how to tell which pair is "in play" this week

[Shadow Trader]

Some weeks every scalper seems to talk about the same pair. One week it's GBPUSD, then USDJPY, then gold. The rotation follows where news flow and volatility sit.

A few questions help spot the shift early. Which pair has the widest average 15-minute range compared with its own four-week norm? A pair running well above its norm is probably attracting attention.

Which currency is at the centre of the calendar? A central bank meeting or a big data release will pull that currency's pairs into focus for days.

Is a theme dominating? Rate cut talk, a political event or a commodity move tends to light up a specific group of pairs together.

Where are spreads tightening? Rising participation often shows up as better liquidity.

A simple routine is to rank pairs by range vs norm each morning and trade the top few, but that's only one way to do it. Others just follow the news.

How do you decide which pair to scalp on a given day, and has chasing the "in play" pair ever cost you?