Thinkorswim Studies to Improve Your Trading

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Thinkorswim studies can be a game-changer for traders who want to improve their skills and make more informed decisions. By analyzing market trends and patterns, you can gain a deeper understanding of how the market works and make more accurate predictions.

One of the key benefits of thinkorswim studies is that they allow you to backtest trading strategies on historical data, which can help you identify what works and what doesn't. This can save you a lot of time and money in the long run.

Thinkorswim offers a range of studies that can help you analyze market trends, including moving averages, Bollinger Bands, and relative strength index (RSI). These studies can be combined in various ways to create custom studies that suit your trading style.

By using thinkorswim studies, you can gain a more nuanced understanding of the market and make more informed trading decisions.

On a similar theme: Options on Thinkorswim

Thinkorswim Studies

Thinkorswim Studies offer hundreds of technical indicators, divided into two main categories: Studies and Strategies. Studies are market indicators that compute specific values in every bar on the chart.

Credit: youtube.com, How To Add and Edit Studies in Thinkorswim | Beginner Tutorial

You can easily add studies to your chart by clicking the 'Studies' button in your chart header and clicking Add Study. This option also offers advanced options for your indicators.

With over 100 study groups in alphabetical order, you'll need to review all the study groups on the platform to know where each study sits. This will make it easier to select your preferred study and add it to your chart.

Custom Studies

Thinkorswim offers hundreds of technical indicators and an integrated studies editor, allowing you to develop your favorite indicators.

You can customize Thinkorswim studies to meet your needs by using the platform's advanced tools, but if you're new to Thinkorswim, it's recommended to allocate this work to a qualified Thinkorswim developer.

Reputable freelance job sites like Guru can help you find the right programmer to customize your TOS studies.

The developer should understand how the ThinkScript Editor works and have extensive experience in customizing different TOS studies using the study editor.

Credit: youtube.com, Thinkorswim Studies | How to Use, Add, Customize Studies (TOS)

They should be able to compose and edit your codes, highlight the syntax, format your codes, deploy the built-in ThinkScript library, save the scripts, and deploy the account control system.

Customizing your TOS studies allows you to have studies that are tailored to your trading and investment needs.

You can use TOS studies and custom studies together to identify and analyze market trends more engagingly.

To create your favorite indicators, you'll need the assistance of an experienced TOS developer, so make sure you use Guru to find the perfect person for the job.

Think Back

Think Back is a powerful feature in thinkorswim that allows you to backtest strategies using historical data.

You can store nearly a decade of historical option trade data with thinkBack, giving you a vast range of dates to analyze.

To analyze a hypothetical past trade, select the desired underlying in the symbol selector and choose a past date in the date picker.

If this caught your attention, see: How to Trade on Thinkorswim

Credit: youtube.com, Thinkback Backtesting Explained | ThinkorSwim

This will open the option chain constructed for that past date, where you can select an option that was available on that date and enter a hypothetical trade by clicking in the Ask or Bid column.

Activate the Backtrades checkbox and select a date to analyze your hypothetical trade, and you'll see different metrics for your hypothetical position including the profit/loss value for the specified date.

Remember, results presented are hypothetical, they did not actually occur, and there is no guarantee that the same strategy implemented today would produce similar results.

To get started with thinkBack, you can follow these steps:

  1. Select the desired underlying in the symbol selector.
  2. In the date picker, select the desired past date.
  3. Select an option that was available on that date and enter a hypothetical trade.
  4. Activate the Backtrades checkbox and select a date to analyze your hypothetical trade.

By following these steps, you can effectively use thinkBack to evaluate your trading strategies and make informed decisions.

Probability Analysis

The Probability Analysis subtab is a powerful tool in Thinkorswim Studies. It visualizes the projected price range for the underlying in your simulated trade based on probability.

The Probability Analysis graph has two axes: the Y-axis represents the price of the underlying, and the X-axis represents days from the current date. By default, the price parabola shown on the graph represents the price range the underlying is projected to reach on a future date with a 68.27% probability, which is equivalent to one standard deviation.

