Composite Trend Trader Module [BackQuant]

Composite Trend Trader Module [BackQuant]

Overview and Purpose
The Composite Trend Trader Module (CTM) is an invite-only Pine Script indicator designed to provide traders with a comprehensive tool for trend-following, dip-buying, and market strength assessment. By integrating multiple market data inputs—price momentum, volatility, volume, and statistical baselines—the CTM generates actionable outputs for trend identification, swing trade entries, and dip-buying opportunities. The indicator is intended for traders seeking a systematic approach to market analysis with customizable settings, while maintaining simplicity in its user interface. As a closed-source script, the underlying calculations remain proprietary, but this description outlines its functionality, features, and practical applications in trading.

Visual Components
The CTM provides the following visual elements on the chart:
• Signal Spine – A colored line (default 25-period weighted moving average) that reflects the dominant trend—green for bullish, red for bearish, and grey for neutral or transitional periods.
• Swing Triggers – Unicode markers ("𝕃" for long, "𝕊" for short) appear below or above bars when the trend shifts, signaling potential swing trade entries.
• Dip-Hunter Signals – Green arrows mark dip-buying opportunities, accompanied by faint green background highlights and forward-projecting entry lines for precise entry levels.
• Heat Meter – A horizontal strip at the bottom of the chart, graded from -50 (overheated) to +50 (deep dip), visually indicates the strength of dip conditions using a red-to-green gradient.

Core Features
The CTM comprises several components that work together to deliver a cohesive trading framework. Below is a detailed explanation of each, without disclosing proprietary calculations.

1. Universal Trend Tracking (UTT)

The UTT combines multiple momentum and statistical indicators into a single composite score ranging from -1 to +1. This score is derived from:
• Price-based momentum metrics.
• Volatility-adjusted thresholds.
• Statistical measures of price deviation and market structure.
When the UTT score exceeds +0.2, the market is considered in an actionable uptrend; below -0.2, a downtrend is identified. Values between these thresholds indicate a neutral or choppy market, helping traders avoid low-probability setups during consolidation.

2. Signal Spine
The signal spine is a 25-period weighted moving average of price, colored according to the UTT score (green for bullish, red for bearish, grey for neutral). This line serves as a visual anchor for tracking the prevailing trend and highlights regime changes in real time, enabling traders to align their strategies with market direction.

3. Swing Triggers (𝕃/𝕊)
Swing trade signals are generated when the UTT crosses the zero line, indicating a shift in market regime. A "𝕃" marker appears below the bar for a bullish crossover (potential long entry), and a "𝕊" marker appears above for a bearish crossover (potential short entry). These signals incorporate volatility-adaptive thresholds to minimize false triggers during low-volatility periods, improving reliability compared to traditional moving-average crossovers.

4. Dip-Hunter Engine

The Dip-Hunter subsystem identifies high-probability dip-buying opportunities by evaluating five conditions:
• Dip Magnitude – The price must have fallen by a user-defined percentage (default 2%) from a recent swing high, calculated over a specified lookback period (default 5 bars).
• Volume Burst – Current volume must exceed the average volume over a user-defined lookback (default 65 bars) by a specified multiplier (default 2x).
• Volatility Spike – The intraday range or Average True Range (ATR) must exceed a statistical baseline by a user-defined multiplier (default 1.5x).
• Structural Permission – Price must be below a fast Exponential Moving Average (EMA, default 20 periods), and the market structure must be bearish (fast EMA below slow EMA, default 50 periods).
• Trend Filter (Optional) – When enabled, dip signals are only generated if the UTT indicates a bullish trend, preventing trades against a bearish macro environment.
When these conditions align, the Dip-Hunter plots a green arrow, highlights the candle background, and draws a forward-projecting horizontal line at a user-selected price level (Low, Close, or calculated dip percentage).

5. Strength Score and Heat Meter
Each bar is assigned a strength score (0 to 5, or -50 to +50 when scaled for the heat meter) based on the following criteria:
• +1 for meeting the dip threshold.
• +1 for a volume spike.
• +1 for a volume momentum spike (based on rate-of-change).
• +1 for a confirmed volatility spike.
• +1 if price is below the fast EMA.
• +2 if the macro trend filter is bullish (when enabled).
The heat meter visualizes this score as a pointer on a red-to-green gradient strip, enabling traders to quickly assess the intensity of dip conditions and prioritize high-quality setups.

6. Entry-Line Generator
For each dip signal, the CTM draws a forward-projecting horizontal line to mark potential entry levels. Traders can configure:
• The price level for the line (Low, Close, or exact dip percentage).
• The duration of the line (default 100 bars).
• A minimum gap between signals (default 5 bars) to prevent overlapping lines during clustered events.
These lines serve as visual guides for setting limit orders or stop-loss levels.

