Quote from Atari:
A lot of my questions result from the gap up situation and how it effects (confuses?) the PV relationship and indicators.
Since the indicators used represent some derivative of Price, we can agree that they lag (somewhat) the price Action itself. As such, any 'gap' in Price becomes 'baked into the cake' (so to speak) for a period of time - often affecting the indicator in question. As I posted above, if you think in terms of
how Price gaps in a certain direction (meaning how did Price arrive to its initial location at the 'gap' open), you can easily 'see' the shift in sentiment which takes place as a stock gaps down (or up) and then retraces from Non-Dominant Volume coming into the Market. On occasion, the Non-Dominant Volume switches to Dominant within the Daily Bar (similarly seen in Futures within a Five minute Bar. By knowing how far Price has traveled since its last 'low' (or trough), in percentage terms, one can
know the difference between "Time To Sell" and "Time To Hold."
Quote from Atari:
Therefore, I dropped down to the 5 minute chart to get a better feel for what was happening with the stock.
Try keeping on eye on how far Price has moved (including the gap) - not from your entry - but from the previous Price Trough. Also (as you mentioned), when Price hits the LTL - irrespective of distance traveled - many people call it a day - looking to sell and move their money to another trading vehicle.
Quote from Atari:
So first question â in general, how reliable is it to apply gaussian analysis over longer periods on a 5 minute chart?
Any Market -
Any Time Frame - Provided
Sufficient Liquidity Exists. Does the stock to which you refer have sufficient liquidity on the 5 minute fractal? If so, the PV Relationship, and their visual representations (Gaussians and Channels) operate just fine. If
Sufficient Liquidity does
not exist on the fractal monitored, then either 1. choose another fractal, or 2. Choose another stock. Keep in mind everyone who trades the ES Futures side of this methodology uses a 5 minute chart - proving, with enough liquidity, the thing works as designed.
Quote from Atari:
Iâve found them pretty reliable bar to bar, but over longer periods with volume levels dropping off into lunch and then picking back up in the afternoon there is clearly going to be some distortion. In this situation, is my gaussian analysis to be trusted in 3) or should I just chalk this up to volume levels in general decreasing as lunchtime approaches?
During the 'lunch time' period, the market undergoes a 'Pace Change' with respect to Volume Levels. One must take this Change in Pace into account when making decisions. I advise Beginner Level Futures traders to avoid trading during these Low Volume Periods until developing the sufficient expertise required. The same advice applies to equities traders as well.
Quote from Atari:
The main questions here are: 1) is there a general rule on how to read the gap day with PV analysis, which would allow me to make a decision based on the daily fractal?; 2) If not, Iâm looking for objective feedback regarding the soundness of my analysis for holding until the end of the day (or selling at the end of the day, for that matter), instead of just selling when price broke the RTL.
As described in previous paragraphs, when one 'sees' a gap, one must include in one's analysis several factors in order to provide the 'context' required to
correctly evaluate the situation. Does Price appear to be unfolding in a manner which represents a 'gap and run' (Price gapping and rocketing in the same direction), or does Price appear to have indications of trying to show a 'Gap and Fill' outcome. Obviously, these two different
contexts have two entirely different outcomes, and as a result, require two different courses of action. You appear to be looking for a 'one size fits all' solution when no such paradigm exists. With respect to your determining to hold as Price exited the RTL, only
you can determine if your decision resulted from cold calculated analysis, or out of rationalization masquerading as analysis. Monitor these gap situations in the future, and then determine had the same action occurred in a different context, how happy would you be with the outcome.
As I have often recommended in the Futures thread, everyone needs to draw their own 'lines in the sand,' and then, have the discipline to take action when the current context (a line is crossed) calls for that action to be taken. Its the ability to perform the self analysis required (during the debriefing period) which allows one's critical thinking skills to develop. These skills a trader needs first at the end of the day, and ultimately, in real time as one Monitors, Analyzes, Decides and Acts throughout the trading day.
I hope you find the above information useful.
- Spydertrader