Learn The ICT Market On Close Macro – MOC Macro Trading Strategy 2026

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The ICT Market On Close Macro is one of the most precise time based trading models in the ICT methodology. It focuses on the final 10 minutes of the New York session, from 3:50 PM to 4:00 PM New York time, where the algorithm frequently delivers one last repricing into liquidity before the cash market closes.

Those last 10 minutes are a valuable window. Watching the closing candles of the day tells you a lot about the day’s closing dynamics and helps you prepare for the next session.

This guide covers what ICT Macros are, what the Market On Close Macro is, the exact schedule to trade it, how to build the dealing ranges and set your bias, the full bullish and bearish setups with entry, stop and targets, the common mistakes, and the questions I get asked most often. If you are new to the foundations, the premium and discount dan Pergeseran Struktur Pasar guides will make the rest of this easier to follow.

What are ICT Macros?

ICT Macro times are short intervals during which the algorithm seeks liquidity, either sell side or buy side, or reprices a fair value gap. They are based on ICT time and price theory and they sit on top of the broader ICT PD Array framework.

In his 2024 Mentorship, ICT stated that “ICT macro happens in every single hour containing the last 10 minutes of the closing hour and the first 10 minutes of the opening hour,” with a few exceptions.

What is ICT Market On Close Macro (MOC)?

The Market On Close Macro is a time based trading framework within the ICT methodology that concentrates on the final 10 minutes of the New York session, from 3:50 PM to 4:00 PM New York local time.

This period is watched closely because it often represents the final phase of institutional order execution, where large participants complete their positions and price frequently makes a decisive move into nearby liquidity before the cash session officially ends.

Rather than relying on conventional indicators or standalone chart patterns, the Market On Close Macro is built around the interaction of time, liquidity, market structure, premium and discount, and dealing ranges. Combining these gives you a structured way to spot high probability intraday opportunities during one of the most active windows of the day. Used with proper context and disciplined execution, it helps you recognise end of day repricing and anticipate institutional behavior. An example is shown below:

Market On Close Trading Schedule

Always use New York local time when trading this model.

The actual trade is usually executed between 3:50 PM and 4:00 PM ET.

How to Trade ICT Market On Close Macro?

To trade the ICT MOC, follow the steps below.

Step 1: Define the Daily Range

The first step is identifying the developing Daily Dealing Range before the final hour begins. To build this range, identify:

• For a bullish day: the lowest low of the trading day formed at or after 09:30 AM, and the highest high established after the New York PM session begins at 1:30 PM
• For a bearish day: the highest high of the trading day formed at or after 09:30 AM, and the lowest low established after the New York PM session begins at 1:30 PM

Step 2: Define the PM Session Dealing Range

For the PM session dealing range, mark the highest swing high and the lowest swing low formed after 1:30 PM. The range between that high and low is your PM session dealing range.

Step 3: Define the Last Hour Dealing Range

For the last hour dealing range, mark the highest high and the lowest low formed after 3:00 PM and before 3:50 PM. The range between that high and low is your last hour dealing range.

Establish the Directional Bias for ICT MOC Macro

Bearish bias

When the market has held a bullish trajectory for most of the day and prints a new intraday high after 1:30 PM, that high becomes a key reference point. If price then breaks market structure to the downside on the 5 minute timeframe, it signals that bullish momentum may be weakening and a bearish shift in order flow has occurred. In this case the newly formed high has the potential to become the High of the Day (HOD), and as the MOC Macro approaches, price may retrace lower into liquidity resting inside the daily dealing range.

Bullish bias

When the market has traded with a bearish tone for most of the session and prints a new intraday low after 1:30 PM, that low becomes an important reference level. If price then breaks market structure to the upside on the 5 minute timeframe, it suggests bearish momentum is fading and order flow may be shifting to the buyers. Under these conditions the newly established low has the potential to become the Low of the Day (LOD), and as the MOC Macro unfolds, price may advance higher into liquidity resting in the upper portion of the daily dealing range.

Bearish ICT Market On Close Macro Setup

A bearish Market On Close setup usually develops after a bullish trading day where price has already reached premium.

Conditions

• The MOC Macro bias is bearish
• Price trades within the premium portion of the Daily Dealing Range
• Relative equal lows or sell side liquidity are visible
• Price rejects a premium Array PD or premium wick
• A Pergeseran Struktur Pasar confirms bearish intent

Entry

Between 3:50 PM and 4:00 PM ET, allow price to trade into the premium of the last hour dealing range, wait for a bearish displacement or rejection, and enter on that displacement or rejection.

Stop loss

Place the stop loss above the most recent swing high formed after 3:50 PM, or above the high of the last hour dealing range.

