Footprint & Delta
The footprint opens each candle by price level: market sells × market buys in every cell. It is the microscope of order flow — and these four patterns are what initiative, absorption and acceptance look like under it.
Stacked imbalances
Three or more diagonal imbalances on the same side, stacked one above another: initiative buying. One imbalance is noise; a stack is intent.
Invalidated when the next bar trades back through the stack.
Absorption candle
Huge one-sided delta, tiny candle body: aggression met a passive wall and went nowhere. Whoever absorbed is the stronger side — expect the turn.
Invalidated when the next bar continues in the delta's direction.
POC migration
The point of control — the busiest price of each bar — steps steadily higher, bar after bar. Value is being accepted higher: trend health you can measure.
Invalidated when POC snaps back inside the prior bar's range.
Delta flip at a level
Selling delta dominates into support, then flips hard positive right at the level while price holds. The fight ended and the winner is visible.
Invalidated when price loses the level on the next bar.