Looks as if a falling wedge is forming to test upper resistance level. I believe this could be a distribution pattern playing out, however I will be taking precautions around $2222 as this is has been an area of high volatility and bullish price action in the past.
Volume, alongside price action, is a critical component in analyzing the market through the lens of the Wyckoff method. It helps to provide clues about the presence of smart money (large professional traders and institutions) and retail traders (individual or less-informed traders) during each subphase of distribution. Here’s how volume can be interpreted in each subphase along with the behavior of smart money and retail traders:
Preliminary Supply (PSY): Volume begins to increase as smart money starts to take profits and sell their positions to retail traders who are entering the market due to the uptrend's attraction. This is often the first warning sign of distribution.
Buying Climax (BCLMX): Volume spikes to very high levels as retail traders, driven by greed and fear of missing out, buy heavily into the market. Smart money takes advantage of this liquidity to sell large amounts of their holdings.
Automatic Reaction (AR): After the buying climax, volume remains high as smart money continues to distribute their holdings. The price drops sharply, indicating that the supply has overcome the demand.
Secondary Test (ST): Volume typically diminishes on the rallies that follow the AR, suggesting a lack of new demand. Retail traders might interpret this as a buying opportunity, while smart money is likely to sell into any strength.
Sign of Weakness (SOW): As the price breaks below previous support levels, volume increases again, indicating that substantial selling is taking place. Retail traders may start to panic and sell, while smart money is actively distributing their remaining positions.
Upthrust (UT): Volume can be tricky here; it may not be as high as on the BCLMX because some retail traders are becoming wary. However, there’s often enough volume to suggest that there is still some buying happening, which smart money uses to sell into.
Upthrust After Distribution (UTAD): The volume on a UTAD is usually lower than on the initial BCLMX, showing less participation from the public. This lack of demand at higher price levels is a sign that the market is weak. Smart money might execute final sell orders here, capitalizing on the last bit of buying enthusiasm from retail traders.
Last Point of Supply (LPSY): Volume is significantly lower, indicating that the public interest is waning and that supply is still present. Smart money has largely exited their positions, and the market is ripe for a downtrend.
In the context of smart money versus retail traders:
Smart Money: They have the resources and information to initiate and sustain market trends. They sell when they believe the market has reached its peak and before the trend reverses. Their selling is what creates the distribution phase, and they aim to sell their positions to retail traders without causing a sharp price decline that might cut into their profits.
Retail Traders: Typically less informed and often influenced by emotions, retail traders tend to buy during the late stages of an uptrend, often entering the market during the BCLMX or even later. They are usually the ones holding the bag when the trend reverses because they buy into the market when smart money is selling.
Recognizing these volume patterns and understanding the interplay between smart money and retail traders can help in identifying the distribution phase's subphases and preparing for a potential trend reversal.