As previously mentioned, I’m focused on trading 5-minute charts EUR USD. To master price action trading, and with a low time chart such as the 5 minute, takes all my undistracted concentration. I think that, most, professional traders use price action. Some may voice that they also use fundamentals and specific indicators, but when it comes down to the profits it’s usually price action, in some form, that’s responsible.

My trades on the 5 minute charts last from a few minutes to usually no more than an hour. Therefore, fundamentals have no influence. Although some traders consider fundamentals, they are the ‘go to’ consideration of the investor rather than the trader. An investor is committed longer-term, a duration where the fundamentals have time to take effect – many months to years. I studied fundamentals for several years. However, I now feel that even the highest term charts, such as weekly’s or monthly’s, are (primarily) influenced by price action and therefore ‘technical’ rather than ‘fundamental’ reasons. That is because price action is a measure of psychology in the market – such as fear, greed and confidence.

Notice below how the recent attacks in France affected the S&P 500. Notice also that the drop, before the S&P’s quick recovery, bounced off a 50% retrace line. A line that I had drawn on the chart several weeks ago; this is a part of price action, the context, and is known as a measured move. Often this measured move is exact – whether it’s a 5-minute chart or a daily chart like the one below. The news (France) moved the market, but price action told it where to go too.