Decoding Market Maker Tactics: An Educational BreakdownDecoding Market Maker Tactics: An Educational Guide for Trading Gold
If you’re trading Gold (XAU/USD), understanding market-maker tactics is essential. This guide will teach you how to decode liquidity traps, fake breakouts, and stop-loss sweeps using the 8H XAU/USD chart as a real-world example.
With recent economic events like U.S. Retail Sales, CPI inflation data, and central bank comments, Gold’s price movement was a textbook case of market-maker manipulation. By studying this chart, you’ll learn how to recognize their tactics and position yourself to trade smarter.
Let’s break it down step-by-step, with direct cues from the chart.
1. Key Levels and Zones: The Battleground
Referencing the 8H XAU/USD Chart, we observe key levels that highlight market maker strategies:
Resistance Zones: Retail Traps
$2,724 – Major Psychological Resistance
🔴 Chart Cue: A highlighted resistance area where sellers aggressively defend. Market makers engineered a fake breakout to trap buyers, as seen with the liquidity sweep warning on the chart.
Lesson: Always be cautious of breakouts at such heavily defended psychological levels unless backed by strong volume.
$2,710 – $2,706 (Point of Control - POC)
🟠 Chart Cue: This area represents the highest volume traded, marked as a pivot zone. Notice how price consolidates here, creating doji candles and indecision before sharp movements.
Support Zones: Stop-Loss Hunting Grounds
$2,689 – Strong Support
🟢 Chart Cue: Buyers defended this level repeatedly (visible with long lower wicks), but market makers pushed below to trigger stop-losses before reversing upward.
Key Insight: This manipulation was a classic liquidity grab.
$2,682 – Secondary Support (Liquidity Grab Zone)
🔴 Chart Cue: The chart identifies this as a prime stop-loss hunting zone, where price dipped sharply before rebounding. The liquidity grab here highlights market maker positioning before a reversal.
2. How Economic News Fueled Manipulation
Recent news amplified volatility and provided market makers with opportunities to manipulate price.
Tuesday: U.S. Retail Sales Data
Impact: Strong retail sales drove the USD higher, pushing Gold below $2,689. Retail traders went short, expecting further declines.
Chart Evidence: The volume imbalance below $2,689 highlights the liquidity grab before the sharp reversal.
Thursday: CPI Inflation Report
Impact: Slightly lower-than-expected CPI figures spiked Gold prices to $2,724, enticing breakout buyers.
Chart Evidence: The liquidity sweep warning at $2,724 confirms a false breakout, where market makers absorbed buy orders before reversing.
Friday: Central Bank Comments
Impact: Dovish remarks boosted Gold momentarily, but price consolidated around $2,710 (POC).
Chart Evidence: Candles near the POC indicate indecision before another stop-loss sweep below $2,689, followed by a recovery.
3. Candlestick and Price Action Patterns
The chart reveals essential price action signals that help anticipate market-maker moves:
Inside Bar Formation:
Multiple candles near $2,724 signal price compression. These patterns often precede false breakouts, as seen after CPI news.
Wick Rejections:
At $2,724: Long upper wicks confirm selling pressure.
At $2,689: Long lower wicks indicate stop-loss hunting.
Candles at POC ($2,706):
Reflect market indecision, hinting at a pending sharp move.
4. Volume and Liquidity Analysis
Volume dynamics reveal critical insights into market manipulation:
Shrinking Volume at Resistance ($2,724):
Weak buying pressure at resistance confirms exhaustion, setting up a fake breakout trap (marked on the chart).
Volume Void Below $2,689:
The chart’s volume analysis indicates a high-probability liquidity grab zone, where market makers fill positions before reversing.
5. Trend and Wave Analysis
Using wave theory and higher-timeframe trends:
Corrective Wave (Wave 4):
The current corrective wave shows typical liquidity grabs and false moves, aligning with the chart’s liquidity sweep zones.
Broader Trend:
Despite the manipulation, Gold remains in a long-term uptrend. The current correction will likely give way to a bullish Wave 5.
6. Market Correlations
The chart’s spillover impact indicators reveal Gold’s self-driven movement last week:
DXY (0.12): Weak positive correlation.
S&P 500 (-0.04): Minimal inverse correlation, as expected for a safe-haven asset. Key Takeaway: Liquidity dynamics remain the primary driver for Gold, not external markets.
7. Hypothetical Trade Setups
Educational trade setups inspired by the chart:
Trade Setup 1: Buy After Liquidity Grab
Order Type: Buy Limit
Entry: $2,682
Take Profit: $2,724
Stop Loss: $2,675
Chart Cue: Liquidity grab zone identified at $2,682, aligning with harmonic reversal.
Trade Setup 2: Sell the Fake Breakout
Order Type: Sell Limit
Entry: $2,724
Take Profit: $2,689
Stop Loss: $2,730
Chart Cue: Liquidity sweep warning at $2,724 indicates a probable fake breakout.
8. Why Use the 8H Chart for Gold?
The uploaded 8H XAU/USD chart offers the perfect balance:
Clarity: It reduces noise from smaller timeframes while revealing mid-term liquidity zones.
Precision: Patterns like wick rejections, volume voids, and fake breakouts are clearly visible.
9. Conclusion: Outsmart the Manipulators
This 8H XAU/USD chart showcases a masterclass in market-maker tactics:
Traps Set: A fake breakout above $2,724 caught breakout buyers.
Stop-Loss Sweep: A liquidity grab below $2,682 punished unprepared buyers.
Final Tip: Trade smart. Focus on liquidity zones and price action setups to position yourself like a professional, avoiding retail traps.
