One of our Skill Enhancement Sessions. Traders often say we could help them by giving insight into entry and stop management. It's a common challenge. There are many approaches that are effective in improving this skill and most of them require first defining the opportunity. Once that's accomplished, then trigger and stop placement become a [...]
One of our Skill Enhancement Sessions. To gain consistency in your trading, one of the most useful tools any developing trader can employ is to perform debriefs of trades. This is effective whether the trade is a winner or a loser. This will help you isolate performance issues and avoid poor trade definition in the [...]
Another week and we are already lock limit down in Index futures early Sunday evening as the Fed has made a surprise rate cut to the levels of the 2008 Financial Crisis, while also announcing a Bond purchasing program in an effort to boost the ever grim economic outlook resulting from the Covid19 pandemic. While [...]
Part of our regular Q&A series. In this Q&A session, we took a look at a number of products from stocks, futures, and forex. Then we opened the floor to additional questions.
Part of our regular Q&A series. In this Q&A session, we took a look at a number of products from stocks, futures, and forex. Then we opened the floor to additional questions.
Part of our regular Q&A series. In this Q&A session, we took a look at a number of products from stocks, futures, and forex. Then we opened the floor to additional questions.
Part of our regular Q&A series. In this Q&A session, we took a look at a number of products from stocks, futures, and forex. Then we opened the floor to additional questions.
Whether you trade intraday or look for multi-session opportunities, looking at the much wider timeframe is a good start for any approach to markets. As the rule states, "always default to the higher timeframe." This can mean you may take a long position, but if the larger timeframe is bearish, take your profits and don't [...]
Part of our regular Q&A series. In this Q&A session, we began with a look at the impact of tariffs. We reviewed some early action in the NQ and we discussed expectations for the end of the year and anticipation for 2020. Then we opened the floor to additional questions.
Part of our regular Q&A series. In this Q&A session, we began with a look at the impact of news releases like NFP or FOMC. Then we took a short "structure clean-up trade." We continued discussion about deliberate practice with the profile. Then we opened the floor to additional questions.
Part of our regular Q&A series. In this Q&A session, we began with a look at how we incorporate news events into our view of the auction. Then we opened the floor to additional questions.
Part of our regular Q&A series. In this Q&A session, we began with a look at 4 questions to ask and answer before you ever put on a trade. These questions are crucial for traders looking to build consistency. Then we opened the floor to additional questions.
Part of our regular Q&A series. In this Q&A session, we began with a look at some opportunities after Non-farm payrolls. Then we opened the floor to additional questions.
Part of our regular Q&A series. In this Q&A session, we began with a look at some opportunities in NQ, ES and CL. Then we opened the floor to additional questions.
Part of our regular Q&A series. In this Q&A session, we began with a look at some opportunities in NQ, ZS and CL. Then we opened the floor to additional questions.
Part of our regular Q&A series. In this Q&A session, we began with a look at some opportunities in NQ, ES and CL post NFP. Then we opened the floor to additional questions.
Part of our regular Q&A series. In this Q&A session, we began with a discussion on our plan for the session and then we took a 50pt intraday swing short in NQ. Then we opened the floor to additional questions.
Part of our regular Q&A series. In this Q&A session, we began with a discussion on a “fade” trade we took in Nasdaq futures. Then we opened the floor to additional questions.
One of the anchor playbook set-ups we encourage developing traders to look for is called an IB EXT FADE (initial balance extension fade). This is means we wait for the first hour of trading to complete, see extension of range beyond that range of that first hour and then take the counter position to the [...]
Part of our regular Q&A series. In this Q&A session, we began with a discussion with an important level for the day's auction, discerned from the profile. Then we opened the floor to additional questions.
Part of our regular Q&A series. In this Q&A session, we began with a discussion with an important level for the day's auction, discerned from the profile. Then we opened the floor to additional questions.
Part of our regular Q&A series. In this Q&A session, we began with a discussion with an overview of both Market Profile and Volume Profile. We discussed current geopolitical turmoil and its impact on our trading plans. Then we opened the floor to additional questions.
Part of our weekly Q&A series. The Federal Reserve, aka "the Fed", or the United States Central Bank is an entity whose actions traders and investors do well to be aware of. Now, as behaviorists, we do not spend much time looking at Fed actions to judge the direction in our trades. We do however [...]
Part of our weekly Q&A series. We began with a discussion about why the range of the opening range still matters, how we use this information and what we look for in the profile to help us make decisions. Then we opened the floor to questions. Then we opened the floor to additional questions. Additional [...]
Part of our weekly Q&A series. We began with a discussion reviewing trade on days like FOMC, how we use price action and what we look for in the profile to help us make decisions. Then we opened the floor to questions. Then we opened the floor to additional questions. Additional questions asked and answered: [...]
Profiling is the core of our trading approach and analysis because it captures how all market participants (institutions, hedge funds, retails, etc) interacted with various prices. While no market cycle is the same, there are consistent behaviors in auctions that are millennia old and are not going away. This means we can see how these [...]
