All field notes
Post-IB Brief

NIFTY Post-IB Brief (2026-07-17)

POST-IB BRIEF — NIFTY OPEN ASSESSMENT The market opened at 24127.6, inside yesterday’s value area (24080-24150) and just above the prior day’s POC/VPOC cluster (24090-24120). This responsive open initially tested lower towards the 24099 level before finding firm buying interest, driving pri

Friday, 17 July 2026·3 min read
In this post2

POST-IB BRIEF — NIFTY

OPEN ASSESSMENT
The market opened at 24127.6, inside yesterday’s value area (24080-24150) and just above the prior day’s POC/VPOC cluster (24090-24120). This responsive open initially tested lower towards the 24099 level before finding firm buying interest, driving prices higher. This price action negates the primary EOD scenario of bearish continuation and confirms the alternate scenario of balance and repair, with OTF buyers stepping in.

INITIAL BALANCE
IB Range: 24249.2 to 24099.05 = 150.15 pts
IB vs ATR-20 (231.36 pts): The IB is wide, at ~65% of the 20-day ATR. This signifies significant OTF participation in the first hour and suggests a lower probability of a runaway trend day; the session extremes may have been established.
IB Breakout: Yes, buyers have shown initiative activity by pushing price above the IB High of 24249.2. This is a sign of strength and confirms buyers are in control of the auction.

VOLUME & OPTIONS CHECK
IB Volume: The wide IB and subsequent breakout confirm OTF participation. This is not a day-timeframe-only affair.
ATM Straddle: The straddle premium has risen over 8% since the open (from 256.15 to 277.2). This is significant and indicates the options market is pricing in more, not less, movement. This is a warning against assuming a simple balance day, despite the wide IB.
ATM IV: IV has spiked from yesterday’s close of 11.46 to over 13.3. This confirms the straddle’s message: expect continued range extension.
Put/Call Wall: The primary wall was at 24200. The breakout above the IB High has also cleared this significant options-derived resistance level, adding weight to the bullish case.

DEVELOPING DAY TYPE
The session is developing as a P-Shape profile. We saw initiative buying early in the session, which has now established a higher value area. The combination of a wide IB, an upside breakout, and rising IV points towards a Normal Variation day. OTF buyers are currently in control, and the question is whether they can maintain acceptance above the IB high.

TODAY’S PLAN
LINE IN THE SAND: 24249.2 (IB High)
Above 24249.2: The primary scenario is for buyers to maintain control. As long as the auction holds above this level, the path of least resistance is higher. A potential target is the weekly VAH at 24350. A failure to build value here would be a red flag.
Below 24249.2: A failure to hold the IB high would be a significant change in character, indicating the breakout was a failed auction. This would open a rotation back towards the D1 VWAP (~24126) and the high-volume node from yesterday’s session at 24090-24120.
TRAP WARNING: While buyers are in control, the rising IV after a strong opening drive can sometimes precede an exhaustion top. A failure to find follow-through above the session high (24279) could trap longs and lead to a swift reversal back into the IB.

KEY LEVELS

Level Type Why it matters today
24279.0 DAY_HIGH Developing session high; immediate resistance.
24249.2 IB_HIGH Key pivot; acceptance above confirms buyer control.
24150.0 PRIOR_VAH Yesterday’s upper value boundary.
24126.5 D1_VWAP Intraday fair value; a magnet on any pullback.
24120.0 PRIOR_POC High-volume node from the previous session.
24099.05 IB_LOW Initial Balance low and key intraday support.
24090.0 PRIOR_VPOC Anchor of yesterday’s value; strong support.
End of brief

Subscribe

Get briefs in your inbox

Daily reviews, weekly plans, and structural notes — landing the moment they're published. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

Continue reading

Generated by Auction Edge AI · grounded in Jim Dalton's Market Profile framework · 5+ years of NIFTY data