All traders and investors know that recognizing the most significant levels of support and resistance on a chart is key. There are many ways this can be done, from simple, hand-drawn lines to specialist indicators. Two such indicators from us here at Quantumtrading are the accumulation and distribution indicator and the volume point of control. The A&D indicator is price based, while the volume point of control (aka vpoc) includes both price and volume, and we can see how these work on the weekly chart for gold.

What is unique about the accumulation and distribution indicator is that the lines thicken each time the price is touched, thereby confirming the relative strength of that particular support or resistance level.

Meantime, the vpoc not only gives us the key levels based on price and volume but also highlights the congestion/consolidation zones where the price action is likely to pause or even struggle in its journey higher or lower.

Using these indicators together gives traders and investors potential points of entry and exit and optimum levels for placing stops.

The indicators are shown are for the Ninjatrader platform, but they are also available for Tradestation and Tradingview.

By Anna Coulling