Market Pulse is a real-time market quality terminal for ES (S&P 500) and NQ (Nasdaq 100) futures traders. It aggregates six analytical pillars — Volatility, Momentum, Trend, Breadth, Macro, and Execution — into a single composite score from 0 to 100, a directional bias (LONG / SHORT / NEUTRAL), and a recommended position size (FULL to FLAT).
The interface is inspired by professional trading terminals: dark background, monospace typography, semantic color coding (green = favorable, red = risk, yellow = caution), and a dense but readable layout.
The Two Questions
Market Pulse answers two fundamental questions before every session:
| Question |
Answer |
| Should I trade today? |
The composite score: YES (80+), CAUTION (60-79), or NO (<60) |
| In which direction? |
The directional bias: LONG, SHORT, or NEUTRAL |
A high score does not mean the market is going up — it means conditions are favorable for trading. A strong downtrend with clear breadth alignment and low VIX can score 90+, signaling excellent conditions for short trades.
The 6 Scoring Pillars
Volatility (VIX)
Evaluates the volatility environment. Combines VIX level, 5-day slope, 1-year percentile, and estimated Put/Call ratio. Low and stable VIX = best conditions.
Momentum
Measures price momentum quality — direction-agnostic. Uses RSI 14d, 5d/20d absolute returns, sector participation breadth, and Advance/Decline proxy. Strong momentum in any direction = high quality.
Trend
Assesses trend clarity via moving average alignment (Bullish/Bearish Stack detection), QQQ confirmation, distance to SMA 200d, and ADX regime classification. Clear trends = high quality, chop = low quality.
Breadth
Measures market participation across 51 large-caps representing all 11 GICS sectors. Tracks % above SMA 20d, 50d, and 200d. Direction-agnostic: both strong participation (>75%) and washout (<25%) signal consensus = high quality.
Macro
Evaluates the macroeconomic backdrop: 10Y yield trend (TNX), dollar trend (DXY), and proximity to high-impact events (FOMC, CPI, NFP). Distant events + stable rates = favorable.
Execution Window
Adaptive pillar that checks whether setups in the dominant direction are actually working. Tracks breakdowns holding, laggards staying down (or leaders extending), bounce failures, and follow-through quality. Adjusts its metrics based on the current regime.
Trading Modes
| Mode |
Best for |
Weighting emphasis |
| DAY |
Intraday scalps and day trades |
Volatility 30%, Momentum 30%, Trend 15%, Breadth 15%, Macro 10% |
| SWING |
Multi-day positions |
Volatility 25%, Momentum 25%, Trend 20%, Breadth 20%, Macro 10% |
Toggle between modes with the DAY/SWING button or keyboard shortcuts (D / S).
Position Sizing
Based on the composite score, Market Pulse recommends a position size:
| Score |
Size |
Meaning |
| 80+ |
FULL |
Lean into risk |
| 70-79 |
3/4 |
Solid setups |
| 60-69 |
HALF |
A+ setups only |
| 50-59 |
QUARTER |
Very selective |
| <50 |
FLAT |
Preserve capital |
Dashboard Components
- Top Bar — Mode toggle (DAY/SWING), refresh interval selector, pin window, alert settings, theme toggle, LIVE indicator
- Ticker Tape — Scrolling real-time prices: SPX, QQQ, VIX, TNX, DXY, XLK, XLF, XLE, XLV
- Alert Banner — FOMC/CPI/NFP proximity warnings and upcoming mega-cap earnings
- Hero Panel — YES/CAUTION/NO badge, direction arrow, circular score gauge with sparkline, mini pillar scores, D/W/M bias, position recommendation
- SPY Correlation Heatmap — 20-day correlation of SPY vs all 11 GICS sectors
- Detail Panels — Dedicated cards for each pillar with individual metrics, labels, and tooltip explanations
- Sector Performance — Daily returns for all 11 sectors with horizontal bar chart
- Scoring Weights — Visual breakdown of each pillar's contribution and the final composite
Key Features
- Live data with configurable refresh interval (15 seconds to 2 minutes)
- Sound alerts and Windows notifications when the decision changes (e.g., CAUTION → YES)
- Score history sparkline showing the last 6 hours of composite score evolution
- Earnings calendar for the next 30 mega-cap stocks with alert banner
- Multi-timeframe bias — Daily, Weekly, and Monthly trend arrows
- Dark and Light themes
- Keyboard shortcuts —
D/S mode toggle, Ctrl+R refresh, T always-on-top, Delete minimize
System Requirements
| Requirement |
Specification |
| OS |
Windows 10/11 (64-bit) |
| Internet |
Required (live market data) |
| Disk space |
~150 MB |
| Display |
1920x1080 recommended |
| Installation |
None — double-click market-pulse.exe |
| API keys |
None required |
| Dependencies |
None — fully standalone |
