Understanding Volume Analysis and Volume Indicators (2024)

To understand volume analysis, it is important to have indicators that can help the investors to measure the volume. Most of the technical analysts use two of the important volume indicators, the Positive Volume Index (PVI) and the Negative Volume Index (NVI).

What is a Positive Volume Index?

The positive volume index is used to measure the positive impact or increase in the trading volume. Here, the trading volume is compared with the previous day to check if there is any increase. If there is an increase, the PVI (Positive Volume Index) is adjusted.

To calculate PVI,

PVI= PVIprevious + ( (CPtoday −CPyesterday) / CPyesterday )∗PVIprevious
Here,
PVI = Positive Volume Index
PVIprevious = Positive Volume Index of the previous day
CPtoday = Closing Price of today
CPyesterday = Closing Price of yesterday
The change in the positive volume index signifies the prices are being influenced by heavy volumes. This means the increase or decrease in PVI is due to trading in heavy volumes such as buying and selling in huge volumes.

What is a Negative Volume Index?

The negative volume index is used to measure the negative impact or decrease in the trading volume. Here, the trading volume is compared with the previous day to check if there is any decrease. If there is a decrease, the NVI (Negative Volume Index) is adjusted.

To calculate the NVI,

NVI= NVIprevious + ( (CPtoday −CPyesterday) / CPyesterday )∗NVIprevious
Here,
NVI = Negative Volume Index
NVIprevious = Negative Volume Index of the previous day
CPtoday = Closing Price today
CPyesterday = Closing Price yesterday
The change in the negative volume index signifies the prices are being influenced by lesser volumes. This means the increase or decrease in the volume is caused by the trade or buying/selling of lesser volumes.

Summary

Volume analysis is one of the important metrics that help investors understand the market trend from a broader perspective. It is defined as the number of trade exchanges such as shares and contracts during a specific time period. There are two most popular and widely used volume indicators: PVI (Positive Volume Index) and NVI (Negative Volume Index) that help in volume analysis. The positive volume index is used to measure the positive impact or increase in the trading volume. At the same time, the NVI is used to measure the negative impact or decrease in the trading volume.

Understanding Volume Analysis and Volume Indicators (2024)

FAQs

Understanding Volume Analysis and Volume Indicators? ›

Analyzing the volume indicator involves understanding the patterns created by the trading volume and their relationship with price action. High trading volumes often indicate increased market interest and liquidity, whereas low volumes suggest a lack of interest or limited market activity.

How do you interpret volume indicator? ›

Volume indicators indicate the perception of investors about a specific stock by measuring the number of traders that are interested in buying or selling it at a given point. If it indicates a negative perception, it means that the price of a stock can decline shortly, and it can show a bearish pattern.

How do you read a Volume Profile indicator? ›

The Volume Profile is a charting technique (indicator) that shows the trading activity of a specific financial asset over time. This indicator uses horizontal bars to reflect trading activity at different price points. The bars are stacked vertically, with the highest indicating the areas with the most trade activity.

How to do volume analysis? ›

Volume analysis involves examining relative or absolute changes in an asset's trading volume to make inferences about future price movements. Volume can be an indicator of market strength, as rising markets on increasing volume are typically viewed as strong and healthy.

What is the most used volume indicator? ›

There are two most popular and widely used volume indicators: PVI (Positive Volume Index) and NVI (Negative Volume Index) that help in volume analysis.

What is the VWAP indicator? ›

VWAP is the average price of a stock weighted by volume. By monitoring VWAP, a trader might get an idea of a stock's liquidity and the price buyers and sellers agree is fair at a specific time. The VWAP indicator can be used by day traders to monitor intraday price movement.

What is the difference between Volume Profile and volume indicator? ›

Compared with the more well-known volume-by-time indicator, which is the measure of trading activity over a specific period of time, the volume profile provides a more detailed view of trading activity at each price level.

What is VWAP and Volume Profile strategy? ›

VWAP and Volume Profile Strategies

Traders can use VWAP in conjunction with volume profile to identify potential support and resistance levels. For example, a price level where there is a significant volume node near the VWAP might act as a strong support or resistance, offering strategic entry or exit points.

What is the difference between Volume Profile and volume? ›

Horizontal volume is different from vertical volume in the sense that the latter shows a number of trades (volume) for a certain period of time and not at certain price levels. On the other hand, the volume profile gives details of how many shares or futures contracts are traded at each price level during a session.

How to use volume for day trading? ›

Volume is an important indicator that every day trader should understand. Generally, you want to look for stocks that have high volume. Rising volume and price often mean buyer interest, which makes the stock more liquid, and quicker and easier to buy and sell.

How do I use VWAP? ›

VWAP is used in different ways by traders. Traders may use VWAP as a trend confirmation tool and build trading rules around it. For instance, they may consider stocks with prices below VWAP as undervalued and those with prices above it as overvalued. If prices below VWAP move above it, traders may go long on the stock.

What trading indicator is good for a beginner? ›

MACD. Moving average convergence divergence (MACD) indicator, set at 12, 26, 9, gives novice traders a powerful tool to examine rapid price change. This classic momentum tool measures how fast a particular market is moving while it attempts to pinpoint natural turning points.

How do you know if volume is buying or selling? ›

You can distinguish buying volume from selling volume based on whether a transaction occurs at the bid price or the ask price. Changes in volume can give traders short-term indications of where the price might go next.

What are the 4 methods used to find volume? ›

Introduction
  • ρ = m/ V
  • (i) volume by geometry.
  • (ii) volume by water displacement.
  • (iii) volume by pycnometry (mass-based)
  • (i) the volume of a void inside a hollow cylinder; and,
  • (ii) the percent composition of a mixed-metal cylinder.
  • ( 2a ) V = π d. l = π d 2 l where d = diameter and l = length.
  • ( 2b ) ρ = m. V. = 4m. πd 2 l.

How do you trade with volume analysis? ›

The higher the number of units being traded, the higher the currency pair volume and vice versa.
  1. A higher volume during an uptrend indicates a strong bullish trend and signals traders to place long orders.
  2. A higher volume during a downtrend indicates a strong bearish trend and signals traders to place short orders.

How to read tradingview volume indicator? ›

It is one of the oldest and most popular indicators and is usually plotted in colored columns, green for up volume and red for down volume, with a moving average. It is one of the few indicators that is not based on price. High volume points to a high interest in an instrument at its current price and vice versa.

What does on balance volume tell you? ›

Description. On Balance Volume (OBV) measures buying and selling pressure as a cumulative indicator that adds volume on up days and subtracts volume on down days.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Jonah Leffler

Last Updated:

Views: 5275

Rating: 4.4 / 5 (65 voted)

Reviews: 88% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Jonah Leffler

Birthday: 1997-10-27

Address: 8987 Kieth Ports, Luettgenland, CT 54657-9808

Phone: +2611128251586

Job: Mining Supervisor

Hobby: Worldbuilding, Electronics, Amateur radio, Skiing, Cycling, Jogging, Taxidermy

Introduction: My name is Jonah Leffler, I am a determined, faithful, outstanding, inexpensive, cheerful, determined, smiling person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.