It might hurt, it depends on the trader and how much weight they would put on a derivative of price. Like OBV and other money flow oscillators, it leads into all kinds of slippery thinking, like looking for divergences and all that indicator mindgamery. Otherwise, you are just looking at it being above a slow (averaged line) and if so, buy a pullback? Which pullback? There are several on the way down. The example of the short entry there was a monster pullback before it rolled over, hmm, how long must the divergence be in place before you act? It's just another flavor of just looking a price directly. Better to focus on what is happening directly, rather than some convoluted hash of the same thing. I don't think I'm saying anything that Anek hasn't already stated in one form or another regarding indicators, of which TMF is without a doubt. Why not look at MACD too? It's just a couple of formulas, no magic there could it hurt? Reading the tape includes looking at the size of trades going off, not just that a tick or series of them occurred. So, in that sense TMF it already is missing some important info. Secondly, the indicator comments he has made in the past have been solid against them unless it just automates your own process (i.e. you write them yourself). I don't know about Anek, but I don't keep a running formula clicking off in my head when looking at the tape. But that's just me I guess. Nor do I have regression averages to compare that summation etc. Is it better? I don't know, but following it and not the tape won't get you to be better at reading the tape I'm pretty sure that is true. Why should T&S be treated any differently than a chart? It's the info that goes into building the chart, so, you can make a correlation if you pay attention long enough. This takes time to master and I'm far from it but I'd rather look at the tape than some flavored crunch of it. It's not that precise in terms of a formula so I don't think there is an advantage in putting one on it. Just something to think about that's all. I'm simply voicing my concern over what appears to be a bit of a change on Anek's indicator position, since TMF is very similar to many indicator structures except that it uses the bid/ask as a part of a comparison instead of a open,high,low or close of a bar or the volume in combination. I'm sure many here will put it through its paces, however I'll stick with price, trendlines, s/r and the tape as Anek as said, those are all the technical indicators one needs. On this point I'd have to agree given the results these concepts generate.
For the Ninja users here is TMF for that platform, a friend converted it last night thought some of you might help with the test. Please report findings. Thank you Anek
I missed this post after writing others, oops. I understand but the "something" is important and the implication extends to some odd possibilities. I don't think you would take time to observe astrology charts or casting runes to get your entry confirmation would you? It takes time to find something worth observing, and a conceptual filter that limits the possibilities. If you bless this indicator as something possible, then any indicator of that class should be fair game to anyone reading this. I believe that wasn't your original objective for AHG was it? Your previous positions on indicators of this sort (i.e. not automating a manual process) seems to be that they are a waste of time. Are you amending this now? As a result I ask myself some of these kinds of things: Should we all be looking for the next "thing" to "enhance our trading" beyond price, trendlines, s/r and the tape? How much of our time should we put to it? After more ehnancements, at what point does the system get over optimized?
Notam, Here is my official stand. I dislike commonly used indicators because I find them to be too slow. However, if a reader of the journal decides to use them, I won't mark anyone as the devil because I believe in freewill. Especially if it helps their trading. I myself use home made indicators that enhance my trading and they are all based on price action. They are definitely not necessary. If I decided to share them, you would be using them too because they compute and summarize what the human mind cannot do at millisecond speed. Unfortunately, at this point I have decided not to share them all, for personal reasons. Some I have shared. I'm a believer of don't fix what is not broken but I also like to evolve and will not turn my head to new ideas, the TMF indicator is not your common oscillator. It's not even Time and Sales, it's a pre Time and Sales, think of it as backtracking the Matrix with memory. Far better memory than mine, possibly yours too or anyone else reading this for that matter. If you don't want to participate in the testing (note, derivative of test), that's fine by me, but this is my journal and I will test anything that seems remotely interesting. Especially when a fellow trader who I respect a great deal sent me an email to check it out, because he found it useful. I think I'm experienced enough to determine when something is useful or hurtful. On top of that, I am determined to spend quality time with it plus will take the input of others to formulate an objective conclusion. Please let this be the end of this discussion. Anek
whoa I think you may be misunderstanding where I'm coming from here, I'm not in the least trying to step on your toes or any of that kind of thing, I pay attention to what you say and I was confused by what appeared to be a contradiction. You have clarified your position and in that regard I think it's a plus for anyone reading this. I couldn't agree more, I'm glad you were able to clarify your ideas here, that's what will make this thread of yours have maximum utility for those that might have been a little confused like I was. You can rest assured that as far as I'm concerned, you have clarified things nicely and I hope you don't think I was trying to give you a hard time for anything but pedagogical purposes. Namely, my misunderstanding as to what you held about such things. Thanks again for the thread, and the time to respond to my question!
Price action does not have to be a dogma, or the end all be all of trading. I think any trader worth his salt would keep on pushing forward and testing anything that showed potential... Only makes sense. But then again, I am not worth MY salt, so don't listen to me. Missed out on some great opportunities today as I was busy with equities, but the ones I did manage worked well. I seem to like the ES better than the YM, and YM better than the NQ for some reason. ES seems to have clearer signals to me, perhaps due to its larger ticks..
Attached please find a good divergence play from today found by TMF on a fast NQ chart. Sample 1 Anek