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Why Smart Traders Watch the First Hour (Initial Balance Guide)

  • #161
  • Feb 2, 2026 7:47am Feb 2, 2026 7:47am
Quoting eadweardcap
Good morning everyone! Any Mac users of MT5 having trouble with the new 5570 build? I opened it up this morning and I can't get anything to load.
https://www.mql5.com/en/forum/504564
  • #162
  • Feb 2, 2026 7:49am Feb 2, 2026 7:49am
Cant open link, says I'm blocked. Context?
  • #163
  • Feb 2, 2026 7:57am Feb 2, 2026 7:57am
Quoting driven18
{quote} https://www.mql5.com/en/forum/504564
Yeah those are all .exe files. I work on Mac. UGH. I'll keep searching.
  • #164
  • Feb 2, 2026 8:37am Feb 2, 2026 8:37am
Managed to get my trades in through my old MacBook. Quick and small target profits hit. Done for the day. The rest of the day will e dedicated to getting the old version of MT5 back on my current computer.
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  • #165
  • Feb 3, 2026 8:53am Feb 3, 2026 8:53am
Officially hit the +100% return mark!

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Here are today's trades. Two shorts and a long. Finally got MetaTrader to work on Mac after the horrendous update that they made. In case anyone is having the same problem just update to the "Beta" version. (MT5 Terminal > Help >Check for Updates > Latest Beta Version) still lagging a little and the prices where my trades were executed at were way off.
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  • #166
  • Feb 4, 2026 2:02am Feb 4, 2026 2:02am
Quoting driven18
{quote} https://www.mql5.com/en/forum/504564
Hi Driven , I read all your comments and some other threads comments from you
would you mind if you give us a bit explanation of your last update of trading this strategy as am loser trader for long time . Sorry my sound is negative
  • #167
  • Feb 4, 2026 7:44am Feb 4, 2026 7:44am
Quoting Shama369
{quote} Hi Driven , I read all your comments and some other threads comments from you would you mind if you give us a bit explanation of your last update of trading this strategy as am loser trader for long time . Sorry my sound is negative
Hello, I will give you the best tip of your trading life right now.

Entries almost do not matter, they are only 10% of the trading, for the other 90% start studying Money Management once you are in the trade and start learning how to control your MindFuck(Fear and Greed) to squeeze as much as you can from each trade so you can finally reach your TP.

The hardest part is controlling you Mindfuck. Even I, after 5 years of live trading, loose to it once in awhile, I posted my previous comment on the other thread on what happened yesterday.
  • #168
  • Feb 4, 2026 9:05am Feb 4, 2026 9:05am
Today's trades, 2 shorts and a long. Also, a dollar cost averaging position close on the Dow Jones.
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  • #169
  • Feb 5, 2026 3:27am Feb 5, 2026 3:27am
Quoting eadweardcap
Trading Initial Balances The concept of initial balance comes from market profile theory, developed by J. Peter Steidlmayer and the Chicago Board of Trade in the 1980s. The initial balance refers to the price range established during the first hour of trading (or sometimes the first 30 minutes, depending on the market). This opening period is considered significant because it represents the first opportunity for all market participants to react to overnight developments, news, and order flow. The range created during this time serves as a benchmark...
This is basically a clean opening range breakout approach built around the first hour. Keep it simple, wait for a clear IB break, trade in that direction, and avoid late session noise where fake moves tend to show up.
  • #170
  • Feb 5, 2026 6:03am Feb 5, 2026 6:03am
Quoting Takudzwa45f
{quote} This is basically a clean opening range breakout approach built around the first hour. Keep it simple, wait for a clear IB break, trade in that direction, and avoid late session noise where fake moves tend to show up.
Sure yeah. Did you have any questions about this trading method?
  • #171
  • Feb 5, 2026 8:35am Feb 5, 2026 8:35am
Very short trading day. U.S. indexes keep bleeding and shorts were triggered at the open. A lag in MetaTrader 5 made the Dow Jones position open higher than it was supposed to but still worked out. All done for the day. Stay safe out there!
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  • #172
  • Feb 5, 2026 8:49am Feb 5, 2026 8:49am
Thank you very much eadweardcap! This has been the only consistent method for me. I'm hoping for your insight however. On your posted images, there are usually two time ranges. Like the image above (US30, M1). I'm USA Central time. The darker range is what time frame? As well as the lighter gray image. I truly appreciate what you have done for me and take care.
  • #173
  • Feb 5, 2026 9:04am Feb 5, 2026 9:04am
Quoting Hrtucab
Thank you very much eadweardcap! This has been the only consistent method for me. I'm hoping for your insight however. On your posted images, there are usually two time ranges. Like the image above (US30, M1). I'm USA Central time. The darker range is what time frame? As well as the lighter gray image. I truly appreciate what you have done for me and take care.
Hey man thanks for the comment! So the dark gray is the Asia and London session's high, mid and low. The light gray is the U.S. session's initial balance. Even though I don't trade it much I still like to see it. Also, since most of my trades are taken within the first few minutes of the open the light gray box that you see is the developing U.S. initial balance.
  • #174
  • Feb 5, 2026 9:14am Feb 5, 2026 9:14am
Love It +280, +6%
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  • #175
  • Feb 6, 2026 8:56am Feb 6, 2026 8:56am
Happy Friday everyone! U.S. markets coming up today and all long positions opened and closed quickly today. Done for the day and done for the week! Here's this week's report. Stay safe out there!

