Day trading reference

Trade the system, not the impulse.

A practical reference for index / CFD intraday trading on 5m–15m charts. Twenty indicators explained without the academia, seven complete strategy playbooks, and — the part that matters — nine ways to combine them into a coherent decision process.

01 · 20 cards

Indicators

What each one measures, day-trading settings, how to read it, the false-signal traps — and a worked scenario for every single one.

Browse indicators → 02 · 7 playbooks

Strategies

Setup conditions, entry triggers, structure-based stops and targets, best and worst market conditions, full walk-throughs.

Browse strategies → 03 · 9 stacks

Combinations

Regime → location → timing. Checklist-driven stacks including two harmonic setups: Bat + RSI divergence and Gartley + fib cluster.

Browse combinations →

Quick-reference table

One-line signal rules for fast lookup during live trading. Every row links to the full indicator card. Categories: trend momentum volatility volume levels

Indicator	Category	Best use case	1-line signal rule
EMA / SMA	trend	Trend direction + dynamic support/resistance	Price above rising 20 EMA = long bias; pullback touch of the EMA in a trend = entry zone.
MACD	momentum	Momentum shifts inside a trend	MACD line crosses signal line in the direction of the higher-timeframe trend = momentum confirmation.
RSI	momentum	Exhaustion + divergence at levels	RSI divergence at support/resistance = reversal warning; 40–60 zone holds in trends = continuation.
Stochastic	momentum	Timing entries in ranges	%K crosses %D from below 20 (or above 80) at a range edge = mean-reversion trigger.
Bollinger Bands	volatility	Range extremes + squeeze breakouts	Squeeze (bands pinch) then close outside band = breakout; band tag in a range = fade candidate.
ATR	volatility	Stop sizing + target sizing	Never a signal by itself — stop = structure ± 1×ATR; skip setups when ATR is abnormally low.
ADX	trend	Trend-strength filter	ADX above 25 and rising = trade trend setups; ADX below 20 = trade range setups only.
Fibonacci Retracement	levels	Pullback entry zones	Reaction at 38.2–61.8% of the last impulse leg, with confirmation candle = continuation entry.
VWAP	volume	Intraday fair value + institutional bias	Price above VWAP = long bias; first clean pullback to VWAP that holds = trend entry.
Ichimoku Cloud	trend	All-in-one trend filter	Price above cloud + Tenkan above Kijun = longs only; inside cloud = no trend trades.
OBV	volume	Confirming breakouts	OBV making new highs with price = genuine breakout; OBV flat while price breaks out = suspect.
Parabolic SAR	trend	Trailing stops in trends	Dots flip sides = trend change alert; use dot level as trailing stop, not as an entry signal.
Pivot Points	levels	Pre-mapped intraday S/R	Rejection candle at P/S1/R1 = fade level; clean break-and-retest of a pivot = continuation.
Andrews' Pitchfork	levels	Trend channel structure	Median line = magnet; reaction at outer fork line in trend direction = pullback entry.
Volume Profile	volume	Locating real S/R by traded volume	Rejection at high-volume node = fade; acceptance into low-volume node = fast move through it.
Supertrend	trend	Simple trend filter + trailing stop	Price above green Supertrend line = long bias only; line flip = exit/reverse alert.
CCI	momentum	Momentum extremes + zero-line trend	CCI crossing back inside ±100 from an extreme = reversion trigger; ±100 breakout with trend = continuation.
Williams %R	momentum	Fast overbought/oversold timing	%R exits −80/−20 zone at a mapped level = timing trigger; ignore mid-range readings.
Keltner Channels	volatility	Trend pullbacks + BB squeeze partner	In a trend, pullback to midline/opposite band = entry zone; close beyond band with ADX > 25 = strong trend, don't fade.
MA Envelopes	volatility	Simple overextension gauge	Price at envelope edge in a range = fade candidate; walking the band = trend, stand aside from fades.