TradingDirection
For Students & New Intraday Traders
CPR Indicator · Free Tool

CPR Indicator Calculator for Intraday Trading

Enter yesterday's High, Low and Close. Get today's Pivot, TC, BC and eight support/resistance levels in one click — built plain and simple for students.

Quick answer: CPR (Central Pivot Range) is a three-level zone — Pivot, TC, and BC — built from the previous session's High, Low and Close. A narrow CPR hints at a trending day; a wide CPR hints at a sideways day. Use the calculator on this page to get your levels for tomorrow's session in seconds.

CPR Calculator

Use the previous trading day's data (NIFTY, BANKNIFTY, or any stock).

Please enter valid High, Low and Close values (Low must not exceed High).
BC
Pivot
TC
R4
S4
R3
S3
R2
S2
R1
S1

01 What Is the CPR Indicator?

CPR, short for Central Pivot Range, is one of the simplest and most respected tools for reading an intraday chart before the market even opens.

It is made of three lines — Pivot, TC (Top Central), and BC (Bottom Central) — all calculated purely from the previous day's High, Low and Close. No settings to tweak, no repainting, no guesswork. Because it is built entirely on yesterday's data, every trader looking at the same chart sees the exact same three levels, which is exactly why so many students prefer it over indicators with adjustable parameters.

Think of CPR as the market's "fair value" zone for the day. Price spending time inside this zone usually means indecision. Price rejecting it and moving away usually means direction has been chosen — and that is the moment intraday traders look for.

02 CPR Formula: How It's Calculated

The calculator above does this math for you instantly, but understanding the formula is what actually builds your trading intuition — it's worth learning by hand at least once.

Pivot
(H + L + C) / 3
BC (Bottom Central)
(H + L) / 2
TC (Top Central)
(Pivot - BC) + Pivot

H = previous day's High  ·  L = previous day's Low  ·  C = previous day's Close

03 How to Use the CPR Calculator

  1. Find yesterday's High, Low and Close for the index or stock you want to trade — most broker apps and charting platforms show this in the daily candle summary.
  2. Type the three values into the calculator above and click Calculate CPR Levels.
  3. Note the Pivot, TC and BC — this is today's fair-value range.
  4. Check whether the calculator marks the range as Narrow or Wide, and read it alongside the R1–R4 and S1–S4 levels before the market opens.
  5. Mark all eight levels on your chart and wait for price to react to them — don't predict, react.

04 Narrow vs Wide CPR — What It Tells a Student

This is the single most useful reading skill CPR teaches beginners: judging the day's character before it even starts.

CPR WidthWhat It Usually MeansStudent Approach
Narrow (TC and BC close together)Higher chance of a strong trending day in one directionFavor breakout / trend-following setups
Wide (TC and BC far apart)Higher chance of a range-bound, choppy dayFavor range trades near R1/S1, avoid chasing breakouts
This is a probability read, not a guarantee. Always confirm with price action, volume, and your own stop-loss discipline — CPR narrows the odds, it doesn't remove risk.

05 Simple CPR Strategies to Practice

Bullish setup

Open above CPR, hold above TC

If price opens above the CPR band and stays above TC on the first 15-minute candle, it signals buying strength — students often watch for a pullback toward TC as a potential entry, with R1 and R2 as the first targets.

Bearish setup

Open below CPR, hold below BC

If price opens below the CPR band and stays under BC, it signals selling pressure — a pullback toward BC that gets rejected is often treated as a short entry, with S1 and S2 as the first targets.

Range play

Wide CPR, price stuck inside

On wide-CPR days, price often oscillates between R1 and S1. Some students practice buying near S1 and selling near R1, always with a tight stop just outside the range.

Breakout fade

Failed breakout back into CPR

When price pokes above TC or below BC and quickly slips back inside the range, it's often treated as a false breakout — a signal to expect a move toward the opposite side of the range.

These are educational patterns to study on charts, not guaranteed trade signals. Practice on a demo account first, and always trade with a predefined stop-loss.

06 Why Students Prefer CPR Over Other Indicators

  • No parameters to configure — unlike moving averages or RSI, there's nothing to "optimize," which removes a common beginner mistake.
  • Same levels for everyone — since it's derived from fixed OHLC data, there's no ambiguity between traders looking at the same chart.
  • Works across timeframes and instruments — index options, stocks, or commodities, the same three-line logic applies.
  • Builds a habit of preparation — calculating CPR the night before, or first thing before market open, trains the discipline of planning a trade instead of reacting emotionally.

07 Frequently Asked Questions

What is the CPR indicator in intraday trading?

CPR stands for Central Pivot Range. It's a three-line indicator — Pivot, TC and BC — calculated from the previous day's High, Low and Close, showing where the "fair value" of a stock or index sits before the market opens.

How is CPR calculated?

Pivot = (High + Low + Close) / 3. BC = (High + Low) / 2. TC = (Pivot − BC) + Pivot. Together, TC and BC form the boundaries of the Central Pivot Range.

What does a narrow CPR mean?

A narrow CPR (small gap between TC and BC) usually signals higher volatility and a stronger chance of a trending day. A wide CPR usually signals a sideways, range-bound day.

Is CPR useful for beginners and students?

Yes. CPR needs no complex settings, works on any charting platform, and gives clear, rule-based levels — making it one of the easier indicators for students learning to read intraday bias and risk levels.

Can CPR be used for NIFTY and BANKNIFTY options trading?

Yes, CPR is widely used for index option trading. Many traders combine the CPR levels of the index with option-chain data to decide whether to look at call or put positions for the day.

Educational content only. This calculator and article are for learning purposes and do not constitute investment advice. Trading in intraday equity, options, and derivatives involves substantial risk of loss. Please consult a registered financial advisor and practice risk management before trading with real capital.
Join WA Group

📢 Share this Article