During a candle, price can poke above the hub top and fall back before the candle ends. That poke shows up as a thin line on the chart, called a wick. A wick is an attempt that failed.
NextShelf only counts a breakout when the candle closes outside the hub. The close is where the buyers and sellers left things after four hours of arguing. It's a much stronger statement than a brief spike.
Why this rule saves money
Many "breakouts" are wicks that reverse within minutes. Traders who buy the spike get caught as price snaps back inside. Waiting for the close means you miss the very first part of some moves, but you skip a lot of the false ones.
The 15-minute warning
Because the close is what matters, NextShelf checks about 15 minutes before each close (1:15 PM and 3:45 PM). If price is outside the hub at that moment, you get a heads-up: if the candle closes there, that's the breakout. Some traders act in those last minutes; others wait for the confirmed close. Both are valid choices, as long as you know which one you're making.
- A wick is a failed attempt; the close is the decision.
- NextShelf only counts a 4-hour close outside the hub.
- The 15-minute warning tells you a close outside the hub is likely.
Price jumps 1% above the hub top at 11 AM, then closes back inside at 1:30 PM. Is that a breakout?
Educational content only, not financial advice. See today's setups in NextShelf →