The Stochastic Oscillator compares a stock's closing price to its price range over a specified period. Like RSI, it oscillates between 0 and 100. It is particularly effective at identifying overbought and oversold conditions in range-bound markets.
Stochastic Formula (Default: 14, 3, 3)
%K = ((Close โ Lowest Low) รท (Highest High โ Lowest Low)) ร 100
%D = SMA(3) of %K โ the signal line
Reading the Stochastic
| Level | Signal | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Above 80 | Overbought | Prepare for potential sell |
| 50โ80 | Bullish | Upward momentum |
| Below 20 | Oversold | Prepare for potential buy |
| 20โ50 | Bearish | Downward momentum |
%K and %D Crossover
Bullish Signal: %K crosses above %D while both are below 20 (oversold zone)
Bearish Signal: %K crosses below %D while both are above 80 (overbought zone)
The crossover in the extreme zones is much more reliable than crossovers in the middle.
Bearish Signal: %K crosses below %D while both are above 80 (overbought zone)
The crossover in the extreme zones is much more reliable than crossovers in the middle.
Stochastic Divergence
Like RSI, Stochastic divergence often signals reversals before they happen:
Bullish Divergence: Price makes a lower low, Stochastic makes a higher low while below 20
Bearish Divergence: Price makes a higher high, Stochastic makes a lower high while above 80
Bearish Divergence: Price makes a higher high, Stochastic makes a lower high while above 80
Stochastic Settings
| Settings (%K, %D, Smooth) | Type | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| 14, 3, 3 (default) | Slow Stochastic | Swing trading, less noise |
| 5, 3, 3 | Fast Stochastic | Intraday, more signals |
| 21, 5, 5 | Smooth Stochastic | Positional, fewer false signals |
Use Stochastic on a higher timeframe to determine direction, then use it on a lower timeframe to time entries. For example: weekly Stochastic shows oversold โ daily Stochastic shows %K crossing above %D โ enter long.
Stochastic vs RSI
| Feature | Stochastic | RSI |
|---|---|---|
| Based on | Price range | Average gain vs loss |
| Signal speed | Faster | Slower |
| False signals | More | Fewer |
| Best market | Range-bound | Trending |
