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Gut Feeling Vs. Technical Analysis- How I Take TradesTrading Is Both Art and Science Every trader, no matter how data-driven, eventually encounters moments when they just know something about the market. That quiet internal signal: “Don’t touch this today.” Or: “Get ready. Something’s coming.” That’s not random emotion. That’s your gut feeling – and in trading, it's worth paying attention to. But here's the catch: 👉 Gut feeling alone isn’t enough. 👉 Technical analysis alone isn’t either. The real edge comes when both align. ________________________________________ What Is Gut Feeling in Trading? “Gut feeling” is a term used to describe intuitive decisions that seem to arise without conscious reasoning. In trading, it often presents as a subtle inner nudge – a warning, a hesitation, or a surge of clarity. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not just emotion. It’s often the result of: • Unconscious pattern recognition from years (or decades) of chart-watching • Internalized market behavior that doesn’t show up on an indicator • Emotional awareness, sensing when the environment isn’t right to trade Experienced traders know this isn’t “woo.” It’s pattern memory speaking quietly. ________________________________________ On the Other Hand: What We Call Technical Analysis? We all know the tools: support/resistance, price action, indicators like RSI, MACD, Bollinger Bands, maybe Smart Money Concepts or just clean trendlines, etc. Technical analysis gives us structure — measurable, repeatable setups. But let’s not pretend it captures everything: • News can spike irrationally • Liquidity can vanish when you least expect it • And sometimes, the chart says 'yes' but the market mood says 'don’t trust it' That’s where gut feeling becomes the final filter. ________________________________________ ✅ Why I Wait for Alignment Let’s be honest: most bad trades happen when you force action despite internal hesitation. Here’s how I frame decisions: ✅ Full alignment • Gut: Yes • Technicals: Yes • 👉 Take the trade ⚠️ Gut says no, but technicals agree • Gut: No • Technicals: Yes • 🚫 Wait – something’s off ⚠️ Gut says yes, but technicals are unclear • Gut: Yes • Technicals: No • 👁 Watch only – do not act ❌ No alignment • Gut: No • Technicals: No • ✅ Stay out – smart decision You’re not supposed to be in every trade. You’re supposed to be in the right trades. ________________________________________ 🔍 Real-Life Example: Gold (XAUUSD) Yesterday, Gold surged due to geopolitical escalation and renewed tariff tension. Is looking bullish now: descending trendline broken, above 3350 which acts as confluence support. 📈 The chart said: “Buy.” 🧠 But my gut said: “ No. This is an emotional move. It’s not done correcting .” So I stayed out. Why? Because if I trade while my gut says “no”, I second-guess every tick. Even if the chart is right, I start hoping it fails — just to prove my feeling was right. That’s emotional sabotage. But when gut and chart say the same thing, I don’t hesitate. Even if the trade loses, I’m at peace. I executed from clarity, not conflict. That’s not just technical skill. That’s mental edge. 🧠 How to Develop Trustworthy Intuition If you’re new or inconsistent, your “gut feeling” might just be fear, greed, or FOMO. But over time, real intuition can be trained like a muscle. 1. Screen Time The more markets you watch, the more silent patterns your brain absorbs. Eventually, you’ll “feel” momentum shifts before indicators print them. 2. Journaling Write down what you felt before each trade. Did it align with your plan? Over time, you’ll spot which feelings were intuition and which were impulse. 3. Meditation & Clarity The more you control your emotional noise, the easier it becomes to hear real signals. ________________________________________ ⚠️ Common Pitfalls: When Gut Feeling Betrays You Let’s be clear – not every gut feeling is wise. Here are some red flags: • Revenge trading disguised as confidence • FOMO masked as intuition • Fear of missing out during high volatility sessions • Fatigue or stress, which distort perception 🧠 Tip: A real gut feeling comes with calm clarity, not urgency or adrenaline. ________________________________________ 🎯 Final Thought Gut Feeling + Technical Analysis = Peace of Mind The best trades aren’t just technically correct — they’re internally clean. No doubt. No hesitation. No self-conflict. Wait for alignment. Then execute with full presence. Disclosure: I am part of TradeNation's Influencer program and receive a monthly fee for using their TradingView charts in my analyses and educational articles.
OANDA:XAUUSDEducation
by Mihai_Iacob
24
In Theory, You’re a Great Trader — In Practice, You’re Human🧠 10 Ways Trading Theory Falls Apart in Real Practice Because in theory, you're rich. In practice, you panic-sold at support. “In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice, there is.” — Yogi Berra Welcome to trading — where you read about patience and discipline, and then blow up your account chasing a breakout at 3AM. Let’s explore the top 10 ways trading theory gets wrecked by real-world execution, complete with painful honesty and maybe a laugh or two (because crying is for after market close). ________________________________________ 1. 🎯 In theory: You always follow your trading plan. In practice: You make a new plan after every trade. That loss wasn’t part of “the plan,” so obviously the plan was wrong. Let’s fix it — during the trade — in real-time — while it bleeds. Genius. ________________________________________ 2. 🧘‍♂️ In theory: You manage risk carefully. In practice: "Let me just move the stop... just this once... just 10 more pips..." Before you know it, your stop loss is in the next timezone, and your trade is now a long-term investment. ________________________________________ 3. 📊 In theory: Backtesting proves the strategy works. I n practice: Backtest = you, alone, with no emotions, clicking replay in TradingView. Live trading = markets screaming, Twitter panicking, and you entering on the 1-minute chart because “it felt right.” ________________________________________ 4. 💻 In theory: You’ll be objective. In practice: You saw one green candle and whispered: “This is it. The reversal. I feel it.” You weren’t objective. You were in a situationship with your trade. ________________________________________ 5. 💰 In theory: R:R 2:1 minimum. In practice: You close at +0.3R “just to be safe” — and then it hits target 10 minutes later while you re-enter worse, and get stopped. ________________________________________ 6. 🕒 In theory: You wait for confirmation. In practice: You anticipate confirmation. You hope for confirmation. Spoiler: hope is not a strategy. But hey, at least you learned… again. ________________________________________ 7. 🤖 In theory: You’re a rules-based, emotionless trader. In practice: You meditate, breathe deeply, journal, and then buy Gold after CPI with no stop loss and max leverage. So much for being the Terminator. ________________________________________ 8. 📚 In theory: More knowledge = better performance. I n practice: You read five books, memorized all candlestick names, and still entered long into resistance because it “looked bullish.” Trading isn’t trivia night. It’s controlled decision-making under fire. ________________________________________ 9. 😤 In theory: You’ll accept losses calmly. In practice: First you rage-quit. Then you revenge trade. Then you open ChatGPT and ask: “Should I hedge this 80% drawdown?” ________________________________________ 10. 📆 In theory: You’ll be consistent. In practice: You traded London Open on Monday, Asian Session on Tuesday, and New York close on Friday. Consistency? You don’t even use the same time frame twice in a row. ________________________________________ 🚧 So… how do you bridge the gap? 1. Journal your trades — honestly. Especially the emotional mess-ups. 2. Create rules you can actually follow — not Instagram-quote rules. 3. Simulate real conditions — including drawdowns, boredom, and fakeouts. 4. Accept that mistakes are part of the job — and build for resilience, not perfection. 5. Trade small enough that you don’t care much — so you can learn while surviving. ________________________________________ 🎯 Final word: Trading theory is like a clean whiteboard. But the market? It’s a chaotic toddler with crayons and no rules. If you can operate inside that chaos — with clarity and emotional control — that’s when the theory starts working.
