Trade Arrival Imbalance
Quick Reference
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Dimension | execution |
| Category | order_flow |
| Version | v1.0 |
| Output Column | arrival_imbalance |
Trade arrival imbalance: ratio of aggressive (market) vs passive (limit) trade arrivals — directional flow pressure
Formula
aggressive_volume / (aggressive_volume + passive_volume)
CDM Inputs
| Column | CDM Table | Description |
|---|---|---|
aggressive_volume | cdm_* | CDM source table |
passive_volume | cdm_* | CDM source table |
Parameters
This FeatureType has no configurable parameters.
Output
Column: arrival_imbalance
Ratio of aggressive to total trade volume
Market Intuition & Trading Rationale
Trade arrival imbalance measures the mix of aggressive vs passive volume: aggressive / (aggressive + passive). A ratio above 0.5 means traders are predominantly crossing the spread — they're paying for immediacy because they expect prices to move away. Below 0.5 means traders are predominantly posting limit orders — they're willing to wait to earn the spread.
Unlike OFI (which measures net direction), arrival imbalance measures urgency. High arrival imbalance with neutral OFI means both buyers AND sellers are aggressive — the market is active but directionally undecided. High arrival imbalance with directional OFI means one side is pushing hard — a potential breakout. This distinction is critical for execution strategy: aggression without direction means churn (trade passively), aggression with direction means momentum (join or fade depending on horizon).
Usage Cases
- Execution mode selection: High arrival_imbalance → use limit orders (your passive orders fill against aggressive counterparties). Low arrival_imbalance → use marketable orders (less competition for immediacy, stable spreads).
- Breakout confirmation: Rising arrival_imbalance + directional OFI = genuine breakout (aggressive traders pushing in one direction). Rising arrival_imbalance + neutral OFI = churn (both sides active, no edge).
- Liquidity provision timing: Provide liquidity when arrival_imbalance is high — aggressive traders pay you the spread. Withdraw when low — longer holding times, higher inventory risk.
YAML Definition
name: trade_arrival_imbalance
description: 'Trade arrival imbalance: ratio of aggressive (market) vs passive (limit)
trade arrivals — directional flow pressure'
category: order_flow
dimension: execution
version: v0.9.0 (Beta)
required_inputs:
- aggressive_volume
- passive_volume
output_column: arrival_imbalance
output_description: Ratio of aggressive to total trade volume
tags:
- execution
- flow
- imbalance
parameters: {}
formula: aggressive_volume / (aggressive_volume + passive_volume)