# Balance vs Imbalance Balance vs Imbalance classifies the auction regime bar by bar: each session builds a value-area profile, overlapping value areas read as balance while migrating value reads as imbalance, and an acceptance test with optional volume confirmation grades every break of the balance area. Failed probes print as look-above-and-fail and look-below-and-fail markers. - Indicator in the LuxAlgo Library, by LuxAlgo, published Apr 2, 2026. - Access: free. - Concepts: [Balance vs Imbalance](https://www.luxalgo.com/library/concept/balance-vs-imbalance/) (primary), [Auction Market Theory](https://www.luxalgo.com/library/concept/auction-market-theory/) - Open on Vela: https://vela.luxalgo.com/chart?pineScriptCodeId=mw5vigz3uh7b12bjujziqa4y - Page: https://www.luxalgo.com/library/indicator/balance-vs-imbalance/ **Balance vs Imbalance** puts the [balance vs imbalance](https://www.luxalgo.com/library/concept/balance-vs-imbalance/) regime read directly on the chart: every session builds its own profile, the active balance area is drawn as a box with a dotted rotation midline, and the regime flips to imbalance when value migrates or when enough period closes are accepted outside the area, optionally funded by above-baseline volume. Session value areas, a migration trail, probe markers, regime labels, and a dashboard complete the read. ## How to Trade the Balance vs Imbalance? - **Balance regime**: two-sided conditions favor rotation. Fade the box edges toward the dotted midline; edge tags carry alerts. - **Acceptance above/below**: the required period closes outside the area (funded by volume when confirmation is on) flip the regime; trade with the break. - **Look Above & Fail / Look Below & Fail**: a probe closed back inside before acceptance completed, the cue for rotation back toward the middle. - **Value Migration Trail**: session value midpoints stepping one way trace a building imbalance. ## Balance vs Imbalance Settings - **Session Timeframe** (default D): the auction session each profile covers; keep it well above the chart timeframe. - **Profile Rows** (default 24): bins per session profile. - **Value Area %** (default 70): share of session volume in each value area. - **Overlap Threshold %** (default 50): minimum value-area overlap to read as balance. - **Elongation Threshold** (default 0.5): profile shape ratio separating bell from elongated. - **Acceptance Period** (default 30) and **Acceptance Periods** (default 2): period timeframe and closes beyond an edge that confirm acceptance. - **Volume Confirmation** (default on, **Factor** 1) with **Volume Baseline Length** (default 20): breaks must transact a multiple of average volume. - **Display toggles**: balance areas, session value areas, trail, **Sessions Shown** (default 20), markers, labels, tint, dashboard. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How does this differ from a TPO Profile? A [TPO Profile](https://www.luxalgo.com/library/indicator/tpo-profile/) renders one session's structure in full detail; this build compresses each session to its value area and compares sessions against each other to name the regime. Study one session there; decide tactics here. ### Does it work on symbols without volume data? Yes. Profiles fall back to time weighting, the dashboard notes it, and the volume test is skipped. The regime logic still runs on overlap and period closes. ### What session and acceptance timeframes should I use? The defaults pair daily sessions with 30-minute acceptance periods for intraday charts; on daily charts, raise the session timeframe to weekly. Two acceptance closes filters single-print stabs without waiting long. ## Related indicators - [TPO Profile](https://www.luxalgo.com/library/indicator/tpo-profile/) (Auction Market Theory): markdown at https://www.luxalgo.com/library/indicator/tpo-profile.md - [Value Migration](https://www.luxalgo.com/library/indicator/value-migration/) (Auction Market Theory): markdown at https://www.luxalgo.com/library/indicator/value-migration.md - [Initial Balance Breakout Signals](https://www.luxalgo.com/library/indicator/initial-balance-breakout-signals/) (Initial Balance): markdown at https://www.luxalgo.com/library/indicator/initial-balance-breakout-signals.md - [Profile Shape Taxonomy](https://www.luxalgo.com/library/indicator/profile-shape-taxonomy/) (Auction Market Theory): markdown at https://www.luxalgo.com/library/indicator/profile-shape-taxonomy.md - [80% Rule](https://www.luxalgo.com/library/indicator/80-percent-rule/) (Volume & Order Flow): markdown at https://www.luxalgo.com/library/indicator/80-percent-rule.md - [Auction Failure](https://www.luxalgo.com/library/indicator/auction-failure/) (Volume & Order Flow): markdown at https://www.luxalgo.com/library/indicator/auction-failure.md - [One-timeframing](https://www.luxalgo.com/library/indicator/one-timeframing/) (Volume & Order Flow): markdown at https://www.luxalgo.com/library/indicator/one-timeframing.md - [Initial Balance Volume Deficit](https://www.luxalgo.com/library/indicator/initial-balance-volume-deficit/) (Initial Balance): markdown at https://www.luxalgo.com/library/indicator/initial-balance-volume-deficit.md --- Source: https://www.luxalgo.com/library/indicator/balance-vs-imbalance/ (LuxAlgo Library). Free to use with attribution: https://www.luxalgo.com/library/license/