Showing posts with label Market Structure. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Market Structure. Show all posts

Saturday, July 11, 2026

ICT New York Midnight Open (NYMO): How to Actually Use It | Darya Filipenka

Traders use the New York Midnight Open (NYMO) in different ways. This is my approach. It is grounded in ICT principles (see second video below), though my interpretation differs slightly (first video). The New York midnight open is not a standalone trading level; it is a contextual framework for understanding accumulation, manipulation, and distribution within the intraday cycle.
 
Black horizontal line represents the NY Midnight Open (NYMO).
Red shaded area: discount entry zone at FVG; Green shaded area: expected premium extension target zone.
Option 1: Breakout Continuation (FVG)
A strong body closure past NY midnight open sets up a trend play. Enter on the retest of the first 3m/5m Fair Value Gap (FVG or imbalance) formed after the break. Stop loss goes beyond midnight open or the nearest swing point; target 2R.

Option 2: Liquidity Sweep Continuation
Price wicks through NY midnight open but fails to close past it, indicating a sweep. Enter at the next candle open once an opposing order block (OB) forms to confirm continuation. Stop loss goes at the sweep swing point; target 2R.

Option 3: Weak Breakout Reversal
A weak closure or immediate rejection wick at midnight open signals a fakeout. Enter a reversal play at the next candle open once a counter-trend OB forms. Stop loss goes at the midnight open or recent swing level; target 2R.

Option 4: Higher-Timeframe Inversion
A strong breakout hits a higher-timeframe (HTF) key level, forcing a reversal. Enter at the next candle open when the initial breakout FVG fails and acts as an Inversion FVG (IFVG), aligned with an opposing OB. Stop loss goes at the HTF swing point.
A key misconception is treating it as a level to trade from. Price does not react to it because it is "magical"; it serves as a reference point. Its value is understood through the Power of Three: accumulation, manipulation, and distribution. The New York midnight open often marks the transition between these phases.
 
ICT NYMO Explained.
 
Think of a sprinter: accumulation is the setup, manipulation the adjustment, and distribution the race. The move does not begin at the New York midnight open—it begins only after price leaves and holds away from it.
Stage 1: Accumulation
Defined by range-bound price with no clear direction or strong volume, often forming around the daily open. Intraday, price frequently consolidates near the New York midnight open. Position relative to the level is meaningless here; directional bias is not yet established and the dealing range is still forming.
Stage 2: Manipulation
The false move before the real move. Price may trade above or below the level to induce liquidity, but this does not define premium or discount. It is typically a setup. Price should interact with higher-timeframe levels and show a reaction, confirmed by order flow shifts or displacement. Once price completes this and returns through the level, manipulation is likely ending.
Stage 3: Distribution
The real move begins only after a decisive break and close beyond the NYMO level. Sweeps or consolidation indicate continued manipulation. A strong close, typically with displacement, confirms expansion. Repeated returns to the level signal that the range is still forming.
Dealing Range Perspective
The Dealing Range is the price range between a defined high and low that establishes premium and discount. The New York midnight open acts as the center of the developing range. Only after distribution begins do true expansion, clear premium/discount zones, and defined swings emerge. These cannot be traded meaningfully until price holds away from equilibrium.
 
Invalidation
If price fails to hold after a break, distribution is not active. Rejections (sweeps without close) and weak closes followed by reversals signal lack of confirmation. Strong, sustained closes are required. Continuous trading above and below the NYMO level without expansion indicates ongoing accumulation—best to stay out.
 
Invalidation Signal: If price fails to hold away from the NYMO, distribution is
inactive and the market remains undecided. Not every touch is significant. 
 
Retest Logic (Time-Based Behavior)
If the level is not retested between 3:00–7:00 a.m. New York time (range formation window), the probability increases of a retest between 8:30–11:00 a.m. If it is retested early, the range is often balanced and distribution may continue. If not, the level becomes a likely pullback or mitigation target, creating higher-probability setups.
 
