Educational reference. Measured from 276 recorded 5m bars of MES (Micro E-mini S&P 500) on Tuesday, September 29, 2026.
ADX crossed above 25 7 separate times during the session, and the typical visit lasted 75 minutes. Across the whole session it sat above 25 for 39.9% of the time, between 20 and 25 for 34.4%, and below 20 for 25.7%.
| Band | Share of session | Bars | Separate visits | Median visit | Longest visit | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Above 25 | 39.9% | 110 | 7 | 75 min | 180 min | |
| Between 20 and 25 | 34.4% | 95 | 13 | 25 min | 95 min | |
| Below 20 | 25.7% | 71 | 7 | 30 min | 140 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 7 times, with a median stay of 75 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.