Trend Analysis
Fast Profits: Bullish Scalping Patterns Every Trader Should Know1. Bullish Exhaustion Bar
Definition:
A bullish exhaustion bar occurs at the end of a bearish trend, signaling that sellers are losing momentum and buyers are stepping in. It reflects the market's indecision before a potential reversal.
Key Characteristics:
Long lower wick (indicates rejection of lower prices).
Small body near the top of the candlestick.
Often forms at support levels or near demand zones.
Volume may spike, signaling increased buyer interest.
Trading Tips:
Look for confirmation on the next bar (e.g., a bullish close above the exhaustion bar).
Combine with other tools like trendlines or indicators (e.g., RSI divergence).
Place a stop-loss below the low of the exhaustion bar.
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2. Bullish Reversal Bar
Definition:
A bullish reversal bar forms during a downtrend and indicates a potential reversal to the upside. This candlestick suggests that buyers are gaining control.
Key Characteristics:
Closes higher than it opens, forming a green candle.
Appears after a series of bearish candles.
Often accompanied by high trading volume.
Trading Tips:
Best used at key support levels or demand zones.
Wait for a bullish confirmation (e.g., a break above the high of the reversal bar).
Place stop-loss below the low of the reversal bar.
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3. Key Reversal Bar
Definition:
A key reversal bar signals a strong change in market sentiment, often marking the end of a trend or the beginning of a new one.
Key Characteristics:
Opens below the previous bar's low but closes above the previous bar's high.
Indicates a sharp shift from bearish to bullish momentum.
Often forms at major support levels or after significant downtrends.
Trading Tips:
Look for confluence with other indicators or support levels.
Use the high of the key reversal bar as an entry point.
Place stop-loss below the low of the reversal bar.
--------------------------------
4. Bullish Pin Bar
Definition:
A bullish pin bar (or hammer) is a single candlestick pattern with a long lower wick and a small body near the top. It shows strong rejection of lower prices and a shift toward bullish momentum.
Key Characteristics:
Long lower shadow, at least two-thirds of the candlestick's length.
Small real body near the upper end of the range.
Little to no upper wick.
Trading Tips:
Effective when it forms at support levels or Fibonacci retracement zones.
Enter on the break of the pin bar's high.
Place a stop-loss below the pin bar’s low.
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5. Bullish 3-Bar Reversal
Definition:
A bullish 3-bar reversal pattern consists of three consecutive candlesticks, signaling a reversal from bearish to bullish momentum.
Key Characteristics:
The first bar is bearish, continuing the downtrend.
The second bar has a smaller body, often an indecision candle.
The third bar is a strong bullish candle that closes above the first bar's high.
Trading Tips:
A reliable pattern for trend reversals at support levels.
Enter after the third bar closes above the first bar’s high.
Stop-loss can be placed below the low of the pattern.
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5. Bullish 3-Bar Reversal
Definition:
A bullish 3-bar reversal pattern consists of three consecutive candlesticks, signaling a reversal from bearish to bullish momentum.
Key Characteristics:
The first bar is bearish, continuing the downtrend.
The second bar has a smaller body, often an indecision candle.
The third bar is a strong bullish candle that closes above the first bar's high.
Trading Tips:
A reliable pattern for trend reversals at support levels.
Enter after the third bar closes above the first bar’s high.
Stop-loss can be placed below the low of the pattern.
-----------------------------
Final Notes:
To use these patterns effectively:
Combine them with key support/resistance levels, trendlines, or Fibonacci retracements.
Use volume analysis to confirm the strength of the pattern.
Always seek confirmation from subsequent candles before entering trades.
Technical Analysis of Bajaj Finserv (BAJAJFINSV): A Bullish BreOverview and Key Observations
Bajaj Finserv has recently shown signs of a bullish reversal after breaking out of a classic double bottom pattern, a strong indicator of upward momentum. The neckline at ₹1,680 was breached with significant volume, confirming the breakout. The current price of ₹1,735.20 positions the stock above this critical support, establishing a solid base for further upside. The pattern suggests a measured target of ₹1,800, aligning with intermediate resistance levels.
Support and Resistance Levels
The chart highlights the following critical levels for traders:
Support Levels:
₹1,693.73: Immediate support just below the current price, ideal for pullbacks.
₹1,652.27: Intermediate support aligning with prior consolidations.
₹1,630.13: A deeper demand zone marking the bottom of the previous accumulation phase.
Resistance Levels:
₹1,757.33: The immediate resistance that needs to be breached for continued upside.
₹1,779.47: A key resistance level and the target based on the double bottom pattern height.
₹1,820.93: A stronger resistance and the next major target for the stock.
The stock currently faces resistance near ₹1,757.33, and a breakout above this level with strong volume could open the doors for a rally toward ₹1,779.47 and ₹1,820.93.
Volume and Momentum
The breakout candle exhibited a notable surge in volume, validating the reliability of the bullish move. However, subsequent candles show declining volume, suggesting mild consolidation near resistance. Momentum indicators such as the RSI and MACD need to be monitored for confirmation of continued strength. If RSI remains below 70, there is room for further upward movement.
Trading Strategies
For swing traders, entering long positions near ₹1,700–₹1,720 on pullbacks or above ₹1,757 after a breakout offers good opportunities. A stoploss at ₹1,669, below Support 1, ensures risk is minimized. Targets include ₹1,757.33, ₹1,779.47, and ₹1,820.93. For shortterm traders, a failure to sustain above ₹1,680 could indicate weakness, with downside targets of ₹1,652.27 and ₹1,630.13.
