ASML Holding N.V. (NASDAQ:ASML) faced steep declines this week, shaking up the semiconductor sector and emphasizing the importance of key price levels. As volatility increases, understanding the psychology behind these movements becomes crucial for traders and investors.
Technical analysis, when properly applied, reveals insights into investor and trader behavior. However, this aspect is often overlooked, contributing to the method’s mixed reputation among market observers.
Emotions and psychology make certain price levels more important than others. As you can see on the chart, this is the case with the $700 level for ASML Holding N.V. (NASDAQ:ASML). This is why our team of expert technical analysts has made it our “Stock of the Day.”
One reason why the level is important is because it is a round number. Most investors and traders like to place orders at round numbers.
A more important reason is that it was a support level in January. There tends to be support at price levels that had previously been support, and that's the case here.
This price action occurs because of regretful and remorseful sellers.
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Some of the traders and investors who sold their shares at $700 in January thought they had made a mistake when the price ripped higher soon after. A number of these remorseful sellers may decide to buy their shares back.
Now that the price of ASML has dropped to $700, they will be placing buy orders.
If there is a large number or concentration of these orders, support will form at the level again. This could put a floor underneath the price and keep the shares from moving lower.
Sellers’ remorse can keep support intact for an extended time.
Stocks tend to rally after they reach support, and this is also due to psychology: buyers’ anxiety.
Some of the investors and traders who created the support became concerned that they would miss the trade. They think there could be others willing to pay a higher price. These anxious buyers know that the sellers will go to whoever is willing to pay the most.
As a result, they increase the prices they are willing to pay. Other anxious buyers see this and do the same. It could result in a bidding war that forces the shares into an uptrend.
Successful traders understand that psychology moves markets. This helps them make their buy and sell decisions, which can result in profits.
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Image created using artificial intelligence via Midjourney.