What are forex breakouts? 

Laptop screen displaying market graphs and financial charts.

When you’re trading forex, it’s essential to know what a breakout is and how to trade them. In this article, we’ll discuss breakouts, how to trade them, and some tips for staying profitable. We’ll also look at some examples of how breakouts can play out in the market and how you can react to them. 

What is a breakout? 

A breakout is a move higher or lower in price that breaks through a level of resistance or support. In other words, it’s a move outside of an established trading range. When the market breaks out, it can signal a change in trend. And when this happens, traders will often try to enter the market in the breakout direction. 

How to trade forex breakouts 

If you want to trade a breakout with a pending order, you’ll need to place your order at a resistance or support level before the market breaks out. If the market does indeed break out, your order will be executed at the breakout price. The advantage of this approach is that you don’t have to be glued to your screen to take advantage of the breakout. 

If you want to trade a breakout after it has occurred, you’ll need to wait for the market to break out and enter the market at the new price level.  

How to identify a forex breakout 

First, you’ll want to look for a level of resistance or support tested multiple times. It could be a horizontal level, or it could be a trendline. If the market bounces off of this level multiple times, a breakout will likely occur. 

Another look for is an increase in volume as the market approaches a resistance or support level. It can indicate that traders are getting ready to enter the market and that a breakout may occur soon. 

Finally, you might also look for candlestick patterns that signal a potential breakout. For example, a bullish engulfing pattern can signal buyers taking control of the market and that a breakout to the upside is likely. 

Tips for staying profitable when trading forex breakouts 

First, make sure to place your stop loss below or above the level of resistance or support, and this will help you stay in the trade if the market does breakout indeed. 

Second, take profit levels at areas of resistance or support that have been broken. These levels could act as new resistance or support levels and may cause the market to reverse. 

Finally, don’t be afraid to take partial profits at multiple levels, and this will help you lock in some profits while still giving you a chance to ride the rest of the move. 

Breakouts can be a great way to enter the market and capture some profits. However, it’s essential to be aware of the risks involved. Make sure to place your stop-loss orders and take profit levels at logical levels. And don’t be afraid to take partial profits along the way.  

The benefits of trading breakouts 

You can capture big moves in the market- When the market breaks out, it can signal a change in trend. And when this happens, traders will often try to enter the market in the breakout direction. It can lead to some big moves in the market that you can take advantage of. 

You don’t have to be glued to your screen- If you trade breakouts with pending orders, you don’t have to be glued to your screen to take advantage of the move. Your order will be executed at the breakout price. 

The risks of trading breakouts 

You may miss the move- If you’re not quick enough to enter at the new price level, you may miss the move altogether. 

The market may reverse- The market may reverse after breaking out, and you could find yourself on the wrong side of the trade. 

Your stop loss may be triggered- If you place your stop loss too close to the level of resistance or support, it may be triggered before the market can breakout. 

Tips for successfully trading breakouts 

First, make sure to place your stop loss below or above the level of resistance or support, and this will help you stay in the trade if the market does breakout indeed. 

Second, take profit levels at areas of resistance or support that have been broken. These levels could act as new resistance or support levels and may cause the market to reverse. 

Finally, don’t be afraid to take partial profits at multiple levels, and this will help you lock in some profits while still giving you a chance to ride the rest of the move.