Disliked{quote} 15 minute opening range breakouts is similar to your 1 hour initial balance strategy, but probably a bit less complex than yours. I was intrigued by your thread, learnt a lot. I trade another strategy (Trading made simple(r) by RobinHood on this same forum), but i noticed that some of the indicators provided by him, plus other personal approaches are compatible with your strategy, but even more with 15 orbs. I mainly trade stocks on 3m TF, but i have been looking back at some stocks i trade, plus the SP index, and although i haven't made...Ignored
Why Smart Traders Watch the First Hour (Initial Balance Guide)
Let's take a look at SP from this morning.
The lightcyan rectangle and lines mark the 15 min opening range at the Wall Street opening time which is 9:30am EST. The white dotted lines are previous day high and lows. On stocks, if relevant, i would also mark the pre-market high and lows as well, because these levels often act as support and resistance, or key levels where trends resumes (i trade continuation trends).
The indicator below is called RHO (RobinHood oscillator, named by its creator) which consists on 2 MACDs, the second one on inherited scale. You can see what this indicator is telling you right where price closes below the 15 min orb. On this link you can see how it's used, although you will see it at that post as dotted lines because it's a different charting software, i have it as histogram on MT5. It's just the same.
First MACD settings (add 0 level):
Second MACD settings:
This indicator has many nuances, which can be seen over time and studying old charts. Main one is here:
Price closed above the 15 min orb, but the indicator was already marking a divergence. Price was going up, but at that time, MACDs didn't make higher highs. Basically the oscillator prevented you from entering.
The only purpose of this post is trying to give you something back since your thread led me to this approach. I don't mean to spam it, maybe you can take a thing or two from this, which i also learnt from other experienced traders on this forum.
I have also noticed that Bitcoin, Gold, Silver, and SP500 all react with sharp moves at 9:30 EST.
The lightcyan rectangle and lines mark the 15 min opening range at the Wall Street opening time which is 9:30am EST. The white dotted lines are previous day high and lows. On stocks, if relevant, i would also mark the pre-market high and lows as well, because these levels often act as support and resistance, or key levels where trends resumes (i trade continuation trends).
The indicator below is called RHO (RobinHood oscillator, named by its creator) which consists on 2 MACDs, the second one on inherited scale. You can see what this indicator is telling you right where price closes below the 15 min orb. On this link you can see how it's used, although you will see it at that post as dotted lines because it's a different charting software, i have it as histogram on MT5. It's just the same.
First MACD settings (add 0 level):
Second MACD settings:
This indicator has many nuances, which can be seen over time and studying old charts. Main one is here:
Price closed above the 15 min orb, but the indicator was already marking a divergence. Price was going up, but at that time, MACDs didn't make higher highs. Basically the oscillator prevented you from entering.
The only purpose of this post is trying to give you something back since your thread led me to this approach. I don't mean to spam it, maybe you can take a thing or two from this, which i also learnt from other experienced traders on this forum.
I have also noticed that Bitcoin, Gold, Silver, and SP500 all react with sharp moves at 9:30 EST.
- #210
- Feb 12, 2026 9:24am Feb 12, 2026 9:24am
- Joined Oct 2020 | Status: couldn't give a flying duck | 7,371 Posts
- #215
- Edited 9:31am Feb 13, 2026 9:15am | Edited 9:31am
- Joined Jul 2012 | Status: Trader | 1,880 Posts
- #220
- Edited 11:15am Feb 14, 2026 8:30am | Edited 11:15am
- Joined Jul 2012 | Status: Trader | 1,880 Posts
