Intermediate
Context
A decline accelerates into heavy activity, but the bar does not continue smoothly lower afterward.
Illustrative campaign snapshot 32: the structure is synthetic and designed only to isolate the evidence sequence for stopping volume.
Evidence to read
- very high relative volume on a down move
- close is off the low or the next bar refuses to continue
- spread and result show selling met by buying interest
Expert read
Stopping volume suggests professional activity may be absorbing supply, but it is not confirmation of a bottom.
Alternative interpretation
It may be continuation selling if subsequent bars close lower with ease.
Confirmation required
- secondary test with lower volume
- range develops instead of immediate collapse
- up bars begin to show better result
Invalidation signs
- continued wide down bars on high volume
- no ability to rally from the area
- support breaks without testing
Common traps
calling the exact bottom
entering before the secondary test
ignoring larger timeframe downtrend
Source frame
Wyckoff/VSA educational frame: background first, effort versus result second, confirmation third, risk and invalidation always explicit.