OPEN-SOURCE SCRIPT
HL2 Moving Average with Bands
This indicator is designed to assist traders in identifying potential trade entries and exits for S&P 500 (ES) and Nasdaq-100 (NQ) futures. It calculates a Simple Moving Average (SMA) based on the HL2 value (average of high and low prices) of the current candle over a user-defined lookback period (default: 200 periods). The indicator plots this SMA as a blue line, providing a smoothed reference for price trends.
Additionally, it includes upper and lower bands calculated as a percentage (default: 0.5%) above and below the SMA, plotted as green and red lines, respectively. These bands act as dynamic thresholds to identify overbought or oversold conditions. The indicator generates trade signals based on price action relative to these bands:
The script is customizable, allowing users to adjust the SMA length and band percentage to suit their trading style or market conditions. It is plotted as an overlay on the price chart for easy integration with other technical analysis tools.
Recommended Time Frame and Settings for Trading S&P 500 and Nasdaq-100 Futures
Based on research and market dynamics for S&P 500 (ES) and Nasdaq-100 (NQ) futures, the 5-minute chart is recommended as the optimal time frame for day trading with this indicator. This time frame strikes a balance between capturing intraday trends and filtering out excessive noise, which is critical for futures trading due to their high volatility and leverage. The 5-minute chart aligns well with periods of high liquidity and volatility, such as the U.S. market open (9:30 AM–11:00 AM EST) and the afternoon session (2:00 PM–4:00 PM EST), when institutional traders are most active.
Why 5-minute? It allows traders to react to short-term price movements while avoiding the rapid fluctuations of 1-minute charts, which can be prone to false signals in choppy markets. It also provides enough data points to make the SMA and bands meaningful without the lag associated with longer time frames like 15-minute or hourly charts.
Recommended Settings
SMA Length: Set to 200 periods. This longer lookback period smooths the HL2 data, reducing noise and providing a reliable trend reference for the 5-minute chart. A 200-period SMA helps identify significant trend shifts without being overly sensitive to minor price fluctuations.
Band Percentage: 0.5% is more suitable for the volatility of ES and NQ futures on a 5-minute chart, as it generates fewer but higher-probability signals. Wider bands (e.g., 1%) may miss short-term opportunities, while narrower bands (e.g., 0.1%) may produce excessive false signals.
Trading Session Recommendations
Futures markets for ES and NQ are open nearly 24 hours (Sunday 6:00 PM EST to Friday 5:00 PM EST, with a daily break from 4:00 PM–5:00 PM EST), but not all hours are equally optimal due to varying liquidity and volatility. The best times to trade with this indicator are:
U.S. Market Open (9:30 AM–11:00 AM EST): This period is characterized by high volume and volatility, driven by the opening of U.S. equity markets and economic data releases (e.g., 8:30 AM EST reports like CPI or GDP). The indicator’s signals are more reliable during this window due to strong order flow and price momentum.
Afternoon Session (2:00 PM–4:00 PM EST): After the lunchtime lull, volume picks up as institutional traders return, and news or FOMC announcements often drive price action. The indicator can capture breakout moves as prices test the upper or lower bands.
Pre-Market (7:30 AM–9:30 AM EST): For traders comfortable with lower liquidity, this period can offer opportunities, especially around 8:30 AM EST economic releases. However, use tighter risk management due to wider spreads and potential volatility spikes.
Additional Tips
Why These Settings and Time Frame?
The 5-minute chart with a 200-period SMA and 0.5% bands is tailored for the volatility and liquidity of ES and NQ futures during peak trading hours. The longer SMA period ensures the indicator captures meaningful trends, while the 0.5% bands are tight enough to signal actionable breakouts but wide enough to avoid excessive whipsaws. Trading during high-volume sessions maximizes the likelihood of valid signals, as institutional participation drives clearer price action.
By focusing on these settings and time frames, traders can leverage the indicator to capitalize on the dynamic price movements of S&P 500 and Nasdaq-100 futures while managing the inherent risks of these markets.
Additionally, it includes upper and lower bands calculated as a percentage (default: 0.5%) above and below the SMA, plotted as green and red lines, respectively. These bands act as dynamic thresholds to identify overbought or oversold conditions. The indicator generates trade signals based on price action relative to these bands:
- Long Entry: A green upward triangle is plotted below the candle when the close crosses above the upper band, signaling a potential buy.
- Close Long: A red square is plotted above the candle when the close crosses back below the upper band, indicating an exit for the long position.
- Short Entry: A red downward triangle is plotted above the candle when the close crosses below the lower band, signaling a potential sell.
- Close Short: A green square is plotted below the candle when the close crosses back above the lower band, indicating an exit for the short position.
The script is customizable, allowing users to adjust the SMA length and band percentage to suit their trading style or market conditions. It is plotted as an overlay on the price chart for easy integration with other technical analysis tools.
