This indicator suite is inspired by Al Brooks' price action concepts and is designed to help traders quickly and visually recognize key patterns that may indicate potential trends or reversals in the market. By focusing on a few core formations, this tool allows traders to observe the nuances of price behavior across different timeframes and adjust their strategies accordingly. Here’s a breakdown of each feature:
Inside Bar Pattern (i/ii/iii):
This feature marks consecutive inside bars with a label of "i," "ii," or "iii" to signify one, two, or three successive bars where each bar remains within the range of the previous bar. An inside bar pattern often indicates a period of consolidation, and the formation of multiple consecutive inside bars may suggest a potential breakout or continuation when followed by strong directional movement. This pattern is marked on the chart with labels colored red, yellow, or green based on the number of inside bars in succession, helping traders visualize this potential setup with ease.
Outside Bar Pattern (o/oo/ooo):
Building upon the inside bar concept, this indicator also highlights single, double, and triple outside bars, which are bars that fully encompass the prior bar's range. Although this pattern is not explicitly detailed by Al Brooks, it may provide insights into market volatility or the strength of trend reversals. The pattern is displayed with labels "o," "oo," or "ooo," also color-coded to distinguish between different levels of consecutive outside bars.
Shaved Bar Indicator:
Shaved bars, which have little to no tail on one or both extremes, suggest strong momentum, as they typically open near the high or low and close without a significant pullback. The indicator marks these bars with an "s" symbol, color-coded based on the degree of shaving and close position, to help traders identify these signals for potential entries or exits. Adjustable settings allow traders to control the allowed "delta in ticks" (a margin defining shaved boundaries) and choose between shaved highs/lows or only bars where the close is shaved.
Reversal Bars:
The reversal bar setup aligns closely with Al Brooks' definitions. For bullish reversals, bars must open near or below the prior close and close above both the open and prior close, featuring a longer lower tail (indicative of buying interest) and minimal upper tail. For bearish reversals, the criteria are mirrored. The indicator labels reversal bars with an "R" symbol and includes customizations, such as the minimum overlapping range with the previous bar and options to identify only counter-trend reversals. This makes it easy for traders to spot bars with high reversal potential while maintaining flexibility to adapt the pattern’s strictness.
Usage Tips:
This tool is versatile across various timeframes. The patterns do not require specific timeframe dependencies, allowing traders to adapt the indicator to intraday, daily, or weekly charts based on their strategy. Adjustable parameters provide further customization for matching individual trading styles, from scalping to swing trading.