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GBPUSD M5 Scalping Setup Card

Entry criteria · Stop rules · Target levels · Session windows · Setup validity — printable quick-reference

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The no-trade side matters

NOTE 25

Put invalidation above the entry trigger

A compact GBPUSD M5 setup card should stop weak trades as often as it permits entries. Place session, spread, scheduled-event, and structure invalidations before the trigger so they are read before the urge to click.

  1. State the maximum acceptable spread.
  2. Define the structure that must already exist.
  3. Set the clock and event blackout window.
  4. Write one condition that cancels the setup immediately.

A setup card without a clear “no” is an entry advertisement.

GBPUSD Pair Statistics

Avg Daily Range
80–130
pips (London session)
Typical M5 Range
5–15
pips per candle
Typical Spread
0.8–1.5
pips (raw/ECN broker)
Best Session
London
08:00–12:00 GMT
Pip Value (0.1 lot)
$1.00
per pip (USD account)
Min Target
8–12
pips (after spread)

Primary Setups

LONG
London Open Momentum
  • H1 bias is bullish (price above H1 21 EMA)
  • London open (08:00–09:00 GMT) produces bullish impulse candle
  • M5 pullback to the impulse candle's 50% level
  • M5 bullish confirmation candle with close above open
  • Spread ≤ 1.5 pips at entry time
  • No high-impact news within 30 minutes
SHORT
London Open Momentum
  • H1 bias is bearish (price below H1 21 EMA)
  • London open (08:00–09:00 GMT) produces bearish impulse candle
  • M5 pullback to the impulse candle's 50% level
  • M5 bearish confirmation candle with close below open
  • Spread ≤ 1.5 pips at entry time
  • No high-impact news within 30 minutes
LONG
M5 Support + EMA Bounce
  • Identified S/R level on H1 or H4 (previous swing high/low)
  • Price tests the support level on M5
  • M5 21 EMA is pointing upward (bullish slope)
  • Bullish rejection candle at support (long lower wick)
  • RSI below 40 at time of setup (not required, adds confirmation)
  • Within London or NY session — not Asian session
SHORT
M5 Resistance + EMA Rejection
  • Identified S/R level on H1 or H4 (previous swing)
  • Price tests the resistance level on M5
  • M5 21 EMA is pointing downward (bearish slope)
  • Bearish rejection candle at resistance (long upper wick)
  • RSI above 60 at time of setup (not required, adds confirmation)
  • Within London or NY session — not Asian session

Stop Loss and Take Profit Rules

Stop Loss Placement
Rule: SL = 1–2 pips beyond the setup candle extreme (+ spread)

London momentum: SL below/above the impulse candle low/high
S/R bounce: SL below/above the rejection candle extreme

Max SL allowed: 15 pips. If setup requires wider SL, skip — reduce size or wait for better entry.

Never: move SL to avoid a loss. Once set, the SL defines whether the setup was valid.
Take Profit Placement
Minimum TP: 1.5× SL distance after spread
If SL = 10 pips, TP = 15+ pips minimum

Targets:
TP1 = next M5 structure level (S/R, round number)
TP2 = H1 S/R level or daily range midpoint

Partial exit rule: close 50% at TP1, move SL to entry, let remainder run to TP2.
Session Windows — When to Trade
Best: London 08:00–12:00 GMT
Good: NY Overlap 13:00–16:00 GMT
Acceptable: NY 12:00–13:00 GMT (low volatility)
Avoid: Asian session (21:00–07:00 GMT) — thin spreads widen, range is narrow, fake breakouts common
Hard stop: No trades 30 min before/after high-impact news
Session Stop Rules
Max trades per session: 5
Stop after: 3 consecutive losses
Stop if: daily loss limit hit (prop firm: 4–5%)
Spread rule: Do not enter if spread > 2 pips
Position size: Never risk more than 1% per trade

Once any stop condition is hit — session is over. No exceptions. Replay again tomorrow.

Session Quality by Time Window

Time (GMT)SessionGBPUSD QualityTypical RangeSpread
21:00–00:00Late NY / Sydney openAvoid5–20 pipsWide (2–4 pip)
00:00–07:00Asian sessionAvoid10–30 pipsModerate
07:00–08:00Pre-LondonCautious20–40 pipsImproving
08:00–12:00London coreBest40–90 pipsTight (0.8–1.5)
12:00–13:00London/NY gapLower15–30 pipsModerate
13:00–17:00London/NY overlapVery good30–60 pipsTight
17:00–21:00NY afternoonDeclining10–25 pipsModerate

Setup Invalidation Rules

❌ The following conditions invalidate any setup — do not enter:

Beginner exploration

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