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Zig Zag Channels

By LuxAlgoJul 5, 2021

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Zig Zag Channels rebuilds the classic swing outline with a twist: peaks and troughs are detected from rolling maximums and minimums over a configurable window (keeping pivot detection regular across price scales), and the resulting zigzag structure is wrapped in upper and lower extremities that show where price stretched furthest from its legs. The indicator backpaints, meaning plotted components are offset backwards on the chart: an honest picture of when each swing was actually confirmed.

How to Trade the Zig Zag Channels?

  • Pivot anchors: use confirmed highs and lows as reference points for Fibonacci retracements, fans, squares and similar drawing tools.
  • Extremity spacing: a narrow gap between the zigzag and one extremity means price action leaned to that side of the swing line; even spacing suggests a more uniform trend.
  • Extended extremities: carried to the latest bar, the extremity levels become potential support and resistance for anticipating reactions.
  • Wave reading: the simplified swing sequence makes motive and corrective moves easier to pick out.

Together the zigzag and its extremities behave like a swing-defined channel, adding an anticipation layer to a tool traders usually reserve for describing the past.

Zig Zag Channels Settings

  • Length: the detection window. Larger values keep only the more significant peaks and troughs.
  • Extend To Last Bar: stretches the final line to the latest closing price.
  • Show Extremities: toggles the channel extremities.
  • Show Labels: prints high and low values at each pivot.
  • Style inputs set the Zig Zag, upper extremity and lower extremity colors.

Frequently Asked Questions

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  • Futures data alongside crypto, stocks, forex and commodities
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Also works on

TradingView
NinjaTrader
MetaTrader 4/5
Original indicatorBuilt in-house by LuxAlgo

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