7. Alerts
The CTM includes seven pre-configured alert conditions to support automated workflows:
• CTM Long/Short – Triggered on bullish or bearish UTT zero-line crossovers for swing trades.
• Market Overheated – Activates when the strength score falls below -40, indicating potential exhaustion.
• Close to Dip – Signals when the strength score reaches 0.6, suggesting an impending dip opportunity.
• Dip Confirmed – Fires on the first bar meeting all dip conditions.
• Dip Active – Triggers while dip conditions remain valid.
• Dip Fading – Activates when the strength score crosses below 0.5, indicating a weakening dip.
• Trend-Blocked – Alerts when dip conditions are met but blocked by the trend filter.
These alerts can be routed to brokers or trading bots for seamless execution.

"CPM Long Signal {{exchange}}:{{ticker}}")
"CPM Short Signal {{exchange}}:{{ticker}}")
"Market overheated {{ticker}}")
"Close to a dip {{ticker}}")
"Dip confirmed {{ticker}}")
"Dip active {{ticker}}")
"Dip strength fading {{ticker}}")
"Signal blocked by trend filter {{ticker}}")

User Controls

The CTM offers extensive customization to adapt to different trading styles and preferences:
• Signal Settings – Toggle the signal spine, composite score plot, swing triggers, and bar coloring. Adjust line width for visibility.
• Display Settings – Customize bullish, bearish, and neutral colors to match chart templates.
• Dip-Hunter Settings – Configure volume lookback, spike multipliers, EMA periods, volatility thresholds, dip percentage, and lookback bars.
• Trend Filter – Enable or disable the requirement for a bullish UTT before dip signals are generated.
• Strength & Meter – Toggle bar coloring based on the strength score, adjust the number of meter cells (default 60), and select meter position (e.g., bottom-center).
• Entry Settings – Control entry line visibility, length, and price source (Low, Close, or dip percentage).

Trading Applications
The CTM supports multiple trading strategies, each leveraging its outputs for specific market conditions:

• Trend-Ride Mode – Trade in the direction of the signal spine. Enter long positions on the first "𝕃" marker in a green (bullish) regime, and scale out when the UTT returns to grey (neutral). This is ideal for trend-following traders seeking to capture sustained moves, with the first signal in a new trend regime offering high statistical expectancy.
• Forced Dip Entries – Enable the trend filter and focus on dip signals (green arrows). Place limit orders at the entry line, set stops below the line, and target the midpoint of the prior value area (e.g., using support/resistance levels). This suits mean-reversion traders aiming to buy dips in bullish trends, with clear risk management via entry lines.
• Scalp Confirmation – Hide the signal spine and use bar coloring to identify short-term momentum. Green bars indicate broad buying pressure, while red bars warn against long scalps in oversold conditions. This is useful for intraday scalpers seeking confirmation of momentum before entering trades.
• Event Guardrails – Avoid trading when the heat meter is below -40 before major economic releases (e.g., FOMC, CPI), as spreads and slippage may widen. This enhances risk management by flagging high-risk periods during macroeconomic events.
• Multi-Timeframe Analysis – Apply the CTM on a daily timeframe in a secondary pane and a lower timeframe (e.g., hourly) on the primary chart. Trade only when both timeframes align (e.g., both in bullish regimes). This increases conviction for swing or position traders by confirming trend alignment across timeframes.

Frequently Asked Questions
• How does the CTM differ from a moving-average ribbon? The CTM integrates multiple momentum, volatility, and statistical indicators, using adaptive thresholds and proprietary calculations to respond faster to structural changes while filtering noise more effectively than traditional dual-EMA systems.
• Can the underlying formulas be accessed? No, the script is closed-source, and calculations are protected to preserve intellectual property. Users receive all outputs, alerts, and customizable parameters.
• Does the indicator repaint? No, all calculations use confirmed historical data without look-ahead bias. Entry lines are static from the signal bar.
• Which markets is it suitable for? The CTM is optimized for equities, futures, and cryptocurrencies. Adjust dip percentage and volume multipliers for low-liquidity markets.
• What about latency? The script uses efficient Pine Script functions and lightweight loops, ensuring minimal performance impact.

Limitations and Best Practices
• Market-Specific Tuning – Thinly traded markets may require adjustments to dip percentage and volume thresholds to avoid excessive signals.
• Complementary Tools – Combine the CTM with price action, support/resistance levels, or order flow analysis to confirm signals and avoid over-reliance on the indicator.
• Event Risk – Be cautious during high-impact news events, as volatility spikes may trigger signals that are quickly reversed.
• Trend Filter Use – Enabling the trend filter reduces false dip signals in bearish markets but may delay entries in rapidly reversing markets.

Conclusion
The Composite Trend Trader Module consolidates trend-following, dip-buying, and strength assessment into a single, customizable indicator. By providing clear visual cues, actionable alerts, and flexible settings, it equips traders with a robust framework for navigating various market conditions. While the proprietary calculations remain protected, the CTM’s outputs enable traders to make informed decisions, align strategies with market regimes, and manage risk effectively. Use it as a strategic tool alongside sound risk management and complementary analysis for optimal results.