Overbought & Oversold: Corrections and Trend Reversals

Welles forex marketer Wilder Jr. introduced RSI in his New Concepts in Technical Trading Systems. If the value is or exceeds 70, the security is considered overbought. Alternatively, an RSI value of 30 or less indicates an oversold security. The oversold stock meaning refers to a stock that has dropped significantly and may be below its true value. This often happens when there’s been excessive selling, and it could suggest that its price is due for a rebound. This suggests that the price has fallen significantly below its typical range, possibly indicating a reversal.

Of course, that will probably mean you will get less profit than if you traded the asset right when you saw the signal — but you will also minimize your losses. At the end of the day, you should build your trading strategy based on your attitude towards risk and investment/trading as a whole. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is a popular overbought and oversold indicator. It measures the strength of the current price relative to past prices. Although you can calculate the RSI yourself, it is integrated into almost all trading platforms — just enable it in the tool settings.

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There are several well-known indicators which you can use to illustrate these market conditions. An oversold stock, on the other hand, would be one that is seen as trading below its current value. It is a suggestion that the short-term declines are coming to an end, and a rally could be imminent. PYPL shares skyrocketed during the COVID market recovery, bouncing from a low of $85 in March 2020 to $300 by February 2021. During the parabolic upward move, the RSI triggered an overbought signal twice, first in mid-2020 and again in early 2021.

  • Market sentiment can shift rapidly, causing investors to panic and sell off stocks en masse, even if the underlying companies’ fundamentals haven’t changed significantly.
  • This indicator is a great tool for detecting oversold or overbought market conditions, with up to 80% accuracy.
  • Oversold stocks are those that have experienced a significant price decline, often beyond what might seem reasonable based on their underlying value.
  • It’s similar in principle to the RSI, except the Stochastic is considered more useful for detecting shorter-term reversals.
  • These conditions can signal that a price reversal may be coming, though they don’t guarantee it.

⏱️Adjusting RSI Periods Based on Market Conditions

  • 71% of retail client accounts lose money when trading CFDs, with this investment provider.
  • Another trading strategy that successful day traders use is the RSI indicator showing overbought or oversold conditions, in conjunction with a candlestick reversal pattern.
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  • “Trading Finder,” with its experience, aids traders and investors in gaining a correct understanding and deep learning.
  • Overbought and oversold signals work by comparing the current price of a security to its past prices.

The easiest way of spotting overbought and oversold levels is to look at them visually. At times, you can look at a chart and see that its price has risen to overbought or dropped to oversold levels. HowToTrade.com takes no responsibility for loss incurred as a result of the content provided inside our Trading Academy. By signing up as a member you acknowledge that we are not providing financial advice and that you are making the decision on the trades you place in the markets.

The Stochastic RSI Index shows overbought conditions in an uptrend and oversold in a downtrend. This means when the line rises to a value above 70, the asset is considered overbought. If you want to find out more about technical indicators, I’ve written an article on the 12 best indicators to use for forex trading.

Another way to identify whether it is an overbought or oversold market (or neither) is to pay attention to price movements. If the price of an asset is moving down very quickly and then starts to consolidate, this could be an indication that it is oversold. Keeping an eye on a digital asset’s price action can also be a good way to identify overbought signals promptly.

Another potential mistake is to assume that overbought or oversold conditions always lead to trend reversals. As a matter of fact, most overbought or oversold conditions only bring a retracement to the market. And while you can still take trades based on overbought and oversold signals contradicting the trend, be mindful that the trade may not go so far.

How can I tell if a market is overbought or oversold?

MarketBeat just ifc markets review released its list of 10 cheap stocks that have been overlooked by the market and may be seriously undervalued. Enter your email address and below to see which companies made the list. We’re all familiar with the story of Icarus, who flew too close to the sun and faced the consequences. Stocks sometimes face a similar fate when they ascend too high too quickly, only to suffer a stark decline shortly after that.

In conclusion, an oversold condition in the stock market refers to a situation where a stock’s price has fallen to a level that is significantly below its perceived value. This can occur due to market sentiment, economic news, or technical indicators. While an oversold condition may present a buying opportunity for investors, it’s important to conduct thorough research and analysis before making a purchase. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is the best momentum indicator to detect overbought or oversold stocks.

Do You Buy When Overbought or Oversold?

It also involves setting clear buy and sell prices, as well as managing risk through diversification and position sizing. While these indicators provide valuable insights, it’s important to remember that they are not infallible. Technical indicators can and do give false signals, especially in volatile markets. Therefore, it’s prudent to use them in conjunction with other forms of analysis, such as fundamental analysis.

Another way to explain this concept is based on the idea that stocks tend Forex timeframe to trade at their mean values. So, if they rise or fall too fast, they eventually reverse to trade at their mean value. So, an asset that’s risen so fast and becomes too expensive is said to be overbought.

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IG International Limited is licensed to conduct investment business and digital asset business by the Bermuda Monetary Authority. This exclusive report highlights the companies leading the AI revolution and shaping the future of technology in 2025. The opposite of overbought is oversold, where a security is thought to be trading below its intrinsic value.

However, when an asset becomes oversold, its price is expected to rise soon. Before deciding to trade in any kind of financial market or financial instruments, you should carefully consider your investment objectives. This is interpreted as a short-term correction within a broader uptrend. This candlestick, with a long upper wick and small body, reflects strong selling pressure. Tools like RSI, Stochastic, and MACD help identify these zones, but interpreting them correctly requires a solid understanding of market structure and technical Analysis. This article represents the opinion of the Companies operating under the FXOpen brand only.

‘Oversold’ describes a situation where the price of an asset has declined significantly and rapidly, potentially reaching a level lower than its intrinsic value. Put simply, overbought means the asset’s price has risen too far, too fast, and may be due for a correction. With us, you can also attach stop-losses and limit-closes to your positions, which can close your trade when a specific price level is hit. While stop-losses enable you to cap your risk, limit-closes would help you lock in any profits earned.