Stock trading and Market Profile

>suggest. Typified by early entry of other-frame
The concept of Market Profile has been promotedbuyers or sellers creating a large initial price range.
most effectively by J. Peter Steidlmayer. In hisThe action then wanders back and forward during
excellent work 'Mind Over Markets', Steidlmayerthe day in standard auction fashion as buyers and
explains why he thinks Market Profiling is so unique. Isellers struggle to get the upper hand.
have found it useful myself, of course, and offer* Normal Variation on Normal Day - Less extreme
here a quick overview in case you find the topicinitial price action, as if the other-frame buyers/sellers
stimulating.are waiting and watching in order to build their
Central to Market Profile theory is the concept ofconviction. Then the market mnakes a more dramatic
the 'Value Area'. This is a continuous slice of themove followed by standard 2 way auctioning to the
days's action that holds a standard deviation of theclose.
market activity (i.e. roughly two thirds of the day's* Trend Day - One side of the other-frame is in
action is confined to within this area). The Value Areacontrol right from the open, and for the whole day. A
is determined in advance based on yesterday'ssuccession of higher highs/lower lows forms. Experts
action, and can be large or small, depending on (uponat have determined that this day type shows a high
other things) volatility. Markets have 2 kinds of stocklevel of directional confidence throughout the day.
trader - the short term (locals or 'day frame'The initial range is often narrow.
participants) and long term (other frame) participants.* Double Distribution Trend Day - This is a variation
To consistently make money, it is usually wisest toon a trend day. Looks similar to a normal variation on
prepare to align with the other-frame buyers/sellers,a normal day, except more time is spend wandering
no matter which side is actually winning the battle onin the first range while the other-frame buyers/sellers
a particular day. On a day when there is no strongbuild up conviction to make the market move.
other-frame conviction present, price is likely toSomething 'changes' mid session to cause a change in
rotate up and down in an essentially random supportconviction - perhaps insider news or a report.
resistance mode. The trick is to be able to determine* Non Trend Day - Often looks like a Trend day at
who (if anyone) is in control, and when that control isstart (narrow range). Then meanders with no
faltering or even reversing.conviction in a range bound area. Often seen before
There are 6 'types' of day identified by using thea big news announcement as the market waits to
Market Profiling technique.see whether it should jump up or down.
* Normal Day - Not as common as the name might