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How to Use ATR in TradingViewMaster ATR using TradingView's powerful charting tools in this step-by-step tutorial from Optimus Futures. ATR, or Average True Range, is a volatility indicator that helps traders measure market movement, set appropriate stop losses, and adjust position sizing based on current market conditions. What You'll Learn: Understanding ATR as a volatility measurement tool that tracks price movement regardless of direction How ATR calculates the average range between highs and lows over a specified period — typically 14 Why rising ATR signals increasing volatility and larger price swings Why falling ATR indicates decreasing volatility and quieter market conditions Using ATR to set dynamic stop losses that adjust to current volatility rather than arbitrary dollar amounts How to calculate stop distances by multiplying ATR by factors like 2x or 3x Applying ATR for position sizing to maintain consistent risk across different volatility environments Setting profit targets based on ATR multiples to align with actual market movement Filtering trade setups using ATR levels to avoid low-volatility periods or confirm breakout momentum How to add ATR on TradingView via the Indicators menu Understanding the default 14-period setting and how shorter or longer periods affect responsiveness Practical examples using the E-mini S&P 500 futures chart Applying ATR across daily, weekly, and intraday timeframes for risk management and trade planning This tutorial is designed for futures traders, swing traders, and risk-focused analysts who want to integrate volatility-based risk management into their trading approach. The methods discussed may help you set smarter stops, size positions appropriately, and adapt your trading strategy to changing market conditions across multiple markets and timeframes. Learn more about futures trading with TradingView: optimusfutures.com Disclaimer There is a substantial risk of loss in futures trading. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Please trade only with risk capital. We are not responsible for any third-party links, comments, or content shared on TradingView. Any opinions, links, or messages posted by users on TradingView do not represent our views or recommendations. Please exercise your own judgment and due diligence when engaging with any external content or user commentary. This video represents the opinion of Optimus Futures and is intended for educational purposes only. Chart interpretations are presented solely to illustrate objective technical concepts and should not be viewed as predictive of future market behavior. In our opinion, charts are analytical tools, not forecasting instruments.
COMEX:GC1!Education
by Optimus Futures
Understanding the XAUUSD/BCOUSD SpreadThis is my first post here on TradingView, excited to share some insights on the XAUUSD/BCOUSD spread! The XAUUSD/BCOUSD spread compares the price of Gold (XAUUSD) to Brent Crude Oil (BCOUSD). This ratio can be a simple yet powerful indicator for understanding market sentiment and risk appetite. When traders compare gold (a classic safe-haven asset) with oil (a growth-linked commodity), the resulting spread often reflects how the market feels about risk, uncertainty, and economic conditions. When the spread is rising (bullish spread), it means gold is outperforming oil. This typically indicates risk-off sentiment, higher demand for protection, and weak economic optimism. In short, a rising spread reflects fear, caution, and increased risk aversion. When the spread is falling (bearish spread), it means oil is outperforming gold. This often signals risk-on sentiment, higher economic confidence, and decreased demand for safe havens. In short, a falling spread reflects confidence, optimism, and greater risk appetite. Why this spread matters: it blends the behavior of two key macro assets, can act as a leading indicator for risk sentiment shifts, and is useful for traders of indices, commodities, FX, or crypto who want a broader context of market psychology. Monitoring this spread can help you stay aligned with macro flows and improve trading decisions during uncertain conditions. Disclaimer: This post is for educational purposes only. Always do your own research before making any trading decisions.
OANDA:XAUUSDEducation
by sina7kh
2
HOW TO WATCHLIST ADVANCED VIEW PART-2 IN TRADINGVIEW1️⃣ Open Advanced View in the Watchlist Open Trading-View. On the right side, open the Watchlist panel. If it is hidden → click the small arrow on the right edge. At the bottom of the watchlist, click the icon that switches to Advanced View (it looks like a more detailed/grid style layout). Your watchlist will now show a table-style advanced view with multiple columns. 2️⃣ Open the Column Selector (where all tools live) In Advanced View, move your cursor to the top header row (where the column names are). Look for an option like “Add Column” or a “+” (plus) icon. Click it → a panel or list opens with different categories: Price Financial Risk Technical (names can appear as sections or tabs in the column selector window). All four tools you mentioned are basically column groups you can add to the advanced view. 3️⃣ How to Use the Price Tool (Price Columns) In the column selector, click on “Price”. You will see different price-related fields, for example: Last Price Open High Low Close Change Change % Click on the fields you want to use (for example: Last Price, Change %). These price columns will appear in your Advanced View table. You can now: Sort by a price column → click on the column name (e.g., “Change %”) to sort ascending/descending. Reorder the column → drag the header left or right. This helps you quickly see which symbols are moving the most in terms of price. 4️⃣ How to Use the Financial Tool (Fundamental Columns) Open the column selector again → click “Financial”. You will see fundamental / financial fields, for example (depending on symbol type): Market Cap P/E Ratio EPS Dividend Yield Revenue, etc. Click on the financial fields you want to add. These financial columns now appear in the Advanced View. You can: Sort by any financial column (e.g., Market Cap to find largest companies). Reorder the columns to keep important financial data together. This is useful when you are comparing stocks by fundamentals, not just price. 5️⃣ How to Use the Risk Tool (Risk Metrics Columns) In the column selector, click “Risk”. Trading-View may show risk-related metrics such as (depending on symbol and your plan): Volatility Beta Average True Range (sometimes under technical/volatility) Other risk-style metrics, if available Select the risk fields you want to track. These risk columns appear in your table. Now you can: Sort by risk column (for example, volatility) to see which symbols are more active or more stable. Combine risk columns with price columns to filter out too volatile instruments if you want. This helps you understand how aggressive or calm each symbol is from a risk point of view. 6️⃣ How to Use the Technical Tool (Technical Metrics Columns) Open the column selector → click “Technical”. You’ll see technical-related fields, for example: RSI value Moving Average status (like “Price above/below MA”) Overall technical rating (e.g., “Strong Buy / Buy / Neutral / Sell”) Other built-in technical summary metrics. Click on the technical fields you want to add. These technical columns appear in Advanced View. You can: Scan quickly which symbols have strong technical rating. Sort by RSI or rating to find overbought/oversold or technically strong/weak symbols. This turns your watchlist into a mini technical scanner. 7️⃣ How to Reorder, Remove, and Clean Up Columns 🔹 Reorder Columns Click and hold any column header (Price, Financial, Risk, Technical field). Drag it left or right. Release to place it where you want. 🔹 Remove a Column Hover on the column header you want to remove. Click the three-dot menu (⋮) or right-click (depending on layout). Select “Remove Column”. The column disappears from Advanced View. 8️⃣ Switch Back to Normal Watchlist View At the bottom of the watchlist, click the List View icon (or original watchlist icon). The watchlist will return to the compact standard view. Advanced View settings are usually remembered, so when you come back, your columns are still there. 🔁 Short Recap (Good for on-screen text) Open Watchlist → Switch to Advanced View Click Add Column (+) → choose from Price / Financial / Risk / Technical Add the fields you want → Columns appear in table Sort by clicking column names Drag to reorder, menu to remove Switch back using List View icon
NSE:BANKNIFTYEducation
by ProTradeMatrix
AI Revolution: How the Retail Trader Can Finally WinA step-by-step guide for traders who want to stop staring at charts and start letting AI do the heavy lifting. For years, trading meant one thing: Sit at your desk. Stare at charts. Wait. Hope. React. Repeat. But in 2025, that’s ancient history. AI has changed everything. Now any retail trader — even a complete beginner — can create a TradingView strategy, test it, refine it, and fully automate execution to MT5 or cTrader using webhooks… without writing a single line of code. If you can type instructions, you can build an automated trading system. Here’s the full blueprint — updated with the crucial Step 0 that most people don’t even know exists. ⭐ STEP 0 — Build Your Master AI Prompt (The Secret Weapon) Before you write a single strategy rule… Before you ask AI to code… Before you try to automate anything… You MUST build a Master Prompt. This is the “operating system” for the AI — it tells the model: how to write the Pine Script how to structure entries & exits how to format alerts how to avoid compile errors how to respond when you paste broken code how to preserve your logic perfectly Without a Master Prompt, AI guesses. With a Master Prompt, AI produces clean, professional, error-free trading systems consistently. Here’s the master prompt you’ll use: 🔥 MASTER PROMPT (Copy + Paste Into ChatGPT Before Giving Your Strategy Rules) You are now my expert TradingView Pine Script v5 strategist, quant developer, and compiler-level debugging assistant. Your job is to: 1. Build a complete TradingView strategy() script based on the rules I give you. 2. Ensure the script compiles with ZERO errors. 3. Write clean, structured, commented code using professional conventions. 4. Include: – strategy.entry() – strategy.exit() with SL & TP – Input parameters – alertcondition() for webhook automation 5. Structure alerts so they work with strategy.order.action. 6. NEVER change my trading logic. Follow it EXACTLY. 7. If the code fails to compile: – Identify the REAL root cause – Fix only what’s necessary – Return a fully corrected script 8. When I ask for improvements, optimize the code without altering the core idea. After loading this master prompt, wait for my rules before generating the strategy. Now your AI assistant is fully “trained” before it begins coding. Once Step 0 is done? The real fun begins. 🚀 STEP 1 — Decide What You Want Your Strategy To Do Define the basics: What triggers your entry? What ends the trade? What confirms the setup? How much risk? Example simple idea: Buy when price closes above the 20 EMA after RSI oversold. Sell when price closes below the 20 EMA after RSI overbought. Stop = 1 ATR. Take profit = 2 ATR. Once you define this? You're ready for the AI to code it. 🤖 STEP 2 — Use AI to Turn Your Idea Into a TradingView Strategy Paste your Master Prompt. Then paste your rules. Example instruction: “Build the strategy using my Master Prompt. Here are the rules…” AI outputs a ready-to-paste Pine Script. If it errors? You tell it: “Fix all compile errors without changing my trading logic.” This is the magic of Step 0 — the AI already understands exactly how to fix your code properly. 