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GBP/USD - Weekly Liquidity & Fair Value Gaps AnalysisOverview The British Pound (GBP/USD) is currently trading around 1.2652, showing a bullish recovery after sweeping weekly sell-side liquidity. Price has reacted from a weekly fair value gap (W.FVG) / BISI and is approaching key resistance levels. Key Levels & Liquidity Zones 📌 Weekly Sellside Liquidity: Taken, leading to a bullish reversal. 📌 Weekly Buy-side Sweep: Possible target around 1.2774 (50% retracement). 📌 W.FVG // BISI (Bullish Imbalance Sellside Inefficiency): Acting as support. 📌 W.FVG / SIBI (Sell-side Imbalance Buy-side Inefficiency): A potential rejection zone around 1.2774. Technical Outlook 🔹 Bullish Reversal: The price has bounced from key liquidity zones, suggesting further upside. 🔹 Fair Value Gaps (FVGs): The market has filled some inefficiencies but still has upside targets. 🔹 Potential Scenarios: A continuation towards 1.2774 (weekly resistance & FVG fill). A possible rejection at that level before resuming the trend. Trade Plan ✅ Bullish Bias: Looking for pullbacks into support (W.FVG) for long opportunities. ❌ Bearish Confirmation: Rejection from 1.2774 could signal a retracement. 📊 Risk Management: Stop-loss placement below recent structure lows. 🔥 Watch these liquidity sweeps and fair value gaps for potential trading opportunities! 📌 Like & Follow for more trade ideas! 🚀
Long
by PIPsOptimizer
Liquidity Sweeps: A Complete Guide to Smart Money Manipulation!🔹 What is a Liquidity Sweep? A liquidity sweep occurs when price temporarily moves beyond a key level, such as a previous swing high or low to trigger stop-losses and lure breakout traders into bad positions before reversing in the opposite direction. This is a classic smart money technique used to grab liquidity before initiating the real move. Financial markets need liquidity to function, and institutions (smart money) can’t enter or exit large positions without it. Instead of chasing price like retail traders, they manipulate price to engineered levels where liquidity is resting, allowing them to fill their orders without causing massive slippage. 🔹 How Liquidity Works in the Market To understand liquidity sweeps, it’s important to know where liquidity pools exist. These are areas where a high number of stop-loss orders and pending market orders are placed. Stop-loss liquidity: Traders set stop-losses above swing highs and below swing lows. When price hits these levels, stop-loss orders trigger as market orders, adding fuel for big moves. Breakout trader liquidity: Many traders enter buy trades when a high is broken and sell trades when a low is broken. Smart money often uses these breakout orders as liquidity before reversing the market. Essentially, liquidity sweeps allow smart money to take the opposite side of retail traders’ positions before moving the market in their favor. 🔹 Identifying Liquidity Sweeps on the Chart A valid liquidity sweep has three key components: 1️⃣ A Key Liquidity Zone: Look for well-defined swing highs and lows where stop-losses are likely sitting. Equal highs and equal lows are prime targets because many traders place stops there. Areas with high trading activity (volume profile levels, POCs) are also potential liquidity pools. 2️⃣ A Quick Price Spike Through That Level: Price briefly moves beyond a high or low, triggering stop-losses and luring breakout traders in the wrong direction. This move often happens suddenly, with a sharp candle wick or a short-term breakout that quickly fails. 3️⃣ An Immediate Reversal (Rejection): Price fails to hold above/below the liquidity level and reverses aggressively. Strong rejection candles like long wicks, bearish engulfing (after a buy-side sweep), or bullish engulfing (after a sell-side sweep) confirm the sweep. The stronger the rejection, the higher the probability that smart money just manipulated price to collect liquidity before the real move. 