advanced · TRADING LEARNING GUIDE
Chapter 8 — Bid × Ask Footprint Chart
Total 300 · Ask 220 − Bid 80 = Delta +140
Numbers describe executions, not pending orders.
What is this concept?
The bid column commonly records aggressive selling into bids; the ask column records aggressive buying at offers. Confirm your platform convention before comparing cells.
Daily learning workflow
1. Identify the instrument, venue and observation interval. 2. Read the chapter definition and reproduce its worked calculation. 3. Watch the supporting workshop and compare its platform conventions with your data. 4. Add all cells to calculate total volume and delta. 5. Record what happened, what you inferred and what would invalidate your interpretation.
Evidence and interpretation
Keep three separate notes: observed transactions or book changes; your explanation of those observations; and a paper rule with a defined failure condition. Compare at least one counterexample. Do not turn an illustration into a live claim.
Worked example
Hypothetical worked example: A 30 × 90 cell means 30 bid-classified and 90 ask-classified units, total 120 and delta +60.
Common mistakes and limits
Do not treat this observation as a guaranteed signal. Check the venue, data classification, session boundaries and costs. A candle or aggregated order book does not reveal the identity or total holdings of traders.
Practice
Add all cells to calculate total volume and delta. Use recorded or paper data. Log the observation before revealing the outcome.
Resources and further reading
These sources explain definitions and underlying mechanics. Worked examples are original illustrations; a source does not establish the profitability of a custom pattern.
Public creator-hosted education. Embedding does not mean open-source licensing or endorsement.
Primary reference for footprint display and bid/ask volume conventions. Platform-specific settings must be checked.