The Fair Value Gap (FVG)The term "fair value gap" is known by various names among price action traders, including imbalance, inefficiency, and liquidity void. But what do these imbalances mean? They arise when the forces of buying and selling exert considerable pressure, resulting in sharp and rapid price movements.
On a chart, a Fair Value Gap appears as a three-candlestick pattern. In a bullish context, an FVG forms when the top wick of the first candlestick does not connect with the bottom wick of the third candlestick. Conversely, in a bearish scenario, the FVG is created when the bottom wick of the first candlestick fails to connect with the top wick of the third candlestick. The gap on the middle candlestick, created by the wicks of the first and third candlesticks, represents the Fair Value Gap.
The concept of FVG trading is based on the idea that the market has a natural tendency to self-correct. These price discrepancies or inefficiencies are generally not sustainable over time, and the market often returns to these gaps before continuing in the same direction as the original impulsive move.
What are the Types of Fair Value Gaps?
1. Bearish Fair Value Gap
A bearish Fair Value Gap occurs when there is a space between the bottom wick of the first candlestick and the top wick of the third candlestick. This gap typically appears on the body of the middle candlestick, and the individual characteristics of each candlestick are not particularly important. What’s crucial in a bearish scenario is that the gap on the middle candlestick results from the wicks of the surrounding candlesticks not connecting.
2. Bullish Fair Value Gap
A bullish Fair Value Gap occurs when the top wick of the first candlestick does not connect with the bottom wick of the third candlestick. In this case, the specific direction of each candlestick is not as important. What really matters is that there is a gap in the middle candlestick, where the wicks of the first and third candlesticks have not linked.
3. Inverse Fair Value Gap
An Inverse Fair Value Gap is an FVG that has lost its validity in one direction but remains significant enough to influence price movement in the opposite direction. For example, a bullish FVG is deemed invalid if it fails to act as a demand zone. However, it then transforms into an inverse bearish FVG, which may serve as a supply zone capable of holding the price.
4. Implied Fair Value Gap
The Implied Fair Value Gap is also a three-candlestick pattern, but it does not feature a gap on the middle candlestick, which is why it’s called an “implied FVG.” Instead, it consists of a larger middle candle flanked by two relatively long wicks from the first and third candles.
The “gap” is defined by marking the midpoint of the wick of the first candlestick that touches the middle candle and the midpoint of the wick of the third candle that also touches the middle candle. These two midpoints create the gap.
Here are some factors that can lead to the formation of fair value gaps:
1. Economic Data Releases
Key economic data releases, such as changes in interest rates or unemployment statistics, can similarly create imbalances. If the data surprises the market, it can trigger a swift price movement in one direction, resulting in a gap.
2. Sudden News Events
Unexpected news that significantly affects market sentiment can lead to a rapid increase in buying or selling activity, resulting in a gap as prices adjust to the new information. For instance, if a company unexpectedly reports strong earnings, its stock price may surge, creating a gap on the chart.
3. Market Openings or Closings
Gaps may form during periods of low liquidity, such as at market openings or closings. With fewer market participants, even a small amount of buying or selling can cause a noticeable price jump that isn’t quickly countered.
4. Large Institutional Trades
Significant trades by institutional investors can also lead to fair value gaps (FVGs). When a hedge fund or financial institution executes a large buy or sell order, it can overwhelm the existing order book, causing a rapid price shift and leaving a gap behind.
5. Weekend Gaps
FVG's are often observed between the close on Friday and the open on Monday, reflecting news or events that occurred over the weekend.
KEY POINTS TO KNOW
- Fair Value Gaps (FVGs) are powerful tools traders use to identify market imbalances and inefficiencies.
- FVGs occur when buying or selling pressure leads to significant price movements, leaving behind gaps on price charts.
- FVGs can be identified through technical analysis involving the analysis of candlestick patterns and price chart patterns.
- Traders can categorize FVGs into two types: Undervalued FVGs, where prices are lower than fair value, and Overrated FVGs, where prices are higher.
