Profit with the Market Profile: Identifying Market Value in Real Time

Book Insight

“Profit with the Market Profile” by Dr. John Keppler is a deep, structured guide to understanding and applying Market Profile theory in real trading. Building upon the foundational concepts of auction market behavior, Keppler translates the complex language of market structure into clear, actionable principles for traders. The book explains how price and time interact to reveal the ongoing negotiation between buyers and sellers, helping traders anticipate when value is shifting rather than reacting after the fact. By focusing on the identification of market balance, imbalance, and value migration, Keppler empowers traders to interpret the profile as a dynamic story — one that unfolds in real time and provides superior timing for trade execution.

Core Concepts

At its core, the book introduces traders to the auction market process and teaches how to apply Market Profile and Volume Profile to identify value areas, directional conviction, and potential turning points. Dr. Keppler explains:

• The principles of price discovery and acceptance, and how to define value in a moving market.
• The difference between rotational (balanced) and directional (imbalanced) profiles.
• How to use Initial Balance (IB), Point of Control (POC), and Value Area (VA) to forecast market behavior.
• The concept of market condition transitions — when the market moves from balance to imbalance and back again.
• How to align Market Profile analysis with context, timeframe, and volume flow to build a high-confidence trade plan.
  Through a data-driven yet intuitive approach, Keppler teaches traders how to see the market as a continuous auction rather than a random series of bars.

Inside the Chart

Using real market examples, Keppler demonstrates how to read developing profiles in real time — identifying where new value is forming and where old value is being rejected. Each example includes step-by-step interpretations of daily and composite profiles, showing how to distinguish between initiative and responsive trading behavior. Readers learn how to use TPOs (Time Price Opportunities) to quantify market activity, anticipate breakouts, and refine their stop and target placement. The book also integrates volume distributions and contextual bias to provide a complete framework for modern intraday and swing trading decisions.

Author’s Edge

Dr. John Keppler, founder of Strategic Trading, LLC, and a recognized authority in Market Profile education, brings a unique perspective by merging academic rigor with professional trading experience. His teaching is clear, systematic, and grounded in market logic — focusing on structure, probability, and the balance between theory and execution. Unlike traditional technical analysis books, Keppler’s work gives traders a true edge by helping them see what the market is actually doing — defining value in motion and profiting from the process.

Profit with the Market Profile: Identifying Market Value in Real Time by Dr. John Keppler