Identifying Swing Highs and Lows

A swing high is a peak where price turned down meaningfully. A swing low is a trough where price turned up meaningfully. The simplest manual method: a swing high has at least one lower high to its left and one to its right on your chosen timeframe.

Fractals make swings visible: significant highs and lows stand out as V-shaped or clear reversals. In fast markets, require a larger reversal or a pause (multiple small candles) before labeling a swing — this filters noise on lower timeframes.

Equal highs and equal lows are special swings where price tests the same level twice without breaking. These clusters often hold liquidity and attract stop hunts. Mark them carefully; they frequently precede sharp moves when one side is swept.

Swing points become support and resistance automatically. The low of a bullish impulse leg is support until broken. The high of a bearish impulse leg is resistance until broken. This links structure reading directly to level drawing.

Review swings at session end. Did you mark the same points you would mark in hindsight? Consistency in swing labeling is a skill that separates discretionary traders who improve from those who stay random.