All lessons
Read price and volume together
A loud engine and a fast car are different things. Compare effort with distance travelled.
Compare bar range, close location and relative volume using compatible data.
Read the high–low range and close first. A wide rising bar closing near its high differs from a narrow bar closing halfway.
Compare volume with similar session bars. A busy opening and a quiet holiday are not fair comparisons.
Heavy activity with little progress may suggest opposition, but one bar does not prove absorption. Observe location and follow-through.
Check the data unit. Broker ticks and futures contracts are different; neither is a complete record of worldwide spot Forex.
Let’s work through it
- Check the volume unit
- Compare similar sessions
- Observe follow-through
Let’s use numbers · hypothetical example
At support 100, A spans 99–103 and closes 102.8 on 2,000 units. B spans 100–101 and closes 100.2 on 2,100 units. Similar effort produced different upward progress.
Easy mistakes to watch for
- Ignoring close location
- Mixing volume units
- Inferring intent from one bar
Keep in mind
Different feeds, sessions and aggregation settings can change the picture. Check them before drawing conclusions.
Your turn
Log five bars with range, close and volume. Describe the observation before explaining it.
A quick check before we move on
Which comparison is clearest?
- Only candle colour
- Same-session bars with the same unit
- Spot ticks versus futures contracts
Check answer
Same-session bars with the same unit Consistent units and sessions make the comparison interpretable; colour alone omits range and close.
Sources and further reading
Content reviewed: 29 October 2026
Educational material with hypothetical examples. Trading can cause substantial losses. A course, pattern, stop order or past result cannot guarantee a profit or limit every loss. Practise in simulation and check current rules and product terms in your jurisdiction.
