If you study during UK evenings, a thinly traded small-cap may teach frustration more than phase reading. Prefer liquid FTSE names, major FX pairs, or futures with clear session structure. You want honest volume behaviour, not noise from sporadic prints.
CFD volume is a proxy; treat it as directional colour rather than precise participation. Where possible, cross-check with exchange volume on the underlying. Students who ignore this distinction invent “absorption” that was never there.
Build a short list of five instruments and stay with them for a full cohort. Depth of familiarity beats a rotating zoo of tickers. You will recognise when a range is behaving oddly because you already know its usual rhythm.
If your broker’s data feed is delayed or incomplete, say so in clinic. We would rather adjust the exercise than pretend the tape is clean.