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Lessons › Module 3: Value › Lesson 3.1

Lesson 3.1 · about 5 minutes

Point of Control (POC)

ObjectiveAfter this lesson you can find the Point of Control on a TPO profile, including when two rows tie.

Concept

The Point of Control (POC) is the price row with the most TPOs: the price where the market spent the most time during the session. On a collapsed profile it is the longest row. Time spent at a price suggests participants found it acceptable, so the POC is often read as the session's fairest price. Sometimes two rows tie for the most TPOs. This course breaks a tie by choosing the row closest to the middle of the session's range. The POC can sit anywhere in the profile, not only in the middle, and it can move during the session as new letters are added.

TPO profile from 100 to 110. Rows 103 and 104 both have seven letters; the orange POC line is on 104, the row closer to the range midpoint of 105. A B G A B C F G H I A B C F G H I A C E F G I A C D E F B B C D E F D E D D 110 109 108 107 106 105 104 103 102 101 100 POC 104 · 7 TPOs, 1 pt from midpoint 7 TPOs, 2 pts from midpoint range midpoint 105 XYZ (hypothetical): a POC tie, settled by the range midpoint Hypothetical data
XYZ (hypothetical): a POC tie, settled by the range midpoint. Hypothetical, synthetic data generated from code. TPO profile from 100 to 110. Rows 103 and 104 both have seven letters; the orange POC line is on 104, the row closer to the range midpoint of 105.

Worked example

Hypothetical XYZ, nine periods, range 100–110. Counting letters row by row, 103 and 104 each have 7 TPOs (A, B, C, F, G, H and I), more than any other row. 105 is next with 6. That is a tie. The middle of the range is (100 + 110) ÷ 2 = 105. Row 104 is 1 point from 105 and row 103 is 2 points away, so the POC is 104. The ends of the profile are thin: only D traded at 109 and 110, and only B at 100 and 101.

Key takeaway

POC = the price with the most TPOs, where the session spent the most time. Ties go to the row nearest mid-range.

Check yourself

Pick an answer to see instantly why it is right or wrong.

Question 1 of 3

What is the Point of Control on a TPO profile?

Question 2 of 3

Rows 103 and 104 both have 7 TPOs and the range is 100–110. Using this course's tie rule, which row is the POC?

Question 3 of 3

Which statement about the POC is accurate?

Not financial advice. Educational content only, not financial advice. All tickers and prices are hypothetical, synthetic data. Market Profile is an organizing tool, not a trading system or a prediction. Trading involves substantial risk of loss.