Leonardo of Pisa, better known to us today as Fibonacci first introduced what we call the Fibonacci sequence to the west in his 1202 book Liber Abaci (the sequence was already known in Indian mathematics). He stumbled upon this sequence while attempting to estimate how many rabbits he would be able to breed in one year based on his knowledge of their breeding habits. This mathematical model is used by Forex traders today.

While many think of the Fibonacci sequence as a mathematical abstraction, it is grounded in a real world application. The Fibonacci sequence can be used to predict patterns which would not otherwise be apparent.

It works really well while investing. Why? Well, based on the mass behavior of investors there are various hidden patterns in the stock market. Perceptive investors know this. Investment aphorisms such as “The best time to buy is when there’s blood in the streets” and “Buy low and sell high” work well. However, they also relate to understanding the investment markets hidden patterns.

The reason that investment market patterns are so well hidden is because “up close” they cannot be seen. Day to day, hour to hour fluctuations in the investment markets cannot be predicted with any accuracy. But certain overall trends that extend over longer periods of time definitely can be. And savvy investors, including Forex traders, have successfully been using Fibonacci’s number sequence to take advantage and make big profits.

The Fibonacci sequence is a series of numbers in which each successive number is the sum of the two previous numbers. So it goes 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, and into perhaps infinity. There are a number of interrelationships held within these numbers; for instance, any given number is approximately 1.618 times the preceding number, and 1.618 happens to represent the ancient Greeks’ “golden ratio”–considered to be the supreme essence of balance (and balance is the ultimate key to successful investing).

The most common applications of the Fibonacci sequence for investment purposes are retracements and arcs.

A Fibonacci chart is made of three curved lines which represent support levels, key resistance and ranging. A trendline is first drawn between two points (generally the high and low points over a given period of time). Three curved lines are then drawn which intersect the trendline at the 38.2%, 50% and 61.8% points. Decisions about buying and selling are made at these points (i.e. - when the price of the commodity in question reaches these points).

Next is the retracement - this is when the movement of a stock or other traded commodity reverses direction; this is a reversal which is stronger than the prevailing trend of the stock’s movement. Retracement patterns are looked at closely by investors; a Fibonacci retracement can be used to analyze the odds of a commodity’s price having a larger than average retracement before continuing back on the direction it had before reversal. The trendline is typically drawn between two extremes and is divided vertically by the Fibonacci ratios of 23.6%, 38.2%, 50%, 61.8% and 100%.

The Fibonacci retracement is widely used by sophisticated traders to find: strategic places for transactions to be placed; target prices; and stop-losses. Other technical tools including Tirone levels, Gartley patterns, and Elliott Wave theory all make use of retracement.

The Fibonacci formula simply works and is useful while investing. Forex traders worldwide are finding it successful while using it.

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