How to Trade It
Wait for a strong close beyond the NYMO level, then look for a retracement into the first fair value gap; enter on reaction with risk beyond the level. Alternatively, treat sweeps as continuation setups with confirmation via order flow and structure, refining entries with candle sequences, order blocks, or fair value gaps.

If a break lacks conviction, wait for confirmation such as a break in opposing structure. In optimal conditions, combine a strong break, order flow confirmation, and higher-timeframe alignment. If a higher-timeframe objective is reached immediately after the break, favor reversal setups.
 
Some Extremely Useful Statistics
The following statistics can be used to align with what occurs between 3:00 and 7:00 a.m. to confirm a potential retracement.
► SPX / ES: If price opens at 9:30 a.m. above the New York midnight open, there is a 58% chance it will retrace to that level. If price opens below the New York midnight open, the probability of a retracement increases to 69%. 
► On Thursdays, there is a stronger tendency to retrace to the New York midnight open when price opens below the level. On these days, the probability increases to 88%.
► NDX / NQ: If price opens above the New York midnight open, there is a 57% chance of a retracement. If price opens below the level, there is a 63% chance of a retracement back to the New York midnight open.
► On Tuesdays there is a 67% chance of a retracement to the New York midnight open if price opens above the level, and a 73% chance of a retracement if price opens below it. 
► Gold: If price opens above the New York midnight open, there is a 47% chance of a retracement to that level. This idea should again be aligned with higher-timeframe levels and the 3:00 to 7:00 a.m. range—specifically, what occurs during that window. If price opens below the New York midnight open, there is a 51% chance of a retracement.
 Reference:
  
 
Posted by at
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Monday, June 29, 2026

Hurst Cycles Update: SPX, NDX, ASX, Gold, and Bitcoin | David Hickson

This market update focuses on the danger of symmetry in cycle analysis. Across all markets analyzed—S&P 500, NASDAQ, ASX, Gold, and Bitcoin—the central theme is consistent: the risk of symmetrical M shapes forming within a larger bearish cycle context. While not yet confirmed, multiple signals—failed targets, breakdowns below FLDs, and weaker second peaks—suggest increasing downside risk. Confirmation will depend on upcoming price interactions with key FLD levels.

S&P 500: The analysis builds on a major cycle trough at the end of March. In the prior update, the 80-day cycle trough was identified as likely complete. Cycles typically generate M-shaped price structures: an initial rise to a peak, a decline to a mid-cycle trough (e.g., 40-day), followed by a second peak and eventual decline into the larger cycle trough. The recent structure formed a distorted, bullish M shape, where the second peak was not symmetrical but elevated.
 
Topping in symmetrical 20-week M structure, likely heading into 18-month trough around late August. 
[current average cycle periods in stacked, color-coded boxes at bottom right.] 
 
Attention now shifts to the larger 20-week cycle, which is also forming an M shape. The first leg ran from the late-March trough to a peak, followed by a decline into the mid-June 80-day trough. A key analytical risk is symmetry: a perfectly symmetrical M shape typically indicates a neutral market. However, the presence of an upcoming 18-month cycle trough—expected around August—implies a bearish context. When a cycle concludes into a higher-magnitude trough, the resulting M shape is typically bearish, characterized by a lower second peak and a stronger decline.


Following the June 80-day trough, price should rise before eventually turning down into the 18-month trough. The concern is that the current price action may be forming a symmetrical structure, signaling weakness. Price has struggled to rally, reinforcing this risk.
 
Examining interactions with the 20-day FLD (Future Line of Demarcation), price crossed above it after the 80-day trough (an A-category signal), but failed to reach its projected target—a first bearish sign. Subsequently, during formation of the 20-day cycle trough, price broke below the FLD instead of finding support, marking a second bearish signal. While not conclusive, this raises the probability of a bearish cycle. The next confirmation would be a failed attempt to reclaim the FLD. 
 
