Bulls and Bears Battle for Gibson Energy Inc (GEI.TO): Where is the BOP Now?

Gibson Energy Inc (GEI.TO) shares have seen the Balance of Power trend lower over the past few sessions, indicating potential price moves are ahead.

The Balance of Power (BOP), indicator was developed by Igor Livshin and it was introduced in the August 2001 issue of Stocks and Commodities Magazine.  Balance of Power (BOP) measures the strength of the bulls versus the bears by assessing the ability of each to push price to extreme levels.  The BOP indicator represents the strength of the buyers (bulls) vs. the sellers (bears), and oscillates between -100 and 100. The calculation of the BOP = (close – open) / (high – low). A directional change of the BOP can be interpreted as a warning signal and will generally be followed by a price change.

Even though the stock market can seem erratic and unpredictable, investors may be able to take some steps to help combat the chaos. One thing that investors have the ability to do is create an overall plan and stick to it. This may be one of the single most important factors in achieving success in the stock market. Of course, if something doesn’t seem to be working over an extended period of time, then maybe some action may need to be taken and the plan should be adjusted. Scrapping a plan too early may bring about a lot of unnecessary worry and confusion. Staying disciplined and keeping the proper perspective might help the investor better position themselves on the front lines. 

A commonly used tool among technical stock analysts is the moving average. Moving averages are considered to be lagging indicators that simply take the average price of a stock over a certain period of time. Moving averages can be very helpful for identifying peaks and troughs. They may also be used to assist the trader figure out proper support and resistance levels for the stock. Currently, the 200-day MA for Gibson Energy Inc (GEI.TO) is sitting at 20.50. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is a momentum oscillator that measures the speed and change of stock price movements. The RSI was developed by J. Welles Wilder, and it oscillates between 0 and 100. Generally, the RSI is considered to be oversold when it falls below 30 and overbought when it heads above 70. RSI can be used to detect general trends as well as finding divergences and failure swings. The 14-day RSI is presently standing at 28.65, the 7-day is 9.64, and the 3-day is resting at 0.33.

Gibson Energy Inc (GEI.TO)’s Williams Percent Range or 14 day Williams %R is currently at -95.12. In general, if the reading goes above -20, the stock may be considered to be overbought. Alternately, if the indicator goes under -80, this may show the stock as being oversold. The Williams Percent Range or Williams %R is a technical indicator that was developed to measure overbought and oversold market conditions. The Williams %R indicator helps show the relative situation of the current price close to the period being observed.

We can also take a look at the Average Directional Index or ADX of Gibson Energy Inc (GEI.TO). The ADX is used to measure trend strength. ADX calculations are made based on the moving average price range expansion over a specified amount of time. ADX is charted as a line with values ranging from 0 to 100. The indicator is non-directional meaning that it gauges trend strength whether the stock price is trending higher or lower. The 14-day ADX presently sits at 30.74. In general, and ADX value from 0-25 would represent an absent or weak trend. A value of 25-50 would indicate a strong trend. A value of 50-75 would indicate a very strong trend, and a value of 75-100 would signify an extremely strong trend. At the time of writing, the 14-day Commodity Channel Index (CCI) is -106.80. Developed by Donald Lambert, the CCI is a versatile tool that may be used to help spot an emerging trend or provide warning of extreme conditions. CCI generally measures the current price relative to the average price level over a specific time period. CCI is relatively high when prices are much higher than average, and relatively low when prices are much lower than the average.

Investors often have to calculate risk/reward scenarios when navigating the equity market. Keeping track of alternatives and gauging the likelihood of certain outcomes can help with designing a legitimate strategy. When all the research and planning has been completed, there may come a time when the investor has to make a decision and get ready to take some action. There will obviously be some trades that work out great and others that don’t. Accepting the fact that this is part of the process can help keep the investor focused on the next trade instead of lamenting the past.