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    Candlestick patterns

    Available on: Web · iOS · Android

    On this page

    A candlestick pattern filter finds stocks whose last few candles form a known shape, such as a hammer after a selloff or a bearish engulfing bar at a high. One to five candles make a pattern, so it reads the last few sessions. A chart pattern filter reads weeks of swings instead.

    The scanner knows 61 patterns. Each one finds the shape only. Pair it with a trend or momentum filter to say where the shape has to appear.

    Tour

    Every pattern comes with a sample of its candles. Search matches names and descriptions.

    • Pattern badge: the pattern the filter looks for. Click it (tap it on mobile) to open the picker.
    • All, Bullish, Bearish, Neutral: the picker's tabs. A pattern that can resolve either way, like Engulfing Pattern, shows under both Bullish and Bearish.
    • Search patterns…: finds a pattern by name or description.

    A two-sided pattern adds the Any, Bullish and Bearish toggle to its row.

    Create and configure

    1. Click + on a filter group (or Add filter in an empty group), then Candlestick pattern. A new row appears with Doji.
    2. Click the pattern badge, pick a tab, and pick a pattern.
    3. Pick the timeframe. 1 day reads daily candles.
    4. Set within bars to how many recent bars may hold the pattern. With 5, a pattern on any of the last five bars counts.
    5. For a two-sided pattern, pick Any, Bullish or Bearish.
    6. Click Scan.

    Picking a two-sided pattern from the Bullish or Bearish tab sets that direction for you.

    Reference

    Settings

    SettingWhat it does
    TimeframeThe candle size, from 1 minute to 1 month. Free plans use 1 day only.
    Bars agoThe bar the pattern must finish on. 0 (latest) is the most recent bar. 3 looks three bars back.
    WithinHow many recent bars to search. 1 is the latest bar only.
    Consecutive barsHow many bars in a row must show the pattern. Leave it empty for one.
    DirectionAny, Bullish or Bearish. Only two-sided patterns show it.
    SessionsPre-market, Regular and After-hours, on intraday timeframes only. Daily and longer candles cover the regular session. At least one stays on.

    Bullish patterns

    These patterns point up. They show under the Bullish tab and have no direction toggle.

    PatternWhat it shows
    Concealing Baby SwallowFour black candles, the fourth engulfing the third. Rare.
    Dragonfly DojiOpen and close at the high, with a long lower shadow. Often at bottoms.
    HammerA small body at the top of the range and a long lower shadow, after a downtrend.
    Homing PigeonA small black candle inside the body of a larger black one, in a downtrend.
    Inverted HammerA small body at the bottom of the range and a long upper shadow, after a downtrend.
    Ladder BottomThree black candles, a gap down, then a white candle. Selling runs out.
    Mat HoldA strong white candle, a small pullback, then a white candle that closes above the first.
    Matching LowTwo black candles with the same close, in a downtrend. Support forming.
    Morning Doji StarA doji that gaps below a downtrend, then a white candle that closes into the first candle's body.
    Morning StarA small candle that gaps below a downtrend, then a white candle that closes into the first candle's body.
    Piercing PatternA white candle opens below the prior black candle's low and closes above its midpoint.
    Stick SandwichTwo black candles with matching closes around a white candle.
    Takuri (Dragonfly Doji with very long lower shadow)A dragonfly doji with an extra-long lower shadow.
    Three Advancing White SoldiersThree long white candles, each opening inside the last body and closing higher.
    Three Stars In The SouthThree black candles with shrinking bodies and lower shadows. Selling weakens.
    Unique 3 RiverA long black candle, a smaller black candle, then a white candle. Rare.

    Bearish patterns

    These patterns point down. They show under the Bearish tab and have no direction toggle.

    PatternWhat it shows
    Advance BlockThree white candles with shrinking gains and longer upper shadows. Buying weakens.
    Dark Cloud CoverA black candle opens above the prior white candle's high and closes below its midpoint.
    Evening Doji StarA doji that gaps above an uptrend, then a black candle that closes into the first candle's body.
    Evening StarA small candle that gaps above an uptrend, then a black candle that closes into the first candle's body.
    Gravestone DojiOpen and close at the low, with a long upper shadow. Often at tops.
    Hanging ManA small body at the top of the range and a long lower shadow, after an uptrend.
    Identical Three CrowsThree black candles with similar closes.
    In-Neck PatternIn a downtrend, a white candle closes near the prior black candle's close.
    On-Neck PatternIn a downtrend, a white candle closes at or near the prior black candle's low.
    Shooting StarA small body at the bottom of the range and a long upper shadow, after an uptrend.
    Stalled PatternLike three white soldiers, but with shrinking bodies and longer upper shadows.
    Three Black CrowsThree long black candles, each opening inside the last body and closing lower.
    Thrusting PatternA white candle closes just above the prior black candle's close, below its midpoint.
    Two CrowsTwo black candles with lower closes, after an uptrend.
    Upside Gap Two CrowsA white candle, then two black candles that gap up and fail.

    Indecision patterns

    Doji, Long Legged Doji and Rickshaw Man show indecision: open and close sit at almost the same price. They show under Neutral only and have no direction toggle.

    Two-sided patterns

    These patterns resolve bullish or bearish. Set Direction to keep one side. They show under Bullish, Bearish and Neutral.

