I'm a Gann Fan, Part One
I'm a Gann Fan, Part One
Gann Theory is a popular style of analysis that looks at patterns and repeatable price action based on time. I am not going to go into the history of Gann Theory or give a biography of W.D. Gann. Instead, I will discuss some practical applications of some of his theory.
Gann Theory is a popular style of analysis that looks at patterns and repeatable price action based on time. I am not going to go into the history of Gann Theory or give a biography of W.D. Gann. Instead, I will discuss some practical applications of some of his theory.
There are three trends applicable to any time frame which you are analyzing: Minor, Intermediate and Major. That also means that there are three types of swing highs and lows that correspond with these trends. In my article, the Gann swing highs and swing lows I labeled as Gann Swings are actually intermediate swings. Let's examine the definitions of the swing bottoms (lows) and swing tops (highs).
Gann Minor Swings:
A minor bottom is a low price compared to previous lows followed immediately on the next bar or candle by a higher low and a higher high. The minor top is a higher high compared to previous highs in price followed immediately by a lower high with a lower low.
Gann Intermediate Swings:
The intermediate bottom is also a lower low compared to previous lows. However, it differs in that the immediate high that follows must be higher than the previous two bars or candles. The intermediate top is a higher high than previous highs that is immediately followed by a low that is lower than the previous two lows.
Gann Major Swings:
A major bottom will hold much significance to a trader using Gann Theory for their
analysis. A major bottom would be a low price on a bar or candle that is lower than previous lows but is immediately followed by... you guessed it, a high that is higher than the previous three bars or candle highs. The major top is a high that is higher than previous price action followed immediately by a low that is lower than the previous three bars or candles.
Identifying Trend:
If you see price breaking a previous swing top, then you are in an uptrend in the time frame and level (minor, intermediate, or major) that you are trading in. You would continue to trade only in the long direction until you break a previous swing bottom of the same degree. For instance, the following chart of USO opens the day with a minor swing bottom. If we were already in an intermediate uptrend, a trader could use that as an opportunity to trade long intraday until a swing bottom is broken. In fact, they may want to enter or add to longs when a new swing bottom is formed. After the minor swing bottom is broken, a trader should wait for a new intermediate or major swing bottom to form before entering any more long positions.
In Gann trend analysis, a downtrend occurs when price breaks a swing bottom. If price moves downward in a defined uptrend but does not break a swing bottom, it is called a correction and the trader has no need to exit their long. A break of a swing bottom would constitute an exit signal.
The rules would be the same for a downtrend. Once a major downtrend has been established for the time frame you are trading in, you could look to short intermediate or minor swing tops until they are broken.
In future articles, I will explore more uses of Gann Theory for trading. Until then, trade safe and trade well!
- Brandon Wendell
About Brandon Wendell
Brandon has appeared as a guest on CNBC, Bloomberg TV, and Fox Business Channel. He has conducted special seminars for CNBC staff on technical analysis of the financial markets. Brandon has published articles in The Trader's Journal, Forex Journal, Investor Magazine, and Investor’s Business Daily. Brandon has also appeared as an industry expert speaker at the Trader’s Expo, The Money Show, and Asia Traders and Investors Conference.
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