What Is A Price Consolidation?
Price consolidation occurs when there is no obvious uptrend or downtrend in short-term time frames. Ranging markets are not considered to be consolidating because prices are still fluctuating up and down. In a true consolidation, market prices don't fluctuate and typically stay within a 10 to 15 pip range.
What Time Frames Should I Trade?
Consolidating prices don't usually last very long. That's why you'll usually trade using intraday time frames (i.e. hourly charts or minute charts). Occasionally, daily charts may show flat prices as well! but these are more the exception rather than the norm.
How Do I Trade It?
Most people enter into a trade when prices break out of the highest price (or lowest price) of the consolidation. If prices break upwards, they buy. If prices break downwards, they sell. The decision to trade on breakouts is based on the assumption that the momentum of the break will be strong enough to push price further in the same direction.
How Effective Is It To Trade Breakouts?
In my experience, breakout trading can yield rather consistent profits. This is because they usually follow through. The hard part is deciding when to exit your trade once it's in-the-money, because breakouts sometimes reverse directions quite quickly.
What Should Be My Profit Target?
Usually, a profit target of 30 pips is good enough. Sometimes, you may want to try for 50 pips. I don't usually hold breakout trade positions after I'm in-the-money for 50 pips because then the price action will usually turn erratic.
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