🔹 Types of Liquidity Sweeps 🔸 Buy-Side Liquidity Sweep (Bull Trap) Price spikes above a key high, triggering stop-losses from short sellers and inducing breakout buyers. If price fails to hold above that level and quickly reverses, it confirms the sweep. This is a signal that price is likely to drop as smart money absorbs liquidity before selling off. Example of a buy side liquidity sweep (BSL) 🔸 Sell-Side Liquidity Sweep (Bear Trap) Price dips below a key low, triggering stop-losses from long traders and trapping breakout sellers. If price fails to hold below that level and quickly reverses, it confirms the sweep. This is a signal that price is likely to rise as smart money collects liquidity before pushing higher. A liquidity sweep is not just a random wick, it’s a strategic price move designed to trap traders before a reversal. Example of a sell side liquidity sweep (SSL) 🔹 Why Liquidity Sweeps Matter Liquidity sweeps provide traders with some of the highest probability reversal signals because they: ✔ Show where institutions and smart money are active ✔ Confirm major support and resistance levels ✔ Help traders avoid false breakouts ✔ Provide excellent risk-to-reward setups Once a liquidity sweep is confirmed, price often moves aggressively in the opposite direction, as smart money has finished collecting liquidity and is now driving price toward their true target. 🔹 How to Use Liquidity Sweeps in Your Trading 1️⃣ Identify Key Liquidity Zones Mark previous swing highs and lows where traders are likely placing stop-losses. Pay attention to equal highs/lows and tight consolidations, as these areas tend to hold a lot of liquidity. Use volume profile tools to see where the highest liquidity clusters exist. 2️⃣ Wait for a Liquidity Sweep & Rejection Don’t enter just because price broke a high/low, wait for confirmation. A strong rejection candle (wick, engulfing pattern, pin bar, etc.) signals that the sweep was a trap. Lower timeframes (5m, 15m) can help confirm entry after a sweep happens on higher timeframes. 3️⃣ Combine with Other Confluences Liquidity sweeps are most effective when combined with: ✅ Fair Value Gaps (FVGs): Price often sweeps liquidity before filling an imbalance. ✅ Order Blocks: Smart money enters positions at order block levels after a sweep. ✅ Fibonacci Retracements: Sweeps often happen near the Golden Pocket (0.618 - 0.65). ✅ Volume Profile (POC): If a sweep happens near a Point of Control (POC), it adds extra confluence. The more confirmations you have, the higher the probability of a successful trade! 🔹 Common Mistakes Traders Make with Liquidity Sweeps Entering too early: A liquidity sweep needs confirmation. Wait for a clear rejection before trading. Ignoring higher timeframes: The strongest sweeps happen on 1H, 4H, and Daily charts. Lower timeframes can be noisy. Forgetting the invalidation rule: If price closes above/below the liquidity sweep level, the move may not be valid. Chasing price after a sweep: Always look for an optimal entry (retracement to a key level) rather than impulsively entering. 🔹 Advanced Tips for Trading Liquidity Sweeps 📌 Use Time-of-Day Analysis: Liquidity sweeps often occur before major sessions open (London, New York, etc.). Many sweeps happen during high impact news releases, be cautious. 📌 Look for Repeated Sweeps at the Same Level: If price sweeps liquidity multiple times without follow through, it increases the chance of a strong reversal. A double or triple sweep is a powerful confirmation that smart money is manipulating price before a real move. 📌 Use Liquidity Sweeps for Entry & Exit Points: Entering after a confirmed liquidity sweep can provide great risk-to-reward setups. Use liquidity sweeps as take-profit targets if price is approaching a key high/low, expect a sweep before reversal. 📌 Final Thoughts: Mastering Liquidity Sweeps Liquidity sweeps are one of the most powerful tools in a trader’s arsenal because they reveal smart money’s true intentions. By understanding how they work, traders can: ✅ Avoid being trapped by false breakouts ✅ Identify high-probability reversal points ✅ Follow smart money instead of fighting it Next time you see price breaking a high or low, don’t immediately assume it’s a breakout. Look for the liquidity sweep if it happens, it could be a game changer for your trading strategy. 🚀 Also, check out our Liquidity sweep indicator! __________________________________________ If you found this guide helpful or learned something new, drop a like 👍 and leave a comment. I’d love to hear your thoughts! 🚀 Make sure to follow me for more price action insights, free indicators, and trading strategies. Let’s grow and trade smarter together! 📈✨