📊 STEP 3 — Backtest Directly on TradingView Paste the script. Add to chart. Open Strategy Tester. Check: Win rate Drawdown Profit factor Stability Number of trades If it sucks? Ask AI: “Improve this strategy’s performance. Keep the overall concept but add filters.” AI gives you Version 2. ⚙️ STEP 4 — Turn Your Strategy Into Webhook Alerts Click Alerts → Condition → Your Strategy Name Choose: Strategy Entry Long Strategy Exit Long Strategy Entry Short Strategy Exit Short Turn on Webhook URL. Use structured JSON: { "signal": "{{strategy.order.action}}", "symbol": "{{ticker}}", "price": "{{close}}", "position_size": "0.10" } Now TradingView is alert-ready. 🌐 STEP 5 — Send Alerts to MT5 or cTrader Using Webhooks You need a bridge. Best options: PineConnector TradeConnector cTrader Open API bot Make/Zapier → Python Server → MT5 EA Example webhook: { "action": "BUY", "symbol": "XAUUSD", "lot": 0.10, "sl": 50, "tp": 100 } 🧠 STEP 6 — Use AI to Build the MT5 or cTrader Execution Robot If you want a custom bot instead of PineConnector: Ask: “Write an MT5 EA that receives webhook commands in JSON format and executes market orders with SL and TP.” Or: “Write a cTrader cBot that listens for webhook signals and places trades automatically.” AI builds your execution engine. 🔁 STEP 7 — Your Fully Automated Trading Pipeline STEP 0 — Build your Master AI Prompt STEP 1 — Define your strategy STEP 2 — AI generates TradingView strategy STEP 3 — Backtest & refine STEP 4 — Create alert webhooks STEP 5 — Bridge → MT5/cTrader STEP 6 — AI builds execution bot STEP 7 — Enjoy hands-free AI-powered trading 🎯 Final Thoughts — This Is the New Era The trader who wins is the one who: uses AI automates everything removes emotion builds systems, not guesses executes consistently Tools like TradingView + AI + MT5/cTrader automation are the biggest level-up in retail history. And it all starts with: STEP 0 — Build your Master Prompt. Let the fun begin
Education
by TheFxAce
1
HOW TO WATCHLIST ADVANCED VIEW PART-1 IN TRADINGVIEWHOW TO WATCHLIST ADVANCED VIEW PART-1 IN TRADINGVIEW **AND WHAT FEATURES IT PROVIDES** ✅ HOW TO OPEN ADVANCED VIEW IN TRADINGVIEW Follow these steps: 1️⃣ Open the Watchlist Panel ➣ On the right side of the Trading-View interface, find the Watchlist panel. ➣ If it is hidden, click the small arrow on the right edge to reveal it. 2️⃣ Find the Layout Icons at the Bottom ➣ At the bottom of the watchlist, you will see multiple icons such as: ➣ List View ➣ Table View ➣ Advanced View (usually an expanded grid-style icon) 3️⃣ Click on “Advanced View” ➣ Click the Advanced View icon. ➣ Your watchlist will switch from the simple list to a more detailed, data-rich layout. ➣ That’s it — Advanced View is now active. ✅ FEATURES OF ADVANCED VIEW IN TRADINGVIEW The Advanced View provides more detailed market information without needing to open charts. Here are the key features: 1️⃣ Multiple Data Columns ➣ You can view several data points directly in the watchlist, such as: ➣ Last Price ➣ Price Change ➣ Change % ➣ Volume ➣ High / Low ➣ Bid / Ask ➣ Time / Session Data ➣ Fundamentals (if applicable) This gives a snapshot of key market info in one place. 2️⃣ Add / Remove Columns You can customize your watchlist: ➣ Click Add Column (+) to insert new data fields ➣ Click the three-dot menu (⋮) → Remove to delete any column 3️⃣ Reorder Columns ➣ Drag and drop column headers ➣ Arrange symbols in the order that works best for you 4️⃣ Sorting by Any Data Click any column header to sort: ➣ One click → ascending ➣ Second click → descending Useful for sorting: ➣ Highest volume ➣ Biggest % movers ➣ Highest price ➣ Top gainers / losers 5️⃣ Expandable Rows (Some advanced layouts allow expanded detail per symbol.) This helps you see: ➣ Additional stats ➣ Extended session data ➣ More fundamentals 6️⃣ Cleaner Multi-Symbol Comparison Advanced View is ideal when watching: ➣ Indices ➣ Futures ➣ Forex pairs ➣ Commodities ➣ Multiple stocks at once It becomes easier to compare signals and market movements. 7️⃣ Switch Back Anytime To return to normal view: ➣ Click the List View icon at the bottom ➣ Watchlist returns to default layout 🎯 Summary ➣ Advanced View gives you a more powerful, professional watchlist layout ➣ Perfect for comparing multiple symbols quickly ➣ Provides more data in a structured table-style format ➣ Fully customizable with columns, sorting & layout tools
NSE:BANKNIFTYEducation
by ProTradeMatrix
HOW TO WATCHLIST ADVANCED VIEW IN TRADINGVIEWHOW TO OPEN ADVANCED VIEW IN TRADINGVIEW **AND WHAT FEATURES IT PROVIDES** ✅ HOW TO OPEN ADVANCED VIEW IN TRADINGVIEW Follow these steps: 1️⃣ Open the Watchlist Panel ➣ On the right side of the Trading-View interface, find the Watchlist panel. ➣ If it is hidden, click the small arrow on the right edge to reveal it. 2️⃣ Find the Layout Icons at the Bottom ➣ At the bottom of the watchlist, you will see multiple icons such as: ➣ List View ➣ Table View ➣ Advanced View (usually an expanded grid-style icon) 3️⃣ Click on “Advanced View” ➣ Click the Advanced View icon. ➣ Your watchlist will switch from the simple list to a more detailed, data-rich layout. ➣ That’s it — Advanced View is now active. ✅ FEATURES OF ADVANCED VIEW IN TRADINGVIEW The Advanced View provides more detailed market information without needing to open charts. Here are the key features: 1️⃣ Multiple Data Columns ➣ You can view several data points directly in the watchlist, such as: ➣ Last Price ➣ Price Change ➣ Change % ➣ Volume ➣ High / Low ➣ Bid / Ask ➣ Time / Session Data ➣ Fundamentals (if applicable) This gives a snapshot of key market info in one place. 2️⃣ Add / Remove Columns You can customize your watchlist: ➣ Click Add Column (+) to insert new data fields ➣ Click the three-dot menu (⋮) → Remove to delete any column 3️⃣ Reorder Columns ➣ Drag and drop column headers ➣ Arrange symbols in the order that works best for you 4️⃣ Sorting by Any Data Click any column header to sort: ➣ One click → ascending ➣ Second click → descending Useful for sorting: ➣ Highest volume ➣ Biggest % movers ➣ Highest price ➣ Top gainers / losers 5️⃣ Expandable Rows (Some advanced layouts allow expanded detail per symbol.) This helps you see: ➣ Additional stats ➣ Extended session data ➣ More fundamentals 6️⃣ Cleaner Multi-Symbol Comparison Advanced View is ideal when watching: ➣ Indices ➣ Futures ➣ Forex pairs ➣ Commodities ➣ Multiple stocks at once It becomes easier to compare signals and market movements. 7️⃣ Switch Back Anytime To return to normal view: ➣ Click the List View icon at the bottom ➣ Watchlist returns to default layout 🎯 Summary ➣ Advanced View gives you a more powerful, professional watchlist layout ➣ Perfect for comparing multiple symbols quickly ➣ Provides more data in a structured table-style format ➣ Fully customizable with columns, sorting & layout tools
NSE:HALEducation
by ProTradeMatrix
HOW TO WATCHLIST TABLE-VIEW VOLUME & EXTENDED HOURSComplete Process: HOW TO WATCHLIST TABLE-VIEW VOLUME & EXTENDED HOURS 1️⃣ Open the Watchlist Panel ➺ The Watchlist panel is located on the right side of the Trading-View interface. ➺ If it is hidden, click the small arrow on the right edge to open it. 2️⃣ Locate the Table-View Tool ➺ At the top of the watchlist panel, you will see three dot icon. ➺ This icon opens the table-view tool inside the watchlist. 3️⃣ Open the Table-View Step-by-step: ➺ Click the table icon at the bottom of the watchlist. ➺ The watchlist will switch from the normal list-view to the table-view layout. 4️⃣ Understanding the Table-View Layout The table-view displays additional columns and organized data in a tabular format. Typical columns include: ⤷ Symbol ⤷ Last Price ⤷ Change (%) ⤷ Volume ⤷ High / Low ⤷ Session Data ⤷ Custom fields (depending on settings) The table-view allows users to compare multiple symbols more clearly. 5️⃣ How to Add Columns in Table-View Step-by-step: ➺ Hover on the column header area. ➺ Click the plus (+) icon or “Add Column” option. ➺ Choose the data you want to add: ⤷ Price ⤷ Change ⤷ Bid / Ask ⤷ Volume ⤷ Open Interest ⤷ Fundamentals (if supported) ⤷ Other available fields The selected column will appear immediately. 6️⃣ How to Remove Columns Step-by-step: ➺ Hover over the column header you want to remove. ➺ Click the three-dot menu (⋮) on that column. ➺ Select “Remove Column”. ➺ The column will be removed from the table. 7️⃣ How to Reorder Columns Step-by-step: ➺ Click and hold the column header. ➺ Drag it left or right. ➺ Release to place it in the new position. This helps personalize the table layout. 8️⃣ Sorting Symbols in Table-View Step-by-step: ➺ Click any column name (for example: Price, Change %, Volume). ➺ Clicking once sorts the column ascending. ➺ Clicking again sorts descending. ➺ A small arrow appears showing the sort direction. 9️⃣ Switch Back to Normal Watchlist View Step-by-step: ➺ Click the same table icon at the bottom again. ➺ The watchlist returns to the default list-view. 🎯 Short Summary (Optional for Captions) ⤷ Open Table-View → Bottom table icon ⤷ Add Columns → Add Column option ⤷ Remove Columns → Three-dot menu → Remove ⤷ Reorder → Drag column headers ⤷ Sort → Click column name ⤷ Return to List → Click table icon again
NSE:HALEducation
by ProTradeMatrix
How to set % risk per trade based on your statistical dataHey whats up traders today it will be a short one in the bullet points but I believe a valuable points to think about. The setup matters, but the real foundation is how much you risk per trade. If you don’t control this, nothing else works. Your edge collapses. Your psychology collapses. And your results become completely random. If you are not gambler you most likely risk between 0.5 -2% risk per trade. Good, but why? Many traders use this risk because it's kind of well known and recommended value risk per trade. Ok, it's relatively safe, but if you don't have it build based on your statistical data. You can be also risking to low while you could make more. So In this post is not about why we should use risk management and calculate if for each position based on SL distance. I already did this post below 👇Click the picture to learn more In this post I will try to give advice how you can calculate best risk per trade for you based on your strategy and risk. I always recommend backtest at least 300 examples of strategy. When you do that, you know your average win rate on average target. From the tab bellow you can see how many % of trades you need to win with the specific risk reward. Here is also important to consider your ability to hold in the trade. Its amazing to catch 1:5 risk reward trades, but it mostly comes with low win ratio in other words, you will get stopped out few times until you get big trade. Also 1:5 risk reward usually has a pullback during the move. Can you face it without emotions being affected? Most importantly, you finally understand something every professional lives by: you don’t know the distribution of the trades. You may have a 65% percent win rate. It still means that you can have 35 losses out of 100 traders. Remember distribution of wins and losses is random , you never know outcome of next trade. It could be win win loss win. Or loss loss loss win win. Or a brutal streak of seven losses before the market pays you back. ✅✅❌✅❌❌✅✅✅✅❌✅ When wins and losses are evenly distributed it's quite comfortable to continue in opening new trades. You still believe your strategy and it's simply normal to have loss time to time. ✅❌❌❌✅❌❌❌❌❌✅✅ But what you gonna do when such a streak comes? Are you gonna doubt your strategy? Are you gonna look for different strategy? Remember 65% success rate means 35 possible losses out of 100. If 20 losses comes in a row your long term statistics still was not broken. Dont think this cant happen to you. If this didnt happen to you yet, you are not trading for long enough. It will come and its better to be prepared. 