Asian range fakes at the London open in two flavours
Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2026 6:39 am
Not all fake breakouts at London look alike, and telling them apart matters for scalpers.
The first type is the liquidity sweep. Price spikes past the Asian high or low within the first few minutes, tags obvious stop orders, then reverses sharply. It happens fast, often within the first two to five minutes of London, and it leaves a long wick on one-minute and five-minute charts.
The second type is the grind. Price slowly pushes past the range edge over 15 to 20 minutes, builds confidence among breakout traders, then collapses. That one is slower and more painful, because it mimics a real trend until it does not.
Distinguishing them in real time is hard, but a couple of clues help. Sweeps usually feature a burst of tick volume then a collapse in activity. Grinds tend to have steady but modest participation and low follow-through when the candle closes beyond the level.
Tracking five or ten mornings of each pattern makes them easier to recognise, and it gives a better feel for which setups to skip entirely.
Which fake type shows up more often on your pairs, the sweep or the grind?
The first type is the liquidity sweep. Price spikes past the Asian high or low within the first few minutes, tags obvious stop orders, then reverses sharply. It happens fast, often within the first two to five minutes of London, and it leaves a long wick on one-minute and five-minute charts.
The second type is the grind. Price slowly pushes past the range edge over 15 to 20 minutes, builds confidence among breakout traders, then collapses. That one is slower and more painful, because it mimics a real trend until it does not.
Distinguishing them in real time is hard, but a couple of clues help. Sweeps usually feature a burst of tick volume then a collapse in activity. Grinds tend to have steady but modest participation and low follow-through when the candle closes beyond the level.
Tracking five or ten mornings of each pattern makes them easier to recognise, and it gives a better feel for which setups to skip entirely.
Which fake type shows up more often on your pairs, the sweep or the grind?