An Introduction to Stowe's Intraday Trading Process
VIDEO · STOWE
Background & Disclaimer
I’ve been trading for nearly five years. Everything I know has come from:
Watching YouTube content
Learning from other traders
Picking up breadcrumbs from people I respect
Generous advice and shared processes from peers
This blog is purely educational. I’m not suggesting you trade exactly like me as it’s impossible to trade in someone else’s skin. Instead, I hope you’ll find:
A new idea
A fresh perspective on a familiar concept
Or simply something interesting to think about
Take what’s useful and adapt it to your own process.
Core Tools I Use
My process relies on a few simple tools, but how I put them together is what gives me structure:
VWAP (Volume Weighted Average Price)
I use the RTH session (9:30 AM – 5:00 PM ET) instead of stopping at the 4:00 PM settlement.
VWAP provides a statistical average of price based on traded volume.
It’s a guide, not a signal, just a stat that helps me understand where the market is.
VWAP (Volume Weighted Average Price)
I use the RTH session (9:30 AM – 5:00 PM ET) instead of stopping at the 4:00 PM settlement.
VWAP provides a statistical average of price based on traded volume.
It’s a guide, not a signal, just a stat that helps me understand where the market is.
VWAP Standard Deviation Bands
+1, +2 and -1, -2 bands, shaded to create “VWAP bands.”
I have personal rules for interacting with the market inside these zones.
These rules are based on my own stats and psychology, not universal truth.
VWAP Standard Deviation Bands
+1, +2 and -1, -2 bands, shaded to create “VWAP bands.”
I have personal rules for interacting with the market inside these zones.
These rules are based on my own stats and psychology, not universal truth.
Volume Profile
Focus on the shape of the profile and the Point of Control (POC).
Profiles reveal balance (Gaussian shape) vs. imbalance (trending, double distributions, P-shaped, etc.).
The key skill: recognizing developing profiles in real-time, not just in hindsight.
Volume Profile
Focus on the shape of the profile and the Point of Control (POC).
The key skill: recognizing developing profiles in real-time, not just in hindsight.
Delta Volume Profile (a.k.a. Delta at Price)
Sum of ask minus bid trades.
This is my execution tool. It helps me decide when to actually pull the trigger at a level.
I think of it as Red Team vs. Blue Team battling it out.
Delta Volume Profile (a.k.a. Delta at Price)
Sum of ask minus bid trades.
This is my execution tool. It helps me decide when to actually pull the trigger at a level.
I think of it as Red Team vs. Blue Team battling it out.
Market Philosophy
For me, the market has two moods:
Balanced – participants are satisfied with price.
Imbalanced – participants are dissatisfied, pushing price higher or lower.
As an independent trader, my job is to align with the side the majority is pressing. I can’t move the market with my small size, but I can ride the wave created by bigger participants.
Timeframe Alignment
Context matters. I’m always asking: is the market aligned across timeframes?
Monthly trend
Weekly trend
Intraday trend
This helps me know:
Am I trading with or against the bigger picture?
Should I take profits quickly (countertrend) or let the trade run (aligned trend)?
Example:
If the weekly trend is down, but I get an intraday long setup, I’ll likely treat it as a countertrend move.take profit sooner, and be cautious.
If monthly, weekly, and intraday are all aligned, I’ll have more confidence to hold for continuation.
Levels & Execution
I use common market generated levels, nothing proprietary or secret.
The key is location: where are we relative to balance, VWAP, and key nodes?
Execution requires confirmation from Delta activity.
Levels + context alone aren’t enough.
If I want to buy a level but no buyers show up on Delta, I pass.
My size can’t move the market alone, I need participation from others.
Execution requires confirmation from Delta activity.
Levels + context alone aren’t enough.
If I want to buy a level but no buyers show up on Delta, I pass.
My size can’t move the market alone, I need participation from others.
Final Thoughts
This introduction lays out my toolkit and approach:
VWAP, VWAP Bands, Volume Profiles, and Delta form the backbone.
The goal is context: knowing whether the market is balanced or imbalanced, and how that ties into multiple timeframes.
Execution comes only when I see confirmation through Delta.
In the next lessons, I’ll dive deeper into each tool like how I use VWAP bands, volume profiles across multiple timeframes, and how Delta helps me confirm trades in real time.