ATR-Normalised Intraday Score
Session change divided by each instrument's own ATR. Puts every index and Gold on the same volatility-adjusted scale — a score of +1.0 means exactly one ATR of movement from the open, regardless of instrument.
The US Indices Strength Matrix ranks US30, US100, US500, US2000 and Gold on the same volatility-adjusted scale — so you always know which instrument has the real momentum, and whether the market is Risk-On or Risk-Off.
The US Indices Strength Matrix (USM) is a standalone MetaTrader 5 indicator that evaluates US30, US100, US500, US2000, and Gold simultaneously — outputting two independent rankings per instrument: ATR-normalised intraday momentum and a proprietary multi-timeframe bias score.
Because each instrument has wildly different point values and volatility profiles, a raw point-move comparison is meaningless. The USM solves this by dividing every session move by that instrument's own ATR — putting the Nasdaq, Russell, and Gold on the exact same scale. The result is an apples-to-apples ranking you can actually trust when deciding which instrument has the cleanest, highest-conviction setup.
// VIX and DXY are optional overlays, disabled by default
Session change divided by each instrument's own ATR. Puts every index and Gold on the same volatility-adjusted scale — a score of +1.0 means exactly one ATR of movement from the open, regardless of instrument.
A proprietary bias score that blends momentum and trend alignment across multiple timeframes. Filters noise while staying responsive to developing sessions. Configurable strong/weak thresholds per instrument (default ±0.5).
Automatically classifies session sentiment. Risk-On when 3+ indices are bullish and Gold is not dominant. Risk-Off when 3+ instruments are weak or Gold leads. Thresholds are fully configurable.
Labels the current session as Bullish Expansion, Defensive, Diverging, or Neutral based on the distribution of bias scores. Gives you the macro context before you zoom in on a setup.
Logs every time the top-ranked instrument changes — records the combo ID, start time, daily count, and entry price of all instruments at the moment of leadership shift. A lightweight journal of market rotation built into MT5.
Automatically detects your broker's symbol suffix — .cash, .m, .pro, #, _SB, and more. No manual symbol entry required for most brokers. Manual override available for edge cases.
Optionally add VIX and DXY to the rankings. VIX provides direct fear gauge confirmation of Risk-Off regimes. DXY contextualises Gold movements and index dollar headwinds. Both off by default.
Strength rankings and scores can be saved to a CSV file directly from the indicator. Useful for building a personal data log, running your own analysis, or reviewing historical session readings over time.
Most index strength tools compare raw point moves — which is meaningless. The USM uses two purpose-built scoring formulas that put every instrument on a fair, comparable scale.
Each instrument's session percentage change is divided by its own ATR expressed as a percentage of price. This removes the natural size difference between a Nasdaq move and a Gold move. A US100 score of +1.5 and a US2000 score of +0.3 tells you the Nasdaq is genuinely accelerating harder relative to its own normal range — not just because it costs more per point.
The hybrid score blends a shorter-term momentum reading with a medium-term trend bias using a proprietary weighting. This keeps the score anchored to the prevailing trend while still catching developing session momentum — giving you both direction and conviction in a single number.
The USM reads the distribution of bias scores across all instruments and outputs a session-level classification. Use it to align your directional bias with the macro tape before zooming into an entry.
| Classification | Condition | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| RISK-ON | 3+ indices Strong, Gold not leading | Equity appetite is broad. Favour long index setups, fade defensive assets. |
| RISK-OFF | 3+ instruments Weak or Gold leading | Flight to safety. Favour Gold longs, avoid equity longs without tight confirmation. |
| BULL EXPANSION | Majority of indices Strong on both scores | Trend is clean and aligned across timeframes. Momentum trades have highest probability. |
| DEFENSIVE | Majority Weak on hybrid + Gold or VIX strong | Distribution rotation or macro fear. Reduce size, wait for cleaner setups. |
| DIVERGING | Mixed signals between intraday and hybrid scores | Scores are not aligned. Avoid breakout trades — wait for convergence or reversal confirmation. |
| NEUTRAL | Scores clustered near zero, no dominant bias | Ranging or pre-data environment. Reduce position size and wait for direction. |
| Platform | MetaTrader 5 (MQL5) |
| Version | 1.08 |
| File Type | .mq5 source + .ex5 compiled |
| Chart Window | Indicator chart window (overlay, no subwindow) |
| Indicator Plots | 0 (panel display only — no price-line plots) |
| Update Trigger | Configurable timer (default 60s) |
| Instruments | US30, US100, US500, US2000, XAUUSD + opt. VIX, DXY |
| Intraday Score | ATR-normalised session momentum (volatility-adjusted) |
| Hybrid Score | Proprietary multi-timeframe weighted bias score |
| Strong Threshold | Hybrid score > +0.5 (configurable) |
| Weak Threshold | Hybrid score < −0.5 (configurable) |
| Risk-On Trigger | Min 3 Strong instruments (configurable) |
| Risk-Off Trigger | Min 3 Weak instruments (configurable) |
| Broker Symbols | Auto-detect + manual override per instrument |
| Timer Persistence | GlobalVariables (survive chart reload) |
| CSV Export | Optional — saves ranking data to CSV for analysis |
| Panel Layout | 3-column: Instrument Bias | Intraday Rank | Hybrid Rank |
The USM is a standalone MT5 indicator that ranks US30, US100, US500, US2000, and Gold using ATR-normalised intraday momentum and a proprietary multi-timeframe bias score. It outputs a 3-panel display, risk sentiment, market regime, and a best-trade recommendation — updated on a configurable timer on any chart.
A 0.5% move in the Nasdaq and a 0.5% move in the Russell 2000 don't represent the same thing — because the Russell is more volatile by nature. Dividing by each instrument's own ATR means you're measuring how significant that move is relative to that instrument's normal range. A score of +1.0 always means "one full ATR of momentum" regardless of which instrument you're looking at.
Any chart, any symbol, any timeframe. The USM fetches all instrument data internally via multi-symbol calls — the host chart's symbol is irrelevant. Most traders attach it to a dedicated blank chart or their primary index chart (e.g. the US100/NAS100).
Yes. The USM is a read-only display indicator — it executes no trades and sends no orders. It is purely analytical. Auto-detect handles most prop firm broker symbol naming automatically. Custom indicators with no trade execution are universally permitted on FTMO, Hola Prime, and similar platforms.
The CSM ranks 8 forex currencies using basket-vote scoring across cross-pair performance. The USM ranks 5 index futures and Gold using ATR-normalised momentum — a methodology designed for instruments without cross-rates. The USM also adds Risk-On/Risk-Off sentiment and market regime classification that the CSM doesn't include. Both share the same 3-panel layout and CSV export capability and can run simultaneously.
Every time the top-ranked instrument changes, the combo tracker records: a sequential combo ID for the day, the exact timestamp of the leadership shift, how many times leadership has changed today, and the entry price of every instrument at that moment. It's a lightweight session journal of market rotation that lives entirely inside MT5 GlobalVariables — no external files or databases needed.
Drop the USM onto any MT5 chart and get a real-time, volatility-adjusted ranking of every US index and Gold — with risk sentiment and regime classification included.
The Prop Firm Trading Blueprint. Free. Covers risk framework, session timing, and the filters that protect your challenge account.