How to use advanced candlestick anatomy in trading: CADJPYEvery candlestick on the chart is made up of different or multiple candles on the lower timeframe. For example, a weekly candle is made up of seven daily candles. While a 4 hours candle is made up of four 1 hour candles. Understanding how these candles contribute to the formation of a single or more candlesticks will go a long way in improving our performance.
Candlestick anatomy has to do with the formation of candlestick on the chart and the implication of such candlestick. Conventionally, common candlesticks are engulfing candlestick, doji, evening star, hammer, pin bar and the rest. Some signify continuation while others are meant for reversal. The formation of these candlesticks at key levels provide an helpful insights into understanding the next market move. Hence, they can serve as confluence and confirmation for our trading decision.
Taking this further a bit, by examining these candlesticks, one can get to understand better a precise point for entry and exit. This may be new to a retail trader who trades just the candlestick while it will provide more insights for anyone looking for ways to optimize his performance.
As a case study, I had a sell setup on CADJPY and it gave a bearish engulfing candlestick on 1 hour timeframe as a confirmation for selling. Instead of entering the trade after the bearish candle closed, I changed to 5 minutes timeframe to examine the anatomy of the candlestick. Then, I discovered that there was sweep and change of character. Based on the price narrative on 5 minutes timeframe, then trading decision was made using the 5 minutes timeframe, targeting 3 RR. If 1 hour timeframe had been used for taking the trade, one is likely to have lost the profit by now.
Candlestick anatomy will help you to optimize your performance and returns.
I hope you've learnt something helpful from this post.
Thanks.
Fatai Kareem, Kof T Fx.