Fairvaluegap
Trading EURUSD | Judas Swing Strategy 30/07/2024Risk management ought to be a trader's closest ally, as the previous week demonstrated the practical significance of incorporating risk management into every trader's toolkit. Last week, we executed four trades; despite having only one win and three losses, we concluded the week with a mere 1% loss on our trading account. This has heightened our excitement for the opportunities that this week may present. As is customary, at 8:25 AM EST, we commenced the day by reviewing the essential items on our Judas Swing strategy checklist, which comprises:
- Setting the timezone to New York time
- Confirming we're on the 5-minute timeframe
- Marking the trading period from 00:00 - 08:30
- Identifying the high and low of the zone
The next 5 minute candle swept liquidity resting at the low of the zone, which meant our focus would be on identifying potential buying opportunities for the trading session.
To increase the likelihood of success of our trades, we wait for a break of structure (BOS) towards the buy side. Once the BOS occurs, we anticipate price to retrace to the initial Fair Value Gap (FVG) created during the formation of the leg that broke the structure.
We patiently waited for price to retrace into the created Fair Value Gap (FVG), and executed our trade upon the closing of the first candle that entered the FVG, as all the conditions on our checklist for trade execution were satisfied. Please note that our stop loss is set at the low of the price leg that broke structure, and we implement a minimum stop loss of 10 pips. The minimum stop loss value was not chosen randomly; it was determined through extensive backtesting. This allows trades sufficient space to fluctuate, avoiding premature stop-outs and trades later moving in our anticipated direction.
After 15 minutes, a large bearish marubozu candle formed, which could have exited us from the trade if we had set our stop loss solely based on the low of the price leg that broke structure, without including a minimal stop loss in our checklist. By using that price leg, our stop loss would have been around 6 pips, whereas a 10 pip stop loss provides the trade with sufficient breathing room.
We are aware that our strategy does not guarantee a 100% win rate but rather hovers around 50% on EURUSD, indicating that some losses were inevitable. To avoid becoming emotional over the position, we used only 1% of our trading account with the goal of achieving a 2% gain. Upon checking our position later, we observed that the position was a few pips away from hitting SL.
We remained calm despite the drawdown we were experiencing and were prepared for any outcome of the trade. All that was left was to wait for either our stop loss or take profit to be triggered to determine the result of our trade. A few hours later, the trade began to move in our favor.
After 13 hours, our Take Profit was triggered, and our patience paid off as we hit our target on EURUSD, resulting in a 2% gain from a 1% risk on the trade.
ORDER BLOCK AND FAIR VALUE GAP SMART MONEY CONCEPT**Order Block**:
An order block is a specific price area on a financial chart where institutional traders have placed large buy or sell orders. These areas often lead to significant price movements and are used by traders to identify potential zones of support or resistance. Order blocks represent clusters of orders from big players like banks or hedge funds, signaling where major buying or selling interest lies. When price revisits these zones, it often reacts strongly, making them valuable for predicting price reversals or continuations.
**Fair Value Gap**:
A fair value gap (FVG) is a price range on a chart where there is an imbalance between buyers and sellers, often created during periods of high volatility or news events. This gap typically occurs when the market moves so quickly that trades do not fully fill, leaving a visible gap on the chart. Traders use fair value gaps to anticipate potential price retracements to these levels, as the market tends to revisit and fill these gaps over time, aligning price with its perceived fair value.
Both concepts are crucial in technical analysis for identifying key price levels where significant market activity is likely to occur.
FAIR VALUE GAP OR ORDER BLOCK ENTRYA fair value gap (FVG) and an order block entry are concepts used in technical analysis within financial markets to identify potential trading opportunities.
### Fair Value Gap (FVG)
A fair value gap refers to a price range on a chart where there is an imbalance between buyers and sellers, often resulting in a quick movement through this area without much trading activity. This gap can create a zone of interest where price may return to fill the gap, presenting a potential trading opportunity. Traders look for these gaps to predict price movements, expecting that the market will revisit these areas to achieve a fair value.
### Order Block Entry
An order block is a consolidation area where significant buying or selling has taken place, often by institutional traders. These blocks are typically identified by a cluster of orders that create a strong support or resistance level. When price returns to this level, it often reacts due to the presence of unfilled orders, providing a strategic entry point for traders. Order blocks are used to predict where the price might reverse or continue its trend, offering a high-probability entry signal based on historical price action.