Summary and Outlook
Bajaj Finserv is exhibiting strong bullish momentum backed by technical patterns and volume. The immediate focus is on clearing the resistance at ₹1,757.33 to confirm further upside toward ₹1,779.47 and ₹1,820.93. Traders should remain cautious of a potential retest of the ₹1,680 support zone, which would act as a critical level for invalidating the bullish setup. With strong risk management and a focus on key levels, this setup offers a promising opportunity for both shortterm and longterm gains.
Finding Balance: Managing GREED in TradingIs greed helping or hurting your trading? While closing trades too quickly for small profits isn't ideal, neither is holding positions too long hoping for bigger gains. Let's explore how to find the right balance between healthy ambition and destructive greed.
📍 Understanding Healthy vs. Unhealthy Greed
Some greed can be good - it drives us to achieve goals and maintain optimism. But when it becomes an obsession, problems start. Professional traders manage their emotions well, while beginners often struggle as early successes fuel excitement and a dangerous focus on profits at any cost.
📍 Warning Signs of Unhealthy Trading Behavior
When trading turns unhealthy, you might notice these patterns:
🔹 Ignoring proven rules because you trust your "gut feelings" more than sound strategy. Your confidence leads you to dismiss common sense in pursuit of profits.
🔹 Expecting every trade to be profitable . While optimism helps, believing you'll win just because you want money is dangerous thinking.
🔹 Living with constant stress. You can't step away from price charts, scrutinizing every move and experiencing emotional highs and lows with each trade.
🔹 Chasing profits while skipping analysis. You focus only on results without learning from each trade, leading to more frequent losses over time.
📍 Dangerous Trading Habits to Avoid
⚫️ Using maximum leverage, thinking bigger trades mean bigger profits. This often leads to heavy losses when markets move sharply against you.
⚫️ Moving stop-losses and take-profit levels mid-trade. Whether hoping to avoid losses or catch more gains, this usually results in worse outcomes and added stress.
⚫️ Following the Martingale strategy - doubling position sizes after losses or wins. This approach typically leads to losing your account quickly.
📍 Practical Steps to Control Greed
1. Start with real money, but small amounts. Demo accounts can create false confidence since there's no real risk.
2. Set clear, achievable goals. For day trading (H1-H4 timeframes), aim for about 20 pips per trade. Scalpers should be satisfied with just a few pips.
3. Create and follow a detailed trading plan. Example: Take half profits at your target, use trailing stops to protect remaining gains.
4. Practice smart risk management. Decide your maximum risk per trade and stick to it - don't adjust stops once set.
5. Keep learning and practicing. With better market understanding, you'll make fewer emotional decisions. A realistic monthly return might be 2% - treat anything above as a bonus.
6. Connect with other traders. Share experiences to manage stress and gain perspective on what's normal in professional trading.
7. Stay skeptical and analytical. When excitement runs high, slow down. Check multiple information sources and grow your trading size gradually while continuing to develop your skills.
📍 Conclusion
Successful trading is about steady progress, not quick riches. Growth should happen naturally alongside your developing trading skills, without sacrificing other aspects of your life.
Traders, If you liked this educational post🎓, give it a boost 🚀 and drop a comment 📣
Bitcoin major sign of Stop loss hunting and dump seen!!!This is educational post and i am making it short this time with one example which happened at 13/Jan/2025 as you can see previous time we had same scenario but they did hit stop loss of sellers + buyers and how is that ?
price was breaking 90K$ support zone which is strong and major support for BTC in lower time frames as you can see at that time and it breaks that immediately after hitting so many stop loss of buyers below 90K$ and get them out of their buy positions it pumped and start to rise also it hit so many stop loss of sellers with high leverage which sell the Bitcoin below that support zone and they were looking for the upcoming dump after breakout but it didn't happen and both sides get loss and someone's loss is some others profit and this high volume there is reason of that and after price pump above we can see more gain also appear due to that good stop loss hunting and it seems that we have the same scenario now happening but this time it seems that Resistance and ATH resistance zone is breaking so take care.
How to find out if the breakout is valid or is it fake breakout ?
1. let it breaks the resistance or support with at least +-3% as confirmation.
2. after breakout wait for retest of breakout and let it retest previous support for example and see if it turns to resistance zone this time.
3. high volume is needed after 2-3 next candles after breakout + breakout candle.
I think we may have another fake breakout and soon price will fall and dump hard and this is my thoughts.
So always do your own research and DISCLAIMER: ((trade based on your own decision))
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Bitcoin: Don't be blind to the world (Trump inauguration)Regular readers will know that we avoid fundamental analysis In these reports - we stick to the price.
But that doesn’t mean being blind to the world around us.
On Monday January 20, Donald Trump will be inaugurated as US President.
I’m sure many of you have your political views about Trump - but just keep those away from your trade ideas!
The crypto market - and Bitcoin especially - has been on a huge rally since Trump spoke at a Bitcoin conference in favour of cryptocurrencies last year.
There’s a chance President Trump could mention Bitcoin in his inaugural speech but even if he doesn’t, the prospect of favourable regulation is broadly positive for Bitcoin - or if we’re more honest - the idea of better regulation could be enough justification to keep the crypto bull run going for now.
Bitcoin
On the weekly chart, we can see Bitcoin (BTC/USD) has been trading sideways around the $100,000 level - with roughly $90,000 as support.
But bigger picture it’s a huge uptrend and we want to trade in line with the trend (as always)
Importantly - it just closed the week back over the critical $100K mark - and it did so with a bullish engulfing candlestick that engulfed the previous 3 weeks.
As a reminder - where the week closed is more important than the high or low of the week - and a weekly close is more significant than a daily close. You can think of the closing price as the price that everybody agreed was the right price for that period.
The final missing piece to the bullish breakout is a weekly close at a new record high.
On the daily chart we are watching the broken trendline as well as the $100k level as support that needs to hold if the breakout is going to happen soon.