Part of our weekly Q&A series. Part of our weekly Q&A series. We began with a discussion regarding the "2nd Move" trade set-up, how to discern bias and how to find larger levels in the auction. Then we opened the floor to questions. Then we opened the floor to additional questions. Additional questions asked and [...]
Part of our weekly Q&A series. We began the discussion with a look at some opening gaps in Crude and Nasdaq futures. Then we opened the floor to additional questions. Additional questions asked and answered: When using profile, in general, does it say anything about the direction or just about levels? What are your trade [...]
Part of our weekly Q&A series. We began the discussion with a look at some opening "fade" or "responsive" trades in Crude and Nasdaq futures. We also reviewed a trade in Wheat that we took earlier in the week. Then we opened the floor to additional questions. Additional questions asked and answered: So being new [...]
Part of our weekly Q&A series. We began the discussion with a look at our morning routine, how to build option trades with the profile, and what the difference is between session volume and orderflow delta. Then we opened the floor to additional questions. Additional questions asked and answered: Why do you like NQ over [...]
Part of our weekly Q&A series. Breakout trades! Breakout trades occur when we take a trade in the direction of range extension. There is a great example of this exhibited in this discussion. We began the discussion with a look at a breakout trade in Nasdaq futures. Then we opened the floor to questions. Additional [...]
Take a look at this pre-market chart of Nasdaq futures: NQ (Nasdaq futures) are gapping (A gap is where we open completely outside the range of the prior session) into what we call an "extreme posture" in this chart. Nothing says short here yet, but this configuration does tell us it is getting late for longs [...]
Part of our weekly Q&A series. Triggers. Triggers are short time frame price action arrangement patterns we use to help us minimize entry risk when we enter a trade. We began the discussion with a look at how we use triggers when we come into an area of interest based on the profile. Then we [...]
Part of our weekly Q&A series. Patience. Patience in trading is an edge. The challenge is in knowing what you are being patient for. We began the discussion with a look at how we use the profile to help us be patient traders. Then we opened the floor to questions. Additional questions asked and answered: [...]
Part of our weekly Q&A series. We began the discussion with a look at how to use the profile to determine the context of the auction. Then we opened the floor to questions. Additional questions asked and answered: What statistics does IRT provide for Profile, say for the ES? I know you have provided a [...]
Part of our weekly Q&A series. We began the discussion with a look at how to use the profile to set a bias for the coming session. Then we opened the floor to questions. Can you look at crude for today? Where do you start the ER? Where is the MC-VPOC in that current balance [...]
Part of our weekly Q&A series. We began the discussion with a look at how to use the initial balance to help generate trade ideas. Then we opened the floor to questions. Can you look at crude for today? Where do you start the ER? What product do you prefer? ES, NQ? pls explain the [...]
Part of our weekly Q&A series. We began the discussion with a look at how to use the profile to pick better price targets. Then we opened the floor to questions.
Part of our weekly Q&A series. We began the discussion with a look at how to use the profile to confirm or negate a directional move. Then we opened the floor to questions. Additional questions asked & answered during the session: How do you keep yourself from getting chopped up in these areas of acceptance [...]
Part of our weekly Q&A series. We began the discussion with a look at how to use the profile to prepare for the next move. Then we opened the floor to questions. Additional questions asked & answered during the session: Crude? Thanks for these webinars guys. Wondering how do you typically determine where to set your [...]
Part of our weekly Q&A series. We began the discussion with a look at how to use the profile to see "value" and use that value to help establish good trade location. Then we opened the floor to questions. Additional questions asked & answered during the session: Do ag products have a tendency to slow down [...]
Part of our weekly Q&A series. We began the discussion with a look at how to use the profile to discern auction direction and quality. Then we opened the floor to questions. Additional questions asked & answered during the session: If you can can you look at SBUX on the stock side? I got short in [...]
Part of our weekly Q&A series. We began the discussion with a look at how to find better times of the trading session to be active. Then we opened the floor to questions. Additional questions asked & answered during the session: Where did you get the stats for IB extension etc? I saw a couple [...]
Part of our weekly Q&A series. We began the discussion with a look at how we use "OPEN types" to determine the likelihood of "DAY types." Then we opened the floor to questions. Additional questions asked & answered during the session: Can you take a look at ES. How today opened and what the rest [...]
Part of our weekly Q&A series. We began the discussion with a look at how to use the profile along with short term triggers to minimize risk on entry. Then we opened the floor to questions. Additional questions asked & answered during the session: Why would you love it to be to the upside? We were [...]
Part of our weekly Q&A series. We began the discussion with a look at how to use the profile to quickly identify the context of the auction. Then we opened the floor to questions.
Part of our weekly Q&A series. We began the discussion with a look at how to use the profile to determine a bias for the coming session, and more importantly, know when that bias is being challenged. Then we opened the floor to questions. Additional questions asked & answered: How long are your longer bias? [...]