📌 Lets look at the Monte Carlo simulation with our 65% win ratio and 2RR As we can see on the picture below if you start with 10K and follow your strategy in a short period of one month we can face drawdown and end unprofitable even when we did everything right. Why? We did everything right and we have positive winning ratio and Risk reward 📌 Random distribution of the trades I don't win every trade, you don't win every trade. No one does. Trading is longterm game and short term result can be a bit random. Because you are might trend trader and market can stay in the range during some months or you are a reversal trader and its still trading against you. So how to beat it - Time. 📌 Lets have a look at the same setup 65% Win rate and 2 RR But now let's have look at the long-term results. As we can see on chart below. after some time even the worst case distribution is getting in to the profit. However there still was 3 months around break even - Frustrating but its the reality 📌 Lets improve Risk reward to 2.3 You will be getting slightly bigger wins so every loosing streak will be recovered faster. And you should not stay in the prolonged drawdowns for long periods 📌 Lets improve win ration to 70% And its even better less often you got loss and 2.3 RR recover slightly better. 📌 So what should be my risk per trade First done look on how much you want to make, trading is mainly about protecting capital. After you got your statistical data. Run Monte Carlo simulations and try to model the worst case distribution of the trades. For example if you got 70% win rate - means you can lose 30 trades out of 100. Be ready that it can happen, even its unlikely and if that really happens it means something is wrong with your strategy or you made too much mistakes. But count with it that it can happen.. Setup your risk per trade in such % that you would be comfortable if that happens. 📍 0.25% Risk - 30x Loss = - 7.5% 📍0.5% Risk - 30 x Loss = - 15% 📍1% Risk - 30 x Loss = -30% 📍2% Risk - 30x Loss = - 60% 📍3% Risk - 30x Loss = - 90% Define what would you be able to accept and be comfortable even during a loosing streak. 📌 Have more accounts This will give you flexibility. Im running 3x personal accounts. Each with different risk. with copy trading system to distribute my positions. 🎯 Account 1: Here Im opening all trades which I has well defined risk and its A+Setups. If I open a trade on this account they goes automatically to the other 2 accounts. So I got proportionaly this positions on whole capital with 1% risk. 🎯 Account 2: Here are running copied trades from Account 1 + Im opening another positions when I want to add or increase the risk also used for short terms setups. Its 3% risk only form this one specific account and its not copied to other accounts. 🎯 Account 3: Here are running trades from account 1 + This account is also used mainly for the crypto trades and news trading. Trades are also isolated just for this account and not copied to the whole portfolio. 🎯 Prop Firm Trading For the prop trading where more strict rules Im using completely different approach which I described in this post below 👇Click the picture to learn more Final tip: Try to have strategy with win rate between 65 - 70% and 2 - 2.5 RR. If you got anything lower than that you can go thru some dark periods, but you will survive if stick to your plan based on the statistics. If you don't have statistical data of your strategy, stop trading for while , step back and do a bit of backtesting Tradingview has great backtesting features. David Perk aka Dave FX Hunter
OANDA:XAUUSDEducation
by David_Perk
22
Standard Deviations - How to be exit before the pullbackHey whats up guys, in this post Ill show you easy method which can help you to set your targets, stay in the positions, prevent cutting position too early or hold for too long. You will basically have more objectives to stay in trade and give it a frame to which key levels you should use. Standard deviations are projection deviations of the manipulation leg. Which is the price swing that sweeps liquidity and then changes the order flow. In simple words, it is the move that takes out stops and then flips the structure - Order block. 📌 Fibonacci tool settings We will be measuring deviations from the order block and here is the Fibonnaci settings 0 - 1 is where you measure the manipulation leg and then you got your projections. Zone between 2 - 2.5 is my main focus for taking partials of full profits Price obviously can go further but between 2 - 2.5 is where I tend to take something of the table. Because my longterm statistics says most of my trades has 2.3 RR. 📌 What to do at 2- 2.5 Obviously don't start doing what Im saying here on your next trade. First test it and if you find it useful, never put any idea from someone from the internet to your money without verifying by yourself then add it to your arsenal or reject it. If your strategy has fixed TP based on structure stick with it. Standard deviations can be just a little helper. Let's look at few examples. 1️⃣ Example: GBPUSD This is the example which has Benn posted here on TV And as you can see it has made some gain, didn't hit full TP and reversed, back to the entry. But look where it reversed - Exactly at the 2 - 2.5 I saw it has my average profit and it was Friday so I closed it . as we can see it was a good decision to close position fully here and not sticking to to the full target. Im not saying that closing trader before the initial target is good decision, but considering that its Friday and I got my average 2.3 gains. Its a no brainer to take what the market offers to me. 2️⃣ Example: EURUSD My strategy is has two defined targets. 50% of the range and full range. After taking 50% partial at 50% I should be targeting opposing range low after the sweep of the liquidity highs. So I should hold the trade until the target. But as it was a Friday and price been between 2 - 2.5 means my trade was around 2.3 RR in profit, which is my average reward so I decided to close it completely and as we can see it was a good decision as the price just completely reversed before hitting my target. 3️⃣ Example: XAUUSD This is model 2 entry on Weekly range and Model 1 on Daily CLS range. Let's not overcomplicate. Look at the order block our initial point for the measuring our target and check where is the 2 Std. Projecting 2 St.D gave me confidence that CLS highs could be reached easily as it all was aligned with HTF trend so I held the trade for the whole week. Exited little bit bellow, but as it was reaction on LTF OB and Friday, I didnt want to hold in the trade over the weekend. 4️⃣ Example :EURUSD Another EURUSD trade example after sweeping a low and creating order block We can that 2 STD aligns with CLS highs so its perfect target and we can see sharp expansion to the 2 St. D then price started retracing and consolidating, If we targeting bigger targets we would be for 2 days in this choppy range now. 📌This tool is not a strategy it self its just something what can help us to set reasonable targets while we don't have to face big pullbacks. Im not saying you should go only for 2.3 RR as I do. If you can hold traders for 3RR and more you are great trader. 📌However I found that when Im targeting 3R and more, I must face pullback and watch how my gains go back to the markets which I dont like. Im still human and have emotions and you know how it feels when you have a great trade developing and then in a blink of the eye its back on your entry. 📌Also by targeting just 2.3 RR is a clean shot and I realized that I can increase my risk per trade for such setups because they are hitting TP more often than 3RR trades. So in the end it's less stress and better profits. But it's all about a personal preferences. Let me know what is your average RR and reason you targeting it. David Perk aka Dave Fx Hunter
OANDA:XAUUSDEducation
by David_Perk
40
How to use statistics and Pine Script to find a real edge.Are patterns really profitable, or are we just connecting random candles with a story? Most of us started trading by seeing patterns on the chart: double bottoms, pin bars, three green candles, “smart money” footprints… but do we have any evidence they actually works ? In this idea, I want to talk about the statistical significance of chart patterns, and how you can use simple statistics + Pine Script to move from “I think this works” to “I measured this edge.” ◼ Patterns are opinions until you define them “Strong bullish candle”, “nice rejection”, “liquidity grab” – these are subjective words. Statistics don’t work with feelings, they work with clear rules. Before testing anything, a pattern must be converted into something like: Candle 1: bullish, body size > X% of price Candle 2: low does not break previous low Close of Candle 3 > high of Candle 1 Once you can write your pattern as strict conditions (true/false), you can: Count how many times it appeared, measure what happens after it appears, and decide if it’s worth trading or not. That’s where Pine Script becomes a powerful research tool. ◼ What does “statistical edge” actually mean? A pattern is interesting if, when you look at many occurrences, you see a consistent tendency. For example, choose a simple question like: “When this pattern appears, where is the price on average after 10 bars?” If you track that over hundreds or thousands of samples, you’ll get: How often price is higher vs lower (win rate). The average move (for example, +0.8% after 10 bars). How volatile or noisy the results are. This doesn’t magically make a holy grail, but it tells you: Is this pattern better than random? Is it worth building a full strategy around it? Without this step, you’re basically trading based on screenshots and memories. ◼ Using Pine Script as your statistics magic tool. Even without going deep into code, the logic in Pine Script is simple, here is a simple example that you can do. A. Detect the pattern Whenever your conditions are true on a bar, mark that bar as a “pattern bar”. B. Look forward in time For each pattern bar, check the price after N bars (for example 5, 10, or 20 bars later). Calculate the % change between the pattern close and the future close. C. Aggregate the results Keep a running count: How many patterns triggered (sample size), How many ended positive (wins), The average % move after N bars. D. Interpret the numbers If you find that your pattern appeared 800 times, and after 10 bars: 62% of the time price was higher, Average move was +0.6%... then you have something much more concrete than “this looks good on the chart.” You don’t need to turn this into a full strategy immediately. Even a simple statistical study like this already filters out a lot of illusions. ◼ Common mistakes when testing patterns When you start doing this, it’s easy to fool yourself. A few traps to avoid: Tiny sample size : If your pattern only occurred 15 times and 11 of them were winners, that 73% win rate is probably not reliable. Statistics start to mean something with large samples (hundreds or thousands of events). Obsession with win rate : A 70% win rate means nothing if your winners are tiny and your losers are huge. You must look at: Average move, Distribution of outcomes (are there huge negative outliers?), How a realistic stop-loss / take-profit would behave. Sometimes a pattern with 52–55% win rate can be excellent if the average reward is larger than the average risk. Overfitting the past : If you keep changing rules until the backtest looks perfect, you are no longer discovering a pattern – you’re forcing the past to agree with you. A healthier flow is: Start with a simple, logical idea. Define it clearly in rules. Test it on one market / timeframe. Check it on other symbols and timeframes without changing the rules. If the edge survives in different environments, that’s much more interesting. Using this approach will save you a lot of time and money in losses, do your research before taking a trade, make sure you have the statistical evidence if you want to trade a pattern. i will be sharing more ideas on the use of Pinescript to improve your trading in the next days. make sure you follow me.
