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? ›

Essentially, Volume Profile takes the total volume traded at a specific price level during the specified time period and divides the total volume into either up volume (trades that moved the price up) or down volume (trades that moved the price down) and then makes that information easily visible to the trader.

What is the best volume indicator for trading? ›

OBV, MFI, A/D, VWAP and Chaikin Oscillator are some of the most popular volume indicators that are well-known to professional traders.

What is the rule of volume indicator? ›

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.

How do you use a volume indicator for trading? ›

Here are some common ways to use volume to confirm a bullish price move, as well as an example of how volume can undermine a price trend.
  1. Upside breakout with above average volume. ...
  2. Uptrend accompanied by increasing volume. ...
  3. An uptrend with decreasing volume. ...
  4. Downside breakout accompanied by heavy volume.

What does it mean when a stock goes up on low volume? ›

If you see a stock that's appreciating on high volume, it's more likely to be a sustainable move. If you see a stock that's appreciating on low volume, it could be a dead cat bounce. Logically, when more money is moving a stock price, it means there is more demand for that stock.

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.

What are the most popular volume indicators? ›

Popular volume indicators include three mentioned above—on-balance volume (OBV), Chaikin Money Flow, and Klinger oscillator—as well as the volume price trend indicator and Money Flow Index.

What is the average daily trading volume indicator? ›

Average Daily Trading Volume (ADTV) refers to the number of shares of a particular stock that, on average, change hands during a single trading day. Significant deviations from the ADTV usually indicate greater or lesser buying or selling interest in the stock from large institutional investors.

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.

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

High or increasing volume in an uptrend can signal a buying opportunity. Decreasing volume in an uptrend may suggest that it's time to sell and take profits. High or increasing volume in a downtrend can signal that it's best to stay on the sidelines.

What is the MACD volume indicator? ›

Description and Application of the MACD indicator

The indicator consists of two lines: the MACD line and signal line. The MACD line value, as a rule, is 12 to 26 periods. Ideally, it should be 2-3 times longer than the signal line. To build MACD, it is necessary to subtract the long moving average from the short one.

How do you read a volume indicator on Tradingview? ›

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.

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