![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhUOqt2JuqQ8wbkAyVXtASCYlbsmIwqZAKMRAynv7r_ycCx8kKrZDNNc2sGiUTNAYI-1DZ7eNemumFiyXa_cK3T0X89CkyN8SNv2r5kJV7_25DbR3UdR4_MZq8lQH4bkosJ7hi/s320/FalseBreakout032410.gif)
Note how often price in the ES futures has popped to a new high or low, only to return to the prior trading range (blue arrows above).
I explained a major reason why this "mean reversion" occurs in my recent post on algorithmic trading.
This has proven to be a major challenge for short-term traders, who find themselves faked out on seeming moves that reverse.
The first step toward adapting is recognizing that a jump to a new high or low may be a trap. We then need criteria that help us differentiate the traps from the genuine directional moves.
More on that topic of criteria soon to come.
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