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Miha Kralj
72 lines
2.8 KiB
Markdown
72 lines
2.8 KiB
Markdown
# ADL: Accumulation/Distribution Line
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> "Volume precedes price." — Old Wall Street Adage
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The Accumulation/Distribution Line (ADL) is the bedrock of volume analysis. It attempts to answer a single, vital question: "Are the big players buying or selling?"
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Unlike On-Balance Volume (OBV), which treats every up-day as 100% buying, ADL is nuanced. It looks at *where* the price closed within the day's range. A close near the high on massive volume screams "Accumulation." A close near the low on massive volume screams "Distribution."
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## Historical Context
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Developed by Marc Chaikin, the ADL was originally designed to spot divergences. Chaikin noticed that if a stock made a new high but the ADL failed to make a new high, a crash was imminent. He essentially quantified the "smart money" flow.
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## Architecture & Physics
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ADL is a cumulative indicator, meaning it has infinite memory. Today's value depends on the sum of all yesterdays.
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The core mechanic is the **Money Flow Multiplier (MFM)**, also known as the Close Location Value (CLV). This value ranges from -1 to +1:
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- **+1**: Close = High (Maximum Accumulation)
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- **-1**: Close = Low (Maximum Distribution)
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- **0**: Close is exactly in the middle
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This multiplier is then applied to the volume to determine the "Money Flow Volume" for the period.
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## Mathematical Foundation
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### 1. Money Flow Multiplier (MFM)
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$$
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MFM = \frac{(Close - Low) - (High - Close)}{High - Low}
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$$
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### 2. Money Flow Volume (MFV)
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$$
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MFV = MFM \times Volume
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$$
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### 3. Accumulation/Distribution Line (ADL)
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$$
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ADL_t = ADL_{t-1} + MFV_t
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$$
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## Performance Profile
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| Metric | Score | Notes |
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| :--- | :--- | :--- |
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| **Throughput** | 10 | High; O(1) calculation with simple arithmetic. |
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| **Allocations** | 0 | Zero-allocation in hot paths. |
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| **Complexity** | O(1) | Constant time per update. |
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| **Accuracy** | 10 | Matches all standard libraries exactly. |
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| **Timeliness** | 10 | No lag; updates immediately with each bar. |
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| **Overshoot** | N/A | Cumulative indicator; concept doesn't apply. |
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| **Smoothness** | 2 | Jagged; reflects raw volume and price location. |
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## Validation
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| Library | Status | Notes |
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| :--- | :--- | :--- |
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| **QuanTAlib** | ✅ | Validated. |
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| **TA-Lib** | ✅ | Matches `TA_AD` exactly. |
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| **Skender** | ✅ | Matches `GetAdl` exactly. |
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| **Tulip** | ✅ | Matches `ad` exactly. |
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| **Ooples** | ✅ | Matches `CalculateAccumulationDistributionLine`. |
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### Common Pitfalls
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- **Gaps**: ADL ignores gaps. If a stock gaps up but closes near its low, ADL will register distribution, even if the price is higher than yesterday.
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- **Scale**: The absolute value of ADL is meaningless; it depends on the start date of the data. Only the *trend* and *divergence* matter.
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- **Volume Spikes**: A single bad data point with erroneous volume can permanently skew the ADL. Sanitize your data.
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