LevelUp^ Trend Follower All-In-OneLevelUp is an all-in-one collection of the most popular trend following tools merged into one indicator. LevelUp automates many aspects of technical analysis to find and highlight chart patterns and signals based on the principles of William O'Neil, Stan Weinstein, Jesse Livermore and other well-known trend followers.
The 10-EMA, 21-EMA and 50-SMA are foundational in LevelUp. LevelUp uses the term moving average alignment to refer to patterns that meet your specific requirements as it relates to moving averages and their relationship to price and one another. For example, you can request the start of MA alignment begin when the low is > 21-EMA, the 21-EMA is > 50-SMA and the 50-SMA is trending up.
LevelUp includes indicators for intraday, daily and weekly timeframes.
Key Features:
Daily Timeframe:
▪ Configure moving average alignment and preferred price action.
▪ Custom RS Line:
▪ Symbol overlays showing new RS highs.
▪ Custom moving average with optional cloud.
▪ View 10-week SMA on daily chart.
▪ Set exit criteria based on moving averages and % below entry.
▪ Stats table to simplify calculating entry/exit points.
▪ Signals table to quickly view if stock is trending up.
▪ Power trend tools and analysis.
Daily & Weekly Timeframe:
▪ Flat base detection with custom configuration.
▪ Consolidation detection with custom configuration.
▪ Highlight lower lows and lower closes (pullbacks).
▪ Highlight 52-week highs.
Weekly Timeframe:
▪ Customizable tight closes.
▪ Customizable up weeks.
Intraday Timeframe:
▪ View daily 10-EMA, 21-EMA and 50-SMA.
▪ 1-day and 2-day AVWAP.
▪ 5-day moving average.
All Timeframes:
▪ Marked highs/lows with lines showing support/resistance.
▪ Custom moving averages.
Daily Chart Examples
The following charts show a range of examples on customization and features in LevelUp when viewing a daily chart.
Weekly Chart Examples
Weekly charts are helpful for identifying longer-term trends and patterns. Trend followers often limit the number of indicators and signals on a weekly timeframe, making for a cleaner chart with less noise.
Intraday Chart Examples
Daily 10-EMA, 21-EMA and 50-SMA on an intraday chart.
AVWAP and marked highs/lows.
RS Line ~ Relative Strength
The RS Line compares a stock's performance to the S&P 500 index. A rising RS Line means the stock is outperforming the overall market. Another important signal is when the RS Line reaches a new high before price. When this occurs, it indicates strong demand for the stock and may precede a significant price increase as buyers accumulate shares. Both signals are customizable within LevelUp providing multiple visual cues when the required conditions are met.
LevelUp also adds a few unique visuals as it relates to the typical RS Line. Included are options to show symbols on the RS line that represent RS Line new high and RS Line new high before price. This provides an at-a-glance view of the trend. Additionally, LevelUp allows for custom moving averages to be applied to the RS Line as well as an optional cloud to help identify support/resistance levels.
Power Trends
When a power trend is active, there is a stronger than usual uptrend underway. The concept of a power trend was created by Investor's Business Daily (IBD) based on extensive backtesting and historical analysis.
A power trend by definition uses a major index, such as the Nasdaq Composite (IXIC), as the data source for determining a power trend's state, either off or on. The LevelUp indicator builds upon this concept by allowing the current active chart symbol to be the data source for the power trend.
What Starts A Power Trend:
▪ Low is above the 21-day EMA for at least 10 days.
▪ 21-day EMA is above the 50-day SMA for at least five days.
▪ 50-day SMA is in an uptrend.
▪ Close up for the day.
What Ends A Power Trend:
▪ 21-day EMA crosses under 50-day SMA and the close is below prior day close.
▪ Close below the 50-day SMA and low is 10% below recent high.
Important Note: The power trend as created by IBD uses the daily 21-EMA and 50-SMA. Hence, the power trend is only shown when on the daily timeframe.
AVWAP - Anchored VWAP
The Anchored Volume Weighted Average Price (AVWAP) , created by Brian Shannon, is used to assess the average price at which an asset has traded since a specific time, event or milestone. This could be the beginning of a trading day, the release of important news, or any other event deemed significant. By anchoring the VWAP to a specific point in time, it helps market participants analyze how prices have evolved relative to that anchor.
