Futures Market Profile

ThinkorSwim has free MP charts. Sierra Chart (~$36/month) has excellent MP. NinjaTrader has MP available. TradingView has basic MP but not complete. Start with ThinkorSwim if you have TD Ameritrade access.

For classic Market Profile, use Regular Trading Hours (RTH: 9:30 AM - 4:00 PM ET for ES/NQ). This is what most MP traders use. Overnight (globex) can be tracked separately.

Regular charts show price over time (x-axis is time). Market Profile shows how much TIME was spent at each PRICE (rotated view). It reveals VALUE - where market found acceptance vs rejection.

Each letter represents a 30-minute period. More letters at a price = more time spent = higher acceptance. Single letters = fast rejection. This shows WHERE the market found value, not just where it went.

Prior day's POC (Point of Control) is the single most important level. It's where the market spent the most time - fair value. Price is attracted to POC like a magnet.

By 10:30-11:00 AM: Check IB width (narrow = trend potential, wide = rotational). Note if IB has been broken and held. Watch opening type (drive = trend, auction = balance). Classify and adapt.

If price opens outside the prior day's value area and then re-enters it, there's approximately an 80% chance it will reach the opposite side of the value area. Trade accordingly.

On trend days: DON'T fade the move. Trade with the trend only. Enter on pullbacks to broken IB or structure. Use IB extensions (1x, 1.5x, 2x) as targets. Trail stops and let it run.

Excess: Clear rejection with single-print tail at extreme (good rejection). Poor high/low: Flat extreme without clear rejection (incomplete auction, likely to revisit). Excess is healthy; poor extremes need repair.

Yes, they complement each other. MP shows TIME at price; VP shows VOLUME at price. When MP POC aligns with VP POC, that's a very strong level. Use both for confluence.

Long inventory (overnight above prior close): expect early weakness as longs liquidate if move fades. Short inventory: expect early strength from covering. Factor into opening analysis and early trade bias.

Balance area: multiple days overlapping value, tight range, D-shaped profiles. Breakout: price breaks and holds beyond balance boundary. Confirmation: new value forming outside. Trade breakout with balance range as measured move target.

MP gives structure (levels, day type). Order flow confirms: positive delta at VAL = buyers defending. Negative delta at VAH = sellers defending. Footprint imbalances at MP levels = high conviction. Use MP for where; OF for confirmation.

Best setups: Multiple MP factors (virgin POC + single print fill + VA level) + Day type alignment + Order flow confirmation + Price action pattern. Score confluence; trade highest quality.

Composite combines multiple days into one profile. Identifies longer-term value and POC. Composite POC is extremely strong S/R. Use for swing trading context. Weekly/monthly composites for major levels.