Trading The Elliot Wave – Learn How It Works & How To Do It

Elliott Wave Theory is a form of technical analysis based on the principle that prices move in waves.

This guide explains how the Elliot Wave Theory works, including chart examples to help you identify waves.

Elliot Wave Pattern Examples

The Elliot Wave Theory is based on the principle that waves occur in a repeating pattern of:

1. a move up,
2. a partial retracement down,
3. another move up,
4. a retracement,
5. then finally a last move up.

Then there is:

• (A) full retracement, followed by
• (B) partial retracement upward, then
• (C) a full move downward.

This repeats on a macro and micro time frame.

Basic Pattern Example

Here is a visual illustration of the basic pattern of the Elliott Wave.

Elliott Wave is based on crowd psychology of booms and busts, rallies and retracements.

Traders often use Fibonacci numbers to anticipate where a retracement is likely to end and thus the place where they should place their trade.

Example Trade Using the Elliott Wave

The chart below illustrates the Elliott Wave pattern applied to crowd psychology (i.e. S&P 500) and Fibonacci retracements.

In the example above of the S&P 500 ETF:

• If the Elliott Wave theorist recognizes that he/she just completed the leg from (2) to (3) and the market is beginning to retrace, the trader might put a buy order at the 38% Fibonacci retracement.
• That trade would have failed and the trader would have been stopped out of their long position. The trader then might consider putting an order in at the 50% retracement.
• This would have been a profitable trade, making up for the previous loss and more.
• Next, realizing that the latest trend was the (4) to (5) up move, the Elliot Wave theorist would expect a downward move to (A). This retracement is larger than the previous (1) to (2) retracement and (3) to (4) retracement.
• A reasonable guess as to where the retracement (5) to (A) will end is the 0.618 – the golden Fibonacci ratio. Selecting the 61% retracement would have proved profitable for a little while, assuming the trader didn’t have extremely tight stop losses in place.
• The 61% retracement turned out to be a head fake. Subsequently, the next often used Fibonacci retracement is 100%. This trade would have been profitable, given the S&P 500 retraced almost perfectly at 100% of the move from (4) to (5).
• A likely profit target to exit at least part of the trade initiated at point (A), is the 38% Fibonacci level. This also happened to be the turning point for the next leg down from (B) to (C).

Please note, this is an example – not a recommendation.

Where to Trade Using Technical Analysis

Further Reading on Trend Indicators

These trend tools complement Elliott Wave: Andrew’s Pitchfork, Keltner Channel, and Typical Price Moving Average.

Technical analysis is most widely used in CFD and forex trading. If you’re ready to apply these techniques, browse our vetted CFD brokers or forex brokers.

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