About the Trendbar Indicator
The Trendbar Indicator for MT4 is a multi-timeframe trend analysis tool built using ADX and Parabolic SAR calculations.
It presents market direction in a simple visual format, allowing traders to quickly assess whether a currency pair is trending or ranging.
Trend direction is displayed through small colored boxes.
Green boxes indicate bullish conditions, red boxes signal bearish pressure, and yellow boxes highlight flat or low-momentum markets.
By stacking multiple timeframe readings together, the indicator helps traders avoid trading against the broader market direction.
This approach allows traders to filter weak setups and focus only on high-probability trend conditions.
Free Download
Download the “gg-trendbar.mq4” MT4 indicator
Key Features
- Combines ADX and Parabolic SAR for trend detection.
- Multi-timeframe trend confirmation in one view.
- Identifies strong trends, weak trends, and ranging markets.
Indicator Chart
The Trendbar Indicator chart shows rows of colored boxes representing trend direction across multiple timeframes.
Green boxes highlight bullish alignment, red boxes signal bearish alignment, and yellow boxes indicate low-momentum or flat conditions.
This layout helps traders quickly spot strong trend agreement.
Guide to Trade with Trendbar Indicator
Buy Rules
- Wait until all Trendbar boxes are colored green.
- Confirm that higher and lower timeframes align bullishly.
- Ensure price is moving away from recent consolidation.
- Open a buy trade at the close of the confirmation candle.
Sell Rules
- Wait until all Trendbar boxes are colored red.
- Confirm bearish alignment across all displayed timeframes.
- Ensure price shows bearish continuation momentum.
- Open a sell trade at the close of the confirmation candle.
Stop Loss
- Place the stop loss below the previous swing low for buy trades.
- Place the stop loss above the previous swing high for sell trades.
- Allow sufficient room based on the active timeframe.
Take Profit
- Close all buy orders if any Trendbar box turns yellow or red.
- Close all sell orders if any Trendbar box turns yellow or green.
- Alternatively, target the next major support or resistance level.
TrendBar + XTC Indicator Day Trading Strategy for MT4
This MT4 day trading strategy blends the multi-timeframe direction of the TrendBar Indicator with the momentum signals from the XTC Forex Trend Indicator.
TrendBar provides a quick overview of the market by showing green boxes for bullish conditions, red boxes for bearish conditions, and yellow boxes for flat markets.
When all boxes turn green, the market pushes upward across all timeframes. When all boxes turn red, the market trends downward with strength.
The XTC Indicator adds entry precision by coloring its histogram.
Blue bars signal rising momentum and red bars signal falling momentum.
By combining both tools, day traders can filter out weak setups and focus on trades backed by both broad trend strength and immediate momentum.
The method performs well on the M15, M30, and H1 charts where intraday swings develop cleanly.
Buy Entry Rules
- TrendBar shows green across all timeframes, confirming a strong bullish direction.
- The XTC histogram prints blue bars, showing rising momentum.
- Enter long on the next candle after the first clear blue bar.
- Place a stop loss below the most recent swing low.
- Take profit at a 1.5 to 1 reward-to-risk level or exit when the histogram turns red.
Sell Entry Rules
- TrendBar shows red across all timeframes, confirming a strong bearish direction.
- The XTC histogram prints red bars, showing falling momentum.
- Enter short on the next candle after the first clear red bar.
- Place a stop loss above the most recent swing high.
- Take profit at a 1.5 to 1 reward-to-risk level or exit when the histogram turns blue.
Advantages
- Multi-timeframe filtering avoids counter-trend trades.
- XTC provides clear entries that are easy to read during fast intraday moves.
- The strategy suits day traders who need quick and reliable setups.
- Pairs with good volatility and other assets, such as GOLD and the US30 index, work well.
Drawbacks
- TrendBar yellow signals reduce trading opportunities.
- News spikes may cause fast histogram color changes.
- Momentum can fade during slow sessions, such as late New York.
- Some good trends may form without a matching XTC entry.
Case Study 1: AUDUSD M30
AUDUSD entered a strong uptrend during the Asian session.
All TrendBar boxes turned green after a breakout above a consolidation zone.
A few candles later, XTC printed strong blue bars.
A long entry was placed at 0.6645 with a stop at 0.6628, risking 17 pips.
Price continued rising throughout the session and hit the take profit target at 0.6671 for a gain of 26 pips.
The clean alignment of all TrendBar boxes and the early blue bars from XTC created a simple and controlled trade.
Case Study 2: CADJPY H1
CADJPY showed full bearish alignment across the TrendBar during the early European session.
Shortly after, XTC printed consecutive red bars.
A short position was opened at 115.30 with a stop at 115.55, risking 25 pips.
The pair dropped sharply during a risk-off move and reached the take profit level at 114.92 for a gain of 38 pips.
The trade unfolded smoothly because both indicators pointed in the same direction, and momentum stayed consistent.
Strategy Tips
- Always check higher timeframe alignment. Make sure M5, M15, H1, and H4 TrendBar boxes match your trade direction. If the higher timeframes disagree, skip the setup.
- Use the XTC histogram as the final trigger. Let TrendBar define the trend and enter only when the histogram flips color with a clear and consistent bar.
- Enter after small pullbacks. In an uptrend, wait for the price to retrace a bit and then enter on the next blue XTC bar. This prevents chasing the market.
- Avoid trading during major news events. Economic releases such as NFP, CPI, or FOMC often create unstable TrendBar readings and false histogram flips.
- Trail stop-losses behind recent swing highs or lows. This adapts naturally to changing volatility and protects profits as the trend continues.
- Take partial profits. Secure a portion of your position around 15 to 20 pips and let the rest run with a trailing stop for extended moves.
Download Now
Download the “gg-trendbar.mq4” Metatrader 4 indicator
FAQ
How does the Trendbar Indicator determine trend direction?
The indicator uses ADX to measure trend strength and Parabolic SAR to define directional bias, combining both into a multi-timeframe trend display.
What does a yellow Trendbar box indicate?
A yellow box signals a flat or low-momentum market, often associated with consolidation or reduced trend strength.
Is this indicator suitable for range trading?
It is better suited for avoiding range conditions rather than trading them, as mixed or yellow boxes highlight non-trending markets.
Can Trendbar be used alone?
Yes. It can act as a standalone trend filter, though many traders combine it with price action or momentum tools for entries.
Summary
The Trendbar MT4 Indicator provides a practical way to confirm trend direction across multiple timeframes using a clear visual format.
Highlighting bullish, bearish, and flat conditions helps traders avoid low-quality setups and stay aligned with stronger market moves.
Its simplicity, adaptability, and strong trend filtering make it a useful addition to both discretionary and systematic trading approaches.
When combined with disciplined entries and risk management, it offers consistent support for trend-focused forex trading.
