Liquidity
HOW And WHY The Markets MoveIn this video I explain HOW and WHY the markets move.
At it's core, trading is a zero-sum game, meaning that nothing is created. There must always be a counter-party to any trade, after all it is called "trading". Because of this, liquidity is the lifeblood of the market and it is what is required by all participants, albeit more for the larger entities out there. In order for these larger entities to trade, they must do so in stages of buying and selling, and not all in one single position like we do as retail traders. They buy on the way down, and sell on the way up, throughout many different time horizons. Therefore, they require price to be delivered efficiently in order to sustain this working machine.
I hope you find the video somewhat insightful. Regardless of your beliefs, I think it can be agreed that these two principles are what drives the marketplace and it's movements.
- R2F
Uptrend or Fadeout? Learn the Key to Catching Market Breakouts1. Recognizing Market Structures: Uptrends and Downtrends
Higher Highs (HH) and Higher Lows (HL):
These are signs the market is in an uptrend—prices keep moving up, forming new highs (peaks) and lows (dips) that are higher than the previous ones.
Think of it like climbing stairs: each step higher shows the market’s strength.
Lower Highs (LH) and Lower Lows (LL):
When prices stop climbing and start forming lower peaks and lower dips, it signals that the market might be slowing down or reversing into a downtrend.
In the chart:
The first part shows a bullish (upward) move with Higher Highs and Higher Lows.
Later, the market shifts to lower highs, signaling a potential slowdown or shift toward a downward move.
2. What Is the LQZ (Liquidity Zone)?
Liquidity Zone (LQZ): This is a key price area where a lot of trading activity happens—like a hotspot where buyers and sellers clash.
When price reaches such a zone, it either breaks through and keeps moving in that direction (bullish continuation) or bounces back down (rejection).
Think of it like a soccer goal line: if the ball crosses the line, the team scores a goal (bullish move); if it’s blocked, the ball goes the other way (bearish move).
In the chart:
The LQZ is highlighted as the key level to watch. A clean breakout (with more than just a quick spike or wick) signals that buyers are strong enough to push the market higher.
If the price gets rejected at this zone, the sellers regain control, and the market might move down.
3. Scenarios: What Happens Next?
The chart offers two possible outcomes based on how price behaves near the LQZ.
Bullish Scenario:
If the price breaks above the LQZ and stays there, it’s likely to continue upward towards:
Target 1: 2,661.38
Target 2: 2,673.60
These are the next levels where buyers might take profits or where new sellers could appear.
Bearish Scenario:
If the price gets rejected at the LQZ and drops lower, it could move towards:
Bearish Target 1: 2,569.49
Bearish Target 2: 2,546.25
This suggests the sellers have taken control, pushing the market down.
4. How to Know When to Enter a Trade?
The chart highlights the importance of waiting for confirmation before jumping into a trade. Here’s a simple trade plan:
For a Buy (Long) Trade:
Wait until the price breaks above the LQZ and stays above it.
Enter on the first pullback (dip) after the breakout—this is often called a flag or retest.
For a Sell (Short) Trade:
If the price gets rejected at the LQZ, wait for a clear downward movement.
Enter after the first lower high forms, confirming that the sellers are in control.
Why wait for confirmation?
Jumping in too early might cause you to get caught in a false breakout or fake move. Think of it like waiting to see which team scores first before betting on the game.
5. Avoid Emotional Trading and Manage Risk
This chart reflects a key lesson: trading is a game of patience and probabilities.
If the trade doesn't go as expected, it’s important to step back and wait for the next opportunity.
Don’t chase trades just because you fear missing out (FOMO). You might enter too soon and hit your stop loss unnecessarily.
Risk Management Tip:
Use stop losses to protect your account from big losses.
Avoid placing multiple risky trades on the same pair just because you’re impatient. It’s better to wait for high-probability setups.
6. Summary: A Simple Trading Plan
Watch the LQZ level:
If the price breaks above, look to buy on the next dip.
If the price gets rejected, look to sell when it starts forming lower highs.
Set Clear Targets:
For bullish trades, aim for Target 1 and 2 above.
For bearish trades, aim for Bearish Targets 1 and 2 below.
Don’t Rush:
Wait for clear confirmation before entering.
Follow your trading plan and avoid emotional decisions.
Unlock Trading Success with These Proven Chart PatternsTechnical Analysis of the Trade:
The chart you provided highlights several patterns and levels, which I'll break down into different components for a clear analysis:
1. Market Structure:
Ascending Channel:
The price is moving within an upward-sloping channel, indicating that the market is in a bullish structure. An ascending channel like this represents a controlled trend higher with occasional corrections, providing potential buying opportunities on pullbacks to the lower boundary of the channel.
Trade Implication: As long as price remains within this channel, the overall bias is bullish. A break below the channel, however, would signal a shift in momentum, suggesting a potential sell-off.
2. Bull Flags:
Bull Flag 1 (Lower on the chart):
This flag formed after a strong upward move, followed by a tight consolidation, which is a classic bullish continuation pattern. The breakout from this flag has already occurred, leading to a further upward push.
Bull Flag 2 (Upper on the chart):
Similar to the previous one, this bull flag formed after another sharp move up, indicating a potential continuation. The price is currently in the process of consolidating in this flag, which makes this an area of interest for a potential entry on a breakout.
Trade Implication : Both flags suggest that the market is in a bullish phase. You could consider entering on a breakout above the upper bull flag, aiming for continuation to the upside.
3. Support/Resistance Zones:
1-Hour Liquidity Zones (LQZ):
The chart shows two 1-hour liquidity zones:
Upper LQZ (Around 2660): Price is consolidating just below this area. This zone could act as short-term resistance but would be a strong area for a breakout and continuation move higher.
