then it is easier to take an advantage of that in the market be it a continuation candle patterns or reversal candle patterns (bearish harami for example).

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This is extremely powerful because it's not only visually appealing, but it gives out a ton of information. If you are a serious trader, learning Japanese candlesticks is a must.

Short term trades opportunities are to be caught on a small time frame and of course the market main trend is on higher time frame, so a trader should know which direction is the main trend, so he can calculate his risk properly incase he would be acting contrarian trader on a lower time frame with any of the above indicators.Advised to trade the higher time frame trend direction on a lower time frame to avoid short term reversal inducement in the market.

Ichimoku is the best indicator for any timeframe..Ichimoku titbitsLong - when your past future has become past now and below cmp...Think

You can't go wrong with Martin Pring's books for learning and going deep into the weeds of technical analysis. Highly recommended.