HELP - different levels on different time frames

Hi

Price levels provided by my broker (DMA) e.g. open, high, low for the same intstrument on the same day differ when viewed through different time frames (as per details below).

I apprecate the odd tick or 2 price difference is not the end of the world, but in some cases I am experiencing differences of over 5 points. Is this normal or should I be looking for an alternative data provider?

Your comments would be appreciated.

1 min - open 3921 - high 3923 - low 3862.50

1 hr - open 3921 - high 3920.50 - low 3873

1 day - open 3886.45 - high 3921.50 - low 3859.45

Peace

The highs and lows of each timeframe are very likely to be different, as they relate to different intervals of time?

The 10:00-10:01 bar will (very likely) have different high and low to the 10:00-10:05 bar and to the the 10:00-11:00 bar. The longer the timeframe used, the more time=room the price has to move around and make new highs and lows.

As for the Open, if you're looking at EXACTLY the same start time, the data feed should be showing the same opening price level. The price can only have one value at any given instant in time from one data source.

It is unlikely your data provider uses different data sources for different timeframes.

Hi Bramble

Thanks for your prompt response

Just to clarify, my query is based on absolute points of reference for a single instrument, e.g. the open, the high or the low (at a given point in time), hence the relative lenghts of price bars on different time frames is not a factor.

I would have thought that at any given point in time, the low would be the same across all time frames, as indeed it is at the close. I appreciate the length of price bars will differ in each time frame (that is to be expected).

I wouldn't have thought my provider would use different data sources for different time frames, cost being but one limiting factor.

Any further comments would be appreciated.

Peace

Post the data or the charts. I'm obviously not getting what you're asking.

If you're on the daily TFs then try zooming in as much as possible before you draw your lines then change TF.

I think he means the following. If I am looking at the FTSE on IG graphs...if I look on the daily bar, it will have a high, low, open, close that corresponds to the full 24 hours. Not the actual open price at 8a.m. or the high during normal market hours. Whereas if I look on the 1 hr chart at 8a.m. I've got the correct open price. The open on those daily graphs will be the price at 12:01am (for IG). The high, may be from 7pm when the Dow took it higher etc. I'm pretty sure you could get a data provider that doesn't include out of hours trading (or adjust a setting on your current data provider).

Calinor said:

I think he means the following. If I am looking at the FTSE on IG graphs...if I look on the daily bar, it will have a high, low, open, close that corresponds to the full 24 hours. Not the actual open price at 8a.m. or the high during normal market hours. Whereas if I look on the 1 hr chart at 8a.m. I've got the correct open price. The open on those daily graphs will be the price at 12:01am (for IG). The high, may be from 7pm when the Dow took it higher etc. I'm pretty sure you could get a data provider that doesn't include out of hours trading (or adjust a setting on your current data provider).

Click to expand...

or just look at the hourly lol