# Gold News-Filter Strategy (with SmartATR MT5)

**Instrument:** XAUUSD (Gold)  
**Timeframe:** 30 minutes (also suitable for H1 or M15)  
**Indicator:** SmartATR MT5 (default settings recommended)

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## Strategy Description

This strategy uses SmartATR MT5 to help you avoid risky trades during major news events and take advantage of high-probability moves in Gold (XAUUSD) when the market is not affected by news-related volatility.

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### Entry Rules

- **Primary Trade Setup:**  
  Open a position (long or short) based on your usual technical entry (e.g., breakout, moving average cross).
- **News Filter:**  
  **Do not open new trades on bars highlighted as news events** (orange/red bars in SmartATR).
- **Volatility Confirmation:**  
  Prefer setups when SmartATR is increasing but not at an extreme spike (avoid entries if SmartATR > 2x its mean).

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### Stop Loss & Risk Management

- **Initial Stop Loss:**  
  Place stop loss at 1.8 x SmartATR away from entry price (adjust for Gold’s typical volatility).
- **Break-even Option:**  
  After price moves in your favor by 2 x SmartATR, consider moving stop to break-even.

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### Take Profit

- Set take profit at least 2x your stop loss distance (R:R 1:2 minimum).
- Alternatively, use a trailing stop based on the current SmartATR value.

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### Example Pseudocode