Pivot Point Calculator: Daily, Weekly, Monthly Pivots
Master pivot point calculation with Standard, Fibonacci, Camarilla, and Woodie formulas. Learn to calculate and trade S1, S2, S3, R1, R2, R3 levels for intraday and swing trading.
4 Pivot Point Calculation Methods
Standard Pivot Points (Classic)
Most widely used. Based on previous High, Low, Close.
Formulas:
• Pivot Point (PP) = (High + Low + Close) / 3
• Resistance 1 (R1) = (2 × PP) - Low
• Resistance 2 (R2) = PP + (High - Low)
• Resistance 3 (R3) = High + 2 × (PP - Low)
• Support 1 (S1) = (2 × PP) - High
• Support 2 (S2) = PP - (High - Low)
• Support 3 (S3) = Low - 2 × (High - PP)
EUR/USD: High=1.1000, Low=1.0800, Close=1.0950
• PP = (1.1000 + 1.0800 + 1.0950) / 3 = 1.0917
• R1 = (2 × 1.0917) - 1.0800 = 1.1034
• R2 = 1.0917 + (1.1000 - 1.0800) = 1.1117
• R3 = 1.1000 + 2 × (1.0917 - 1.0800) = 1.1234
• S1 = (2 × 1.0917) - 1.1000 = 1.0834
• S2 = 1.0917 - (1.1000 - 1.0800) = 1.0717
• S3 = 1.0800 - 2 × (1.1000 - 1.0917) = 1.0634
Best For: General day trading, all market conditions
Fibonacci Pivot Points
Uses Fibonacci ratios (38.2%, 61.8%) instead of multipliers.
Formulas:
• Pivot Point (PP) = (High + Low + Close) / 3
• R1 = PP + 0.382 × (High - Low)
• R2 = PP + 0.618 × (High - Low)
• R3 = PP + 1.000 × (High - Low)
• S1 = PP - 0.382 × (High - Low)
• S2 = PP - 0.618 × (High - Low)
• S3 = PP - 1.000 × (High - Low)
EUR/USD: High=1.1000, Low=1.0800, Close=1.0950
• PP = 1.0917 (same as standard)
• R1 = 1.0917 + 0.382 × (1.1000 - 1.0800) = 1.0993
• R2 = 1.0917 + 0.618 × (1.1000 - 1.0800) = 1.1041
• R3 = 1.0917 + 1.000 × (1.1000 - 1.0800) = 1.1117
• S1 = 1.0917 - 0.382 × (1.1000 - 1.0800) = 1.0841
• S2 = 1.0917 - 0.618 × (1.1000 - 1.0800) = 1.0793
• S3 = 1.0917 - 1.000 × (1.1000 - 1.0800) = 1.0717
Best For: Trending markets, Fibonacci traders
Camarilla Pivot Points
Very tight levels, uses 1.1/12 multipliers. Best for ranging markets.
Formulas:
• R4 = Close + 1.1 × (High - Low) / 2
• R3 = Close + 1.1 × (High - Low) / 4
• R2 = Close + 1.1 × (High - Low) / 6
• R1 = Close + 1.1 × (High - Low) / 12
• S1 = Close - 1.1 × (High - Low) / 12
• S2 = Close - 1.1 × (High - Low) / 6
• S3 = Close - 1.1 × (High - Low) / 4
• S4 = Close - 1.1 × (High - Low) / 2
EUR/USD: High=1.1000, Low=1.0800, Close=1.0950, Range=0.0200
• R4 = 1.0950 + 1.1 × 0.0200 / 2 = 1.1060
• R3 = 1.0950 + 1.1 × 0.0200 / 4 = 1.1005
• R2 = 1.0950 + 1.1 × 0.0200 / 6 = 1.0987
• R1 = 1.0950 + 1.1 × 0.0200 / 12 = 1.0968
• S1 = 1.0950 - 1.1 × 0.0200 / 12 = 1.0932
• S2 = 1.0950 - 1.1 × 0.0200 / 6 = 1.0913
• S3 = 1.0950 - 1.1 × 0.0200 / 4 = 1.0895
• S4 = 1.0950 - 1.1 × 0.0200 / 2 = 1.0840
Best For: Scalping, range-bound markets, tight stops
Woodie Pivot Points
Weights Close 2x, uses different R2/S2 formula.