Both concepts are used by traders to make informed decisions based on the past behavior of price and volume, aiming to identify areas where significant trading activity is likely to influence future price movements.
How to trade Smart Money Concepts (SMC)This trading strategy was initially popularized by an infamous trader who is also the founder of the Inner Circle Trading (ICT) method which is claimed to be the evolved version of the SMC. Let’s first take a look at the building blocks of this trading strategy and compare it with the well-known trading concepts by industrial titans (Dow, Wyckoff, Elliott).
Essentially, SMC puts forth the notion that market makers, including institutions like banks and hedge funds, play a deliberate role in complicating trading endeavours for retail traders. Under the Smart Money Concepts framework, retail traders are advised to construct their strategies around the activities of the "smart money," denoting the capital controlled by these market makers.
The core concept involves replicating the trading behaviour of these influential entities, with a specific focus on variables such as supply, demand dynamics, and the structural aspects of the market. Therefore, as an SMC trader, you'll meticulously examine these elements when making trading decisions, aligning your approach with the sophisticated techniques of prominent market figures. By embracing this perspective and closely monitoring the actions of market makers, SMC traders endeavour to establish an advantageous position in their trading activities, aiming to capitalise on market movements driven by smart money.
When you initially dive into the Smart Money Concepts (SMC), the technical vocabulary can be a bit overwhelming. To help demystify it, here's an overview of some common terms used by SMC traders.
1. Order Blocks
These are used to discuss supply and demand. Some SMC traders consider order blocks as a more refined concept than standard supply and demand, although not everyone agrees on this.
An order block signifies a concentrated area of limit orders awaiting execution, identified on a chart by analysing past price movements for significant shifts. These zones serve as pivotal points in price action trading, influencing the market's future direction. When a multitude of buy or sell orders cluster at a specific price level, it establishes a robust support or resistance, capable of absorbing pressure and triggering price reversals or consolidation.
2.Fair Value Gap
You should clarify whether your current trading style suits you. If you don't have time to look at charts during the day, you should not focus your strategy on intraday trading using 1
5-minute or 30-minute charts. It is definitely better to develop an approach that works on a 4-hour or daily chart so that you have enough time to analyze the charts before or after work.
Ideal time and timeframe
This phrase describes an imbalance in the market. It occurs when the price departs from a specific level with limited trading activity, resulting in one-directional price movement.
In the case of a bearish trend, the Fair Value Gap represents the price range between the low of the previous candle and the high of the following candle. This area reveals a discrepancy in the market, which may indicate a potential trading opportunity. The same principle applies to a bullish trend but with the opposite conditions.
3.Liquidity
Liquidity plays a pivotal role in SMC. It pertains to price levels where orders accumulate, rendering an asset class "liquid." Essentially, these are price points with available orders ready for transactions. Liquidity can manifest in various forms, such as highs and lows or trend line liquidity.
How liquidity is handled varies depending on the trader. One of the most common approaches is to use a pivot high or pivot low. For better understanding, a pivot high or low is formed when several adjacent candlesticks have a higher low or lower high.
In the picture, we can see the pivot low. The candlestick has the lowest low compared to its three neighbours to the right and left.
4.Break of Structure (BOS)
Once you become familiar with this terminology, you'll realize that many SMC concepts are consistent with traditional trading ideas. A fundamental element of SMC market analysis is the emphasis on the "break of structure" (BOS) in the market.
5.Change of Character (ChoCH)
For instance, in a chart illustrating breaks of structure, each time the price surpasses the previous high, a break of structure occurs. Conversely, when the price drops below previously established lows, it signals a change of character (ChoCH). SMC traders leverage their understanding of these patterns to make informed decisions based on the market's behaviour.
What is ICT Power of 3?Power of 3 at work on Gold producing a 8.6RR move on 30/06/2023
FOREXCOM:XAUUSD
Ict power of 3 is a strategy that reveal the market maker algorithm model for price delivery.
Power of 3 simply means there are 3 things market makers algorithm do with price in ever trading days.
Those 3 things are; Accumulation, Manipulation and Distribution.