Profit targets

Target the nearby sell side liquidity, including:

• Relative equal lows
• The PM session low
• The previous swing low

Additional targets can be refined using the last hour dealing range projection at the -0.5 Fibonacci level. If you plot the Fibonacci tool on the daily range using octant inputs, the first octant at 0.125 is a reasonable downside target. A real market example is shown below:

Bullish ICT Market On Close Macro Setup

A bullish Market On Close setup typically forms after a bearish trading day where price has already traded into discount. It looks for a late session reversal as institutional order flow drives price higher during the final minutes of the New York session.

Conditions

• The MOC Macro bias is bullish
• Price is trading within the discount portion of the Daily Dealing Range
• Relative equal highs or buy side liquidity are visible above price
• Price reacts from a discount PD Array or discount wick
• A bullish Market Structure Shift confirms the change in order flow

Entry

Between 3:50 PM and 4:00 PM ET, allow price to trade into the discount of the last hour dealing range, wait for a bullish displacement or a strong rejection from discount, and enter on confirmation of that displacement or rejection.

Stop loss

Place the stop loss below the most recent swing low formed after 3:50 PM ET, or below the low of the last hour dealing range.

Profit targets

Target the nearby buy side liquidity, including:

• Relative equal highs
• The PM session high
• The previous swing high

Additional targets can be refined using the last hour dealing range projection at the -0.5 Fibonacci extension. If you apply the Fibonacci tool to the daily dealing range using octant levels, the first octant at 0.125 is a logical upside target for bullish Market On Close setups. A real market example is shown below:

Common Mistakes I See Traders Make with the MOC Macro

A few repeatable errors turn this precise setup into a coin flip. Avoid these.

1. Trading it in the wrong time window. The MOC Macro is the 3:50 PM to 4:00 PM window in New York time. If your chart clock is set to another timezone, you will mark the wrong 10 minutes. Set the chart to New York time first.
2. Entering without a defined bias. The setup needs a bias built from the daily and PM session ranges before the final hour. Jumping in during the close without knowing whether you are looking for the HOD or the LOD is guessing, not trading.
3. Ignoring premium and discount. A bearish MOC needs price in premium, and a bullish MOC needs price in discount. Selling from discount or buying from premium removes the whole institutional edge.
4. Skipping the Market Structure Shift. Price reaching the level is not the trade. Wait for the 5 minute structure shift and the displacement or rejection before entering.
5. No liquidity target. Every MOC trade should aim at a specific liquidity pool, such as relative equal lows or the PM session high. Without a defined target, the tiny end of day window gives you no time to manage the exit properly.

Pikiran Akhir

The ICT Market On Close Macro is built on preparation rather than prediction. You first define the Daily Dealing Range, decide whether price is in premium or discount, and set a directional bias before the final hour begins. From there the focus shifts to liquidity, market structure, and institutional price behavior, and only when those align during the 3:50 PM to 4:00 PM window do you enter.

The last hour dealing range then serves as a tool for projecting realistic targets as the session closes. By combining time, liquidity, premium and discount analysis, and disciplined execution, the Market On Close Macro gives you a structured way to trade one of the most active and efficient periods of the New York session.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the ICT Market On Close Macro?

It is a time based ICT model focused on the final 10 minutes of the New York session, from 3:50 PM to 4:00 PM New York time. In that window the algorithm often makes one last repricing into liquidity before the cash market closes, which creates a high probability setup.

What time is the Market On Close Macro?

The execution window is 3:50 PM to 4:00 PM New York local time. Always set your chart to New York time so the window lines up correctly, because the whole model depends on that exact 10 minute period.

How do I set the bias for the MOC Macro?

Build the daily and PM session dealing ranges, then watch for a new intraday high or low after 1:30 PM. A 5 minute Market Structure Shift down after a new high points to a bearish MOC targeting the HOD, and a shift up after a new low points to a bullish MOC targeting the LOD.

Where do I place the stop loss?

For a bearish setup, above the most recent swing high after 3:50 PM or above the high of the last hour dealing range. For a bullish setup, below the most recent swing low after 3:50 PM or below the low of the last hour dealing range.

What are the profit targets on a MOC trade?

Target the nearby liquidity in your direction, such as relative equal lows, the PM session low or the previous swing low for bearish trades, and the mirror levels for bullish trades. The last hour range projection at the -0.5 Fibonacci level and the 0.125 octant give additional refined targets.

Does the MOC Macro work on any market?

It is built around the New York cash close, so it works best on the US index futures like the NASDAQ and S&P 500 that key off that 4:00 PM close. It can also be read on the major USD pairs and Gold, but the index futures respect the close most cleanly.