How to Trade Gaps on IQ Option and Why They Are Not Best #1 Pattern


gaps explained iq option

One of our readers recently asked: how to trade gaps? When trading candlestick charts on iq option, you will occasionally notice a space that occurs between two candles. That is, the open, close, high and low of the candles do not overlap each other. This space is aptly called a gap.

Key Takeaways🔑

A gap is a blank space that appears between two candles on the chart and represents a sudden price change during periods where no apparent trading takes place.
Gaps can be used as support/resistance ranges and can offer excellent short-term trading opportunities.
Traders should always perform their own research and analysis before investing or trading, including when trading gaps.

Overview of the gap

gap on cocacola 5m

This is simply a blank space that appears between two candles on the chart. It represents a sudden price change during periods where no apparent trading takes place. Normally, this occurs between one day’s close and the other day’s open. However, it can also occur during the day. For example, after a significant news release where prices suddenly change.

There are two types of gaps. The up gap develops when the low price at the close of the session is higher than the high price of the previous session. The down gap on the other hand develops when the high price at the close of the session is lower than the low price of the previous session. Let’s talk about how to use gaps!

How to trade gaps on IQ Option

How to trade morning gaps

Price gaps rarely form on intraday charts during the ongoing session. Of course, they may occur if there is significant news or market participants react sharply to some macroeconomic data. At such a time, we can say that the gap itself is at the same time a price slide between candles.

Morning gaps are those most commonly found in equity markets. The name obviously derives from the time at which the pattern is identified. It is logical that the opening share price does not have to be equal to the closing price of the previous session. This is how the most common gaps are formed. In trading, we use morning gaps just like any other price gap.

Using gaps as support/resistance

How to trade gaps

Once a gap develops, the space created forms a support/resistance range. In the example above, a down gap is created. You should expect that once the price rises and enters this range, it will start falling again.

Most IQ option traders refer to this support/resistance range as a gap test. This means that at a later time, this gap eventually gets filled where prices fluctuate up and down within this range.

Using gaps to trade a trend

gap in uptrend nvidia 1m

In the example above, you’ll notice that a gap develops along with the uptrend. This type of gap is a runaway gap. These are created due to increased interest in the underlying asset.

For example, bulls might have thought that the trend is exhausted. However, price retracement doesn’t happen. This results in the buyers suddenly jumping into the market resulting in a sudden price spike.
This gap can also be the result of a significant news release which results in a sudden change in prices.

The good thing about runaway gaps is that they develop along with the trend. Once you see this type of gap, your trade position should be along the direction of the trend.

Pros and Cons of Trading Gaps👍👎

Advantages:

  • Offer excellent short-term trading opportunities.
  • Gaps can be used as support/resistance ranges.
  • Can be identified on charts relatively easily.

Disadvantages:

  • Gaps can lead to excess losses if not managed properly.
  • May cause traders to close trades overnight or over the weekend.
  • Not a common occurrence and therefore may not be reliable in all trading scenarios.


Example of Up Gap and Down Gap:

Up Gap Down Gap
Develops when the low price at the close of the session is higher than the high price of the previous session. Develops when the high price at the close of the session is lower than the low price of the previous session.
Indicates a bullish sentiment in the market. Indicates a bearish sentiment in the market.
A buying opportunity may present itself when an up gap appears in an uptrend. A selling opportunity may present itself when a down gap appears in a downtrend.

How can gaps be prevented in trading?

Some people wonder how to trade gaps. Believe me, it is equally popular to consider how to avoid trading gaps in financial markets. Price gaps, particularly the morning gap, can prove problematic. They sometimes cause losses and even excess losses.

Imagine that just before the weekend you opened a EURUSD buy position at 1.0700. On Friday evening the last available quote is 1.0730, meaning your position makes money. You may have even managed to move your defensive stop-loss order to the entry-level of 1.0700, so theoretically you should not lose on this position. On Sunday night the market opens at 1.0520, in which case your broker can automatically close your position at a loss because the market has opened beyond your stop-loss order.

For long-term traders, gaps are not such a problem. For day traders, they are often the reason for closing trades overnight or over the weekend in the case of the foreign exchange market. It is very important to be aware of these nuances as they can be very costly.

Gaps are quite rare. But when they occur, they offer excellent short term trading opportunities. Now that you know how to trade gaps, try them out on your IQ Option demo account today. Share your results in the comments section below.

Good luck!

Q&A Section:

Here are some common questions related to trading gaps:

    • Q: Are gaps reliable indicators of market sentiment?

A: Gaps can be useful in identifying changes in market sentiment, but they should always be used in conjunction with other technical indicators and fundamental analysis.

    • Q: How can traders prevent losses when trading gaps?

A: Traders should always use proper risk management techniques, such as stop-loss orders and limiting position sizes, to prevent excess losses when trading gaps.

    • Q: Can gaps be used in any trading strategy?

A: Gaps can be used in a variety of trading strategies, but they should be used in accordance with the trader’s overall trading plan and risk management strategy.

    • Q: Are gaps more common in certain financial markets?

A: Gaps can occur in any financial market, but they are more common in highly volatile markets such as the stock market and foreign exchange market.

    • Q: Is it possible to predict when a gap will occur?

A: It is difficult to predict when a gap will occur, but traders can use technical analysis to identify potential areas where gaps may develop.

GENERAL RISK WARNING

The financial products offered by the company carry a high level of risk and can result in the loss of all your funds. You should never invest money that you cannot afford to lose.
Kindly note that this article does not provide any investment advice. The information presented regarding past events or potential future developments is solely an opinion and cannot be guaranteed as factual, including the provided examples. We caution readers accordingly.

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Niels Hammer

Trading and investing are lifelong pursuits for me, and I will most likely never stop learning about them. I started trading with IQ Option in 2014 and have been with them ever since. And I've seen the platform mature. Nowadays, I'm very interested in cryptocurrency and am attempting to learn and invest my time and money in it. On the other hand, I try to help you guys as much as I can with this blog. Happy trading!

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