Recommended Time Frame and Settings for Trading S&P 500 and Nasdaq-100 Futures
Based on research and market dynamics for S&P 500 (ES) and Nasdaq-100 (NQ) futures, the 5-minute chart is recommended as the optimal time frame for day trading with this indicator. This time frame strikes a balance between capturing intraday trends and filtering out excessive noise, which is critical for futures trading due to their high volatility and leverage. The 5-minute chart aligns well with periods of high liquidity and volatility, such as the U.S. market open (9:30 AM–11:00 AM EST) and the afternoon session (2:00 PM–4:00 PM EST), when institutional traders are most active.
Why 5-minute? It allows traders to react to short-term price movements while avoiding the rapid fluctuations of 1-minute charts, which can be prone to false signals in choppy markets. It also provides enough data points to make the SMA and bands meaningful without the lag associated with longer time frames like 15-minute or hourly charts.
Recommended Settings
SMA Length: Set to 200 periods. This longer lookback period smooths the HL2 data, reducing noise and providing a reliable trend reference for the 5-minute chart. A 200-period SMA helps identify significant trend shifts without being overly sensitive to minor price fluctuations.
Band Percentage: 0.5% is more suitable for the volatility of ES and NQ futures on a 5-minute chart, as it generates fewer but higher-probability signals. Wider bands (e.g., 1%) may miss short-term opportunities, while narrower bands (e.g., 0.1%) may produce excessive false signals.
Trading Session Recommendations
Futures markets for ES and NQ are open nearly 24 hours (Sunday 6:00 PM EST to Friday 5:00 PM EST, with a daily break from 4:00 PM–5:00 PM EST), but not all hours are equally optimal due to varying liquidity and volatility. The best times to trade with this indicator are:
U.S. Market Open (9:30 AM–11:00 AM EST): This period is characterized by high volume and volatility, driven by the opening of U.S. equity markets and economic data releases (e.g., 8:30 AM EST reports like CPI or GDP). The indicator’s signals are more reliable during this window due to strong order flow and price momentum.
Afternoon Session (2:00 PM–4:00 PM EST): After the lunchtime lull, volume picks up as institutional traders return, and news or FOMC announcements often drive price action. The indicator can capture breakout moves as prices test the upper or lower bands.
Pre-Market (7:30 AM–9:30 AM EST): For traders comfortable with lower liquidity, this period can offer opportunities, especially around 8:30 AM EST economic releases. However, use tighter risk management due to wider spreads and potential volatility spikes.
Additional Tips
- Avoid Low-Volume Periods: Steer clear of trading during low-liquidity hours, such as the overnight session (11:00 PM–3:00 AM EST), when spreads widen and price movements can be erratic, leading to false signals from the indicator.
- Combine with Other Tools: Enhance the indicator’s effectiveness by pairing it with support/resistance levels, Fibonacci retracements, or volume analysis to confirm signals. For example, a long entry signal above the upper band is stronger if it coincides with a breakout above a key resistance level.
- Risk Management: Given the leverage in futures (e.g., Micro E-mini contracts require ~$1,200 margin for ES), use tight stop-losses (e.g., below the lower band for longs or above the upper band for shorts) to manage risk. Aim for a risk-reward ratio of at least 1:2.
- Test Settings: Backtest the indicator on a demo account to optimize the SMA length and band percentage for your specific trading style and risk tolerance. Micro E-mini contracts (MES for S&P 500, MNQ for Nasdaq-100) are ideal for testing due to their lower capital requirements.
Why These Settings and Time Frame?
The 5-minute chart with a 200-period SMA and 0.5% bands is tailored for the volatility and liquidity of ES and NQ futures during peak trading hours. The longer SMA period ensures the indicator captures meaningful trends, while the 0.5% bands are tight enough to signal actionable breakouts but wide enough to avoid excessive whipsaws. Trading during high-volume sessions maximizes the likelihood of valid signals, as institutional participation drives clearer price action.
By focusing on these settings and time frames, traders can leverage the indicator to capitalize on the dynamic price movements of S&P 500 and Nasdaq-100 futures while managing the inherent risks of these markets.
Open-source script
In true TradingView spirit, the creator of this script has made it open-source, so that traders can review and verify its functionality. Kudos to the author! While you can use it for free, remember that republishing the code is subject to our House Rules.
For quick access on a chart, add this script to your favorites — learn more here.
Disclaimer
The information and publications are not meant to be, and do not constitute, financial, investment, trading, or other types of advice or recommendations supplied or endorsed by TradingView. Read more in the Terms of Use.
Open-source script
In true TradingView spirit, the creator of this script has made it open-source, so that traders can review and verify its functionality. Kudos to the author! While you can use it for free, remember that republishing the code is subject to our House Rules.
For quick access on a chart, add this script to your favorites — learn more here.
Disclaimer
The information and publications are not meant to be, and do not constitute, financial, investment, trading, or other types of advice or recommendations supplied or endorsed by TradingView. Read more in the Terms of Use.