 
The thick blue dashed composite model line, which reconstructs price behavior based solely on cycle inputs, illustrates the symmetry risk clearly: a period of compression followed by a breakdown into the 18-month trough. This model is not predictive but conditional—if cycles persist as analyzed, this is the expected trajectory. The broader context includes a 54-month trough in October 2023 and an 18-month trough in April 2025, with the next 18-month trough projected for August.

The NASDAQ mirrors this structure. Its 80-day trough formed slightly earlier in June, followed by a move above the 20-day FLD that failed to meet its target and then reversed below it—again producing two bearish signals. A symmetrical M shape is also forming here, with similar downside risk into the 18-month trough.
 
Mirroring S&P with a failed FLD sequence, rolling over toward an August 18-month trough.
 
A remote bullish alternative exists: a triangular consolidation could represent a final base, with price breaking upward and shifting the 80-day trough forward. However, this would imply an extended cycle length (around 87 days vs. the typical 68), weakening the analysis. Confirmation would require a strong upward move through the FLD with target achievement.

The Australian ASX provides confirming evidence through Hurst’s principle of commonality, which observes that global markets tend to form troughs synchronously. The ASX identified the 20-week trough earlier than US markets and also formed its 80-day trough earlier. It now shows a similar setup: a potential bearish M shape with a lower second peak and a projected decline into an 18-month trough around late July or early August.
 
Late-stage M structure with residual strength, direction unresolved but biased down into late July–early August.
 

However, the ASX differs in that it successfully achieved certain FLD targets and even exceeded one, indicating residual bullish strength. Despite this, it later broke below the FLD again, signaling vulnerability. The next expected interaction (E-category) will determine direction: success implies continued strength; failure reinforces bearish symmetry. Notably, the composite model underestimated the recent peak, suggesting more bullishness than expected and raising the possibility of misidentified longer cycles.

In Gold, a major peak earlier in the year has maintained bearish pressure. A potential 80-day trough was identified, but price failed to confirm it by crossing above the FLD. Instead, price repeatedly found resistance at the FLD (GH interactions), leaving the trough unconfirmed.
 
Unconfirmed 80-day trough with repeated FLD rejection, likely weak bounce before continuing lower over the near term.
 
If a trough is forming, it would imply an unusually long cycle (~93 days), which is plausible for Gold. Confirmation requires a clean break above the FLD and target achievement. The composite model suggests a near-term bounce followed by renewed decline.

Bitcoin presents a more complex case. The prior analysis suggested a 20-week trough may have formed in early June, but this remains uncertain due to subsequent lower lows. If that trough is valid, the current 20-day cycle is exceptionally bearish—an early warning of broader weakness. Price initially crossed above the FLD (A-category), but failed to reach its target and then broke below the FLD, producing two bearish signals.
 
Structurally weakening; either already in a bearish 20-week cycle or still topping, with downside 
pressure building into the next few weeks to months within the current 18-month cycle.
 
Alternatively, the 20-week trough may still be forming, in which case the earlier FLD signal was anomalous. Cycle timing supports this ambiguity, as current price action aligns with expected trough timing based on average cycle length (~19.6 weeks).

Zooming out, Bitcoin has followed Hurst cycle rhythms closely. A 54-month trough formed in late 2022, followed by an 18-month trough in August 2024 (~593 days, slightly extended) and another candidate in February (~547 days, near ideal length). If this structure holds, Bitcoin is now in the final 18-month cycle of the current 54-month cycle. The first 18-month cycle was strongly bullish, the second moderately bullish, and the current one is showing early bearish characteristics—raising concern that the broader trend is turning down into the next major trough expected in 2027.
 
 
Posted by at
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Friday, March 27, 2026

S&P 500 in Wyckoff Markdown Phase | Major Low in July

In Wyckoff's Distribution Schematic, the S&P 500 (ES) has completed the Upthrust After Distribution (UTAD) and the Test of Upthrust (TOU) sequence near the upper boundary of the trading range (Phase D). 

 The blue circle marks the current location of the S&P 500.
 