Formulas:
• Pivot Point (PP) = (High + Low + 2 × Close) / 4
• R1 = (2 × PP) - Low
• R2 = PP + High - Low
• S1 = (2 × PP) - High
• S2 = PP - High + Low
EUR/USD: High=1.1000, Low=1.0800, Close=1.0950
• PP = (1.1000 + 1.0800 + 2 × 1.0950) / 4 = 1.0925
• R1 = (2 × 1.0925) - 1.0800 = 1.1050
• R2 = 1.0925 + 1.1000 - 1.0800 = 1.1125
• S1 = (2 × 1.0925) - 1.1000 = 1.0850
• S2 = 1.0925 - 1.1000 + 1.0800 = 1.0725
Best For: Trend following, weighted close importance
4 Pivot Point Trading Strategies
Pivot Point Bounce (Range Trading)
Setup: Price approaching pivot point or S1/R1 in ranging market
Entry: Buy at PP or S1 when price shows reversal candle. Sell at PP or R1.
Stop-Loss: Below S2 for longs, above R2 for shorts (20-30 pips typically)
Take-Profit: Target next pivot level. From S1 to PP, or PP to R1.
Example: EUR/USD opens near PP (1.0917). Falls to S1 (1.0834), bounces with hammer candle. Buy at 1.0840, SL 1.0800 (below S2), TP 1.0917 (PP). Risk 40 pips, reward 77 pips = 1.9:1 R/R.
Win Rate: 60-70% in ranging markets
Best For: Range-bound days, Asian session, low volatility
Pivot Point Breakout (Trend Trading)
Setup: Price breaks above R1 or below S1 with momentum
Entry: Enter on breakout close above R1 (long) or below S1 (short)
Stop-Loss: Below PP for longs, above PP for shorts
Take-Profit: R2 or R3 for longs, S2 or S3 for shorts
Example: EUR/USD breaks R1 (1.1034) at 9am London open. Enter long 1.1040, SL 1.0910 (below PP), TP 1.1117 (R2). Risk 130 pips, reward 77 pips = 1:0.6 R/R (needs strong trend).
Win Rate: 50-60% but larger wins
Best For: Trending days, major news releases, London/NY sessions
Pivot Point Confluence (High Probability)
Setup: Pivot level aligns with Fibonacci, moving average, or round number
Entry: Enter when multiple technical levels converge at same price
Stop-Loss: Beyond next pivot level
Take-Profit: Next confluence zone or pivot level
Example: S1 at 1.0834 coincides with 200 EMA at 1.0830 and 1.0800 round number nearby. Triple confluence = high-probability long entry.
Win Rate: 70-80% with confluence
Best For: All market conditions, swing trading
Camarilla Levels for Scalping
Setup: Use tight Camarilla levels for quick 5-15 pip scalps
Entry: Buy at H3/H4, sell at L3/L4. Expect bounces within 10-20 pips.
Stop-Loss: Very tight, 10-15 pips beyond entry level
Take-Profit: Next Camarilla level or pivot point
Example: Price touches L3 (1.0895). Buy at 1.0896, SL 1.0880, TP 1.0913 (L2). Risk 16 pips, reward 17 pips = 1:1 R/R. High frequency.
Win Rate: 55-65%, many trades per day
Best For: Scalpers, 5-15 minute charts, low spread pairs
How to Use Pivot Calculator (8 Steps)
Select Timeframe (Daily, Weekly, Monthly)
Daily pivots for day trading. Weekly for swing trading. Monthly for position trading.
💡 Tip: Most traders use Daily pivots. Recalculate at 00:00 GMT (5pm EST) daily.
Input Previous High, Low, Close
Use previous day, week, or month data. High = highest price, Low = lowest, Close = last price.
💡 Tip: For Daily pivots on Monday, use Friday close. Skip weekends.
Choose Pivot Type
Standard (most common), Fibonacci (trending), Camarilla (scalping), Woodie (weighted close).
💡 Tip: Start with Standard. Once comfortable, test others for your strategy.
Calculate All Levels
Calculator generates PP, R1, R2, R3, S1, S2, S3 automatically.
💡 Tip: Plot all levels on chart. R3/S3 act as extreme targets or reversal zones.