If a stock is above a rising AVWAP, buyers are in control, while a declining AVWAP indicates sellers are in control. By analyzing AVWAP, traders can make informed decisions on timing entries, managing losses and profits, or deciding to stay on the sidelines during periods of market indecision.
Tight Weeks And Up Weeks
William O'Neil primarily focused on weekly charts. Two common patterns he looked for were tight weeks and up weeks.
Tight weeks occur when there are small variations in price from one week to the next. This indicates a lack of supply and accumulation by institutions. You can configure the minimum number of weeks and the maximum % change in price from week to week.
Up weeks are defined as multiple weeks where each close is higher than the previous week. This pattern is often a signal of institutional buying. At a minimum, O'Neil looked for three weeks of upward price action. You can configure the minimum number of up weeks required.
Flat Base
A flat based is relatively tight price action within a range. A flat base takes 5+ weeks (25+ days) to form. Although flat bases are often found after a more significant advance in price, this isn't always the case. With that in mind, LevelUp does not currently have requirements for a prior uptrend while scanning for flat bases.
In a flat base, price declines should be no more than 15% from intraday peak to trough. This is an important distinction, as with a consolidation (see below) the maximum depth is based on the high of first bar that started the base.
Default Requirements:
▪ Daily minimum length: 25 days.
▪ Weekly minimum length: 5 weeks.
▪ Depth maximum: 15% (daily or weekly).
Consolidation
A consolidation differs from a flat base in that the former can be much deeper and last longer. In addition, the fluctuations in price of a flat base are often tighter than a consolidation.
Unlike a flat base, the maximum depth is calculated from the high at the start of the consolidation. The minimum length and maximum depth can be customized for all flat base and consolidation patterns.
Default Requirements:
▪ Daily minimum length: 30 days.
▪ Weekly minimum length: 6 weeks.
▪ Depth maximum: 35% (daily or weekly).
Pullback In Price And Potential Bounce
A pullback occurs when the price declines after an initial advance. This is normal price action as prior support levels are tested. Pullbacks also act as a way to shakeout weak holders before the primary trend resumes.
With LevelUp you specify the type of pullback to track: lower lows, lower closes or both. You also set the minimum number of bars required. Different values can be set for daily and weekly charts. Once your requirements are met, LevelUp will highlight the bar after the pullback is complete. This is often a potential entry/add point.
52-Week Highs
A 52-week high refers to the highest closing price within the past 52 weeks. Trend followers often use the 52-week high as a signal to identify assets with upward momentum, considering it as an indication of a potential trend continuation. This approach assumes that assets that have reached a 52-week high are more likely to experience further price appreciation.
52-week highs can be shown on both weekly and daily charts. You can set the location where the 52-week high symbol is shown: above the bar, below the bar, at the top of the chart or at the bottom of the chart.
Marked Highs And Lows
Marked highs/lows, often referred to as pivot highs/lows, can be helpful to find areas of potential support and resistance. As defined by William O'Neil, on a daily chart, a marked high is the highest high going back nine bars and forward nine bars. The number of days forward/backward is referred to as the period. The same concept applies to finding marked lows.
One benefit of LevelUp marked highs/lows is that you can customize the high and low periods on all timeframes.
There is an additional option when viewing marked highs/lows to see where a breakout occurs. The highlight is shown if the current bar high is above the most recent pivot high.
Comparing Stock Performance
With two or more copies of LevelUp installed, you can configure different settings and compare and contrast how indicators and signals perform relative to one another.
This is a great way to come up with your own custom layout for each timeframe, tailored to your preferences and trading style.
Stats And The Signals Table
The stats and signal tables can be very helpful to see price information and patterns at a glance. For example, you can quickly determine potential stoploss placement based on the distance to/from a moving average. The signals tables show the status of several key trend indicators, including 52-week highs, RS Line new high and RS Line new high before price.
Managing Long Term Trends
Depending on your trading style, there are many ways to take advantage of long term trends. For example, the chart that follows show how an uptrend can be a profitable trade whether holding for the duration or taking shorter term trades along the way.