Force Index — what it is and how to use it in trading
Definition
Force Index is an oscillator combining price and volume into a single value: the change in the close versus the previous bar, multiplied by that bar's volume, then smoothed over period candles.
How it works in the builder
The force_index operand takes a period parameter (default 13) and returns a value oscillating around zero — positive when price rises on elevated volume, negative when it falls on elevated volume.
What it looks like on the chart
Drawn as a separate panel as a histogram of bars around zero, but the bar width varies from bar to bar — it stands in for volume's contribution to that bar's push.
Typical use
Typical condition: force_index(13) > 0 as a "buyers have the force" filter, often combined with a trend price condition rather than used as a standalone entry signal.
Common pitfalls
Because the value is expressed in units of price x volume, it does not compare well across instruments with very different price scales or liquidity — a fixed threshold calibrated for one asset can be meaningless for another.
This block is available in the strategy builder
137 no-code blocks — build an entry condition with this term and test it on history
Historical results do not guarantee future ones. The service is an informational and analytical tool, not an individual investment recommendation; trades are not executed.