10 candlestick patterns you must know
There are literally hundreds of candlestick patterns that traders use to increase their trading performance. Best used with other technical analysis tools, here are the top 10 patterns that provide the most consistent results.
* The dark cloud cover: This 2 candlestick high probability formation is bearish. Generally the first candlestick is continuing the bull trend and the next candlestick will gap up and open appearing to continue the trend, but fail to make any bullish headway and close well below the open and well into the real body of the first candlestick.
* Doji: Sometimes called a Doji star because the candlestick resembles a star. The doji star forms when the buyers and sellers are equal and price remains relatively static. There can be variances in the high and low a little, but the open and close are very close.
* The engulfing candlestick pattern: This formation consists of just two candlesticks. The first of the two will open and close within the real body of the second candlestick, and as such the second one will have an open and close outside the first candlesticks real body. This can be a bearish or bullish engulfing pattern depending upon the full or empty bodied candlesticks in the pattern.
* Evening star pattern: The evening star is a 3 bar candlestick pattern. Initially the first candlestick is long and bullish resuming the bull trend. Second is a small candlestick that gaps up and fails after that to make much headway. The next day or session is a gap down and a bearish candlestick who's close reaches well into that of the first candlestick in the pattern.
* Hammer: The hammer is a 1 candlestick formation. It looks like a hammer. It has a hammer head and a handle. The handle tells us that price tried hard to push down, but failed to stay there and ended up closing near the open. This is bullish anywhere you see it.
* Hanging man: The hanging man is still a hammer, but when its on an uptrend its called a hanging man. Look to the long tail for the intuitiveness in the candlestick. Price pushed down but failed to stay there, this is bullish and so the hanging man tells us the trend will continue. A continuation candlestick.
* Harami candlestick: This is a 2 candlestick formation. It resembles the exact opposite as the engulfing pattern. This pattern will show price opening and closing within the open and close of the previous candlestick and demonstrates a potential reversal in the short term trend. This can be bullish or bearish depending on the color of each candlestick and where it appears in the trend. Each candlestick will be a different color.
* Morning Star: This formation is considered a three day bullish reversal pattern that consists of a long bodied black first day, a short gap down second day, followed by a third long white bodied candle, which closes above the midpoint of the first day.
* The piercing line: This pattern is just two candlesticks. It is a bullish reversal pattern. What happens here is the first candlestick will continue the bearish trend down and the next will appear to be following suite on the open but will surprise you as it closes much higher and exceed the 50% level of the first candlestick.
* Shooting star: This is a single candlestick pattern. It looks like an upside down hammer and signals a bearish reversal. As such it's best when found on a bullish uptrend. Look to the long upper witch for the intuitiveness in this candlestick. The bulls pushed hard like they did in the prevailing trend but the bears won the race by days end closing near the low / open. - 23212
* The dark cloud cover: This 2 candlestick high probability formation is bearish. Generally the first candlestick is continuing the bull trend and the next candlestick will gap up and open appearing to continue the trend, but fail to make any bullish headway and close well below the open and well into the real body of the first candlestick.
* Doji: Sometimes called a Doji star because the candlestick resembles a star. The doji star forms when the buyers and sellers are equal and price remains relatively static. There can be variances in the high and low a little, but the open and close are very close.
* The engulfing candlestick pattern: This formation consists of just two candlesticks. The first of the two will open and close within the real body of the second candlestick, and as such the second one will have an open and close outside the first candlesticks real body. This can be a bearish or bullish engulfing pattern depending upon the full or empty bodied candlesticks in the pattern.
* Evening star pattern: The evening star is a 3 bar candlestick pattern. Initially the first candlestick is long and bullish resuming the bull trend. Second is a small candlestick that gaps up and fails after that to make much headway. The next day or session is a gap down and a bearish candlestick who's close reaches well into that of the first candlestick in the pattern.
* Hammer: The hammer is a 1 candlestick formation. It looks like a hammer. It has a hammer head and a handle. The handle tells us that price tried hard to push down, but failed to stay there and ended up closing near the open. This is bullish anywhere you see it.
* Hanging man: The hanging man is still a hammer, but when its on an uptrend its called a hanging man. Look to the long tail for the intuitiveness in the candlestick. Price pushed down but failed to stay there, this is bullish and so the hanging man tells us the trend will continue. A continuation candlestick.
* Harami candlestick: This is a 2 candlestick formation. It resembles the exact opposite as the engulfing pattern. This pattern will show price opening and closing within the open and close of the previous candlestick and demonstrates a potential reversal in the short term trend. This can be bullish or bearish depending on the color of each candlestick and where it appears in the trend. Each candlestick will be a different color.
* Morning Star: This formation is considered a three day bullish reversal pattern that consists of a long bodied black first day, a short gap down second day, followed by a third long white bodied candle, which closes above the midpoint of the first day.
* The piercing line: This pattern is just two candlesticks. It is a bullish reversal pattern. What happens here is the first candlestick will continue the bearish trend down and the next will appear to be following suite on the open but will surprise you as it closes much higher and exceed the 50% level of the first candlestick.
* Shooting star: This is a single candlestick pattern. It looks like an upside down hammer and signals a bearish reversal. As such it's best when found on a bullish uptrend. Look to the long upper witch for the intuitiveness in this candlestick. The bulls pushed hard like they did in the prevailing trend but the bears won the race by days end closing near the low / open. - 23212
About the Author:
Reading a candlestick chart is an absolute must if you plan to become a successful trader. It doesn't matter if you're just learning to trade or a seasoned pro who's looking for a new edge, candlestick patterns are the end all for accurately assessing price action. Download our candlestick chart mastery manual at http://www.candlestickgenius.com
posted by X - Men @ 4:47 AM
0 Comments
