Quote from smcmahon83:
Maverick,
I know you don't want to release your proprietary research about ACD, and understand completely, but I was wondering if I could just ask you a few questions and you can answer whatever you feel comfortable with:
Do you use the number line scoring method for the commodities you trade? Do you think trading the markets with the highest scores actually does improve results? Do you think using a filter such as a 14 day MA and only taking A or C's on the same side of the moving average direction would improve results?
Do you use your own custom opening range times? Do you use your own A and C values? Do you use the pivot range as described by fisher to filter trades? Has it improved your results?
I've had a good deal of success with ACD, and am just looking to continually improve my approach. I can also share some of my own additional research as well.
I use to use the number line on the index futures and I believed they worked very well. I love the concept of the number line and when I get some time I'll probably create my own version of it. But I absolutely found it effective.
BTW, at the current time I'm only trading options on stocks and indices except for a handful of intra-day trades with futures on oil, FX, or indices.
Back to the number line, I noticed that once a number line got near that 9 to 11 level plus or minus that was the outer band if you will. The market would tend to snap back. So I was always really careful around that area. But if we broke through and held and went higher on the number line, then a big move was coming.
Like I said, I have some ideas I want to play with and I'll update that later when I have some data.
Do NOT using moving averages with this system. One of the biggest benefits of using ACD is you are getting unique price levels that NOBODY else is looking at. Once you bring in all the other garbage that people are trading off of then you are going to notice that you are entering and exiting the market when they are. The idea is to have the market all to yourself, not to be in a crowded room with a million other orders around you with stops.
Having said that, yes, you will improve your results by taking A ups and A downs and failed A ups and A downs with the trend. I just don't use moving averages to define trend, I use ACD levels for that.
Yes, I use my own opening range times. But to be honest I don't think that is a major part of the recipe. I think what is important is the symmetry you use. In other words, whatever OR you use for whatever time frame, make sure it represents the same percent of the time period you are using. This is important as a price action trader to have the same consistency.
As far as pivot ranges go, I found the best value they have is for intra-day trading of index futures. Using the pivots to determine relative strength of which index is weaker or stronger works well. Also when the pivots are at the same levels of the A levels I find they work phenomenally well on fades. Important note though, always fade in the direction of STRENGTH. I'll thrown another bone out there. When pivots are located in the middle of the opening range, they work as great entry levels once you get a confirmed A up or A down to enter. You want to see price bounce off the pivot first before entering.
One more thing, the width of the pivots is helpful as well. Tight pivot ranges usually indicate a volatility increase and very wide pivot ranges usually signal a range bound day. In other words, be careful about taking A ups or A down on wide pivot range days unless the pivot range is located above or below the entire days range, i.e we opened above it and never traded into it and vice versa.
I posted a lot of stuff here because I want to keep the thread active and it seems we get a lot of guys that stop by and don't come back. LOL. So I will make an effort here to keep this thread alive.
