What Does Williams %R Actually Read on CL 5-minute Charts?
Educational reference. Measured from 11,709 recorded values on Crude Oil 5-minute charts through September 4, 2026.
The middle half of all readings sat between -74.58 and -21.62, with a median of -47.62.
Williams %R measures where the close sits in the recent range, expressed from 0 down to −100. This page reports what it actually read on Crude Oil 5-minute charts — not what it is supposed to do, but the distribution of 11,709 recorded values over the last 90 days.
| Series | Median | Middle half | 5th / 95th | Full range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Williams %R | -47.62 | -74.58 – -21.62 | -94.62 / -4.39 | -100.00 – 0 |
The median is the middle reading, so a single unusual session cannot drag it. The middle half is where Williams %R sat on half of all bars — the range you should expect to see most of the time on this chart.
How often it reaches the levels people watch
| Reading | Bars | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Above -20 | 2,705 | 23.1% |
| Between -80 and -20 | 6,714 | 57.3% |
| Below -80 | 2,290 | 19.6% |
Williams %R spent 57% of its time between -80 and -20 on this chart. A reading beyond -20 appeared about once every 4 bars, and below -80 about once every 5. How rare a signal is matters as much as what it says.
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How this was measured
Every 5-minute bar of Crude Oil recorded in the last 90 days was read, and the values grouped without smoothing or filtering. Series with fewer than 400 readings are omitted rather than shown on thin evidence. These are recorded values, not forecasts.