But while the price trendline is not especially reliable with only two ‘touches’ or swing points the broken RSI trendline is much more significant and shows a big pickup in momentum that will be needed if the price is to break out.
If the breakout does happen, the first barrier that needs to break is $110,000 but after that $120k then even $130k could come quite quickly given Trump’s inauguration this week.
But - as always - that’s just how my team and I are seeing things, what do you think?
Share your ideas with us - OR - send us a request!
Send us an email or message us on social media.
cheers!
Jasper
Identifying Fakeouts and Enhancing Risk Management in TradingEducational Purpose:
This tutorial aims to educate traders on identifying fakeouts, understanding their characteristics, and improving risk management strategies to avoid common pitfalls.
Key Educational Points:
1. What is a Fakeout?
A fakeout occurs when the price temporarily breaks a key support or resistance level but fails to sustain the move, reversing quickly. It often traps traders who enter prematurely.
2. Spotting Fakeouts:
Volume Analysis: Fakeouts typically show weak volume during the breakout. Always confirm breakouts with a noticeable increase in volume.
Market Context: In range-bound or choppy markets, breakouts are less reliable. Look for additional confirmation before entering trades.
Follow-Through: Wait for at least one or two candles to close above resistance or below support after a breakout.
3. Risk Management During Fakeouts:
Set Tight Stop-Losses: Place stop-loss orders close to the breakout level to minimize losses if the move fails.
Use Confluence: Combine multiple factors (e.g., trendlines, moving averages, Fibonacci retracements) for stronger confirmation.
Plan Your Targets: Avoid overly aggressive targets unless the breakout is supported by strong market structure and volume.
4. Trading Psychology:
Patience is Key: Do not rush into trades at the first sign of a breakout. Wait for confirmations to reduce emotional decision-making.
Learn from Losses: Treat fakeouts as learning opportunities. Analyze what went wrong and refine your approach.
Practical Application:
In the attached chart of 1000BONK/USDT, a failed breakout (fakeout) highlights these principles:
Weak volume during the breakout.
Lack of follow-through above resistance.
A reversal that would have been avoided by waiting for confirmation.
This tutorial emphasizes that proper confirmation, risk management, and trading psychology are essential for avoiding fakeouts and improving overall performance.
Let me know your thoughts or share how you approach such situations!
I need objective information to help me interpret the chart
Hello, traders.
If you "Follow", you can always get new information quickly.
Please click "Boost" as well.
Have a nice day today.
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With this decline, the BW(100) indicator was created at 104556.23.
Accordingly, the high boundary section is the 101947.24-104556.23 section.
Unfortunately, since it fell below 101947.24, the key is whether it can receive support near the MS-Signal (M-Signal on the 1D chart) indicator, i.e., around 98892.0, and rise.
If it falls below the MS-Signal (M-Signal on the 1D chart) indicator and shows resistance, it is highly likely to turn into a short-term downtrend.
-
The settings for the StochRSI indicator I use are 14, 7, 3, 3 (RSI, Stoch, K, D).
The source value is ohlc4.
If you set it as above, it will show a movement similar to the StochRSI indicator on my chart.
When the StochRSI indicator
- falls in the overbought zone,
- is located near the 50 point,
- rises in the oversold zone,
volatility is likely to occur.
However, you should check whether there is support near the support and resistance points drawn on the 1M, 1W, and 1D charts and think of a corresponding response plan.
Therefore, by checking the relationship between the movement of the StochRSI indicator and the support and resistance points drawn on the 1M, 1W, and 1D charts, you can choose the point where you can make a trade.
If you can calculate these selection points, I think it is highly likely that you will be able to create a trading strategy that suits your investment style.
It is good to predict future movements with trends or waves, but if you can calculate the point where you can actually make a trade, I think you can create a better trading strategy.
-
I wrote a long article, but
1. Will the StochRSI indicator fall in the overbought zone?
2. Will it receive support near the MS-Signal (M-Signal on the 1D chart) indicator?
3. Will it rise to the high boundary section?
You should focus on the three things above.
---------------------------------
The method of drawing support and resistance points is drawn according to the arrangement of candles.
This method can actually include subjective thoughts, so it requires skill.
Therefore, if possible, I recommend that you sign up as a paid member of TradingView and share my charts with me, and use the HA-High, HA-Low, BW(100), BW(0), OBV, +100, -100 indicators that appear on 1M, 1W, and 1D charts by the HA-MS_BW+v2 indicator as horizontal lines and use them as support and resistance points.
Then, even if others look at the charts, they will be easier to understand, and it will be easier to share opinions on trading strategies according to each other's investment styles.
By utilizing indicators that anyone can use in this way, you will be able to view the charts objectively.
If you trade based on what others tell you, you will likely not be able to respond quickly when sudden volatility occurs.
Therefore, when creating a trading strategy, you should roughly think about how to respond to all cases, both when it goes up and when it goes down.
That's why it's best to draw support and resistance points or other reference materials on your chart if possible and prepare countermeasures accordingly.
-
Thank you for reading to the end.
I hope you have a successful trade.
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LEGEND SPEAKS #2 (Paul Tudor Jones)Paul Tudor Jones is a legendary hedge fund manager known for his ability to predict market movements and his disciplined, strategic approach to trading. His success in both traditional markets and commodities, combined with his risk management techniques, has made him one of the most respected names in the world of finance. His insights and trading philosophy offer invaluable lessons for anyone looking to improve their trading strategies.
Here are some key lessons that traders and investors can learn from Paul Tudor Jones’ remarkable career.
