Educational reference. Measured from 276 recorded 5m bars of MES (Micro E-mini S&P 500) on Wednesday, September 16, 2026.
ADX crossed above 25 6 separate times during the session, and the typical visit lasted 62 minutes. Across the whole session it sat above 25 for 35.9% of the time, between 20 and 25 for 18.8%, and below 20 for 45.3%.
| Band | Share of session | Bars | Separate visits | Median visit | Longest visit | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Above 25 | 35.9% | 99 | 6 | 62 min | 180 min | |
| Between 20 and 25 | 18.8% | 52 | 11 | 20 min | 45 min | |
| Below 20 | 45.3% | 125 | 6 | 52 min | 395 min |
ADX measures trend STRENGTH and says nothing about direction — 30 is a strong move that may be up or down. Below 20 the market is ranging, and trend-following rules tend to be chopped up there.
Here the reading entered a trending reading 6 times, with a median stay of 62 minutes and a longest of 180. ADX is the filter most strategies gate on, so how long it actually held above the threshold decides how many of a day's signals would have been allowed through at all.