Multi-Timeframe Analysis
Higher timeframes set the direction. Lower timeframes refine the entry. Never trade against the higher timeframe trend unless you have very strong reasons.
The 3-Screen Method
| Screen | Timeframe | Purpose | What to Look For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Screen 1 | Weekly | Trend bias | Primary trend, major S/R, 200-week MA |
| Screen 2 | Daily | Setup | Pattern formation, indicator signals, entry zone |
| Screen 3 | 4H / 1H | Entry timing | Precise entry price, tight stop placement |
How to use it:
- Weekly decides direction — only take trades in the weekly trend's direction
- Daily identifies the setup — pullback to support in uptrend, rally to resistance in downtrend
- Hourly/4H times the entry — wait for the lower TF to confirm reversal in your direction
Prerequisites
No dependencies required. Framework applies to any timeframe data. Enhanced with Groww MCP (multi-interval candles) or yfinance (pip install yfinance) for weekly/monthly history.
Fetching Multi-TF Data
When data tools are available:
Weekly: fetch_historical_candle_data with interval=1w
Daily: fetch_historical_candle_data with interval=1d
Hourly: fetch_historical_candle_data with interval=1h (limited to ~30 days)
For weekly indicators via yfinance: yf.download("SYMBOL.NS", period="2y", interval="1wk")
Screen 1: Weekly Analysis
Check these on the weekly chart:
- Trend: Series of higher highs/lows (up) or lower highs/lows (down)?
- Position vs MAs: Price relative to 20W and 50W SMA
- RSI(14) weekly: Above 50 = bullish bias, below 50 = bearish bias
- Major S/R: Horizontal levels with multiple weekly touches
- Volume trend: Rising into the trend direction = healthy
Weekly verdict: Bullish / Bearish / Neutral — this sets your trading bias.
Screen 2: Daily Analysis
With the weekly bias established:
- Look for setups that align: Pullbacks to buy in uptrend, rallies to sell in downtrend
- Pattern identification: Flags, wedges, double bottoms/tops, breakouts
- Indicator signals: RSI, MACD, Bollinger on daily
- Volume: Confirmation of the setup (declining volume on pullback = healthy)
Daily verdict: Setup present / No setup / Counter-trend setup (risky)
Screen 3: Entry Timeframe (4H / 1H)
Once weekly bias + daily setup align:
- Wait for lower TF confirmation: A candlestick reversal pattern, RSI bounce, or MACD cross
- Place entry: At the confirmation signal
- Set stop: Based on lower TF structure (tighter = better R:R)
- Target: From daily/weekly levels
Confluence Scoring
Award 1 point for each alignment. This keeps you honest about setup quality.
| Factor | Point |
|---|---|
| Weekly trend agrees with trade direction | +1 |
| Daily shows valid setup pattern | +1 |
| RSI supports on daily timeframe | +1 |
| MACD supports on daily timeframe | +1 |
| Key S/R level provides clear stop or target | +1 |
| Volume confirms the move | +1 |
| Score | Action |
|---|---|
| 5-6 | Strong setup — full position size |
| 4 | Good setup — full position size |
| 3 | Marginal — half position size |
| 2 | Weak — skip or paper trade only |
| 0-1 | No setup — do not trade |
Common Mistakes
- Trading against the weekly trend hoping for a reversal — the weekly trend wins most of the time
- Using only one timeframe — you miss context and enter with poor timing
- Forcing alignment — if timeframes disagree, the answer is "no trade" not "trade anyway"