ADL (Accumulation/Distribution Line)

The Accumulation/Distribution Line (ADL) is a cumulative volume-based indicator developed by Marc Chaikin. It measures the flow of money into and out of an asset by combining price and volume data. Unlike OBV, which only considers closing direction, ADL uses the position of the close relative to the high-low range.

ADL is calculated using the Money Flow Multiplier (MFM):

Money Flow Multiplier = ((Close - Low) - (High - Close)) / (High - Low)
Money Flow Volume = MFM x Volume
ADL = ADL_prev + Money Flow Volume

The MFM ranges from -1 to +1:

• +1 when Close = High (maximum buying pressure)
• -1 when Close = Low (maximum selling pressure)
• 0 when Close is at the midpoint of the range

• Cumulative indicator — no fixed range, accumulates over time
• Close position matters — weighs volume by where price closed within the bar's range
• No parameters — uses raw price and volume data without configuration
• More nuanced than OBV — considers intra-bar price action, not just close-to-close direction

Trend confirmation

• Rising ADL + Rising price — uptrend confirmed by money flow
• Falling ADL + Falling price — downtrend confirmed by money flow

Divergence

• Bullish divergence: Price falls but ADL rises — accumulation despite falling price
• Bearish divergence: Price rises but ADL falls — distribution despite rising price

Support / Resistance

• ADL trendlines can act as support/resistance — breaks often precede price moves

ADL has no configurable parameters. It uses OHLCV data directly.

| Condition | Meaning | |-----------|---------| | ADL > ADL[1] | ADL is rising — accumulation | | ADL < ADL[1] | ADL is falling — distribution | | ADL cross_over 0 | Money flow turned positive | | ADL cross_under 0 | Money flow turned negative |

• ADL is more sensitive than OBV because it accounts for where price closes within the range
• Best used for divergence analysis — ADL diverging from price often precedes reversals
• Combine with MACD or RSI for entry timing after ADL signals a divergence
• On higher timeframes, ADL divergences are more reliable
• ADL works well for stocks and crypto where volume data is accurate; less reliable for forex