OANDA:XAUUSDEducation
by Mihai_Iacob
35
Learn What Time Frame to Trade. Gold Forex Trading Basics If you just started trading, you are probably wondering how to choose a trading time frame. In the today's post, I will go through the common time frames, and explain when to apply them. 1m; 5m, 15m Time Frames These 4 t.f's are very rapid and are primarily applied by scalpers . If your goal is to catch quick ebbs and flows within a trading session, that is a perfect selection for you. 30m, 1H Time Frame These 2 are perfectly suited for day traders. Executing the analysis and opening the trades on these time frames, you will be able to catch the moves within a trading day. 4h, Daily Time Frames These time frames are relatively slow . They are mostly applied by swing traders, who aim to trade the moves that last from several days to several weeks. Weekly, Monthly Time Frames These time frames reveal long-term historical perspective and are mostly used by investors and position traders. If your goal is to look for buy & hold assets, these time frames will help you to make a reasonable decision. 📝When you are choosing a time frame to trade, consider the following factors : 1️⃣ - Time Availability How much time daily/weekly are you able to sacrifice on trading? Remember a simple rule: lower is the time frame, more time it requires for management. 2️⃣ - Risk Tolerance Smaller time frames usually involve higher risk, while longer-term time frames are considered to be more conservative and stable. 3️⃣ - Your Trading Goals If you are planning to benefit from short term price fluctuations you should concentrate your attention on lower time frames, while investing and long-term capital accumulation suite for higher time frames. Time frame selection is nuanced and a complex topic. However, I believe that these simple rules and factors will help you to correctly choose the one for you. ❤️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
How to Read Market Depth in TradingViewThis tutorial video covers what Depth of Market (Market Depth) is, how to read it, and how traders might use it. Learn more about trading futures with Optimus Futures using the TradingView platform here: optimusfutures.com/Platforms/TradingView.php 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. Order flow and DOM data reflect market participant activity but do not guarantee future price movement or execution certainty. These tools are best used as part of a broader trading strategy that includes risk management and market understanding.
CME_MINI:MESM2025Education
by OptimusFutures
Structure Over Sentiment: Multi-Asset View into Month-End📊 Structure Over Sentiment: Multi-Asset View into Month-End | May 30, 2025 This isn’t a crash. This isn’t a rally. This is digestion. The multi-asset view tells the real story — and it's not as chaotic as it looks. 🔍 What the Chart Shows: This correlation lens plots key macro and market drivers YTD: 🟣 Gold (XAUUSD): Leading with +24.71% — this is the quiet macro bid no one’s talking about 🟢 Bitcoin (BTCUSD): Holding +8.47% — volatile, but still showing risk appetite 🔴 10Y Yield (US10Y): Up +5.31% — signalling rates peaking 🟠 Nasdaq (NDX): Nearly flat, -0.36% — NVDA strength masking internal rotation 🔵 S&P 500 (SPX): -2.32% — structurally fine, just not euphoric 🔵 Dow (DJA): -5.91% — lagging, cyclical drag 🔵 Russell 2000 (RTY): -13.60% — small caps under pressure, risk-on caution flag 🟣 Dollar Index (DXY): -6.44% — fading after a strong Q1 🟢 Oil (WTIUSD): -10.26% — no inflation panic here 🧠 Key Insight: Despite the tariff headlines, sticky PCE, and conflicting narratives — the market remains internally consistent. Gold is leading Yields are rising but not sharply Bitcoin is positive Equities are flat-to-negative Oil is weak Dollar is fading This is classic late-cycle digestion, not a crisis. 🛡️ Titan Mindset Check-In: Don’t get lost in single headlines Follow structure, not speculation Let leaders lead (NVDA, Gold, BTC) Protect equity when breath narrows Zoom out, reduce noise, trade the curve — not the chaos 📍“Volatility isn’t risk. Misinterpretation is.” Take Profits, Not Chances. #MultiAssetView #StructureOverShock #TitanProtect #SPX #NDX #BTC #Gold #DXY #WTI #US10Y #MacroFlow #MarketMindset #LateCycleSignals #DigestDontPanic
SP:SPXEducation
by Rizq-FX
How Forex Brokers Manipulate Your Trading. Real Examples Your Forex broker could be manipulating your trades right now - and you would not even know it. They can rig your charts, trap you in losing trades and steal your money. In this article, I will expose how they do it, I will show you a real example how broker's manipulations can lead to bad trading decisions and significant losses. What I’m about to show you will change the way you trade forever, and you’ll never look at your trading charts the same way again. The story started with a trading live stream in my academy with my students. We spotted a nice setup to trade. We found a strong 4H support on Silver with a confirmed liquidity grab after its test. As a confirmation, we identified a cup & handle pattern on an hourly time frame and a breakout of its neckline with a bullish imbalance. When I got my entry signal, I opened my trading terminal to execute the trade. And the way I trade is very specific: I use TradingView for chart analysis BUT I have a separate trading terminal for trade execution. When I opened the same setup in my trading terminal, I saw a completely different picture and a strong bearish signal. The broker that I use for technical chart analysis is OANDA , while my trading terminal uses ICMarkets quotes. On the right is the price chart of SILVER with IC. There we can see a valid breakout and a candle close below the support with its consequent retest. From a price action perspective, it is a strong signal to sell . I got a strong feeling that some kind of manipulation is going on here, so I decided to check Silver charts of other brokers. Only the broker that I used for market analysis on TradingView provided a bullish signal, while other brokers had very bearish charts on Silver. It looked very suspicious and felt like OANDA broker was inducing me to buy, knowing that the price is going to drop. So I made a decision not to take a trade. Look what happened then. After a retest of a broken support, Silver dropped sharply. Checking the same trading setup on different brokers' charts can help you to avoid the manipulation. My simple decision to examine more charts helped to avoid a losing trade. I strictly recommend you doing the same thing before you place a trade. IF you see a strong deviation of your charts from other brokers, stay alert and vigilant. Probably it is not a good idea to open the trade. ❤️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
15
How to Use Stop Losses in TradingViewThis video covers stop loss orders, explaining what they are, why traders use them, and how to set them up in TradingView. 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. The placement of contingent orders by you or broker, or trading advisor, such as a "stop-loss" or "stop-limit" order, will not necessarily limit your losses to the intended amounts, since market conditions may make it impossible to execute such orders.
