SMC Market Structure (HH/HL/LH/LL + BOS/CHoCH/MSS)SMC Market Structure (HH/HL/LH/LL + BOS/CHoCH/MSS) is a clean price-action / Smart Money Concepts market structure tool designed to automatically identify and label key structural events on the chart:
Swing structure points: HH, HL, LH, LL
Continuation confirmations: BOS (Break of Structure)
Early reversal warnings: CHoCH (Change of Character)
Stronger reversal signals: MSS (Market Structure Shift) using a displacement filter
The script is built to remain visually tidy: it draws simple horizontal structure lines at the broken swing level and prints small abbreviations (BOS / CHoCH / MSS) directly on the chart without cluttering candles or adding heavy panels.
What the Indicator Detects
1) Swing Points (HH / HL / LH / LL)
Swings are detected using confirmed pivots (left/right “Swing length” bars).
HH (Higher High): a swing high above the previous swing high
LH (Lower High): a swing high below the previous swing high
HL (Higher Low): a swing low above the previous swing low
LL (Lower Low): a swing low below the previous swing low
These labels help define the market’s active structure:
Bullish structure: HH + HL sequence
Bearish structure: LL + LH sequence
Range / consolidation: mixed swing progression
2) BOS (Break of Structure) – Trend Continuation
A BOS prints when price breaks the most recent swing level in the direction of the current structure:
In a bullish market state → break above the most recent swing high
In a bearish market state → break below the most recent swing low
This is typically treated as confirmation that the existing trend is continuing.
3) CHoCH (Change of Character) – Early Reversal Signal
A CHoCH prints on the first break against the current structure:
In a bullish market state → break below the most recent swing low
In a bearish market state → break above the most recent swing high
CHoCH is intended as an early warning that the market may be transitioning into a new directional bias.
4) MSS (Market Structure Shift) – Stronger Reversal via Displacement
MSS is treated as a “strong CHoCH” and requires a decisive, displacement-style candle at the break.
To qualify as MSS, the script requires:
A break against structure with a CLOSE break, and
A displacement candle where:
Candle body > ATR × Displacement Multiplier
This helps filter out shallow wicks or minor liquidity grabs and highlights shifts that show stronger participation and momentum.
How the Indicator Draws on the Chart
When a BOS / CHoCH / MSS occurs:
A horizontal line is drawn from the swing point to the break bar at the broken level.
A small abbreviation label (BOS / CHoCH / MSS) is placed either:
In the middle of the line segment, or
On the break bar (selectable)
Swing labels (HH/HL/LH/LL) are optional and can be disabled for a cleaner “event-only” layout.
Inputs & Settings
Swing Length (Pivot Left/Right)
Controls how sensitive the swing detection is.
Lower values (3–5): more structure points, more signals
Higher values (8–14): fewer, cleaner swings (better for higher timeframes)
Break Confirmation (Wick vs Close)
Wick: break triggers when the candle’s wick crosses the swing level
Close: break triggers only when the candle closes beyond the swing level
Many SMC traders prefer Wick for detecting liquidity runs and early breaks, while others prefer Close to reduce false signals.
MSS Displacement Filter
ATR Length: ATR calculation period
Displacement Multiplier: Minimum body size = ATR × multiplier
Higher multiplier = fewer MSS signals, but stronger quality threshold.
Display Toggles
Show/Hide Swing Labels (HH/HL/LH/LL)
Show/Hide BOS, CHoCH, MSS
Optional EQH/EQL labeling (equal highs/lows)
Visual Controls
Bullish / bearish structure colors
Line width / style
Text offset (in ticks) to keep labels neat above/below level
Maximum structure objects to keep on screen (prevents object-limit issues)
Recommended Usage
Trend Following
Use HH/HL or LL/LH progression to define the trend.
Wait for BOS to confirm continuation.
Use BOS levels as:
Bias confirmation
Potential retest zones
Risk reference for stop placement
Reversal / Shift Detection
Identify prevailing structure (bullish or bearish).
Watch for CHoCH as the first sign of a possible reversal.
Treat MSS as a stronger “shift” event (displacement + close break), often suitable for:
Changing directional bias
Switching from pullback trading to reversal continuation setups
Multi-Timeframe Workflow (Common SMC Method)
Higher timeframe (HTF): use swings and BOS to define macro bias
Lower timeframe (LTF): use CHoCH/MSS to time entries and manage risk
Confirm entries with your preferred tools (order blocks, FVGs, liquidity pools, session timing, etc.)
Notes & Limitations
This script uses confirmed pivots, so swing labels appear only after the swing is fully formed (after Swing length bars). This avoids repainting swing points.
BOS/CHoCH/MSS events are derived from the most recent confirmed swing levels.
MSS requires a close break and displacement threshold even if “Wick” breaks are enabled for other events (by design, to keep MSS strict).
Best Settings by Timeframe (General Guide)
Scalping (1–5m): Swing length 3–5, Wick breaks, MSS multiplier 1.2–1.8
Intraday (15m–1h): Swing length 5–8, Wick or Close, MSS multiplier 1.5–2.0
Swing trading (4h–1D): Swing length 8–14, Close breaks, MSS multiplier 1.8–2.5
Pine Script® indicator
