Share Market Knowledge Part - 14
Published on
October 20, 2026
SUPPORT, RESISTANCE, TRENDLINES AND FIBONACCI TOOLS
281. Support Level
Meaning: A support level is a price area where demand has previously slowed or stopped a decline.
How it works: Traders watch whether price stabilizes, rebounds, or breaks below the area. Support is a zone, not always one exact price.
Formula / pattern rule:
Practical example: A stock repeatedly rebounds near ₹500; traders may mark ₹495–₹502 as a support zone.
Formula terms explained: Repeated reactions = multiple occasions when price slowed or reversed near a similar area. Zone = a range of prices rather than a single exact value.
Important caution: Support can fail, especially after negative news or broad-market weakness.
282. Resistance Level
Meaning: Resistance is a price area where selling has previously slowed or stopped an advance.
How it works: Traders watch for rejection or a confirmed breakout above resistance. Once broken, resistance may later act as support.
Formula / pattern rule:
Practical example: A stock repeatedly struggles near ₹650; ₹645–₹652 may be treated as a resistance zone.
Formula terms explained: Rejection = price moves away after reaching an area. A resistance zone is approximate and can vary with timeframe.
Important caution: Resistance is not a guaranteed ceiling; strong buying can break it.
283. Support and Resistance Flip
Meaning: A support/resistance flip occurs when a broken level changes its role after price moves through it.
How it works: Former resistance may act as support after an upside breakout; former support may act as resistance after a downside breakdown.
Formula / pattern rule:
Practical example: Price breaks above ₹300 resistance, then pulls back and holds near ₹300 as support.
Formula terms explained: Former = previous. Breakout = move above resistance. Breakdown = move below support. The arrow means the level's role changes.
Important caution: A retest can fail; the level may be a zone rather than a precise line.
284. Trendline
Meaning: A trendline is a line drawn along meaningful swing lows or swing highs to visualize the direction of price movement.
How it works: An upward trendline connects rising lows; a downward trendline connects falling highs. Traders monitor reactions and breaks, ideally with candle-close confirmation.
Formula / pattern rule:
Practical example: An upward trendline connects lows near ₹100, ₹108 and ₹116 across successive pullbacks.
Formula terms explained: Swing point = a local high or low relative to nearby candles. Relevant points should be reasonably clear; drawing choices can be subjective.
Important caution: Different traders may draw different lines. A brief wick through a line does not always confirm a trend change.
285. Ascending Trendline
Meaning: An ascending trendline slopes upward as successive swing lows rise.
How it works: It may act as dynamic support in an uptrend. A close below it can warn that the structure is weakening, but confirmation is important.
Formula / pattern rule:
Practical example: Successive pullback lows are ₹220, ₹228 and ₹235, showing rising lows.
Formula terms explained: Swing Low = a local trough. The subscripts 1, 2 and 3 label the first, second and third observed lows.
Important caution: Trendlines are approximate and can be broken temporarily.
286. Descending Trendline
Meaning: A descending trendline slopes downward as successive swing highs fall.
How it works: It may act as dynamic resistance during a downtrend. A confirmed break above it may indicate a change in price behaviour.
Formula / pattern rule:
Practical example: Successive rally highs are ₹480, ₹465 and ₹452, showing falling highs.
Formula terms explained: Swing High = a local peak. Subscripts label the sequence of observed peaks.
Important caution: A break above a trendline is not by itself proof of a new uptrend.
287. Pivot Points
Meaning: Pivot points are calculated price levels based on a prior period's high, low and close, often used as possible intraday support and resistance.
How it works: Classic pivots give a central pivot and derived support/resistance levels. Traders often calculate them from the previous session for the next session.
Formula / pattern rule:
Practical example: If prior high H=₹520, low L=₹500, close C=₹515, then P=(520+500+515)/3=₹511.67 approximately.
Formula terms explained: H = previous period's high; L = previous period's low; C = previous period's close; P = central pivot; R₁/R₂ = first/second resistance; S₁/S₂ = first/second support.
Important caution: Pivot levels are reference points, not guaranteed turning points. Different pivot methods use different formulas.
288. Fibonacci Retracement
Meaning: Fibonacci retracement levels are ratios applied to a prior price swing to estimate areas where a pullback may pause.
How it works: Common ratios include 23.6%, 38.2%, 50% (not a Fibonacci ratio but widely used), 61.8% and 78.6%. Traders anchor the measurement to a chosen swing high and low.