CME_MINI:MESM2025Education
by OptimusFutures
2
Trading Gold? Know the Difference Between XAU/USD and Futures🔎 Let’s address a question I get very often: “Should I trade spot gold (XAU/USD) or Gold futures?” It might sound like a technical decision, but it’s actually about how you approach the market, your risk profile, and your experience level. So let’s break it down 👇 ________________________________________ 🟡 Two ways to trade the same asset Both spot and futures allow you to speculate on the price of Gold. But they’re two very different beasts when it comes to execution, capital, and strategy. ________________________________________ 1️⃣ Spot gold (XAU/USD) • Traded mostly via Forex brokers or CFD platforms • No expiration — you can hold the position as long as you want • Often used by retail traders for day trading or swing setups • You can open small trades (even 0.01 lots) • Costs include spread, swap fees if you hold overnight • Leverage is usually high — up to 1:100 or more • Margin is required, but typically lower than in futures 💡 Spot is flexible and accessible, but you pay the price through overnight holding costs, wider spreads during volatility, and slippage. On some brokers, especially during high-impact news, your platform might even freeze or delay execution — and that’s a serious risk if you’re not prepared. ________________________________________ 2️⃣ Gold futures (GC) • Traded on major futures exchanges like CME • Contracts have a fixed size (usually 100 oz) • They expire monthly, so you need to manage rollovers • Common among hedge funds and experienced traders • You pay commissions and exchange fees, but no swaps • Margin is required here too — but it's much higher 💡 Futures are structured and professional — but they demand more capital, stricter execution discipline, and higher margin requirements. Just like in spot trading, margin is a collateral deposit, not a cost — but with futures, the bar is set higher. ________________________________________ ⚖️ So, which one is for you? If you're using MetaTrader or any platform offered by a Forex/CFD broker, and you're a scalper, intraday, or swing trader working with flexible position sizes... → You're probably better off with spot gold (XAU/USD). If you're trading big volume, managing diversified portfolios, or involved in hedging large exposure... → You should consider futures — but expect to level up your game, capital requirements, and discipline. ________________________________________ 🧠 Mindset: Don’t confuse accessibility with simplicity. Just because spot Gold is easier to open doesn’t mean it’s always the best choice. Just because futures look “pro-level” doesn’t mean they’re always worth it for a retail trader. Understand your tools. Pick the one that aligns with your structure. That’s how you stay in the game. 🎯 ________________________________________ 📚 Hope this cleared it up. If you want me to cover execution setups for each one, let me know in the comments.
TRADENATION:XAUUSDEducation
by Mihai_Iacob
1
Stop Watching Your Trades All Day!How to Break Free from Screen Addiction and Become a More Focused, Profitable Trader Have you ever found yourself glued to your screens, watching every tick of the market, feeling your stress levels spike with every price fluctuation? If so, you’re not alone. Most traders, at some point, fall into this trap. It feels productive, even necessary, to monitor your trades constantly. But the reality is that it’s one of the most damaging habits you can develop. In this article, I’ll show you why this behavior is hurting your trading results and how to break free from it, so you can trade smarter, stress less, and live more. ________________________________________ ⚠️ The Cortisol Trap – Why Watching Every Tick is a Psychological Minefield Every time you check the market and see a fluctuation in your trades, your body releases cortisol, the primary stress hormone. While cortisol is useful in fight-or-flight situations (like dodging a car on the street), it’s terrible for trading. Here’s why: • Cortisol reduces rational thinking – It pushes your brain into reactive mode, not analytical mode. • It triggers impulsivity – You become more likely to close winning trades too early or move your stop loss in desperation. • It burns your mental energy – Leaving you drained, unfocused, and emotionally volatile. Simply put: Too much screen time = too much cortisol = bad trading decisions. If you want to win consistently, you need to break this cycle. ________________________________________ 🎯 Distraction from Higher Priorities – Why Trading Should Be a Part of Life, Not All of It Trading is meant to give you freedom — not steal it. Yet, too many traders become slaves to the screen, obsessing over every tick. But here’s the truth: You don’t need to be in front of your screen all day to be a great trader. In fact, doing so can rob you of the mental clarity and emotional balance needed for high-quality trading. When you step away from the charts: • You give your strategic mind time to work, • You focus on other important aspects of life — family, health, personal growth, • You develop a longer-term perspective on the market, which is crucial for real success. Balance is the key to sustainable success, both in trading and in life. ________________________________________ ✅ 3 Benefits of Breaking Free from Screen Addiction ✅ Benefit #1: Better Decision-Making When you stop reacting to every tick: • You make calmer, more rational trading decisions, • You avoid low-probability setups and revenge trading, • You focus on quality over quantity. Instead of jumping on every tiny move, you become a strategic sniper in the market, waiting for high-probability setups. ________________________________________ 🧘 Benefit #2: Improved Quality of Life Life is not just about trading. Reducing screen time frees you up for other meaningful activities: • Exercise, • Hobbies, • Time with family and friends. A well-rounded life supports better mental health, which, in turn, improves your trading performance. Remember, a clear mind is a profitable mind. ________________________________________ ⏱️ Benefit #3: Increased Productivity Believe it or not, less screen time = more productivity. Why? Because you’ll: • Spend less time reacting and more time preparing, • Conserve your mental energy for important decisions, • Create time for deep market analysis instead of random impulse trades. This disciplined approach leads to better trading outcomes over time. ________________________________________ 🔔 How to Trade with Less Screen Time – 3 Practical Step s 🔔 Action #1: Use Alerts Wisely Instead of staring at charts all day, let technology work for you: • Set alerts at key price levels, • Use trading apps to get notifications when your levels are hit, • Let the market come to you — not the other way around. Example: If you want to buy Gold at 3200 support, set an alert and go for a walk. You’ll be notified when price approaches, so you can act, not react. ________________________________________ 📅 Action #2: Create a Balanced Schedule Build a daily routine that includes more than just trading: • Morning exercise, • Reading or journaling, • Spending time with loved ones, • Working on long-term goals. When you’re mentally balanced, you’ll trade better and more profitably. ________________________________________ 📊 Action #3: Review Your Trading Plan Regularly Spend time reviewing your trades instead of watching them: • Look at your journal, • Analyze your stats, • Identify mistakes and strengths. This should only take once a week — and it’s far more valuable than hours of pointless screen time. ________________________________________ 🧠 Final Words As the saying goes: “Sometimes, less is more.” Stop watching your trades all day. Lower your stress, regain your focus, and remember why you started trading in the first place — to build wealth and live freely, not to become a slave to the screen. Trade well. Build wealth. Live fully. 🚀 Disclosure: I am part of Trade Nation's Influencer program and receive a monthly fee for using their TradingView charts in my analyses and educational articles.
FX:XAUUSDEducation
by Mihai_Iacob
Why You Need to Know How the Markets Work Before TradingMany new traders jump into forex driven by excitement, but without a real grasp of how financial markets work. I know this because I did the same, and spent years trying to correct it. When I first entered the forex market, it felt accessible, fast-moving, and flexible. The 24-hour trading cycle made it seem like an ideal fit. But what I didn’t realize was that trading success isn’t built on convenience. It’s built on understanding. Knowing how the markets work isn’t just a nice-to-have — it’s foundational. Financial markets don’t exist in isolation. The forex market, for example, doesn’t move without being influenced by interest rates, global economic indicators, and even other markets like bonds or commodities. I didn’t understand this at first. I thought forex was self-contained — just charts, price action, and maybe some indicators. It’s not. Over time, I started noticing patterns. Not just in price movement, but in my own behavior. I’d react emotionally, enter impulsive trades, or avoid certain setups because I didn’t really trust what I was doing. The missing piece was a true understanding of the broader market structure. It’s also important to separate the idea of trading from investing. I used to think they were the same thing. They're not. Investing, to me, means long-term value holding. Trading is shorter-term speculation. Without understanding this difference, it's easy to misapply strategies meant for one into the other. I also misunderstood the tools. At first, I avoided the stock market entirely because I didn’t know you could short stocks. I avoided options, bonds, and futures because they seemed too complicated. That lack of knowledge wasn’t just limiting — it shaped my entire trading path. If I had taken the time early on to explore how the markets work — including what kinds of financial instruments are out there and how they behave — I would have made far more informed decisions. I would have known which tools fit my mindset, risk tolerance, and time commitment. Today, I’m still trading forex, but with a calmer, more methodical mindset. I’ve accepted that trading requires a clear plan, an understanding of market context, and constant self-reflection. I’m no longer chasing excitement — I’m aiming for consistency. If you’re just getting started, or if you feel stuck, pause and ask yourself: Do I truly understand how the markets function? Not just the one I’m trading in, but the financial ecosystem as a whole? The answer might change your entire approach — and that shift can be what helps you move from confusion to clarity.
Education
by TheInvestor_Diary
Trading Without Goals Is Just Gambling With StructureA lot of traders talk about discipline. But few realize that discipline has to be anchored to something. It doesn’t work in a vacuum. Without a clear reason to stay focused, most people eventually fall back into overtrading, revenge trading, or breaking their own rules. That “something” is your personal set of financial goals. If you’re trading without a list of well-defined, written goals—short term and long term—you’re not building a system. You’re improvising. And over time, the market will punish improvisation. Goals Create the Structure That Risk Management Lives In It’s common to hear that risk management is the key to long-term success in Forex. That’s true. But risk management doesn’t exist in isolation. You can’t determine how much to risk per trade if you don’t know what you’re aiming for in the big picture. When your trading plan is connected to real financial targets—like building a retirement fund, generating side income, or compounding over years, you stop treating each trade like a lottery ticket. Your lot size changes. Your trade frequency changes. Your psychology changes. Clarity Reduces Emotion One of the biggest causes of emotional trading is uncertainty. When you’re not clear on where you're going or why you’re even in a trade, the smallest loss can shake your confidence. A win might tempt you to increase your size. A string of losses might tempt you to change systems or walk away completely. But when you’re trading with a purpose, decisions become less reactive. You have a framework to evaluate whether something aligns with your objectives. And that makes it easier to say no to setups that don’t fit, or to walk away from the screen when nothing’s there. Write Your Goals Down—In Detail If your goals aren’t written, they don’t exist. And “make money” is not a goal. It’s a wish. Good goals are specific, time-based, and measurable. For example: Grow a $1,000 account to $1,500 over 6 months by risking 1% per trade Extract 4% per month on average while maintaining a max drawdown of 10% Build a track record of 100 trades with full journal documentation and risk control Once written, these goals form the backbone of your trading plan. They influence your risk-per-trade, your system choice, and how often you trade. They also give you a benchmark. You’ll know if you’re making progress or just going in circles. Final Thought: Know What You’re Playing For Too many traders operate without direction. They chase results, compare themselves to others, and burn out. It doesn’t have to be this way. Start with the end in mind. Know why you’re trading. Set real goals. And let those goals drive your decisions, your risk management, and your daily focus. Discipline becomes easier when you have something worth being disciplined for. I have been for 2.5 years on Demo, and will not move from there until I achieve the targets that I have set. Achieving those targets on Demo does mean I will achieve them on live trading. On the other hand, not achieving them on a Demo account mean that the only thing I will be able to achieve on a live account is blow the account away.
Education
by TheInvestor_Diary
Crypto Phases Explained: From Bitcoin Season to Full-On FOMO !Hello Traders 🐺 I hope you're doing well. In this idea, I want to dive into the different phases of the crypto market, because I feel like many new traders — and even some semi-pros — still don’t fully grasp this fundamental concept. So make sure to read this until the end and feel free to ask your questions in the comments below! 🔹 PHASE 1 – Bitcoin Season This is where it all begins. You can guess from the name: BTC starts outperforming almost every altcoin, especially ETH. In this phase, Bitcoin’s price often grows rapidly while most alts lag behind. As BTC's market cap rises, Bitcoin Dominance (BTC.D) also increases — and this is clearly visible on the chart. In the current market, BTC.D is rising toward a key resistance level, suggesting we are still in late Phase 1, but possibly approaching a shift. 🔹 PHASE 2 – Ethereum Season Why ETH and not the rest of the altcoins? Because when smart money rotates out of BTC, the first stop is usually Ethereum, the second-largest asset by market cap. ETH is also the backbone of many other projects, so it makes sense that it leads the altcoin wave. When ETH starts to outperform BTC, that’s your sign: Phase 2 has begun. 🔹 PHASES 3 & 4 – Altcoin Season This is the fun part. 🤑 In Phase 3, we typically see larger cap altcoins (top 100 projects) begin to surge and hit new all-time highs. Then comes Phase 4, the final leg of the bull cycle — full-on FOMO. Even low-cap coins start doing 20x or more, and yes, many small investors suddenly feel rich. 🔎 So… how do we know what phase we’re in? Excellent question. But a tricky one. As mentioned, BTC.D is showing signs of weakness near a long-term resistance trendline. That could mean BTC is topping short-term, and ETH might soon start to take the lead. To confirm that, just watch the ETH/BTC chart closely. For deeper confirmation, add these charts to your watchlist: OTHERS/BTC TOTAL2 TOTAL3 They help you see when capital starts flowing into mid and low-cap alts — and help you track the sunrise… and the sunset. 🌅 Final Note: If you’re still confused during market volatility, don’t worry. Trading is a long and tough journey — and patience is key. Learn from your mistakes, stay disciplined, and always remember: 🐺 Discipline is rarely enjoyable, but almost always profitable. 🐺 Stay sharp, 🐺 KIU_COIN 🐺
