Initial Balance Session
- Indicators
- Richard Barile
- Version: 1.9
- Activations: 5
The Initial Balance Indicator is a professional-grade tool for MetaTrader 5 traders, designed to enhance your trading by visualizing key price levels during the Asia, London, and US market sessions. This indicator plots the Initial Balance (IB) range—the high, low, and midpoint prices—formed during the first hour of each session, with a customizable box to highlight the range and optional extension levels for advanced analysis. Optimized for smooth, flicker-free performance, it’s ideal for day traders, scalpers, and swing traders looking to identify critical support, resistance, and breakout zones with precision.
How It Works
The Initial Balance Indicator tracks the price range established during the first hour of three major trading sessions each day:
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Asia Session: 01:00–02:00
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London Session: 10:00–11:00
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US Session: 16:00–17:00
Here’s how it functions:
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Plots the Initial Balance Range:
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IB High (IBH): The highest price during the session’s first hour.
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IB Low (IBL): The lowest price during the session’s first hour.
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IB Mid (IBM): The midpoint between IBH and IBL, a key reference for market balance.
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Draws Horizontal Lines:
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Lines for IBH, IBL, IBM, and extended levels (2x, 3x, 4x the IB range above and below) extend from the session’s start to the next session’s start (e.g., Asia to 09:59, London to 15:59, US to the next day’s Asia start).
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Optional midline deviations (1.5x, 2.5x, 3.5x) provide additional price targets.
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Highlights the IB Range with a Box:
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A customizable rectangle marks the IB range from the session’s start to end, making it easy to spot the price zone where the market established its initial range.
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Real-Time Updates:
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During an active session, the indicator updates IBH, IBL, and derived levels only when new highs or lows occur, ensuring smooth performance without constant flickering.
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Historical Analysis:
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Displays IB ranges for up to a user-defined number of past days, perfect for studying historical price behavior.
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Optimized Performance:
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Version 1.9 eliminates screen flicker and reduces CPU usage by updating lines and boxes only when necessary, providing a seamless trading experience.
Benefits for Traders
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Smooth Visuals: Enjoy flicker-free charts with optimized updates, keeping your focus on trading decisions.
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Clear Price Levels: Identify key support, resistance, and breakout zones for each session with easy-to-read lines and boxes.
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Customizable: Adjust session times, colors, line styles, and visibility options to match your trading strategy.
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Multi-Session Support: Covers Asia, London, and US sessions, making it versatile for global markets.
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Enhanced Analysis: Use extension levels (2x, 3x, 4x) and midlines (1.5x, 2.5x, 3.5x) to anticipate price targets and reversals.
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Efficient and Reliable: Optimized to minimize CPU usage, ensuring fast performance even on lower timeframes.
Input Parameters
Tailor the indicator to your trading needs with these intuitive settings:
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Asia IB Start (Default: 01:00): Set the start time for the Asia session’s Initial Balance period (HH:MM, broker’s server time).
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Asia IB End (Default: 02:00): Set the end time for the Asia session’s IB period.
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London IB Start (Default: 10:00): Set the start time for the London session’s IB period.
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London IB End (Default: 11:00): Set the end time for the London session’s IB period.
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US IB Start (Default: 16:00): Set the start time for the US session’s IB period.
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US IB End (Default: 17:00): Set the end time for the US session’s IB period.
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Days to Draw (Default: 5): Choose how many past days’ IB ranges to display (e.g., 5 days shows the last 5 days’ sessions).
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Color for IB High (Default: Red): Select the color for the IB High lines.
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Color for IB Low (Default: Green): Select the color for the IB Low lines.
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Color for IB Mid (Default: Gray): Select the color for the IB Mid lines.
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Color for IBH2x, IBH3x, IBH4x and Mids (Default: OrangeRed): Choose the color for extension levels above the IB High (2x, 3x, 4x) and midline deviations (1.5x, 2.5x, 3.5x).
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Color for IBL2x, IBL3x, IBL4x and Mids (Default: Blue): Choose the color for extension levels below the IB Low (2x, 3x, 4x) and midline deviations (1.5x, 2.5x, 3.5x).
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Style for Main Lines (Default: Solid): Set the line style for IBH, IBL, and IBM (e.g., Solid, Dashed, Dotted).
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Style for Extension Lines (Default: Dashed): Set the line style for 2x, 3x, and 4x extension levels.
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Style for Midline Deviation Lines (Default: Dotted): Set the line style for 1.5x, 2.5x, and 3.5x midline levels.
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Show Midline Deviations (Default: True): Enable or disable the display of midline deviation levels (1.5x, 2.5x, 3.5x).
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Show IB Range Box (Default: True): Enable or disable the rectangle highlighting the IB range for each session.
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IB Box Border Color (Default: Yellow): Set the border color for the IB range box.
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Fill IB Box (Default: True): Choose whether to fill the IB range box with color for better visibility.
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IB Box Border Style (Default: Solid): Set the border style for the IB range box (e.g., Solid, Dashed, Dotted).
How to Use
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Apply to Chart: Add the indicator to your MetaTrader 5 chart for any symbol and timeframe (recommended: M1, M5, or M15 for precise session tracking).
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Customize Settings: Adjust session times to match your broker’s server time zone, and modify colors, styles, and history limits to fit your preferences.
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Analyze Key Levels: Use IB High, Low, and Mid lines, along with extension and midline levels, to identify entry, exit, or stop-loss points.
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Monitor IB Boxes: The highlighted IB range helps you visualize volatility and potential breakout zones during each session.
