💻Core ICT Terminology Explained
1. PDH (Previous Day High)
The highest price level reached during the previous trading day.
2. PDL (Previous Day Low)
The lowest price level reached during the previous trading day.
3. PWH (Previous Week High)
The highest price level reached during the previous trading week.
4. PWL (Previous Week Low)
The lowest price level reached during the previous trading week.
5. BMS (Break in Market Structure)
Occurs when price breaks a significant structural level, indicating a possible trend reversal or continuation.
6. CE (Consequent Encroachment)
Refers to the midpoint (50%) of a Fair Value Gap (FVG), often used as a key level for price interaction.
7. SH (Stop Hunt)
A deliberate price movement targeting stop-loss levels to trigger liquidity.
8. SMS (Shift in Market Structure)
A sudden change in the market’s directional bias, often signaling a reversal.
9. MS (Market Structure)
The overall framework of price movement, consisting of trends, consolidations, and key price levels.
10. RTO (Return to Order Block/Origin)
When price retraces to a previously identified Order Block (OB) or origin of a move.
11. OB (Order Block)
A price area where significant buying or selling occurred, typically created by institutional traders.
12. OTE (Optimal Trade Entry)
A high-probability entry point within a retracement, often around the 62%-79% Fibonacci levels.
13. IPDA (Interbank Price Delivery Algorithm)
The algorithm governing how banks and institutions deliver price over time, creating observable patterns.
14. FVG (Fair Value Gap)
A price imbalance where no trades occurred, often between consecutive candles, indicating potential price targets.
15. LP (Liquidity Pool)
A cluster of pending orders, such as stop-loss or take-profit orders, serving as targets for price.
16. PA (Price Action)
The raw movement of price on a chart without relying on indicators.
17. IOF (Institutional Order Flow)
The directional bias of large institutions’ trades that influences market trends.
18. HTF (Higher Time Frame)
Longer time frames (e.g., daily, weekly) used to analyze overarching trends and context.
19. LTF (Lower Time Frame)
Shorter time frames (e.g., 5-min, 15-min) used for precise entries and exits.
20. AMD (Accumulation, Manipulation, and Distribution)
A market cycle describing phases where price consolidates, traps traders, and then trends in the intended direction.
21. PO3 (Power of 3)
A concept describing how price accumulates, manipulates, and then distributes in one session or move.
22. RN (Round Numbers)
Psychological price levels like 1.2000 or 1.5000, often used as support/resistance.
23. EQH (Equal High)
Two or more highs at the same level, indicating liquidity above.
24. EQL (Equal Low)
Two or more lows at the same level, indicating liquidity below.
25. SSL (Sell-Side Liquidity)
A cluster of sell orders or stop-losses below price, often targeted by the market.
26. BSL (Buy-Side Liquidity)
A cluster of buy orders or stop-losses above price, often targeted by the market.
27. HL (Higher Low)
A low that is higher than the previous low, signaling an uptrend.
28. HH (Higher High)
A high that is higher than the previous high, signaling an uptrend.
29. LH (Lower High)
A high that is lower than the previous high, signaling a downtrend.
30. LL (Lower Low)
A low that is lower than the previous low, signaling a downtrend.
31. BOS (Break of Market Structure)
A significant break of a key structural level, confirming a shift in trend or continuation.
32. Balanced Price Range (BPR) An area where two FVGs overlap, suggesting a balanced price zone.
33. External Range Liquidity (ERL) Liquidity residing outside a defined price range, often targeted during stop hunts.
34. Internal Range Liquidity (IRL) Liquidity within a price range, typically associated with consolidation phases.