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Trading Glossary

Resistance

Technical Analysis

What it means

A price level where selling tends to appear and stop a rally. Price has stalled there before, so traders expect it to cap the move again.

Example

A stock rallies to $100 three times and reverses each time. $100 is resistance; traders place sell orders or take profits there expecting another rejection.

Mistake beginners make

Beginners short resistance blindly, but resistance is only a level, not a signal. Shorting it without a confirmation candle leads to losses when price finally breaks out.

Related terms

  • Support — A price level where buying tends to appear and stop a decline. Price has bounced there bef…
  • Trend — The overall direction price is moving over a period. Up trends make higher highs and highe…

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