medium · Volume Profile Analysis profile-shapes

A trader studying a D-shaped session profile observes thin single-print tails at both extremes: the area between the session low and the VAL, and the area between the VAH and the session high. In auction market theory, these thin tails are most accurately described as:

1. Breakout zones — areas where initiating participants are essentially guaranteed to push price cleanly through next session
2. Confirmation patterns — they independently verify that the session POC has been placed at the center
3. Unfinished auctions — areas of incomplete price discovery that frequently attract price back in future sessions
4. Value Area boundaries — the VAH and VAL always coincide exactly with the session's thin single-print extreme tails

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