Lower LQZ (Around 2640): Should the price reject from the upper bull flag, this area is the next potential support zone where price could find liquidity and buyers might step back in.
4-Hour Liquidity Zone (Around 2622): This lower level is a major support area. If price retraces significantly, this could be a high-probability area for a reversal or continuation of the overall bullish trend.
Trade Implication: If the price breaks above the 1-hour LQZ (Upper), it could trigger a bullish continuation. If rejected, you might look for a retracement back to the lower LQZ or even the 4-hour LQZ for a potential buying opportunity.
4. Pattern Confirmation & Confluences:
Multi-Touch Confirmation:
The price has interacted with significant levels multiple times (ascending channel, bull flags, and liquidity zones), strengthening the idea that these levels are respected by the market. This gives added confidence in the patterns you are trading off of, such as bull flags and support levels.
Trinity Rule:
Before entering a trade, ensure you have at least three confluences. In this case, potential confluences include:
Price staying within the ascending channel.
Bull flag formation at the current level.
Proximity to key liquidity zones.
With these three factors, you can confidently look for a continuation to the upside.
5. Price Action Signals:
Correction vs. Impulse:
If the market continues to move upwards impulsively, it supports the bullish continuation thesis. However, if it begins to correct, expect a pullback towards the lower boundaries of the liquidity zones or the lower boundary of the ascending channel.
Trade Implication: If you see a sharp impulse (breakout of the upper bull flag), it could be a signal to enter long positions, while a slow corrective move might indicate waiting for a better entry lower.
6. Risk Management:
Stop Placement:
Place your stop loss below the lower boundary of the second bull flag or below the most recent swing low. For a safer trade, consider setting the stop just below the lower 1-hour LQZ (2640), where price may likely find support.
Trade Implication: This gives the trade room to breathe while protecting against a deeper pullback.
Take Profit:
Based on the bullish pattern, your first take profit should be just above the upper 1-hour LQZ around 2660, with the next take profit near the next liquidity zone or potential resistance levels further up.
7. Probable Scenarios:
Bullish Scenario: If price breaks above the upper 1-hour LQZ and the current bull flag, it could rally towards the next significant resistance level (around 2670-2680).
Bearish Scenario : If price rejects from the upper bull flag and falls below the lower 1-hour LQZ, it could retrace to the 4-hour LQZ around 2620. This area would then offer a high-probability long entry.
Summary of the Trade:
Bias: Bullish (based on the ascending channel, bull flags, and liquidity zones).
Entry Strategy:
Enter on a breakout above the upper bull flag, with the price moving above 2660.
Alternatively, if the price retraces, enter near the 2640 (lower 1-hour LQZ) or 2622 (4-hour LQZ).
Stop Loss: Below the lower 1-hour LQZ (2640) or the recent swing low within the bull flag consolidation.
Take Profit: Around 2670-2680 (based on the next potential resistance and liquidity zones).
How To Trade Off Liquidity Levels Following A Structure BreakoutGrasping how to trade around liquidity levels is crucial. The fundamentals of technical analysis revolve around identifying and leveraging these points.
One common mistake that new traders make is not choosing the right price levels for trades. This can lead to inadequate risk-reward setups and inconsistency in trading results.
What Are Liquidity Levels?
For large institutions and traders needing to execute substantial orders, locating sufficient liquidity is vital. A market’s liquidity significantly influences price volatility. When major players enter the market, they aim to achieve the best possible prices. However, due to the size of their orders, they need ample counter-orders to fill their trades while minimizing slippage. If a trader attempts to enter a position in a low-liquidity area, the resulting volatility can negatively impact their average entry price. Conversely, entering at a high-liquidity level usually means less price fluctuation, leading to a more favorable average price.
So, where can you find these liquidity levels? Look at where stop-loss orders are likely placed. This is where the concept of “stop-loss hunting” comes from—large players need liquidity to accumulate significant positions, which makes these areas of interest since they help reduce slippage.
A liquidity level arises from an initial imbalance in supply and demand, forming what we know as swing highs or lows. As more traders take positions, these levels become historical reference points for placing stops. When these levels are revisited, a decision point occurs, leading to either a breakout or a reversal.
A useful guideline is to watch for rejections that don’t reach a 50% retracement of the previous high or low, as this might indicate a lower-quality liquidity level. Strong rejections tend to indicate better chances of holding during retests. I personally look for rejections that result in a breakout into new highs or lows. Other factors, such as market conditions (risk-on/risk-off), broader market structure, and relevant economic data, also play a crucial role in assessing whether a level will hold.
Trading EUR/USD Using Liquidity Levels
To illustrate how to identify potential buying or selling opportunities based on liquidity levels, draw a horizontal line from the latest wick or swing high/low and extend it until it meets price again.
In the EUR/USD hourly chart example below, I selected a month’s worth of data, marking blue lines for liquidity levels that led to market structure breakouts (higher highs or lower lows) and red lines for levels where retests failed to break the structure. I recommend a strategy of targeting a 2:1 risk-reward ratio, setting stop-loss orders at half the size of the previous swing, moving to break even at 1:1.
By the end of this exercise, it should be clear that trading on liquidity levels with a breakout condition (blue lines) significantly increases your chances of success compared to trades that go against the prevailing market structure (red lines). If you focused solely on the blue levels, you might have experienced 6 winning trades and only 1 loss at a 2:1 risk-reward ratio.
