Placing Orders on Exchanges (23)

Why was my order executed even though the price didn't appear to reach my level on the chart?

This is one of the most common questions from traders new to technical analysis. There are a few reasons why an order executes at a price that appears not to have been reached on the chart.

Reason 1: Charts plot LTP; orders execute at bid/ask

Sahi's charts plot the Last Traded Price (LTP) — the price at which the most recent actual trade occurred. However, your order (particularly a limit or SL order) may trigger based on the bid or ask price, which can briefly touch your level even if the LTP never reaches it.

  • A buy limit or buy SL-M order triggers when the ask price touches your level.

  • A sell limit or sell SL-M order triggers when the bid price touches your level.

Since the chart only shows LTP, a momentary ask at your buy price may not appear as a candle reaching that level, but the order still triggers.

Reason 2: Candle timeframe and wick visibility

If you are viewing a higher timeframe chart (e.g., 5-minute or 15-minute), each candle aggregates multiple ticks of price data. The High of a candle represents the highest LTP reached within that period, but on the chart, it appears only as the tip of a wick. A wick touch at your trigger price may be too brief to notice visually but is enough to trigger the order.

Reason 3: Heikin Ashi price display

If you are using a Heikin Ashi chart, the displayed prices are averaged values — not actual traded prices. The chart may show a candle that appears not to have reached your level, while the actual underlying LTP did. Always switch to a Candlestick chart when analysing executed order prices.

 

Important: Your order execution is based on real market prices (LTP, bid, ask) — not on the visual position of a candle on the chart. The chart is a representation of price, not the price itself. Always check your Order History for the exact trigger price and fill price of any executed order.