OPEN-SOURCE SCRIPT
Initial Balance Breakout Strategy
Initial Balance Breakout (IBB)
Trades breakouts from the Initial Balance (IB) — the price range formed between 9:30 and 10:30
ET — using a retracement entry model on major futures markets.
Concept
The first hour of the New York session establishes the Initial Balance. A breakout above the IB
High or below the IB Low signals directional intent. Rather than chasing the breakout, the
strategy waits for price to retrace back toward the IB boundary and enters at a defined pullback
zone, improving the risk/reward ratio.
Entry Rules
- IB forms from 09:30–10:30 ET across 5-min bars
- After a breakout, a limit order is placed at a configurable retracement level (default: 25%
back into the IB range)
- Long only if the IB High broke first (and IB Low was not violated); Short only if the IB Low
broke first
- Entry window closes at 15:00 ET; pending orders are cancelled if the opposite side breaks or
the window expires
- IB range must fall within a min/max % filter to avoid dead or extreme sessions
Exit Rules
- Take profit: IB High/Low ± a multiple of the IB range (default 0.5×)
- Stop loss: set inside the IB range at a % of the IB size (default 60%)
- Time stop: all positions closed at 15:30 ET
Parameters
┌─────────────────────┬─────────────┬────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Input │ Default │ Description │
├─────────────────────┼─────────────┼────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ IB Window │ 09:30–10:30 │ Range formation period │
├─────────────────────┼─────────────┼────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Retracement % │ 25% │ Pullback entry level │
├─────────────────────┼─────────────┼────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Min / Max IB Size % │ 0.3% / 1.5% │ Filters low-volatility or extreme days │
├─────────────────────┼─────────────┼────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ TP Multiplier │ 0.5× IB │ Profit target distance │
├─────────────────────┼─────────────┼────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Stop Loss % of IB │ 60% │ Stop distance relative to IB size │
├─────────────────────┼─────────────┼────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Entry Window End │ 15:00 │ No new entries after this time │
└─────────────────────┴─────────────┴────────────────────────────────────────┘
Trades breakouts from the Initial Balance (IB) — the price range formed between 9:30 and 10:30
ET — using a retracement entry model on major futures markets.
Concept
The first hour of the New York session establishes the Initial Balance. A breakout above the IB
High or below the IB Low signals directional intent. Rather than chasing the breakout, the
strategy waits for price to retrace back toward the IB boundary and enters at a defined pullback
zone, improving the risk/reward ratio.
Entry Rules
- IB forms from 09:30–10:30 ET across 5-min bars
- After a breakout, a limit order is placed at a configurable retracement level (default: 25%
back into the IB range)
- Long only if the IB High broke first (and IB Low was not violated); Short only if the IB Low
broke first
- Entry window closes at 15:00 ET; pending orders are cancelled if the opposite side breaks or
the window expires
- IB range must fall within a min/max % filter to avoid dead or extreme sessions
Exit Rules
- Take profit: IB High/Low ± a multiple of the IB range (default 0.5×)
- Stop loss: set inside the IB range at a % of the IB size (default 60%)
- Time stop: all positions closed at 15:30 ET
Parameters
┌─────────────────────┬─────────────┬────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Input │ Default │ Description │
├─────────────────────┼─────────────┼────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ IB Window │ 09:30–10:30 │ Range formation period │
├─────────────────────┼─────────────┼────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Retracement % │ 25% │ Pullback entry level │
├─────────────────────┼─────────────┼────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Min / Max IB Size % │ 0.3% / 1.5% │ Filters low-volatility or extreme days │
├─────────────────────┼─────────────┼────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ TP Multiplier │ 0.5× IB │ Profit target distance │
├─────────────────────┼─────────────┼────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Stop Loss % of IB │ 60% │ Stop distance relative to IB size │
├─────────────────────┼─────────────┼────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Entry Window End │ 15:00 │ No new entries after this time │
└─────────────────────┴─────────────┴────────────────────────────────────────┘
Open-source script
In true TradingView spirit, the creator of this script has made it open-source, so that traders can review and verify its functionality. Kudos to the author! While you can use it for free, remember that republishing the code is subject to our House Rules.
Disclaimer
The information and publications are not meant to be, and do not constitute, financial, investment, trading, or other types of advice or recommendations supplied or endorsed by TradingView. Read more in the Terms of Use.
Open-source script
In true TradingView spirit, the creator of this script has made it open-source, so that traders can review and verify its functionality. Kudos to the author! While you can use it for free, remember that republishing the code is subject to our House Rules.
Disclaimer
The information and publications are not meant to be, and do not constitute, financial, investment, trading, or other types of advice or recommendations supplied or endorsed by TradingView. Read more in the Terms of Use.