ICT CBDR Indicator: The 14:00 To 20:00 GMT Range

Written by Dominic Walsh · Published 10 Jun 2026 · Last updated 26 Aug 2026

The ict cbdr indicator marks one specific window each day. Its range runs from `InpStartHourGMT` to `InpEndHourGMT`, which defaults to 14:00 through 20:00. Central bank dealers work that window, hence the name. The tool records its high and low, draws both plus a midline, then repeats for 30 days.

This build ships as a compiled .ex4 for MT4 and .ex5 for MT5; the screenshots below come from EURUSD H1.

Platforms	MT4 (.ex4) + MT5 (.ex5)
Chart window	Main price chart
Plots	0
Alerts	popup
Inputs	9

What the Ict Cbdr Indicator draws on the chart

An OBJ_TREND ray marks the range high in `InpHighColor`.

A second ray marks the range low in `InpLowColor`.

A third marks the midline in `InpMidColor`.

OBJ_TEXT labels name each level when `InpShowLabels` is on.

How the Ict Cbdr Indicator calculates its values

Bounding the window

The code walks bars whose time falls between the start and end hours, and skips anything outside. Both hours read as GMT rather than server time, which is the convention the method uses.

Recording the range

hi extends whenever a bar inside the window prints higher, and lo extends downward the same way. Once the window ends, both values stop moving for that day.

Adding the midline

mid takes hi plus lo over two. That halfway price is the third level, and it often matters more than the two edges. `InpHistoryDays` `30` sets how many days of boxes stay on the chart.

How to read the signals

The window is a fixed clock range, not a swing or a session high.

A narrow range often precedes a livelier following session.

The midline is where many traders expect price to return.

Check your broker GMT offset before trusting the hours.

Alert channels in this build: popup, one message per closed bar.

`InpAlertOnTouch` ships on and raises a terminal popup when price reaches one of the three levels. This build carries no push, email or sound channel. The guard permits one message per closed bar.

Every Ict Cbdr Indicator input

Core settings

Setting	What it does	Default
InpStartHourGMT	CBDR start hour (GMT). Window start hour in GMT, default `14`.	14
InpEndHourGMT	CBDR end hour (GMT). Window end hour in GMT, default `20`.	20

Display settings

Setting	What it does	Default
InpHistoryDays	Days of CBDR boxes to draw. Days of boxes drawn, default `30`.	30
InpHighColor	Range high colour, default dodger blue.	dodger blue
InpLowColor	Range low colour, default crimson.	crimson
InpMidColor	Midline colour, default goldenrod.	goldenrod
InpLineWidth	Line width, default `2`.	2
InpShowLabels	Names each level on the chart, default `true`.	on

Alert settings

Setting	What it does	Default
InpAlertOnTouch	Popup when price reaches a level, default `true`.	on

Settings that fit your chart

A six-hour window needs a chart fine enough to show it. EURUSD H1 is the reference chart, where the range covers six candles. On M15 it covers twenty-four, which shows the shape far better. On H4 the whole window is under two bars and the levels lose detail.

When the Ict Cbdr Indicator fails

Convention picks the hours, and the market does not know about them.

A quiet window gives a tight range that price leaves immediately.

GMT and server time differ by broker, so an offset error shifts every level.

Copy the compiled Ict Cbdr Indicator file into your MQL4/Indicators folder, and the MT5 build into MQL5/Indicators, then restart the terminal and drag it onto a chart. The step-by-step guide with screenshots is at how to install MT4 and MT5 indicators.

Related on forexmt4systems.com: ICT Style Strategy.

Background reading on the method behind the Ict Cbdr Indicator: Capital market imperfections on Wikipedia, Onbalancevolume at Investopedia.

Download the Ict Cbdr Indicator for MT4 and MT5

The zip holds the compiled Ict Cbdr Indicator build for MT4 and MT5, plus a short README. Compiled files only, no source. Enter your email below and the download link arrives in your inbox.

FAQ

Why does InpStartHourGMT default to 14?

Because 14:00 to 20:00 GMT is the window the method names. It covers the late London and New York overlap, when the largest dealers are most active. Both hours are inputs, so you can shift the window if your data suggests otherwise.

Does InpStartHourGMT read GMT or server time?

GMT, which is the point of the input names. Broker server clocks vary by several hours, so a tool reading server time would mark a different window on every broker. Check your offset before relying on the levels.

What does the InpMidColor line mark?

The halfway price between the range high and low. Many traders watch it more closely than the edges, since price returning to the middle of a dealers range is a common intraday behaviour.

How far back does InpHistoryDays draw?

Thirty days of boxes by default. That is enough to study how previous ranges behaved without filling the chart with objects. Reduce it for a cleaner screen or raise it when reviewing a longer stretch.

Are results guaranteed?

No. Trading involves risk. Results are not guaranteed; past performance is not indicative of future results. Use the Ict Cbdr Indicator as one input. Always backtest before trading live.