Pull (Order Pulling)

Order pulling refers to the cancellation of a resting limit order: removing it from the order book before it fills. When an order is pulled, the size at that price level on the DOM decreases (or disappears entirely) without any corresponding print in Time and Sales.

Consumed vs pulled: the critical distinction

On the DOM, you observe two ways that size at a price level can decrease:

Consumed: an aggressive market order hit the resting limit order and it filled. A print appears in Time and Sales at that price. The size decrease has a corresponding T&S entry.

Pulled: the order owner cancelled their order. No print in Time and Sales. The size disappears silently.

This distinction is everything in DOM reading. Consumed orders mean price actually traded at that level. Pulled orders mean a participant changed their mind: which itself carries information.

What pulling reveals

Bid pulled as price approaches: a passive buyer who appeared to support price removed their order just before it would have been filled. This is a bearish signal: the apparent support was fake or the participant lost conviction.

Ask pulled as price approaches: a passive seller removed their offer. This is a bullish signal: overhead supply was removed, potentially clearing the path for an upside move (or the pull was a spoof that achieved its goal).

Large pull after price moves away: a participant placed a large order, price moved in their desired direction, and then they pulled the order (it never needed to fill because it served as a signal). Classic spoofing behavior.

Pulling speed and intent

Pulling that occurs the moment price is one tick away is the highest-signal version: it strongly suggests the order was placed for informational or manipulative purposes rather than genuine trading intent. Pulling that occurs after price has moved away from the level is more ambiguous: the market simply moved past their desired entry.

Tools for tracking pulls

Standard DOM displays show current size but not pull history. Specialized tools (Jigsaw Depth & Sales, Sierra Chart Market Depth) can visualize order flow including additions and cancellations over time, making pulling patterns more visible.