1. The Importance of Risk Management
One of the core principles that Paul Tudor Jones emphasizes is risk management. He is famous for saying, "The most important thing is to play defense, not offense." Rather than focusing on maximizing gains, Jones prioritizes minimizing losses. His approach involves cutting losses quickly and letting profits run, which is critical for long-term success in trading.
Key Takeaway:
Cut losses quickly and allow profitable trades to run their course. Effective risk management is essential for preserving capital and staying in the game.
2. Focus on the Big Picture and Macro Trends
Paul Tudor Jones is known for his macroeconomic perspective. He focuses on big-picture trends, such as interest rates, inflation, and global economic shifts, to guide his trading decisions. Jones is particularly famous for predicting the 1987 stock market crash, where he profited by betting against the market based on his macroeconomic analysis.
Key Takeaway:
Understand macroeconomic trends and how they influence the markets. A deep understanding of the broader economic landscape can help inform your trading decisions and give you a competitive edge.
3. Adaptability and Flexibility
One of the defining features of Paul Tudor Jones' career is his ability to adapt to changing market conditions. While many traders stick to rigid strategies, Jones remains flexible and willing to adjust his approach based on new data or changing trends. This adaptability is key to navigating volatile and unpredictable markets.
Key Takeaway:
Be flexible in your approach. Stay open to new information and be willing to change your strategy if the market conditions shift.
4. Trust Your Instincts, but Rely on Data
Jones believes in the power of intuition, but he stresses the importance of using data to back up your instincts. While his ability to predict market movements may seem like intuition, it’s actually a combination of deep market knowledge, research, and pattern recognition. Jones once said, "The secret to successful trading is to know yourself." His success stems from his ability to merge data analysis with his own experience and gut feeling.
Key Takeaway:
Combine data analysis with intuition. Trust your instincts, but ensure they’re grounded in sound research and market data.
5. Cutting Losses is Key to Long-Term Success
Jones' philosophy on cutting losses is one of the cornerstones of his trading strategy. He advocates that losing a small amount of money is far better than holding onto a losing position in hopes of a rebound. He uses strict stop-loss rules to ensure he doesn’t let any position turn into a large loss.
Key Takeaway:
Implement strict stop-loss rules. Don’t allow losses to compound. By cutting losses early, you ensure that they don’t derail your overall strategy.
6. Be Patient and Wait for Opportunities
Paul Tudor Jones emphasizes patience in trading. He is known for waiting until the right opportunity presents itself rather than rushing into trades. He waits for high-probability setups and takes positions when the risk-to-reward ratio is in his favor.
Key Takeaway:
Be patient and wait for high-probability setups. Don’t rush into trades; wait for favorable conditions and a solid risk-to-reward ratio.
7. Use Leverage Wisely
Paul Tudor Jones has been known to use leverage in his trading, but he does so cautiously. He understands the power of leverage to amplify gains but also the danger of excessive leverage leading to significant losses. His careful use of leverage allows him to take advantage of market opportunities without overexposing his portfolio.
Key Takeaway:
Use leverage cautiously. Leverage can amplify returns but also magnify losses. Always assess the risks before using leverage in your trades.
8. The Role of Psychological Resilience in Trading
Psychological resilience is a key element of Paul Tudor Jones' trading philosophy. He understands that trading can be emotionally taxing, especially during periods of loss or volatility. To succeed, traders must remain calm, avoid emotional decision-making, and be able to bounce back from setbacks.
Key Takeaway:
Maintain psychological resilience. Stay calm, avoid making impulsive decisions based on emotions, and learn from your mistakes rather than letting them define you.
9. Always Have a Plan, and Stick to It
Paul Tudor Jones is a firm believer in having a plan and sticking to it. Before entering any trade, he makes sure he has a well-thought-out strategy in place, including entry and exit points, risk management rules, and an understanding of the overall market environment. He emphasizes that trading without a plan is a recipe for failure.
Key Takeaway:
Develop a trading plan and stick to it. Having a structured approach to each trade, including risk management and clear objectives, is essential for long-term success.
10. Success is a Long-Term Game
Paul Tudor Jones emphasizes that trading and investing are not about making quick profits but about building wealth over the long term. His strategy is based on understanding the markets deeply, being patient, and focusing on consistent performance rather than short-term gains.
Key Takeaway:
Focus on long-term success. Avoid chasing short-term profits and concentrate on building sustainable wealth over time.
Conclusion: Applying Paul Tudor Jones’ Lessons to Your Trading Strategy
Paul Tudor Jones' success as a trader and investor stems from his commitment to disciplined risk management, macroeconomic analysis, adaptability, and emotional resilience. By focusing on big-picture trends, using data and intuition, cutting losses quickly, and patiently waiting for opportunities, traders can improve their decision-making processes and achieve long-term success.
Moreover, applying Jones' principles of psychological resilience, having a clear trading plan, and using leverage wisely can help traders build a stable foundation for consistent growth. By adopting these insights, traders can navigate volatile markets with greater confidence and build a solid, long-term trading strategy.
XAUUSD Detailed Multi timeframe AnalysisThrough multitime frame analysis , you will get deep insights .
Xauusd rejected from 2720 resistance once again ,however its weekly closing at 2702 without retesting its previous low.
market in on rising channel since last month, if 2690 support area sustained ,our eyeswill be at 2745.
Best way to get into the market in 20251. Identify your htf.
2. Identify a htf bias.
3. Identify your current trading range on your htf.
4. Identify your premium or discount level.
5. Inside your premium or discount level identify your htf point of interest.
6. Wait for price to pull into your htf point of interest.
7. Pop down to a ltf where you'll observe bearish or bullish price action.
8. Wait for the buy model or sell model to play our wait fora market structure shift on the ltf.
9. Your new range will be on the ltf where there was a market structure shift which will give you a new range.
10. Mark out the range using your fibs and plot your discount or premium area.
11. Inside your ltf premium of discount level identify your ltf point of interest.
12.Enter at the poi( point of interest) inside these levels or set an entry at the retest.