Formula / pattern rule:
Practical example: For a rise from ₹100 to ₹150, the 38.2% retracement is 150−(50×0.382)=₹130.90.
Formula terms explained: Swing High = selected peak; Swing Low = selected trough; r = chosen retracement ratio written as a decimal (for example, 0.382 for 38.2%).
Important caution: Anchor selection is subjective. Fibonacci levels are areas to monitor, not standalone buy/sell signals.
289. Fibonacci Extension
Meaning: Fibonacci extensions project possible price objectives beyond a swing, often after a retracement or breakout.
How it works: Common extension ratios include 127.2%, 161.8% and 261.8%. Methods differ; this formula uses the original swing range added to the retracement endpoint.
Formula / pattern rule:
Practical example: If the swing range is ₹50 and the low is ₹100, a 161.8% projection by this simplified method is ₹100+(50×1.618)=₹180.90.
Formula terms explained: Swing Range = Swing High minus Swing Low; r = extension ratio in decimal form; extension target = a projected level beyond the original range under the stated method.
Important caution: Different charting tools may anchor extensions differently; verify the method before comparing targets.
290. Fibonacci Golden Ratio
Meaning: The golden ratio is approximately 1.618, while its reciprocal is approximately 0.618. These values are used in some retracement and extension tools.
How it works: Some traders monitor 61.8% retracements and 161.8% extensions as possible reaction areas. Their usefulness depends on context and cannot be assumed in advance.
Formula / pattern rule:
Practical example: A 61.8% retracement of a ₹50 swing is ₹30.90 (50×0.618) measured back from the swing extreme as appropriate to direction.
Formula terms explained: φ (phi) = the Greek letter used for the golden ratio; √5 = square root of 5; reciprocal = 1 divided by the number.
Important caution: The ratio is mathematical; market reactions at its levels are not guaranteed.
291. Fibonacci Fan
Meaning: A Fibonacci fan uses diagonal lines drawn from a selected swing point at Fibonacci-related slopes or retracement proportions.
How it works: Traders use the lines as possible dynamic support/resistance. The exact construction depends on the charting platform and selected anchor points.
Formula / pattern rule:
Practical example: After a rise from ₹100 to ₹150, a charting tool may draw fan lines from the swing low through selected retracement proportions.
Formula terms explained: Anchor = the starting point used to draw the tool. Slope = how quickly a line rises or falls over time. Platform conventions differ.
Important caution: Fan lines are tool-dependent and should not be treated as precise predictions.
292. Fibonacci Time Zones
Meaning: Fibonacci time zones mark vertical time intervals based on Fibonacci-number spacing from a selected chart point.
How it works: They suggest dates or bars to watch for a possible change in price behaviour; they do not predict whether price will rise or fall.
Formula / pattern rule:
Practical example: Starting from a chosen swing, a trader marks 5, 8 and 13 bars ahead and watches for price behaviour around those points.
Formula terms explained: Interval = number of candles or time units from the anchor. The Fibonacci sequence adds the two preceding numbers to get the next.
Important caution: Time zones are exploratory and can produce many false or coincidental signals.
293. Fibonacci Cluster
Meaning: A Fibonacci cluster is an area where multiple Fibonacci levels from different swings or tools lie close together.
How it works: Some traders pay more attention to an area where levels overlap, but the overlap does not prove that price will reverse there.
Formula / pattern rule:
Practical example: A 38.2% retracement from one swing and a 61.8% level from another both fall near ₹420, creating a cluster area.
Formula terms explained: Overlap = two or more levels close to one another. The levels may come from different swings or Fibonacci tools.
Important caution: Too many anchors can create clusters almost anywhere; use objective swing-selection rules.
294. Measured Move
Meaning: A measured move estimates a possible price objective by projecting the size of an earlier price leg onto a later breakout or pullback point.
How it works: Chartists may compare two legs of similar size or project a pattern's height from a breakout. The chosen method must be stated clearly.
Formula / pattern rule:
Practical example: A prior upward leg measured ₹30. After a confirmed breakout at ₹210, a simple projection is ₹240.
Formula terms explained: Prior leg size = the vertical price change of the selected earlier move. Breakout price = price where the relevant boundary is crossed.
Important caution: Measured moves are rough estimates; market conditions can produce smaller or larger moves.
295. Trend-Based Fibonacci Extension
Meaning: This extension method uses three selected points—commonly a swing low, swing high and retracement low/high—to project a possible continuation target.
