Getting this thread back on topic ....
On the other MD thread, I posted a couple of times about the order book delta (otherwise known as ACV). I define this to be ratio of total contracts at ask at all levels to total contracts in book. Which gives a maximum range of 0 to 1.0
One way of using this is to identify capitulation in a down move in conjunction with a bar of large negative delta.
On the attached charts the lower four subcharts are
1. Market delta as a 'histogram' type plot
2. Order book delta as a candlestick plot
3. Smoothed order book delta
4. Smoothed market delta
Both charts are from IB data feed and each bar is 10 'IB ticks' wide. In both cases we see a large negative market delta, but size has either started to, or soon after moves onto the ask in the book. While size stays on the ask or at least the order book delta is around 0.5 or higher, the upmove remains intact. This is a very common pattern.
I've read various explantions for 'the market moves towards size' but here's my take. At any time there are more or less equal numbers of buyers or sellers in the maket (otherwise it would take off at great speed). However they are not necessarily equally enthusiastic. When the market anticipates increasing price, the buyers are placing marketable orders (limit, market or stop). These are not visible in the book but their effect is visible in the market delta and time and sales. If you believe the market is rising, there is not a lot of point is placing a buy limit below last traded price. The market exists to facilitate trade. On the other hand, the sellers anticipating a rise in price, are placing sell limits which are visible in the book. In this sense, the order book on occasion leads all other indicators of market activity and shows a majority view of where the market is heading.
The charts: