Fibonacci Numbers - So Pleasing in Art and Forex Markets

By Richard U. Olson

Leonardo of Pisa, aka the mathematician "Fibonacci", published his Fibonacci sequence in 1202. Fibonacci came upon his now very famous sequence of numbers when he was trying to breed rabbits and figure out how many pairs of rabbits he would have at the end of one year based upon their breeding behavior. This is just the kind of no-nonsense approach that Forex traders are into.

While many think of the Fibonacci sequence as a mathematical abstraction, it is grounded in a real world application. The Fibonacci sequence can be used to predict patterns which would not otherwise be apparent.

So how is the Fibonacci sequence applicable to currency investing? Savvy investors know that there are patterns to the movements of the stock and currency markets which can be seen by studying the past behavior of investors. The market truisms "buy low, sell high" is based on an understanding of these market patterns.

Hidden patterns of investment marketing cannot be seen up close. There is no accurate sense in trying to predict the hourly or daily fluctuations of investment markets. However, overall extended trends very well can be. Increased profits are taken advantage of when investors and Forex traders confidently use the number sequence of Fibonacci to reach their gains.

The Fibonacci sequence is a string of numbers with each number being the sum of the two numbers which preceded it. For example, one such string would be 1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21 and so on. These numbers are related in several ways. Any given number in a Fibonacci sequence is about 1.618 of its predecessor - the "golden ratio" of the Greek mathematicians.

The most common applications of the Fibonacci sequence for investment purposes are retracements and arcs.

A Fibonacci chart is made of three curved lines which represent support levels, key resistance and ranging. A trendline is first drawn between two points (generally the high and low points over a given period of time). Three curved lines are then drawn which intersect the trendline at the 38.2%, 50% and 61.8% points. Decisions about buying and selling are made at these points (i.e. - when the price of the commodity in question reaches these points).

Now, a retracement, in investing, refers to a reversal in the movement of a stock's price--a reversal which is enough to counter the stock's prevailing trend. Advanced successful investors pay intense attention to retracement possibilities and patterns. The Fibonacci retracement analyzes the likelihood that a financial asset's price will see a larger than average retracement and then come to support or resistance at the key Fibonacci levels before it then continues on in its original direction. A trendline is drawn between two extreme points; then, its vertical distance is divided by the key Fibonacci ratios of 23.6%, 38.2%, 50%, 61.8%, and 100%.

Multitudes of high-level traders gain with the Fibonacci retracement method. It aids them in finding the most strategic placement of transactions, their target prices and stop-losses. Gartley patterns, Tirone levels and the Elliott Wave theory are other technical tools that make use of retracement.

The Fibonacci formula simply works and is useful while investing. Forex traders worldwide are finding it successful while using it.

Richard U. Olson uses the state of the art Forex Robot Software and he recommends it to make consistent profits in the Forex markets. Grab his FREE e-course on Forex Trading Tips to achieve your financial freedom.