How it works: A common uptrend method projects the original upward swing from the end of the retracement. Charting tools may use different point conventions.
Formula / pattern rule:
Practical example: For an uptrend with A=₹100, B=₹150 and retracement endpoint C=₹130, a 1.618 extension is 130+(50×1.618)=₹210.90.
Formula terms explained: A = start of the original swing; B = end of that swing; C = end of the retracement; r = extension ratio. For downtrends, signs and anchor order are adjusted.
Important caution: Always check the charting tool's anchor convention; otherwise two valid-looking calculations may differ.
296. Gann Angles
Meaning: Gann angles are diagonal lines drawn from a selected price/time point at specified price-per-time relationships.
How it works: Some traders use angles such as 1:1 to describe equal units of price movement and time, but results depend heavily on chart scaling and chosen units.
Formula / pattern rule:
Practical example: If a chart's chosen scale defines 1 unit as ₹1 and one time unit as one session, a 1:1 line rises ₹1 per session on that scale.
Formula terms explained: Angle = line direction on the chart. Price/time unit = the chosen price increment and time interval. The same data can look different under different chart scales.
Important caution: Gann constructions are sensitive to scaling and are not reliable as universal forecasts.
297. Andrews' Pitchfork
Meaning: Andrews' pitchfork uses three pivot points to draw a median line and parallel lines that may act as dynamic support/resistance.
How it works: The tool is based on selected swing points. Traders observe whether price reacts around the median line or outer parallels, often with other confirmation.
Formula / pattern rule:
Practical example: Select a swing low and the next two swing pivots; the tool draws a median line from the first pivot through the midpoint of the other two.
Formula terms explained: Pivot = a selected swing high or low. Midpoint = halfway between two price/time points. Parallel lines share the same slope.
Important caution: Pivot selection is subjective; price can cross every pitchfork line.
298. Donchian Channel
Meaning: A Donchian channel plots the highest high and lowest low over a selected lookback period.
How it works: A breakout above the upper channel can indicate a new period high; a break below the lower channel can indicate a new period low. The middle line is sometimes the average of the two boundaries.
Formula / pattern rule:
Practical example: For a 20-period channel, the upper line is the highest high of the last 20 candles and the lower line is the lowest low of those candles.
Formula terms explained: N = lookback length; t = current candle; max = highest value; min = lowest value; upper/lower = channel boundaries.
Important caution: Breakouts can whipsaw in sideways markets. Choose the timeframe and lookback before evaluating results.
299. Keltner Channel
Meaning: A Keltner channel typically places bands above and below an exponential moving average using a multiple of Average True Range (ATR).
How it works: The channel expands when volatility rises and contracts when volatility falls. Traders use it to contextualize trend and volatility, not as a guaranteed reversal signal.
Formula / pattern rule:
Practical example: If EMA=₹200, ATR=₹4 and k=2, the upper band is ₹208 and lower band is ₹192.
Formula terms explained: EMA_N = N-period exponential moving average; ATR_N = N-period average true range; k = chosen multiplier, often 2 in common settings.
Important caution: Different Keltner versions use different ATR and EMA periods; state the settings used.
300. Bollinger Bands Revisited
Meaning: Bollinger Bands place bands around a moving average using a multiple of the standard deviation of price.
How it works: Bands widen when price variability rises and narrow when it falls. Price touching a band does not automatically mean overbought or oversold.
Formula / pattern rule:
Practical example: If the 20-period SMA is ₹100, standard deviation is ₹3 and k=2, the upper band is ₹106 and lower band is ₹94.
Formula terms explained: SMA_N = N-period simple moving average; σ_N (sigma) = standard deviation over N periods; k = multiplier, often 2.
Important caution: Band touches can persist during trends. Confirm with trend, momentum and risk context.
How to Use Price Levels and Technical Tools Responsibly
- Treat support and resistance as zones, and define how you identify swing points before drawing tools.
- State the pivot or Fibonacci method and anchor points used; different methods can produce different levels.
- Use confirmation and risk controls rather than treating a calculated level as a guaranteed reversal.
- Test indicator settings consistently across the timeframe and instrument you trade.
- Educational reference only; these tools do not guarantee profit or provide personalized investment advice.
Summary
covers support/resistance flips, trendlines, classic pivot points, Fibonacci retracements/extensions and related tools, measured moves, Gann angles, Andrews' pitchfork, Donchian and Keltner channels, and Bollinger Bands.