A pivot point is a price level of significance in technical analysis
of a financial market that is used by traders as a predictive
indicator of market movement. A pivot point is calculated as an
average of significant prices (high, low, close) from the performance
of a market in the prior trading period. If the market in the
following period trades above the pivot point it is usually evaluated
as a bullish sentiment, whereas trading below the pivot point is seen
as bearish.
Monthly pivot point chart of the Dow Jones Industrial Average for the
first 8 months of 2009, showing sets of first and second levels of
resistance (green) and support (red). The pivot point levels are
highlighted in yellow. Trading below the pivot point, particularly at
the beginning of a trading period sets a bearish market sentiment and
often results in further price decline, while trading above it,
bullish price action may continue for some time.
It is customary to calculate additional levels of support and
resistance, below and above the pivot point, respectively, by
subtracting or adding price differentials calculated from previous
trading ranges of the market.