Active PMI Support/Resistance Levels [EdgeTerminal]The PMI Support & Resistance indicator revolutionizes traditional technical analysis by using Pointwise Mutual Information (PMI) - a statistical measure from information theory - to objectively identify support and resistance levels. Unlike conventional methods that rely on visual pattern recognition, this indicator provides mathematically rigorous, quantifiable evidence of price levels where significant market activity occurs.
- The Mathematical Foundation: Pointwise Mutual Information
Pointwise Mutual Information measures how much more likely two events are to occur together compared to if they were statistically independent. In our context:
Event A: Volume spikes occurring (high trading activity)
Event B: Price being at specific levels
The PMI formula calculates: PMI = log(P(A,B) / (P(A) × P(B)))
Where:
P(A,B) = Probability of volume spikes occurring at specific price levels
P(A) = Probability of volume spikes occurring anywhere
P(B) = Probability of price being at specific levels
High PMI scores indicate that volume spikes and certain price levels co-occur much more frequently than random chance would predict, revealing genuine support and resistance zones.
- Why PMI Outperforms Traditional Methods
Subjective interpretation: What one trader sees as significant, another might ignore
Confirmation bias: Tendency to see patterns that confirm existing beliefs
Inconsistent criteria: No standardized definition of "significant" volume or price action
Static analysis: Doesn't adapt to changing market conditions
No strength measurement: Can't quantify how "strong" a level truly is
PMI Advantages:
✅ Objective & Quantifiable: Mathematical proof of significance, not visual guesswork
✅ Statistical Rigor: Levels backed by information theory and probability
✅ Strength Scoring: PMI scores rank levels by statistical significance
✅ Adaptive: Automatically adjusts to different market volatility regimes
✅ Eliminates Bias: Computer-calculated, removing human interpretation errors
✅ Market Structure Aware: Reveals the underlying order flow concentrations
- How It Works
Data Processing Pipeline:
Volume Analysis: Identifies volume spikes using configurable thresholds
Price Binning: Divides price range into discrete levels for analysis
Co-occurrence Calculation: Measures how often volume spikes happen at each price level
PMI Computation: Calculates statistical significance for each price level
Level Filtering: Shows only levels exceeding minimum PMI thresholds
Dynamic Updates: Refreshes levels periodically while maintaining historical traces
Visual System:
Current Levels: Bright, thick lines with PMI scores - your actionable levels
Historical Traces: Faded previous levels showing market structure evolution
Strength Tiers: Line styles indicate PMI strength (solid/dashed/dotted)
Color Coding: Green for support, red for resistance
Info Table: Real-time display of strongest levels with scores
- Indicator Settings:
Core Parameters
Lookback Period (Default: 200)
Lower (50-100): More responsive to recent price action, catches short-term levels
Higher (300-500): Focuses on major historical levels, more stable but less responsive
Best for: Day trading (100-150), Swing trading (200-300), Position trading (400-500)
Volume Spike Threshold (Default: 1.5)
Lower (1.2-1.4): More sensitive, catches smaller volume increases, more levels detected
Higher (2.0-3.0): Only major volume surges count, fewer but stronger signals
Market dependent: High-volume stocks may need higher thresholds (2.0+), low-volume stocks lower (1.2-1.3)
Price Bins (Default: 50)
Lower (20-30): Broader price zones, less precise but captures wider areas
Higher (70-100): More granular levels, precise but may be overly specific
Volatility dependent: High volatility assets benefit from more bins (70+)
Minimum PMI Score (Default: 0.5)
Lower (0.2-0.4): Shows more levels including weaker ones, comprehensive view
Higher (1.0-2.0): Only statistically strong levels, cleaner chart
Progressive filtering: Start with 0.5, increase if too cluttered
Max Levels to Show (Default: 8)
Fewer (3-5): Clean chart focusing on strongest levels only
More (10-15): Comprehensive view but may clutter chart
Strategy dependent: Scalpers prefer fewer (3-5), swing traders more (8-12)
Historical Tracking Settings
Update Frequency (Default: 20 bars)
Lower (5-10): More frequent updates, captures rapid market changes
Higher (50-100): Less frequent updates, focuses on major structural shifts
Timeframe scaling: 1-minute charts need lower frequency (5-10), daily charts higher (50+)
Show Historical Levels (Default: True)
Enables the "breadcrumb trail" effect showing evolution of support/resistance
Disable for cleaner charts focusing only on current levels
Max Historical Marks (Default: 50)
Lower (20-30): Less memory usage, shorter history
Higher (100-200): Longer historical context but more resource intensive
Fade Strength (Default: 0.8)
Lower (0.5-0.6): Historical levels more visible
Higher (0.9-0.95): Historical levels very subtle
Visual Settings
Support/Resistance Colors: Choose colors that contrast well with your chart theme Line Width: Thicker lines (3-4) for better visibility on busy charts Show PMI Scores: Toggle labels showing statistical strength Label Size: Adjust based on screen resolution and chart zoom level
- Most Effective Usage Strategies
For Day Trading:
Setup: Lookback 100-150, Volume Threshold 1.8-2.2, Update Frequency 10-15
Use PMI levels as bounce/rejection points for scalp entries
Higher PMI scores (>1.5) offer better probability setups
Watch for volume spike confirmations at levels
For Swing Trading:
Setup: Lookback 200-300, Volume Threshold 1.5-2.0, Update Frequency 20-30
