What are Leading and Ending Diagonal in Elliott Wave?

Leading And Ending Diagonal waves in wave theory are Motive Patterns, but not impulse.

They replace impulse wave at a specific location in the wave structure.

However, Leading And Ending Diagonal are the only five wave structure in the direction of the main trend in which wave 4 almost always overlaps wave 1.

What Is The Elliott Wave Theory

Elliott Wave Theory, Elliott Wave Principle, or Elliott Waves was discovered by Ralph Nilsson Elliott.

Ralph Elliott developed the analytical tools in the 1930s, and utilized understanding of crowd psychology and social trends to chart.

Elliott developed a rational system of market analysis. He proposed that market prices unfold in specific patterns, and isolated 13 patterns of movements that recur in the market price and are repetitive but not necessarily in time or altitude.

Elliott named, defined and illustrated the patterns and linked them together to form a larger version of those same patterns. These patterns, in turn, link to form identical patterns of the next larger size.

According to Elliott wave theory, after conducting technical and behavioral analysis, several models can be built at extreme points, according to which price movement of the underlying asset shortly is determined.

The theory suggests that any major market move is a cyclical in nature, 5 cycles in the direction of the dominant trend and 3 against the trend.

The 5 waves are called Motive cycles and the other 3 are Corrective. This modeling significantly increase the probability of an accurate forecast with timely entry and exit from the market trend.

That is why the Elliott wave theory is considered as an effective tool for technical analysis of markets. 

What is leading diagonal?

Leading diagonal in Elliott Wave is a sort of impulsive pattern, but it differs in shape and internal structure. However, the leading diagonal occurs in waves 1 or A, & it comes in the form of contracting or expanding diagonal.

Leading diagonal is not in Elliott’s original work, but it appears enough times that we are convinced of its validity.

Rules & guidelines:

• Its internal structure similar to impulse wave 5-3-5-3-5.
• Wave 4 & wave 1 do overlap.
• The correction of wave 2 is 61.8% in length of wave 1 up to 99%, but it doesn’t go beyond the origin of wave 1.
• The leading diagonal is either contracting diagonal or expanding diagonal.
• Wave 3 can’t be the shortest.
• Wave 2 must not go beyond the origin of wave1.
• Wave 4 must not go beyond the origin the wave 3.
• Wave 1 is the longest, while wave 5 is the shortest in contracting diagonal. On contrary, wave 1 is the shortest and wave 5 is the longest in expanding diagonal.

In which wave:

• Leading Diagonals occurs in waves 1 and A.

Internal Structure:

• The five waves of the Leading diagonals show an internal structure of 5-3-5- 3-5.

What is ending diagonal?

Ending diagonal in Elliott Wave Theory is a special type of wave, which normally occurs in the 5th wave after a “too far too fast” movement as described by Elliott. Moreover, ending diagonal occurs in the end of the direction. However, it doesn’t occur in the beginning or the middle of the direction. As a result, the appearance of the ending diagonal indicates the approach of a reflection and that is why it’s called ending.

Rules & guidelines:

• It’s the only impulse wave that is composed of 3-3-3-3-3 in its internal structure.
• It must be in contracting or expanding diagonal.
• Wave 1 and wave 4 must overlap.
• Wave 4 must not go beyond the origin of wave 3.
• Wave 2 must not go beyond the origin of wave1.
• Internally all waves of the diagonal have a corrective wave structure.
• Wave 3 of the ending diagonal can’t be the shortest.
• Wave 1 is the longest and wave 5 is the shortest in contracting. However, wave 1 is the shortest and wave 5 is the longest in expanding diagonal.

In which wave:

• Ending Diagonal occurs in waves 5, C.

Internal Structure:

• The internal structure of the five waves is 3-3-3-3-3.

What is contracting diagonal?

Contracting diagonal in Leading and Ending Diagonal. Wave 5 is shorter than wave 3. Wave 3 is shorter than wave 1 and wave 1 is the longest and wave 5 is the shortest.

Rules & guidelines:

• Wave 1 is the longest wave.
• Wave 2 can’t go past the beginning of wave 1.
• Wave 3 can’t be the shortest wave.
• Wave 3 is shorter than wave 2.
• Wave 4 is shorter than wave 2.
• Wave 4 can’t go past the end of wave 2.
• Wave 5 is the shortest wave, shorter than wave 3.
• Wave 5 can overshoot or undershoot the trendline.
• Wave 5 – leading diagonal 5th wave can’t be truncated.
• Wave 5 – ending Diagonal 5th wave can be truncated.

Position:

• In Impulse > Wave 1
• In Impulse > Wave 5
• In Zigzag > Wave A
• In Zigzag > Wave C
• In Flat > Wave C

Internal Structure:

• Leading Diagonal: 5-3-5-3-5 or 3-3-3-3-3.
• Ending Diagonal: 3-3-3-3-3.

What is expanding diagonal?

Expanding diagonal in Leading and Ending Diagonal, Wave 5 is longer than wave 3. Wave 3 is longer than wave 1. Wave 1 is the shortest while wave 5 is the longest.

Rules & guidelines:

• Wave 1 is the shortest Wave.
• Wave 2 cannot go Past the start of wave 1.
• Wave 3 cannot be the shortest wave.
• Wave 3 is longer than wave 1 and shorter than wave 5.
• Wave 4 is longer than wave 2.
• Wave 4 cannot go past the end of wave 2.
• Wave 5 is the longest wave and longer than wave 3.
• Wave 5 always end beyond the end of wave 3.
• Wave 5 can overshoot or undershoot the trendline.
• Wave 5 can’t truncate and can’t reach the end of wave 3.

Position:

• In Impulse > Wave 1
• In Impulse > Wave 5
• In Zigzag > Wave A
• In Zigzag > Wave C
• In Flat > Wave C  

Internal Structure:

• Leading Diagonal: 5-3-5-3-5 or 3-3-3-3-3
• Ending Diagonal: 3-3-3-3-3