Get the TradingView chart's lowest value with Pine Script

Get the TradingView chart’s lowest value with Pine Script

TL;DR
Walk a series with a persistent var so you always know the lowest value visible on the chart, regardless of timeframe or data gaps.

At a Glance


Difficulty	Beginner
Time to implement	10-15 min
Category	Utility

Quick Actions

Quick Start

//@version=5
indicator("Chart lowest", overlay=false)

var float chartLowest = na
chartLowest := na(chartLowest) ? low : math.min(chartLowest, low)

plot(chartLowest, "Lowest low on chart", color=color.red)

Remember. The result depends on how many bars TradingView loads. Zooming or requesting more history can change the chart-wide minimum.

Why It Matters

TradingView charts can span years of data. When you need to mark the lowest low (or the lowest value of any custom series) for visual cues, alerts, or risk controls, scanning the entire visible history manually is not feasible. A lightweight helper function keeps a running minimum so you can reuse it across scripts.

What You’ll Learn

Creating a persistent helper that tracks the lowest value in a series
Reusing the helper for lows, moving averages, or custom series with gaps
Displaying the chart-wide minimum and updating it when new data loads
Guarding against na values and history limitations

Quick Reference

Call	Purpose
`var`	Persists the lowest value across bars.
`math.min(a, b)`	Compares current data against the stored minimum.
`nz(value, default)`	Provides a fallback when the persistent series is `na`.
`plot(series)`	Visualises the running minimum on the chart.
`timeframe.expand`	(Optional) Loads additional history if you need a longer window.

Implementation Blueprint

Store the running minimum in a persistent variable
Initialise the variable with the first value, then compare each new bar.
```
var float lowestSeries = dataSeries
lowestSeries := math.min(lowestSeries, dataSeries)
```
Handle na inputs gracefully
Data with gaps (e.g., conditional series) should skip na values.
```
if not na(dataSeries)
    lowestSeries := math.min(lowestSeries, dataSeries)
```

Expose the helper as a reusable function
Wrap the logic so you can request the chart lowest for any series.

chartLowest(series float) =>
    var float lowest = series
    if not na(series)
        lowest := math.min(lowest, series)
    lowest

Example Playbook

//@version=5
indicator("Chart-wide lows", overlay=true)

chartLowest(series float) =>
    var float lowest = series
    if not na(series)
        lowest := math.min(lowest, series)
    lowest

lowestLow   = chartLowest(low)
emaValue    = ta.ema(close, 50)
lowestEMA   = chartLowest(emaValue)
fridayClose = dayofweek == dayofweek.friday ? close : na
lowestFri   = chartLowest(fridayClose)

plot(lowestLow, "Lowest low", color=color.red)
plot(lowestEMA, "Lowest EMA", color=color.orange)
plot(lowestFri, "Lowest Friday close", color=color.teal)

Why this works.

The `var` variable remembers prior minima, even when the helper is called multiple times.
Series with gaps (Friday closes) still update correctly because `na` values are ignored.
Multiple calls reuse the same logic to track different series simultaneously.

Pro Tips & Pitfalls

The chart-wide minimum is not necessarily the all-time low—it reflects only the bars currently loaded.
If you change symbols or zoom levels, the helper automatically recomputes after the new data loads.
To reset the minimum (e.g., for session-based tracking), reinitialise the var whenever your session boundary is reached.
For highest values, mirror the logic using math.max.

Troubleshooting & FAQ

The minimum changes when I scroll—why?

TradingView loads additional bars when you scroll back. More history can introduce lower lows, so the running minimum updates accordingly.

How do I start fresh at a session open?

Reset the persistent variable when session.isfirstbar is true, or maintain separate minima per session using a dictionary.

Key Takeaways

A simple var + math.min pattern lets you track chart-wide minima for any series.
Always account for na values and the current history window.
Reuse the helper to highlight extremes, build alerts, or compute drawdown references.
Extend the idea to maxima or other cumulative statistics with minimal changes.

Keep Going

Open AI Editor to apply the pattern with guided assistance
Browse PineScript Examples for ready-to-run templates
Connect to Live Trading when you are ready to automate

Adapted from tradingcode.net, optimised for Algo Trade Analytics users.