Investopedia

Breakout

Dictionary Says

Definition of 'Breakout'

A price movement through an identified level of support or resistance, which is usually followed by heavy volume and increased volatility. Traders will buy the underlying asset when the price breaks above a level of resistance and sell when it breaks below support.

Breakout

This chart shows a stock that has historically encountered a lot of resistance near $37, but notice how it heads sharply higher following the breakout.
Investopedia Says

Investopedia explains 'Breakout'

In practice, a breakout is most commonly used to refer to a situation where the price breaks above a level of resistance and heads higher, rather than breaking below a level of support and heading lower. Once a resistance level is broken, it is regarded as the next level of support when the asset experiences a pullback Most traders use chart patterns and other technical tools such as trendlines to identify possible candidates that are likely to break through a support/resistance level.

A breakout is the bullish counterpart to a breakdown.

Articles Of Interest

  1. Trading Failed Breaks

    Learn how to capitalize on the predictable behavior of others during breakouts and breakdowns.
  2. Backspreads: Good News For Breakout Traders

    This bullish trading strategy offers unlimited potential profit with limited risk.
  3. What Your Trading Charts Aren't Telling You

    You may be missing some key statistics when following charts in the market.
  4. Capitalize On False Breakouts In The Danger Zone

    Sometimes you have to be a predator to profit. Find out how to cash in on false breakouts.
  5. 3 Reasons Not To Trade Range Breakouts

    Trading range breakouts is unprofitable for most novice traders; here are some alternatives that can be used.
  6. The Anatomy Of Trading Breakouts

    We'll walk you through this trading strategy from start to finish.
  7. How can I determine a stock's next resistance level or target price?

    Determining where the price of an asset will stop once it has created a new high is one of the most difficult tasks for any trader. There is no magic way to determine what price an asset is likely ...
  8. Support And Resistance Reversals

    Discover how these influential levels can switch roles.
  9. Market Summary for May 24 2013

    The major U.S. indices moved lower this week, ahead of the long Memorial Day weekend. After reaching all-time highs last week, many traders attributed the sell-off to a combination of profit ...
  10. What Type Of Trader Are You?

    There are different ways stock traders attempt to profit from market movements. Which of the strategies do you use?
comments powered by Disqus
Marketplace
Hot Definitions
  1. Abatement Cost

    A cost borne by many businesses for the removal and/or reduction of an undesirable item that they have created.
  2. Validation Period

    The amount of time necessary for the premium on an insurance policy to cover the commissions, the cost of investigation, medical exams and other expenses associated with the issuance of the policy.
  3. Winner's Curse

    Because of incomplete information, emotions or any other number of factors regarding the item being auctioned, bidders can have a difficult time determining the item's intrinsic value. As a result, the largest overestimation of an item's value ends up winning the auction.
  4. Glocalization

    A combination of the words "globalization" and "localization" used to describe a product or service that is developed and distributed globally, but is also fashioned to accommodate the user or consumer in a local market.
  5. Disaster Loss

    A special type of tax-deductible loss, similar to a casualty loss, where a loss has been incurred by taxpayers who reside in an area that has been designated as a federal disaster area by the President.
  6. Fool In The Shower

    The notion that changes or policies designed to alter the course of the economy should be done slowly, rather than all at once.
Trading Center