Following the Last Point of Supply (LPSY – Return to ICE) and the Major Sign of Weakness (MSOW), the S&P transitioned into clear Failure to Improve and Markdown type price action (Phase E) outside the trading range (Phases A to D). The decline is characterized by repeated failures to reclaim prior support levels, expanding supply, and the absence of sustained demand sponsorship. 
 
The Eternal Recurrence of the Same Wyckoff Cycle.

Any rally and retracement in April will likely be choppy and shallow and reflect Re-Distribution within the current Markdown Phase, which is expected to resume into July or even October. Measured from the April 2025 low to the January 2026 high, the absolute minimum downside target for the ES markdown is the 50% retracement near 5,940; however, in 2026 a deeper decline of 20%+ to around 5,350 or 4,830 is far more likely.
 
See also:
Posted by at
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Saturday, March 21, 2026

S&P 500 – Bearish Structure and 7% Downside Setup | Justin Bennett

On the 4 hour chart, a bearish Break of Structure (BoS) confirms sellers remain in control, so the focus stays on short setups. Just below current price sits a key daily support level (equal lows), which also functions as a weekly external low—making it structurally critical.

 » On the daily time frame, a fair value gap (FVG or imbalance) stands out as a critical zone for the coming week. 
This gap has not yet been fully mitigated, leaving unfinished business in the market. «
S&P 500 (4 hour candles).

For next week, the primary setup is a rally into a daily Fair Value Gap (FVG) that has not yet been mitigated. If price trades into this area—especially into premium above recent highs—the objective is to wait for a lower time frame Change of Character (CHoCH) before entering shorts. No confirmation, no trade.

 » Price always moves from liquidity to inefficiency and vice versa, or from internal liquidity to external liquidity and vice versa. «

Longer term, a weekly close below the external low would signal acceptance and a higher timeframe shift. That opens the path toward a large unmitigated weekly imbalance, implying roughly a ~7% downside move (toward the 6,000 region).
 
» The next logical target is a large unmitigated weekly imbalance left behind by a strong displacement candle. 
This zone has never been retested and represents a magnet for price. Projecting into that imbalance suggests a
potential move of approximately 7% to the downside, bringing the S&P 500 toward just above the 6,000 level. «
S&P 500 (weekly candles).
  
In short: bearish structure, wait for a retrace into imbalance, confirm weakness, then target continuation lower.
 
Reference:
[obviously recorded before the March 20 market open.] 
 
S&P 500 (4-hour candles; March 20 market close): bearish 4-hour FVGs and Premium/Discount levels.

Nasdaq (4-hour candles; March 20 market close): bearish 4-hour FVGs and Premium/Discount levels.
 
 
    
See also:
Posted by at
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Friday, March 20, 2026

US Stock Indexes Trigger Rare March-December Low Indicator | Jeff Hirsch

Originated by Lucien Hooper, a Forbes columnist and Wall Street analyst in the 1970s, the December Low Indicator is based on the Dow closing below its December closing low in the first quarter of the New Year. DJIA’s December closing low was 47,289.33 on 12/1/2025.
  
 
The indicator also applies to the S&P 500, which closed below its December closing low of 6,721.43 (set on 12/17/2025). Historically, years when the S&P 500’s December Low Indicator was breached alongside a down January Barometer were weaker years. When the January Barometer was positive and the December Low was crossed, years tended to be stronger — which is the situation we find ourselves in today.
 
When the market has closed below its December closing low in the first quarter of the year, the market has dropped, on average, another 13.5% on the S&P 500 and 10.9% for the DJIA from the trigger point. Now that the December Low Indicator has been triggered on both the DJIA and S&P 500, some caution is in order.
 
Why This March Trigger Is Rare
Of the 36 December Low Indicator triggers on the S&P 500, this is only the fourth to occur in March, and the sixth among the 39 DJIA triggers. We’ve broken out the S&P DLI triggers by month in the accompanying tables above.
 
It’s not surprising that most January and February triggers were accompanied by a down January Barometer. Whereas all four March DLI triggers — including yesterday’s — came in years when the January Barometer was positive.

