Sometimes the market just sits there, doing nothing, until suddenly it doesn't. That's exactly what happened with the iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) on Tuesday morning.

At 10:15 AM EST on November 26th, SOXX was trading at $287.32 when it flashed a Power Inflow signal—a bullish indicator that tracks institutional and retail order flow data. Up until that point, the semiconductor ETF had been stuck in neutral during the first hour of trading, hovering near its opening price without much direction.

Then things got interesting. Right around the time of the alert, both retail and institutional traders started leaning heavily toward the buy side. The result? SOXX climbed steadily throughout the day, eventually hitting $293.02 by 2:45 PM EST—a gain of roughly 1.98% from the signal price.

What's a Power Inflow Signal, Anyway?

The Power Inflow alert is a proprietary signal from TradePulse that's designed to catch bullish momentum early. It only triggers within the first two hours of the trading day, and it's looking for one specific thing: a significant shift in order flow that suggests buyers are taking control.

Think of it as a real-time glimpse into who's doing what in the market. Order flow analytics dig into the volume, timing, and size of orders coming from both retail investors and institutional players. When there's a clear trend toward buying activity, the Power Inflow signal fires off, flagging a potential entry point for traders who want to catch the wave.

It's not a crystal ball, but it does offer something valuable—insight into market sentiment beyond just price action. You're seeing the behavior behind the movement, which can help you understand whether momentum is likely to stick around or fizzle out.

How SOXX Performed After the Signal

Let's talk numbers. When the Power Inflow alert triggered, SOXX was sitting at $287.32. By mid-afternoon, it had climbed to an intraday high of $293.02, marking a 1.98% gain from the signal price.

That might not sound like a massive move, but for active traders looking to capitalize on short-term momentum, it's exactly the kind of opportunity that order flow analytics are meant to highlight. Anyone who bought shares shortly after the alert could have locked in a decent intraday gain, assuming they timed their exit well.

What makes this particularly interesting is the context. During the first hour of trading, SOXX was basically going nowhere. The price was stagnant, giving no obvious indication that a rally was brewing. But the order flow data told a different story—buyers were quietly building positions, and that activity eventually translated into upward price movement.

Why Order Flow Matters

Here's the thing about order flow analytics: they give you a layer of information that price charts alone can't provide. You're not just looking at where the price is or where it's been—you're looking at the forces pushing it in one direction or another.

When institutional and retail traders both start buying aggressively, that's a signal worth paying attention to. It suggests conviction, not just random noise. And in the case of SOXX on Tuesday, that conviction played out exactly as the Power Inflow signal suggested it would.

Of course, no signal is perfect. Markets are unpredictable, and what works one day might not work the next. But for traders who incorporate order flow data into their decision-making process, alerts like this provide an edge—a way to spot potential reversals or momentum shifts before they become obvious to everyone else.

Tuesday's move in SOXX is a textbook example of how these signals are supposed to work. The ETF was flat, the signal fired, buying interest surged, and the price followed. Simple as that.