    PatternWhat it shows
    Abandoned BabyA doji gaps away from the prior candle, and the next candle gaps the other way. Rare.
    Belt-holdOne candle that opens at its low and closes near its high, or the reverse.
    BreakawayFive candles: a gap with the trend, three more, then a reversal candle that closes the gap.
    Closing MarubozuA candle with no shadow at its closing end.
    CounterattackA candle of the opposite color closes at the prior candle's close.
    Doji StarA doji that gaps away from the prior candle.
    Engulfing PatternThe second candle's body covers the whole of the first candle's body.
    Harami PatternA small candle inside the prior, larger candle's body.
    Harami Cross PatternA harami whose second candle is a doji.
    High-Wave CandleA small body with very long upper and lower shadows.
    Hikkake PatternAn inside bar, a false break of its range, then a move back inside.
    KickingTwo marubozu candles of opposite colors with a gap between them.
    Kicking - bull/bear determined by the longer marubozuKicking, with the side set by the longer of the two candles.
    Long Line CandleA candle with an unusually long body.
    MarubozuA candle with no shadows: it opens and closes at the extremes.
    Modified Hikkake PatternThe hikkake with an extra confirmation rule.
    Rising/Falling Three MethodsA long candle, three small counter-trend candles, then a long candle with the trend.
    Separating LinesTwo candles of opposite colors with the same open.
    Short Line CandleA candle with an unusually short body.
    Spinning TopA small body with shadows on both ends.
    Tasuki GapA counter-trend candle that fills part of a gap, while the gap holds.
    Three Inside Up/DownA candle inside the first, then a third that confirms the turn.
    Three Outside Up/DownA candle that engulfs the first, then a third that closes beyond it.
    Three-Line StrikeThree candles one way, then a fourth that reverses all three.
    Tristar PatternThree dojis in a row, the middle one gapping away. Rare.
    Up/Down-gap side-by-side white linesTwo white candles side by side after a gap.
    Upside/Downside Gap Three MethodsA gap with the trend, a candle that fills it, then the trend resumes.

    Recipes

    Hammer reversal

    A hammer in the last 8 daily bars on a stock with RSI below 40 and over $5M a day in dollar volume.

    Filters

    • RSI(c,14)<40
    • SMA(bar_dollar_volume,50)>5M
    • Daily Hammer candlestick pattern within the last 8 bars
    How to use it

    Look for the hammer near support or a prior low. A close above the hammer's high on the next bars confirms it.

    Warning

    In a strong downtrend a hammer often marks a pause, not the bottom.

    Open in scanrRun it from the API

    Bullish engulfing

    A bullish engulfing pattern in the last 3 daily bars, with RSI below 50 and over $5M a day in dollar volume.

    Filters

    • RSI(c,14)<50
    • SMA(bar_dollar_volume,50)>5M
    • Daily bullish Engulfing candlestick pattern within the last 3 bars
    How to use it

    Check that the engulfing candle traded heavier volume than the one before it.

    Open in scanrRun it from the API

    Morning star

    A morning star in the last 5 daily bars, with RSI below 45 and over $5M a day in dollar volume.

    Filters

    • RSI(c,14)<45
    • SMA(bar_dollar_volume,50)>5M
    • Daily Morningstar candlestick pattern within the last 5 bars
    How to use it

    The third candle should close well into the first candle's body. A shallow close is a weaker signal.

    Open in scanrRun it from the API

    Shooting star

    A shooting star in the last 5 daily bars on a stock with RSI above 65 and over $5M a day in dollar volume.

    Filters

    • RSI(c,14)>65
    • SMA(bar_dollar_volume,50)>5M
    • Daily Shootingstar candlestick pattern within the last 5 bars
    How to use it

    Use it to find extended names to trim or short. Wait for a close below the shooting star's low.

    Warning

    Strong stocks print shooting stars and keep going. One candle is not a trend change.

    Open in scanrRun it from the API

    Gravestone doji

    A gravestone doji in the last 10 daily bars on a stock with RSI above 65 and over $5M a day in dollar volume.

    Filters

    • RSI(c,14)>65
    • SMA(bar_dollar_volume,50)>5M
    • Daily Gravestonedoji candlestick pattern within the last 10 bars
    How to use it

    Compare the doji's high with the last swing high. A failed retest of that level carries more weight.

    Open in scanrRun it from the API

    Quick reference

    StyleRecipe or settingWhy
    Day tradingAny pattern on 5 minutes with within 3Catches a reversal candle on today's chart.
    Swing tradingHammer reversal, Bullish engulfingReversal candles on daily bars after a pullback.
    Swing tradingShooting star, Gravestone dojiExhaustion candles on overbought names.
    Position tradingAny pattern on 1 weekOne candle covers a week of trading, so less noise.

    Tips

    • Add a trend or momentum filter. A hammer means something after a selloff and little in the middle of a range. The presets pair each pattern with RSI for that reason.
    • Keep within small, 3 to 5 bars. A pattern from two weeks ago has already played out.
    • Set Direction on two-sided patterns. Engulfing Pattern left at Any returns bullish and bearish engulfings together.
    • Add a liquidity floor. On thin stocks one odd print makes a pattern.

    Troubleshooting

    IssueCauseSolution
    A timeframe shows a bolt icon and won't apply.Free plans scan candlestick patterns on 1 day only.Switch to 1 day, or upgrade to Super.
    I picked Bearish and there's no direction toggle.The pattern resolves one way only, so it has no direction to pick.Nothing to do. One-sided patterns need no direction.
    Engulfing Pattern returns bullish and bearish stocks.Direction is set to Any.Set it to Bullish or Bearish.
    The sessions toggle is missing.Daily and longer candles cover the regular session only.Pick an intraday timeframe to choose sessions.
    My scan returns no results.The pattern is rare, or within is too short.Widen within, or try a more common pattern on the same idea.

    Related

    Technical filtersRSI, moving averages and other studies to pair with a pattern.Scanner 101How a scan works and what each plan can use.GlossaryTerms used across the scanner.

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