What is the day range in trading?
In one line: The day range is the distance between a market's highest and lowest price during one trading day.
A simple example
A stock opens at $72.40. It climbs to $74.10, dips to $71.90, and closes at $73.20.
Day range = high − low = $74.10 − $71.90 = $2.20.
Quote screens often show it as "Day's range: 71.90 – 74.10". In forex, EUR/USD might show a range of 1.0820 – 1.0885, or 65 Pips.
How traders use it
Look at the last 10 or 20 days and take the average. That's the Average daily range. Say it's $2.50.
By midday, today's range is already $2.40. Price has done most of its typical move. A target $3 further away would need an unusual day. That's not impossible, but you'd want a reason.
| Today so far | Typical range | What it hints |
|---|---|---|
| $0.80 | $2.50 | Plenty of room left, often |
| $2.40 | $2.50 | Much of the usual move is done |
| $4.10 | $2.50 | An unusual, busy day |
Why it matters
The day range gives you a feel for how far price usually travels. It helps you set targets that fit the market, and stops that aren't so tight that normal swings hit them.
The high and low also become levels to watch. Yesterday's high and low are often marked as Previous day high and low.
A common mistake
Treating the average range as a ceiling. On news days, like CPI or a Fed decision, ranges can be two or three times normal. And quiet days can stay tiny. The average is a guide, not a wall.
Try it: for one week, note each day's range in your journal. You'll learn your market's rhythm faster than any rule of thumb.
ATR measures something similar, and adds overnight gaps. See ATR explained.
Questions
What's the difference between day range and ATR?
Day range is just high minus low for one day. ATR averages the "true range", which also counts a gap from the previous close.
Does a big day range mean a good trading day?
It means price moved a lot. More movement can mean wider stops and faster losses as well as bigger moves your way.
Is the 52-week range the same idea?
Yes, over a year instead of a day: the highest and lowest prices of the last 52 weeks.
Want the next step? We'll walk you through it.
Four free lessons by email, one every few days — each with a 10-minute exercise on a real chart.
Send Me the Free Lessons 4 short emails · No spam · Unsubscribe anytimeOr see the whole method, step by step:
See What’s Inside the Course Try everything free first. Decide when you're ready. · Open the free chart tool (works in the TradingView phone app)One chart idea a day, in plain English. Follow along: