Reading a losing trade
Signal №1,141, annotated. −31 pips, −1.0R, on the record with its reason. This is what a correct loss looks like — and why it is the most useful trade of the month.
The signal as it landed at 10:05 MT5 on 28 August:
What the setup had
Two of three conditions: a sweep of the previous day's low during Asia, and a clean FVG in discount. The third — a structure shift on M15 — was early: a small higher low, not a decisive break. The reason line is honest about it: 'waiting for London to confirm'.
What London did
The open swept the Asian low instead of the Asian high, ran straight through the FVG and took the stop at 4780.0 at 10:31. Nine minutes later price reversed and went to 4810 — without us. That is the part that hurts, and the part that teaches.
Why it is a correct loss
- The stop was structural (below the sweep low), not arbitrary — it was where the idea was wrong, and the idea was wrong.
- Size was standard. −1.0R at 0.01/1k is −$9 per $1,000. The month still closed +12.4%.
- No re-entry. The setup was invalidated; the later move was a different trade with a different sweep, and it was not taken because the confirmation came after the London window closed for this session.
- It was published within seconds with the same detail as a win. The red row stays.
What changed after it
Nothing in the rules. The lesson is about patience: 'waiting for London to confirm' in a reason line means the entry was early. The next similar setup, №1,146 on 2 September, waited for the M15 break before entering. It is on the record too.
Published 01 Sep 2026 · Updated 01 Sep 2026