Plot on Chart
Draw horizontal lines at each calculated level. Label them (PP, R1, S1, etc.).
💡 Tip: Use different colors: PP = yellow, R levels = red, S levels = green.
Identify Current Price Position
Is price above PP (bullish bias) or below PP (bearish bias)?
💡 Tip: If price opens above PP, look for longs at PP/S1. Below PP, look for shorts at PP/R1.
Watch for Reactions at Levels
Price often pauses, bounces, or breaks through pivot levels.
💡 Tip: Set alerts at pivot levels. Price action confirmation = higher probability trades.
Recalculate Daily at Market Close
Pivots expire at 00:00 GMT. New day = new pivots based on previous day data.
💡 Tip: Automate with MT4/MT5 pivot indicator. Saves manual calculation time.
5 Common Pivot Point Mistakes
❌ Trading Every Pivot Touch
Why Bad: Not all pivot levels hold. False breakouts common. Overtrading kills profits.
Example: Price touches R1 eight times in a day. Trading all = 3 wins, 5 losses due to whipsaws.
✅ Fix: Wait for price action confirmation (pin bar, engulfing). Trade 2-3 best setups per day only.
❌ Using Wrong Timeframe Pivots
Why Bad: Daily pivots for swing trading = too tight. Weekly pivots for scalping = too wide.
Example: Swing trader uses Daily pivots, gets stopped out by intraday noise. Loses 5 trades in a row.
✅ Fix: Match pivot timeframe to trading style. Scalper = Daily. Day trader = Daily. Swing = Weekly/Monthly.
❌ Ignoring Price Context
Why Bad: Pivot at 1.0917 meaningless if strong trend blows through all levels.
Example: NFP news spikes EUR/USD +200 pips through R1, R2, R3. All pivot levels ignored during major news.
✅ Fix: Check economic calendar. Avoid trading pivot bounces 30 minutes before/after high-impact news.
❌ Not Combining with Other Analysis
Why Bad: Pivot levels alone = 50-55% win rate. Add confluence = 65-75% win rate.
Example: R1 at 1.1034. No other support. Price breaks through easily. But R1 + 50 EMA = strong resistance.
✅ Fix: Combine pivots with Fibonacci, moving averages, trend lines. Trade confluence zones only.
❌ Forgetting to Recalculate Daily
Why Bad: Using yesterday pivots today = trading wrong levels. Price ignores outdated pivots.
Example: Monday trader uses Friday pivots. All levels wrong because Monday data different.
✅ Fix: Set reminder at 00:00 GMT. Recalculate pivots daily. Use auto-calculating indicator.
Advanced Pivot Trading Techniques
Mid-Pivots for Additional Confluence
Calculate mid-points between PP and R1/S1 for extra support/resistance zones.
Weekly Pivots as Swing Trading Levels
Weekly pivots stay constant for entire week. Stronger than daily for multi-day trades.
Pivot Point as Trend Filter
If price consistently above PP = uptrend. Below PP = downtrend.
R3/S3 as Extreme Reversal Zones
R3 and S3 rarely reached (5-10% of days). When touched, high-probability reversal.
Key Takeaways
• Pivot Point (PP) = (High + Low + Close) / 3. Above PP = bullish bias, below PP = bearish bias.
• Standard pivots = most common. Fibonacci = trending markets. Camarilla = scalping. Woodie = weighted close.
• R1, R2, R3 = resistance levels (profit targets). S1, S2, S3 = support levels (entry zones).
• Recalculate pivots daily at 00:00 GMT (5pm EST). New day = new levels based on previous day High/Low/Close.
• Wait for price action confirmation at pivot levels. Pin bar, engulfing, or hammer = entry signal.
• Combine pivots with Fibonacci, moving averages, or trend lines for confluence. Increases win rate from 55% to 70%.
• R3/S3 rarely touched (5-10% of days). When reached = extreme overbought/oversold, high-probability reversal.
• Weekly pivots for swing trading (hold 2-5 days). Daily pivots for day trading/scalping.
Continue Learning
Fibonacci Calculator
Combine Fibonacci levels with pivot points for confluence.
Support & Resistance
Master traditional support/resistance with pivot analysis.
Range Trading Strategy
Use pivot points to trade range-bound markets effectively.