WYCKOFF · A–E
Wyckoff accumulation phases explained (A–E)
Accumulation is a working hypothesis about a range after a decline, not a promise of a rally. Markup changes after closed candles: another boundary test may confirm the scenario, invalidate it or leave the range without a decisive event. The order of phases is more useful than a familiar-looking drawing.
A schematic preserves event order but cannot replace the chart. Compare accumulation with a spring and the variant without a spring, then inspect current ranges in the Wyckoff scanner.
Phase A — stopping the previous decline
Preliminary support, PS, hints that the decline is weakening. A selling climax, SC, shows a strong response to supply; the automatic rally, AR, establishes a provisional upper edge. A secondary test, ST, helps assess whether the lower edge holds. One large candle does not establish a dependable range. The scanner needs ordered closes and confirmed marks.
Check: Check that SC and AR belong to the same range and that price did not keep making new lows without a pause.
Now in phase A: no verified active ranges
Phase B — building the cause
Price explores both edges repeatedly as demand and supply seek a temporary balance. False moves and secondary tests can occur within the range; none is a standalone signal. The length of phase B does not tell us how far price will travel after a break. The scanner keeps checking boundary validity and range age on closed bars.
Check: Compare tests with SC, AR and ST rather than counting every fluctuation.
Now in phase B: no verified active ranges
Phase C — the decisive test
A spring may occur when price briefly moves below support and returns inside; a following test asks whether that recovery holds. In the alternative schematic the test can happen without a spring. Neither case guarantees phase D: an unclosed candle or a brief wick is not a confirmed event. Until the sequence completes, the variant number remains unknown.
Check: Separate a confirmed spring from a temporary boundary excursion, then inspect the test.
Now in phase C: WTIUSD 4H
Phase D — signs of strength
SOS denotes a move showing demand; LPS tests support after it. JOC describes a jump over resistance. Sequence matters: a return below the edge after the break can invalidate the strength reading. The scanner reports events and phase now, while the target outcome is measured later from closed bars.
Check: Compare the break and pullback with the upper range edge; do not call every green candle SOS.
Now in phase D: no verified active ranges
Phase E — movement outside the range
Price is observably beyond the former resistance. That does not mean a target has already been met: a late return or a new range remains possible. Event history and measured outcomes need separate checks. A stale range must not be presented as an ongoing phase E merely to complete a neat schematic.
Check: Check closes outside the range and the event outcome status separately.
Now in phase E: no verified active ranges
What to check before drawing a conclusion
Find the preceding move and the range boundaries first. Compare closed candles, relative volume and the price location against AR and ST. Confirm that the range is active: a closed or stale structure is not a current phase even if its marks remain in history. The scanner presents evidence and hypotheses, not a substitute for risk decisions.
A spring is not required
In schematic No. 1 price briefly moves below support and returns inside the range: a possible spring still needs a test. In schematic No. 2 there may be no late false break; an LPS test and SOS can lead into phase D. The absence of a spring in early phase C does not prove No. 2. A variant number needs decisive confirmation.
When the hypothesis stops working
A break below the lower edge without recovery, contradictory closes and an expired phase require reassessment. Recalculated boundaries can also change older labels. An event outcome is measured separately from the current phase: target reached, invalidated and no result cannot be replaced by the direction of the next candle.
FAQ
Is a spring required in phase C?
No. Accumulation schematic No. 2 allows a test without a late false break. The absence of a spring in early C alone does not confirm that variant.
Is phase D a finished forecast?
No. Closed candles, current boundaries and a separately measured outcome are still needed. The scanner does not promise a target move.
Why can a current instrument disappear from the list?
Its range can close, become stale, be invalidated or have its boundaries recalculated after a new closed candle.