|  OCT 1988

Opening range breakout: early entry Part 2 by Toby Crabel

Opening range breakout: early entry Part 2 by Toby Crabel Early entry is defined as a large price movement in one direction within the first five minutes after the open of the daily session. A study of early entry is essentially a study of price action, and the type of price action that takes place on early entry shows that participants are urgent about entering the market. It is a distinct recognition of either a profitable or dangerous situation. It should be noted that directional moves of this nature are relatively rare and may occur only 10% of the time. Most days (70% to 80%), prices exhibit rotation or choppy action and the first five to 10 minutes of trading are sluggish and directionless without a clear movement away from the opening range. The early entry price action is ideal when using an opening range breakout for entry. An opening range breakout is a trade taken at a predetermined amount above or below the opening range. The open should act as one extreme of this range. Two versions I have observed two types of early entry. The characteristics of Type 1 (Figures 1 and 2) are as follows: The first five minute time period has a larger range than normal. (""Normal"" is roughly defined as the average of the preceding 10 days' first five-minute ranges.) The opening of the day is on one extreme of the five-minute bar and the close of the five-minute bar is on the opposite extreme. The second five minutes shows an equal thrust in the direction of the first five-minute period.

by Toby Crabel