Education
by Kodologic
3
SMT secret smart money signal - All you need to knowHey whats up guys, in this post I want to show you how I use SMT divergence in my own trading to filter fake breaks and catch precise reversals. This is one of those things most traders never really dig into. Once you see it properly, you will not be able to unsee it. It was popularized by ICT, but it is essentially Dow theory through a bit different perspective. 📌 What is SMT (Smart Money Tool ) It's a crack in correlation between two markets that normally move together. One market takes the high or low. The correlated market does not. That difference is SMT divergence. And that why sometimes it's enough if only one instrument from those two highly correlated takes low and other doesn't. Before SMT we need correlation. Some markets like to move together. They will never be perfectly identical, especially on the lower timeframes, but the general swing structure is similar. - EURUSD & GBPUSD - AUDUSD $ NZDUSD - XAUUSD & XAGUSD - BTCUSD & ETHUSD - NQ & ES & YM You can find some more variations like EURJPY & GBPJPY etc.. But if you want to focus on precision your watchlist should contain just a few instruments. Not 20 unless you are position trader and your entry timeframe is Daily. 📌 Bearish SMT on positively correlated instrument's One market makes a higher high. The other prints a lower high or equal highs. 📌 Bullish SMT. on positively correlated instrument's One market makes a lower low. The other makes a higher low or equal low. 📌 Negative SMT Correlation Its same only one pair is inverted which is DXY. We could say that in the Forex it would basically every currency with DXY. But No !! ‼️ Dont use DXY for correlation with AUDUSD and NZDUSD. Yes obviously they are affected by the DXY (Dollar) movement, but as these two are not included in the DXY. They are lagging. Yes at some point DXY affects them too, but just don't use them for the SMT. as SMT is like a quiet signal from smart money. One market shows the truth. The other is used as a trap. After this trap mostly sharp expansion happens. Its a signal for a timing that its ready. 📌 EURUSD and GBPUSD Example GU - just shallow manipulation but creates clean OB EU - Deeper manipulation but OB created later. ‼️ SMT is not a strategy On its own that does not give you an edge. The key is what it says about the willingness of big players to push price. If DXY runs above a previous highs and EUR and GBP refuses to take out its opposite lows , that is lack of commitment to continue that move. Someone is offside. Dumb money sells late or buys late, smart money quietly positions on the other side. 📌 EURUSD and DXY Example DXY makes higher high above monthly highs, EUR fails to take lows. Correlation disconnected. EUR is stronger and if its within CLS range reversal can occur. what does GBP at the same moment? also failed to make a lower low hence is stronger than USD. If it aligns with the strategy reversal is confirmed. 📌 This is how I traded this setup below.👇 Click to the chart to see how it played out 📌 SMT is a way to read who is actually in control. It helps me see if a break of structure is real continuation or just a liquidity raid dressed as a breakout. 📌 Where to use it for efficiency You can find small SMT differences all day on lower timeframes. Try to trade every one and you will bleed slowly. I care about SMT only at important areas. - CLS ranges - Weekly , Monthly , Daily - Previous week low, previous week high, clear swing extremes. - Key levels from my higher timeframe analysis - HTF Fair value gaps and order blocks that fit my narrative. 📌 XAU & XAG Example Both in the uptrend and created nice CLS range. Gold made a just shallow manipulation but is it enough ? Let's have a look to the silver we can see that silver made much deeper manipulation so it can confirm our Gold trade. Also notice that how exactly after the temporary correlation disconnection the expansion move started. These disconnections are trap and mostly followed by strong expansion move. 📌 Here is the setup I posted here and traded 👇 📌 Which pair I choose to trade When I see SMT between two correlated markets, I decide which one I want to use. The weaker market is the one that takes the high or low and disrespects the level. That is where late traders are stuck. This market has advantage for tight stop just beyond the stop hunt. ⁉️So which one would you chose on the SMT signal bellow the range ?https://www.tradingview.com/x/8pWYJbLP/ let me know in the comments. The stronger market is the one that respects the level and refuses to sweep the extreme and you need to have conviction in the HTF trend so you can confidently place SL below un-manipulated lows. This one usually respects fair value gaps and order blocks better and often gives cleaner candles and stronger pushes. 📌 SMT Fills Two correlated markets are moving together. One fills its fair value gap, the other leaves a part of it open. That difference can give you an extra reason for a reaction. It is like one chart did the work of cleaning up inefficiency, the other did not, and price tends to respect the one that is cleaner. 📌 BTC & ETH Timing and Gap fills We can see SMT on the top where BTC made higher highs but ETH failed to do so = crack in correlation. Now focus on ETH it has created on Order block which signaled reversal, while BTC didnt had it yet = Your advantage seeing what is not seen yet. 📌 GAP fills Look at the FVG on the BTC it was not filled fully and BTC made higher high, while ETH filled gap full and made lower low. Also BTC gave you Order block while ETH not yet again you have 📌 The SMT trap and how I avoid it A lot of traders get hurt by SMT because they treat it like a magic reversal button. They see euro taking a low and dollar failing to take a high, or Bitcoin taking a high and Ethereum failing to match it, and they jump in without any extra confirmation. Sometimes it works. Many times price just keeps pushing, prints another leg, and wipes them out. Use it only at specific levels to confirm your strategy and give you extra edge in seeing confirmation on highly corelated pairs before it plays out. SMT alone never gives me permission to trade. I want at least one strong confirmation candle at my level and, for bigger trades, a clear Change in order flow. Adapt useful, reject useless. David Perk - Aka Dave FX Hunter
OANDA:XAUUSDEducation
by David_Perk
26
How to Calculate Lot Size for Trading XAUUSD on TradingView Very few people know that there is a free position size calculator for any trading instrument and, of course, for GOLD on TradingView. It is absolutely free , it does not require a paid subscription, and it can be used to measure position size for XAUUSD trading for any account size, leverage and broker. In this article, I will teach you how to calculate lot size for your XAUUSD trades in 3 simple steps. Set It Up The first step will be to simply create a free TradingView account. Then open Gold price chart and find a trading panel. It will be at the bottom of the screen. Click " expand " in the right corner. In the suggested options, choose TradingView Paper Trading and click " Connect ". In paper trading window, click " create an account ". Choose the account balance, leverage and commissions exactly as you have with your real gold trading account. And now your best free gold position size calculator is ready . How to Use It Once you found a trading setup, know the exact stop loss level and your desired risk per trade. Let's imagine that we want to buy Gold now. To calculate the best lot size for our trade, we should know the exact level of our Stop Loss. Let's take 2770 level for the sake of the example. Right-click on that chart and choose " trade " and " create new order " then. The window that will appear on the right side of the chart. It will be your lot size calculator on TradingView. Select " stop loss " checkbox and input the desired risk percentage for a trading position. Let's take 1% as the example. In the price field, input the exact price level of your stop loss : 2770 in our case. In Gold XAUUSD, trading 1 standard lot equals 100 units/ounces. Your lot size will be based on the number of units. Take that number and divide it by 100. In our case, we have 54 units. Our lot size will be 54 dived by 100 or 0,54. That will be your lot size for the Gold trade. What I like about TradingView position size calculator is that once you set your default parameters, the only thing that you need to adjust for the measurement of a lot of size is the level of stop loss of your Gold trading position. If you use TradingView for charting, it will be very convenient for you to use it. ❤️Please, support my work with like, thank you!❤️ I am part of Trade Nation's Influencer program and receive a monthly fee for using their TradingView charts in my analysis.
