Why a scalper might want the ask line on the chart
Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2026 8:27 am
Standard charts plot the bid price. That's fine for sells, since a short opens at the bid and closes at the ask. For longs, it's the other way around, and the chart doesn't show it.
A long position opens at the ask and closes at the bid. Stops on long positions trigger on the bid. Stops on short positions trigger on the ask. A chart showing only the bid means half of all stop levels are being watched on the wrong line.
With a three pip spread, that matters a lot. A short's stop sits above the chart price by the spread amount and gets hit when the ask reaches it, which the bid chart doesn't display.
Platforms typically include an option to show the ask line. Turning it on makes the picture much clearer, and also makes the spread visible as a constant gap rather than a number in a corner.
It also exposes moments when the ask lags or jumps independently of the bid, which is a sign of liquidity changes.
Does anyone keep the ask line on during trading, or has the chart stayed bid-only?
A long position opens at the ask and closes at the bid. Stops on long positions trigger on the bid. Stops on short positions trigger on the ask. A chart showing only the bid means half of all stop levels are being watched on the wrong line.
With a three pip spread, that matters a lot. A short's stop sits above the chart price by the spread amount and gets hit when the ask reaches it, which the bid chart doesn't display.
Platforms typically include an option to show the ask line. Turning it on makes the picture much clearer, and also makes the spread visible as a constant gap rather than a number in a corner.
It also exposes moments when the ask lags or jumps independently of the bid, which is a sign of liquidity changes.
Does anyone keep the ask line on during trading, or has the chart stayed bid-only?