The TrumpCoin Craze: What’s Really Going On?Yesterday, something truly bizarre happened in the world of crypto. Donald Trump—yes, that Donald Trump—launched his very own cryptocurrency, TrumpCoin ($TRUMP).
At first, like everyone else, I thought his account had been hacked.
I mean, launching a meme coin just days before his presidential inauguration? Come on...
But nope, it’s 100% real. Verified.
Like many others, I got curious and, let’s face it, greedy. So, I bought in. The result? I cashed out at a nice 3x profit, enough for a fun night out. But before we dive into the crazy market activity, let me clarify a couple of things:
- I’m not a Trump fan. This isn’t about politics.
- I don’t think this is a rug pull, at least not intentionally .
It seems more like someone who doesn’t fully understand how crypto works decided to jump in.
A Brief Timeline of Chaos
TrumpCoin was announced on his social platforms, including Truth Social and X (formerly Twitter). Initially, everyone thought it was fake news. I mean, a meme coin with his name on it? Right before inauguration day? It screams “scam.” But soon after, major crypto news outlets confirmed its legitimacy.
And then the madness began. Within hours:
- Market cap: Over $14 billion at the time of writing(and climbing).
- Trading volume: A jaw-dropping $11 billion in just one day.
- Price swings: The coin hit a high of $3.30 before dipping below $1.50 and now is above $4.
Trump’s company, CIC Digital LLC, reportedly holds 80% of the coin supply, making this a financial windfall for him—even if the project crashes.
The Crypto Community Splits
This move has divided the crypto space. On one hand, you have people who are treating $TRUMP like any other speculative asset. ( Hi, that’s me! )
On the other, there are folks who see it as a statement of loyalty to Trump. Then there’s a third group—the skeptics—who warn that this could end in disaster.
The real problem? Newbies are piling in without understanding what they’re doing. The hype is pulling in people who don’t know a rug pull from a blockchain. They’re buying and buying, hoping to ride the wave, and are likely to get burned when the bubble bursts.
Is This a Rug Pull?
Let’s address the elephant in the room. With 80% of the supply in Trump’s control, the setup raises eyebrows. But is this an intentional scam? Probably not. If anything, this feels more like a PR stunt gone wild—a way to cash in on his fame and make a splash before returning to the White House.
That said, the outcome could still be the same. At some point, the hype will die, the price will tank, and many will lose money. The bigger it gets, the harder it’ll fall.
My Take: Enjoy the Ride, but Be Careful
TrumpCoin is the epitome of crypto’s wild side: volatile, unpredictable, and more about hype than substance. If you’re diving in, know what you’re getting into. For me, it was a quick trade—buy low, sell high, and get out. But I worry about the inexperienced investors who are holding on, hoping for it to hit $10, $20, or even higher.
So, here’s my advice:
Don’t invest more than you can afford to lose.
Take profits while you can.
Remember, just because something is popular doesn’t mean it’s sustainable.
Whether $TRUMP reaches a $25 billion, $50 billion market cap or crashes spectacularly, one thing’s for sure—it’s going to be one heck of a ride.
Stay safe out there, and happy trading!
HOW TO TRADE with the ICHIMOKUThe Ichimoku is one of the best-trending indicators out there.
The best strategy you could use is the CLOUD BREAK.
When the price is breaking out of the cloud, you enter into a trade in this direction.
This is the best strategy because the Ichimoku Indicator shows you multiple timeframes simultaneously, but the cloud is the highest timeframe, which means it is the strongest, and you will have fewer whipsaws and false entries with it.
This indicator is also a great tool, to hold onto your winning trades and let your profits run.
Once you get professional with it, you will know how to recognize both trending environments and ranging environments.
This means that you will know how to apply different strategies that are fit to that specific environment.
Finding a pair that works for your life Since the market is open 24/5, anyone can find a pair that they like to trade. The most important thing is to find is when the pair moves and how volatile it is. Once identified, you're able to create a trading plan for yourself. See picture for more notes.
Remember, not every day is a trading day!
Should You Follow Michael Saylor’s BTC Moves? Let’s Think TwiceIn the crypto world, Michael Saylor is a household name. The co-founder of MicroStrategy has become one of Bitcoin’s most vocal advocates, with his company accumulating a massive Bitcoin treasury. Many view his purchases as a signal of confidence, believing that if someone with his track record is buying, it must be the right move.
But is it wise to follow his lead without question?
Let’s take a closer look at the full story and consider why doing your homework is essential before jumping in headfirst.
The Rise of Michael Saylor: Bitcoin’s Biggest Cheerleader
Saylor didn’t become a prominent figure in the crypto space until 2020, when MicroStrategy announced its first Bitcoin purchase.
Since then, he has positioned himself as a thought leader in the industry, frequently championing Bitcoin as the ultimate store of value.
However, Saylor’s newfound reputation as a financial visionary often overshadows his earlier history—a history that’s worth examining.
A Look Back: The Dot-Com Bubble and MicroStrategy’s Decline
In the late 1990s, MicroStrategy rode the wave of the dot-com boom, with its stock soaring to impressive heights. But like many other tech companies of the era, it faced a harsh reality check when the bubble burst.
MicroStrategy’s stock plummeted, and for the better part of two decades, it languished near its lows.
During this period, Michael Saylor’s reputation as a business genius took a backseat. It wasn’t until Bitcoin’s meteoric rise—and MicroStrategy’s pivot to buying and holding Bitcoin—that Saylor regained the spotlight.
