Pivot point analysis

Basic forex pivot point trading is based on two prevailing tendencies. If a day’s price action begins above the pivot point, prices will tend to stay above that point (fulcrum) until it reaches a resistance point. Conversely, if a day’s pricing action begins below the pivot point, the price will tend to stay below that point until it reaches a support point. A resistance level is a price that tends to prevent further upward movement. A support price is a price action point that tends to prevent further downward movement.

In its simplest form pivot point trading is based on these two tendencies and is also knows as "trading between the lines". The most popular and hence the most successful form of pivot trading is based on reversals. Simply put, when price approaches a pivot above, a trader waits for a reversal at that point and sells. The opposite is true when price action is moving downward. The patient pivot trader waits for a bounce off the pivot of support and places an order to buy.

If the market opens or later trades at the extremes R2 or S2, pricing will exhibit a tendency to trade back toward the pivot point. Hence, traders tend to avoid buying high (at R2) or selling at the low (S2). The wisdom of this is even greater the further the price moves away from the day’s pivot point