TRADENATION:XAUUSDEducation
by VasilyTrader
1
Crypto "Investors" Forget Too Quickly- Part OneI’ve never been much of a gambler. I don’t chase roulette, I don’t play blackjack regularly, and casinos have never been my second home. But on the rare occasions when I did go—usually dragged by friends who actually like gambling—something strange happened to me. I ended up losing considerable amounts of money. - Not because I thought I’d win. - Not because I had a “system.” - Not because I felt lucky. It was the environment: - the lights - the noise - the adrenaline - the drinks - the atmosphere that hijacks logic And the next morning, the internal monologue was always the same: “See, idiot? Again you drank one too many and managed to lose a Hawaii vacation.” - The regret is real. - The pain is real. - The stupidity is, HOHO, WAY TOO REAL. But the disturbing part? Even though I don’t gamble… even though I don’t chase casinos… the environment alone was enough to override my reasoning. And if that can happen to someone who isn’t a gambler, imagine what happens to someone who willingly walks into a casino every day —because that’s exactly what crypto "investors" do. Crypto markets are casinos with better screens, countless memes, screaming influencers and worse odds. And "investors" forget far too quickly. Crypto "Investors" Forget Too Quickly — Just Like Casino Gamblers Who Keep Coming Back for More Crypto "investors" have one of the shortest memories in financial markets. - Not because they are stupid. - Not because they don’t care. - But because the entire crypto environment is engineered to erase pain and preserve hope — exactly like a casino. Put a gambler in a casino, and he forgets last night’s disaster the moment he sees the lights again. This comparison is not metaphorical. It is psychologically identical. Let’s break it down properly. 1. The Human Brain Is Not Built for Crypto — or Casinos Both environments share the same psychological architecture: - bright colors - fast feedback loops - uncertainty - intermittent rewards - emotional highs - catastrophic lows - near-wins that feel like wins - an illusion of control Neuroscience calls this: Intermittent Reinforcement The most addictive reward structure ever discovered. Slot machines are built on it. Most crypto charts mimic it. Volatility fuels it. When rewards arrive unpredictably: - dopamine spikes - memory of losses fades - the brain overvalues the next opportunity - the pain of the past gets overwritten - the hope of future reward dominates This is why gamblers return. And this is why crypto "investors" buy the same s..ts. 2. The Crypto Cycle Erases Memory by Design After every bull run for an obscure coin: - big money is made (by insiders) - screenshots are posted - what if you have bought with 100usd appear - influencers multiply - everyone becomes a “trading wizard” - Twitter becomes an ego playground - greed replaces rationality After every strong bear move: - portfolios crash 90-95% - people swear “never again” - Telegram groups die - influencers delete posts - conviction collapses - despair dominates But then… When a new "narrative" appears: - Everything resets. - Crypto "investors" forget instantly. No other financial market resets memory this fast. - In stocks, a crash leaves scars. - In forex, blown accounts create caution. - In real estate, downturns shape behavior for years. But in crypto? The new "narative"/ the new hyped coin erases the old one like chalk on a board. 3. The TrumpCoin & MelaniaCoin Episode (Just an Example): The Best Proof That Crypto Traders Forget Too Quickly TrumpCoin and MelaniaCoin didn’t have real value. They weren’t serious projects. They weren’t even clever memes. They were psychological traps built on celebrity gravity. People bought because: - the names were big - the media amplified the narrative - the symbolism felt powerful - the story was exciting And the wipeout was brutal. But the key point is: traders forgot instantly. Within weeks, they were already hunting for: - “the next TrumpCoin” - “the next politician meme” - “the next celebrity pump” - “the next token with a ‘name’ behind it” - "the next 100x" "the next, the next, the next" and is always the same - Not the next valuable project. - Not the next real innovation. - Not the next sustainable investment. No. The next symbol. This is not market behavior. This is casino relapse psychology. 4. These Coins Didn’t Fail Because They Were Memes —They Failed Because They Were Nothing TrumpCoin & MelaniaCoin ( Again, is just an example) pretended to matter because the names mattered. - Traders didn’t buy utility. - They bought a fantasy. The same way gamblers believe a “lucky table” changes their odds. In crypto, people believe: - the celebrity matters - the narrative matters - the hype matters Reality doesn’t. 5. Why Crypto "Investors" Don’t Learn: Because They Don’t Remember Crypto "investors" are not stupid. They are forgetful. They forget the months of pain and remember only the few happy moments. They forget: - drawdowns - stress - panic - illusions - scams - broken promises - influencers lies They remember: - one good run - one moonshot - one dream This is why most altcoins and memes thrive. Not because they deserve to. But because forgetting resets demand every time. 6. The Industry Is Designed to Exploit This Amnesia If traders remembered: - Luna - FTX - SafeMoon - ICO (2017) crashes - NFT (2021) collapses - Meme mania recently …the most of the altcoin sector would evaporate overnight. But "investors" forget —so altcoins with a "nice" story resurrect. Like slot machines resetting after every gambler walks away. 7. The Cure: You Don’t Need Better Tools — You Need a Better Memory The greatest edge in crypto is not fancy indicators, bots to be the first in, or whatever invention comes next. It’s remembering. Remember: - why you lost - how you lost - which narrative fooled you - how the market humiliated you - what the casino environment does to your brain - how celebrity tokens wiped people out Crypto trading requires memory, not optimism. Conclusion: Crypto "Investors" Forget Too Quickly —And That’s Why They Keep Losing Crypto "investors" don’t think like REAL investors. They think like gamblers: - emotional - hopeful - impulsive - forgetful convinced “this time will be different” The latest meme mania proved this perfectly. Crypto is not dangerous because it is volatile. Crypto is dangerous because it erases your memory. The "investor" who forgets loses. The "investor" who remembers wins. Because in crypto: The moment you stop forgetting is the moment you finally start winning. P.S. (A Necessary Clarification, Said Gently — and Honestly) Throughout this article I used the word “investors” in quotation marks — and it wasn’t an accident. Most of the people who call themselves investors in crypto are not actually investing. They are speculating, chasing, hoping, and gambling on meme coins and obscure altcoins purely because “they have 100x potential.” Let’s be honest: - buying a token named after a frog - or a coin launched yesterday by anonymous developers - or a “next big narrative” pump with zero product - or a celebrity meme coin - or something that exists only on Twitter…is not investing. It’s gambling dressed in nice vocabulary. And that’s okay — as long as you know what it is. Also, to be clear: When I critique “altcoins,” I am not talking about all of them. There are real infrastructure projects, real protocols, real technology, and real builders out there. But let’s not pretend: 90% of altcoins exist for hype, for extraction, for speculation, and for the dopamine of “maybe this one will moon.” I’m talking about those coins — the ones that behave like slot machines and survive only because traders forget too quickly. If this article made you uncomfortable, good. Sometimes the truth has to sting before it can help.
Education
by Mihai_Iacob
9
How I Managed To Achieve 13.83% By Improving My Win Loss RatioThe SMC model that I used provided a beautiful mechanical system for me but did not provide a win loss ratio. The account balance would keep going down inspite of the great RRR. I added the classical school and the Stochastic to see if I can get better results by those filters. What happened is that the daily stochastic became my major indicator and all the others, including the SMC model, became support confirmations. The last thing that I added was the opening trades mechanism. I would open multiple trades during the day and once I am satisfied of the positive result I would close all trades. I might close all on the same day of opening. In four weeks of testing this methodology I was able to turn my win loss ration from a disaster to even the wins exceeding the losses, and not one single batch was closed negative. All trade batches were closed on the positive. This is a great method not only to increase my balance but also to increase my confidence. I am not preaching that my plan is great, what I want to concentrate on is the value of education and continuous learning.
Education
by TheInvestor_Diary
Best Free Fair Value Gap FVG Technical Indicator on TradingView This free indicator accurately identifies Fair Value Gaps FVG on any market. It is available on TradingView and it is very easy to set it up. In this article, I will show you how to use this indicator and how to find a fair value gap easy in one click. Let's start with my definition of a fair value gap because it is different from trader to trader. FVG is a sudden, sharp price move that happens so fast that it leaves behind a price zone where very little trading actually occurred. Because this zone saw almost no trading, it creates an imbalance . Such a move is usually created by a large candle. A candle with a big body and almost no wicks. Among classic Japanese candlesticks, there is one such a candle. It is called Marubozu. Here are bullish and bearish structures of that candle. A green one represents extremely strong bullish momentum. The price opened at the low of the period and closed at the high of the period. There were no pullbacks ; buyers were in complete control from the opening bell to the close. Its bearish variation has the same logic. The price opened at the high of the period and closed at the low of the period, with a very little trading activity within. Our technical indicator will look for such a candle. The indicator that we will use is called "All Candlestick Patterns". In the settings of this indicator, we should select Marubozu White (bullish candle) and Marubozu Black (bearish candle). After we click "OK", the indicator will immediately start working. The indicator will show valid and significant Fair Value Gaps FVG on any time frame and any trading instrument. Like any other indicator, it will miss some Fair Value Gaps, but while you are learning to identify them, it will help you to spot the most important ones. ❤️Please, support my work with like, thank you!❤️ I am part of Trade Nation's Influencer program and receive a monthly fee for using their TradingView charts in my analysis.
