In general, the kijun sen cross strategy can be classified into three (3) major classifications: strong, neutral and weak.
STRONG KIJUN SEN CROSS SIGNALSee the chart in Figure III below for an example of several classifications of the kijun sen cross:
A strong kijun sen cross Buy signal takes place when a bullish cross happens above the kumo.
A strong kijun sen cross Sell signal takes place when a bearish cross happens below the kumo.
NEUTRAL KIJUN SEN CROSS SIGNAL
A neutral kijun sen cross Buy signal takes place when a bullish cross happens within the kumo.
A neutral kijun sen cross Sell signal takes place when a bearish cross happens within the kumo.
WEAK KIJUN SEN CROSS SIGNAL
A weak kijun sen cross Buy signal takes place when a bullish cross happens below the kumo.
A weak kijun sen cross Sell signal takes place when a bearish cross happens above the kumo.
Figure III - Kijun Sen Cross Classifications
As with the tenkan sen/kijun sen cross strategy, the savvy Ichimoku trader will make good use of the chikou span to confirm any kijun sen cross signal. Each of the three classifications of the kijun sen cross outlined above can be further classified based on the chikou span's location in relation to the price curve at the time of the cross. If the cross is a "Buy" signal and the chikou span is above the price curve at that point in time, this will add greater strength to that buy signal. Likewise, if the cross is a "Sell" signal and the chikou span is below the price curve at that point in time, this will provide additional confirmation to that signal. If the chikou span's location in relation to the price curve is the opposite of the kijun sen cross's sentiment, then that will weaken the signal.
Entry
The entry for the kijun sen cross is very straightforward - an order is placed in the direction of the cross once the cross has been solidified by a close. Nevertheless, in accordance with good Ichimoku trading practices, the trader should bear in mind any significant levels of support/resistance near the cross and consider getting a close above those levels before executing their order.
Exit
A trader exits a kijun sen cross trade upon their stop-loss getting triggered when price crossing the kijun sen in the opposite direction of their trade. Thus, it is key that the trader move their stop-loss in lockstep with the movement of the kijun sen in order to maximize their profit.
Stop-Loss Placement
The kijun sen cross strategy is unique among Ichimoku strategies in that the trader's stop-loss is determined and managed by the kijun sen itself. This is due to the kijun sen's strong representation of price equilibrium, which makes it an excellent determinant of sentiment. Thus, if price retraces back below the kijun sen after executing a bullish kijun sen cross, then that is a good indication that insufficient momentum is present to further the nascent bullish sentiment.
When entering a trade upon a kijun sen cross, the trader will review the current value of the kijun sen and place their stop-loss 5 to 10 pips on the opposite side of the kijun sen that their entry is placed on. The exact number of pips for the stop-loss "buffer" above/below the kijun sen will depend upon the dynamics of the pair and price's historical behavior vis-a-vis the kijun sen as well as the risk tolerance of the individual trader, but 5 to 10 pips should be appropriate for most situations. When looking to enter Short, the trader will look to place their stop-loss just above the current kijun sen and when looking to enter Long, the trader will place their stop-loss just below the current kijun sen.
Once the trade is underway, the trader should move their stop-loss up/down with the movement of the kijun sen, always maintaining the 5 to 10 pip "buffer". In this way, the kijun sen itself acts as a "trailing stop-loss" of sorts and enables the trader to keep a tight hold on risk management while maximizing profits.
Take Profit Targets
Take profit targetting for the kijun sen cross strategy can be approached in one of two different ways. It can be approached from a day/swing trader perspective where take profit targets are set using key levels, or from a position trader perspective, where the trader does not set specific targets but rather waits for the current trend to be invalidated by price crossing back over the kijun sen in the opposite direction of their trade.
Case Study
In the 1D chart in Figure IV below for USD/CHF we can see a bullish kijun sen cross at point A. While the initial cross is above the kumo and therefore a relatively strong cross, it is still beneath a very key chikou span level (not visible on this chart), so we wait until we get a close above that key level before entering at point B. At this point, we also have the additional benefit of confirmation from a bullish tenkan sen/kijun sen cross and a nice upward angle to the kijun sen, bolstering our prospects for more bullish price action even more. For our stop-loss, we follow the kijun sen trading strategy guidelines and place it 10 pips below the prevailing kijun sen at point C.
Figure IV - Kijun Sen Cross Case Study
Once we place our entry and stop-loss orders, we merely wait for the trade to unfold while continually moving up our stop-loss with the kijun sen. Price rises nicely for the next 40 days staying well above the kijun sen. After this point, price begins to drop and, on the 44th day, price crosses the kijun sen and hits our stop-loss at point D closing out our trade and netting us a profit of 645 pips.
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