Part of our weekly Q&A series. We began the discussion with a look at how to use the profile to help figure out who is in control, allowing us to position with them. Then we opened the floor to questions. Additional questions asked & answered: Do you look into inter-market relationships? Do you consider anything [...]
Part of our weekly Q&A series. We began the discussion with a look at how to use orderflow along with the profile to gain greater confidence in directional entries. Then we opened the floor to questions. Additional questions asked & answered: Please explain order flow. TY. Hey guys, do you also analyze weekly or even monthly [...]
Part of our weekly Q&A series. We began the discussion with a look at how to use the profile to discern unexpected market behavior (and what to do when you see this). Then we opened the floor to questions. Additional questions asked & answered: Crude broke out of a 4-day balance on Wednesday after moving [...]
Part of our weekly Q&A series. We began the discussion with a look at how to decide if you should go with a move or not. Then we opened the floor to questions. Additional questions asked & answered: How can I discern that the auction is "accepting" lower prices? When I go with a move, [...]
Part of our weekly Q&A series. We began the discussion with a look at how to use the profile to anticipate a larger market move. Then we opened the floor to questions. Additional questions asked & answered: Do you look at order flow when you want to be long/short or do you use a signal [...]
Binary events occur when a news or econ release is expected during the trading session. It creates one of 2 responses, higher or lower. In this video, we describe some ways to think about trading the day after a Binary event and what that's telling you about the forward auction.
Profilers are taught to observe certain structural reference points in the profile graphic and expected certain behaviors when the auction comes toward those reference points. So, what happens when a reference point does not behave as expected? Does this mean that profiling is invalid? May it never be. Instead, learn to interpret how this is [...]
Whether you've been away from markets for a bit and coming back, or if you want to be able to get away from screens and not feel like you've lost the plot when you return; you can use the profile to help you quickly find the plot (narrative in the market) and get reconnected to [...]
You may have heard of traders being "squeezed" in an auction. What does it mean? How can you see it, or better yet benefit from it? In this video, we demonstrate how you can use the profile along with orderflow data to see squeezes, keep from being caught in one and benefit when they are [...]
A mark of trading competence is being able to discern expected and unexpected auction behavior. For the novice, the example auction provided is seen as any other auction. For the trader who has been in markets for sometime, it means something different. The lesson here? Learn how to discern the difference. It will save you [...]
A gap is a move measured from the RTH (real-time hours) range of one session to another. This is a mark of the presence of the OTF (other time frame trader) and should alert a trader that large ranges are possible. Gaps do not occur very often, but when they do, it's helpful to have [...]
An auction in "balance" is an auction at rest. The next move is preparing to come and it will initiate from this zone. First, you need to be able to identify these balanced areas and then know what to look for when they begin to break so that you can join the move.
Not all times during the session offer the same opportunity. During different periods of the trading session we look for different types of auction activity. In this example, we are looking for something called, "responsive" activity given how far we are into the session.
Not all prices or activity in the auction are the same. So, to keep from being lulled into every bit of the action, we establish zones of interest. These can serve as targets to exit or areas to look for a counter trend entry. In this video, we show how we used one of these [...]
Looking for a quick trade on the open? This is a great set-up to look for on the open in a trading product. This set-up is clearly visible through the use of the profile graphic.
Markets go through cycles of volatility which can be damaging to the account of a new trader. In this seminar, we describe how we use the profile to adapt to differing cycles of volatility.
I had the opportunity to catch up with Dave Toth, Market Insights Senior Analyst with RJO'Brien (Dave has served as a technical analyst for over 30 years) during a meeting in Denver. Dave was hosting the meeting to discuss technical analysis. By definition, technical analysis is the perspective that trading decisions are determined simply through a [...]
When making trading decisions, we remove some of the randomness of markets by identifying "open types" and "day types" to help give us an expectation of behavior.
When making trading decisions, we remove some of the randomness of markets by identifying zones that we are interested in participating. Then, if the auction comes to us, we are prepared and have a plan in place.
When making trading decisions, we always make them with respect to where we are in the "posture" of the market and that is discerned through knowing and leaning on value across multiple timeframes.
Maybe you've heard about Market Profiling before, but not sure if it's worth the hype. In this seminar, we guide you through practical examples of Market Profile in use so that you can discern whether or not Market Profile would be a value added tool to your trading methodology and approach.
You may have heard us say at some point that there is no such thing as a trading holy grail. What we mean by this is that there are no trading approaches or systems that are 100% effective, allowing you to extract money from the markets at will and without risk (btw, if they did exist, [...]
The short answer? yes, and no.....see below: Eventually market prices do sync with fundamental data (company finances for stocks, economic data for commodities), but the challenge is that most traders are not capitalized large enough so that they can last long enough until everything is in sync (i.e. anyone seen the Big Short?). The Crude [...]
Knowing where you are in the auction can help you stay present to potential bias shifts and opportunities to come. Don't be the trader who jumps on an exhausting trend just because it is easy to identify. Notice: derivatives trading involves substantial risk of loss and is not suitable for all investors. Past performance is [...]