TRADENATION:XAUUSDEducation
by VasilyTrader
11
FVG & ORB5-Minute ORB + FVG Day-Trading Playbook (ES/NQ) What you need Platform: TradingView for markup; your execution platform (e.g., TopstepX / your broker) for orders. Chart: ES (S&P 500 futures) or NQ (Nasdaq futures). Timeframe: 5 minutes. Indicators: Volume Fair Value Gap Key Levels (15-Min/5-Min Opening Range, New York Session or London) Chicago time (your local): NY cash open is 8:30 a.m. CT. The “US evening reopen” (the Globex reopen) is 5:00 p.m. CT (use with caution; liquidity can be thin). The strategy in one page 1) Define the Opening Range Use the first 5-minute bar after the NY cash open (8:30:00–8:34:59 CT). Mark ORH = that bar’s high, ORL = that bar’s low. 2) Direction filter = FVG Bearish setup: Price breaks below ORL, and there is a bearish FVG nearby that has not been fully filled. Bullish setup: Price breaks above ORH, and there is a bullish FVG nearby that has not been fully filled. If an FVG fills/invalidates immediately after the break, skip the trade. 3) Entry Enter on the break (or on a tiny retrace back to the level) in the FVG direction: Below ORL with a short bias when a bearish FVG stands. Above ORH with a long bias when a bullish FVG stands. 4) Stop & Target (bracket) Stop: default at the opposite OR level (conservative). Short below ORL → stop just above ORL (or the nearest invalidation level if tighter is justified). Long above ORH → stop just below ORH. Target: aim for 2R (risk:reward = 1:2), close above half, and trail the rest. Example: If your stop is 10 ES points (=$500 per contract), target 20 ES points (=$1,000 per contract). 5) Risk per trade Pick a fixed dollar risk that protects your account limits. With a $50k evaluation & ~$2,000 trailing max loss, many traders use $100–$300 per trade and micros (MES/MNQ) to scale precisely. Contract & tick quick-ref ES: 1 point = $50 (tick = 0.25, $12.50/tick) NQ: 1 point = $20 (tick = 0.25, $5/tick) MES (micro ES): 1 point = $5 MNQ (micro NQ): 1 point = $2 Sizing example, with MES (conservative) You want a max loss of $200~300. Signal requires 4 ES points to stop (=$200/contract). Trade 1 ES or 4 MES (same risk), target 8 ES points for 2R. Exact checklist (print this) Pre-market Chart on 5m, session = New York. Mark ORH / ORL after the first 5-min bar closes. Confirm bias by FVG: bullish FVG above / bearish FVG below, still unfilled. News/Volatility check (FOMC/CPIs/major earnings): be extra cautious or skip. Entry Price breaks ORH/ORL in the same direction as the FVG. No immediate fulfillment of that FVG. Place bracket: Stop at opposite OR level (or clear invalidation), Target = 2R. Manage Set-and-forget if you struggle with tinkering. If it snaps back and fully fills the FVG, early flattening is allowed by your rules (consistency > perfection). No averaging losers. Post-trade Journal the screenshot, OR values, FVG state, R multiple, and any deviation from the plan. When to skip The first break immediately reverses and fully fills the FVG. The OR is abnormally wide; the stop would exceed your risk budget. Chop: multiple whipsaws through ORH/ORL within a few bars. Event risk minutes away (e.g., CPI/FOMC); spreads/volatility unpredictable. Low volume conditions (late sessions, holidays), unless your data says you have an edge there. A realistic take on funded accounts & pacing Evaluations often have daily loss, trailing drawdown, and max position rules. Treat the trailing specifically as if it’s glued to your closed PnL high-water mark—don’t let one impulsive add blow the account. Keep resets rare by capping loss/day (e.g., 1–2R). One clean 2R win can offset two 1R losses. Micros let you keep your exact dollar risk steady as the OR width changes day to day. Routines that help Two windows: TradingView (markup) and Execution DOM/ladder. Copy ORH/ORL and draw a rectangle for the FVG if your execution platform lacks the indicator. Auto-brackets: pre-define your $ risk and 2R target so every entry is consistent. Two sessions max: NY opens first; optionally, the US evening reopens (5:00 p.m. CT) only if your data says you have positive expectancy there. Trade less, filter more: It’s normal to get 2–3 quality trades/week. No setup → no trade. A compact rules card (copy/paste) Timeframe: 5m. Levels: First 5-min bar → ORH/ORL. Filter: Trade only with an unfilled FVG in the same direction as the OR break. Entry: Break of ORH (long) or ORL (short). Invalidation: FVG fully filled right after break → stand down/exit. Stop: Opposite OR level (or nearest structure that truly invalidates). Target: 2R. Risk: Fixed $ per trade; use micros to fit the plan. Daily max: 1–2R down → stop for the day. Journal every trade (screenshot + R result + notes). Journal template (quick) Date / Ticker / Session (NY/Evening) ORH / ORL values; OR width (points) FVG direction & location (filled? unfilled?) Entry price & rationale (break + FVG alignment) Stop (points/$), Target (points/$), Size (contracts) Outcome (R): __ Did I follow the plan? Y/N (what deviated?) Screenshot link Guardrails (important) “Making money in days” is possible but not typical; survivorship bias is real. Your edge is strict filtering + small, repeatable risk + patience. Commissions/slippage matter—micros help sizing but raise the per-rake cost %; include this in your journaling. Don’t scale to full contracts until your live track record shows consistency over at least 20–30 trades following the exact rules. Screener: www.tradingview.com
CME_MINI:NQ1!Education
by GabrielAmadeusLau
Value to Price Contraction PatternVPC Overview What to Watch During Corrections Stay engaged. Corrections are when future leaders reveal themselves. Breadth divergence = danger. If indexes rise while the percentage of stocks above the 200-DMA is less than 50% (especially in the 30s), expect a pullback; rallies are narrow and fragile. Look beyond cap-weighted indexes. Check equal-weight S&P, S&P 400 (midcaps), and Russell 2000; if they lag, leadership is thin. Distribution vs. accumulation. Clusters of distribution days with few/brief accumulation days = risk-off regime. How Leaders Reveal Themselves (3 Phases) Predictive (during the correction): Stocks hold up the best, often within ~25% of 52-week highs while the market is weak. The RS line makes new highs even if the price is flat/down. Keep them on the A-list. Right off the lows (post-FTD): Explosive moves straight from lows, first into new high ground. These often become the cycle’s monsters; wait for the first tight add-on/base if the initial thrust is extended. Confirming (after the turn): Breadth broadens; more proper bases are complete; opportunities are more obvious but still fruitful. Entry Playbook Require a Confirmed Uptrend: A follow-through day (FTD) + real setups. FTD alone is not a buy signal. Focus on VCP bases (Volatility Contraction Pattern): successively tighter swings, drier volume, and right-side strength; buy as it clears the pivot with power. RS Line New Highs into/at Breakout = Green Light. Recent IPOs: prime “magnitude plays”; catch early primary bases coming out of corrections. Progressive Exposure (when trades work) Start with ~25% exposure (e.g., 4–5 x 5% “pilot” positions or one 20–25%). If pilots gain traction, move quickly to ~50%, concentrating on the best names (add to winners). If strength persists, scale to 75–100%. Do not scale up if pilots aren’t working; reduce instead. Selling & Timeframe Define intent up front: trade (harvest faster, lower drawdown) vs campaign (accept drawdowns for bigger targets). Sell into strength when the extension vs. key MAs is wide and the downside is greater than the upside. For developing skill: take partials at 2–3× your initial risk (R) to “free-roll” the position; trail the rest. Never raise cash just because the index is red; raise cash when your stocks show deterioration or hit stops. Risk & Stops Enter with a tight risk (Minervini style: often 3–5% below a well-defined pivot/low). Position size so a stop hit costs ~1–2% of equity per idea. Don’t average down. Cut quickly; the strategy is better than you—your job is to execute it. Five Fast Filters for New Leaders Shallow corrections from highs (ideally ≤25%) and quick recoveries. Bases forming within long-term uptrends; VCP tightenings. Fastest back to new highs after the market low; frequent up-days > down-days (“ants”: ≥12 up in 15). The RS line is making new highs before/at breakout. Recent IPOs with real growth. Mindset Commit to one sound strategy and master it; discipline is greater than prediction. Trust the stocks, not the headlines. When the market confirms and the leaders set up, act. Scanner: www.tradingview.com
NYSE:GMEDEducation
by GabrielAmadeusLau
1
Screener SystemThe Gabriel Quantitative Screener Series transforms the way traders approach technical and fundamental confluence. Each filter was designed not just to identify market opportunities but to model institutional behavior, where volume, efficiency, and volatility compression merge into repeatable, high-conviction setups. By mastering these tools, traders can adapt dynamically across multiple environments: From high-growth rotations and momentum squeezes to value recoveries and fundamental leadership trends. From swing trades that capture early rotations to short-term intra-day bursts driven by liquidity spikes. Each screener operates independently, but together they provide a panoramic framework of market rhythm and capital flow dynamics—helping you trade in harmony with institutional footprints rather than noise. ⚙️ 1. Gabriel’s TTM Squeeze—Volatility Compression and Momentum Ignition Credit to John Carter from Simpler Trading. Concept: The TTM Squeeze identifies moments when volatility contracts to its tightest levels, signaling a buildup of market energy before a potential breakout. Gabriel’s version refines this principle by combining EMA structure alignment, Stochastic crossovers, liquidity thresholds, and volatility gating to isolate high-probability expansion phases. Core Technical Framework: EMA (8), EMA (21), EMA (34), EMA (55), and EMA (89) create a layered exponential trend structure that reveals directional stacking. Bullish alignment: EMAs stacked upward (momentum acceleration). Bearish alignment: EMAs inverted (momentum exhaustion). Bollinger Bands (20) within Keltner Channels (20)—defines volatility compression and the "squeeze" zone. Stochastic (5,3,3), (8,3.3), (14,3,3)—ensures that it's ready and primed. ADR > 2% & ATR (14) ≥ 0.5—ensures range expansion potential. Volume ≥ 500K—confirms institutional-grade activity. Market Cap ≥ $2B—eliminates illiquid small caps. How It Works: Detects volatility contraction as BBs narrow inside KCs. Confirms directional alignment using multi-EMA structure and R.A.F. proxy. Screens for expansion-ready setups where energy release often follows compression. Ideal Use Case: Perfect for swing and intraday traders who capitalize on volatility transitions. Best applied before earnings or major news catalysts when institutional positioning drives breakout volatility. 