Market Profile,
built letter by letter
One letter per 30-minute period at every price it traded. The shape shows the day’s value, its point of control and its single prints.
Data from Dukascopy
Read the day by its shape
Normal day
Balanced bell, rotation inside value.
Trend day
Thin and long — do not fade it.
P-shape
Early rally, then acceptance higher.
b-shape
Early drop, then acceptance lower.
Double distribution
Two value areas joined by single prints.
Single prints
One-letter rows price often revisits.
How it works in the app
Letters per period
30 minutes by default (5–240). Use a chart timeframe at or below the period.
The marks
POC in red, 70% value area brighter, initial balance dashed, single prints in yellow.
Every plan, every symbol
Price only, no volume needed. Today’s profile grows one period at a time.
Market Profile or volume profile?
| Market Profile | Volume profile | |
|---|---|---|
| Measures | Time at each price | Activity at each price |
| Needs volume | No | Yes |
| Extra levels | Initial balance, single prints | Naked points of control |
Market Profile — FAQ
What is a TPO chart?
A Market Profile: every price traded in each time period gets that period's letter. TPO stands for time price opportunity. Developed by J. Peter Steidlmayer at the Chicago Board of Trade in the 1980s.
Market Profile or volume profile?
Market Profile measures time spent at each price; volume profile measures activity. Market Profile needs no volume data, which suits forex. Both give a POC and a 70% value area.
What is the initial balance?
The high and low of the first two periods — the first hour on 30-minute periods. FxBacktest draws it as two dashed lines.
What are single prints?
Prices inside the day's range only one period traded, left behind by a fast move. Drawn in yellow; price often returns to fill them.
Why does my Market Profile not draw?
The chart timeframe must be at or below the period — M30 or lower for the default 30-minute letters.