Here’s how the three trigger months compare historically:

  • January triggers (24 occurrences): Average further decline of 12.92%; full year up 14 of 24 times, average gain of 1.30%
  • February triggers (8 occurrences): The worst group — average further decline of 17.26%; down 6 of 8 full years, average loss of 8.13%
  • March triggers (3 previous occurrences): The mildest — average further decline of 8.12%; one year up, two down, average full-year loss of 3.70%
The historical data suggests March triggers carry less downside risk than those in January or February — a meaningful distinction given today’s trigger.
 
The January Barometer Still Points Higher
When the S&P 500 January Barometer is positive — as it was this year — the full year is up 41 of 46 years (89.1% of the time) for an average gain of 16.95%. The next 11 months are up 87.0% of the time for an average gain of 12.24%.
 
When it’s down, the year is up only 50% of the time with an average loss of 1.75%, and the next 11 months average a paltry 2.07% gain.
 
Bottom Line
While the current situation suggests the market is likely to go lower in the near term, the positive January Barometer and the broader fundamental and macro backdrop remain supportive. When the indexes and your spirits are down and contrary sentiment indicators reach extreme bearish levels — a VIX above 40, Investors Intelligence Bearish % exceeding Bullish % — that’s historically the point at which the market turns higher again. Stay cautious in the near term, but keep the longer-term odds in perspective.
 
Reference:
 
What happens once the SPY closes down four weeks in a row.
 
What happens once the weekly RSI(2) closes at 5 or below. 

See also:
Posted by at
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Thursday, February 19, 2026

One Trading Strategy for Life: The "Daily Sweep" | JadeCap

The 'Daily Sweep' strategy changed my life forever, powering me to a world-record $2.5 million payout from Apex Trader Funding in April 2024. Before mastering this methodology, I was caught in the cycle of 'strategy hopping,' constantly jumping from one system to the next. That ended here. This approach is the last one I will ever need, and my goal today is to teach it to you in full. By the end of this, you’ll have a clear, mechanical system to help you escape the noise and finally achieve consistent profitability.
 
» Mark all hourly swing points that haven't yet been traded to from yesterday leading up to 8AM.
If we are trading beyond yesterday's price action, use the next most recent day. «
 
Step One: Identifying Hourly Swing Points
Step one is deceptively simple, yet its precise execution is mandatory for the rest of the system to work. Every morning at 8:00 a.m. EST—ninety minutes before the US equity open—I sit down to map out the field. I meticulously mark every hourly swing point from the previous day leading up to the current session. If price action has moved beyond yesterday's range, simply pull data from the next most recent day. This pre-market routine ensures that by 9:30 a.m., I have a crystal-clear map of where liquidity is resting.  

» By 9:30 a.m., I have a crystal-clear map of where liquidity is resting. «  
Higher highs and higher lows or lower highs and lower lows?
 
It is critical to perform this analysis exclusively on the one-hour timeframe. While intraday trading involves lower timeframes, we require the one-hour chart to serve as our higher timeframe anchor to guide our decision-making. In the context of the Daily Sweep model, the hourly chart provides the necessary indication of when we can begin hunting for specific setups. We do not descend into lower timeframes until we receive high-level confirmation on the hourly chart.

To understand this step, one must first master the technical definition of a swing point. A swing low is defined by a three-candle pattern where a specific candle’s low is flanked by two candles with higher lows. Once the third candle in the sequence closes at the top of the hour, the central low is officially validated as a bullish swing point. Conversely, a swing high occurs when a central candle is flanked by two candles with lower highs. Again, we must wait for the closure of the third hourly candle before that peak is confirmed as a bearish swing point.

These swing points are vital because they allow us to identify market structure. When the market creates higher highs and higher lows, it is objectively bullish; lower highs and lower lows indicate a bearish trend. In a trending market, opposing swing points will often fail as the trend continues. However, the market rarely moves in a linear fashion, and we frequently see short-term "runs" on these swing points—where the market raids a low to gather liquidity before continuing higher. As traders, we are not seeking 100% certainty; rather, we are making a high-probability educated guess, ideally with a 60% to 70% success rate, to align ourselves with the higher timeframe trend.

