Recently, market movements have been quite interesting, and someone always asks me how I see the trend. To be honest, there’s nothing mysterious about it; just a few small tricks for analyzing charts, straightforward and simple, and they actually work pretty well.

**First, set up the framework**

I usually switch the candlestick chart to the 1-hour timeframe, focusing on a few key moving averages. When they are neatly aligned and extending upward, and the price stays firmly above these lines, rarely touching the lowest one during dips—that’s a clear sign of an uptrend. Conversely, if all the moving averages turn downward and the price is tightly pressed down, and even rebounds can’t break through the top line—that’s a solid downtrend. If you see all the moving averages tangled together and the price oscillating wildly up and down, be honest with yourself—stay away. That’s consolidation or sideways movement, and you risk getting wiped out if you trade carelessly.

**Next, watch for rhythm changes**

Then, switch to the 15-minute chart. In an uptrend, you’ll notice the price bounces back each time it dips near previous lows, and each new low is higher than the last, indicating a healthy trend. When it retraces near support levels, it’s a good time to consider entering. The opposite logic applies in a downtrend: the price rebounds to previous highs but then drops again, with each rebound high lower than the last. When the price hits resistance and gets pushed down, that’s an opportunity to short.

**Don’t forget to check the volume**

There’s a particularly useful indicator often overlooked—volume. During an uptrend, increasing volume on rallies and decreasing volume during retracements show strong buying momentum, and the trend can hold. Conversely, during a downtrend, volume increases on declines and volume is low on rebounds, indicating strong selling pressure. Be cautious about bottom-fishing. If volume starts behaving irregularly—spiking suddenly or shrinking—it’s probably a sign that the trend is changing. At that point, observe more and act less.

**The final hard truth**

Once a trend is established, it’s not so easy to reverse. Don’t keep obsessing over whether to buy the dip or sell the top—don’t scare yourself out of the game. As long as the larger cycle’s structure isn’t broken, and key support and resistance levels hold, follow the trend. Don’t always try to outsmart the market with counter-trend moves.

In the end, trading isn’t about being the smartest; it’s about having a steady mindset and clear thinking. It’s easy to get stuck overanalyzing if you only study alone. It’s better to observe how others in the community analyze the market, listen to different perspectives and logic—sometimes that’s more reliable than spending hours drawing lines yourself.