June 29 — NQ Short Recap

Data Wick (BSL Taken Out)

A drastic volatility spike — news, macro event, or sudden market move — left a long wick above price. That wick represents Buy Side Liquidity (BSL) that was swept, creating the accumulation range we needed to work from.

HTF Bearish SMT

On the higher timeframe, ES (S&P) reached up to the highs while NQ failed to do so. When two correlated instruments diverge like this, the weaker one reveals the real direction. NQ was weak — so we traded NQ short.

Above Midnight Opening Price

Price was trading above the Midnight Open price. When price is above MO, the algorithm's highest-probability delivery is to the downside. Simple narrative filter — don't fight it.

LRL Target Below

Multiple Failure Swings stacked together formed a descending trendline (LRL) sitting below price. Doesn't need to be perfect — just clear enough to see market structure. That line became the structural draw for the algorithm to deliver toward.

CISD + IFVG Order Flow Flip

After manipulation swept the high of the range, price closed back below the EQ — a Close in Opposing Direction (CISD) confirming the shift in order flow. An Inversion Fair Value Gap (IFVG) formed at that flip point, providing the PDA for the entry.

HTF Objective — Asia Killzone Lows

The higher timeframe draw was Asia Killzone Lows (7pm–10pm EST). That SSL pool sitting below was the algorithm's target. Once BSL was consumed above, the only valid draw remaining was down to those lows — and that's exactly where price delivered.

Wait for Liquidity to Be Taken Out

Price needed to sweep the Data Highs (BSL) first. No accumulation setup is valid until that liquidity has been taken — this is what creates the range we trade from.

Mark the High, Low, and EQ of the Range

Using candle bodies (not wicks), identify the high and low of the accumulation range. The EQ (equilibrium) is the 50% midpoint of that range. This becomes your reference for manipulation and entry.

Look for Manipulation of the Range High

Wait for price to push up into the high of the accumulation range and then close a candle body back below the EQ. That close below EQ is the sign that manipulation is complete and the algorithm is ready to deliver lower.

Wait for a Supporting PDA or Low of Range as Support

After the close below EQ, look for the low of the range or a nearby PDA (IFVG, Order Block) to act as support and produce a CISD candle. This confirms the order flow has flipped — we're now looking for shorts from that level.

Enter at the CISD

On this trade, the entry was the CISD itself — the candle that closed in the opposing direction after price reacted off the IFVG at the EQ. That was the signal. Stop above the manipulation wick, target the HTF draw (Asia Killzone Lows).