🚦2. Gabriel’s TRW Squeeze—Trend Rotation Wave Screener Credit to Aayush Sharma from Stock Campus. Description: The Gabriel’s TRW Squeeze screener identifies trend rotation wave setups using volatility compression signals combined with multi-SMA alignment. It is designed to detect the moment when price, volatility, and structure synchronize—signaling a potential momentum release after a quiet consolidation phase. While Gabriel’s TTM Squeeze focuses on exponential momentum acceleration, the TRW Squeeze emphasizes smoothed trend strength, ideal for swing traders and portfolio rotations. Core Framework 🔹 Moving Average Structure SMA(9), SMA(21), SMA(50), SMA(200) define the multi-horizon trend. Alignment of these SMAs reveals institutional rotation and trend maturity. Bullish Bias: price above SMA(9) > SMA(21) > SMA(50) > SMA(200). Bearish Bias: reverse order or price below all SMAs. 🔹 Volatility Compression Bollinger Bands (20) contracting inside Keltner Channels (20) marks the volatility “squeeze.” This condition reflects a market equilibrium about to shift—the “coiling spring” pattern. Once Bollinger Bands expand beyond the Keltner Channel, momentum is likely to surge. 🔹 Liquidity & Volatility Filters Market Cap ≥ 2 B USD—avoids microcaps and ensures institutional-grade volume. Volume ≥ 500 K—screens only actively traded stocks. ATR(14) ≥ 0.5—ensures sufficient daily range for tradeable volatility. ADR ≤ 2%—filters excessive overnight risk. How It Works Compression Detection—The screener finds assets where Bollinger Bands are inside the Keltner Channel, signaling low volatility. Trend Alignment—SMA structure confirms the directional bias of the underlying trend. Expansion Trigger—A breakout from the squeeze with aligned SMAs marks a high-probability trend continuation or reversal wave (TRW). ⚡ 3. Gabriel’s Low Float Mover—High-Volatility Momentum Screener Credit to Ross Cameron from Warrior Trading. Description: Gabriel’s Low Float Mover is engineered to detect high-momentum, low-float stocks exhibiting abnormal volume surges, strong pre-market strength, and breakout behavior. It filters for equities within the $2.5–$25 range, making it ideal for traders targeting parabolic intraday and swing moves driven by speculative rotation, news catalysts, or short squeezes. Core Filters ⚙️ Liquidity & Market Cap Price: $2.50–$25 Focuses on the sweet spot for retail and small-float momentum plays. Market Cap: $300M–$2B Captures low- to mid-float tickers with enough liquidity to run but small enough to move violently on volume. 🔥 Momentum & Volume Criteria Relative Volume ≥ 5× Ensures today’s activity is at least 5× higher than normal—confirming crowd participation or news-based rotation. New High (1 Month) Filters for fresh breakouts or stocks reclaiming momentum from consolidation. Pre-Market Change ≥ 2%— Detects early strength before the open, a key tell for potential runners. ⚖️ Risk Control ADR ≥ 2% Limits overnight tracking error and ADR volatility, focusing on domestic tickers with cleaner price action. How It Works Identifies low-float, mid-cap stocks within the preferred retail volatility range. Confirms momentum ignition using relative volume, recent highs, and pre-market confirmation. Highlights tickers most likely to experience intraday breakouts, halts, or squeezes. Use Case Built for day traders, momentum scalpers, and swing traders who thrive in fast-moving markets. The screener surfaces potential runners before market open, allowing early preparation and pre-market watchlist building. ⚖️ 4. Gabriel’s VPC—Value-to-Price Compression Screener Credit to Mark Minervini. Concept: The Value-to-Price Compression (VPC) model identifies stocks transitioning from deep value recovery to early momentum, trading between their 52-week extremes. It captures the “middle zone” where institutional accumulation typically begins—not too oversold, not too overbought. Core Framework: Price ≥ 30% above 52W Low—signals strength recovery from a value base; the more the better, preferably higher than 100%. Price ≤ 30% below 52W High—leaves headroom for continued upside; the closer to the 52-week high, the better. SMA (50), SMA (150), and SMA (200) measure long-term compression and potential golden-cross structure. Market Cap ≥ $300M, Volume ≥ 2M, ATR ≥ 0.5, ADR ≤ 2%—ensure clean, tradeable liquidity profiles. How It Works: Detects stocks recovering from lows but not yet overextended. Confirms trend compression via SMA alignment. Highlights candidates basing or consolidating before major continuation. Ideal Use Case: Best for swing and position traders aiming for sustained mid-cycle entries—the sweet spot between growth investing and technical momentum. 💹 5. Gabriel’s CANSLIM—Fundamental Growth & Institutional Leadership Screener Credit to William O'Neil. Description: Gabriel’s CANSLIM identifies elite growth stocks that exhibit accelerating earnings, strong sales expansion, operational efficiency, and improving institutional interest—while still trading within 30% of their 52-week highs. This screener merges O’Neil’s original CANSLIM principles with modern quantitative filters, designed to surface leaders emerging from consolidations with robust fundamentals and liquidity. Core Framework 📈 C – Current Quarterly & Annual Earnings EPS Growth (Quarterly YoY ≥ 25%)—highlights recent earnings acceleration. EPS Growth (TTM YoY ≥ 15%)—confirms consistency across annual cycles. Operating Margin (TTM ≥ 4.25%)—ensures profitable, scalable business models. 💰 A – Annual Earnings Growth Revenue Growth (TTM YoY ≥ 25%)—sustained top-line expansion validates structural growth. Net Margin (TTM ≥ 3%)—filters out low-quality revenue growth with poor conversion efficiency. 🧭 N – New Highs, Products, or Market Leadership Price ≤ 30% below 52-week high—positions within breakout range of institutional accumulation. ROCE (TTM ≥ 12%)—indicates strong capital efficiency and competitive advantage. 🏦 S / L / I / M – Supply, Leadership, Institutional Demand, Market Direction Market Cap ≥ $300 M USD—ensures institutional-grade tradability. Volume ≥ 5 M—screens for active institutional participation, the RS indicator. Net Debt / EBITDA ≤ 17—avoids over-leveraged names that can’t scale efficiently. ATR (14) ≥ 0.5 & ADR ≤ 2%—ensures both volatility for momentum and manageable risk. How It Works Filters fundamentally strong companies growing earnings and sales ≥ 20 % with efficient capital allocation. Targets those near technical breakout zones—above institutional support but below euphoria. Surfaces leaders capable of multi-quarter momentum continuation during strong market cycles. 💬 6. Gabriel’s Zulu Principle — Undervalued Growth with Technical Precision Description: Gabriel’s Zulu Principle is inspired by Jim Slater’s legendary small-cap investment philosophy — focusing on “niche growth at a reasonable price.” This screener merges the value discipline of fundamental analysis with technical alignment, surfacing emerging growth companies before institutional recognition. It’s designed to identify small- and mid-cap stocks that are growing earnings rapidly yet remain undervalued by traditional metrics, sitting quietly in volatility contraction zones — the perfect setup for asymmetric upside. 🔥7. Stocks In Play, ORB — Opening Range Breakout Momentum Screener Description: “Stocks In Play, ORB” is a high-momentum liquidity screener built to identify intraday breakout candidates showing explosive activity around the Opening Range Breakout (ORB) window. It focuses on high relative volume, strong ATR expansion, and clean volatility structure to surface equities with enough participation and range for active day trading. This is your go-to pre-market and intraday watchlist generator for finding the tickers that matter today.
CME_MINI:ES1!Education
by GabrielAmadeusLau
1
Choosing Your Path in Futures TradingThere’s more than one way to participate in the futures markets. Whether you're hands-on or prefer a more passive approach, selecting the right method depends on your trading goals, risk tolerance, and available time. Here’s a breakdown of the most common approaches used by active and aspiring futures traders. 1. Self-Directed Trading If you like full control over your trades, this approach is for you. It requires staying up to date on market news, analyzing charts, and executing your own trades according to a plan and framework which can be referred to as your “strategy.” Experienced traders may prefer this model for its flexibility and transparency. Past performance is not indicative of future results. 2. Automated Trading Systems These systems use predefined rules to analyze data and execute trades without manual intervention. They can be ideal for traders who want to capitalize on algorithmic speed and logic while minimizing emotional decision-making, or for traders who might not have the time to dedicate to self-directed trading. EdgeClear offers connectivity to a handful of automated programs, if you are interested in learning more please contact us. 3. Managed Futures For a more passive route, managed futures allow you to invest in futures contracts through a Commodity Trading Advisor (CTA) or Commodity Pool Operator (CPO). The advisor handles the trading, using their expertise to manage risk and seek opportunity. 4. Broker-Assisted Trading Prefer to have a trusted guide by your side? With broker-assisted trading, a professional helps execute trades, manage risk, and offer support—all tailored to your preferences. Key Takeaway Every trader’s journey in the futures markets looks different. Whether you thrive on taking full control of your trades, prefer automated systems, or rely on professional guidance, the key is to find the approach that aligns with your goals, risk tolerance, and lifestyle. Understanding the options available self-directed, automated, managed, or broker-assisted empowers you to trade more confidently and effectively. Call to Action At EdgeClear, we’re dedicated to helping traders at every level find the tools, guidance, and support they need to succeed. Explore our platforms, connect with our expert brokers, or follow us on TradingView to discover more Trade Ideas and educational content to refine your edge.
