Your command center for reading the markets
TradingView is the industry standard for chart analysis. It runs in your browser, works on any device, and gives you access to real-time gold data with professional-grade charting tools. Almost every serious day trader uses it — and for good reason.
When you first open TradingView, it can feel overwhelming — hundreds of buttons, menus, and options. Here's the thing: you need about 5% of what's on screen. Let's strip it down to what actually matters for day trading gold.
Your Clean Chart Setup
Chart Type
Use Japanese candlesticks — they show you open, high, low, and close for every period, which is far more information than a line chart. Set your candle colors to something with clear contrast: green/red or blue/orange work well. Avoid exotic chart types for now.
Search for XAUUSD in TradingView's symbol bar. You'll see multiple options from different data providers. Choose one from a major provider (OANDA, FXCM, or your broker's feed) — the price differences between them are negligible for chart analysis.
Add XAUUSD to your watchlist along with DXY (US Dollar Index). Since gold moves inversely to the dollar, watching DXY alongside your gold chart gives you a built-in confirmation tool.
What should your chart look like when you're starting out?