By combining this approach with additional factors like aligning with higher timeframe cycles, considering fundamental analysis, and practicing disciplined risk management, you may find this strategy aligns with your trading style. I encourage you to explore this methodology through your own backtesting and see how it can enhance your trading arsenal.
Unlock the Market's Hidden Rollercoaster: How to Ride the WavesXau/Usd Review with my trading personality
As a Whimsical Rollercoaster Enthusiast, your trading style is likely driven by the excitement of quick market movements and the thrill of capturing early trades. You're probably someone who thrives on dynamic entries, enjoys the fast-paced action, and may have a more intuitive approach to the market. Let’s blend that with risk management to balance your adventurous spirit while still keeping a solid trading plan.
Technical Review for a Whimsical Rollercoaster Trader:
1. Key Levels to Watch:
2,595 (Resistance) and 2,580 (Support) are your playgrounds right now. You’re drawn to the thrill of what might happen at these zones.
If price pushes toward 2,595, you might feel an urge to jump in, expecting an immediate reaction. However, I encourage you to:
Embrace your adventurous nature but temper it with tactical precision.
Let the level hit and then wait for a quick confirmation (like a wick rejection or a mini pullback). This gives you both the excitement of early entry and higher probability without losing your edge.
Scenario: Price pushes toward 2,595. Here, your Risk Entry could be triggered:
Risk-Entry Plan:
Enter short at the first rejection of 2,595.
Set a tight stop-loss just above the liquidity zone (2,600), respecting your love for quick moves but protecting from being shaken out too soon.
Target the 2,580 area first, knowing the ride might be wild but worth it.
Why it suits you: It’s a quick decision, satisfying your need for speed, while the tight stop-loss aligns with managing risk. You get that thrill, but within guardrails.
2. Confirmation Entry – Building Momentum:
Confirmation Entries might feel a bit “slow” to you, but they can help ensure you stay in the game longer. Consider them when you want to ride bigger moves, not just quick scalp trades.
Scenario: If price breaks through 2,595, wait for a retest to confirm this zone is now support. Here’s where you bring in your whimsical nature: instead of waiting too long, spot a smaller timeframe pattern, like a bullish engulfing candle or a rejection wick, and go long.
Confirmation-Entry Plan:
Enter long at the retest of 2,595 after a clear rejection pattern. Think of it as waiting for the next loop on the rollercoaster — the bigger move is coming, and you want to be on board for it.
Set a slightly wider stop-loss, maybe under 2,580, to allow the trade to develop without getting knocked out early.
Aim for the next higher liquidity zones, like 2,600 or 2,615.
Why it suits you: This method still lets you catch the excitement of a momentum breakout, but the confirmation gives you more confidence. You still get the rush but with less risk of getting thrown out before the big move.
3. Patterns Within Patterns – Your Playground:
As a Whimsical Rollercoaster Enthusiast, you probably love when the market shows intricate patterns — they're like hidden rollercoaster tracks, revealing sudden twists and turns.
Scenario: If price breaks above 2,595, zoom into lower time frames and look for miniature patterns within the broader trend. You might find a bull flag within a larger ascending channel. Entering on these small corrective patterns can satisfy your need for fast-paced decision-making while riding the overall trend.
Plan:
Use these smaller patterns for quick entries. Set your stops just outside the pattern, and take profits quickly as the price breaks out.
Think of it as riding the small waves, but always looking for the bigger momentum move to follow.
Why it suits you: You’re jumping in on short-term opportunities while always keeping an eye on the next big move. This keeps you engaged and allows you to take action when you feel that burst of adrenaline without losing sight of the bigger picture.
4. Managing Whimsical Risk:
Stop-loss flexibility: As someone who enjoys spontaneity, a tight stop might feel restrictive but necessary. Here’s the compromise:
Set initial stops tight (like just above 2,595 if shorting), but allow yourself room to evolve the trade based on market action. If the trade moves in your favor, quickly move the stop to breakeven.
Mental Resilience: Losses will happen, but you need that mental discipline to jump back in without chasing every tick. Treat each trade like a separate rollercoaster ride — whether it’s a good or bad one, there’s always another one coming.
Use your intuition and excitement to recognize evolving setups. But keep a few rules in place to avoid the pitfalls of impulsivity (e.g., no more than 3 trades per day on a single idea to avoid over-trading).
5. Incorporating the Rule of Three:
For the rollercoaster trader, the Rule of Three is your ultimate guide. This rule asks you to identify at least three confirming factors before entering a trade:
Scenario: Price reaches 2,595:
You see a rejection (touch #1).
The lower time frame shows consolidation or a mini bear flag (touch #2).
Momentum begins to fade (touch #3).
Action: This triple confirmation allows you to short confidently, knowing you have the right mix of signals to back your bold entry.
Why it suits you: The Rule of Three still gives you the excitement of quickly entering trades but ensures they are high-probability setups. It prevents you from overtrading out of sheer excitement while still letting you capture those thrilling moves.
Summary Action Plan for a Whimsical Rollercoaster Trader:
Risk Entry: When you feel the market is ready to react at key levels (like 2,595), dive in! But do it smartly — use tight stop-losses and a quick decision-making process. Think of it as jumping onto the coaster right before it starts moving.
Confirmation Entry: Use this when you're looking for a bigger, smoother ride. Wait for the breakout-retest combo, then get in for the larger trend move. Stay patient here; it’s worth the wait.
Patterns within Patterns: Zoom into the mini rollercoasters inside the bigger structure. Catch the small waves but keep your eyes on the longer ride.
Trinity Rule : Ensure three factors align before entering. This rule keeps you disciplined while still embracing your whimsical nature.