Enter on pullbacks to high PMI support levels
Target next resistance level with PMI score >1.0
Hold through minor levels, exit at major PMI levels
For Position Trading:
Setup: Lookback 400-500, Volume Threshold 2.0+, Update Frequency 50+
Focus on PMI scores >2.0 for major structural levels
Use for portfolio entry/exit decisions
Combine with fundamental analysis for timing
- Trading Applications:
Entry Strategies:
PMI Bounce Trades
Price approaches high PMI support level (>1.0)
Wait for volume spike confirmation (orange triangles)
Enter long on bullish price action at the level
Stop loss just below the PMI level
Target: Next PMI resistance level
PMI Breakout Trades
Price consolidates near high PMI level
Volume increases (watch for orange triangles)
Enter on decisive break with volume
Previous resistance becomes new support
Target: Next major PMI level
PMI Rejection Trades
Price approaches PMI resistance with momentum
Watch for rejection signals and volume spikes
Enter short on failure to break through
Stop above the PMI level
Target: Next PMI support level
Risk Management:
Stop Loss Placement
Place stops 0.1-0.5% beyond PMI levels (adjust for volatility)
Higher PMI scores warrant tighter stops
Use ATR-based stops for volatile assets
Position Sizing
Larger positions at PMI levels >2.0 (highest conviction)
Smaller positions at PMI levels 0.5-1.0 (lower conviction)
Scale out at multiple PMI targets
- Key Warning Signs & What to Watch For
Red Flags:
🚨 Very Low PMI Scores (<0.3): Weak statistical significance, avoid trading
🚨 No Volume Confirmation: PMI level without recent volume spikes may be stale
🚨 Overcrowded Levels: Too many levels close together suggests poor parameter tuning
🚨 Outdated Levels: Historical traces are reference only, not tradeable
Optimization Tips:
✅ Regular Recalibration: Adjust parameters monthly based on market regime changes
✅ Volume Context: Always check for recent volume activity at PMI levels
✅ Multiple Timeframes: Confirm PMI levels across different timeframes
✅ Market Conditions: Higher thresholds during high volatility periods
Interpreting PMI Scores
PMI Score Ranges:
0.5-1.0: Moderate statistical significance, proceed with caution
1.0-1.5: Good significance, reliable for most trading strategies
1.5-2.0: Strong significance, high-confidence trade setups
2.0+: Very strong significance, institutional-grade levels
Historical Context: The historical trace system shows how support and resistance evolve over time. When current levels align with multiple historical traces, it indicates persistent market memory at those prices, significantly increasing the level's reliability.
PMI
Purchasing Managers Index (PMI)The Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) is a widely recognized economic indicator that provides crucial insights into the health and performance of an economy's manufacturing and services sectors. This index is a vital tool for anticipating economic developments and trends, offering an early warning system for changes in these sectors.
The PMI is calculated based on surveys conducted among purchasing managers in various businesses and organizations. These managers are asked about their perceptions of current business conditions and their expectations for future economic activity within their sectors. The responses are then compiled and used to calculate the PMI value.
A PMI value above 50 typically indicates that the manufacturing or services sector is expanding, suggesting a positive economic outlook. Conversely, a PMI value below 50 suggests contraction, which may be an early indication of economic challenges or a potential recession.
In summary, the Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) is an essential economic indicator that assesses the health of manufacturing and services sectors by surveying purchasing managers' opinions. It serves as an early warning system for changes in economic activity and is a valuable tool for forecasting economic trends and potential crises.
This code combines the Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) data with two Simple Moving Averages (SMA) and some visual elements.
Let's break down how this indicator works:
1. Loading PMI Data:
The indicator loads data for the "USBCOI" symbol, which represents the PMI data. It fetches the monthly closing prices of this symbol.
2. Calculating Moving Averages:
Two Simple Moving Averages (SMAs) are calculated based on the PMI data. The first SMA, sma_usbcoi, has a length defined by the input parameter (default: 2). The second SMA, sma2_usbcoi, has a different length defined by the second input parameter (default: 14).
3. Color Coding and Thresholds:
The line color of the PMI plot is determined based on the value of the PMI. If the PMI is above 52, the color is teal; if it's below 48, the color is red; otherwise, it's gray. These threshold values are often used to identify specific conditions in the PMI data.
4. Crossing Indicator:
A key feature of this indicator is to determine if the PMI crosses the first SMA (sma_usbcoi) from top to bottom while also being above the value of 52. This is indicated by the crossedUp variable. This condition suggests a specific situation where the PMI crosses a short-term moving average while indicating strength (above 52).
5. Visual Elements:
A "💀" skull emoji is defined as skullEmoji.
The PMI is plotted on the chart with color coding based on its value, as described earlier.
The two SMAs are also plotted on the chart.
When the crossedUp condition is met (PMI crosses the first SMA from top to bottom while above 52), a skull emoji (indicating potential danger) is plotted at the top of the indicator window.
