Ichimoku traders are closely watching shares of AK Steel Holding Corp (AKS) as the equity’s price has tipped below the Tenkan moving average line, creating an environment ripe for a potential near-term reversal. The chikou span represents one of Ichimoku’s most unique features; that of time-shifting certain lines backwards or forwards in order to gain a clearer perspective of price action. In the chikou span’s case, the current closing price is time-shifted backwards by 26 periods. While the rationale behind this may at first appear confusing, it becomes very clear once we consider that it allows us to quickly see how today’s price action compares to the price action of 26 periods ago, which can help determine trend direction. The Ichimoku Kinko Hyo technique offers the chance to obtain many different types of operating signals through the use of a single graph. As for all trading techniques, when we are using the Ichimoku Kinko Hyo for our operations, it is always advisable to take into account other elements (volumes, sentiment, seasonality, oscillators, etc …), but certainly the immediate graphic understanding of the trend and its evolution represent the strongest point of the Ichimoku technique.
Even for seasoned investors, it can be natural to become wary when certain stocks are tanking in the stock portfolio. The knee jerk reaction can be to immediately change up the portfolio mix to help rectify the situation. Sometimes changes may need to be made, but often times, resisting the urge to make changes based on temporary downturns may prove to help the longer-term health of the stock portfolio. Investors may find themselves in the same predicament when markets are heading higher and every stock seems to be a winner. The impulse might be to double down and buy even more shares of a name that has been over performing recently. Once again, sometimes this may work out, but there will also be times when stocks have finished the run and adding to the position may end up nullifying previous gains if momentum swings back the other way.
Let’s take a look at some recent technical levels on shares of AK Steel Holding Corp (AKS). The current 14-day RSI is noted at 48.58, the 7-day is 52.38, and the 3-day is seen at 55.60. The RSI, or Relative Strength Index is a popular oscillating indicator among traders and investors. The RSI operates in a range-bound area with values between 0 and 100. Many traders keep an eye on the 30 and 70 marks on the RSI scale. A move above 70 is widely considered to show the stock as overbought, and a move below 30 would indicate that the stock may be oversold. Traders may use these levels to help identify stock price reversals.
Traders may be focusing on other technical indicators for stock assessment. Presently, AK Steel Holding Corp (AKS) has a 14-day Commodity Channel Index (CCI) of 32.98. The CCI technical indicator can be used to help determine if a stock is overbought or oversold. CCI may also be used to help discover divergences that could possibly signal reversal moves. A CCI closer to +100 may provide an overbought signal, and a CCI near -100 may offer an oversold signal. Investors may be watching other technical indicators such as the Williams Percent Range or Williams %R. The Williams %R is a momentum indicator that helps measure oversold and overbought levels. This indicator compares the closing price of a stock in relation to the highs and lows over a certain time period.
A common look back period is 14 days. AK Steel Holding Corp (AKS)’s Williams %R presently stands at -19.23. The Williams %R oscillates in a range from 0 to -100. A reading between 0 and -20 would indicate an overbought situation. A reading from -80 to -100 would indicate an oversold situation.
Currently, the 14-day ADX for AK Steel Holding Corp (AKS) is sitting at 21.28. Generally speaking, an ADX value from 0-25 would indicate an absent or weak trend. A value of 25-50 would support a strong trend. A value of 50-75 would identify a very strong trend, and a value of 75-100 would lead to an extremely strong trend. ADX is used to gauge trend strength but not trend direction. Traders often add the Plus Directional Indicator (+DI) and Minus Directional Indicator (-DI) to identify the direction of a trend.
A widely used tool among technical stock analysts is the moving average. Moving averages are considered to be lagging indicators that simply take the average price of a stock over a certain period of time. Moving averages can be very helpful for spotting peaks and troughs. They may also be used to help the trader figure out reliable support and resistance levels for the stock. Currently, the 200-day MA is sitting at 4.95.
As most investors know, the stock market can be a highly volatile place. Investors often have to figure out a way that they can personally stay on track so they don’t veer of course. Sticking to a well-researched trading strategy may work for some people. Others may jump into the market head first without too much planning and hope to gain profits by learning as they go. The stock market learning curve may be vastly different for individuals depending on their circumstances and backgrounds. What’s good for one person may not be good for another. When the markets are rising steadily and running along smoothly, investors may feel like they can do no wrong when it comes to picking stocks. People who become overconfident in their abilities may be faced with a harsh reality when the market shifts and momentum builds to the downside. Investors who are prepared for any economic situation might be able to much better ride out the storm when the time comes.