Learn 7 Types of Liquidity Zones in Trading
In the today's article, we will discuss 7 main types of liquidity zones every trader must know.
Just a quick reminder that a liquidity zone is a specific area on a price chart where a huge amount of trading orders concentrate.
Read carefully, because your ability to recognize and distinguish them is essential for profitable trading.
1. Fibonacci Zones
The zones based on Fibonacci levels can concentrate the market liquidity.
Classic Fibonacci retracement levels: 0,382; 0,5; 0,618; 0.786
and Fibonacci Extension levels: 1,272; 1,414; 1,618 attract market participants and the liquidity.
Above, you can see an example of a liquidity zone based on 0,618 retracement level.
The reaction of the price to that Fib.level clearly indicate the concentration of liquidity around that.
Also, there are specific areas on a price chart where Fibonacci levels of different impulse legs will match.
Such zones will be called Fibonacci confluence zones.
Fibonacci confluence zones will be more significant Fibonacci based liquidity zones.
Above, is the example of a confluence zone that is based on 0,618 and 0,5 retracement levels of 2 impulses.
The underlined area is a perfect example of a significant liquidity zone that serves as the magnet for the price.
2. Psychological Zones
Psychological zones, based on psychological price levels and round numbers , quite often concentrate the market liquidity.
Look at a psychological level on WTI Crude Oil. 80.0 level composes a significant liquidity zones that proved its significance by multiple tests and strong bullish and bearish reactions to that.
3. Volume Based Zones
The analysis of market volumes with different technical indicators can show the liquidity zones where high trading volumes concentrate.
One of such indicators is Volume Profile.
On the right side, Volume Profile indicate the concentration of trading volumes on different price levels.
Volume spikes will show us the liquidity zones.
4. Historic Zones
Historic liquidity zones will be the areas on a price chart based on historically significant price levels.
Market participants pay close attention to the price levels that were respected by the market in the past. For that reason, such levels attract the market liquidity.
Above, you can see a historically significant price level on Silver.
It will compose an important liquidity zone.
5. Trend Lined Based Zones
Quite often, historically significant falling or rising trend lines can compose the liquidity zones.
Above is the example of an important rising trend line on GBPJPY pair.
Because of its historical significance, it will attract the market liquidity.
Trend lined based liquidity zone will be also called a floating liquidity area because it moves with time.
6. Technical Indicators Based Zones
Popular technical indicators may attract the market liquidity.
For example, universally applied Moving Average can concentrate huge trading volumes.
In the example above, a floating area around a commonly applied Simple Moving Average with 50 length, acts as a significant liquidity zone on EURJPY.
7. Confluence Zones
Confluence zones are the liquidity zones based on a confluence of liquidity zones of different types.
For example, a match between historic zones, Fibonacci zones and volume based zones.
Such liquidity zones are considered to be the most significant.
Look at the underlined liquidity zone on US100 index.
It is based on a historical price action, psychological level 17000, significant volume concentration indicated by volume indicator and 618 Fibonacci retracement.
Always remember a simple rule: the more different liquidity zone types match within a single area, the more significant is the confluence zone.
Your ability to recognize the significant liquidity zones is essential for predicting the market movements and recognition of important reversal areas.
Liquidity zones are the integral element of various trading strategies. Its identification and recognition is a core stone of technical analysis.
Study that with care and learn by heart all the liquidity types that we discussed today.
❤️Please, support my work with like, thank you!❤️
XAU/USD Strategy: Pattern Recognition and Trade ExecutionComprehensive Market Breakdown for XAU/USD (Gold Spot) Based on Multi-Time Frame Analysis
Overview:
The analysis of XAU/USD across multiple time frames (15-minute, 30-minute, 1-hour, and 4-hour) indicates a complex market structure with both bullish and bearish signals. This detailed breakdown will provide insights into the current market conditions, key patterns to watch, potential trading strategies, and risk management considerations.
1. 15-Minute Time Frame: Symmetrical Triangle Pattern
Pattern Details:
Symmetrical Triangle: This pattern is characterized by converging trend lines connecting lower highs and higher lows, indicating indecision in the market.
Apex Proximity: The price is nearing the apex of the triangle, suggesting a potential breakout is imminent.
Implications:
Neutral Bias: The symmetrical triangle does not inherently suggest a bullish or bearish bias but indicates a potential breakout in either direction depending on market sentiment.
Volume Confirmation: A breakout with a significant surge in volume will confirm the direction of the move.
Trading Strategy:
Bullish Breakout: If the price breaks above the upper trendline with strong volume, consider entering long positions targeting previous resistance levels.
Bearish Breakout: Conversely, if the price breaks below the lower trendline with increased volume, consider short positions targeting previous support levels.
Stop-Loss Placement: Place stops just outside the opposite side of the breakout point to mitigate risks from false breakouts.
2. 30-Minute Time Frame: Mixed Channels (Descending and Ascending)
Patterns Observed:
Descending Channels: Suggest bearish continuation if in a downtrend or a potential reversal if broken to the upside.
Ascending Channels: Suggest bullish continuation if in an uptrend but signal a potential reversal if broken to the downside.
Market Implications:
Corrective Phase: The presence of both descending and ascending channels indicates the market is in a corrective phase, oscillating between support and resistance levels.
Range-Bound Trading: Until a significant breakout occurs, the market is likely to remain range-bound.
Trading Strategy:
Range Trading: Consider buying at the lower boundaries of the channels and selling at the upper boundaries.
Breakout Preparation: Prepare for a potential breakout by setting alerts around key levels (upper and lower boundaries of the channels).
Stop-Loss Placement: Place stops just outside the channels to protect against unexpected breakouts.
