Charting Toolbar

Use the Charting Toolbar, on the left side of the chart, to:

  • Draw support, resistance, and trend lines
  • Zoom in on a chart
  • Turn on Crosshairs
  • Add notes to a chart

NOTE: Interpreting trend, support, and resistance lines is a complex subject, so it is recommended that you learn as much as possible about them before incorporating them into your trading strategy. Many books, web sites, and third party educators are available to further your understanding of Technical Analysis.

 

Get a quick overview of all the Chart Tab features in this self-paced Charts training course.

 

Trend lines

Choose to draw one of the following types of trend lines. For each, click the starting point and then click again where you want to set the end point.

  • Extending: Carries the trend line out to infinity from each end of the line
  • Segment: Draws the line only from point to point.
  • Fibonacci Fan: Lines are displayed by drawing a trend line between two extreme points, for example, a trough and opposing peak. Then an "invisible" vertical line is drawn through the second extreme point. Three trend lines are then drawn from the first extreme point so they pass through the invisible vertical line at the Fibonacci levels of 38.2%, 50.0%, and 61.8%.
    Check Show Levels to display the percentages for each line. Check Show Arcs to show the Fibonacci Arcs in addition to the Fan.
  • Fibonacci Arc: This trend line separates the Fibonacci Arcs into a separate view. The three arcs, which center on the last point of the trend line you draw, help you identify where support and resistance may affect the price as a stock trends up or down. Show the percentage labels by checking Show Levels.
  • Fibonacci Retracement: Lines are displayed by first drawing a trend line between two extreme points, for example, a trough and opposing peak. A series of nine horizontal lines are drawn intersecting the trend line at the Fibonacci levels of 0.0%, 23.6%, 38.2%, 50%, 61.8%, 100%, 161.8%, and 261.8%. (Some of the lines may not be visible because they will be off the scale.)

Add a Label: You may add a label for each line you draw in the Label field. Doing so will help you identify lines when you need to remove them.

To add a trend line, click at the start point of your trend line and then move your mouse to the end point of your trend line and click again. You may draw up to 10 lines per chart.

To move a trend line, click the trend lines icon again (so that it is no longer highlighted). This will stop drawing new trend lines.

Then place your mouse over the start or end point of the line you want to move. When the larger square appears around the start or end point square, click and drag the point to a different spot on the chart and the line will move.

Remove Trend Line(s)

Click the icon to remove ALL trend lines, or click the arrow to choose an individual trend line to remove.

Resistance  Line

Click to display a resistance line on the chart. Move the line to the price resistance level you identify, and then click again to set the line.

To remove, click the Resistance Line button again.

Support Line

Click to display a support line on the chart. Move the line to the price support level you identify, and then click again to set the line.

To remove, click the Resistance Line button again.

Zoom in/Zoom Out/Restore

The zoom button is to the left of the chart in your chart tab. Click the to zoom in. Click to zoom out. Click to restore the chart to full size.

Example: The yellow selected area in picture A zooms to the image in picture B.

A  

B

Stock and/or option symbols and price and volume data shown here are for illustrative purposes only. Charles Schwab & Co., its parent or affiliates, and/or its employees and/or directors may have positions in securities referenced herein, and may, as principal or agent, buy from or sell to clients

Crosshairs

Click to change the cursor to a crosshair , which will allow you to get precise data from a particular point on the chart in the line of data at the top of the chart. The center of the crosshair and the data it is pinpointing are highlighted in red in the image below:

Stock and/or option symbols and price and volume data shown here are for illustrative purposes only. Charles Schwab & Co., its parent or affiliates, and/or its employees and/or directors may have positions in securities referenced herein, and may, as principal or agent, buy from or sell to clients

Add Note

Chart Notes are memos that you can place at specific points on a chart.

You may "pin" notes to your charts to keep track of positions, stop loss values, or anything else. Notes are saved from session to session and will always display in the same date/price location on the chart. Add up to 5 notes per symbol.

Below, we have added a note and by hovering the mouse over it, we see it is regarding a short position we opened on 4/14 at 28.80.

Stock and/or option symbols and price and volume data shown here are for illustrative purposes only. Charles Schwab & Co., its parent or affiliates, and/or its employees and/or directors may have positions in securities referenced herein, and may, as principal or agent, buy from or sell to clients

To add a note:

  1. Click the Add Note icon to the left of the chart.
  2. A yellow "note pad" opens. Click in the notepad to open the text editor.
  3. Enter the note you wish to add to the chart.
  4. Click OK when you are finished.
  5. The note will update with the new text. Minimize the note by clicking the upper left corner of the note, then drag the small yellow icon to the location on the chart where you wish to pin it.
  6. When you hover your mouse over the note, it will show the first few words. Click on the icon to enlarge the note.

Find Note

The Find Note tool help you keep track of all your notes. It will quickly jump you to the location of the note on a chart and allow you to remove notes.

  • To jump to a note, click on the note entry and click Retrieve. It will switch your chart to that symbol and the location of the note.
  • To delete a note, click on the note entry and click Delete.

 

 

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