Think of RSI like a car’s speedometer: The speed (RSI) changes b"Think of RSI like a car’s speedometer:
The speed (RSI) changes before the position (price) changes direction."
1. What RSI actually is?
RSI (Relative Strength Index) is just a math transformation of price data.
It measures the ratio of recent upward moves to downward moves over a period (often 14 candles) and compresses it into a 0–100 scale.
2. Why RSI sometimes “moves first”
This isn’t magic — it’s because RSI is sensitive to the speed and size of recent price changes, not just direction.
- If price is still going up but at a slower pace, RSI can already start turning down.
- If price is falling more gently than before, RSI can start curling up before price actually reverses.
3. Why traders care about RSI reversals?
- If RSI starts turning down from an overbought level while price is still climbing, it can be an early warning of a possible price top.
- Same for the opposite: RSI turning up from oversold while price still dips can signal an upcoming bounce.
4. RSI above or below 50
50 on the RSI is the “momentum neutral” line.
- When RSI is above 50, recent gains outweigh recent losses → momentum is bullish.
- When RSI is below 50, recent losses outweigh recent gains → momentum is bearish.
5. The “delay” you see
The delay is more about your eyes than the math:
- RSI smooths recent price moves (average gains/losses), so it reacts slightly ahead to changes in momentum.
- Price must actually reverse for you to “see” it, but RSI reflects that change in momentum first.
- Think of RSI like a car’s speedometer:
The speed (RSI) changes before the position (price) changes direction.
6. How to deal with noise* in RSI?
Use higher timeframes (1D, 1W, 1M) to confirm signals from small charts.
*Noise in trading = small, random price movements that don’t reflect the bigger trend.
On a 1-minute or 5-minute chart, there’s a lot of this — caused by scalpers, bots, spreads, liquidity gaps, and normal market “chatter.”
