I back tested my system using a similar method to the 30 minute candlesticks, (they look pretty good - and obvious - in the printout, don't they?) but I'm just looking at the last day, exclusively.
My LOGIC is that each day represents a new day in terms of the information that Mr. Market is getting to determine the "real value" of the indice(s), and so it will break support/resistance and/or reverse, based on that new information.
In keeping with that train of thought, I (and most other traders I've seen when I've watched them trade) keep an eye on the DOW, S&P and NASD, as well as the TICK, TRIN and VIX.
Learning how to read them takes time, practice and concentration, but they give the traders clues in to what is MOST LIKELY (probability) going to happen in the markets.
I was talking over this methodology with another trader (years ago) and he was of the opinion that I'm looking at
too many things to make an informed decision correctly, accurately and in a timely fashion, and that I should just 1 or 2 of the indicators that I just mentioned.
So hey, experiment with all of the above and find what works for ya (that's pretty much is what everyone else does).
Best,
Jimmy
P.S. Great thread. And they say you can't learn to trade from any of the threads at ET, this one is proving'em wrong. We've just delivered WAY MORE information than any trader really needs to put together a great trading methodology!
P.P.S. Late post in reponse to Saico - it's just that with the candlesticks S/R is kind of OBVIOUS. 4re is just giving the theory, the individual trader has to
work with the system for a while (weeks, months), until the
"light bulb" goes off!
