LNL Scalper Arrows
LNL Scalper Arrows
The indicator consist of various different types of candlestick patterns that are truly time tested by multiple veteran traders. These arrows are a combination of short-term scalping strategies taught by Linda Raschke & a trader that goes by name Quant Trade Edge. These strategies/patterns occur regularly within the markets. They offer high probability quick moves during the trending days. These four patterns are based on pure price action, no oscillators, no trend, no momentum indicators involved. Trend (ema) is there just as a simple trend gauge.
LNL Scalper Arrows were designed specifically for intra-day trading. Mostly useful for the futures but also stocks as well. These arrows can work anywhere between the fast-moving 512 or 1600 tick charts to a 1min, 2min and up to 5min or 10min charts.
Trend Gauge (Exponential Moving Average)
Nothing fancy just a classic EMA that can guide the direction of the short-term trend. I have added a custom coloring of the EMA that is based on a simple RSI filter. That should help to visualize the non-directional moments within the trend. Although the length is adjustable, for scalping it is better to focus on smaller periods such as 9, 13 or 20 or 34 but anything above 50 loses its purpose as a short-term trend gauge. Again, this is a scalping tool not a trend tool, you are not going to get rid of the fakeouts by increasing the period of the trend.
Tail Arrows (Eat the Tail Pattern)
Tail is a candlestick that is either a price rejection spike, or a flag continuation pattern on a lower time frame. A failed action. It is basically a candle with much bigger wick (shadow) of the candle than the actual body. Such candles are usually telling us about strong participation from the other side of the market. Eat the tail pattern occurs whenever the low of the Tail candle is immediately broken on a following candle "the tail is eaten alive". Such a breaks occurs in a most aggressive types of markets with a strong momentum. DO NOT try to trade this in a low volume or a ranging market. Tail Arrows are the most aggressive arrows & should be only used on the highest volume or a parabolic momentum markets.
Scalp Arrows (Scallop Pattern)
Known as Scallops or minor lows or highs, these patterns are the most common within the all scalper arrows. They occur regularly on 1min & 5min charts - basically everyday. Scallops provide the best possible risk to reward entry within the trend without the need of any indicators or oscillators. The Scallop Up 3 bar pattern consist of a high that is lower that the previous high but also low that is lower than the previous low. Scallop Up or a minor low triggers when the last high is broken, creating a three bar mountain or a peak within the 5 bar span.
Hoagie Arrows (Hoagie Pattern)
Hoagies occur way less often than any other scalping patterns. Hoagies represent two (or more) inside candles within the shadow of a first candle. Such a formation is creating a small compression or a range that sooner or later breaks out. The hoagie is triggered whenever the high or low of the shadow (first) candle is broken. The great thing about the hoagies is that they can work either way despite the trend direction. Although this indicator is coded for the 2 bar hoagies, there are no limitations on how much inside bars can hoagie include.
Umbrella Arrows (Umbrella Pattern)
Another really awesome 3 bar pattern that is really fun to trade. Umbrella occurs when the candle before the previous candle is a pin bar or a tail bar and the body of the previous candle is within the shadow or a wick of the candle before. The umbrella is triggered once the high or low of the previous bar is broken. Umbrellas are more frequent than Hoagies but occur much less than the Scallops.
Outside Bar Wedges (Outside Bar Pattern)
Pretty much self-explanatory candlestick pattern. Outside Bar is basically any bar that peaks outside of the both ends of the previous candle. So the range of the candle is higher & it looked beyond the high and beyond the low of the previous candle. These candles are signalizing the potenial momentum change. Ouside Bars usually occur at the tops or bottoms of the moves. I decided to add them because they can serve as a great addition to these scalping patterns.
Signal vs. SignalBreak Mode
The trigger can be viewed in two different ways:
1. Signal: Plots the trigger before the trigger bar, basically right when the pattern is formed but NOT YET triggered. The signal is triggered once the next candle break the high or low of the current candle.
2. SignalBrake: Plots the trigger after the break of the high or low of the actual pattern. It is basically a candle after the signal candle. (Signal is better for trading because it gives you time to prepare for the actual break of the high or low = the actual signal. SignalBrake is great for looking back in history only for the patterns that actually traded).
Pin Bar BTW Ratio
Pin Bar (Body-To-Wick) Ratio represents the size of the body of a pin bar candle for Eat the Tail and Umbrella patterns. Pin Bar BTW Ratio measures the ratio between the wick & the body of the candle. Ref. interval is 2.0 - 5.0 (ideal pin bar is 2.0 - 3.0 = the wick or a shadow is 2x - 3x bigger than the body of the candle)
ATR Stop & Target Labels
I also created three simple labels (tables) that can show you the ideal target & stop as well as the current ATR. Since LNL Scalper Arrows consist of high probability scalping patterns, a good rule of thumb to follow is to use a half of the current ATR as a target and a current ATR as a stop (or two times the target). So if the current 7 period ATR is 30 the target would be 15 pts. and a stop around 30 pts. With such a risk management you should aim for a win rate 70% or higher. Obviously you can adjust the risk management in the settings to your personal preference.
Low Range vs. High Range Markets
There are two major downsides with the Scalper Arrows:
1. You need volume and a volatility. These patterns really do struggle in ranging "boring" sideways action. It is absolutely crucial to recognize the current market environment and really stay cautions and (or completely out) in case the chop continues. Adding something like DMI can help you recognize the potential flat markets.
2. Not only do you need volume & momentum, you also need a decent range. This indicator works better on a rangy market such as NQ futures or YM. But are much tougher to trade on lower range markets such as some stocks or ZB futures or basically any other lower range market.