3. 1-Hour Time Frame: Rising Wedge Pattern
Pattern Details:
Rising Wedge: This pattern is characterized by higher highs and higher lows within a narrowing upward slope, typically a bearish reversal pattern.
Implications:
Bearish Reversal: The rising wedge suggests that upward momentum is weakening, and a potential breakdown could follow.
Reversal Zone: The price is near the upper boundary of the wedge, which may serve as a reversal zone, especially if a breakout to the downside occurs on high volume.
Trading Strategy:
Short Entry on Breakdown: Enter short positions if the price breaks below the lower trendline of the wedge with confirming volume.
Target Levels: Target the lower boundary of the larger ascending channel or previous support levels as take-profit points.
Stop-Loss Placement: Set stops above the most recent high within the wedge to protect against false breakouts.
4. 4-Hour Time Frame: Broader Rising Channel and Nested Patterns
Patterns Observed:
Broad Rising Channel: Indicates a larger uptrend is intact, providing a bullish bias.
Nested Descending Channels: Smaller corrective patterns within the broader uptrend suggest temporary pauses or consolidation phases before potential continuation moves.
Key Levels to Watch:
Resistance at 2,540: A break above this level would suggest a bullish continuation and potential for new highs.
Support at 2,470: A break below this level would indicate a significant shift in market sentiment towards bearishness.
Market Implications:
Potential Continuation or Reversal: The larger rising channel gives more weight to potential continuation moves, but the presence of smaller corrective patterns within suggests caution.
Echo Phase: The nested descending channel could represent an echo phase, a corrective move within the larger uptrend.
Trading Strategy:
Long Positions on Break Above 2,540: Enter long positions if the price breaks above this resistance level with confirming volume.
Short Positions on Break Below 2,470: Consider short positions if the price breaks below this support level with increased volume.
Volume Confirmation: Ensure any breakout is confirmed with a surge in volume to avoid false signals.
Risk Management: Use wider stops given the higher time frame context to avoid being stopped out by market noise.
5. Synthesis of Multi-Time Frame Analysis:
Confluence of Patterns: The alignment of rising wedges, symmetrical triangles, and mixed channels across multiple time frames suggests a market at a critical juncture. The presence of both bullish and bearish signals indicates that the market is poised for a decisive move.
Key Takeaways for Traders:
Patience and Discipline: Wait for confirmed breakouts with volume before entering trades. Do not rush into trades without sufficient confirmation.
Adaptability: Be prepared to adapt strategies based on the direction of the breakout or breakdown. Use alerts and monitor key levels closely.
Focus on Higher Time Frame Signals: Higher time frame signals carry more weight and should be given priority when making trading decisions.
Risk Management: Employ tight stops and carefully manage position sizes to limit exposure in case of adverse market movements.
6. Final Recommendations:
Potential Bullish Scenario:
Watch for a break above 2,540 on strong volume across multiple time frames. A confirmed breakout could lead to a bullish continuation towards new highs.
Potential Bearish Scenario:
Monitor for a breakdown below 2,470, especially if supported by a break of the rising wedge and descending channel patterns. A breakdown here would signal a shift to a bearish trend.
By combining these insights with real-time monitoring of market conditions, traders can enhance their decision-making process and capitalize on high-probability trade setups in the XAU/USD market.
How Spotting Liquidity Can Help Your Trading StrategyUnderstanding where liquidity exists in the market can help enhance your trading success in a few ways:
1. It can help you understand where potential blocks of liquidation could occur. The market is often attracted to these block and will liquidate there.
2. It can help you confirm patterns that exist on you charts
3. It can help you spot new patterns which you may not have spotted previously.
Let's take a quick look at the "Liquidity Swings" indicator by LuxAlgo in this video.
Quarter Theory: Mastering Algorithmic Price Movements!Greetings Traders, and welcome back!
In today's video, we’ll dive deep into Quarter Theory—a powerful concept that can take your trading to the next level. We’ll break it down step-by-step, explain how it works, and show you how to implement it into your strategy.
Quarter Theory is all about studying the algorithmic price delivery within the markets. It’s grounded in Time and Price Theory, which suggests that significant market moves often occur at specific price levels and times. This foundational idea will help us predict price movements more effectively.
If you haven’t already, be sure to check out the previous videos in the High Probability Trading Zones playlist for the key concepts you’ll need to fully grasp today’s content. For those watching on TradingView, links to previous videos will be included to help you catch up.
Mastering Institutional Order Flow & Price Delivery:
Premium & Discount Price Delivery in Institutional Trading:
We’re kicking off a weekly series on Quarter Theory, with the goal of helping you build a robust trading model by the end. Stay tuned!
Best Regards,
The_Architect
Liquidity is KEY to the MarketsIn this video I go through more about liquidity and why it is important.
The markets move because of liquidity. Without liquidity, there is no trading. The larger the trader, the larger the liquidity required. Understanding the concept of liquidity and the fractal nature of price, trading becomes very interesting. A whole new world opens up to you and you no longer have to keep guessing where price is going. You no longer have to keep chasing candles.
I hope you find this video insightful.
- R2F
Premium & Discount Price Delivery in Institutional TradingGreetings Traders!
In today's educational video, we will delve into the concepts of premium and discount price delivery. The objective is to provide you with a comprehensive understanding of institutional-level market mechanics. Before we proceed, it is crucial to define what we mean by "institutional level" and "smart money," as these terms are often misunderstood. We will also address the common misconceptions about who the liquidity providers are in the market.
By grasping these foundational concepts, you will gain a new perspective on the market, realizing that its movements are not random but calculated and precise, orchestrated by well-informed entities often referred to as smart money.
