The weekly candle model is the most consistently profitable framework in the ICT approach — not because it's complicated, but because it's structured. Every week has a bias day, a setup day, an entry day, and a target. When you follow the sequence, you're not trading random setups. You're participating in institutional delivery with a defined beginning, middle, and end.
The weekly candle is a five-act story. Act one is the open. Act two is the Monday range. Act three is the sweep. Act four is the CISD confirmation. Act five is delivery to the weekly target. Your entry lives in act four.
The Weekly Candle Framework — Day by Day
| Day | Role | What to Do |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday / Monday open | Bias Day | Mark previous week H/L/midpoint. Note the gap (if any) from last week's close. |
| Monday | Range Expansion Day | Observe direction — don't trade. Monday often sets a false direction before Tuesday's reversal. |
| Tuesday | Primary Setup Day | Look for liquidity sweeps of Monday's high or low. Watch for CISD on 5M or 15M after the sweep. |
| Wednesday | Primary Entry Day | Highest probability entry day. Bias is confirmed. Daily structure aligns. Setups are highest quality. |
| Thursday | Secondary Entry Day | Still tradeable if setup is fresh. Risk is higher — the weekly move may be mostly done. |
| Friday | Avoid Day | Low volume + weekend manipulation. Close any open trades before the session ends. |
The Two Weekly Candle Setup Types
Setup Type 1 — Weekly Reversal
A weekly reversal setup occurs when the week opens, sweeps the previous week's high or low early in the week, and then reverses to deliver toward the opposite liquidity pool. This is the highest-probability weekly setup — price is taking stops before making the real move.
The sequence: price sweeps the previous week high (bullish liquidity grab) → weekly candle closes back below the sweep level on the daily → drop to 5M or 15M → wait for bearish CISD → enter short targeting previous week low.
Setup Type 2 — Weekly Continuation
A weekly continuation setup occurs when the previous week closed strongly in one direction and the new week pulls back to a FVG or the weekly midpoint before continuing the prior week's direction. You're entering on the retest, not the initial move.
The sequence: strong bullish previous weekly close → new week opens and pulls back to a weekly FVG or the 50% level of last week's range → bullish CISD on the lower timeframe → enter long targeting new weekly high or extension above previous week high.
Key Distinction
Reversal setups take the previous week's high or low first. Continuation setups pull back and hold above (bullish) or below (bearish) last week's midpoint. Knowing which type you have determines your target and stop placement.
The Role of Monday in Weekly Candle Trading
Monday is almost always a trap. Institutions use Monday's session to create false direction — expanding the range in one direction to collect stops before reversing Tuesday. This is the 'Judas swing' on the weekly timeframe.
The practical rule: do not take entries on Monday. Observe. Mark Monday's high and low as additional liquidity levels. When Tuesday arrives and price sweeps Monday's high or low, that's your setup forming. The sweep of Monday's range is the weekly candle model's most common entry trigger.
Weekly Candle Targets — Where the Trade Ends
- →Previous week high (PWH): primary target for bullish weekly delivery — stops sitting above from the prior week
- →Previous week low (PWL): primary target for bearish weekly delivery — stops sitting below from the prior week
- →Weekly FVG: imbalance left on the weekly chart — often the first target before the weekly liquidity pool
- →Daily FVG above/below weekly open: secondary targets for extended weekly moves
- →Prior month's high or low: target when weekly delivery is aligning with monthly bias for major directional moves
How to Combine Weekly Candle with Kill Zone Timing
The weekly candle model works best when the CISD entry fires during an ICT kill zone — London open (2-5 AM EST), New York open (7-10 AM EST), or London close (10 AM - 12 PM EST). Outside these windows, liquidity is thin and displacement candles are less reliable.
The highest-probability weekly candle setup: weekly reversal identified Tuesday, CISD prints during the New York open kill zone on Tuesday morning, target is previous week high or low, stop below the CISD structure. This combination — weekly context, sweep confirmation, kill zone timing, CISD entry — is the core of the SMC X entry system.
Kill zone timing without weekly candle context is guessing. Weekly candle context without kill zone timing is waiting forever. Both together is the entry model.
Common Weekly Candle Trading Mistakes
- →Trading on Monday: Monday almost always sets a false direction — observe only, don't enter
- →Entering before the liquidity sweep: you need the sweep to confirm that stop liquidity has been taken before institutional delivery begins
- →Missing the kill zone window: a weekly reversal CISD that prints at 3 PM EST is lower probability than one that prints during London or New York open
- →Holding through Friday: the weekly candle often reverses on Friday as institutions balance books — exit before the Friday session
- →Ignoring the weekly midpoint: if price can't reclaim the weekly midpoint after a sweep, the reversal may not materialize — the midpoint is your mid-setup confirmation
The Weekly Candle Continuation Entry Model Explained
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Start Free 7-Day TrialFrequently Asked Questions
What is the weekly candle trading strategy in ICT?
The ICT weekly candle strategy uses the Monday candle to set directional bias, Tuesday and Wednesday as the primary setup and entry days, and Thursday as the last acceptable entry window. The trade objective is typically the previous week's high or low, or a major HTF objective. Friday is avoided due to low volume and increased manipulation before the weekly close.
What day is best for ICT weekly candle entries?
Tuesday and Wednesday are the highest-probability entry days in the weekly candle model. By Tuesday, the weekly candle has enough direction to confirm bias, and the primary move of the week typically begins during the London or New York session on Tuesday or Wednesday. Entries taken Monday often get stopped by continued expansion of the weekly range.
How do you identify the weekly candle setup?
Look for the weekly candle to sweep a significant liquidity level — previous week high, previous week low, or a weekly FVG — and then show CISD confirmation on the lower timeframe. The sweep tells you stops are being taken. The CISD tells you institutional delivery has begun in the opposite direction.
What is the weekly candle continuation setup?
A weekly continuation setup occurs when the previous week closed strongly in one direction and the new week opens with a pullback to a weekly FVG or midpoint before continuing in the same direction. You're entering on the retest, not the initial move — which gives a better entry with less risk.
When should you exit a weekly candle trade?
The primary target on a weekly candle trade is the opposite liquidity pool — previous week high if you're long, previous week low if you're short. Secondary targets include weekly FVGs and major daily FVGs. Exit before Friday close, as the weekly candle often sees manipulation in both directions during Friday's session.