You can set your own probability value using the Probability range box on top of the graph.

Chart Patterns

Credit: youtube.com, Coach Cam's Master Guide to Using thinkorswim's Powerful Charts | Getting Started with thinkorswim®

Chart patterns are a fundamental tool for traders, helping them identify stock price trends and make informed decisions. They can be categorized into three main groups: continuation, reversal, and bilateral patterns.

Continuation patterns, such as pennants, flags, wedges, and triangles, denote a temporary interruption of an existing trend. These patterns can last anywhere from a couple of weeks to several months.

A price pattern that signals a change in the prevailing trend is known as a reversal pattern. These patterns can be either distribution or accumulation patterns, depending on whether they occur at market tops or bottoms.

Here are some common continuation and reversal patterns:

  • Pennants, flags, wedges, and triangles (continuation patterns)
  • Head and Shoulders, double tops, and double bottoms (reversal patterns)

The significance of a chart pattern depends on its duration and price movement. The longer the pattern takes to develop and the larger the price movement within the pattern, the more significant the move once the price breaks above or below the area of continuation.

Types of Chart Patterns

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There are more than 75 chart patterns used by traders, but some stick to a specific number.

Continuation patterns denote a temporary interruption of an existing trend, signaling a pause during a prevailing trend. These patterns can be a Pennant, Flag, Wedge, or Triangle.

Reversal patterns signal a change in the prevailing trend, indicating a shift in momentum. Examples of reversal patterns include Head and Shoulders, Double Tops, and Double Bottoms.

Wedges are a type of continuation pattern, characterized by two converging trendlines moving in the same direction, either up or down.

The three main groups of chart patterns are continuation, reversal, and bilateral patterns. Some traders classify ascending, descending, and symmetrical triangles in a separate group called bilateral patterns.

Here are some common continuation patterns:

  • Pennants, constructed using two converging trendlines
  • Flags, drawn with two parallel trendlines
  • Wedges, constructed with two trendlines that would converge if they were long enough, where both are angled either up or down
  • Triangles, which can last anywhere from a couple of weeks to several months

Some common reversal patterns include:

  • Head and Shoulders, signaling two smaller price movements surrounding one larger movement
  • Double Tops, representing a short-term swing high, followed by a subsequent failed attempt to break above the same resistance level
  • Double Bottoms, showing a short-term swing low, followed by another failed attempt to break below the same support level

Gaps

Gaps are reversal patterns that occur when there is space between two trading periods caused by a significant increase or decrease in price.

Credit: youtube.com, This Gap Trading Strategy Prints You Money (Gap Up, Gap Down, Gap Fill)

A stock might close at $5.00 and open at $7.00 after positive earnings or other news, illustrating the concept of a gap.

There are three main types of gaps: Breakaway gaps, runaway gaps, and exhaustion gaps.

Breakaway gaps form at the start of a trend, marking a significant change in direction.

Runaway gaps form during the middle of a trend, often indicating a continuation of the existing trend.

Exhaustion gaps form near the end of a trend, signaling that the trend is about to reverse.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a study and a strategy in thinkorswim?

In thinkorswim, a study is a technical indicator that calculates values for each chart bar, while a strategy provides historical trade signals based on specific price conditions. Understanding the difference between studies and strategies can help you refine your trading approach and make more informed decisions.

How do I add a study to thinkorswim?

To add a study to thinkorswim, select Studies and choose from preset options or create a custom study. You can then edit study parameters by right-clicking and selecting Edit Study.

Sheldon Kuphal

Writer

Sheldon Kuphal is a seasoned writer with a keen insight into the world of high net worth individuals and their financial endeavors. With a strong background in researching and analyzing complex financial topics, Sheldon has established himself as a trusted voice in the industry. His areas of expertise include Family Offices, Investment Management, and Private Wealth Management, where he has written extensively on the latest trends, strategies, and best practices.

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