📊 Professional Timeframe Hierarchy System
📅 Monthly Charts: The Master Timeframe
Primary Functions:
• Identify multi-year trends and major market cycles
• Determine overall market regime (bull/bear/sideways)
• Locate major support/resistance zones
• Assess long-term risk and sector rotation themes
Decision Weight: 50% of analysis—monthly trend overrides all lower timeframes
Key Principle: Never trade against the monthly trend direction unless you're a contrarian expert with exceptional risk management.
Usage Example: If monthly chart shows strong uptrend with price above 20 EMA, focus only on bullish setups on lower timeframes.
📊 Weekly Charts: The Context Provider
Primary Functions:
• Confirm or challenge monthly trend direction
• Identify medium-term support/resistance levels
• Spot pattern formations and breakout setups
• Determine position sizing and holding period
Decision Weight: 30% of analysis—provides crucial context for swing trades
Conflict Resolution: If weekly contradicts monthly, wait for weekly to align or trade smaller positions with tight risk management.
Pattern Recognition: Weekly patterns carry more weight than daily patterns—weekly cup and handle more reliable than daily flag.
📈 Daily Charts: The Trade Setup Timeframe
Primary Functions:
• Identify specific trade setups and patterns
• Locate precise support/resistance for entries
• Analyze volume patterns and breakouts
• Determine initial stop loss levels
Decision Weight: 15% of analysis—provides trade setup details
Key Limitation: Daily signals should align with weekly and monthly direction for highest probability trades.
Best Practice: Use daily charts to fine-tune entries that align with higher timeframe analysis.
⚡ 4-Hour/1-Hour Charts: The Execution Timeframe
Primary Functions:
• Precise entry and exit timing
• Short-term momentum confirmation
• Intraday support/resistance levels
• Risk management adjustments
Decision Weight: 5% of analysis—timing tool only
Critical Rule: Never base major trading decisions on intraday timeframes alone—they provide timing, not direction.
Professional Usage: Enter positions when higher timeframe analysis aligns and intraday timing is optimal.
🎯 Timeframe Priority Decision Matrix
| Scenario | Monthly | Weekly | Daily | Decision |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Aligned Bullish | Bullish | Bullish | Bullish | Strong Buy - Maximum position size |
| Monthly Bull, Weekly Bear | Bullish | Bearish | Mixed | Wait for weekly alignment |
| Monthly Bear, Lower TF Bull | Bearish | Bullish | Bullish | Short-term trades only, tight stops |
| Mixed Signals | Sideways | Mixed | Mixed | Range trading strategy, smaller positions |
🏗️ Timeframe Hierarchy Mastery Principles
Higher Timeframe Authority: Monthly overrides weekly, weekly overrides daily—never fight the higher timeframe trend without exceptional justification. Confirmation Cascade: Best trades occur when all timeframes align in same direction—wait for alignment rather than forcing trades. Context Before Execution: Always analyze higher timeframes first, then drill down to lower timeframes for execution—context before detail. Risk Adjustment: Reduce position size when timeframes conflict, increase when they align—let timeframe agreement guide position sizing.