Wed. 04_17

A key for the above (5-min) chart to define the horizontal lines and dots.  For further explanation, see this link:  

Initial short (above, right) taken based on how the pre-market set up

Also, the Opening Swing was similar to a drive and stood up to a re-test

Breadth strongly bearish from the Open

Volume profile

Head & Shoulders until proven innocent.  If it is proven innocent a short squeeze would likely ensue, so stay alert.

Tue. 04_16

A key for the above (5-min) chart to define the horizontal lines and dots.  For further explanation, see this link:  

SPY with volume profile

Breadth strongly bullish from the open

ES globex - 

Mon 04_15

A key for the above chart to define the horizontal lines and dots.  For further explanation, see this link:  

Volume profile going forward (note: price levels indicated are NOT precise, most data feeds may reflect discrepancies).

Interesting development here in the IWM.  Weekly showing bullish trend with 2c 3/10macd criteria.  Looking for a 3d-3a criteria on the daily before entertaining longs on that time frame.  Would be healthy on the higher time frame to fullfill the daily H&S pattern

Fri 04_12

Last trade of the day is missing a down arrow for a secondary exit which was taken in the last 5-min bar.  There is also a short in here that's not marked around the 13:20 hour.

A key for the above chart to define the horizontal lines and dots.  For further explanation, see this link:  

Opening Swing and first hour's trade - 50% level reflected from the pre-market range

ES with globex - looks like an ascending triangle into the close, which can go either way, but whichever way it breaks you trade in that direction.

Volume profile - price finding support at a previous (2-days ago) Low Volume Node

Breadth - fairly bearish all day.  

SPY Cycle update - there is still potential for this to be the midpoint of a measured move higher

Gold_Crude

I'm going to try and blog more (read; post charts for my own amusement) about Crude Oil and Gold futures.   There is plenty I don't know about these markets, but this is the beginning of my intention to follow them more closely.
The charts I'll post and the arrow indications on them should be considered "PAPER TRADES" as I do not yet trade real money, live, in these instruments.  My approach to them will be very similar to the charts I post in the SPY intraday; two time frames with an indication of the long-, intermediate-, and short- term trends.
Crude Oil- You can see contract specifications here.
  Pre-market (5-minute time frame, top indicator is the higher time frame (15-min) 3/10macd, bottom indicator is the 5-min 3/10macd).  Vertical dash line is the Open and horizontal lines are untested (up until the Regular Trading Hours opening session) S/R levels:

"Open Outcry" session:  Arrows indicate potential trade opportunities

A key for the above chart to define the horizontal lines and dots.  For further explanation, see this link:  

Gold: Contract specs here.
Overnight market

Regular Trading Hours:

Thu. 04_11

Going to just include the important price points on the 5minute chart

A key for the above chart to define the horizontal lines and dots.  For further explanation, see this link:  

Opening Swing and first hour of trade

Breadth - Neutral to negative Volume

ES w. globex

Volume Profile - 

04/10

today's trade

A key for the above chart to define the horizontal lines and dots.  For further explanation, see this link:  

Opening Swing and first hour-

Breadth -

  Silly scalpy trades most of the day because I messed up the morning.  Your head fills with all sorts of stupid reasons like; "Well I'm not going to buy into these highs", whatever.  I'm not here to position trade, I'm here to DAY trade.
  The Opening type was easily recognizeable (Open-test-Drive, OTD), and the first three 15-min bars (first two really) were clearly strong and indicative of a breakout.  The MO is to, at the very least, get long after those first 3 15-min bars showing strength, and if your position is not positive over the next 30-45min then your premise might be wrong.   I scalped more than I should have instead of holding through to the 1pm (Central) hour when you can always expect a market shakeout before the final 45-minutes of the day.
  Blue arrows are entries, black are exits.  I even attempted a short!? (obviously not jiving, although I did nail the 'top' I ended up scratching the trade when I could have gotten 1.5-points out of it).

Volume profile - trend day (short covering P-shape)

ES with globex

Tue. 04_09

today's trade

A key for the above chart to define the horizontal lines and dots.  For further explanation, see this link:  

Today's Opening Swing - Open Auction Out of Range (OAOR).   Traded around the ptre-market range midpoint before selling lower

Breadth - neutral to start.  Break-out from zero-line coinciding with price recovering the Open and Opening swing range.

trades - 3 total, two long one short.  Captain Hindsight says that I shouldn't have scaled out of my initial long position, rather I should have added.

SPY with premarket and higher time frame 3/10macd

Volume Profile - Today's 'Day Type' being a Double-Distribution Trend Day.  Buyers supported the confluence of low volume nodes (LVN's).  Value built around a previous High Volume Node (HV) from April 3rd.  The breakout of the IB_high later in the afternoon brought a move back to April 2nd's LVN and beyond while also building value around the 4/02 VPOC.

The current cycle is (obviously) going at a faster rate than our previous cycles, twice as fast actually