by Mark Deaton

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: You will find doji’s where the open close, high and low are in close proximity. The candlestick ends up looking like a small cross. It means that the buyers and sellers are indecisive and can indicate potentially that a reversal is about to take place.

* Engulfing Pattern: This is a two-day pattern where the first day’s body is smaller than the subsequent candlestick, and they are both of opposite colors. This pattern is considered bearish when it appears at the end of an uptrend and bullish when it occurs in a down trending market.

* 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.

* The Hammer: This is a single candlestick. The hammer is always bullish It will indicate a continuation in a bull trend and a reversal in a bearish one. It just a small body and a long tail. The tail is imply the bears trying their best to push price down and failing by end of day to keep it there.

* Hanging Man: Identical to the Hammer, this candlestick pattern occurs during an uptrend, and signals a continuation of the price movement.

* 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.

* The shooting star: This single candlestick marks a reversal off of an uptrend. Characterized by a long upper wick and a short real body this bearish reversal candlestick simply says that the bullish trend has just been exhausted. Pay close attention to the shooting star.

About the Author:
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