Tiger's Stop - Objective Stoploss Setting

2021년 2월 15일

Trading is a lot about risk management too. I created this script to help with setting and moving a proper stop-loss. It plots an area that is a result of adding and subtracting both average true range and something I call "false range".

►The Average True Range is calculated as the candle's high-low. If there is a gap, it is added to complete the result.
►My own False Range just candle bodies. It is calculated as an absolute value of (close-open).

Then, Rolling Moving Average is applied on both ATR and False Range to get an idea of how far the price tends to extend out of pure randomness. The resulting value is multiplied by a Multiplier.

The next step is an addition of the values to the higher part of the candle for short or a lower part of the candle for long. I prefer a special calculation instead of using Highs and Lows because it allows for more precise observation and stop-loss set up for less wicky symbols.

►►►Additional Functions

• Smoothing - applies moving average to candles from which range distance is calculated. This can achieve good smoothness but higher values will lead to using outdated price in the SL area calculation.
• Enable/Disable - if you know the direction you are going to trade in, it is good to disable either Long Stop-Loss Area or Short Stop-Loss Area. Just untick it in the settings.

►►►Actual Using

Before using the script to set your stop-loss, check the historical data and find a similar set-up. Is it engulfing you use as a trigger? Find a different one and see how effective the stop-loss based on the ATR*multiplier was. This will help you to optimize Multiplier value. A picture shows such research for a double top. You should find more similar situations to find an optimal value.

Ultimately, the indicator still gives you relatively a lot of freedom with your stop-loss settings (at least, that is with the default settings). You need to decide how loose stop-loss you want to set. Average True Range is the furthermost part which will make for a very large stop-loss, on the other hand, False Range might be triggered by a villainous wick unnecessarily. The choice should depend on the specific symbol you trade and perhaps, you will learn to set stops regardless of the indicator.

A little trick: 1. You can set the loosest stop-loss and set a TradingView alert for where the tightest stop-loss would be. When alerted, you will get the opportunity to reconsider the trade and take a loss if needs be or exit if a candle closes there. 2. Mostly for cryptocurrencies, you can set the tightest stop-loss to protect yourself from sudden spikes. If the price approaches it slowly enough, you can move the stop-loss to the further part of the channel. This is not the same as moving stop-loss indefinitely with hopes of reversal if you plan it from the beginning and a smaller stop is meant to protect you from spikes that are not always predictable and drive to both directions.

►►►Advantages of trailing stop-loss

I usually stick with my original stop-loss instead of moving to break even. If my entry area was functional support once, it may work again and is, therefore, still a good entry zone. But an alternative used to preserve as much of the profit as possible is trailing.

Trailing is setting a specific value in ticks or a calculation of how to move the stop-loss whenever the price moves in your favor. Tiger's Stop can be used this way. Whenever there is a new value as the candle closes and that value is closer to price than your current stop-loss, you can update it. However, if it moves further from your price, don't change the stop-loss. This can be a little tiresome if you do it manually but should be worth the effort.

I usually start trailing only after the price moves significantly in my favor that allowing it to return to the entry price would not make any sense.

►►►Feedback and optimization

The preview chart is chosen entirely at random and the values are not optimized for any specific symbol. If you opt to use it, let me know which values work for you the best, I'll add it to the description when I update it.

Furthermore, let me know if you think any sort of alerts would be useful with my script.

Good luck!