Educational reference. Measured from 276 recorded 5m bars of MES (Micro E-mini S&P 500) on Wednesday, September 30, 2026.
ADX crossed above 25 6 separate times during the session, and the typical visit lasted 95 minutes. Across the whole session it sat above 25 for 43.5% of the time, between 20 and 25 for 21.0%, and below 20 for 35.5%.
| Band | Share of session | Bars | Separate visits | Median visit | Longest visit | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Above 25 | 43.5% | 120 | 6 | 95 min | 210 min | |
| Between 20 and 25 | 21.0% | 58 | 12 | 20 min | 45 min | |
| Below 20 | 35.5% | 98 | 7 | 45 min | 180 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 95 minutes and a longest of 210. 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.