AMD:
A: Accumulation
M: Manipulation
D: Distribution
1. Accumulation: They accumulate liquidity through the delivery of a ranging market.
The purpose for delivering a ranging market is to induce both buyers and sellers to enter the market thinking that price will go in their direction.
2. Manipulation: After accumulating both buying and sell orders, they then manipulate the market to further induce another set of traders which are breakout traders.
But, that particular manipulation move is not their intended direction for the day. They only use it to gather liquidity, Which will then lead them to the next action which is to move and distribute price in their real direction for the day.
3. Distribution: After manipulating price to a particular direction different from their plan, they then distribute price to their original intended direction.
e.g to buy, they will first sell the market and then buy at the discount price level.
Example of Power of 3 on Gold
AMD:
A: Accumulation
M: Manipulation
D: Distribution
Accumulation : Price range during Asian session, accumulating liquidity on both sides of long and shorts.
Manipulation : Price broke the low of the accumulation during London session to take out sell side liquidity and then fill the previous day imbalance.
Distribution : Price move away from the FVG leading to a shift in market structure on 5m time frame, plus a short pull back, follow by a massive move to the upside during the New York session to take out buy side liquidity above.
Fair Value Gap Strategy (FVG): GBPUSD 7.32x Reward TradeCheck out this 7.32RR trade I took today on GBPUSD.
OANDA:GBPUSD
Trade Process:
Daily is bullish with FVG serving as draw on liquidity.
1HR: Took out Sellside liquidity left with BuySide liquidity to take out.
15M: London Session open took out 15M sellside liquidity with high probability of taking out Buyside liquidity.
Entry: I used my fib to locate OTE at the FVG which is where i placed my buy limit.
Price retraced to pick my order and fly high to take out the buyide liquidity and the daily FVG.
Trade so easy with FAIR VALUE GAPS!Hello trader, you look great today! I have a useful trading tool to offer you. If you are experiencing positive feelings towards me, please consider following me and helping to increase my exposure.
FAIR VOLUE GAP
First, go to tradingview and search up Fair Volue Gap . Now, you can see your chart dashed lines, to see levels based on these pages. FVG and to make this set up a lot better though we want to clean this up and only show significant Fair Volue Gaps by going into the settings and selecting the auto threshold. What this does is allows the indicator to detect the average best size of each Fair Value Gap to filter out insignificant ones.
A loss for me a lesson for you- Trading a bearish FVGReview this first to see the fair value gap:
(1)Trades inside the -FVG
(2) Rejects -FVG(MT)
(3) Holds -FVG(L)
Note: This is a high probability sign for moves higher, price trades inside the 4H-FVG. Once price is inside, the price trades to the 4H-FVG(MT) and trades back down to the 4H-FVG(L) and price holds for a continuation inside.
(4) Prices trades through -FVG(MT)
(5) Trades and rejects the -FVG(H) and -OB
Note: This is where, and only where I should have entered for the sells that I attempted near the midpoint. We had already traded pass 4H-FVG(MT). After the failed entry, you should wait for price to reach the 4H-FVG(H) and in this case the -OB as well.
Retail vs. Smart Money - Truth vs. Manipulation tutorial - *SMT*
SMT= Smart Money Theory. Look at the related idea for a previous tutorial on this. This will be a continuation of that tutorial, how we're taught to trade is manipulation tactics by the institutions, and how to realize whats actually happening.
When I first started, I started to learn how to trade under a an MLM company called iMarkets Live. Some instructors were good and were starting to catch on to what was happening to price action. Others just marked levels,. or tried to use way too many jndicators to find a trade. I ended up losing a lot of money that year because there was no cohesion. I find myself asking "why?" a lot. And if this "Trade the trend is supposed to work so well, why was I getting screwed so bad everytime I went to trade off that trend line. Until I fdinally found the one person who dug deep into the charts and found the truth and I've never seen any other trade get more accurate while trading live.
