Previous day high and low break

Yesterday's high and low are levels almost every trader watches. A decisive close beyond one of them often brings follow-through as stops trigger.

Breakout strategiesBeginnerConfirmed on candle close

Watch it play out

Replay plays a setup this strategy already finished and stops so you can call it. Live watches for the next one on Bitcoin (BTC-USD, 1-minute candles). Either way a setup is marked only when a candle closes, then it's locked and plays out to its target or its stop. Nothing to trade here.

How the live chart applies the rules
  • 1-minute candles. The chart runs every strategy on 1-minute Bitcoin candles from Coinbase, whatever timeframe the strategy page suggests. Times are New York time.
  • Closed candles only. Levels, triggers and stops are read when a candle closes. Entry is that candle's close.
  • One setup at a time. While a setup is playing out, the same strategy doesn't start another.
  • Sensible risk only. A setup counts only if its stop is between a quarter and 6 times the average candle range (ATR 14) from entry (wider for session-range strategies), and its target is at least 0.75R away.
  • How a setup ends. At its target or its stop. If one candle touches both, the stop counts. A setup also ends at any exit its page names, and after 120 candles (longer for trend and session strategies) if nothing is hit.
  • Replays. A replay plays the latest setup this strategy finished on the live chart's recent history, sped up. It's the same setup the live chart confirmed, with the same entry, stop and result. If the strategy hasn't finished one recently, the replay uses example candles and says so.
  • The trading day. A day runs 6:00 PM to 6:00 PM ET, like futures. VWAP restarts at 6:00 PM, and "yesterday" means the last full trading day.

How Previous day high and low break works

TargetStopLevel tested again and againClose above the level
Example drawing, not live market data.
1Where's the level?
The previous session's high and low.
2What's the trigger?
A candle closes beyond the previous day high or low, ideally with above-average volume.
3Where is it wrong?
Back inside, beyond the breakout candle's opposite end.
4Where does it end?
2R.
Markets
Futures, Stocks, Forex
Timeframes
5m to 15m
Sessions
New York, London
Also called
PDH/PDL break

What it means

Yesterday's high and low are levels almost every trader watches. A decisive close beyond one of them often brings follow-through as stops trigger.

How it is confirmed without repainting

Previous-day levels come from the closed prior session, so they never change during today.

When it fails

A quick close back inside yesterday's range, which turns it into a failed breakout.

Education only. Prop Firm Duel does not provide trade signals or financial advice. This page explains how the strategy is commonly defined. Past results never guarantee future results.

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