How to read a footprint: bid × ask, delta, POC and imbalances

A footprint (also called a cluster chart) is a candle seen from the inside. Instead of a body and two wicks, it shows every price level the bar traded through, with two numbers.

Bid × Ask

The left number is the volume sold at market into the bid; the right number is the volume bought at market from the ask. A level showing "120 × 45" means 120 contracts of aggressive selling and 45 of aggressive buying at that price.

Bar delta

Delta is aggressive buying minus aggressive selling. A bullish bar with negative delta means price rose even though aggressive sellers dominated: it can be a sign of absorption by passive buy orders.

POC

The POC (Point of Control) is the level with the most volume in the bar. It shows where price acceptance concentrated. IMBALIX highlights it with a box.

Imbalances

An imbalance compares, diagonally, the ask at one level with the bid at the level below (or the other way around). If one is, say, three times larger than the other, that side dominated. Three or more in a row form a "stacked imbalance": a zone where one side was clearly in control.

Getting started

• Start with context: trend, key session levels and the volume profile.
• Look for unusual volume and who the aggressor was.
• Watch how price reacts next: does it continue or stall?
• Practice on past data before using it in real time.