Also, having trouble with execution speeds. S&P 500 long position took way too long to take. Could this be a slippage or computer issue? Anyone have thoughts?
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  • #176
  • Feb 6, 2026 9:19am Feb 6, 2026 9:19am
Quoting eadweardcap
Happy Friday everyone! U.S. markets coming up today and all long positions opened and closed quickly today. Done for the day and done for the week! Here's this week's report. Stay safe out there! Also, having trouble with execution speeds. S&P 500 long position took way too long to take. Could this be a slippage or computer issue? Anyone have thoughts? {image} {image}
hi, this might be a stupid question but since i am not in the US, i'll ask, i don't know if i am convertime time the correct way, but for today, initial balance is yet to conclude (market opened 50 mins ago) and yet you already took trades. am i wrong?
  • #177
  • Feb 6, 2026 9:22am Feb 6, 2026 9:22am
Quoting StonebankS1
{quote} hi, this might be a stupid question but since i am not in the US, i'll ask, i don't know if i am convertime time the correct way, but for today, initial balance is yet to conclude (market opened 50 mins ago) and yet you already took trades. am i wrong?
There are no stupid questions dude! You're absolutely correct, the U.S. initial balance will be formed in about 9 minutes. BUT, a little while ago I found out that sometimes trading the Asia and London session highs and lows has more momentum and statistically hits my targets a little more than the U.S. IB.
  • #178
  • Feb 6, 2026 12:15pm Feb 6, 2026 12:15pm
Quoting eadweardcap
{quote} There are no stupid questions dude! You're absolutely correct, the U.S. initial balance will be formed in about 9 minutes. BUT, a little while ago I found out that sometimes trading the Asia and London session highs and lows has more momentum and statistically hits my targets a little more than the U.S. IB.
thank you!
  • #179
  • Feb 6, 2026 6:08pm Feb 6, 2026 6:08pm
Quoting eadweardcap
{quote} Sure yeah. Did you have any questions about this trading method?
So you are combining the prior Asian and London sessions into "the dark grey block" and then trading any breakout that occurs during the first hour of the US session?
Can I ask:
The start of the US session is 8:00 NY time. (ie not Wall St open)
Do you use the mid range line that you now have of the combined Asian and London sessions
Which targets are you using

Thx
Good Trading
  • #180
  • Edited 7:39pm Feb 6, 2026 7:28pm | Edited 7:39pm
I am going to post equity line for this week, +16%. I trade 4 Dow Futures contracts per each 100K, 1 contract per 25K.

I am pointing to a trade that I presented earlier in the week. https://www.forexfactory.com/thread/...9#post15565569

I use similar to ORB techniques, but incorporate important PA levels into it.

Getting ready for a rave now...looking forward to the rave and to the next week trading, love volatility.
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