KRAKEN:BTCUSDEducation
by TehThomas
1
ETH Update | ICT Distribution Setup - $2.2k as PlannedMy latest posts on ETH was to see a falling wedge breakout to the upside when price was trading around $3.5k At the same time I was shorting the pivot points inside the wedge Chart patterns are fine to use here and there but in all realness Market Cycles overpower when using true price action analysis. I had a hunch price would fall lower at the time but was trying to force a bullish bias which is bad, and could have let the positions run for longer. Now that we're at a major support level I would like to see some type of accumulation pattern/consolidation before we make a call for $3k Market Horizon: Looking to see a market-wide bounce in the months of April, possible pullback/selloff in May. For now we wait🧘‍♂️
BITSTAMP:ETHUSD
by Nathanl19
GBP/USD - Fair Value Gap (FVG) Short SetupOverview: A bearish reversal setup based on Fair Value Gaps (FVGs), a concept used in Smart Money trading strategies. Key Technical Insights: 🔹 Fair Value Gap (FVG) Zones: The price is approaching an FVG entry zone around 1.2700, which may act as resistance. A second FVG zone is located around 1.2850 - 1.2900, offering a secondary entry for shorts. 🔹 Bearish Trade Setup: The plan anticipates a reaction at the first FVG zone, leading to a downside move. If price continues higher, the second FVG zone provides another opportunity to enter shorts. 🔹 Stop Loss & Target: Stop Loss: Placed above 1.2928 to protect against invalidation. Target: 1.2350 - 1.2400, aligning with previous demand zones and imbalance filling. Trade Plan: 📌 Entry Strategy: Watch for bearish confirmation (e.g., rejection candles, lower time frame structure shift) at the FVG entry zone. If price moves beyond the first FVG, consider a second entry at 1.2850 - 1.2900. 📌 Exit Strategy: Take Profit: At the 1.2350 - 1.2400 target zone for a favorable risk-to-reward trade. Stop Loss: Above 1.2928 to mitigate risk. Final Thoughts: ✅ Bearish bias unless price breaks above 1.2928. ✅ Look for rejection at FVG zones for ideal entries. ✅ Potential downside move towards 1.2350 target. 📉 Patience is key—wait for confirmation before entering! 🚀
Short
by PIPsOptimizer
Trading EURUSD and AUDUSD | Judas Swing Strategy 18/02/2025The previous trading week wrapped up on a profitable note, delivering solid gains. We had the opportunity to take four trades on GBPUSD, NZDUSD, and AUDUSD, while EURUSD was the only pair that didn’t present any setups. Out of these four trades, three were winners, and only one resulted in a loss, allowing us to close the week with a 5% return. With such strong results, we were eager to see what opportunities this trading week would bring. By Tuesday, we had already taken two trades, and in this post, we’ll walk you through how they played out At 08:55 EST, both EURUSD and AUDUSD experienced a liquidity sweep, clearing out liquidity resting at the lows of their respective zones. This sweep on the lows directed our focus toward potential buying opportunities for the session on both pairs After patiently waiting, all our trade entry requirements aligned for both currency pairs, giving us the green light to execute. If you're wondering what our entry criteria are, here’s our checklist: 1. Break of structure to the upside 2. A Fair Value Gap (FVG) must be formed 3. Price must retrace into the FVG We don’t take trades unless all three conditions are met—no exceptions. Even if two out of three align, we stay on the sidelines. This disciplined approach helps us focus only on high-probability setups, increasing our edge in the market After execution, EURUSD wasted no time, hitting our take profit in just 1 hour and 25 minutes. AUDUSD had barely reached 1R within the same timeframe, signaling that this trade would require more patience. We were completely fine with this because we always risk only what we can afford to lose, which helps us stay detached from the outcome—win or lose. Plus, with EURUSD already securing a 2% gain, even a 1% loss on AUDUSD wouldn’t significantly impact our overall performance. Now, it’s just a matter of staying patient and letting the trade play out. This trade truly tested our patience. After a period of consolidation, it finally moved in our favor, allowing us to lock in a 2% gain after 15 hours and 15 minutes. Our total gain for the day reached 4%, making the session a solid success
