Quote from hcour:
As a Wyckoffian, vol is important some times, not so much at other times. You can have a legitimate breakout on low vol and wide spreads closing near the highs because of lack of supply at the top of a range, which may have been eaten slowly away. But what if that bo occurs on a long spread closing on the low, dropping back to the top of range? High or low vol, is that vol more important than the price action? In such a scenario, a bo on high vol may signify an upthrust, a kind of secondary trend climax after an initial trend climax, signifying a reversal. On low vol, it may just mean lack of demand. Either way, it is the price action that matters.
From Wyckoff's pov, price action is always first, vol second. And, just as w/price action, vol must be considered cumulatively. Say, following a bo, there is sideways action (little retracement) on narrow spreads but high vol. Well, the shallow retracement and narrow spreads are positive, but the high vol obviously suggests that things are not yet decided. So one may wait for an apex to form, where price action and spreads narrow and vol contracts, before taking a position.
Harold