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SMC

High & Low Resistance LiquidityLOW RESISTANCCE LQ 1.No liqidation Available SSLQ generated at weak low = low resistance lQ 2. Price is more likely to pullback to the nearest POI 3. high resistance LQ left at new strong high 4. price will move impulsively past low resistance lows to target available SSLQ HIGH RESISTANCCE LQ 1. Strong liquidation Signals potential institutional backing Leaves high resistance LQ 2. Often price will then pull back much deeper (or potentially reverse) 3. The end of the pullback often forms through a liquidation, leaving high resistance LQ at what then becomes the new strong / protected high 4. Price meets some resistance at the sweep zone to the left rather than smashing straight through the weak lows when there's low resistance LQ
EIGHTCAP:XAUUSDEducation
by quangcttn
1
Trading logic in multiple time frames of the SMC methodAfter the price breaks through the Swinghigh of the large time frame to create a BOS signal We look for sell down or buy up signals according to the following structure: Swing high(Weak) H4 => 1/5M pullback => break Swinglow 1/5M => 15M pullback => break Swinglow 15M => Pullback 4H => Order block 4H=> Pullback 1/5M => break Swinghigh 1/5M => Pullback 15M => break Swing 15M = > Pullback 4H => break Swinghigh 4H => Create new Swing High (Weak) and Swing Low (Strong)
CAPITALCOM:DXYEducation
by quangcttn
Market Manipulations. Bullish Trap (smart money concepts) In the today's article, we will discuss how smart money manipulate the market with a bullish trap. In simple words, a bullish trap is a FALSE bullish signal created by big players. With a bullish trap, the smart money aims to: 1️⃣ Increase demand on an asset, encouraging the market participant to buy it. 2️⃣ Make sellers close their positions in a loss. When a short position is closed, it is automatically BOUGHT by the market. Take a look at a key horizontal resistance on AUDCHF. Many times in the past, the market dropped from that. For sellers, it is a perfect area to short from. Bullish violation of the underlined zone make sellers close their position in a loss and attracts buyers. Then the market suddenly starts falling heavily, revealing the presence of smart money. Both the sellers and the buyers lose their money because of the manipulation. There are 2 main reasons why the smart money manipulates the markets in a such a way: 1️⃣ - A big player is seeking to close a huge long position When a long position is closed, it is automatically SOLD to the market. In order to sell a huge position, smart money needs a counterpart who will buy their position. Triggering stop losses of sellers and creating a false demand, smart money sell their position partially to the crowd. 2️⃣ - A big player wants to open a huge short position But why the smart money can't just close their long position or open short without a manipulation? A big sell order placed by the institutional trader, closing their long position, can have an impact on the price of the asset. If the sell order is large enough, it can push the price downward as sellers outnumber buyers. Smart money are trying to balance the supply and demand on the market, hiding their presence. It is quite complicated for the newbies and even for experienced traders to recognize a bullish trap. One of the efficient ways is to apply multiple time frame analysis and price action. Remember, that most of the time bullish traps occur on key horizontal or vertical resistances. After you see a breakout, analyze lower time frames. Quite often, after a breakout, the market starts ranging. After a breakout of a key daily resistance, gold started to consolidate within a narrow range on an hourly time frame. Bearish breakout of the support of the range will indicate a strength of the sellers and a highly probable bullish trap. Remember, that you can not spot all the traps, and occasionally you will be fooled by smart money. However, with experience, you will learn to recognize common bullish traps. ❤️Please, support my work with like, thank you!❤️
COINBASE:BTCUSDEducation
by VasilyTrader
3
A guide to Profitable Scalping (why waste a price action)In the world of trading, many participants find themselves constantly waiting for the perfect confirmation for swing positions or entries, often missing out on the rapid movements that characterize financial markets. This is where the art of scalping comes into play, a strategy vastly different from swing trading, yet equally, if not more, compelling for those who master it because it offers way more opportunities to make money. In this blog post, I'll guide you through the essentials of becoming an effective scalper, focusing on market structure theory, the significance of Break of Structure (BOS), and the nuances that set scalping apart from swing trading. Understanding Market Structure Theory To excel in scalping, one must first be well-versed in market structure theory. This theory is the backbone of understanding how markets move and why they behave in certain patterns. It involves analyzing price highs and lows, trends, and ranges to predict future price movements. For a comprehensive understanding of market structure theory, this resource offers an in-depth explanation, it's not complete, but the best one freely available so I suggest you understand the content properly. www.youtube.com The Role of Break of Structure (BOS) A critical concept in scalping is the Break of Structure (BOS). When we observe a confirmed BOS to the upside or downside, it indicates a significant shift in market sentiment. The order block that caused this break becomes a focal point of interest. This is because, in the realm of scalping, these points often act as magnets for price, offering high-probability entry points. Capitalizing on Order Blocks Once a BOS is identified, scalpers must pay close attention to the order block that instigated this shift. When the price returns to this order block, a reaction is typically expected. This reaction is the bread and butter of scalping. Unlike swing traders who seek to capture larger market moves over extended periods, scalpers thrive in these quick, precise moments. Scalping vs. Swing Trading: A Different Focus The primary difference between scalping and swing trading lies in their respective focuses and timeframes. Swing trading involves holding positions for several days to weeks, aiming to profit from substantial price moves. Traders in this domain often focus on potential targets for a trade, analyzing broader market trends and economic factors. Conversely, scalping is a short-term strategy where trades last from a few minutes to hours. The focus here is not on the potential extent of a price move but, on the risk, -to-reward ratio. Scalpers typically aim for a 1 to 3 risk-reward ratio, meaning they risk one unit to gain three. This approach requires quick decision-making so it's much more involved than swing trading. Before we go on to see some examples following are the key things to remember to be effective in scalping To be an effective scalper, you need to: 1. Develop a proper Understanding of Market Structure 2. Identify High-Probability Order Blocks 3. Master Risk Management: Given the high-speed nature of scalping, managing risk is paramount. This involves setting strict stop-loss orders and having a clear risk-to-reward ratio for each trade. 4. Stay Disciplined and Agile: Scalping requires discipline to follow your trading plan and agility to adapt quickly to changing market conditions. Examples: Scalable OBs with results. This happened today: on SPX and NAS100 NAS100: SPX: How to pick an order block to trade for scalping: Entry for Scalping should be between 0.25 to 0.5 level inside the Order Block, you can use FIB tool to get these levels, this is highlighted in the Images above. 1. Do not go above 4h TF for this strategy. 2. Make sure Order block is caused a BOS 3. Notice the time frame of BOS, Pick the Order block in relation to the BOS timeframe. 4. Makes sure Prior to BOS the Order block resulted in FVG 5. Make sure the Order Block is not too big as it will result in greater risk, which I do not prefer. 6. If price does not hit your entry do not chase price, move on to next one. I want to emphasize here again , the goal of scalping is to capture the small move , not the whole move , so your focus should be one getting 2X or max 3X of your trade once , you do you get out and move on to next one , the good thing about this strategy is you can always find multiple assets where BOS is happening on anywhere from 1h to 4H TF. Finally, nothing in the world of trading is 100% so it's possible this may not work sometimes, which you should be okay with as long as it works more than 50% of the time. I n my experience it works more than 80% of the time. Conclusion Scalping is a dynamic and potentially lucrative trading strategy that requires a unique skill set, distinct from swing trading. By understanding market structure theory, focusing on order blocks following a BOS, and maintaining a disciplined approach to risk management, traders can exploit the rapid movements of the market for steady income. Remember, the key to successful scalping lies in quick, informed decisions and an unwavering commitment to your strategy. Like and Leave comment to this post to seek further clarifications if needed. Happy trading!