1. Price is manipulated on every chart. That is their commodity to protect and they'll go down in flames protecting their commodity. Whether that commodity is currency or stocks, there's someone or groups that own enough to control the chart. And that algorithm re-starts everydsay at midnight NY Time. Just before the London session starts
2. The charts above represent what a smart Money Technical Analyst would create for his chart, the second is the retail theory, how your "Taught" to think what tedhnical analysis is supposed to be. Fore example, you would normally out a trendline going down atop the downtrend, and when the price breaks that down trend then you'll told wait for the "Retest" of the price to hit that trend line. But sometimes it doesn't and you've missed your opportunity at a breakaway right? No, you just followed the wrong path on how to read price action. And could've caught that breakaway knowingt that it's not "retesting" the top trendline, instead it's finding the last price that the institutions sold off hard to try and make the retail traders sell as well. Evidently they were successful because the institution then come in and buy it up and a huge discount. And they buy up so much at the start of the run, it breaks the structures previous swing high In fact they probabloy are still holding a short position near that swing high so aftyer it breaks the high and closes above it, it retraces slightly back to the price area of the the previous high. Why? So they can then breakeven on the trade of holding that short while also capitalizing on the long they are taking because of how much of a discount they were able to buy up.
Lets take the current chart for example. When you see the price formation of a low / high / lower low, The last bullish candle in the high formation is now Resistance that will turn Support. I have the Low / High / Lower Low Color Coordinated with it's Breaker Blocks Border or just "Breaker."
As you can see it, each time it breaks the previous structures high (Where I write Break of structure with a line at the top of previous DAILY body that was broke and closed abnove, thje price then slighjtly retreats, back into that High candle's price range, doesn't close below it and then makes another large move to the upside. Its retreating down to a place where they could still be hold a short from the previous quarter (yes, you read that right, they have deep pockets, they can be in the red forever and ity weon't matter, they;'ll manipulate it until they get what's theirs, this is why Larry Williams has 90 day lookbacks in his analysis)
Here's the scary part. Now that you have read that and it seems so obvious and your going "Why was I taught to think about it like this?" (See Next Chart)
I was taught to think of analysis this way, I'm sure you have at one point. When the trendline breaks then we should see a retest and more bullish trend / channel. However, after it breaks the trendline, it didn't retest, neither is it really following the "Channel" it created. It's inside the channel but Following the trend as you would like to see, correct? even if we look a little closer on the 4 hour it looks further off
Why is it not doing exactly as we were taught it should? Because we were taught wrong. Price doesn't know if it's following a channel, it doersn't know if it's creating a Triangle, it doesn't know if it's making a flag.
What does it remember? Price levels. Therefore, the way we were taught was wrong and the correct way to look at support and resistance is actually an area within a price range. Why? As mentioned before, it's the institutions ,manipulating the charts to retreat back to an are to where it may have been holding a short and is now looking to break even while cranking up the long earnings. This is all by design. Now look at the chart again with how I just explained it, look for the break of structure, check for the close above the previous swing high close, then see where the price falls to, check to see if it is within a high of a previous swing high candle. If it breaks lower and closes lower, then we have 1 of 2 things
1) Price could have run into a Bearish Breaker (Where you have a High / Low / Higher High and the Low of that formation is a breaker that reject the price and we could see the price start to retrace lower. or
2) Also Look to see if the Break of structure that was broken has a string of balanced bullish candles to form one large Breaker. If so, the price may look like it is lower than what it should, but still within the breraker. i.e. CURRENT PRICE (see chart)
We have a large breaker if you consider the two balanced bullish candles on the far left. If the are balanced, they act as one candle (Meaning their wicks touch, there's no fair value gap) See Chart -
So I see this as still being within the Bullish vain, and we'll have to see if it's going to keep reaching for the break of structure.
Why is it going tio the break of Structure? That is where the Liquidity is sitting by the retail user and the institutions want to take that liquidity for their own pockets. Howevever, We'll Save Liquidity for Next "Smart Money Knowledge Tutorial"
If you have any questions please shoot them below. I'll do my best to answer. If it doesn't make sense to you and you see a flaw in my analysis, a flaw in my reasoning as to why it would be manipulated, please let me know.