by CleoFinance
2025 ICT Mentorship: Institutional Market Structure Part 22025 ICT Mentorship: Lecture 3_Institutional Market Structure Part 2 Greetings Traders! In Lecture 3 of the 2025 ICT Mentorship, we dive deep into the core principles of market structure, focusing on how institutions truly move the market. Understanding this is essential for precision trading and eliminating emotional biases. Key Insights from the Lecture 🔹 Distinguishing Minor vs. Strong Swing Points – Learn to differentiate between structural noise and true market shifts. 🔹 Marking Market Structure with Precision – Objectively analyze price action to refine your decision-making process. 🔹 Institutional Market Structure Techniques – Align with smart money to enhance accuracy and consistency. Why This Matters Mastering market structure allows traders to anticipate price movement, reducing impulsive trades and reinforcing a disciplined approach. By integrating institutional strategies, we position ourselves for more accurate and confident executions. Stay focused, keep refining your skills, and let’s continue elevating our trading game. Institutional Market Structure Part 1: Enjoy the video and happy trading! The Architect 🏛️📊
Education
by The_Archi-tect
13
Strength in NQ futuresHi Fellow traders I'll be starting my regular post of my bias of the market. Using Futures market as a indication of potential strength and weakness of the market. Bias will be bullish into the open on NasDdaq as you can see from the comparison of Nasdaq VS S&P that there is a bullish divergence between NQ and ES. which is in alignment with the higher time frame draw Specifically Long Nasdaq > S&P My prediction would be that market will open to push for higher high
CME_MINI:MES1!Long
by ZanderGoh
ICT TA Daily view, we are in a Fib golden zone + OB!We have reached a Golden Fib retracement Zone , With a an OB in that Zone too + VFG1 . and thar happened after positive BOS! We need to see a strong reaction there, with good volume to go up! Internal structure is showing reversals, but waiting for External Structure to confirm . Over all, we are still in a bullish bias, this is a good area to start buying, but confirming a stronger signal is better to wait a daily candle closes above 209$ . We can buy from here, and if continued to go down, the second buy Zone is between (82 to 105$) Keep in mind this is daily analysis, don't leverage or over leverage! and this is Technical Analysis, however Crypto could not follow over TAs, spicily if market updates on Fundamentals showed something.
COINBASE:SOLUSDLong
by MTM91
Journey to 53K: Mark up MNQ with me! 2.18.25Forex, Crypto and Futures Trading Risk Disclosure: The National Futures Association (NFA) and Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), the regulatory agencies for the forex and futures markets in the United States, require that customers be informed about potential risks in trading these markets. If you do not fully understand the risks, please seek advice from an independent financial advisor before engaging in trading. Trading forex and futures on margin carries a high level of risk and may not be suitable for all investors. The high degree of leverage can work against you as well as for you. Before deciding to trade, you should carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite. There is a possibility of losing some or all of your initial investment, and therefore, you should not invest money that you cannot afford to lose. Be aware of the risks associated with leveraged trading and seek professional advice if necessary. BDRipTrades Market Opinions (also applies to BDelCiel and Aligned & Wealthy LLC): Any opinions, news, research, analysis, prices, or other information contained in my content (including live streams, videos, and posts) are provided as general market commentary only and do not constitute investment advice. BDRipTrades, BDelCiel, and