Market Time Moves:
4:45 AM PCT (6:45 AM Central) 8:00 AM ET

**5 AM Pacific spike is simply your E‑mini Nasdaq futures “waking up” for the U.S. day:**

=== Market Hours ===
^ Session                           ^ PT               ^ MT               ^ CT               ^ ET               ^
| Asian Session (Pre‑market)        | 3:00 PM – 6:30 AM | 4:00 PM – 7:30 AM | 5:00 PM – 8:30 AM | 6:00 PM – 9:30 AM :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0} |
| American Session (Regular)        | 6:30 AM – 2:00 PM | 7:30 AM – 3:00 PM | 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM | 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1} |

=== Best General Trading Times ===
^ Session                        ^ PT               ^ MT               ^ CT               ^ ET               ^ Activity         ^
| Regular Trading Hours          | 6:30 AM – 1:15 PM | 7:30 AM – 2:15 PM | 8:30 AM – 3:15 PM | 9:30 AM – 4:15 PM :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2} | Highest Volume   |
| Extended Hours                 | 3:00 PM – 2:00 AM | 4:00 PM – 3:00 AM | 5:00 PM – 4:00 AM | 6:00 PM – 5:00 AM :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3} | Moderate Volume  |

**[[|=== Best Time to Trade ===]]**

^ Event                   ^ PT       ^ MT       ^ CT       ^ ET       ^ Description                                                         ^
| Pre‑Market Surge        | **[[|5:00 AM]]**   | 6:00 AM   | 7:00 AM   | 8:00 AM   | European desks join, key US economic data hits (spike at open) :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0} |
| U.S. Cash Open Peak     | **[[|6:30 AM]]**   | 7:30 AM   | 8:30 AM   | 9:30 AM   | Equity open; heaviest NQ futures liquidity :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}               |
| Late‑Day Activity       | **[[|1:00 PM]]**   | 2:00 PM   | 3:00 PM   | 4:00 PM   | End‑of‑day position squaring, volatility ramps :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}            |


^ Session            ^ PT                ^ MT                ^ CT                ^ ET                ^
| Morning Overlap    | 6:30 AM – 8:30 AM  | 7:30 AM – 9:30 AM  | 8:30 AM – 10:30 AM | 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0} |
| Afternoon Session  | 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM  | 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM  :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1} |


[[TVLayout Setup|Tradingview Layout Setup]]

Your TradingView Layout Setup is now ready ✅ — it's built to support scalping futures using ORB, VWAP, and liquidity zone strategies. You can find it in the document titled "Tradingview Layout Setup" on the side panel.


  * 18 Trades = $90.00 commission or $5.00 per trade.
  * [[CarrieTradeNotes|Carrie Notes]]

===== 3. Scalping Playbook (Start with These) =====

^ **Strategy Name** ^ **Setup Condition** ^ **Stop / Target** ^
| **[[OpeningRange|Opening Range Breakout]]** | Break of 1st 15-min high/low with volume spike | 3–4 ticks SL / 6–8 ticks TP |
| **[[VWAP|VWAP Bounce]]** | Price tests VWAP with rejection wick + volume | 2–3 ticks SL / 4–6 ticks TP |
| **[[LSR|Liquidity Sweep Reversal]]** | Wick above high + engulfing candle down | Recent wick high / Mid-range |
| **[[MOBR|Micro Order Block Reversal]]** | Small consolidation breakout trap + reversal entry | Candle body stop / OB target |

===== Strategy vs. Pullback Usage =====

^ **Strategy** ^ **Uses Pullback?** ^ **Entry Point** ^
| **VWAP Bounce** | ✅ Yes | On rejection from VWAP after pullback |
| **Micro OB Reversal** | ✅ Yes | After pullback into OB or structure block |
| **Liquidity Sweep** | 🚫 Not really | More about failed breakout traps |
| **ORB** | 🚫 Rarely | More about breakouts, not pullbacks |

{{ :pullback.jpg?400 |}}

{{ :trendlinebreak.jpg?400 |}}



===== 4. Daily Workflow (Morning Routine) =====

**Pre-Market Checklist (6:30 AM CST or earlier)**

  * **ALWAYS Mark key levels:**
    * Overnight High/Low
    * Previous Close
    * Pre-market High/Low
    * VWAP
    * News Events (use Forex Factory or Investing.com)
  * Note economic releases:
    * Check **Forex Factory Calendar**
  * Plan **1–2 Core Trades Only**
  * Write your trading condition:
    * “**Today I will only trade if... [insert condition]**”
  * **Avoid overtrading** — this kills evaluations
  * Use **Bracket Orders** in Tradovate:
    * Pre-set stop loss + take profit
    * Hotkey your exit

**Record Everything**

  * Win or lose, jot it down:
    * Setup
    * Time
    * Entry
    * Emotions
  * Use:
    * **Tradersync**
    * **Notion**
    * Or a shared **Google Sheet**  
    *(I can build one for you)*

🔸 **Trade Journal Must-Haves (Post-Trade)**
  * Screenshot of entry/candle setup
  * Time, date, strategy name
  * Emotions: (e.g. hesitation, FOMO, confidence)
  * Grade your execution (A+, B, C)

🔸 **Execution Tools**
  * Use hotkeys for entries/exits (especially in Tradovate)
  * Set default bracket orders with predefined SL/TP
  * Optional: Use DOM flow or cumulative delta to fine-tune entries