If you have any questions, please leave them in the comment section below.
Best Regards,
The_Architect
Mastering Institutional Order Flow & Price DeliveryGreetings traders!
Welcome back to today's video! In this educational session, we'll delve into the concept of institutional order flow. Our objective is to accurately identify market reversals and trend continuations. By mastering the draw on liquidity, we will gain a clearer understanding of whether the market is experiencing bullish or bearish institutional order flow. To accomplish this, we will analyze the behavior of smart money and trace their footprints.
Join us as we uncover these crucial insights together.
If you haven't seen the " Premium & Discount Price Delivery in Institutional Trading " video, here is the link:
Happy Trading,
The_Architect
Forex Market Liquidity: Analysis and Implications for TradersForex Market Liquidity: Analysis and Implications for Traders
The foreign exchange market is renowned for its dynamic and fast-paced nature. As traders navigate this landscape, understanding the concept of liquidity becomes crucial. In this article, we analyse its components, explore factors that influence it, measure and analyse its impact, discuss potential risks for traders, and present real-life examples to illustrate its implications.
What Is Liquidity in the Forex Market?
Liquidity in the forex market refers to the ease with which a currency pair can be bought or sold without causing a significant change in its price. Highly liquid assets are usually easily tradable, while less liquid assets may experience more considerable price fluctuations during transactions and bear higher spreads.
Liquidity Components
The liquidity of a currency pair is influenced by several factors, which traders need to consider when constructing a liquidity-proof trading strategy. These include the market depth, the bid-ask spread, and the trading volume.
- Market depth represents the number of buy and sell orders at different price levels in the order book. A deep market with many orders at different price levels typically suggests higher liquidity.
- The bid-ask spread is the difference between the highest price a buyer agrees to pay and the lowest price a seller agrees to accept. A narrower spread typically indicates higher liquidity, while a wider spread reflects lower liquidity. Traders often monitor the spread to gauge current conditions.
- Trading volume refers to the total number of currency units traded within a specified period. Higher trading volume generally indicates greater liquidity, signalling a robust trend. Low trading volume could indicate liquidity issues.
Risks for Traders Arising From Liquidity Levels in Forex
Liquidity is a crucial consideration for traders as it directly affects transaction costs and the ease of entering or exiting positions. High levels generally result in lower transaction costs and less slippage, providing traders with potentially more exciting conditions. Additionally, liquidity may contribute to price stability, reducing the impact of large trades on prices.
Low levels, on the other hand, can pose certain risks that traders must be aware of. In illiquid markets, larger trades can have a more pronounced impact on prices, potentially resulting in random price movements and unfavourable execution prices. Forex market liquidity implications suggest that low liquidity can lead to increased volatility, making it challenging to analyse price movements accurately. In low liquidity conditions, traders may also experience slippage and delays in order execution, impacting the efficiency of trades.
Factors Influencing Liquidity in Forex Trading
Various factors influence current market liquidity in the forex market, and understanding these dynamics is essential for traders:
- Market Participants: The presence of a diverse range of participants, including retail traders, institutional investors, and central banks, contributes to liquidity. A balanced mix of participants often leads to a more liquid market.
- Economic Indicators: Economic releases, such as employment data, GDP figures, and interest rate decisions, can significantly impact a currency’s trading activity. Traders often witness increased volatility before and after such data is released, affecting market liquidity.
- Time of Day: Forex operates 24 hours a day, five days a week. Volume varies depending on the time of day, with peak liquidity during the overlap of major trading sessions.
Forex Market Liquidity Indicators and Measures
Assessing quantitative metrics is a fundamental initial step in a profound forex market liquidity analysis. Let’s discuss some popular indicators which can help evaluate the liquidity level using the trading volume:
- On-Balance Volume (OBV): OBV assesses the strength of a price trend by evaluating the relationship between volume flow and price movements. Higher liquidity often accompanies stronger and more sustained price trends.
- Volume Oscillator: When the volume oscillator is positive or above a specific threshold, it indicates that the recent trading volume has been relatively high. This may suggest that there is more liquidity in the asset.
- Money Flow Index (MFI): The MFI considers trading volume as a component of its calculation. A high trading volume, when combined with significant price movements, can result in a higher MFI reading, indicating strong market participation and potentially higher liquidity. A low trading volume during price movements may result in a lower MFI reading, suggesting reduced liquidity and potentially less market interest.
Price Gaps: In illiquid markets, there are fewer participants and lower trading volumes. In such conditions, price gaps are more likely to happen and can be more substantial. With fewer participants, it becomes challenging to match buyers and sellers efficiently. As a result, a significant order or news event can lead to a notable price gap when the market reopens.
You can visit FXOpen and explore new trading opportunities for some of the most liquid currency pairs through the free TickTrader trading platform.
Real-Life Examples of FX Liquidity
To illustrate the importance of considering liquidity in a forex strategy and how it can impact trader behaviour, let’s consider some real-life examples:
The 2015 Swiss Franc Depegging
In 2015, the sudden decision by the Swiss National Bank (SNB) to remove the Swiss Franc (CHF) peg against the euro had a profound impact on the forex. The depegging in January 2015 led to a sudden drop in value, causing not only an unprecedented shift in trading dynamics but also triggering a significant price gap. The market experienced a reduction in trading volume, highlighting the challenges of liquidity in the face of unexpected events.