CRYPTOCAP:BTC.DEducation
by Kiu_Coin
21
Your ULTIMATE Guide For Time Frames in Gold, Forex Trading If you just started trading, you are probably wondering what time frames to trade. In the today's post, I will reveal the difference between mainstream time frames like daily, 4h, 1h, 15m. Firstly, you should know that the selection of a time frame primarily depends on your goals in trading. If you are interested in swing trading strategies, of course, you should concentrate on higher time frames analysis while for scalping the main focus should be on lower time frames. Daily time frame shows a bigger picture. It can be applied for the analysis of a price action for the last weeks, months, and even years. It reveals the historical key levels that can be relevant for swing traders, day traders and scalpers. The patterns that are formed on a daily time frame may predict long-term movements. In the picture above, you can see how the daily time frame can show the price action for the last years, months and weeks. In contrast, hourly time frame reflects intra week & intraday perspectives. The patterns and key levels that are spotted there, will be important for day traders and scalpers. The setups that are spotted on an hourly time frame, will be useful for predicting the intraday moves and occasionally the moves within a trading week. Take a look at the 2 charts above, the hourly time frame perfectly shows the market moves within a week and within a single day. 4H time frame is somewhere in between. For both swing trader and day trader, it may provide some useful confirmations. 4H t.f shows intra week and week to week perspectives. Above, you can see how nicely 4H time frame shows the price action on EURUSD within a week and for the last several weeks. 15 minutes time frame is a scalping time frame. The setups and levels that are spotted there can be used to predict the market moves within hours or within a trading session. Check the charts above: 15 minutes time frame shows both the price action within a London session and the price action for the last couple of hours. It is also critical to mention, that lower is the time frame, lower is the accuracy of the patterns and lower is the strength of key levels that are identified there. It makes higher time frame analysis more simple and reliable. The thing is that higher is the time frame, more important it is for the market participants. While lower time frames can help to predict short term moves, higher time frames are aimed for predicting long-term trends. ❤️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
6
Buy Fear, Not Euphoria: The Trader's EdgeWhen you look back at the greatest trading opportunities in history, they all seem to share a common element: fear. Yet, when you're in the moment, it feels almost impossible to pull the trigger. Why? Because fear paralyzes, while euphoria seduces. If you want to truly evolve as a trader, you need to master this fundamental shift: buy fear, not euphoria. Let's break it down together. ________________________________________ What Fear and Euphoria Really Mean in Markets In simple terms, fear shows up when prices are falling sharply, when bad news dominates the headlines, and when people around you are saying "it's all over." Euphoria, on the other hand, is everywhere when prices are skyrocketing, when everyone on social media is celebrating, and when it feels like "this can only go higher." In those moments: • Fear tells you to run away. • Euphoria tells you to throw caution to the wind. Both emotions are signals. But they are inverted signals. When fear is extreme, value appears. When euphoria is extreme, danger hides. ________________________________________ Why Buying Fear Works Markets are pricing machines. They constantly adjust prices based on emotions, news, and expectations. When fear hits, selling pressure often goes beyond what is rational. People dump assets for emotional reasons, not fundamental ones. Here’s why buying fear works: • Overreaction: Bad news usually causes exaggerated moves. • Liquidity Vacuums: Everyone sells, no one buys, creating sharp discounts. • Reversion to Mean: Extreme moves tend to revert once emotions stabilize. Buying into fear is not about being reckless. It’s about recognizing that the best deals are available when others are too scared to see them. ________________________________________ Why Chasing Euphoria Fails At the peak of euphoria, risks are often invisible to the crowd. Valuations are stretched. Expectations are unrealistic. Everyone "knows" it's going higher — which ironically means there's no one left to buy. Chasing euphoria often leads to: • Buying high, selling low. • Getting trapped at tops. • Emotional regret and revenge trading. You’re not just buying an asset — you're buying into a mass illusion. ________________________________________ How to Train Yourself to Buy Fear It's not enough to "know" this. In the heat of the moment, you will still feel the fear. Here's how you build the right habit: 1. Pre-plan your entries: Before panic strikes, have a plan. Know where you want to buy. 2. Focus on strong assets: Not everything that falls is worth buying. Choose assets with strong fundamentals or clear technical setups. 3. Scale in: Don’t try to catch the bottom perfectly. Build positions gradually as fear peaks. 4. Use alerts, not emotions: Set price alerts. When they trigger, act mechanically. 5. Remember past patterns: Study previous fear-driven crashes. See how they recovered over time. Trading is a game of memory. The more you internalize past patterns, the easier it is to act when everyone else panics. ________________________________________ A Recent Example: April 2025 Tariff Panic Very recently, at the start of April, Trump’s new tariff announcements sent shockwaves through the market. Panic took over. Headlines screamed. Social media was flooded with fear. But if you looked beyond the noise, charts like SP500 and US30 told a different story: the drops took price right into strong support zones. At the time, I even posted this : support zones were being tested under emotional pressure. If you had price alerts set and reacted mechanically, not emotionally , you could have bought into that fear — and potentially benefited from the rebound that followed just days later. This is the essence of buying fear. ________________________________________ Final Thoughts In trading, you are paid for doing the hard things. Buying when it feels terrible. Selling when it feels amazing. Remember: Fear offers you discounts. Euphoria offers you traps. The next time the market feels like it's crashing, ask yourself: • Is this fear real, or exaggerated? • Is this an opportunity hiding under an emotional fog? If you can answer that with clarity, you're already ahead of 90% of traders. Stay rational. Stay prepared. And above all: buy fear, not euphoria. Disclosure: I am part of Trade Nation's Influencer program and receive a monthly fee for using their TradingView charts in my analyses and educational articles.