Education
by zakoraio
This is My Favourite ICT Day Trading ModelHello traders, This is the complete breakdown of my favourite ICT Day Trading Model. This is so easy to replicate on any two time frames. One must be higher, while the second one which is for entry should be lower. The higher time frame is for market direction, orderflow, trend. Identify your discount and premium levels on higher time frame. above 50% of your fib is premium, while below 50% is your discount. If price is bearish, you are to look for sell opportunities when price retrace back to your premium levels. Then go to your lower time frame to look for selling opportunities. Your entry should be taken mostly within London kill zone. For you to have a quality A+ trade setup, time and price must align together with your trade idea. Your trade idea have a high probability of working out if you take your entry within London Kill Zone. Look at my chart diagram to understand the model.
Education
by Elijahenoch7
2
Order Blocks - The only explanation you will ever needHere's the only guide on order blocks you're ever going to need 😎✏️ Order blocks may seem scary and difficult to find - Once you know what you're looking for, it's like taking candy from a baby 🍭 The key elements you need to have in place before getting the hang of this basic SMC application is as follows - 🟢 Trend spotting 🟢 Market structure Those are the 2 greatest tools a trader could ever have at their disposal. Make sure you know how to identify trend and market structure well - The rest will fall in place. Happy hunting! 🦁🐯🦈 Apex out ✌️ OANDA:GBPUSD OANDA:EURUSD
Education
by Apexfx_Alpha
SMC Trading Basics. Change of Character - CHoCH In the today's post, we will discuss one of the most crucial concepts in SMC - Change of Character. Change of Character relates to market trend analysis. In order to understand its meaning properly, first, we will discuss how Smart Money traders execute trend analysis. 🔘 Smart Money Traders apply price action for the identification of the direction of the market. They believe that the trend is bullish , if the price forms at least 2 bullish impulse with 2 consequent higher highs and a higher low between them. The market trend is considered to be bearish , if the market forms at least 2 bearish impulses with 2 consequent lower lows and a lower high between them. Here is how the trend analysis looks in practice. One perceives the price action as the set of impulse and retracement legs. According to the rules described above, USDCAD is trading in a bullish trend because the pair set 2 higher lows and 2 higher highs. 🔘Of course, trends do not last forever. A skill of the identification of the market reversal is a key to substantial profits in trading. Change of Character will help you quite accurately identify a bullish and bearish trend violation. 📉In a bearish trend , the main focus is the level of the last lower high. While the market is trading below or on that, the trend remains bearish . However, its bullish violation is a very important bullish signal, it is called a Change of Character, and it signifies a c onfirmed violation of a bearish trend. In a bearish trend , CHoCH is a very powerful bullish pattern. Take a look, how accurate CHoCH indicated the trend reversal on Gold. After a massive selloff, a bullish breakout of the level of the last lower high confirmed the initiation of a strong bullish wave. 📈In a bullish trend , the main point of interest is the level of the last higher low . While the price is trading above that or on that, the trend remains bullish . A bearish violation of the last higher low level signifies the violation of a current bullish trend. It is called a Change of Character, and it is a very accurate bearish pattern. Take a look at the example on Dollar Index below. In a bullish trend, bearish violation of the last higher low level quite accurately predicted a coming bearish reversal. Change of Character is one of the simplest, yet accurate SMC patterns that you should know. First, learn to properly execute the price action analysis and identify HH, HL, LL, LH and then CHoCH will be your main tool for the identification of the trend reversal. ❤️Please, support my work with like, thank you!❤️
OANDA:XAUUSDEducation
by VasilyTrader
7
Understanding Smart Money Concepts: CHoCH and BOS entriesIf you were a trader like me, that was having a hard time understanding Change of Character and Break of Structure concepts for a long time, I hope that this example gives you clarity to be able to identify entries better. So let's begin! The first thing you want to identify are high timeframe points of liquidity (AT, BELOW or NEAR) highs and lows. In this example, we have identified a clear zone around 14800 and 14700 on the 4hr chart. Once price dips into that area, we take things down into the 1min timeframe to look for a structural SMC analysis. This next chart shows you how to come up with specific structural points that will give you a better clue about a potential reversal (as in our case) or continuation. In this idea, we will specifically talk about reversals. In any reversal near a point of interest, it is important for price to develop both a CHoCH, and BOS. The BOS is necessary so that price shows us a clear demand to continue the trend upward. It is important to note, in the 1 min chart in my example, that once price has shown a CHoCH, price MUST come back to (or below) the price where the CHoCH broke out from, and create a new higher high (BOS). Next, we wait for price to retrace at or below the CHoCH breakout, and RESPECT a liquidity point of entry (an FVG or an Order Block). Price must NOT confirm a CANDLE BODY below the lowest low on this retracement. It is important to point out that there are occasions where the retracement from the high of the BOS actually comes all the way down to the low, breaks price with ONLY A WICK. This is to be understood as a grab of liquidity only, because a candle body did not confirm below the low. From there, our entrance will either be at the high of a structure that was made WITHIN the BOS retracement, OR (like in our case there were not visible structures for entry) we can take a trade at the 50% premium discount zone, with our STOP at or a bit below the low the BOS made, target the high of our entire structure to the upside in the main chart. I hope this tutorial helped some of you that have been struggling to understand smart money concept entries be able to have a better understanding of how and when to enter into trades at key reversal points of interest. If you felt that this was useful, please drop a like on this idea.
