What do I look for? What am I trying to catch when trading the forex market on the hourly chart?
I know that market remains in a breakout phase, only 10% of the time.
I also know that the D1 chart produces 2-3 consecutive trend candles during that breakout phase.
I want to catch those moves when they happen. Usually, I'll be able to catch the First Trend candle of the D1 when it breaks out on the H1.
An example of this is the EUR/USD trade I took on the 9th of June.
I knew that EUR/USD was consolidating and not moving strong. It was within a TR on the D1. Which meant a wide trading range on the H1 that lasted several days.
EURUSD D1 9th of June Breakout.jpg
I knew it, I was watching it. Now combine that with the fact the MARKETS ARE DRIVEN BY NEWS (especially forex).
The interest rate decisions carry more weight these days since governments are trying to curb inflation and the cost of living. The central banks around the world want to control inflation and for that, they need to adjust bank interest rates.
On the 9th ECB made a decision. (no change). Which created strong 2 trend candles on the hourly chart. It broke the TR levels of H1 as well as the D1.
Now in this case I caught the beginning of the move/wave. If I wanted, and if I could I would have let it run for the next 2 days, allowing me to grab a 20R winner but I got myself a 3R and a 10R winner on two accounts. More than enough for me.
EURUSD D1 9th of June Breakout on H1.jpg
I could see that D1 chart at clear levels to the left. I can remember telling my son, "This can be a 20K trade (10R). Maybe even a 30K (15R) I closed it when it hit the target but my first target was the Daily levels. Hard to let it run but that is what makes you the money.
I can also catch the 2nd-day play, the 2nd day after a clear Trend candle on the D1 chart. I did that on the DAX on the same date 9th of June.
Dax was in a wedge channel losing momentum to the upside on the daily chart. then on the 8th it broke below the channel and created a Trend candle. A bearish one. That translated into a strong bear wave (impulse) on the H1.
DAXD1 chart.jpg
You can see in the DAX D1 chart above, that since my trade on H1 was in line with the trend on D1, or the possible new bear trend, I had the option to simply LET IT RUN on the D1 chart. That would have turned this 1K risk trade into $20K winner and some more add-ons.
I want to have my trades in line with the Daily chart information. I am essentially trading the Daily chart with entries on the H1 and exits are based on R multiples not really based on H1 chart. Or you can say that they are based on the h1 chart, but really my exits are simply R multiples.