TRADENATION:US500Education
by Mihai_Iacob
How to Regain Your Trading MOJOEvery trader, no matter how experienced, eventually hits a rough patch — a period where trades don’t work out, motivation fades, and confidence slips away. If you feel like you've lost your trading mojo, you're not alone. The key is not to quit but to rebuild it methodically. Here’s how to get your trading energy back on track: 1. Accept That Slumps Are Normal First, realize that losing your mojo is part of the trading journey. Even the best traders experience drawdowns — emotionally and financially. Acknowledging that this phase is temporary immediately removes some of the pressure and guilt. Self-acceptance is your first weapon. 2. Reduce Risk and Slow Down When your confidence is low, lower your position size. Trade smaller. Risk less. You don’t need to stop trading completely — you need to stop damaging yourself further. Think of it as “active recovery,” much like athletes training lightly after an injury. 3. Go Back to Basics Strip your trading plan down to the essentials: - Focus on one setup you trust. - Use clear entry and exit rules. - Avoid complicated strategies or "revenge trading." Simplicity restores clarity, and clarity brings confidence. 4. Reframe Losses Mentally Instead of seeing losses as failures, view them as fees for learning. Ask yourself after each trade: - "Was this trade according to my plan?" - "Did I respect my stop loss?" If yes, you are winning — even if the trade loses money. Consistency in good decision-making rebuilds emotional momentum. 5. Visualize the Trader You Want to Be Take 5 minutes each day to visualize yourself executing perfect trades: - Calmly analyzing. - Patiently waiting. - Executing your plan without emotion. Your brain needs new emotional associations with trading — not fear and anxiety, but calm and focus. 6. Set Tiny Wins Don't chase the big win right away. Set micro-goals like: - "I will follow my stop loss rules today." - "I will not overtrade today." - "I will wait for my setup." Achieving small wins daily rebuilds your trader identity brick by brick. Final Thoughts : Regaining your trading mojo is less about finding a "magic moment" and more about stacking good habits and resetting your mind. You don't need a new system, a new market, or a lucky break. You need to reconnect with the disciplined, focused trader within you. Stay patient, stay structured, and remember — your mojo isn’t lost forever. It’s just waiting for you to catch up. 🚀
OANDA:XAUUSDEducation
by Mihai_Iacob
11
Learn the Harsh Truth About Success & Failure in Trading The picture above completely represents the real nature of trading: We all came here because we all wanted easy money. Being attracted by catchy ads, portraying the guys on lambos, wearing guccies and living fancy lives, we jump into the game with high hopes of doubling our tiny initial trading accounts. However, the reality quickly kicks in and losing trades become the norm. The first trading account will most likely be blown . In just one single month, 40% of traders will be discouraged and abandon this game forever. The rest will realize the fact that the things are not that simple as they seemed to be and decide to start learning. The primary obstacle with trading education though is the fact that there are so much data out there, so many different materials, so many strategies and techniques to try, so the one feels completely lost . And on that stage, one plays the roulette: in the pile of dirt, he must find the approach that works . 80% of the traders, who stay after the first month, will leave in the next 2 years. Unfortunately, the majority won't be able to find a valid strategy and will quit believing that the entire system is the scam. After 5 years, the strongest will remain. The ones that are motivated and strong enough to face the failures. With such an experience, the majority of the traders already realize how the things work. They usually stuck around breakeven and winning trades start covering the losing ones. However, some minor, tiny component is still missing in their system. They should find something that prevents them from becoming consistently profitable. Only 1% of those who came in this game will finally discover the way to make money. These individuals will build a solid strategy, an approach that will work and that will let them become independent . That path is hard and long. And unfortunately, most of the people are not disciplined and motivated enough to keep going. Only the strongest ones will stay. I wish you to be the one with the iron discipline, titanic patience and nerves of steel. ❤️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
21
Serios Traders Trade Scenarios, Not Certaintes...If you only post on TradingView, you're lucky — moderation keeps discussions professional. But on other platforms, especially when you say the crypto market will fall, hate often knows no limits. Why? Because most people still confuse trading with cheering for their favorite coins. The truth is simple: 👉 Serious traders don't operate based on certainties. They work with living, flexible scenarios. In today's educational post, I'll show you exactly how that mindset works — using a real trade I opened on Solana (SOL). ________________________________________ The Trading Setup: Here’s the basic setup I’m working with: • First sell: Solana @ 150 SL (stop-loss): 175 TP (take-profit): 100 • Second sell: Solana @ 160 SL: 175 TP: 100 I won’t detail here why I believe the crypto market hasn’t reversed yet — that was already explained in a previous analysis. Today, the focus is how I prepare my mind for different outcomes, not sticking to a fixed idea. ________________________________________ The Main Scenarios: Scenario 1 – The Pessimistic One The first thing I assume when opening any position is that it could fail. In the worst case: Solana fills the second sell at 160 and goes straight to my stop-loss at 175. ✅ This is planned for. No drama, no surprise. ( Explained in detail in yesterday's educational post ) ________________________________________ Scenario 2 – Pessimistic but Manageable Solana fills the second sell at 160, then fluctuates between my entries and around 165. If I judge that it’s accumulation, not distribution, I will close the trade early, taking a small loss or at breakeven. ________________________________________ Scenario 3 – Mini-Optimistic Solana doesn’t even trigger the second sell. It starts to drop, but stalls around 120-125, an important support zone as we all saw lately. ✅ In this case, I secure the profit without waiting stubbornly for the 100 target. Important tactical adjustment: If Solana drops below 145 (a support level I monitor), I plan to remove the second sell and adjust the stop-loss on the initial position. ________________________________________ Scenario 4 – Moderately Optimistic Solana doesn’t fill the second order and drops cleanly to the 100 target. ✅ Full win, perfect scenario for the first trade ________________________________________ Scenario 5 – Optimistic but Flexible Solana fills the second sell at 160, then drops but gets stuck at 120-125(support that we spoken about) instead of reaching 100. ✅ Again, the plan is to close manually at support, taking solid profit instead of being greedy. ________________________________________ Scenario 6 – The Best Scenario Solana fills both sell orders and cleanly hits the 100 target. ✅ Maximum reward. ________________________________________ Why This Matters: Scenarios Keep You Rational. Certainties Make You Fragile. In trading, it's never about being "right" or "wrong." It's about having a clear plan for multiple outcomes. By thinking in terms of scenarios: • You're not emotionally attached to a single result. • You're prepared for losses and quick to secure wins. • You're flexible enough to adapt when new information appears. Meanwhile, traders who operate on certainties? They get blindsided, frustrated, and emotional every time the market doesn’t do exactly what they expected. 👉 Trading scenarios = trading professionally. 👉 Trading certainties = gambling with emotions. Plan your scenarios, manage your risk, and stay calm. That's the trader's way. 🚀
COINBASE:SOLUSDEducation
by Mihai_Iacob
1
