Alright, let’s talk about what I tried today. I decided to spend some time specifically watching the US market open, focusing on ideas kinda linked to Wells Wilder’s stuff. Not super rigid, more like trying to catch early momentum shifts, you know?
Getting Set Up
So, before the bell rang, maybe about 30 minutes prior, I pulled up my usual charts. I was looking at a couple of the major index futures, like the S&P and Nasdaq. Didn’t want to overcomplicate things. I made sure I had indicators ready that could help spot direction and strength – things Wilder was big on. Think tools that show trend strength, not just price. I wasn’t following a strict system, more like using them as a guide for my eyes.
- Checked pre-market levels.
- Had my main chart with price action.
- Added an indicator to gauge momentum strength.
- Mentally noted key support/resistance areas from the previous day.
My main goal wasn’t really to make bank, but more to practice observing. Practice reading the chaos right after the open, using some of those Wilder concepts as a loose framework.
Watching the Open
Okay, the bell rings. And yeah, it was messy, like usual. Price jumped around quite a bit in the first few minutes. I was trying to see if there was a clear push in one direction that the momentum indicator would confirm. There were a few signals, honestly. A quick spike up, the indicator showed a bit of strength, but then it fizzled out fast. Then a dip, same story.
It felt like trying to grab smoke. You see something, you think it’s a signal based on the tools, but the follow-through just wasn’t there in those initial moments. Lots of noise, very little signal, if you ask me. I specifically held back from jumping in on anything because my whole point was to observe if the patterns Wilder talked about were actually clear and usable in that first volatile window.
After about 20-30 minutes, things started to settle a tiny bit. A more defined short-term trend emerged. Looking back, the indicators did eventually align with that move, but you had to wait out the initial craziness. If you acted too early based on the first flicker of ‘strength’, you’d likely get chopped up.
What I Reckon
So, what did I get out of this little session? Mostly a reminder. A reminder that the US open is a beast. Trying to apply indicators that need a bit of trend to develop right at the open… well, it’s tough. Wilder’s tools often work better once a direction starts establishing itself, not necessarily in the first five minutes of pure mayhem.
It felt more useful to just watch the price action itself initially, and maybe bring in the confirmation tools like ADX or similar concepts after the market has shown its hand a little bit. Using them to confirm a potential move rather than predict one right out of the gate seemed like the less stressful way to go.
Was it a waste of time? Nah. Every screen session is practice. It reinforced that patience is key, especially at volatile times. And maybe Wilder’s concepts are better applied slightly after the initial open dust settles. Just my two cents from today’s fiddling around.