Aligned & Wealthy LLC will not accept liability for any loss or damage, including but not limited to, any loss of profit, which may arise directly or indirectly from the use of or reliance on such information. Accuracy of Information: The content I provide is subject to change at any time without notice and is intended solely for educational and informational purposes. While I strive for accuracy, I do not guarantee the completeness or reliability of any information. I am not responsible for any losses incurred due to reliance on any information shared through my platforms. Government-Required Risk Disclaimer and Disclosure Statement: CFTC RULE 4.41 - HYPOTHETICAL OR SIMULATED PERFORMANCE RESULTS HAVE CERTAIN LIMITATIONS. UNLIKE AN ACTUAL PERFORMANCE RECORD, SIMULATED RESULTS DO NOT REPRESENT ACTUAL TRADING. ALSO, SINCE THE TRADES HAVE NOT BEEN EXECUTED, THE RESULTS MAY HAVE UNDER-OR-OVER COMPENSATED FOR THE IMPACT, IF ANY, OF CERTAIN MARKET FACTORS, SUCH AS LACK OF LIQUIDITY. SIMULATED TRADING PROGRAMS IN GENERAL ARE ALSO SUBJECT TO THE FACT THAT THEY ARE DESIGNED WITH THE BENEFIT OF HINDSIGHT. NO REPRESENTATION IS BEING MADE THAT ANY ACCOUNT WILL OR IS LIKELY TO ACHIEVE PROFIT OR LOSSES SIMILAR TO THOSE SHOWN. Performance results discussed in my content are hypothetical and subject to limitations. There are frequently sharp differences between hypothetical performance results and the actual results subsequently achieved by any particular trading strategy. One of the limitations of hypothetical trading results is that they do not account for real-world financial risk. Furthermore, past performance of any trading system or strategy does not guarantee future results. General Trading Disclaimer: Trading in futures, forex, and other leveraged products involves substantial risk and is not appropriate for all investors. Do not trade with money you cannot afford to lose. I do not provide buy/sell signals, financial advice, or investment recommendations. Any decisions you make based on my content are solely your responsibility. By engaging with my content, including live streams, videos, educational materials, and any communication through my platforms, you acknowledge and accept that all trading decisions you make are at your own risk. BDRipTrades, BDelCiel, and Aligned & Wealthy LLC cannot and will not be held responsible for any trading losses you may incur.
CME_MINI:MNQH2025Long
by BDripTradess
XAUUSD - Gold H1 analysis and possible move! 2861!Gold is currently forming a symmetrical triangle pattern, indicating potential breakout opportunities. The price is near $2,915, trading between key support and resistance levels. Key Levels: 🔹 Resistance Zone: $2,940 - $2,950 Price has rejected this level multiple times. A breakout above this area could trigger a bullish move. 🔹 Support Trendline: $2,880 - $2,900 A key rising trendline providing support. A break below could lead to a bearish move. 🔹 Major Support Zone: $2,861 - $2,865 If price reaches this level, buyers may step in. A confirmed break below could accelerate selling pressure. Potential Scenarios: 📉 Bearish Breakdown (Main Outlook): 1️⃣ Price consolidates within the triangle. 2️⃣ A break below the support trendline signals further downside. 3️⃣ Target: $2,861 - $2,865 support zone. 4️⃣ If this level breaks, expect a deeper drop. 📈 Bullish Breakout Alternative: If price breaks and holds above $2,940, expect bullish momentum. Next Target: $2,960 - $2,970. Trading Plan for Traders: ✅ Wait for a clear breakout before entering trades. ✅ Short below trendline support, targeting $2,861. ✅ Long above $2,940 with confirmation. ✅ Use stop-loss to manage risk effectively.
OANDA:XAUUSDShort
by PIPsOptimizer
1
S&P500 Weakness in 15 Min TimeframeHi Fellow traders I'll be starting my regular post of my bias of the market. Using Futures market as a indication of potential strength and weakness of the market. Bias will be shorter bearish on S&P as you can see from the comparison of Nasdaq VS S&P that S&P is failing to break higher higher forming a bearish SMT. As overall longer term trend 1H and 4H is still bullish. We will be playing a retracement leg. Specifically shorting S&P > Nasdaq. My prediction would be that market will open lower.
