--- title: "The Intraday Index Simultaneous Break" canonical: https://thestrat.ai/docs/intraday-index-simultaneous-break/ updated: 2026-10-19 author: Alex Sopa (AlexsOptions) source: TheStrat docs (https://thestrat.ai/docs/) --- Tools for AI agents: https://mcp.thestrat.ai — see https://thestrat.ai/agents/ # The Intraday Index Simultaneous Break By [Alex Sopa (AlexsOptions)](https://thestrat.ai/docs/alex-sopa/) · Updated October 19, 2026 **Definition** **Intraday index simultaneous break:** one or more of the major indexes (SPY, QQQ, IWM, DIA) close the same 60-minute bar [inside](https://thestrat.ai/docs/inside-bar/). The inside bar’s high and low are the triggers. The next hour breaks it, or fails the break and reverses. This is the intraday version of the [simultaneous break](https://thestrat.ai/docs/simultaneous-breaks/). ## Timeframe - **60-minute:** the learning ground. Learn the setup here first. - **Lower timeframes:** when the VIX is higher. - **Higher timeframes:** for swing trading. The same pattern prints on the daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and yearly. ## The scan 60s run open-to-open (9:30, 10:30, and on), so each hour closes at xx:30, the [bottom of the hour](https://thestrat.ai/docs/the-flip/). 5 to 10 minutes before the close, check SPY, QQQ, IWM and DIA. One or more closing inside is the setup. ## Example: the break holds for two days [Figure: June 29 to 30 2026, real data. Monday, first session of the week: SPY and QQQ close the same mid-morning hour inside. The next hour breaks up on both. Both take the morning high and hold it into the close. Tuesday continues up.] ## Better or worse - **Better:** the break goes back through a previous range, the highs or lows on the left of the chart, where the [stops and pivots](https://thestrat.ai/docs/levels-of-reclaim/) are. - **Better:** [timeframe continuity](https://thestrat.ai/docs/full-timeframe-continuity/) is in the direction of the break. - **Better:** near a higher-timeframe open, the first sessions of a week, month, quarter or year. The break sets the direction for that period. - **Worse:** the higher timeframe is an [inside bar](https://thestrat.ai/docs/inside-bar/) or [doji](https://thestrat.ai/docs/engulfing-doji/), a [motherbar problem](https://thestrat.ai/docs/motherbar-problems/). The break can stop within hours. ## The break fails: simultaneous 1-2-2 All indexes break the inside bar to one side, fail, and reverse through the other side together: the simultaneous [1-2-2](https://thestrat.ai/docs/1-2-2/). [Figure: February 26 2026, real hourly data. The third hour closes inside on all four. All four break down and fail. The reclaim of the inside bar’s high is the 1-2-2 trigger, on all four at once.] ## Not all four break: wait, watch for the 1-3 If the indexes do not all break at the same time, do not take the first break. Wait for one of two things: - **The others break the same way:** that is the simultaneous break. - **The break reclaims right away and does not re-break:** a chance of a [1-3](https://thestrat.ai/docs/1-bar-rev-strat/), the 1-bar rev-strat. A 2d trading green (or a 2u trading red) is a [2 going 3](https://thestrat.ai/docs/price-trades-in-the-direction-of-the-most-2s/). It becomes a 3 if it takes the other side of the inside bar: [every 3 was a 2 first](https://thestrat.ai/docs/price-only-trades-in-3-ways/). Past 50% of the inside bar, a [potential 3](https://thestrat.ai/docs/stop-losses/) is forming. This tends to happen when all indexes are inside on the 60, but only 1 or 2 of them break. [Figure: October 15 2026, real hourly data. 11:30: all four close inside. 12:30: QQQ breaks the inside low in the first 5 minutes, reclaims, does not re-break, and closes green past the inside bar’s 50% (1-2d green). SPY, IWM and DIA stay inside (1-1). 13:30: all four break up together.] ## The break holds: simultaneous continuation [Figure: January 21 2026, real hourly data. The fourth hour closes inside on all four. All four break up, take the morning highs, and hold into the close.] All indexes’ [execution algorithms](https://thestrat.ai/docs/execution-algorithms/) cross their triggers at the same time. Hold the break. Exit when price reverses or the signal exhausts [by time or by price](https://thestrat.ai/docs/exhaustion-risk/). **Related:** [Simultaneous Breaks](https://thestrat.ai/docs/simultaneous-breaks/) · [The Inside Bar](https://thestrat.ai/docs/inside-bar/) · [The 1-2-2](https://thestrat.ai/docs/1-2-2/) · [The 1-3](https://thestrat.ai/docs/1-bar-rev-strat/) · [Exhaustion](https://thestrat.ai/docs/exhaustion-risk/) · [FTFC](https://thestrat.ai/docs/full-timeframe-continuity/) · [Execution Algorithms](https://thestrat.ai/docs/execution-algorithms/) **Back to:** [The Playbook →](https://thestrat.ai/docs/trade-checklist/) TheStrat was developed by Rob Smith. These docs are written by Alex Sopa (AlexsOptions) and quote his teaching.