What it is
Session separators are simple dividers. On an intraday chart, candles from different days run together and it is easy to lose track of where one day ended. A vertical line at each new period fixes that.
They do not calculate anything about price. They are a reference grid, most useful alongside levels such as the previous day high and low, the daily open or pivot points.
How it is calculated
1. Look at the time stamp of each candle. 2. Decide which day, week or month it belongs to (day is the default, using the date in UTC, the world reference time). 3. When a candle belongs to a different period from the one before it, draw a vertical line at that candle. If the loaded chart covers only one period, there is nothing to divide, and WickSpeak says so.
Settings
| Setting | Default | Range | What it changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| divide by | day | day, week or month | Where the lines go. Day suits 1 to 15 minute charts, week suits 1 hour to 4 hour, month suits daily charts. |
How to read it
How to trade it
- 1
Turn on day separators on a 15 minute gold or US30 chart and add the previous day high and low.
- 2
Entry trigger: after the day line, wait for price to break and close beyond yesterday's high or low.
- 3
Stop: back inside yesterday's range, for example 8 to 12 points on gold or 40 to 60 points on US30.
- 4
Target: 2 times the stop, or the next key level such as the weekly high.
- 5
Use the lines to stop yourself carrying yesterday's bias blindly into a new day.
A breakout of yesterday's range taken after the day line is cancelled if price closes back inside yesterday's range.
WickSpeak draws a vertical line at each new day, week or month on the chart. Pair it with the key levels panel, which lists the previous day, week and month high and low and the open, each with how many points away it is.
Best markets and timeframes
Day lines suit 1 to 30 minute charts, week lines suit 1 hour and 4 hour charts, and month lines suit daily charts. Useful on every market, especially gold and US indices.
Common mistakes
- Assuming the day line matches your broker's daily candle; brokers and markets can start the day at different times.
- Treating the line itself as support or resistance. It is a time marker, not a price level.
- Using day lines on a 4 hour chart, where they clutter more than they help.
Works well with
Questions traders ask
What are session separators?
They are vertical lines that mark the start of each new day, week or month on a chart. They make it easy to see where one trading period ends and the next begins.
What time does the day line start?
In WickSpeak the day line falls at the change of date in UTC. Your broker's daily candle may start at a different time, such as 5pm New York, so allow for that when comparing.
Do session separators show London and New York sessions?
No. These lines divide by day, week or month only. For hour by hour behaviour, Time of day DNA shows what each London clock hour usually does on the chart.
Which timeframe should I use separators on?
Day separators work best from 1 to 30 minute charts. On higher timeframes switch to week or month lines.