Normal
A wide first hour holds all day. Little or no range extension.
Lesson 09
Day types
Days can be sorted by what happens after the initial balance. The shape of the finished profile tells you how much the longer timeframe took part, and that sets expectations for tomorrow.
In one lineSmall IB extension: a balance day. Big one-way extension: a trend day. Most days are in between.
Four common shapes
Trend
A narrow first hour, then steady one-way extension. Thin, elongated profile.
Double distribution
Balance, a fast move, a second balance. Two fat areas, thin between.
Neutral
Extends both sides of the IB and closes in the middle. Nobody won.
Full simulated sessions with their volume profiles; the shaded strip is the first hour. Illustration from simulated prices, not a real session.
Why it helps
Naming the day type by midday stops you using the wrong playbook. Fading edges works on a normal day and hurts on a trend day. The profile shape at the close also hints at tomorrow: a trend day that closes on its high has unfinished business; a neutral day is balanced and often leads to more balance.
Key terms
Normal dayWide IB, little extension, balance.
Trend dayNarrow IB, persistent one-way extension.
Double distributionTwo value areas separated by a fast move.
Neutral dayRange extension on both sides, close in the middle.
Try it
Each evening, label the day with one of these four names. After a month, look at which types follow which.
AXIS Desk · AMT Fundamentals · free. Education only, not trade advice. Futures trading involves substantial risk of loss; past patterns do not guarantee future results.