Personally, I like having an answer as to why price does what it does, which is why I am behind the Smart Money theory of Manipulation. It makes way more sense than the previous explanation of "It just breaks trend and will continue in that direction." ..... where I feel "This is the area price was before on a short and the institutions need to break even after blowing past it making profit up to that point"
I hope I was able to break this "Smart Money" theory down a bit further and was able to help make sense of thewe things.l This was inspired by a meme I had seen on LinkedIn of the price running up pasty the break of structure and there's a trendline on top of the rear down slope and the price retests and starts moving up. The meme was based off this with a person almost in tears of joy.
My point? Don't see the price action as a result above. Understand it as this
I went to write my explanation that was a different interpretation and by the time I finished I couldn't find the Meme again. So I felt it was my calling to continue writing a major Smart Money Analysis points that many people need to see and hear.
If you enjoy these explainations of Smart Money, please let me know and I'll continue on a series of these with a point behind each one.
Thank you!
- Bodies X Wix
OANDA:GBPUSD
FX:GBPUSD
CAPITALCOM:GBPUSD
London Open Killzone Liquidity Build and FVG Hello Traders! What I shared with you happens on most days of the week and is a super easy way to get trdaes that are highly probable..
London Open Killzone time is: from 3:00 AM to 5:00 AM New York Time.. (though it could extend a bit further)..
What we should be looking for is this scenario:
We have a clear liquidity area..(single or double lows/relative equal lows) and time is London Open Killzone and we have reached liquidity area.. on this case we expect price to reverse and we look for a confirmation (in this case a "Fair Valie Gab")..
Note that:
I recommend using 15-min chart to spot liquidity area and for looking at how price is performing..
And once we get into a liquid area, we should go lower (5-min_1-min) charts to look for FVG..
Hope you find this helpful 😃
Let me know your thoughts in comments I would be happy..
Be Well All!
-FVG Example This candle creates the -FVG high. Use the low of this candle and extend out.
This candle breaks market structure to the downside in the form of an impulse candle, bearish engulfing.
The high of the candle following the engulfing candle sets the low of the -FVG and the candle should not trade back above through the candle high that created the lo.
You can look for setups at the -FVG high @3716.70, middle @3713.70 and low @3710.70.
What is FVG and why is it important?FVG = FAIR VALUE GAP
An area that offers price inefficiencies
Simply put, when there are more sellers than buyers it sometimes causes a void in the price action that we call it FVG or Fair Value Gap.
You can simply identify these areas on the chart just by finding deserted candles that have no trading history around them.
These value gaps are like errors in the market, price always tends to back to those areas and fill the gap with some more trades.
So if you see a sell-off/bullish impulse on the market, try to find The FVG and mark it as the potential target for the price to jump back there whenever the trend starts to shift.
leave a like or comment if you find this information useful ;)
ICT IMBALANCE / FVG / LIQUIDITY VOIDLiquidity void, Fair Value Gap, Imbalance... These terms are interchangeable.
As a Charter Member ill tell you what I've shown here, is a basic depiction, as I got asked a question on what is an imbalance?
An imbalance, is an imbalance in price, where price has NOT efficiently delivered orders in the market, price will like to revisit these areas, of imbalance, as seen here. The diagram on the left depicts the ideal model of what an imbalance is, the chart on the right is an in time example.
if you notice one of these getting filled, at a place where you are bearish/bullish... well.... there is your trade!
EDUCATIONAL POST (FVG - Fair Value Gap)EDUCATIONAL POST: (FVG - Fair value Gap) 📊📈
Let's take some time to explain a trading term I often use in my TA. 🤓
FVG - or Fair Value Gap (= inefficiency, void...)
👉 What they mean by that is an area of the chart where the price moved past in just 1 single candle, meaning the candle before + after haven't touched this area.
👉 This is how such a gap is formed.
👉 This gap frequently works as a magnet for the future price, indicating a CONTINUATION (bullish —> bounce, bearish —> drop)
NOTE: this is the strongest on the first touch it does, after that it's power deminishes and price often moves back through it.
EXAMPLE: (bullish) price moves up fast and creates a FVG. This area will act as a bounce area for when the price drops back down to this, before continuing higher. I've added a theoretical + $BTC example. (scroll back to see it on the chart)
Hope you learned something. 👌
Oli 🤙