High Volumes During Trading Session Overlaps
The EUR/USD currency pair experiences varying trading volumes throughout different global sessions, primarily influenced by the overlap of major trading hours. The chart below depicts the significant volume spikes occurring during the overlap between the European (UTC 08:00 - 17:00) and North American (UTC 13:00 - 22:00) sessions, commonly known as the "London-New York overlap." This period witnesses peak trading volumes, providing traders with optimal conditions for executing trades.
Takeaway
Understanding liquidity is paramount for traders navigating the complexities of the financial markets. By comprehending the components of trading activity and analysing influencing factors and their impact on real-life trading, traders may make more informed decisions to potentially reduce risks and optimise their trading strategies. You trade forex and commodity, stock, and index CFDs today by opening an FXOpen account!
This article represents the opinion of the Companies operating under the FXOpen brand only. It is not to be construed as an offer, solicitation, or recommendation with respect to products and services provided by the Companies operating under the FXOpen brand, nor is it to be considered financial advice.
ICT's Market Maker Model - An Easy to Understand GuideIn this video I try to explain ICT's Market Maker Model as simply as I can.
This model basically depicts how smart money efficiently facilitates their positions in the marketplace. It is important to understand some concepts beforehand, such as liquidity, AMD/PO3, market efficiency, crowd mentality, and the fractal nature of price.
I hope you find the video insightful and that it helps you utilize Market Maker Models in your trading.
- R2F
Trade Like A Sniper - Episode 9 - NQ1- (31st May 2024)This video is part of a video series where I backtest a specific asset using the TradingView Replay function, and perform a top-down analysis in order to frame ONE high-probability setup. I choose a random point of time to replay, and begin to work my way down the timeframes. Trading like a sniper is not about entries with no drawdown. It is about careful planning, discipline, and taking your shot at the right time in the best of conditions.
A couple of things to note:
- I cannot see news events.
- I cannot change timeframes without affecting my bias due to higher-timeframe candles revealing its entire range.
- I cannot go to a very low timeframe due to the limit in amount of replayed candlesticks
In this session I will be analyzing E-mini NASDAQ, starting from the Weekly chart.
- R2F
Liquidity Hunt PatternLiquidity Hunt Pattern
Uncover Hidden Opportunities in the Market
Introduction:
The Liquidity Hunt Pattern is a powerful technical analysis tool that helps traders identify potential turning points in the market. By understanding how this pattern forms and its implications, traders can gain an edge in uncovering hidden opportunities and making informed trading decisions.
What is the Liquidity Hunt Pattern?
The Liquidity Hunt Pattern is characterized by a series of price movements that create a distinct "W" or "M" shape on the chart. This pattern forms when large institutional players, known as "liquidity providers" enter the market to buy or sell large quantities of assets. Their actions create temporary imbalances in supply and demand, leading to price swings that can be exploited by astute traders.
Identifying the Pattern:
The Liquidity Hunt Pattern consists of three key elements:
The "W" or "M" shape: This is the most recognizable feature of the pattern and is formed by a series of price swings that create the distinctive letter shape.
Volume spikes: The pattern is often accompanied by significant volume spikes, indicating the presence of large institutional activity.
Breakout or breakdown: The pattern typically resolves with a breakout or breakdown, signaling a potential change in the market direction.
Trading the Liquidity Hunt Pattern:
Traders can use the Liquidity Hunt Pattern to identify potential entry and exit points for their trades. By understanding the dynamics of the pattern, traders can:
Anticipate potential turning points: The pattern can signal potential reversals or continuations in the market trend.
Identify high-probability trading setups: The pattern can be used to identify areas where the risk-reward ratio is favorable.
Manage risk effectively: The pattern can help traders set stop-loss and take-profit levels to manage their risk exposure.
Conclusion:
The Liquidity Hunt Pattern is a valuable tool for traders of all levels. By understanding its formation and implications, traders can gain an edge in the market and uncover hidden opportunities for profitable trades.
Let's Talk Liquidity! ⚒️At first, Liquidity may seem like an abstract and confusing concept reserved for only those Finance nerds and geeks to tackle. Turns out it's really not too sophisticated after all and can be though of in terms of Fomo. Fomo if you are not aware already is simply a concept related to chasing the market because of a Fear of missing out. Any action out of fear is typically not the best choice. In trading, this is especially true.
Liquidity is what the market needs prior to a big move. Liquidity doesn't necessarily mean that the market needs to pin an extreme low or high from the previous session. Liquidity is also gathered when the market ranges/consolidates for awhile. If you go back and backtest, you will observe that preceding a large move, the market usually consolidates first. Liquidity also dries up during Asian session. You can observe that the volatility is much smaller than London/Ny session as the market moves alot less # of pips. Liquidity dries up prior to news annoucnemnts becuase of uncertainty obviously. This is the very reason why the market moves so much during news is because of lower participation from larger market participants, therefore an increased chance of wild and random price movements.
This is explained more in depth in this concept video, Let's talk Liquidity.
A further breakdown of how I read the market and all the "lines"Key words to understand:
- Tapering
- Liquidity
- Tapering
- Tapering
It's important to understand how liquidity plays a role in moving price and what it actually means. In order for price to make a solid move anywhere, there has to be liquidity built up for price to grab (use) to break out of strong resistance levels (i.e. levels with lots of sellers ready to short when price gets there).
Tapering is a way of seeing a lack of liquidity by a certain side - if we begin tapering from a strong buying channel to a less strong buying channel, it typically means we are lacking liquidity to break out of that strong selling level (i.e. the top of a more tapered channel acts as a level of resistance because the more tapered it is (or the more horizontal it is), the more it lines up for all sellers to get in at the same price win the battle.
This all makes so much sense to me and it is the key for you to unlock the market . To be able to tell a story in every chart and understand who is in charge, why there in charge, and what each side has to do in order to win their next battle.
