As of 03/28/2024
  Indus: 39,807 +47.29 +0.1%  
  Trans: 16,212 +183.07 +1.1%  
  Utils: 882 +7.51 +0.9%  
  Nasdaq: 16,379 -20.06 -0.1%  
  S&P 500: 5,254 +5.86 +0.1%  
YTD
 +5.6%  
 +2.0%  
 +0.1%  
 +9.1%  
 +10.2%  
  Targets    Overview: 03/13/2024  
  Up arrow40,000 or 38,500 by 04/01/2024
  Up arrow16,300 or 15,350 by 04/01/2024
  Up arrow885 or 830 by 04/01/2024
  Up arrow16,600 or 15,200 by 04/01/2024
  Up arrow5,350 or 5,100 by 04/01/2024
As of 03/28/2024
  Indus: 39,807 +47.29 +0.1%  
  Trans: 16,212 +183.07 +1.1%  
  Utils: 882 +7.51 +0.9%  
  Nasdaq: 16,379 -20.06 -0.1%  
  S&P 500: 5,254 +5.86 +0.1%  
YTD
 +5.6%  
 +2.0%  
 +0.1%  
 +9.1%  
 +10.2%  
  Targets    Overview: 03/13/2024  
  Up arrow40,000 or 38,500 by 04/01/2024
  Up arrow16,300 or 15,350 by 04/01/2024
  Up arrow885 or 830 by 04/01/2024
  Up arrow16,600 or 15,200 by 04/01/2024
  Up arrow5,350 or 5,100 by 04/01/2024

Bulkowski on the Running Flat Elliott Wave Pattern

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

 

The running flat wave correction, bull market and bear market variety. Flats come in three types, regular, expanded, and running. This page concerns itself with the running, 3-3-5 flat wave. The chart to the right shows a running flat in a bull market (left figure) and bear market (right figure), a variety of the ABC corrective wave that follows a motive wave.

In a running flat, wave B stops beyond the start of wave A, and wave C falls short of stopping near the end of wave A. The difference between an expanded flat and a running flat is where wave C ends. In an expanded flat, wave C terminates beyond the end of wave A. The appearance of a running flat is considered rare.

The running flat wave correction in a bull market. The chart to the right has the same general shape as the preceding chart (bull market) but with more detail. It shows the subwaves within the running flat correction. The red numbers 1-5 describe the line segments or subwaves within the ABC correction. Wave A is composed of three subwaves as is wave B, but wave C has five subwaves. That's where the flat 3-3-5 term comes from. A flat is a term used for any ABC correction that has 3-3-5 subwaves. A running flat (or any flat for that matter) must have the 3-3-5 configuration.

Top of page

 

The running flat wave correction in a bear market. This chart shows the same running flat 3-3-5 corrective wave but in a bear market. Waves A and B are threes and wave C is a five. Wave B ends beyond where wave A starts but wave C terminates before the end of wave A.

Since a running flat is so rare, check for the 3-3-5 subwave configuration. If a different combination appears, such as 3-3-3, then you may be looking at the start of a triangle. If wave B shows five subwaves instead of three, then it may be the motive phase of a wave of one higher degree.

Running Flat Elliott Wave Rules

The three wave corrective phase has rules that govern its shape. They are listed here.

-- Thomas Bulkowski

Top of page

See Also

 

Support this site! Clicking any of the books (below) takes you to Amazon.com If you buy ANYTHING while there, they pay for the referral.
Legal notice for paid links: "As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases."

My Stock Market Books
My Novels

Copyright © 2005-2024 by Thomas N. Bulkowski. All rights reserved.
Disclaimer: You alone are responsible for your investment decisions. See Privacy/Disclaimer for more information.
Some pattern names are registered trademarks of their respective owners.
Home Advertise Contact Donate Privacy/Disclaimer

I'm a vegetarian -- I eat anything that eats greens.Smiley