Hope it helps.
The indicator consist of various different types of candlestick patterns that are truly time tested by multiple veteran traders. These arrows are a combination of short-term scalping strategies taught by Linda Raschke & a trader that goes by name Quant Trade Edge. These strategies/patterns occur regularly within the markets. They offer high probability quick moves during the trending days. These four patterns are based on pure price action, no oscillators, no trend, no momentum indicators involved. Trend (ema) is there just as a simple trend gauge.
LNL Scalper Arrows were designed specifically for intra-day trading. Mostly useful for the futures but also stocks as well. These arrows can work anywhere between the fast-moving 512 or 1600 tick charts to a 1min, 2min and up to 5min or 10min charts.
Trend Gauge (Exponential Moving Average)
Nothing fancy just a classic EMA that can guide the direction of the short-term trend. I have added a custom coloring of the EMA that is based on a simple RSI filter. That should help to visualize the non-directional moments within the trend. Although the length is adjustable, for scalping it is better to focus on smaller periods such as 9, 13 or 20 or 34 but anything above 50 loses its purpose as a short-term trend gauge. Again, this is a scalping tool not a trend tool, you are not going to get rid of the fakeouts by increasing the period of the trend.
Tail Arrows (Eat the Tail Pattern)
Tail is a candlestick that is either a price rejection spike, or a flag continuation pattern on a lower time frame. A failed action. It is basically a candle with much bigger wick (shadow) of the candle than the actual body. Such candles are usually telling us about strong participation from the other side of the market. Eat the tail pattern occurs whenever the low of the Tail candle is immediately broken on a following candle "the tail is eaten alive". Such a breaks occurs in a most aggressive types of markets with a strong momentum. DO NOT try to trade this in a low volume or a ranging market. Tail Arrows are the most aggressive arrows & should be only used on the highest volume or a parabolic momentum markets.
Scalp Arrows (Scallop Pattern)
Known as Scallops or minor lows or highs, these patterns are the most common within the all scalper arrows. They occur regularly on 1min & 5min charts - basically everyday. Scallops provide the best possible risk to reward entry within the trend without the need of any indicators or oscillators. The Scallop Up 3 bar pattern consist of a high that is lower that the previous high but also low that is lower than the previous low. Scallop Up or a minor low triggers when the last high is broken, creating a three bar mountain or a peak within the 5 bar span.
Hoagie Arrows (Hoagie Pattern)
Hoagies occur way less often than any other scalping patterns. Hoagies represent two (or more) inside candles within the shadow of a first candle. Such a formation is creating a small compression or a range that sooner or later breaks out. The hoagie is triggered whenever the high or low of the shadow (first) candle is broken. The great thing about the hoagies is that they can work either way despite the trend direction. Although this indicator is coded for the 2 bar hoagies, there are no limitations on how much inside bars can hoagie include.
Umbrella Arrows (Umbrella Pattern)
Another really awesome 3 bar pattern that is really fun to trade. Umbrella occurs when the candle before the previous candle is a pin bar or a tail bar and the body of the previous candle is within the shadow or a wick of the candle before. The umbrella is triggered once the high or low of the previous bar is broken. Umbrellas are more frequent than Hoagies but occur much less than the Scallops.
Outside Bar Wedges (Outside Bar Pattern)
Pretty much self-explanatory candlestick pattern. Outside Bar is basically any bar that peaks outside of the both ends of the previous candle. So the range of the candle is higher & it looked beyond the high and beyond the low of the previous candle. These candles are signalizing the potenial momentum change. Ouside Bars usually occur at the tops or bottoms of the moves. I decided to add them because they can serve as a great addition to these scalping patterns.
Signal vs. SignalBreak Mode
The trigger can be viewed in two different ways:
1. Signal: Plots the trigger before the trigger bar, basically right when the pattern is formed but NOT YET triggered. The signal is triggered once the next candle break the high or low of the current candle.
2. SignalBrake: Plots the trigger after the break of the high or low of the actual pattern. It is basically a candle after the signal candle. (Signal is better for trading because it gives you time to prepare for the actual break of the high or low = the actual signal. SignalBrake is great for looking back in history only for the patterns that actually traded).
Pin Bar BTW Ratio
Pin Bar (Body-To-Wick) Ratio represents the size of the body of a pin bar candle for Eat the Tail and Umbrella patterns. Pin Bar BTW Ratio measures the ratio between the wick & the body of the candle. Ref. interval is 2.0 - 5.0 (ideal pin bar is 2.0 - 3.0 = the wick or a shadow is 2x - 3x bigger than the body of the candle)
ATR Stop & Target Labels
I also created three simple labels (tables) that can show you the ideal target & stop as well as the current ATR. Since LNL Scalper Arrows consist of high probability scalping patterns, a good rule of thumb to follow is to use a half of the current ATR as a target and a current ATR as a stop (or two times the target). So if the current 7 period ATR is 30 the target would be 15 pts. and a stop around 30 pts. With such a risk management you should aim for a win rate 70% or higher. Obviously you can adjust the risk management in the settings to your personal preference.
Low Range vs. High Range Markets
There are two major downsides with the Scalper Arrows:
1. You need volume and a volatility. These patterns really do struggle in ranging "boring" sideways action. It is absolutely crucial to recognize the current market environment and really stay cautions and (or completely out) in case the chop continues. Adding something like DMI can help you recognize the potential flat markets.
2. Not only do you need volume & momentum, you also need a decent range. This indicator works better on a rangy market such as NQ futures or YM. But are much tougher to trade on lower range markets such as some stocks or ZB futures or basically any other lower range market.
Hope it helps.