Is It Genius or Just Timing?
Here’s the question we need to ask: Is Michael Saylor’s success in Bitcoin a result of brilliant foresight, or was he simply in the right place at the right time?
Bitcoin’s Performance: The timing of MicroStrategy’s Bitcoin purchases coincided with a strong bull run in the market. This rise in Bitcoin’s value undoubtedly contributed to Saylor’s renewed status as a financial savant.
Reputation Rebound: It’s easy to appear “smart” when your investments are soaring. But how much of that success is due to skill, and how much is due to external factors like market trends?
The Danger of Blindly Following Big Names
While it’s tempting to follow someone like Michael Saylor, assuming he has insider knowledge or an unbeatable strategy, history teaches us a valuable lesson:
Even Experts Can Be Wrong: Many celebrated investors have made costly mistakes, especially when riding trends. The dot-com bubble is a prime example of how quickly fortunes can change.
Market Conditions Are Key: What worked for Saylor may not work for everyone, especially as market conditions evolve. Bitcoin’s past performance is no guarantee of future results.
The Importance of Doing Your Own Homework
Instead of blindly following big names, take the time to develop your own understanding of the market. Consider:
Risk Tolerance: Are you prepared for the volatility that comes with Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies?
Market Fundamentals: Do you understand the underlying factors driving the asset’s value?
Your Strategy: Does buying Bitcoin (or any other asset) align with your financial goals and investment timeline?
Final Thoughts
Michael Saylor’s success with Bitcoin is undeniably impressive, but it’s essential to view his story in context. His rise to prominence as a Bitcoin advocate came after years of MicroStrategy’s struggles, and much of his newfound fame coincided with Bitcoin’s broader bull market.
Rather than simply mimicking his moves, take a step back and assess your own strategy. Remember, the smartest investors aren’t those who blindly follow the crowd—they’re the ones who do their research, weigh the risks, and make informed decisions.
In trading and investing, doing your homework is the real key to success. Don’t let someone else’s narrative cloud your judgment.
Bitcoin (BTC): This Bull Run Will Be Different!Pretty sure 80% of people are about to lose most of their money soon.
There’s way too much ‘dumb money’ being thrown into the markets right now. Panic will set in, especially for those who struggle to control their emotions while trading.
Trading isn’t just about ‘buy low, sell high.’ Markets have their own rhythm each cycle, and that rhythm is always unique and different. Even if you look at previous bull market tops, each one was formed differently.
If you’ve been following us and sense that we know what we’re talking about, listen carefully:
◼️ Stay away from the markets when conditions are unclear.
◼️ Not every day is a trading day.
◼️ High leverage will destroy you.
◼️ And remember, unrealized P&L is not profit—sometimes you just have to take those profits!
Swallow Team
Crude OIL SHORT Today Ran For +4R BreakdownNYMEX:CL1!
"Successful trading has always been about understand the convictions, the strength and the weakness of buyers and sellers. Once you understand what the other traders are doing in the market, you can successfully trade with them." -Michael Valtos
Confluence Profile 500K (Expectational Order-Flow + PA) 10pt Stop / +4R Run... Well Done!!
Remember; "Our Profession is to Manage the downside costs of printing HIGHSIDE returns of $$$ consistently. Done correctly, well Abundance awaits us." -500KTrey
HOW-TO: Optimize Risk in Volatile Markets on TradingViewThe Fractional Accumulation Distribution Strategy (FADS) is designed to dynamically optimize entry points and position sizing based on market conditions. It leverages volatility-based trend detection and adaptive scaling to identify high-probability demand and supply zones using ranges from higher timeframes.
In volatile markets, traders can improve capital allocation and optimize their personal risk preference in various ways when using FADS.
The settings used in this demonstration differ from the default script settings to highlight specific features or behaviors under unique market conditions. Users are encouraged to experiment with these parameters to suit their trading preferences.
USE CASES:
Adjust volatility setting to adapt to any timeframe
Traders with high risk tolerance can use lower volatility period to increase the frequency of accumulation and distribution phases which often results in entering at higher price levels.
To optimize for a better trend capture, the period can be increased to filter out minor fluctuations resulting in better entry and exit price levels.
Adjusting Volatility Input and Range for Higher Timeframes
Working with higher timeframes such as daily in a volatile market, reducing risk can be achieved by increasing the volatility input and reducing the period.
Adjusting Positions Spacing via Spreads Settings
The Accumulation and Distribution Spreads are one of the conditional components, defining how the strategy scales into positions during separate phases.
Accumulation Spread determines the distance between additional buy positions during the accumulation phase.
A trader with a lower risk tolerance can use larger value to increase the distance between buy orders, leading to fewer trades and a more conservative accumulation. In contrast, smaller values increase frequency of buy orders leading to a more aggressive accumulation.
In extreme volatile markets, a larger distance between entry positions can significantly improve average cost of trades and capital conservation.
Distribution Spread determines the distance between exits during the Distribution Phase.
Larger value increases the distance between sell orders, reducing sell frequency and leading to more deliberate distribution.
Smaller value decreases the distance, making the strategy more aggressive in taking profits or scaling out of positions.
Increased DS forces strategy to distribute at higher price levels which in its turn increases potential profits as well as risks! Keep in mind that markets are unpredictable so increase it considering y risk tolerance.
Cross-Functional Setup for FADS
Here’s how the setup impacts performance across two scenarios:
Default Setup for 15-Minute Timeframe:
Using the default setting on smaller timeframes like 15 minutes naturally reduces the number of trades. This is due to filtering out short-term fluctuations and focusing on extreme price levels influenced by weekly volatility metrics. This approach works well for traders seeking fewer but more strategic entries and exits.
