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Quick tour: read and trade a forecast in 5 steps

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ForecastCity · Academy · Getting Started with 4CastMachine AI Forecasts
Lessons in this course

This quick tour shows you how to read and trade a 4CastMachine AI forecast in five practical steps across Crypto, Gold, and Forex, from checking the 8-timeframe panel to setting an automated alert or strategy.

Worked 5-step example on BTCUSD 1h (shown below): In the 4CastMachine AI panel, Weekly (W, Bullish above 48879.14) and Daily (D, Bullish above 74975.45) both point up. On the 1h chart, the forecast reads Bullish Above 78894.89 with a Buy zone from 78894.89 to S1 = 79703.62 and a Profit zone from R1 = 81295.90 to R5 = 84160.75. After price pulls back into the Buy zone and closes a bullish reversal candle, it rallies past 80537.74 toward the five stepped targets (TP1 = 81295.90, TP2 = 81968.76, TP3 = 82628.37, TP4 = 83436.66, TP5 = 84160.75), with the stop loss placed behind 78894.89 by 10% of daily ATR(264, D) plus spread and moved to Entry + 1 pip once TP1 hits.

What are the five steps to trade a forecast?

Every trade with 4CastMachine AI follows the same five steps across all timeframes, whether you are buying a bullish pullback on BTCUSD 1h or selling a bearish rally on XAUUSD 15m:

The 4CM-AI Charts screen showing the BTCUSD 1h bullish forecast (Bullish Above 78894.89), Buy zone (78894.89 to 79703.62), Profit zone (R1 81295.90 to R5 84160.75), Reverse zone (S3 77994.82 to S5 75733.49), and the 4CastMachine AI panel.
Example 1 (Crypto Bullish): BTCUSD 1h chart and the 4CastMachine AI multi-timeframe panel.

  1. Symbol and 1h timeframe: confirms you are viewing BTCUSD on the 1h execution chart.

  2. Buy zone (78894.89 to 79703.62) and Pivot: shaded support band above the Bullish Above 78894.89 pivot where the bullish wave launched.

  3. Main path arrows and Profit zone (R1 to R5): solid green arrows pointing to five stepped targets from R1 = 81295.90 up to R5 = 84160.75.

  4. 4CastMachine AI panel (15m to W): shows 1h Bullish above 78894.89 aligned with D Bullish above 74975.45 and W Bullish above 48879.14.

The exact same visual structure works in reverse during a bearish setup, as shown on this full-width XAUUSD (Gold) 15m chart:

Full-width XAUUSD (Gold) 15m chart showing a bearish forecast (Bearish Below 4138.98), Sell zone (R1 4106.67 to 4138.98), price action at 4092.99, Profit zone targets (S1 4071.33 to S5 4005.82), and the upside Reverse zone (up to R5 4172.55).
Example 2 (Gold Bearish): XAUUSD 15m chart with Sell zone, Profit zone (S1 to S5), and Reverse zone.

  1. Pivot (4138.98) and Reverse zone (up to R5 4172.55): if Gold breaks above 4138.98, dashed green arrows map the upside path to R4 = 4163.87 and R5 = 4172.55.

  2. Sell zone (R1 4106.67 to 4138.98): resistance band (including R2 = 4125.31) where sellers rejected the rally.

  3. Price action and AI trend line: shows the prior consolidation box, the impulse wave, and the red AI trend line intersecting the target zone.

  4. Stepped Profit zone targets (S1 4071.33 to S5 4005.82): solid green arrows pointing from live price (4092.99) down to S1 = 4071.33, S2 = 4056.60, S3 = 4034.78, S4 = 4021.04, and S5 = 4005.82.

Step 1: Check the higher-timeframe compass in the panel

Before looking at your entry candle, look at the 4CastMachine AI panel on the right side of the chart. Check the row one or two steps higher than your trading timeframe (for example, on BTCUSD 1h, check D Bullish above 74975.45 and W Bullish above 48879.14).

When the higher timeframe and your trading timeframe show the same green Bullish or red Bearish direction, you are trading with the main market tide. Read Align timeframes from Monthly (M) down to 5m for the full pairing table.

Step 2: Read the pivot, arrows, and zones on your chart

On your active timeframe, read the four building blocks drawn on the candles:

  • Pivot price: The decision line written in the panel (such as Bullish above 78894.89 on BTCUSD 1h or Bearish below 4138.98 on XAUUSD 15m). The forecast stays valid as long as price stays on the forecast side of this line.

  • Buy zone or Sell zone: The shaded entry band starting at the pivot (78894.89 to 79703.62 on BTCUSD 1h; 4106.67 to 4138.98 on XAUUSD 15m) where a new wave or pullback entry begins.

  • Main path (solid green arrows) and Profit zone: The expected price path leading to the five target levels (R1 = 81295.90 to R5 = 84160.75 on BTCUSD 1h; S1 = 4071.33 to S5 = 4005.82 on XAUUSD 15m).

  • Reverse zone and alternate path (dashed green arrows): Drawn on 4h and lower timeframes on the opposite side of the pivot. If price breaks the pivot and enters the Reverse zone (down to S5 = 75733.49 on BTCUSD 1h or up to R5 = 4172.55 on XAUUSD 15m), the dashed arrows show the opposite scenario.

Step 3: Wait for a confirming candle inside the zone

Why should you wait for a candle instead of entering the instant price touches a zone? Entering blindly on a fast candle can catch a falling knife that slices straight through the pivot.

Instead, wait for price to enter the zone and close a reversal candlestick pattern:

  • On intraday charts (5m to 4h): In a Buy zone, wait for a Hammer or Bullish Engulfing candle to close. In a Sell zone, wait for a Shooting Star or Bearish Engulfing candle to close (Lesson 3).

  • On the daily chart (D): Wait for a daily Hammer, Valley (two-candle trough), Shooting Star, or Peak (two-candle crest) to close inside or within ATR(264, D) / 2 of the zone (Lesson 4).

Step 4: Set stepped targets, stop loss, and Break-Even

Before opening the trade, define your exit and risk levels from the forecast zones and pivot:

  • Stepped Take Profit: On intraday charts, split your position into 5 equal parts (20% each) at the five 4CM-AI targets (TP1 to TP5). On the daily (D) chart, set stepped targets at consecutive support/resistance lines and leave one order open as a Free Trade.

  • Stop Loss: On intraday charts, place your stop loss behind the 4CM-AI pivot by 10% of daily ATR(264, D) plus spread. On the daily (D) chart, use a Soft Stop Loss that closes only if a healthy daily candle closes outside the zone.

  • Break-Even rule: As soon as TP1 is touched on an intraday trade (such as 81295.90 on BTCUSD 1h or 4071.33 on XAUUSD 15m), move the stop loss of the remaining orders to Entry + 1 pip (or Entry - 1 pip on a Sell) so your trade cannot lose money.

Step 5: Automate with alerts, AI Strategy Studio, or Virtual account

You never need to sit in front of the monitor waiting for price to reach a zone. Click the lightning icon in the 4CastMachine AI panel to set a zone alert, or open Automate forecasts with alerts, AI, and risk rules to run the built-in 4CastMachine AI strategy on a Virtual account or real account.

Where do I go next?

Open the Step-by-step guide to follow all seven lessons in order, or jump directly to Lesson 1: What a forecast is, Quad-AI, and why not signals.

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Last updated: 11/5/2026