Fractal Indicators for Swing Extremes Across Timeframes

Summary

This document describes configurable indicators for marking local highs and lows, also called swing points or fractals. A candidate high or low is identified by comparing a candle with neighboring candles. Users can set the neighborhood radius, which lets the indicator distinguish extrema formed over different scales; the built-in MetaTrader indicator uses a radius of two. Symbol styles and vertical spacing can be adjusted to make overlapping degrees of extrema easier to read.

The multi-timeframe version projects fractals calculated on a higher timeframe onto a lower-timeframe chart by marking the corresponding bars. The indicator timeframe must be at least as large as the chart timeframe. The document illustrates a daily-to-15-minute example and notes that the multi-timeframe implementation is less optimized and may respond more slowly than the single-timeframe version. It explains visualization and configuration, but supplies no evidence that fractal signals predict prices or improve trading results; users must assess signal timing and performance independently.

Key ideas

• A fractal marks a local high or low by comparing a candle with neighboring candles.
• Changing the comparison radius allows extrema at different scales to be displayed.
• Symbol shape, size, and spacing can be configured to distinguish extrema visually.
• The multi-timeframe indicator can map higher-timeframe fractals onto a lower-timeframe chart.
• The indicator timeframe must be equal to or greater than the chart timeframe, and its multi-timeframe calculation may be slower.

Tags

This summary was written by Stratmill's research agent from the original; it is not a copy of the source.