CME_MINI:NQ1!Education
by Zulu_Kilo
3
Dealing with News releasesUse any economic calendar to monitor news releases. (forexfactory, myfxbook). Below is how I adapt to news when trading my personal edge, including the pairs GBPUSD, EURUSD, AUDUSD and XAUUSD in my times. If you have tested pairs with other currencies, for example with CAD etc, make sure to be aware of related news there too. Which news do I adapt to: 💀 USD high impact news - I have closed out any trades on any of my pairs before the news release, regardless of if I am in deep profit or loss on the trade. I do not enter trades on any of my pairs within 30 mins before or after a high impact USD news release. 💀 GBP high impact news - I have closed out any trade on a GBP or EUR trade before the news release, regardless of if I am in deep profit or loss on the trade. I do not enter trades on any GBP or EUR pair within 30 mins before or after a high impact USD news release. If the news release is CPI/ Inflation or Interest Rates, I also close out/ don’t enter trades on all my other pairs too. 💀 EUR high impact news - I am not concerned about EUR news as it does not tend to affect my pairs much in my experience. The only EUR news I close out/ do not enter trades on is Inflation/ CPI. Note the EUR news only applies to news on the economic calendar with the European flag next to it - not the random countries within the EU, such as Germany, Italy etc.
Education
by algoat
Blueprint to Success: How to Master Trading Sessions & Planning👑 Pre-Trading Sessions & Planning: 🔥 Key Details + Concepts -------------------------------------- (Psychological, Technical & Concepts): 🟠 Psychological: - Don’t trade if your emotions aren’t aligning with what is on the screen. - If you’re not super happy about entering, and you don’t fully accept the loss, don’t take the trade. - Don’t ‘force’ something to work because it won’t. - Trade as if you are looking for buys and sells in your markup. This removes mental bias, and effectively emotion in trading. 🟠 Technical: - Cause is the most important factor in trading – find what caused the injection of volume (‘follow the money’). Did it get effectively mitigated? Did it leave imbalance? … Find that block of orders and don’t get liquidated - The more inducement respected, the more liquidity to take out, the bigger the move - Zones to trade from must have resting orders to mitigate. Make sure they have inducement above/below (or create it), and they are the cause of structural breaks, demand/supply fails etc - Start analysing on the daily first! Find the intention of price and follow it - Mark out S/R – (support becomes resistance levels vice versa) as that level will be liquidated to usually meet our orderblock above/below it - Previous daily/weekly highs/lows can act as strong structural inducement points - Price needs reason to move to certain levels – imbalance - Often when we have a low Phase 2 inducement, we will sweep it’s orderblock as a SMT because of the zone’s large imbalance = lack of inducement - If you don’t spot the buyers/sellers who got swept before entering, you’ll become liquidated - Mark out pullback zones too - If we break our LPOD/S, we are effectively going to run through all mitigated price until the next valid orderblock - Ensure you wait for your respective time-frame reaction (e.g., don’t look for a 1m reversal from a 4h zone) - If price taps the outside of a zone but doesn’t enter it, it can still be used as inducement - We don’t recommend stacking countertrend trades - A mitigation can be confirmed when price sweeps into its previous range over another small-range inducement. 🟠 Concepts - The demand/supply that took out the Phase 1 inducement then gets broken confirms a shift in market structure. If it is respected, we can trade a continuation. - A ‘slight mitigation’ is when price sweeps liquidity into a range, but doesn’t properly mitigate the orderblock where the high-volume orders lie. Even though we may react from there, we can come back to this orderblock and properly mitigate it, using the ‘slight mitigation’ level as a point of inducement. - It is important for the AR (automatic rally) to ‘fail’ in a reversal range after the B/SC (Buyers/sellers climax) as it often grabs the LPOD/S (the last point of demand & supply), so it is successfully mitigated - News candles can be targeted high/lows as they don’t have inducement - Price works with momentum. You will never see something shoot up or down randomly - Refine zones by excluding the inducement it swept before it – draw a line through the orderblock from the inducement it swept. This will refine your orderblock to the pure manipulation *has exceptions* - If an inducement phase isn’t very clean or only sweeps a small range, there will be another opportunity as more manipulation is needed to fuel a larger move - Weak highs and lows are determined after a leg has been properly mitigated; the 5-15m TF is best to determine an active zone - A high/low is likely to be targeted when it wicks the other side’s high/low (to sweep) instead of having a candle closing over (BoS) - The first part of a ChoCh is often formed from Phase 1 inducement getting swept, creating a slight pullback, then breaking it again to hit the refinement Used Word Definitions: - LPOD/S – Last point of demand/supply - ChoCh – Change of character (a sweep of liquidity then a break of structure) - BoS – Break of structure (a failure of supply or demand creating a price leg break) - OB – Orderblock (a valid zone to trade from) - FVG – Fair value gap (a form of inefficiency/price gaps in the market) - IMB – Imbalance (a form of inefficiency/price gaps in the market) - IPA – Inefficient price action (imbalance) - S&D – Supply and demand (the levels of buying and selling) - IFC – Institutionally funded candle (a candle created by institutions to push price to a certain area) - IPB – Inducement Pullback (The level where price pullbacks before a continuation) - PA – Price action (how price is moving) - B2S – Buy to sell (often seen as a wick to mitigate or sweep) - S2B – Sell to buy (often seen as a wick to mitigate or sweep) - AOI – Area of interest (an area of price that is reactive or tradable) - POI – Point of interest (a specific point where price is reactive or tradable) - IND – Inducement (placement of liquidity that is used to manipulate traders) - EQH/L’s – Equal highs/lows - SMT – Smart money trap (a zone that doesn’t have liquidity under/above it, and gets run, trapping SMC traders) - MSS - Market Structure Shift (a confirmed shift in the markets direction towards the next reversal zone) - Vectors – Large-bodied, impulsive candles that are to push price to its purposeful target - V-SR – V-Shaped Recovery (quick movement of price to enter and exit a zone) - TF – Time frame - FR – Failed Reaction (Internal supply/demand failure) - OF – Order-flow (the movement of money through the market) - True Zone – The actual orderblock that will be used which holds the high volume or orders - PDH/PWH or PDL/PWL – Previous daily/weekly high/low 🟠 Colour Codes: 🟠 Time and Price (Times in AEST): ASIA > FRANKFURT > LONDON > NEW YORK - Asia: – Asia is important to analyse as it can create the model for New York and London its purpose is to create liquidity above and below its session. Mark the bottom and top to create a range, as well as the midline. Often, price will aim to take a high/low or both (AWS) starting with Frankfurt + London Open. If Asia takes a form of liquidity and is impulsive, a continuation trade can be played. - Frankfurt: - Frankfurt often prepares London for its main movement of the day. It often does this by taking out the high or low of Asia to create an orderblock mitigation for London, creates more Phase 1 inducement for London to take out, or helps to move price to an already-made valid orderblock. - London: - When London opens, there is a volatility spike in price. London’s purpose is to attack the liquidity created during Asia. Often, London creates a continuation mitigation after 1.5 hours, but can also contribute to a larger liquidity build-up for New York. Entries that induce + mitigate can be taken at the open (sometimes +30). After 2 hours of opening, we often see a shift in direction. - Pre-NY: - Before New York opens, we often see an impulsive move that directly contributes to the New York session. Sometimes, we can create a valid zone for New York to play from by mitigating high-volume orders. Most often, we see an impulse in price to move into a higher timeframe orderblock to then become targeted liquidity, or we create more low timeframe reversal inducement to then be swept. - New York: –We open with a volatile shift of momentum. New York’s purpose is to attack the liquidity created during the London session, or to create a continuation from London. The New York trap usually starts 1 hour after opening and reverses. After 1.5 hours of opening (MMM), we often see a clean mitigation of the ‘correct’ orderblock and liquidate the opening move. Sometimes, New York Open can mitigate the high-volume orders and continue in the correct direction of the day. - London Close – mitigates the peak of NY open / Reversal for a continuation in NY open direction. Sometimes there is a mitigation-inducement before London Close. - Magic Minute Mitigations (MMM) - refer to high probability trading times that mitigate active continuation orderblocks. We can best see these 1.5 hours after London and New York Opens – rarely, we can see these 3.5 hours after these opens instead. In the next post I will continue with my 8-step daily markup process and my Asian session manipulation formulas. If you found this article helpful, please share it with your friends and leave a comment! Cheers!