Why I Deal With Losses Before They Even Appear📉 Mastering the mindset that most traders avoid There’s a moment that happens in every trader’s journey — not during a win, but during a loss. A frozen moment where your mind screams, “It shouldn’t have gone this way!” You look at the screen, your stop is hit, your equity drops, and your brain starts the negotiation: “What if I held a bit longer?” “Maybe the stop was too tight.” “I need to make this back. Now.” But the problem didn’t start with that loss. It started long before you placed the trade. ________________________________________ 💡 The Biggest Lie in Trading: “I’ll Deal With It When It Happens” Too many traders operate from a place of reactivity. They focus on the chart, the breakout, the “R:R,” the indicator... but they forget the only thing that actually matters: ❗️ What if this trade fails — and how will I handle it? That’s not a pessimistic question. It’s the most professional one you can ask. If you only accept the possibility of a loss after the loss happens, it’s too late. You’ve already sabotaged yourself emotionally — and probably financially, too. So here's the core principle I apply every single day: ________________________________________ 🔒 I Accept the Loss Before I Enter Before I click "Buy" or "Sell," I already know: ✅ What my stop is. ✅ How much that stop means in money. ✅ That I am 100% okay losing that amount. If any of those don’t align, the trade is dead before it begins. This is not negotiable. ________________________________________ 🚫 Don’t Touch the Stop. Touch the Volume. One of the biggest mistakes I see — and I’ve done it too, early on — is this: You find a clean technical setup. Let’s say the proper stop is 120 pips away. You feel it’s too wide. You want to tighten it to 40. Why? Not because the market structure says so — but because your ego can’t handle the potential loss. ❌ That’s not trading. That’s emotional budgeting. Instead, keep the stop where it technically makes sense. Then reduce the volume until the potential loss — in money, not pips — is emotionally tolerable. We trade capital, not distance. ________________________________________ 🧠 This Is the Only Risk Model That Makes Sense Your strategy doesn’t need to win every time. It just needs to keep you in the game long enough to let the edge play out. If your risk is too big for your mental tolerance, it’s not sustainable. And if it’s not sustainable, it’s not professional trading. The goal isn’t to be right. The goal is to survive long enough to be consistent. ________________________________________ 📋 My Framework: How I Deal with Losses Before They Show Up Here’s my mental checklist for every trade: 1. Accept the loss before entering. If I’m not okay losing X, I reduce the volume or skip the trade. 2. Set the stop based on structure, not comfort. If the setup needs a 150-pip stop, so be it. It’s not about feelings. 3. Adjust volume to match my comfort zone. I never trade “big” just because a setup looks “great.” Ego has no place here. 4. View trades as part of a series. I expect losses. I expect drawdowns. One trade means nothing. 5. Be willing to exit early if the story changes. If price invalidates the idea before the stop is hit (or the target), I’m gone. ________________________________________ 🧘‍♂️ If You Can’t Sleep With the Trade, You’re Doing It Wrong Peace of mind is underrated. If a trade is making you anxious — not because it’s near SL, but because it’s threatening your sense of control — something is off. And that something is usually your risk size. Professional trading isn’t built on adrenaline. It’s built on calm decisions, repeated for years. ________________________________________ 🏁 Final Thoughts: Profit is Optional. Loss Management is Mandatory. If you want to become consistent, start every trade with a simple, brutally honest question: “Can I lose this money and still feel calm, focused, and in control?” If the answer is no, you’re not ready for the trade — no matter how good the chart looks. Profit is a possibility. Loss is a certainty. Master the certainty. The rest will follow. 🚀 Keep learning, keep growing. Best of luck! Mihai Iacob
PEPPERSTONE:XAUUSDEducation
by Mihai_Iacob
24
Best Liquidity Grab / Sweep Strategy For Trading Forex & Gold Learn how to trade liquidity grab / sweep with multiple time frame analysis. Discover how to combine top-down analysis and smart money concept SMC for trading forex and gold. You will get a complete step by step trading strategy with entry, stop loss and target. 1. In order to trade liquidity grab / sweep properly, you need to find liquidity zones first. For this trading strategy, the best liquidity zones will be on a daily time frame. Check these 2 significant liquidity zones on EURAUD forex pair on a daily. The zone where the selling activity concentrate will be called a supply zone. While the zone with a strong concentration of a buying activity will be a demand zone. 2. After that, you should look for a liquidity grab / sweep. For a valid liquidity grab / sweep the daily candle should violate the liquidity zone only with the tail / wick of the candle , while the body should stay within the zone. Above is the example of a liquidity grab of a demand zone. While the daily candle closed within the underlined area, the wick went beyond that. 3. After you identified a liquidity grab/sweep, start analyzing lower time frames . For this strategy, the best time frames are 4H and 1H. On these time frames, you should look for a consolidation and a formation of a horizontal range. Here is such a range on EURAUD on a 4H. These ranges will be used for confirmation . Your bullish signal will be a breakout of the resistance of the range , it will confirm a strong buying interest after a liquidity grab. That is the example of such a confirmation. 4. After that, set a buy limit order on a retest of a broken resistance of the range. Take profit will be the closest strong resistance, stop loss will be below the support of the range. That is how we trade a liquidity grab/sweep of a demand zone. With the supply zone liquidity grab trading strategy, you should wait for a bullish liquidity sweep followed by a bearish breakout of a range on a 4H / 1H time frames. I always say to my students that a single time frame analysis is not sufficient for profitable trading SMC. A proper combination of multiple time frames is the key to consistent profits. Following this strategy, you should achieve up to 80% winning rate trading liquidity grabs / sweeps. ❤️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
2
MAY 1-1-1 TRADING CHALLENGEI’ve been thinking about how messy trading can get. One day you're watching a video on scalping, the next you're trying to swing trade five different pairs. Then before you know it, your screen is cluttered with a million indicators, your confidence is shot, and your results? Even worse. So for the month of May, I’m doing something different. I’m calling it the 1-1-1 Challenge 1 Mentor. 1 Instrument. 1 Setup. For me, that means: - I’m sticking with Tori as my mentor. No other videos, no mixed signals. - I’m focusing only on Crude Oil. That’s my chart, my market. - And I’m trading only Trendline Breaks. Clean and simple. That’s it. Pure focus. Pure discipline. Let’s see what happens when I stop trying to trade everything — and start mastering one thing. If you’ve been feeling the same kind of overwhelm, maybe this challenge is for you too. Want to join me in May? Let’s go all in: 1 Mentor 1 Instrument 1 Setup I'll be sharing my progress and documenting my journey here. Follow me!
VANTAGE:USOUSDEducation
by clementoyinlola
No Setup, No Trade: Staying Sane in Gold’s MadnessToday, Gold hit $3500. And while that may not sound like a shock on its own, what is unprecedented is the fact that in the past 10 days, Gold has climbed 5,000 pips. That's not a normal rally. That’s a vertical explosion. And yes — it is looking “overextended”, but so it dit at 3300... But then it went up another 2000 pips. Will it drop? Probably — and hard. When? No one knows. Will it rise another 2000 pips before that? Again, no one knows. This is where most traders lose themselves — not because they don’t have tools, but because they pretend to know what’s unknowable. ________________________________________ 🎯 The Strongest Skill: Admit When You Don’t Know Every trader wants clarity. But real professionals know when they’ve entered the fog. The market is not obligated to give you structure just because you want to trade. And the worst trades often happen when: • You think it's overbought (but it keeps going) • You think it’s due for a correction (but it doesn't care) • You think it can't go higher (but it does) This isn’t analysis — it’s wishful thinking. ________________________________________ 🧠 Do You Actually Have Edge? Ask Yourself: 1. Do I see a structured setup, or just a reaction to “how far it’s gone”? 2. Can I define my entry, stop, and exit in advance? 3. Am I trading because I have a plan — or because it feels like a top (or simply have nothing better to do)? If you can’t answer these — you don’t have edge. You’re just guessing with conviction. ________________________________________ ✅ The Only Thing That Matters: A Valid Trade If you’re going to trade this madness, make sure your trade is: • Planned (with defined risk) • Repeatable (not emotional) • Based on structure or volatility patterns Otherwise, it’s just ego vs. market. And the market always wins that fight. ________________________________________ 🧘‍♂️ Final Thought: When Things Get Wild, Stay Sane There’s no shame in stepping aside when things make no sense. In fact, that’s where the real skill begins. “Knowing when you don’t know isn’t weakness — it’s your strongest edge.” So take a breath. Zoom out. And wait for the moment when you actually know what you're doing — not just think you do. ________________________________________ And remember: No setup, no trade. No clarity, no risk. No ego, no drama. Disclosure: I am part of Trade Nation's Influencer program and receive a monthly fee for using their TradingView charts in my analyses and educational articles.
