summary: session ranges and IB analysis give you precise entry, stop, and target levels — instead of guessing, you're using historical data to structure every trade.

session ranges are specific time windows you use to analyze price movement. IB (initial balance) is the range price covers in the first hour (or your custom time window) of a session — and it's your anchor for the entire day's trade setup.

think of it this way: price opens, establishes an IB high and low in the first hour, then either breaks out of that range or retraces back into it. the data tells you how often each happens — and that's your edge.

session: 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM ET
IB range: 9:30 AM to 10:30 AM ET

session: 3:00 AM to 11:00 AM ET
IB range: 3:00 AM to 4:00 AM ET

session: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM ET
IB range: 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM ET

important: you can customize all of these times in edgeful. if you trade the globex open at 6:00 PM, set your session and IB accordingly. the key is consistency — same times every day so your data stays clean.

after the first hour, price does one of two things: it breaks out of the IB range, or it stays trapped inside and retraces back to the IB boundaries.

breakout day: price closes above IB high or below IB low. the trend is established and you're chasing.

inside day / retracement: price stays within the IB range or comes back into it after an initial extension. here's where your high-probability entries live.

edgeful's IB reports show you exactly how often each scenario plays out on your instrument — so you know whether to fade or follow.

once price breaks out of the IB, it typically retraces back into the range. edgeful's IB by retracement report shows you three critical retracement levels: 25%, 50%, and 75% back into the IB range.

here's the real edge: the data tells you which retracement level gets hit most often — and which ones are weak.

example: on NQ over the last 6 months in the NY session; if the data shows 68% of breakouts retrace to the 25% level, you enter there — knowing the odds are in your favor. you skip the 50% retracement because the data shows it's hit less frequently, so holding past 25% often means missing the move.

start with your IB range — IB high minus IB low. that's your reference distance.

each retracement level is measured as a percentage of that range, from the broken boundary back into the range.

example — IB high is 5,450, IB low is 5,400. IB range = 50 points.

if price breaks above the IB high, retracement levels sit at:

if price breaks below the IB low, flip the direction:

the IB by retracement report plots these levels for you automatically — you don't have to calculate them by hand. knowing the math helps you understand what the report is showing, so when you look at the hit rates on each level, you know exactly where price is going on your chart.

your stop placement depends on which side of the IB you're trading.

on a breakout above IB high: place your stop just below the IB low. if price closes back inside the range, your thesis is broken and you're out. this isn't a tight stop — it's a range boundary.

on a breakout below IB low: place your stop just above the IB high. same logic, opposite direction.

the IB by levels report shows you the exact dollar distance of this stop — so you know your actual risk before you enter.

here's where confluence comes in. the opening candle (first 5-min or 15-min candle of the session) often telegraphs the day's direction.

if the opening candle is bullish AND price breaks above the IB high: that's confluence — two separate data points agreeing. this is a stronger setup than opening candle alone or IB alone.

if they conflict (bullish opening candle but price breaking below IB low) : that's a warning. the setup is weaker. edgeful data will show you whether these conflicted days end up being winners or losers.

for credit spreads or short premium strategies, reverse the logic: you're selling into the direction where both signals agree.

once you're in a breakout trade, where's your profit target?

edgeful's IB extension levels show you where price typically stalls after breaking the IB range. instead of a single target, you scale out: take partial profits at the first extension, let the rest run to the second extension.

example: on ES, if the IB high is 5,450 and the first extension level sits at 5,465 (based on 6-month data), you take 50% profit there. let the rest run toward 5,480 (the second extension). you're locking in gains while giving the trend room to breathe.

scenario: NQ, NY session, bearish bias.

1. price opens inside yesterday's range. IB low is 19,500, IB high is 19,620.
2. opening candle is red (bearish). at 10:40 AM, price closes below the IB low (19,500). you have confluence: bearish candle + IB low break.
3. you short at 19,495 (slightly below IB low for confirmation).
4. your stop: 19,625 (just above IB high). risk = $130 per contract.
5. edgeful's IB by retracement report tells you price typically retraces to 25% of the breakdown = 19,440. you take 50% profit there.
6. second target: 50% retracement level = 19,380. let the rest run. if price closes back above the IB low, exit the remainder.

this entire setup is built on historical data, not guesswork. the exact retracement levels, the odds of hitting them, and your entry/stop/target — all data-backed.

the session times and IB hours you choose determine which trades you see. if you set IB from 9:30-11:00 instead of 9:30-10:30, you're measuring a different market period — and the data changes.

backtest your custom session times over the last 6 months. validate that IB breakouts and retracements match what the data shows. consistency is everything.