Custom Setup for Higher Trade Frequency for 15-Minute Timeframe:
For traders using smaller timeframes and seeking to capture more frequent fluctuations, the following adjustment approaches can help balance increased trade frequency while reducing risk.
Adjust Volatility Factor
Reduce the volatility factor to 'Daily' from 'Weekly' to increase the number of trades by capturing more fluctuations.
Increase Period
Increase the period to smooth trends and compensate for higher volatility, which helps filter out minor fluctuations and reduces overall trade count.
Increase Accumulation Threshold
Raise the accumulation threshold to target lower price levels, which reduces trade frequency and lowers risk by focusing on more significant price drops.
Adjust Accumulation Spread
Increase the accumulation spread to leave larger gaps between entry points during the accumulation phase, reducing risk.
Additionally, uncheck the accumulation spread checkbox to increase frequency of trades at targeted zones.
Rationale:
By reducing the volatility factor to 'Daily,' the number of trades increases as smaller price fluctuations are captured. To offset the associated risks, adjustments to the accumulation threshold and spread help filter for better trade opportunities.
More Than a Matter of Taste. The Timeframe is EverythingHigher Timeframes (daily, weekly, monthly)
Lower Timeframes (intraday timeframe)
Influential educators often propagate misleading ideas that cost the community money. One of the most harmful and, sadly, widely accepted opinions is: "Since the market is fractal, all timeframes are equal. The timeframe is just a matter of taste." Today, I want to debunk this myth, relying not only on my studies on the subject but also on the most basic logic.
Mass Psychology:
Higher timeframes, by aggregating more emotions over longer periods, reflect the psychology of investors more clearly and consistently, thus, a historical record will be more reliable and complete in larger time frames.
Manipulation:
Higher timeframes require a larger volume of capital to be manipulated since the interests forming the price action are backed by generally well-capitalized participants who operate with long-term goals.
News:
Movements in higher timeframes are less influenced by short-term news, offering a more stable and often more predictive perspective of the market.
Randomness:
Randomness increases with shorter timeframes. An example of this is the decrease in the success rate of trading systems as we move to lower timeframes. Profitable (documented) systems on daily charts can become unusable on 4-hour or 1-hour timeframes.
Additional Elements:
-There are well-documented profitable trading systems in works by technical analysts like Larry Connor or Thomas Bulkowski, always with a focus on daily or higher timeframes. To date, there are no documented systems for timeframes like 5 or 15 minutes, nor is there a scalper with a transparent record of predictions demonstrating the profitability of their approach.
-All classic indicators (MACD, RSI, Bollinger Bands, Keltner Channels, Donchian Channels, Williams Alligator, Ichimoku Cloud, Parabolic SAR, DMI, etc.) have been created based on a daily or higher timeframe.
-All known classic methodologies (Dow Theory, Chartism, Elliott Wave Theory, Harmonic Patterns, Wyckoff Method, Gann Theories, Hurst Cycles, Japanese Candlestick Patterns, etc.) were developed with a daily or higher timeframe focus.
-All renowned technical analysts have applied a daily or higher timeframe approach to generate wealth.
On Some Authors:
-Richard W. Schabacker (the true father of Technical Analysis) in his book "Technical Analysis and Stock Market Profits" (1932) structured market fluctuations into Major Movements (monthly chart or higher), Intermediate Movements (weekly chart), and Minor Movements (daily chart). His analyses were based on understanding these timeframes, and his methodology, now known as "chartism" (though extremely misunderstood and manipulated), warned that it should be used in these timeframes.
"The longer it takes for the chart to form any pattern, the greater the predictive significance of that pattern and the longer the subsequent move will be, the length, size, and strength of our formation."
He also addressed the topic of manipulation and the high cost of consistently manipulating timeframes like the weekly one.
-Dirk du Toit in his book titled "Bird Watching in Lion Country" comments:
"The smaller your timeframe, the greater the randomness of what you are observing. If you are watching price changes every five or fifteen minutes, the degree of randomness is very high, and your likelihood of anticipating the next correct price movement, or series of price movements, is very low."
"A coin, like a five-minute chart, has no memory. Just because it has come up heads eight times in a row, it doesn't start to 'adjust' to provide the required probability balance of a 50/50 ratio in a certain number of tosses. Five or fifteen-minute charts are the same. Trying to predict whether the next five-minute period will end up or down is exactly like flipping a coin."
-In the documentary titled "Trader" (1987), we observe that despite Wall Street's aggressive style, Paul Tudor analyzed price action on daily and higher timeframes, comparing the historical record of his charts with events as significant as the 1929 Crash. He even used classic methods like Elliott Wave Theory to detect long-term opportunities.
Conclusions:
In an occupation in decline, turned into an entertainment industry, we should be extremely cautious. It's no coincidence that aggressive marketing is focused on selling us the dream of getting rich quickly. In the past, only a minority could access markets, but now we are all potential customers regardless of our capital. Platforms know that "hard work" and "long-term consistency" are unmarketable phrases. They want to exploit masses of gullible people, and to fill their coffers, they will show an easy path to "financial freedom." The chances of surviving in this environment of deceptive advertising are nil if one does not question everything. Do we not look to the past to make decisions under the premise that history tends to repeat itself? Then we should look to the classic works in these times of uncertainty. It's a long and lonely path, but it's the only path. 99% of current educators and writers are not technical analysts. None record their predictions, none trade in real-time. They are merely opportunists feeding off people's hopes. It's better to dust off the works of the fathers of Technical Analysis than to spend the next 5 years reading about psychotrading and seeking magical solutions on YouTube. Question everything. The only thing you can never question is your capabilities.