ES & MES Futures Trade Plan #405

COMMON QUESTIONS FOR ES FUTURES TRADERS

What is a Strong Level in ES futures trading?

A: A Strong Level is a price on the ES chart where I expect a reaction. It is a spot where price has mattered before and will likely matter again. In Battle Plan #405 the Strong Levels run from 7,869.25 down to 7,679.50, with a few mapped as Strong Ranges… a tight band instead of a single price. They are not blind entries. You wait for price to show you something at the level, then act. If you do not use TradingView, hand draw them on your own charting platform.

What does loss and reclaim mean at a Strong Level?

A: Loss and reclaim is my favorite way to enter at a level. Price drops below a Strong Level… that is the loss. Then it climbs back above it and holds… that is the reclaim. The reclaim tells you the sellers failed and the buyers stepped in. In this Battle Plan, the Bull Bear line long and the gap fill long are both built on a loss and reclaim. No reclaim, no trade. Simple.

What is the Bull Bear line?

A: The Bull Bear line is the one level on my chart that tells me who is in control. Above it, bulls control and shorts are counter. Below it, the bears have the ball. This week I kept the Bull Bear line exactly the same because everything on the chart said leave it alone. Battle Plan 2 is a loss and reclaim of that line for a long. If the bulls are real, they should defend it there.

What is a lotto runner and why hold one?

A: A lotto runner is a small piece of a winning trade you leave on after taking your main profit. You move your stop so it cannot hurt you… then you let it ride. Most of the time it gets stopped out for a little extra. Once or twice a week it goes 100 points. This week Battle Plan 3 and Battle Plan 2 both delivered that kind of runner after non-farm payroll lit the fuse. Right trade, right trade location, and the runner does the rest.

Why trade smaller near the closing price after a big move?

A: Because after monster follow-through we are sitting in a low probability trading location. Price is far from the Strong Levels where the best trades live. Entries near the closing price should be smaller in leverage… with caution. Next week is also a very light news week, so there is no catalyst to lean on. Master the no. Knowing when NOT to trade saves more heartache than any setup ever will.

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