CME_MINI:MES1!Short
by ZanderGoh
NAS100USD: Retracement to Target Sell Stops Below Support ZoneGreetings Traders, In today’s analysis on NAS100USD, while the market is currently showing bullish momentum, there are clear signs that we may experience a retracement toward the downside. This move would likely target the discount sell stops below the illustrated support zone, providing an opportunity to align with institutional order flow. KEY OBSERVATIONS: Institutional Resistance Zone: A strong order block has formed, creating a significant resistance level that price may struggle to break through. This order block, coupled with the Fair Value Gap (FVG) beneath it, strengthens the bearish case. These two institutional resistance zones suggest a higher likelihood of a retracement. Premium Price Zone: Price is currently trading in a premium range, a favorable area to monitor for potential selling opportunities upon confirmation. Liquidity Target : Our primary target is the discount sell stops resting below an engineered support zone. This zone is a key draw on liquidity, where we anticipate significant institutional interest. TRADING PLAN: Entry Strategy : Wait for confirmation before entering short positions at the current premium price level. Targets : Focus on the liquidity pools below the support zone, particularly the discount sell stops, as these represent the main draw on liquidity. Patience and precision are crucial. By following institutional clues, we can effectively position ourselves for high-probability trades. Happy Trading! The Architect 🏛📊
OANDA:NAS100USDShort
by The_Archi-tect
1
NAS100USD: CPI Volatility & Institutional Continuation Sell-OffGreetings Traders, In today’s analysis on NAS100USD, we observe that the market remains bearish following a significant CPI news release. This high-impact event resulted in a sharp bearish displacement, reinforcing the ongoing bearish narrative. Yesterday, I shared an analysis predicting this continued bearishness. For those interested, you’ll find that analysis attached at the end of this description for deeper context. KEY OBSERVATIONS: CPI-Induced Displacement : The CPI release triggered a large downward move, forming a massive single candle that left behind a noticeable inefficiency—a Fair Value Gap (FVG). Liquidity Grab & Fair Valuation: After sell stops were taken, price retraced to fill the FVG, restoring fair valuation. This retracement fully closed the gap, confirming a continuation of bearish order flow. Premium Price Zone: We are currently in a deep premium price range, which aligns with institutional distribution zones. These areas offer excellent opportunities for confirmation-based sell entries. TRADING PLAN: Entry Strategy: Look for confirmation at the current premium price level before entering short positions. Targets: Focus on discount liquidity pools at lower prices, as these are the areas institutions will likely target to take profits. By following the institutional flow, we align ourselves with smart money practices, improving our precision and probability of success. Stay patient and disciplined—confirmation is key! For more context, here’s yesterday’s analysis below. Happy Trading! The Architect 🏛📊
OANDA:NAS100USDShort
by The_Archi-tect
4
USDJPY → Fake Breakdown Gives Bulls a Chance!FX:USDJPY The price dips into support and creates a false breakdown below the lower boundary of the current trend. Meanwhile, the dollar is gaining strength, which could provide an opportunity for the currency pair to rise. The price has paused near a strong support zone, as the fundamental backdrop has been increasingly unstable and heavily influenced by developments in the USA. Attention has shifted away from Japan's interest rate hikes, with market participants now closely monitoring economic data from the West. From a technical perspective, the chart presents two potential triggers—one for buying and one for selling. However, given that both the global and local trends are upward, the bias leans toward buying. If the currency pair manages to sustain above the 151.9 - 151.95 level, short- to medium-term growth toward the targets marked on the chart is likely. Resistance levels: 151.94, 153.7, 153.97 Support levels: 150.95, 149.52 That said, if the dollar's correction persists and buyers fail to capitalize on the false breakdown of support, a drop back to 150.95 could trigger a breakdown, potentially leading to a decline toward 148.64.
Long
by PIPsOptimizer