Candle Range Theory [Advanced] - AlgoVisionUnderstanding Candle Range Theory (CRT) in the AlgoVision Indicator
Candle Range Theory (CRT) is a structured approach to analyzing market movements within the price ranges of candlesticks. CRT is founded on the idea that each candlestick on a chart, regardless of timeframe, represents a distinct range of price action, marked by the candle's open, high, low, and close. This range gives insights into market dynamics, and when analyzed in lower timeframes, reveals patterns that indicate underlying market sentiment and institutional behaviors.
Key Concepts of Candle Range Theory
Candlestick Range: The range of a candlestick is simply the distance between its high and low. Across timeframes, this range highlights significant price behavior, with each candlestick representing a snapshot of price movement. The body (distance between open and close) shows the primary price action, while wicks (shadows) reflect price fluctuations or "noise" around this movement.
Multi-Timeframe Analysis: A higher-timeframe (HTF) candlestick can be dissected into smaller, structured price movements in lower timeframes (LTFs). By analyzing these smaller movements, traders gain a detailed view of the market’s progression within the HTF candlestick’s range. Each HTF candlestick’s high and low provide support and resistance levels on the LTF, where the price can "sweep," break out, or retest these levels.
Market Behavior within the Range: Price action within a range doesn’t move randomly; it follows structured behavior, often revealing patterns. By analyzing these patterns, CRT provides insights into the market’s intention to accumulate, manipulate, or distribute assets within these ranges. This behavior can indicate future market direction and increase the probability of accurate trading signals.
CRT and ICT Power of 3: Accumulation, Manipulation, and Distribution (AMD)
A foundational element of our CRT indicator is its combination with ICT’s Power of 3 (Accumulation, Manipulation, and Distribution or AMD). This approach identifies three stages of market movement:
Accumulation: During this phase, institutions accumulate positions within a tight price range, often leading to sideways movement. Here, price consolidates as institutions carefully enter or exit positions, erasing traces of their intent from public view.
Manipulation: Institutions often use manipulation to create false breakouts, targeting retail traders who enter the market on perceived breakouts or reversals. Manipulation is characterized by liquidity grabs, false breakouts, or stop hunts, as price momentarily moves outside the established range before quickly returning.
Distribution: Following accumulation and manipulation, the distribution phase aligns with the true market direction. Institutions now allow the market to move with the trend, initiating a stronger and more sustained price movement that aligns with their intended position.
This AMD cycle is often observed across multiple timeframes, allowing traders to refine entries and exits by identifying accumulation, manipulation, and distribution phases on smaller timeframes within the range of a higher-timeframe candle. CRT views this cycle as the "heartbeat" of the market—a continuous loop of price movements. With our indicator, you can identify this cycle on your current timeframe, with the signal candle acting as the "manipulation" candle.
How to Use the Premium AlgoVision CRT Indicator
1. Indicator Display Options
Bullish/Bearish Plot Indication: Toggles the display of bullish or bearish CRT signals. Turn this on to display signals on your chart or off to reduce screen clutter.
Order Block Indication: Highlights the order block entry price, which is the preferred entry point for CRT trades.
Purge Time Indication: Shows when the low or high of Candle 1 is purged by Candle 2, helping to identify potential manipulation points.
2. Filter Options
Match Indicator Candle with Signal: Ensures that only bullish Candle 2s (for longs) or bearish Candle 2s (for shorts) are signaled. This filter helps eliminate signals where the candlestick’s direction does not align with the CRT model.
Take Profit Already Reached: When enabled, this filter removes CRT signals if take profit levels are reached within Candle 2. This helps focus on setups where there’s still room for price movement.
Midnight Price Filter: Filters signals based on midnight price levels:
Longs: Only signals if the order block entry price is below the midnight price.
Shorts: Only signals if the order block entry price is above the midnight price.
3. Entry and Exit Settings
Wick out prevention: Allows positions to stay open and prevent getting wicked out. Positions will still be able to close if determined by the algorithm.
Buy/Sell: This allows you to set you daily bias. You can select to only see buys or sells.
Custom Stop Loss: Sets a custom stop loss distance from the entry price (e.g., $100 or $200 away) if the predefined stop loss based on Candle 2’s low/high doesn’t suit your preference.
Take Profit Levels: Choose from three take profit levels:
Optimized Take Profit: Uses an optimized take profit level based on CRT’s recommended exit point.
Take Profit 1: Sets an initial take profit level.
Take Profit 2: Sets a secondary take profit level for a more extended exit target.
Timeframe of Order Block: Select the timeframe of the order block entry, which can be tailored based on the timeframe of the CRT signal.
Risk-to-Reward Filter: Filters trades based on a specified risk-to-reward ratio, using the indicator’s stop loss as the base. This helps to ensure trades meet minimum reward criteria.
4. Risk Management
Fixed Entry QTY: This will allow you to open all positions with a fixed QTY
Risk to Reward Ratio: This allows you to set a minimum risk to reward ratio, the strategy will only take trades if this risk to reward is met.
Risk Type:
Fixed Amount: Allows you to risk a fixed $ amount.
% of account: Allows you to risk % of account equity.
5. Day and Time Filters
Filter by Days: Specify the days of the week for CRT signals to appear. For instance, you could enable signals only on Thursdays. This setting can be adjusted to any day or combination of days.
Purge Time Filter: Filters CRT signals based on specific purge times when Candle 1’s low/high is breached by Candle 2, as CRT setups are observed to work best during certain times.
Hour Filters for CRT Signals:
1-Hour CRT Times: Allows filtering CRT signals based on specific 1-hour time intervals.
4-Hour CRT Times: Filter 4-hour CRT signals based on specified times.
Forex and Futures Conversion: Adjusts times based on standard sessions for Forex (e.g., 9:00 AM 4-hour candle) and Futures (e.g., 10 PM candle for Futures or 8 AM for Crypto).
6. Currency and Asset-Specific Filters
Crypto vs. Forex Mode: This setting adjusts the indicator’s timing to match market sessions specific to either crypto or Forex/Futures, ensuring the CRT model aligns with the asset type.
Additional Notes
Backtesting Options: Adjust these to test risk management, such as risking a fixed amount or a percentage of the account, for historical performance insights.
Optimized Settings: This version includes all features and optimized settings, with the most refined data analysis.
Conclusion By combining CRT with ICT Power of 3, the AlgoVision Indicator allows traders to leverage the CRT candlestick as a versatile tool for identifying potential market moves. This method provides beginners and seasoned traders alike with a robust framework to understand market dynamics and refine trade strategies across timeframes. Setting alerts on the higher timeframe to catch bullish or bearish CRT signals allows you to plan and execute trades on the lower timeframe, aligning your strategy with the broader market flow.