COMEX:GC1!Education
by EdgeClear
HOW-TO: Ranger in TradingViewChart patterns and ranges are essential in technical analysis, helping traders identify potential support/resistance zones, volatility expansions, and reversal points. However, manually detecting daily or weekly ranges can be time-consuming and subjective. In this post, we describe how to effectively use the Automatic Range Detection feature inside the ZenAlgo - Ranger indicator, which calculates VWAP-based ranges and standard deviation lines automatically to save time and improve accuracy. Using the Range Detection Feature Add the Indicator : Access the ZenAlgo - Ranger and add it to your chart. It works on any timeframe up to 4H for optimal performance. Key Settings : Show Today's VWAP Range : Enabled by default. This displays the current day's range based on VWAP ±2.0 standard deviations (core range). Show Previous Day's Range : Toggle to view historical daily ranges (up to 70 days back). Show Monday Range : Activates weekly-like ranges derived from Monday's data (shiftable forward for projection). Standard Deviation Lines : Customize visibility for ±3.0 to ±10.0 (and halves like ±0.5, ±1.5). Highlighted lines (e.g., ±5.0, ±10.0) use solid styles for emphasis. Monday Range StdDev Lines : Extended up to ±40.0 for advanced volatility analysis. Box Transparency : Adjust for visual clarity (0-100%). Tip : Start with defaults – today's range in teal, previous in gray, Monday in yellow/blue – and tweak based on your asset's volatility. The indicator uses a locked 1-min VWAP calculation for precision, incorporating buy/sell volume delta from 4H data to color ranges dynamically. Range Detection Overview ZenAlgo - Ranger detects and plots: Daily Ranges : VWAP-centered core (±2.0 std) with extensions via std dev lines. Supports up to 50 previous days. Monday (Weekly Projection) Ranges : Special ranges from Tuesday's data (representing Monday's VWAP), extendable up to 30 weeks. Includes core levels (25%, 50%, 75%) and extreme std devs (±40.0). Half StdDev Lines : For finer granularity (e.g., ±2.5, ±3.5). Volume Delta : Integrated buy/sell volume calculation for each range, helping identify bullish/bearish bias. Return Labels : Automatically labels entries back into the range (e.g., "dS" for daily short return above RH). Detection relies on VWAP and std dev thresholds – higher std lines indicate potential overextensions. Examples Here are some practical examples on BTCUSD (see chart snapshots below): Daily Range in Action : The red box shows today's VWAP range (±2.0 std). Notice how price bounces off the midrange (MID) acting as resistance. Previous Ranges for Context : Gray boxes overlay past days. In a trending market, price often respects these as dynamic S/R – e.g., breaking below a previous RL signals strength. Monday Range Projection : Yellow core with blue borders. Shift forward to project weekly volatility. The 50% midline often acts as equilibrium. StdDev Extensions : ±5.0 (solid) and ±10.0 lines for extreme targets. Useful in high-vol assets like crypto. Tips Validate ranges with volume delta for bias confirmation. Use on intraday charts; combine with other indicators for entries. For volatile markets, enable higher STDs on Monday ranges.
INDEX:BTCUSDEducation
by ZenAlgo_Official
15
The Monty Hall Paradox in TradingMost traders think the Monty Hall paradox has nothing to do with markets. But every time you refuse to change your bias — it plays out right in your chart. At the beginning of October, I started looking for signs of a drop in gold. They came very late. Instead, from October 1st, gold rallied more than 5000 pips before dropping. I was aware of the Monty Hall paradox — and yet, I didn’t switch. And this post is not about why I didn’t switch. It’s about understanding the paradox itself, and how it quietly plays out in trading every single day. Because yes — gold eventually dropped, and it dropped hard. But before falling 5,000 pips, it first rose 5,000 pips — and before that rise even began, the market clearly opened a door just before breaking above 4,000 pips — a door I chose to ignore. That’s exactly what this article is about: recognizing when the market opens new doors, and understanding why switching — just like in the Monty Hall paradox — often gives you the better odds. 🎭 The Original Paradox The Monty Hall problem comes from an old game show called "Let’s Make a Deal ". There are three doors: behind one is a car, and behind the others are goats. You pick one door. The host, who knows what’s behind them, opens another door — always showing a goat. Then he asks: “Do you want to stay with your first choice or switch?” Most people stay But mathematically, you should switch — because the probability of winning jumps from 1/3 to 2/3 after that reveal. The host didn’t change the car’s position — he changed the information you have. And that’s what makes all the difference. If you’ve never heard of the original paradox, you might remember it from the film "21" with Kevin Spacey — the scene where he teaches probability through deception, using the Monty Hall setup to show how humans instinctively trust their first choice. That’s exactly what markets do: they give you partial information, make you feel confident, and then quietly shift the odds while you’re still defending your initial pick. 📊 The Trading Version In trading, there are no doors — only biases. But the logic is identical. When you open a trade, you’re making a probabilistic choice based on incomplete data. You think it’s 50–50 — up or down — but it’s not. You’re guessing direction, but also timing. In reality, your initial bias might have a 1/3 chance of being fully correct. Then the market — our version of Monty Hall — reveals new information: a failed breakout, a strong reversal candle, a macro shift, a sudden volume surge. That’s the door opening. And now you face the same question: “Do you stay with your first choice or switch?” 🧠 Why Most Traders Don’t Switch Because switching feels like admitting you were wrong. Ego and attachment to our analysis make us defend our initial position, even as evidence piles up against it. But the market doesn’t reward stubbornness — it rewards adaptation. Refusing to switch isn’t strength; it’s emotional inertia. 🔁 What “Switching” Really Means It doesn’t always mean reversing your trade. It can mean: - Cutting your loss early instead of waiting for stop loss - Closing a position that started “right” but begins behaving wrong. - Flipping your bias when the structure proves you wrong. - Or simply, pausing — accepting that the setup no longer fits the data. In each case, you’re doing what the smart contestant in Monty Hall does: You’re updating your probabilities as new information arrives. 💬 The Lesson The paradox isn’t about doors — it’s about humility. About understanding that the first choice you make in trading could end up not being the best one. The best traders don’t need to be right. They need to be flexible enough to become right later. So the next time the market “opens a door” — don’t get defensive. Recalculate. Reassess. Sometimes, switching is the only way to stay in the game. 🚀 Closing Thought The Monty Hall paradox isn’t about luck; it’s about using information wisely. The same rule applies to trading: If the market gives you new data, use it — even if it means admitting your first bias was wrong. Because the moment you stop defending your first choice, you finally start trading with probability — not pride. P.S. Although I did manage to make some profit on short trades, that’s beside the point. What truly matters is that the market clearly opened a door at the beginning of October — and even though I saw it, I ignored it. Yes, the market eventually dropped as initially expected, but that too is beside the point. This isn’t about being right in the end; it’s about recognizing when the market opens new doors and having the courage to walk through them.
OANDA:XAUUSDEducation
by Mihai_Iacob
13
Why My Stop Loss Didn’t Trigger?”🛑 “Why My Stop Loss Didn’t Trigger?” Let’s talk about Stop Orders, Stop Limits, Spreads, and the Outside-RTH trap. Before we blame the broker, it’s crucial to understand how each order type actually works: 🔹 Market Order Executes immediately at the best available price. ✅ Guarantees execution ⚠️ Doesn’t guarantee price (can slip during volatility). 🔹 Limit Order Executes only at your specified price or better. ✅ Price control ⚠️ Might never fill if market doesn’t reach your limit or gap down. 🔹 Stop Order (Is a Stop “Market” Order) Activates when price hits your stop level, then converts into a market order. ✅ Great for stop-loss protection ⚠️ May fill at much lower price than your stop due to slippage. 🔹 Stop Limit Order Activates at the stop trigger, then becomes a limit order — meaning it only executes if the market trades at your limit price or better. ✅ Full control over fill price ⚠️ Risk of not executing at all if price moves away quickly. Regular Trading Hours (RTH): Market orders are supported → Stop Market Outside RTH (Pre/Post-market): Market orders are not supported therefore, only Stop Limit works. Now, Why Your Stop Might Not Trigger? 1- You used a Stop-Limit (not Stop Market) If the market gaps beyond your limit, there’s no fill (Buyer) at this price. Price “touched” your stop — but never traded through your limit price. 2- You traded Outside RTH During pre-market or after-hours, If you didn’t enable “Outside RTH” trading, your stop simply didn’t activate. 3- Thin Liquidity Low volume = fewer buyers/sellers near your stop → delayed or partial fills. This is especially true Outside RTH, where spreads widen and depth disappears. Or you are trading an equity or ETFs with slim volume (check the volume first before trading any asset) ✅ Recommendation: Use Stop-Limit + “Allow Outside RTH+GTC” and make your limit “marketable” to ensure execution. Offset guide for Stop-Limits (Δ): • At least 0.5× spread • Or ¼ to ½ ATR(5) for your timeframe Example for a long position: • You bought at $100, want to exit if it breaks $99.80. • Pre-market spread = $0.12 • Set: Stop = 99.80, Limit = 99.68 (≈0.12 below stop) → Gives room for spread expansion and slippage so the stop fills quickly. How to Set a Reliable Stop-Limit Market Order Type Settings Notes Equities & ETFS (RTH) Stop Market Standard stop Fastest execution Equities & ETFS (Outside RTH) Stop Limit + GTC Limit offset = Spread Needed for after-hours fills Futures / FX / Crypto Stop Market 24h trading Market fills OK The Best Setup ✅ Inside RTH → Stop Market (guaranteed execution) ✅ Outside RTH → Stop Limit + GTC enabled with marketable offset ✅ Always give buffer beyond supply/demand levels (0.1–0.3%) ✅ Watch spread and volume before placing stops Final Takeaway Your stop loss isn’t just a line on the chart — it’s an engineered safety net. Use the right order type for the session, give it breathing room, and understand how spread, liquidity, and RTH rules impact execution. Because a stop loss that doesn’t trigger… isn’t a stop loss at all. 🛑
NASDAQ:QQQEducation
by DubaiTradersHub