Bollinger Bands

A moving average plus volatility envelopes

What it is

A middle moving average with an upper and lower band set a number of standard deviations away, so the envelope widens and narrows with volatility.

What it may suggest

Contracting bands suggest compressed volatility and often precede expansion. A touch means price is far from its own recent average, not that it is far enough to turn.

Where it fails

Touching a band is not a signal. In a trend price can ride the outer band for a long stretch. The bands describe volatility, not direction.

Also called bollinger, bands, bollinger band squeeze.

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