ForeCastle

What is RSI (Relative Strength Index)?



RSI (Relative Strength Index) is counted among trading's most popular indicators. This is for good reason, because as a member of the oscillator family, RSI can help us determine the trend, time entries, and more.
The Relative Strength Index (RSI) was developed by J. Welles Wilder to measure the speed and change of price movements. RSI oscillates and is bound between zero and 100. There are many different uses for RSI and by far the most popular is trading overbought and oversold crossovers.

Think beyond the crossovers

When traders first learn about RSI and other oscillators, they tend to gravitate to overbought and oversold values. While these are intuitive points to enter in the market on retracements, this can be counterproductive in strong trending environments. RSI is considered a momentum oscillator, and this means extended trends can keep RSI overbought or oversold for long periods of time.

Watch the center line

All oscillators have a center line and more often than not, they become a forgotten backdrop compared to the indicator itself. RSI is no different, with a center line found in the middle of the range at a reading of 50.
Technical forex traders use the centerline to show shifts in the trend. If RSI is above 50, momentum is considered up and traders can look for opportunities to buy the market. A drop below 50 would indicate the development of a new bearish market trend.

Check your parameters

RSI like many other oscillators is defaulted to a 14 period setting. This means the indicator looks back 14 bars on whatever graph you may be viewing, to create its reading. Even though 14 is the defaulted setting that may not make it the best setting for your trading. Normally short-term traders use a smaller period, such as a nine period RSI, to replicate shorter term movements in the market.. Longer-term traders may opt for a higher period, such as a 25 period RSI, for another indicator line.

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