Education
by algoat
Mastering Liquidity in Trading: Unraveling the Power of SMC 🔥Liquidity is what moves the market. Liquidity and liquidity pools are created and targeted by the markets and a lack of understanding on this topic is the main reason why the trading mind fails even if the analyst mind is correct. Traders who have been victim to their stop losses being taken by a wick before price running in their favour are the perfect example of having the correct analytical mind but a weak trading one. Liquidity is unlike an order block or price inefficiency or anything else that can be physically identified on a chart. It is invisible, however, it is still possible to identify without the need of indicators or anything other than price action alone. Simply put, liquidity is money in the market. Typically, this money comes in the form of retail orders and stop losses. Knowing this allows us to understand that if the market targets liquidity, and liquidity comes in the form of retail stop losses, the market must be hunting and going against retail strategies. 🟢The first and most prominent of these retail strategies is the idea of support and resistance. On the chart we can see an example of what retail traders would refer to as a level of resistance. In doing this they would short price from this level expecting a move down. This creates a liquidity pool just above this ‘resistance level’ where the average retail trader would place their stop losses. This liquidity pool is now a target for the market. So instead of trading this move down, we wait for the liquidity grab and use the rest of this strategy to capitalise on the bearish move that we can expect. On the Chart is a demonstration of the market hunting liquidity before making its next move. Again this is where traders would be correct in terms of bias but incorrect in terms of trading. This is an example of what an informed chart looks like. Instead of highlighting support and resistance levels, we highlight equal lows and equal highs respectively. Equals are usually in the form of otherwise referred to double tops or double bottoms but can also be more than that. The key difference, however, is that we would anticipate the market hunting the liquidity above the equal highs and below the equal lows. Due to this, we avoid being a victim to the market stopping us out by a wick and falling in our direction. The second most prominent retail strategy or idea is the trend-line. Every time a trend-line formation is present within the market, we can now understand the amount of stop losses and, therefore, liquidity that would be sitting under this ‘trend-line’. Above is an example of the importance of recognising trend-line liquidity. Once the liquidity above the equal highs has been hunted, we need to establish the next liquidity pool in the market. Seeing a break above the ‘resistance level’ would be seen as a ‘bullish breakout’ by the average trader. However, we can identify that as a liquidity purge and higher high, in which case we can expect a higher low to be made - which would mean a bearish retracement. On top of this, we can see a build up of trend-line liquidity just above the discount end of the parent price range. This gives us an added confluence and confidence in the fact that we can expect lower prices with the liquidity underneath the trend-line as our first target. Above is an example of liquidity being grabbed on the bullish side (above the equal highs) sending the uninformed trader long based off of a ‘bullish breakout’, then hunting the liquidity on the bearish side (below the trend-line) and sending the uninformed trader short based off of the break of the trend-line. This is typical of the market - it shakes out impatient and uninformed traders on both sides of the market before making the actual move. Here is another examples of how trendline liquidity gets purged by the market. On the chart we can see a trend-line where many traders would be longing the market, unaware that they will be victims of a liquidity purge. Below we can see that liquidity purge below the trend-line which would send the average trader short. Using the rest of the strategy, we are able to understand that price will react from specific levels to go long Below we can see the completion of this market cycle with our levels being respected and the real bullish leg being made. 🔥🟠🔥🔥🟠🔥 BONUS CHEATSHEETS👇👇👇👇
Education
by algoat
2
Unlocking the Secrets of Price Inefficiency: Dive Deep into FVG👑Price inefficiencies are also known as imbalances, gaps or voids. Healthy price action moves in a zigzag fashion, making highs and lows in line with the directional bias at any given moment. When price isn’t trending we find it consolidates, in which case highs lows are still being made. However, we may also see price move in straight lines with huge volume and momentum. When this happens, price finds itself unable to deliver price in an efficient manner. For example, in a bullish environment, price may continue to make higher highs without providing higher lows at a discount price. When price moves with this much momentum, it leaves behind imbalances. 🟠An imbalance can be identified by open space in price action, where the wicks on either side of a candle do not match each other. On the left is an example of price inefficiency, since the wick high of candle 1 does not meet the wick low of candle 3, leading to an imbalance on candle 2. 🟠This is an example of healthy price action with no imbalances. This is because all candles have wicks on either side of them. Since wicks were bodies during live price action and are bodies on lower time frames, this shows that price was delivered efficiently to buyers and sellers in this area. Whereas the example above shows an imbalance on a bullish candle, which shows that price was only available to buyers in that imbalance and therefore is not efficient. 👉For price to be efficient, it needs to be delivered to buyers and sellers. This helps us understand that in our original bullish imbalance, price has to come back and fill that imbalance using bearish price action in order to make that price available to sellers. This re-balancing could take hours, days, weeks or years, but it is our job to understand that it must happen at some point. Inline with the rest of the strategy, we can use this knowledge to pick out the specific imbalances that will be filled and how we can capitalise on this. 🟠This is an example of the correctly identified imbalance and where we expect price to react from 🟠This is an example when is our level being met, it is at this point that we use the rest of the strategy and knowledge to capitalise on the move that is about to unfold with high risk:reward entries. 🟠This is the completion of this particular market cycle, with our level being respected and price giving us a nice bullish leg. 🔴Bearish Order Flow: 🟢Bullish Order Flow:
CAPITALCOM:US500Education
by algoat
