Bollinger Band width Stock Indices Technical Analysis & Bollinger Band width Stock Indices Signals

Developed by John Bollinger.

This indices technical indicator is derived from the original Bollinger technical indicator.

Bandwidth is a measure of the width of the Bollinger Bands.

Calculation

Bandwidth = Upper Band - Lower Band

Middle Band

This is an oscillator, based on the theory that stock index price and volatility occurs in cycles.

Periods of high volatility is followed by periods of low volatility.

When volatility is high, bands are far apart, the bandwidth will also be wide apart.

When volatility is low, Bands are narrow & the bandwidth indicator will also not be narrow.

The blue line represents the highest Bandwidth value for a previous number of periods.

This line also identifies periods of high volatility

The redline represents the lowest Bandwidth value for a previous number of periods.

This line also identifies periods of low volatility

Indices Technical Analysis & How to Generate Trading Signals

Consolidation - Bollinger Squeeze

Bollinger Bandwidth is used to identify the squeeze, which is a consolidation period of stock index price, after which the stock index price then breaks out in a particular direction.

Signals are generated when there is a stock index price breakout signal is generated by the indicator starting to go up after touching the red-line. When the bandwidth line starts to move up it signifies that volatility is rising as the stock index price is breaking out.

Squeeze

Breakout Signal After Bandwidth Squeeze

However, this is a directionless indicator and needs to be combined with another indicator such as the moving average to figure out the direction of the trend/ Breakout.