How to Chart a Stock for Options/Short-Term TradingNVIDIA CorporationNASDAQ:NVDAemanuelaeliasHow to Chart a Stock for Options/Short-Term Trading 1. Start on the Weekly Timeframe Zoom out first to identify key levels — areas where price has repeatedly rotated, rejected, or found support Mark horizontal lines at significant pivot points (prior resistance, support zones, areas of major reversals) Box in any range-like behavior where price consolidates between two levels 2. Move to the Daily Timeframe Use your weekly levels as a foundation, then refine their exact placement based on daily candle structure Look for whether the stock is in an uptrend and identify distinct legs (leg 1 up → pullback → leg 2 up → potential leg 3) Note the 20 EMA (or 10 EMA, depending on the stock) as a key dynamic level — stocks often test it during pullbacks, sometimes undercutting briefly before resuming Draw rectangles to capture zones rather than forcing a single price line when price clusters in a small range 3. Drop to the Hourly Timeframe This is where you wait for your actual entry setup Look for a "shelf" — a period of sideways, micro range-bound price action that holds a support level Signs the pullback may be ending: price slowing down, beginning to interact with the 10 or 20 EMA, a small pop of buyers followed by a controlled retest Ideal entries are on the first or second pullback after a base breakout on the hourly — the later you enter, the less runway may remain General Principles Trade in the direction of the broader trend — filter out counter-trend setups Think in scenarios: where does it go if it holds here vs. flushes lower? You don't need certainty — you need probability and a defined stop level The hourly setup only matters if the weekly and daily give you the green light first — they are your pre-filters