Creator of the TTM Squeeze

John F. Carter

John F. Carter is a veteran day trader and educator who founded TradeTheMarkets.com, now Simpler Trading. His book Mastering the Trade (2005; second edition 2012) sets out the Squeeze, his signature volatility-breakout indicator.

What they argue

Markets alternate between quiet consolidation and trending expansion, so the best entries come when a volatility squeeze releases.
Momentum direction at the release says which way to trade, and fading momentum says when to take profits.

Sources

StockCharts ChartSchool: TTM Squeeze McGraw-Hill: Mastering the Trade, Second Edition Simpler Trading: Mastering the Trade - The Squeeze

Summaries are Be The Puck's paraphrase of public material. Be The Puck has no affiliation with the people listed.

Books and papers

Mastering the Trade (2005)

The full reading list

John Carter's TTM Squeeze

Rule and full record

Breakouts & channels · daily

When the Bollinger Bands shrink inside the Keltner Channel, the market is coiled. Buy when that squeeze releases with momentum positive and rising; sell when momentum fades for two days.

Calls right36%41,834 closed calls on 377 stocks.

Beat buy and hold (Sharpe)37 of 375On raw return: 44 of 375.

In right now43 of 377As of the Oct 13, 2026 close.

Best risk-adjusted results against buy and hold:

HTZOUT CRWVOUT NAMMOUT LACOUT NPCEOUT ALABOUT TSATOUT WSCOUT TKOOUT PMZ.UNOUT BTDROUT GSYOUT All 377 stocks →