Purpose of Accumulation/Distribution
The Accumulation/Distribution (A/D) indicator measures the flow of money into and out of a symbol. For each candle it looks at where the close lies within the candle's range and weights that by the volume. The results are added up over time, so a rising A/D line suggests accumulation (buying) and a falling line suggests distribution (selling).
How It Works
Accumulation/Distribution has no period settings. It is calculated with tick volume, MetaTrader's standard for this indicator.
When you select Accumulation/Distribution (A/D) in the Trade Rule block, you can configure it with the following settings:
Time Frame of A/D
Sets the chart time frame for the A/D calculation.
Can be replaced with a variable or input for quick testing and optimization.
Candle ID of A/D
Defines which candle the calculation starts from.
0: Current candle (still forming).
1: Most recently closed candle.
Higher IDs refer to older candles.
Adjust of A/D (Modify the Result)
Apply an adjustment to the calculated value by adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing by a number.
Example
If you set:
Candle ID: 1
You get the A/D value of the most recently closed candle. Compare it with the A/D value of an older candle (for example Candle ID 10) to see whether buying or selling pressure is building.
Use Cases
Confirm an uptrend when price and A/D are both rising.
Spot divergence: price makes a new high while A/D does not.
Compare the current A/D value with an earlier candle to detect accumulation or distribution.
⚠ Tip: A/D is a running total, so its absolute value has no fixed meaning and can be very large. Always compare it with its own earlier values, not with a fixed level.