Joseph Granville developed and launched the On Steadiness Quantity (OBV) indicator to the technical evaluation neighborhood in his 1963 e-book Granville’s New Key to Inventory Market Income. It has since develop into a very fashionable indicator used to measure shopping for and promoting stress.

See the OBV in motion on this fast video tutorial:

By definition OBV is a working complete of quantity. When the instrument closes greater than the earlier shut, the entire day’s quantity is taken into account up-volume. Conversely, when the instrument closes decrease than the earlier shut, the entire day’s quantity is taken into account down-volume.

Granville’s concept behind the OBV is that quantity precedes worth. When quantity will increase with none main strikes within the worth of an instrument, the instrument would finally “spring” up. Equally, when an instrument’s worth stays unchanged but quantity is noticeably lowering, this instrument is poised to fall.

The worth of the OBV indicator doesn’t maintain a lot benefit. Relatively, it’s the habits of the OBV line that technical analysts use to forecast potential market strikes through the next strategies:

• Pattern Identification
• Assist & Resistance
• Divergence

Pattern Affirmation

Figuring out the development of the OBV and evaluating it to the development of the instrument studied can act as worthwhile development affirmation device. The chart under options the every day Gold Futures Contract over a 6-month interval. One can simply establish the same habits of the GC and OBV indicator backing Granville’s concept of quantity main worth.

Assist & Resistance

Using the identical chart and timeframe, manually drawn assist & resistance zones on the OBV indicator can present technical analysts with further perception on potential market habits. As buying and selling quantity continues to fulfill resistance or assist ranges, it warrants additional consideration as a reversal or a flat market habits might be on the horizon.

Divergence

Recognizing divergence between an instrument and the OBV indicator may be much less widespread & tougher to establish in actual time. Nonetheless, sticking with the precept that quantity leads worth, divergences could be a highly effective indication {that a} change in worth habits could also be forthcoming.

Under is a basic instance of bullish divergence seen within the every day U.S. Treasury Bond Futures (ZB). The value development is on a decline whereas the general development of the OBV is on the rise. This habits demonstrates that the bears are shedding energy and the bulls are within the place to regain management of the market.

As with various buying and selling indicators, the OBV has its limitations. As a result of the OBV is usually used to foretell market reversals, false indicators could be a widespread prevalence. Subsequently, using the OBV as a affirmation device alongside different strategies of elementary & technical evaluation is usually thought of greatest observe. The OBV is only one of over 100 free indicators included within the award-winning NinjaTrader platform.

Get Began with NinjaTrader

NinjaTrader helps greater than 500,000 merchants worldwide with a strong and user-friendly buying and selling platform, low cost futures brokerage and world-class assist. NinjaTrader is at all times free to make use of for superior charting & technique backtesting by an immersive buying and selling simulator.

Obtain NinjaTrader’s award-winning buying and selling platform and get began with a free buying and selling demo with real-time market information at this time!