Understanding Double Tops and Bottoms in Trading

Oct 13, 2024

ICT Mentorships: Lecture 8 - December 2016

Key Topics

  • Double Tops and Bottoms
  • Measured Moves
  • Liquidity Pools
  • Institutional vs. Retail Trading

Introduction

  • Lecture focused on understanding double tops and bottoms in trading.
  • Exploration of measured moves and clean highs/lows in price action.

Measured Moves

  • Concept: Price projections based on previous swings.
  • Application: Identifying runs on stops above highs and below lows.
  • Observation: Measured moves are consistent across price actions.

Institutional and Retail Perspectives

  • Retail: Views double tops as resistance; trades short with buy stops above.
  • Institutional: Seeks liquidity above and below; anticipates moves beyond visible highs/lows.

Liquidity Pools and Ranges

  • Liquidity Pools: Areas above/below current price where stop orders accumulate.
  • Ranging Analysis:
    • Example of an up candle and sell-side delivery.
    • Identification of fair value gaps and order blocks.

Example Scenarios

Scenario 1: Double Tops

  • Setup: Price trades into a bullish order block.
  • Retail Expectation: Resistance at double tops.
  • Institutional Expectation: Price reaches for liquidity beyond visible highs.

Scenario 2: Double Bottoms

  • Setup: Price seen as support; potential buy opportunity.
  • Liquidity Focus: Reaches for sell stops below support.
  • Projection: Measure from high to low and extend downwards.

Trading Strategy Insights

  • Double Tops/Bottoms: Serve as references for extreme range points.
  • Market Maker Behavior: Regularly seeks liquidity beyond double tops/bottoms.
  • Chart Analysis: Importance of marking double top/bottom areas.

Time Frame Considerations

  • Higher Time Frames: More reliable for identifying larger stop runs.
  • Specific Pip Ranges: 10-20 pips for intraday; larger for hourly charts.

Conclusion

  • Clean levels provide future insights for trading setups.
  • Phenomenon is observable across all time frames.
  • Encouragement to explore charts for practical application of these concepts.

Good luck and good trading!