PATTERN SUMMARY
1. The body is used to determine the size oftlle reversal wick. A wick tllat is between 2.5 to 3.5 times larger than
the size of the body is ideal.
2. For a bullish reversal wick to exist, tlle close ofthe bar should fall witllin tlle top 35 percent of the overall range
of the candle.
3. For a bearish reversal wick to exist, the close of the bar should fall within the bottom 35 percent of the overall
range of the candle.
PATTERN PSYCHOLOGY
Figure 2-4 shows several types of bullish and bearish reversal wick candlesticks that can all signal
profitable reversal opportunities in the market, especially if these patterns are paired with key pivot levels. In
traditional candlestick jargon, these particular candlesticks would have names ranging from hammer, hanging
man, inverted hammer, shooting star, gravestone doji, or dragonfly doji, depending on where the candle is
placed in a trend. Now you can see why I simply call these candlesticks wicks, or even tails. Instead of fumbling
over the proper naming of these candlesticks, I believe it is more important to know what these patterns
represent. What are they telling you?
Types of Candlestick Reversal Wicks
When the market has been trending lower then suddenly forms a reversal wick candlestick, the likelihood of
a reversal increases since buyers have finally begun to overwhelm the sellers. Selling pressure rules the decline,
but responsive buyers entered the market due to perceived undervaluation. For the reversal wick to open near the
high of the candle, sell off sharply intra-bar, and then rally back toward the open of the candle is bullish, as it
signifies that the bears no longer have control since they were not able to extend the decline of the candle, or the
trend. Instead, the bulls were able to rally price from the lows of the candle and close the bar near the top of its
range, which is bullish - at least for one bar, which hadn't been the case during the bearish trend (see Figure 2.5).
The Stages of a Reversal Wick
Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3
Essentially, when a reversal wick forms at the extreme of a trend, the market is telling you that the trend
either has stalled or is on the verge of a reversal. Remember, the market auctions higher in search of sellers, and
lower in search of buyers. When the market over-extends itself in search of market participants, it will find itself
out of value, which means responsive market participants will look to enter the market to push price back toward
an area of perceived value. This will help price find a value area for two-sided trade to take place. When the
market finds itself too far out of value, responsive market participants will sometimes enter the market with
force, which aggressively pushes price in the opposite direction, essentially forming reversal wick candlesticks.
This pattern is perhaps the most telling and common reversal setup, but requires steadfast confirmation in order
to capitalize on its power. Understanding the psychology behind these formations and learning to identify them
quickly will allow you to enter positions well ahead of the crowd, especially if you've spotted these patterns at
potentially overvalued or undervalued areas.
1. The body is used to determine the size oftlle reversal wick. A wick tllat is between 2.5 to 3.5 times larger than
the size of the body is ideal.
2. For a bullish reversal wick to exist, tlle close ofthe bar should fall witllin tlle top 35 percent of the overall range
of the candle.
3. For a bearish reversal wick to exist, the close of the bar should fall within the bottom 35 percent of the overall
range of the candle.
PATTERN PSYCHOLOGY
Figure 2-4 shows several types of bullish and bearish reversal wick candlesticks that can all signal
profitable reversal opportunities in the market, especially if these patterns are paired with key pivot levels. In
traditional candlestick jargon, these particular candlesticks would have names ranging from hammer, hanging
man, inverted hammer, shooting star, gravestone doji, or dragonfly doji, depending on where the candle is
placed in a trend. Now you can see why I simply call these candlesticks wicks, or even tails. Instead of fumbling
over the proper naming of these candlesticks, I believe it is more important to know what these patterns
represent. What are they telling you?
Types of Candlestick Reversal Wicks
When the market has been trending lower then suddenly forms a reversal wick candlestick, the likelihood of
a reversal increases since buyers have finally begun to overwhelm the sellers. Selling pressure rules the decline,
but responsive buyers entered the market due to perceived undervaluation. For the reversal wick to open near the
high of the candle, sell off sharply intra-bar, and then rally back toward the open of the candle is bullish, as it
signifies that the bears no longer have control since they were not able to extend the decline of the candle, or the
trend. Instead, the bulls were able to rally price from the lows of the candle and close the bar near the top of its
range, which is bullish - at least for one bar, which hadn't been the case during the bearish trend (see Figure 2.5).
The Stages of a Reversal Wick
Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3
Essentially, when a reversal wick forms at the extreme of a trend, the market is telling you that the trend
either has stalled or is on the verge of a reversal. Remember, the market auctions higher in search of sellers, and
lower in search of buyers. When the market over-extends itself in search of market participants, it will find itself
out of value, which means responsive market participants will look to enter the market to push price back toward
an area of perceived value. This will help price find a value area for two-sided trade to take place. When the
market finds itself too far out of value, responsive market participants will sometimes enter the market with
force, which aggressively pushes price in the opposite direction, essentially forming reversal wick candlesticks.
This pattern is perhaps the most telling and common reversal setup, but requires steadfast confirmation in order
to capitalize on its power. Understanding the psychology behind these formations and learning to identify them
quickly will allow you to enter positions well ahead of the crowd, especially if you've spotted these patterns at
potentially overvalued or undervalued areas.