Accumulation
A range where a large player builds a position before the move.
Accumulation is the phase where price spends a long time in a narrow range while volume stays high. A large participant needs to build a position without pushing price against themselves, so they buy in parts and keep the market range-bound. It looks like boredom, but this is where the direction of the next move is decided. Signs: a tightening range, false breakdowns that are bought back quickly, rising volume without follow-through. The opposite phase is distribution.