A Comprehensive Guide to Order BlocksOrder Blocks Explained Now we'll look at one of the important concepts we utilize to find our precise entry points: order blocks. So, what exactly is an order block? An orderblock is a visible spot on the chart where a large order is being placed on the market. You'll notice the order being placed, followed by a quick move from that region, leaving behind imbalances and a structures would be broken The candle before that impulsive move is what we call an "order block," but I want you to remember that order blocks are essentially areas of supply and demand in the markets, and we'll go over that later in an other idea. Essentially, an order block is the fingerprint that market makers and institutions leave behind on the charts that informs us of their activity and intent which we can capitalise on. Unlike retail traders, the capital available to market makers and institutions is enough to move the market and affect price. For this reason, there are differences in the ways that market makers and retail traders go about trading in the financial markets. The first difference to understand is that market makers and institutions cannot simply place a buy or a sell trade. Due to the high amounts of volume behind each trade they place (millions of lots), a single buy or sell from institutions would crash the market. For this reason, they have to hedge each position. In other words, each time they place a buy, they have to place a sell at the same price, and vice versa. For example, if a buy is placed at 1.34610, and price moves up 100 pips, the buy trade will be 100 pips in profit, whereas the sell trade from the same price will be 230 pips in loss. Essentially there is an equal floating profit and loss. The second difference between retail traders and market makers is that market makers and institutions do not trade with a stop loss, therefore, the floating loss in the sell trade from the example above won’t close itself. Therefore, once the market is at a desirable high, market makers will close the buy positions in profit, let the price trickle back to their entry point, and close the sell trade at breakeven. Bullish Orderblock (Demand) Looking at this textbook example, we can see that the red block was the last bearish candle before the impulsive move, the candle would normally consist mostly body with very minimal wicks, This is what we call our bullish order block. To mark out our OB we draw a zone from the top of the candle to the bottom, but you may also include the wicks. Bearish Orderblock (Supply) Looking at this textbook example, we can see that the red block was the last bearish candle before the impulsive move, the candle would normally consist mostly body with very minimal wicks, This is what we call our bullish order block. To mark out our OB we draw a zone from the top of the candle to the bottom, but you may also include the wicks. Looking at this textbook example, we can see that the grey block was the last Bullish candle before the impulsive move, the candle would normally consist mostly body with very minimal wicks, This is what we call our Bearish order block. To mark out our OB we draw a zone from the top of the candle to the bottom, but you may also include the wicks. HOW TO TRADE USING ORDERBLOCKS First stage is identifying your higher time frame directional bias. Whether you are looking for intraday or Swing entries you still need to understand which way the market is moving for the pair that you are focusing on. Essentially you want to identify Order blocks from weekly down to the hourly and work off there. However, the more experience you gain, you may find that you can trade intraday moves by having a short term directional bias from lower time frames and finding entries on an even lower time frames. Either way, the concept is exactly the same. From above we can see a clear break of structure, this is the first thing we look for before looking for OBs. Reason for this, we want to find the candle that created this move, this candle is our OB. The OB is generally the last opposing candle before the move. So if its a bearish break, the OB is a Bullish candle. However, we need to understand what kind of BOS we look for and how to refine our OBs. HOW TO REFINE ORDER BLOCKS There are a few ways to refine the OB. The easiest would be moving left from the OB until you find the candle before the impulse which is still within the OB candles range. Example: As we can see above, the green candle following the OB hasn't overly moved or broken the range of the OB. This is now our refined OB. You can do this on all time frames. Alternatively, you can locate your OB, and you can refine down the time frames and find a clear open OB within the OB. So here on the picture, that little candle with big wicks is our OB, however within that candle on a lower time frame, there is a clear OB and this is now our refined OB. You can go down by as many time frames as you like. TIP: If you are happy with the RR from a particular time frame OB, then Simply use that one. Don't get greedy and don't use lower time frames if it makes you anxious. UNDERSTANDING BREAK OF STRUCTURE (BOS) There are two types of BOS, we prefer a full body break. This is very simple to understand as shown below: HOW TO TRADE USING ORDERBLOCKS Safer entry Identify your Point of interest on the higher time frame. In this example it was the hourly, however as mentioned, this concept can be applied to any time frame. The higher time frames such as 4 hourly or daily are more more swing entries with hourly and lower being intraday. So here we can see our higher POI. Now from here, you can look deeper into that OB so you have an idea as to where price could potentially go before reversing. Once you find your OB, you can set an alert at the Open of your OB. This frees up your time, meaning you dont need to sit and stare at the screen. The reason we trade is to for our free time, so why waste time staring and waiting. Once price taps your higher time frame OB, go to a lower time frame. This is up to you and what you are comfortable with, some prefer 1 min some prefer 15 min its up to you. But what we look for is a BOS and an OB on the lower time frame. Once we find our OB we set a limit order at either THE OPEN of the OB or 50% of the OB. This again is up to you. Once we set the order and set our target to our higher time frame High in this example. The benefit of using a safer entry over a risk entry: - More confirmation for the trade - May get a better RR for the trade Cons: - More time consuming - Sometimes it may not form a BOS on the lower time frame and price may just shoot from the higher time frame OB. So you may miss trades. Risky entry This method is very simple. Once you locate your Higher time frame OB, you simply go down the time frames till you find an OB within the higher time frame OB which is clear. Once you find your OB, mark it out. Use an OB which gives you and RR you are comfortable with. Same as before you can set a limit order at the OPEN or the 50% mark of the OB with your stop loss below the low of the OB or the overall low and target the recent high or low depending on if you are buying or selling. With this style of entry, it is of course riskier. This method is ideal when there is high momentum in the direction you are aiming for. If its more within a consolidation period, it is not worth trying a risk entry. Either way you go about, you get similar results and its all dependent on your risk appetite and how you are comfortable trading. Trading is personal to you, you dont need to follow what everyone else is doing. You need to what you are comfortable with doing and how you are happy about going about it. PSYCHOLOGY This way of trading is all about precision and finding the market at the perfect time of reversal. However, don't get too greedy with the RR, there is nothing wrong with sacrificing a few PIPS and rr for a safer trade. having a pip stop loss, is not the goal, having a safe trade and saving capital is the main goal. Our percentages are always gonna be crazy even with a 10 pip stop, so dont always look for a smaller stop if there isn't one available. Focus on yourself and what you are comfortable with. Don't trade time frames that you are not happy trading. the goal is not to be replicas of Vertex traders. The goal is to be you and be yourself as a trader. Be selfish and think about yourself and your own growth. FAQ When do we delete orders? When TP is hit or if there is a new BOS leaving another OB Best timeframes? Any that makes you comfortable . if lower time frames make you anxious, don't use it. You want to be calm and relaxed when trading, not on edge. Best pairs? Main indexes or pairs.
