[XAU/USD] SCALPING PLAN – LIQUIDITY HUNT BEFORE THE REAL MOVE? 🔍
🔹 Timeframe: 30M
🔹 Bias: Intraday Bullish to Bearish Reversal
🔹 Posted by: Clinton Scalper | Smart Money Focus
🔹 Date: July 30, 2025
🔍 MACRO CONTEXT – WHY GOLD REMAINS HIGHLY REACTIVE
The macro backdrop continues to favor volatility in gold:
🟢 Dovish Fed tone ahead of FOMC
– Fed speakers hint at a pause or rate cut timeline.
– Inflation pressures are easing → lowers interest rate expectations.
📉 USD weakening + falling yields
– 10Y U.S. bonds retreating → dollar under pressure → gold gains ground.
🌐 Geopolitical risks remain elevated
– Tensions from Middle East and global recession risks continue to drive flows into safe-haven assets like gold.
🧭 Conclusion: Short-term upside still viable – but be cautious of liquidity traps and OB rejection.
📈 TECHNICAL + SMC INSIGHTS – THE CHART TELLS THE STORY
🔹 Structure Overview:
Market broke out of a descending channel and formed a bullish ascending wedge.
However, price is now approaching multiple OB SELL zones, aligning with smart money exhaustion levels.
🔹 Key Zones:
🔺 OB SELL Zones:
3,334 → 3,342
3,354 → 3,369 (Fibonacci 1.618 extension)
🔻 OB BUY Zones:
3,302 → 3,291 (confluence with previous liquidity sweep)
📍 Current Price: 3,330 – approaching first supply zone.
🔹 Smart Money Flow:
Liquidity above 3,334 has likely been targeted.
If price reaches 3,354–3,369 and shows exhaustion, expect distribution + reversal.
Key confirmation will be a break back below the ascending structure with momentum.
🎯 TRADE PLAN – TWO POSSIBLE SCALPING SCENARIOS
✅ SCENARIO 1: SHORT FROM PREMIUM OB SELL ZONE
Looking to fade bullish liquidity grab near top of range.
Entry: 3,354–3,369
SL: 3,375
TP1: 3,334
TP2: 3,302
TP3: 3,291
Ideal for reversal scalpers catching the distribution move.
✅ SCENARIO 2: LONG FROM DISCOUNT OB BUY ZONE
If price rejects OB SELL and dumps into unfilled demand.
Entry: 3,291–3,302
SL: 3,275
TP1: 3,322
TP2: 3,343
TP3: 3,354
Smart money often reloads after hunting liquidity beneath discount OBs.
⚠️ EXECUTION REMINDERS
✅ Wait for confirmation candles: engulfing / wick rejection / breaker structure
⛔ No market orders without OB reaction
📊 Risk max 1–1.5% per position
📉 Use volume to confirm absorption / exhaustion in OB zones
📢 FINAL THOUGHT – TRAPS COME FIRST, THEN MOVES
Smart Money doesn't chase price — it hunts stops first.
We’re watching closely to see if price completes its liquidity sweep at 3,354–3,369 before a potential reversal. Alternatively, we wait for price to return to the OB BUY zone around 3,291 for a high-RR long play.
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🔹 Timeframe: 30M
🔹 Bias: Intraday Bullish to Bearish Reversal
🔹 Posted by: Clinton Scalper | Smart Money Focus
🔹 Date: July 30, 2025
🔍 MACRO CONTEXT – WHY GOLD REMAINS HIGHLY REACTIVE
The macro backdrop continues to favor volatility in gold:
🟢 Dovish Fed tone ahead of FOMC
– Fed speakers hint at a pause or rate cut timeline.
– Inflation pressures are easing → lowers interest rate expectations.
📉 USD weakening + falling yields
– 10Y U.S. bonds retreating → dollar under pressure → gold gains ground.
🌐 Geopolitical risks remain elevated
– Tensions from Middle East and global recession risks continue to drive flows into safe-haven assets like gold.
🧭 Conclusion: Short-term upside still viable – but be cautious of liquidity traps and OB rejection.
📈 TECHNICAL + SMC INSIGHTS – THE CHART TELLS THE STORY
🔹 Structure Overview:
Market broke out of a descending channel and formed a bullish ascending wedge.
However, price is now approaching multiple OB SELL zones, aligning with smart money exhaustion levels.
🔹 Key Zones:
🔺 OB SELL Zones:
3,334 → 3,342
3,354 → 3,369 (Fibonacci 1.618 extension)
🔻 OB BUY Zones:
3,302 → 3,291 (confluence with previous liquidity sweep)
📍 Current Price: 3,330 – approaching first supply zone.
🔹 Smart Money Flow:
Liquidity above 3,334 has likely been targeted.
If price reaches 3,354–3,369 and shows exhaustion, expect distribution + reversal.
Key confirmation will be a break back below the ascending structure with momentum.
🎯 TRADE PLAN – TWO POSSIBLE SCALPING SCENARIOS
✅ SCENARIO 1: SHORT FROM PREMIUM OB SELL ZONE
Looking to fade bullish liquidity grab near top of range.
Entry: 3,354–3,369
SL: 3,375
TP1: 3,334
TP2: 3,302
TP3: 3,291
Ideal for reversal scalpers catching the distribution move.
✅ SCENARIO 2: LONG FROM DISCOUNT OB BUY ZONE
If price rejects OB SELL and dumps into unfilled demand.
Entry: 3,291–3,302
SL: 3,275
TP1: 3,322
TP2: 3,343
TP3: 3,354
Smart money often reloads after hunting liquidity beneath discount OBs.
⚠️ EXECUTION REMINDERS
✅ Wait for confirmation candles: engulfing / wick rejection / breaker structure
⛔ No market orders without OB reaction
📊 Risk max 1–1.5% per position
📉 Use volume to confirm absorption / exhaustion in OB zones
📢 FINAL THOUGHT – TRAPS COME FIRST, THEN MOVES
Smart Money doesn't chase price — it hunts stops first.
We’re watching closely to see if price completes its liquidity sweep at 3,354–3,369 before a potential reversal. Alternatively, we wait for price to return to the OB BUY zone around 3,291 for a high-RR long play.
🔥 If this helped you:
👍 Like this idea
💬 Comment your thoughts below
🔔 Follow Clinton Scalper for weekly institutional-grade setups
Trade active
✅ SCENARIO 2 HIT TP3 – GAINED NEARLY 100 PIPS!Price tapped directly into the Discount OB BUY zone (3,291–3,302) and launched without drawdown.
TP1 → TP2 → TP3 (3,354) all achieved flawlessly.
Textbook Smart Money reaction after liquidity sweep.
🧠 Precision entry – OB + liquidity + macro backing.
📈 Gold remains bullish short-term while OB holds.
📍Chart:
🔔 Follow Clinton Scalper for more premium SMC setups.
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The information and publications are not meant to be, and do not constitute, financial, investment, trading, or other types of advice or recommendations supplied or endorsed by TradingView. Read more in the Terms of Use.
Disclaimer
The information and publications are not meant to be, and do not constitute, financial, investment, trading, or other types of advice or recommendations supplied or endorsed by TradingView. Read more in the Terms of Use.