Pivot Point Calculator
Print| Resistance 2 (R2) | $0.00 |
| Resistance 1 (R1) | $0.00 |
| Support 1 (S1) | $0.00 |
| Support 2 (S2) | $0.00 |
In intraday day trading and technical market analysis, identifying price floor levels where buyers enter and ceiling levels where sellers take profit is critical for managing trade entries and stop-loss targets. The most widely relied-upon mathematical tool for projecting these key price levels is the Pivot Point.
Our free Pivot Point Calculator automatically computes intraday Support (S1, S2, S3, S4) and Resistance (R1, R2, R3, R4) levels across four major trading methods: Standard (Floor), Fibonacci, Camarilla, and Woodie.
How Standard Pivot Points are Calculated
Standard Floor Pivot Points use the previous trading period’s High (H), Low (L), and Close (C) prices to project the central Pivot (P) and surrounding levels.
Standard Pivot Formulas:
Pivot Point (P) = (High + Low + Close) / 3
Resistance Levels (Ceiling):
R1 = (2 × P) - Low
R2 = P + (High - Low)
R3 = High + 2 × (P - Low)
Support Levels (Floor):
S1 = (2 × P) - High
S2 = P - (High - Low)
S3 = Low - 2 × (High - P)
Comparison of 4 Pivot Point Methods
| Method | Mathematical Basis | Best Trading Application |
|---|---|---|
| Standard (Floor) | Basic arithmetic average of High, Low, and Close. | General stock and equity index day trading. |
| Fibonacci | Applies Fibonacci ratios (38.2%, 61.8%, 100%) to the range (High – Low). | Forex currency trading and swing trading. |
| Camarilla | Focuses heavily on closing price multipliers (8 levels). | Mean-reversion & breakout trading. |
| Woodie | Gives extra weight to the current Open price: P = (H + L + 2O) / 4. |
Fast-moving momentum trading. |
Step-by-Step Day Trading Example
Imagine analyzing a stock with the following previous day price action:
- High (H): $155.00
- Low (L): $148.00
- Close (C): $153.00
Let’s calculate Standard Pivot Points:
Pivot Point (P) = ($155 + $148 + $153) / 3 = $456 / 3 = $152.00
Resistance 1 (R1) = (2 × $152) - $148 = $304 - $148 = $156.00
Support 1 (S1) = (2 × $152) - $155 = $304 - $155 = $149.00
The central intraday pivot is $152.00, with primary upside resistance at $156.00 and downside support at $149.00.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How do day traders use pivot points?
If prices open above the central Pivot (P), day traders view market sentiment as bullish and look for long entries targeting R1 and R2. If prices open below the central Pivot, traders view sentiment as bearish and look for short entries targeting S1 and S2.
Should I use daily, weekly, or monthly pivot points?
Day traders use Daily Pivot Points (calculated from yesterday’s 24-hour high/low/close). Swing traders and position traders use Weekly or Monthly Pivot Points to identify major multi-week support and resistance zones.
Are pivot points predictive or lagging?
Unlike moving averages (which lag price action), pivot points are leading predictive indicators because they project fixed price support and resistance levels forward into the next trading session before the market opens.