Step Two: The Swing Failure Pattern (SFP)
Once you have identified your major swing points, you must integrate the concept of the Swing Failure Pattern (SFP). Without this secondary layer, the identified swing points are merely arbitrary lines on a chart. An SFP occurs when the price briefly breaches a significant swing high or low but reverses rapidly, failing to sustain momentum and closing back within the previous range. This phenomenon indicates a liquidity grab or a potential trend reversal.

Bullish and Bearish Swing Failure Patterns: When price briefly breaks a significant swing high or low but quickly reverses, 
failing to sustain the move and closing back within the previous range, indicating a potential trend reversal or liquidity grab. 
Why do they work? Instead of trying to anticipate the reversal, this provides confirmation that it is actually happening. 

In the marketplace, liquidity often clusters around these swing points. Traders entering "long" positions typically place their protective stop-loss orders just below a swing low, while "short" sellers place theirs above a swing high. The SFP allows us to capitalize on the moment these stop-losses are triggered. We are looking for the market to run through a swing point and then show a definitive rejection in the opposite direction.

A key distinction must be made: the mere breach of a level is not an SFP. We require a strong closure back within the range for confirmation. For instance, if the market raids a swing low, we do not simply buy the moment the level is touched; we wait for a bullish hourly candle to close back above that previous low. This provides confirmation that the "Smart Money" has entered the market, allowing us to ride their coattails rather than attempting to front-run the move.
 
"In professional trading, you do not want to be the first person rushing through the door. Those who rush in first are often the ones who get shot. Waiting for confirmation allows you to capture the 'meat' of the move rather than obsessing over 'top-ticking' or 'bottom-ticking' the market."

My mentors at a major Chicago trading firm emphasized that this filter saves significant capital. In my earlier years, I lost thousands of dollars attempting to trade "Turtle Soups" or liquidity raids by entering as soon as a level was breached. I would often watch the price drift slightly further, trigger my stop loss, and only then move in my intended direction. By waiting for the hourly SFP closure, we ensure that the lows or highs we are trading against are protected by confirmed institutional activity.

Intraday Execution and Case Studies
Once an SFP is confirmed on the one-hour chart, you can transition to lower timeframes—such as the one-minute, five-minute, or fifteen-minute charts—to refine your entry. The goal is to anticipate that the next several hourly candles will trade in the direction indicated by the SFP.

 NASDAQ (hourly charts): Setups and Trading Examples.

Looking at the NASDAQ (NQ) as an example (charts above), we can observe this pattern nearly every day. On a typical morning, if we identify a swing low and witness an SFP at the 8:00 a.m. candle closure, we can anticipate a bullish expansion during the New York session. In one specific instance, an SFP provided a move with a 3R (three times the risk) return on the hourly chart alone. If a trader were to refine that entry on a five-minute chart with a tighter stop-loss, the reward-to-risk ratio could be significantly higher.

All Five ICT Entry Models: Premium/Discount, Liquidity Raids, 
Fair Value Gaps, Order Blocks, and Breaker Blocks. 
 
It is important to note certain market conditions, such as holiday gaps. For example, during the period surrounding Thanksgiving and Black Friday, the lack of overnight data can make SFPs "sketchy" or unreliable. In such cases, it is often prudent to wait for the market to return to normal volume. However, on standard trading days, the pattern is remarkably consistent. Whether the market is trending or ranging, plotting the previous day's swing points and waiting for a session-open SFP—during either the London or New York sessions—provides a crystal-clear roadmap.  
 

ooo00O00ooo
 
I encourage you to perform your own "homework" by backtesting this on your charts. Plot your hourly swing points, identify the swing failure patterns, and observe how the subsequent hourly candles behave. This is the exact strategy I utilized to generate millions of dollars. While many traders have access to profitable strategies, they often fail due to a lack of discipline. I struggled for ten years before I was able to make this work, but by sticking to this one clear system, you can finally overcome the cycle of inconsistency.

Posted by at
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)