What you enter and what you get
Enter the previous session's high, low and close. The calculator checks that the high is above the low, that all three prices are positive, and that the close falls between the low and the high. It then calculates all four pivot methods at once and lets you switch between them. A short summary shows the selected method, its central pivot, the session range and a bias label.
The bias label is simple: it reports bullish when the last close is above the selected pivot and bearish when it is below. Treat it as a description of where the close sat, not as a signal to trade.
The four methods and their formulas
Let H, L and C be the previous high, low and close, and let range be H minus L.
| Method | Central level | Resistance levels | Support levels |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | P = (H + L + C) / 3 | R1 = 2P - L; R2 = P + range; R3 = H + 2(P - L) | S1 = 2P - H; S2 = P - range; S3 = L - 2(H - P) |
| Fibonacci | P = (H + L + C) / 3 | R1 = P + 0.382 x range; R2 = P + 0.618 x range; R3 = P + 1.0 x range | S1 = P - 0.382 x range; S2 = P - 0.618 x range; S3 = P - 1.0 x range |
| Woodie | P = (H + L + 2C) / 4 | R1 = 2P - L; R2 = P + range | S1 = 2P - H; S2 = P - range |
| Camarilla | Pivot = C | H1-H4 = C + range x 1.1 / 12, / 6, / 4, / 2; H5 = H + (C - L); H6 = H + 2(C - L) | L1-L4 = C - range x 1.1 / 12, / 6, / 4, / 2; L5 = L - (H - C); L6 = L - 2(H - C) |
Standard and Fibonacci share the same central pivot and differ in how far the outer levels sit. Woodie gives the close double weight. Camarilla is anchored on the close and packs its inner levels tightly around it, which is why its H3-H4 and L3-L4 zones are the ones traders watch most.
Worked example with the calculator's default prices
The calculator opens with a high of 23,420, a low of 23,140 and a close of 23,310. The range is 280 points. These are illustrative prices, not a market reading.
| Method | Pivot | Upper levels | Lower levels |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | 23,290.00 | R1 23,440 · R2 23,570 · R3 23,720 | S1 23,160 · S2 23,010 · S3 22,880 |
| Fibonacci | 23,290.00 | R1 23,396.96 · R2 23,463.04 · R3 23,570 | S1 23,183.04 · S2 23,116.96 · S3 23,010 |
| Woodie | 23,295.00 | R1 23,450 · R2 23,575 | S1 23,170 · S2 23,015 |
| Camarilla | 23,310.00 | H3 23,387 · H4 23,464 · H5 23,590 · H6 23,760 | L3 23,233 · L4 23,156 · L5 23,030 · L6 22,920 |
Notice how the methods disagree. The first resistance sits at 23,440 (Standard), 23,397 (Fibonacci) and 23,450 (Woodie). Levels that several methods place close together, such as the 23,570 and 23,010 levels that appear in both Standard and Fibonacci, carry more weight than a level only one method produces.
How traders use pivot levels
- Frame the day. Price opening above the central pivot is often read as a stronger session than one opening below it; this is a convention, not a rule.
- Mark decision zones. Treat the first support and resistance as areas where price may react, then wait for the actual reaction instead of entering at the line.
- Choose the method that fits the style. Camarilla's tight inner levels suit range-bound intraday trading, while the wider Standard and Fibonacci outer levels suit trend days.
- Look for overlap. A level produced by two methods, or one that coincides with a prior day high or low, is a stronger reference than an isolated line.
Limits
Pivot levels are arithmetic on three numbers. They contain no information about volume, news or the session that is about to start, and the same formulas are applied to every instrument regardless of its behaviour. Use the same session inputs when comparing methods, and confirm any level with price action. To see these levels computed across many symbols at once, use the Pivot and CPR screener; for the Camarilla method on its own, see the Camarilla screener walkthrough.