Education
by algoat
1
A Trader’s Checklist: 12 Essential Trading Questions to answerWhatever you trade… A successful trader minimises these risks by asking and answering a series of vital questions. This will help you ensure a clear strategy, an understanding of the market, and a control of emotions. Let’s dive into these questions. Q 1. Has a Trade Lined Up? Identifying a potential trade is the first step. Look for trends, chart patterns, or any other signals that indicate a potential opportunity. Yuu can also use Smart Money Concepts or price action techniques to pinpoint a trading setup. Q 2. Do I Have a Strategy in Place? Every successful trader operates with a strategy. This could be based on technical analysis, fundamental analysis, or a combination of both. This will give you the roadmap to tell you when to enter and exit trades. Q 3. Do I Know Where to Place My Trading Levels? Determine your entry, exit, and stop-loss points. These are crucial levels for you to know with your trading strategy. This will remove the emotions or gut feelings or like I like to say ‘gat’ feelings. Q 4. Do I Know How Much I Need to Put into My Trade? Money management is key. Decide beforehand how much of your capital you’re willing per trade. This is obviously based on what your CURRENT portfolio is rather than what it was. A common rule of thumb is not to risk more than 1-2% of your trading capital. Q 5. Am I Ready to Buy or Sell Now? Before you pull the trigger. You need to be sure you’re ready. Have all the signals from your strategy aligned? Do you see the sign to get in? Then JUST TAKE THE TRADE. Q6. Do I Understand the Underlying Asset? Whether it’s a company’s stock, a commodity, or a cryptocurrency. You need to understand what you’re trading. You need to understand the factors that influence price movements, which can also give you that extra edge. Q 7. Have I Conducted Thorough Technical Analysis? Charts, indicators, patterns, volume or Smart Money Concepts. Technical analysis is a trader’s bread and butter. Make sure you’ve analysed the market technically and your analysis supports the trade. Q 8. Am I Letting Emotions Influence My Decisions? Fear, greed and ego are a trader’s worst enemies. Are you trading based on your mechanical and analytical strategy? Or are emotions driving your decisions? Q 9. Have I Set Realistic Profit Targets? It’s important to have profit targets in place. And they need to be realistic, based on the market conditions and your trading strategy. Remember, each market has their own trading personality so work with it. Q 10. Is This Trade Consistent With My Trading Plan? You need to make sure, your trading setup aligns perfectly with your track record and system data. Each trade should align with your overall trading plan. If it doesn’t, it may be best to pass. Q 11. Am I Overexposed in One Sector or Asset? If the quantity you choose to trade matches your risk management, you’re good to go. If you have a smallish portfolio, you might not be able to trade EVERY market. Some commodities and indices are extremely expensive and too risk when it comes to volume. If you’re overexposed in one area, you could face higher losses. Q 12. Am I Prepared for the Trade to Go Against Me? Even with all the analysis in the world, trades can go wrong. Are you prepared for this, both financially and emotionally? By asking these questions, you will at least be prepared for what is to come. Do you have any more questions you ask before taking a trade?
JSE:J200Education
by Timonrosso
How to Adapt to the Ever-Evolving Financial Markets – 4 WaysThe only constant with the financial markets is… Change The market is constantly changing in a way that it’s brining: New demand New supply New volume and fresh changes in the complex algorithms. If you want to thrive you need to learn to learn to adapt, evolve and grow with the markets. I want to cover four elements to today’s topic. The Inevitability of Market Change Change is not only constant but inevitable in financial markets. There will always be new elements streaming into the markets from: ~ Global and political events ~ Micro and macro aspects ~ Economic indicators ~ Regulatory shifts, and ~ Investor sentiment These elements are perpetually at work, shaping and reshaping the market. These catalysts can shift the trajectory of entire sectors, leading to volatile market movements. Influx of New Volume on Market Dynamics Every day, the market sees a deluge of new volume. There are new traders and investors constantly joining the financial markets world. And we are seeing an inflow of capital from retail traders, institutional investors, and high-frequency trading firms. The big institutions like Smart Money (banks, hedge funds, brokers etc…) are causing the big volatile moves in the market. The smaller guys – dumb money and retail traders – are also helping with liquidity in the markets. Every transaction is causing a shift in the market. No matter how small it’s the “Butterfly Effect of the financial market”. The Role of Algorithms in Market Evolution In the era of digital transformation, algorithms have become a pivotal part of the financial markets. Algorithmic trading or ‘algo-trading’ employs complex mathematical models to execute trades at lightning speed and frequency. I’m talking about Copy Trader, Robinhood, AI trading bots, EA Expert Advisors and pre-determined automatic mechanical trading methods. This practice is now an integral part of the trading landscape. And they will continue to have an influence in price action, and market patterns. Haven’t you noticed? In the 50s through to the early 2000’s. The markets trended on a more consistent basis. Any monkey could choose a list of good stocks and hold them until they were up 200% – 1000%. But nowadays with derivatives, algorithms, shorts and automatic execution – markets have never been more volatile and more difficult to ride the trends. Always Adapt to Thrive in Changing Markets It’s our job to learn to be more flexible and to adapt to these market conditions. As markets evolve, so must we evolve with them. We need to always: ~ Apply new markets to our watchlists ~ Look for better trading instruments ~ Change the trading strategy to make it more conducive with the environments ~ Always look for the next best broker, trading and charting platform ~ Look for ways to reduce costs and maximise profits. I’ll end off with this. The market is constantly changing, adapting and evolving. We need to embrace the change and not see it as a threat. Have this mentality and you’ll always have the opportunities to improve, anticipate and grow as a trader.