TRADENATION:XAUUSDEducation
by Mihai_Iacob
16
What is ICT Order Block and How to Trade it 👉🏻 ICT order block is basically an area on the price chart which indicates the huge institutional orders and signals the strong reversal or continuation of price. You can use the order block as a confirmation of your trade entry or for the reversal of price. In this article, we will teach you all about order block trading strategy from definition to its identification and to use along with examples. You can jump to the part of this guide, you are most interested in or you can continue reading the whole article : Table of Contents 👇🏻 1 : What is ICT Order Block? 2 : Types of Order Block 3 : Bullish Order Block 4 : Bearish Order Block 5 : Bullish Order Block Trading Strategy 6 : Bearish Order Block Trading Strategy 7 : Final Thoughts What is ICT Order Block? ⚡️ ICT Order block is the area in the price chart, where a large number of orders are executed by institutional traders in the market and market shows sudden strong move from that area. Retail traders follow institutional foot prints, so they wait for these order block zones to buy or sell in the market & make profit along with big institutions like banks. You can see the example of order blocks in the picture given below : Types of Order Block As you know market has two price moves bullish & bearish. So on the basis of price moves, order block is divided into two types. (I) Bullish Order Block (II) Bearish Order Block Bullish Order Block A bullish order block is the last bearish candle before the bullish impulse (strong sudden) move, it typically consist of two candles, with the first candlestick being a bearish and the second candlestick being a bullish one. How to Identify a Bullish Order Block? ⚡️ To identify a valid bullish order block you need to check following things. (I) Second candle being a bullish candle, should grab the low of previous bearish candle. Price should go below the low of previous bearish candle. (II) Second candle being a Bullish candle should close above the high of previous bearish candle. (III) Imbalance in lower time frame in the order block zone. (IV) Structure shift in lower timeframe. To sum it up we can say, second candle should completely engulf the first candle – body to body & wick to wick. You can see the example of bullish order block in the picture below : Bearish Order Block ⚡️ A bearish order block is the last bullish candle before the bearish impulse move, it typically consist of two candles, with the first candlestick being a bullish and the second candlestick being a bearish one. How to Identify a Bearish Order Block? ⚡️ To identify a valid bearish order block you need to check following things. (I) Second candle being a bearish candle, should grab the high of previous bullish candle. Price should go above the high of previous bearish candle. (II) Second candle being a bearish candle should close below the low of previous bullish candle. (III) Imbalance in lower timeframe in the order block zone. (IV) ICT Market Structure Shift in lower timeframe. To sum it up we can say second candle should completely engulf the first candle – body to body & wick to wick. You can see the example of bearish order block in the picture below : Bullish Order Block Trading Strategy ⚡️ In bullish order block trading strategy you would look for shift of price delivery from bearish to bullish and then execute a buy trade utilizing a bullish order block. When the trend is bearish and it approaches a demand zone where you would seek reversal of price and at that area price shifts its structure to the buy-side. Then you will be looking for the order block at the bottom of the impulse move which changed market trend. When you find the bullish order block in that move, it means it was a move involving institutions so you need to wait for the price to test the bullish order block zone to execute a buy trade. When price retraces back and tests the bullish order block zone you can execute a buy trade as shown in the picture below : When tradin bullish Order block trading strategy your stop loss will be 10/20 pips below the low of order block zone. Bearish Order Block Trading Strategy ⚡️ In bearish order block trading strategy you would be looking for the shift of trend from bullish to bearish and then execute a sell trade utilizing a bearish order block. When market trend is bullish and it approaches a supply zone where you seek reversal of price and at that area price shifts its structure to the sell-side. Then you would look for the order block at the bottom of the impulse move which changed price trend. When you find a bearish order block in that move it means it was a move involving institutions so you need to wait for the price to test the bearish order block zone to execute a sell trade. When price retrace back and tests the bearish order block zone you can execute a sell trade. A real market example of bearish order block trading strategy is shown below in the picture. Final Thoughts⚡️ When trading using bearish Order block trading strategy our stop loss will be 10/20 pips above the high of order block zone. Order blocks can also be found in a trend after a pull back and these order blocks confirm the strength of trend. We can use these order blocks to trade the trend or to add new positions in the trend. Like in a bearish trend after a bullish pullback a bearish order block may form, which confirms the strength of bearish trend and we can add a new sell order to enjoy the bearish trend. Likewise in a bullish trend after a bearish pullback a bullish Order block may form which confirms the strength of bullish trend and we can add a new buy order to enjoy the bullish trend ❤️ .
FX:NAS100Education
by rezasarabandi7
DON'T Make This MISTAKE in MULTIPLE TIME FRAME Analysis Most of the traders apply multiple time frame analysis incorrectly . In the today's article, we will discuss how to properly use it and how to build the correct thinking process with that trading approach. The problem is that many traders start their analysis with lower time frames first . They build the opinion and the directional bias analyzing hourly or even lower time frames and look for bullish / bearish signals there. Once some solid setup is spotted, they start looking for confirmations , analyzing higher time frames. They are trying to find the clues that support their observations. However, the pro traders do the opposite . The fact is that higher is the time frame, more significant it is for the analysis. The key structures and the patterns that are spotted on an hourly time frame most of the time will be completely irrelevant on a daily time frame. In the picture above, I underlined the key levels on USDJPY on an hourly time frame on the left. On the right, I opened a daily time frame. You can see that on a higher time frame, the structures went completely lost. BUT the structures that are identified on a daily, will be extremely important on any lower time frame. In the example above, I have underlined key levels on a daily. On an hourly time frame, we simply see in detail how important are these structures and how the market reacts to them. The correct way to apply the top-down approach is to start with the higher time frame first: daily or weekly. Identify the market trend there, spot the important key levels. Make prediction on these time frames and let the analysis on lower time frames be your confirmation. ❤️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