What is Wave A in Elliott Wave?

Wave A is the first wave of a 3-wave Elliott corrective structure (A-B-C). It moves against the prior 5-wave impulse. Wave A's internal structure determines whether the correction will be a zigzag (5 sub-waves) or flat/triangle (3 sub-waves).

Wave A starts the corrective phase after a complete 5-wave impulse has finished. In an uptrend correction, Wave A is downward; in a downtrend correction, Wave A is upward. The key diagnostic on Wave A is its sub-wave count. If Wave A unfolds in 5 sub-waves, the correction will be a zigzag (sharp, deep). If Wave A unfolds in 3 sub-waves, the correction will be a flat or triangle (sideways, often shallower). This distinction is the most useful early signal of what to expect from the next two waves. Wave A is typically the first sign the prior impulse has ended — sentiment hasn't yet flipped, so the move is often dismissed as a temporary pullback while it's still in progress.

• → Elliott Wave Theory Guide — the 5-3 pattern, rules, Fibonacci, wave degrees
• → How to Count Elliott Waves — 6-step process used on 108 instruments
• → Elliott Wave Fibonacci Guide — the 7 core ratios and how they're applied
• → Rules and Guidelines — the 3 absolute rules + 7 guidelines

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Weekly wave counts on 108 US instruments

Every Monday Artavest publishes fresh wave counts with primary count, alternate count, and explicit invalidation levels.