JSE:J200Education
by Timonrosso
Smart Money Liquidity Grab Or Shift In Market Structure?Look at the Us30, and GBPUSD charts attached to this post, what do you see???? OANDA:GBPUSD OANDA:US30USD GBPUSD Do you see a shift in market structure or Liquidity grab by smart money algorithm? In financial market trading, one key to determine where the liquidity that the market will run next is located is to ask yourself who are those making money from the current move.... Where are they likely to trail their stops to. Whatever your answer is, that is the liquidity the algorithm will most likely run first to continue in the intended direction... In the charts examples attached to this post, market was bullish, then the smart money algorithm drive price lower to break the recent and obvious recent swing low to take out all the sell stops below that low, and induce new traders to go short thinking that the market is now bearish. But price rebalance in imbalance below the lows and then push higher. That is a smart money liquidity grab not shift in market structure. With this understanding, you should now be able to understand that not all structure shift in a bullish or bearish market is a shift in market structure. The majority are liquidity grabs by smart money algorithm. Like my idea? Give a like to this post and drop your comment. For more updates, give me a follow, you can also Dm for further enquiries.
OANDA:US30USDEducation
by Elijahenoch7
GLOSSARY Smart Money Concepts – Complete Terms!It’s taking the world by a storm. Smart Money Concepts is what has become famous lately. Now I’ve been trading for 20 years and even I have learnt to adapt and adjust SMC to my trading strategy. I guess we have to evolve and adapt with what there is. Anyways, today I’ve written a complete Glossary on Smart Money Concepts terms for you. Enjoy! SMART MONEY CONCEPTS GLOSSARY Break Of Structure (BOS) (CONTINUATION) A BOS is when the price breaks above or below, and continues in the direction of the trend. (CONTINUATION). Break Of Structure Down When the price breaks and closes BELOW the wick of the previous LOW in a DOWNTREND. Break Of Structure Up When the price breaks and closes ABOVE the wick of the previous HIGH in an UPTREND. Buy Side Liquidity (Smart Money SELLS) Where an Order Block forms where Smart Money SELLS into retailers (dumb money) BUYING orders – Pushing the price DOWN. Change of Character (CHoCH) (REVERSAL) Refers to a much larger shift in the underlying market trend, dynamic or sentiment. This is where the price moves to the point where there is a change in the overall trend. (REVERSAL) Change of Character Down When the price breaks and closes below the previous uptrend. Change of Character Up When the price breaks and closes above the previous downtrend. Daily bias Tells us which direction, trend and environment the market is in and what we are looking to trade. Daily bias Bearish When the market environment is DOWN and the trend is DOWN – we look for shorts (sells) in the market. Daily bias Bullish When the market environment is UP and the trend is UP – we look for long positions (buys) in the market. Discount market <50% The market is at a discount when the price trades BELOW the equilibrium level. We say the price is at a discount (low price). Equilibrium Equilibrium is a state of the market where the demand and supply are in balance with the price. We say the price of the market is at fair value. Fair Value Gap (FVG) A 3 candle structure with an up or down impulse candle that indicates and creates an imbalance or an inefficiency in the market. Fair Value Gap Bearish A 3 candle structure with a DOWN impulse candle that indicates and creates an imbalance or an inefficiency in the market. Between candle 1 and 3, do NOT show common prices. The price needs to move back up to rebalance and fill the gap. Fair Value Gap Bullish A 3 candle structure with an UP impulse candle that indicates and creates an imbalance or an inefficiency in the market. Between candle 1 and 3, do NOT show common prices. The price needs to come back down to rebalance and fill the gap. Levels of liquidity The area of prices where smart money players, identify and choose to BUY or SELL large quantities. E.g. Supports, resistances, highs, lows, key levels, trend lines, volume, indicators, psychological levels. Liquidity The degree, rate and ability for an asset or security to be easily bought (flow in) or sold (flow out) in the market at a specific price. Liquidity sweep (Liquidity grab) Smart money buys or sells (and sweeps or grabs liquidity) from traders who enter, exit or get stopped. Market down structure When the price makes lower lows and lower highs. Market structure Indicates what a market is doing, which direction it’s in and where it is more likely to go. Market Structure Shift (MSS) MSS shows you when the price is breaking a structure or changing the direction in the market. Market up structure When the price makes higher lows and higher highs. Order block Large market orders (big block of orders) where smart money buys or sells from different levels of liquidity. Order Block Bearish A strong selling or a supply zone for smart money. Order Block Bullish A strong buying or a demand zone for smart money. Order block events Large market orders where smart money buys or sells from certain events i.e. High volume, supports, resistances, highs, lows, key levels, Break Of Structure, Change of Character, News or economic event. Point Of Interest (POI) POI is an area or level in the market where there is expected to be a large amount of buying or selling activity i.e. Order blocks. Premium market >50% The market is at a premium when the price trades ABOVE the equilibrium level. We say the price is at a premium (high price). Sell Side Liquidity (Smart Money BUYS) Where an Order Block forms where the Smart Money BUYS into the retail (dumb money traders orders – Pushing the price UP. Smart Money These are the smart, informed, and savvy financial institutions that invest (buy and sell) their large capital into different financial markets. Smart Money Concepts SMC is a more sophisticated method of price action to spot, identify and locate where smart money is buying and selling their positions Sweep Buy Side Liquidity (Smart Money SELLS) Smart Money SELLS into positions (and sweeps liquidity) from retail traders who are short (get stopped) and for long traders who buy and enter their trades. Sweep Sell Side Liquidity (Smart Money BUYS) Smart Money BUYS into positions (and sweeps liquidity) from traders who are long (get stopped) and for short traders who enter their trades. Feel free to print this out and have it as a guide to your Smart Money Concepts trading journey. All the best!
