CROKE DEFINITIONS

Reading the Croke Report

The Croke report I feel is a real hands on analysis, I go through each market each day,
different time frames and look through different studies. Below are some of the unique
terms I have developed, click on them and read through them for if you are going to look
at the letter, you will have a more rounded ability to pick up what I am conveying. Being
armed technically provides us traders an important edge in tackling these electronic
markets. Trading electronically can be a daunting task, but my daily analysis will
provide assistance and you will create a “feel” for your market of interest. I get asked,
“why put it out, why not just trade it yourself if it is so good?” I tell them that
revealing what I believe technically to a crowd does not detract from what I do, and
anyone who has known me in the futures arena over the years, knows it is in my nature. I
want the futures markets to flourish, I want traders to be able to sit at their screen and
make money, for then they will trade larger, and then the markets grow…and that is the
ultimate goal.

Daily Support/Resistance lines

is a moving average that I like to overlay on my charts, it is a 8 period, smooth, moving average.  It tracks nicely as a pullback level, where once at it or above on downtrend, and or below on uptrend, it will either “technically” look as though it should resurface in the direction of the trend or not.

Pivot or Pivot Block

will be a level, or a dual level of two prices that are in close proximity, that should be the “origin” point of a directional move one way or the other. A common reason for this number, is when it is generated at a price level where buystalk comes on or shuts off at. Another words, if it is bid or higher than, were in buystalk, very positive mode, and should trade higher, or it shuts off when that price is offered, and I know I am weak below there, and below there will trade lower. So basically a daily directional.

Positive (strong) above

Means if it can print above that price level, then there is a good chance it will begin to accelerate in momentum above there, and that level will then become support.  But you should actually be able to see the change in momentum.

Negative (weak) below

Means if it can print below this price level, then there is a good chance it will brgin to accelerate in momentum below there, and that level now will act as resistance.  But you should actually be able to see the change in momentum.

Heavy number (or level)

is the opposite of a buoy number, where the market may go through on the way up, but most likely will not be able to hold above the first time through.  Once again the longer the time period were analyzing the further the price can pass through, before fading back to it. In the long time frame(monthly), and the longer time frame(weekly), you need to give the heavy or buoy levels more “rope”.

Buoy number (or level)

is where the market may go through that level, however it will most likely not be able to stay under that number, it should resurface above, at least the first time through. The longer the time period, the further it can violate the level before fading back to the other side. You might say the larger the ATR, (average true range) the further it may violate.

Magnet

is derived from the Market Profile, and is the high volume areas, a price that is traded and recurring over many periods.  It is to be looked at as support, and resistance, but more so as a recurring price level, above a support level, or below a resistance level.  Once it traverses a support or resistance level, it may be free to move away from that level, which I call the magnet.

Stalkoffbuy / stalkoffsell

is where one or more of my technicals has fallen out of unison, shutting off that Buystalk or Sellstalk condition, and we have a potential high or low settling in, making it possible now for a new direction. There will always be some slippage in that opposite direction which is needed to cause the stalkoff to occur, and the longer the time-frame analyzed, the greater slippage “tic wise”, however unless it is a very dramatic “V” shape, the stalkoff condition is very effective in identifying a potential high or low of a move, and in a timely fashion.  The first question is when it does trade the daily M.A. line, how much thrust do the technicals have still in the direction that it was traveling, and will we resurface that M.A., or will it continue on to be a direction in trend change.

Buystalking / Sellstalking

is when the four different technical indicators I look at, are all in unison, which defines for me when the market in question can now trend one direction or the other.  Buystalking is when the market can trend up, sellstalking is when the market can trend lower.  In regards to trending, I believe the market only has the ability to trend about 20% of the time.  A high or low of a move always comes when we are in this condition, that’s where the “stalking” part comes in. We know that at some point for example, when lets say we are in Buystalk condition, that a possible high of the move could be forming.  We know when that condition shut’s off, that the odds favor heavily that we will trade down to the daily M.A. line that I keep.  It can show when new highs are formed, whether they are now technically divergent from previous highs, etc.