Thomas Bulkowski’s successful investment activities allowed him to retire at age 36. He is an internationally known author and trader with 30 years of stock market experience and widely regarded as a leading expert on chart patterns. His four books, including the best selling Encyclopedia of Chart Patterns, have been translated into seven languages. He may be reached at

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Bulkowski's Truncation Wave

Market

Industrials (^DJI):

Transports (^DJT):

Utilities (^DJU):

Nasdaq (^IXIC):

S&P 500 (^GSPC):

As of 02/06/2012

12,845 -17.10 -0.1%

5,334 -34.68 -0.6%

450 -1.41 -0.3%

2,902 -3.67 -0.1%

1,344 -0.57 0.0%

YTD

5.1%

6.3%

-3.2%

11.4%

6.9%

Tom's Targets Overview: 02/03/2012

13,100 or 12,400 by 02/15/2012

5,500 or 5,150 by 02/15/2012

470 or 440 by 02/15/2012

3,100 or 2,800 by 02/15/2012

1,375 or 1,300 by 02/15/2012

Test Portfolios and CPI

Indus. strength: 1.8%

Mutt Losers: None YTD

Mutt Winners: 2.3%

Wilder RSI: None YTD

CPI:

on 12/20/2011

This page describes the truncation pattern of the Elliott wave principle, how price moves not in a straight line but in a series of rises and retracements.

The truncation wave in a bull market. The figure to the right shows what a truncation wave looks like in a bull market. Truncation occurs when wave five fails to move beyond the end of wave three. For this reason, truncation is sometimes called a truncated fifth (or even a 2B). The red line illustrates how wave five fails to meet or exceed the end of wave three.

The subwave configuration for a truncation. The figure to the right show the subwave configuration of an ideal truncation in a bull market. Waves one, three, and five, are composed of five sub waves. Waves two and four have three subwaves each. Thus the configuration of the subwaves is 5-3-5-3-5.

The truncation in a bear market. This chart is the same as the prior one but the wave occurs in a bear market. Wave five fails to reach the end of wave three as the red line shows.

According to Frost and Prechter, you will see a truncated fifth often after an unusually strong wave 3 thrust.

Truncation Wave Rules

The truncation has rules that govern its shape. They are listed here.

The truncation is a motive wave that fails to complete the trend.
Subwave five falls to move beyond the end of wave three.
The pattern has a 5-3-5-3-5 subwave structure.

-- Thomas Bulkowski

Bulkowski's Truncation Wave

Truncation Wave Rules

See Also