What is Relative Volume?
Relative volume (RVOL) is current volume divided by average volume at same time of day.
Formula
RVOL = Current Window Volume ÷ Average Volume for Same Window (5- or 10-day lookback)
Indian market context (NSE)
Reference levels: Nifty 50 at 24,300, Reliance Industries at ₹1,300, Bank Nifty futures at 55,000 (lot size 30). Examples below show how Relative Volume shows up on Indian index, equity, and futures books — update to live quotes in your journal.
Nifty 50 perspective
Relative Volume on Nifty (24,300): on the 15-minute chart, combine with session VWAP and 9:15–10:00 liquidity — index relative volume signals misfire on expiry Tuesdays without volume confirmation.
Reliance Industries perspective
Relative Volume on Reliance at ₹1,300: daily vs hourly settings diverge around results and ex-dividend dates; note corporate events in journal when relative volume readings spike.
Bank Nifty futures perspective
Relative Volume on Bank Nifty futures (55,000): first-hour signals differ from post-14:30 behaviour; pair with relative volume when banking names lead the move.
How to validate
- Forward-test Relative Volume on paper or sim for two weeks after rule changes.
- Validate only on trades where Relative Volume settings matched the written playbook.
- Split results by trending vs range weeks on Nifty before trusting the signal.
- Require higher-timeframe bias agreement if that is part of your rule.
How to track in TradeLyser
- Add Relative Volume reading to trade entry notes (value + timeframe).
- Create tags: “Relative Volume aligned” / “Relative Volume ignored”.
- Monthly: filter trades by alignment tag and compare win rate and avg R.
- Screenshot chart context for mentor review on disputed trades.
Best practices
- Combine Relative Volume with higher-timeframe bias — not as a lone trigger.
- Avoid curve-fitting settings on less than three months of tagged data.
- Refresh playbook screenshots when changing Relative Volume parameters.
- Skip trading when Relative Volume conflicts with written risk limits.
Common pitfalls
- Treating Relative Volume as a guaranteed reversal signal.
- Optimising parameters on one bullish month only.
- Trading against higher-timeframe bias because Relative Volume “said so”.
- Failing to log when you overrode Relative Volume discretionally.
How to use this in TradeLyser
Log RVOL at break bar; review false breaks with low RVOL separately.
Related terms
A breakout occurs when price closes beyond a boundary — range high, triangle, or prior day level — that traders were watching.
Day trading opens and closes positions within the same session, avoiding overnight gap risk on cash products.
Liquidity describes depth and ease of entering/exiting at stable prices. Nifty top names differ sharply from illiquid small caps.
Volume is the number of shares or contracts traded. Rising price on rising volume suggests conviction; thin volume breakouts fail more often.
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