VOLUME & MONEY FLOW
On-balance volume
A running tally of volume with a sign attached.
spec id: obv
What does On-balance volume measure?
A running tally of volume with a sign attached. Rising while price is flat says buyers are quietly accumulating.
How is On-balance volume calculated?
Start at zero. Add the whole candle's volume when it closes higher than the previous close, subtract it when it closes lower, and leave it alone when the close is unchanged.
Written by reading the engine’s real computation, not a textbook — where the two differ, the page describes what actually runs.
How do I use On-balance volume in a bot?
In the builder, add an indicator of type obv. Its value becomes an operand you can compare in any entry or exit rule. The engine grades the whole rule honestly: real fills, no look-ahead, half the history held back.
Related indicators
- Positive volume indexA line that only moves on BUSIER days — the days traditionally credited to the crowd rather than to well-informed money.
- Percentage volume oscMACD applied to VOLUME instead of price.
- Price-volume trendLike on-balance volume, but it counts the SIZE of each move rather than just its direction — so a 5% day counts far more than a 0.
- Volume ratioToday's volume compared with normal.
Or browse all 158 indicators in the full library.