Please reach out with any questions, comments, etc. I am here for you !
Happy Trading :)
Goldbach levels explained The algorithm uses the following equation
3x3 =9
9x3 =27
27x3=81
81x3=243
243x3=729
729x3=2187
And so on…
These are our power of 3 numbers we want to keep in mind.
When we get the final result, charts will move 3,9,27,81,243,729 pips..or points or dollars at a time.
It employs goldbach levels using (po3) dealing ranges and completes objectives along each (DR) from low to high and back .
Why don’t your fair value gap or order fail to work sometimes but not always?
The dealing range you see has labels- each of icts pd arrays form and work specifically inside of the right level. Order block forms in ob
Fvg forms on fv
Liquidity voids ( long insane runs / candles) start from the lv levels ONLY.
breakers form in br
Mitigation block is mb
Rb is rejection block
If you are a Fvg or order block trader you need to understand this. The algorithm will only form the correct structure in the correct area…again like all ict concepts, it is completely fractal in nature.
Each po3 number has It’s own dealing range and smaller ones (3,9,27) all work inside of the higher ones (81,243,729)
From high to low is just these numbers in amount of pips ..
27 dr (dealing range) is 27 pips and so on, they are made up of a premium and discount also
Buy in a discount, sell in a premium..ya once 0.5 is a premium market
Since I’m on the daily using more time to swing, I’m using a 243 and 729 dealing range.
We are bearish. The algorithm is perfect.you have to open your mind to see what’s really happening…..
Understanding LIQUIDITYIn this video I try to explain liquidity as it pertains to training in a simple manner.
Liquidity are basically orders in the marketplace. Since trading is a zero-sum game, without liquidity, there is no trading. Simply put, If you wanted to BUY, then you would need someone to SELL to you, and vice versa.
Smart Money has deep pockets and needs a large amount of liquidity to facilitate their positions. They want to be able to get in and our of their trades, as well as to be able to trade with capital that would be worth the reward.
The largest pools of liquidity usually reside above swing highs and lows, and equal highs and lows (double/triple tops and bottoms). Support and Resistance ideologies dominate the market, and besides that, psychologically it makes sense to put stoplosses at such areas rather than at some random area within a range. There are also breakout traders who see price breaking out of an area as a sign of strength (or weakness if bearish) and they set their entries above/below these levels. This is how liquidity is "engineered" in the market and sentiment manipulated. These pools of liquidity can be seen as a magnet, drawing price to these levels, either to grab liquidity before reversing or continuing in its current direction.
- R2F
Why You Should Avoid Trading Standard Patterns: Deeper AnalysisTrading based on technical analysis is a popular way for traders to identify market opportunities. One of the most common methods of technical analysis is the use of chart patterns. These patterns are recognizable formations created by price movements on a chart.
Traders use these patterns to identify potential areas of support and resistance, as well as trend reversals. However, there are several reasons why you should avoid trading standard patterns:
1. Widespread Awareness and Anticipation:
Standard patterns are well-known and widely anticipated by market participants. This means that they are already priced in, making trading them a low-probability strategy.
2. Potential for False Signals:
The formation of a pattern on a chart does not guarantee the expected outcome. In fact, standard patterns can often lead to false breakouts and failed trades.
3. Difficulty in Trading Effectively:
Trading standard patterns effectively requires a high level of skill and experience. Without a deep understanding of market structure and price behavior, traders can easily fall victim to false signals and whipsaws.
Advantages of Trading Liquidity Patterns:
Liquidity patterns offer a more effective and reliable alternative to standard patterns. These patterns are based on the concept of market liquidity, which refers to the ease with which an asset can be bought or sold without impacting its price. By identifying areas of high and low liquidity, traders can gain an edge in the market.
In-depth Analysis of Popular Patterns:
1. Double Bottom:
The classic double bottom pattern is a bullish reversal pattern that forms when the price of an asset makes two consecutive lows at the same level, followed by a rally.
However, the standard double bottom pattern has a significant drawback: it leaves liquidity below the lows, which can lead to false breakouts and failed trades.
A more effective way to trade this pattern is to look for a lower low. This occurs when the price makes a new low below the previous two lows. This indicates that the market is absorbing all the sell liquidity and is ready to move higher.
2. Triangle:
A triangle is a consolidation pattern that forms when the price of an asset ranges between two converging trendlines.
Traders often look for breakout trades in triangles, but this can be risky.
False breakouts are a common occurrence in triangle patterns.
This is because market makers often manipulate the price to induce traders to break out of the pattern, only to reverse the price and trap them in losing trades.
A more effective way to trade triangles is to look for liquidity grabs. This occurs when the price moves outside of the triangle, only to quickly return back inside. This indicates that market makers are taking liquidity from the market and are preparing to move the price in the opposite direction.
Practical Tips for Trading Liquidity Patterns:
Always trade with the trend. Liquidity patterns are most effective when they are traded in the direction of the overall trend.
Use stop-loss orders to protect your downside. This will help to limit your losses if the trade does not go your way.
Be patient and wait for the right setup. Don't force trades and only take those that meet your criteria.
Additional Considerations:
Market context: It is important to consider the overall market context when trading liquidity patterns. For example, patterns are more likely to be successful in trending markets than in range-bound markets.
Risk management : Always use sound risk management principles when trading, regardless of the pattern you are using. This includes using stop-loss orders and position sizing appropriately.
False signals: It is important to be aware of the potential for false signals when trading liquidity patterns. Not all patterns will lead to successful trades, and it is important to be prepared for losses.