TVC:SA40Education
by Timonrosso
101
Why Do So Many Successful Traders Gym?Have you noticed? That most successful traders, engage in some type of regular physical exercise. And on their social channels they are either talking on the treadmill or they’re talking about their supplements they’re taking before they hit the gym. And it makes you wonder. Is gymming a prerequisite to trade well and successfully? I mean, do we have to gym to trade well? Unfortunately, I do gym on a regular basis and do cardio many times a week. But no. I don’t think I’ll attribute it to my trading success. However, I think there are many merits to gymming well and trading well. And it all starts with… #1: Discipline – You Put in the Work Training in the gym is about discipline, perseverance, and gradual improvement. It’s about building strength, endurance, and resilience. These are definitely all qualities required in a successful trader. Traders, like athletes, understand that to achieve success, you must put in the work. There are no shortcuts. If you have the discipline to gym (not every day) every week, you will have what it takes to persevere as a trader. If you’re a quitter and a give upper or a I’ll do it next Monday type a guy or gal, then trading probably won’t work for you. The financial market doesn’t grant success to the lucky, but rather to the diligent and well-prepared. #2. Pick up the Portfolio (Weights) as You Make More In the same way that you wouldn’t expect to build muscle or increase your stamina overnight in the gym, you shouldn’t expect immediate trading success. And in the same way you don’t just lift heavier weights after a short period in the gym, so to where you mustn’t trade more (with a small portfolio size). Let’s dig deeper. In the gym, you start lifting weights that match your strength level. As you grow stronger, you gradually increase the weight to keep challenging your muscles. And this leads you to further growth and strength. This same principle applies to trading. Beginners should start with a smaller, manageable portfolio that matches their level of knowledge, understanding and personality with the markets. As their knowledge, skill, and confidence grow, they can start diversifying and increasing their portfolio. They won’t risk more (relative) per trade, but they will deposit more money into their portfolios. They’ll trade larger volumes. But like I said, they won’t risk more in percentage terms. Remember, it’s essential to increase the portfolio wisely, without skipping steps, just like in weight training. Patience and progressive overload are key in both fields. #3: Don’t Overtrain – Don’t Overtrade If you overtrain in the gym – watch out. It can lead to injuries, burnout, demotivation (is that a word?) and diminished returns. Same works with overtrading. It can lead to financial losses, emotional stress and a big punch to your confidence levels. You need to know the importance of balance and recovery – like you do as a trainer. You need to understand how to pace yourself the right way, and to: NOT take trades for the sake of it. NOT try to accelerate your portfolio performance. NOT be impatient with the process Got it? #4: It’s a Forever Process Fitness, strength, physical activity and maintaining your sexy figure is a lifelong endeavour. You can’t just build muscle and then stop working out, expecting to stay fit forever. You can’t just go on the treadmill once and lose those 20kg you packed on 10 years ago. Same with trading. You can’t just make a few successful trades and then rest on your laurels. The markets are always changing, and traders need to keep learning and adapting their strategies to stay ahead. This requires continuity Trading requires perseverance Trading requires repetition Continuous education Ongoing testing, tweaking and monitoring And while we’re at it, gymming can help with your trading I mean, I’m no doctor, but there are also very good mental benefits of regular exercise, such as: Improved concentration Better mood Stress reduction Help maintain the psychological equilibrium needed for long-term trading success Also, it gets you to step away from the computer and screen after you’ve taken a trade. It allows you to realign and escape from the real world and into your mind and creative self. Even though you don’t necessarily need to gym to be a successful trader. The parallels between gym training and trading are substantial. The discipline, resilience, patience, and commitment to continual learning that the gym fosters translate directly into trading habits. Do you gym or do any physical exercises?
TVC:SA40Education
by Timonrosso
WHY you don't JUST Take The TradeIn the frenzied world of financial trading. It gets to a stage eventually where we will hesitate to take the trade. Even though you have the plan, strategy and mindset to a T. Something could trigger you to not take the trade. So why does this happen? There are a multitude of reasons, but here are four reasons you might not take the trade. Reason #1: Market Moved Too Much Even I miss the mark sometimes. Either I get distracted by writing something for you. Either I wake up late past 10 am. Either I am flying or at the beach. And then… The market moves too much and I miss the trade. This is life and this can catch us off guard. There is no excuse in the bigger scheme of things because the market will move with or without you. Just like time waits for no man. Neither does the market. We need to be more disciplined, more determined and should be like a sniper when it comes to trading the markets. Reason #2: You’re Scared to Lose This one applies to three types of traders. Either you’re new to the market and don’t want to lose money. Or you’ve been in the market and you just can’t programme your mind to lose money. Or you have already lost money and you have an even bigger fear of losing even more money. Trading, by its very nature, involves risks. But sometimes, the fear of potential losses can overwhelm us, leading to indecision and missed opportunities. Emotional trading is a surefire way to erratic decision-making and inconsistent results. So if you’re scared to lose, risk less. If you’re scared to lose, paper trade until you feel more confident. If you’re scared to lose, work on risk psychology through journals and reading. Or just reading an article like this. It may help you. Reason #3: Too Much Money to Spend Some markets are expensive! If you’re new to trading and you try to trade a world index or a futures contract like Brent Crude – brace yourself. It might spook you away from trading because it’s too much to spend. But then there are markets that aren’t expensive to trade like Forex, local and some international stocks. Stick to those and lower your risk to 1.5% or even 1% risk per trade. Balancing risk and reward is a delicate art in trading. Reason #4: No Trust Yet in the System Confidence is not easy to gain with trading strategies. I never believed in my system for years. Why? Because I thought the past results truly meant nothing for the future performance of the markets. Then as trading became more logical and as I saw that financial markets is nothing more than psychology and demand and supply, the confidence in the system went up. People will be people. Before plunging into trades, it’s beneficial to familiarise yourself with the strategy and make sure you backtest them and study them like a trading engineer and statistician. Your confidence will grow and eventually you’ll get to the point where you will. JUST TAKE THE TRADE.
TVC:SA40Education
by Timonrosso