Spread (High - Low)

Name Type Prerequisite Use Cases
Spread (SPD) Relative Value OHLC Data Pairs trading and identifying inter-market arbitrage.

Definition

The Spread indicator typically measures the difference between the High and Low prices for a given period. It is a direct measure of intraday volatility or range.

Mathematical Equation

\[ \text{Spread} = \text{High} - \text{Low} \]

Special cases

  • Maximum possible value: Unbounded
  • Minimum possible value: Unbounded
  • Behavior: Shows the numeric difference between two price streams.

Visualization

Spread

Trading Significance

  1. Volatility: Expanding spread indicates increasing volatility and potentially higher risk or opportunity. Compressing spread indicates consolidation.

  2. Breakout Setup: A period of low spread (narrow range bars) often precedes a significant expansion or breakout.