Double Top or Bottom
Beginner Chart Patterns: Head & Shoulders, Double Tops and MoreWelcome to the world of chart patterns—the place where every price action tells a story. And if you read it right, you might just walk away with profits. In this Idea, we explore the immersive corner of technical analysis where chart patterns shape to potentially show you where the price is going. We’ll keep it tight and break down the most popular ones so you’d have more time to take your knowledge for a spin and look for some patterns (risk-free with a paper trading account ?). Let’s roll.
Chart patterns are the market’s version of geometry paired with hieroglyphics. They might look like random squiggles at first, but once you learn to decode them, they might reveal where the market is headed next. Here are the mainstay chart patterns everyone should start with: Head and Shoulders, Double Tops, and a few other gems.
1. Head and Shoulders: The King of Reversals
First up is the Head and Shoulders pattern—an iconic, evergreen, ever-fashionable formation that traders dream about. Why? Because it’s a reliable reversal pattern that often signals the end of a trend and the beginning of a new one.
Here’s the breakdown: Imagine a market that’s been climbing higher. It forms a peak (a shoulder), pulls back, then rallies even higher to form a bigger peak (the head), only to drop again. Finally, it gives one last weak attempt to rise (the second shoulder), but it can’t reach the same height as the head. The neckline, a horizontal line connecting the two lows between the peaks, is your trigger. Once the price breaks below it, it’s time to consider shorting or bailing on your long position.
And yes, there’s an inverted version of this pattern too. It looks like a man doing a handstand and signals a trend reversal from bearish to bullish. That’s Head and Shoulders—flipping trends since forever.
2. Double Tops and Double Bottoms: The Market’s Déjà Vu
Next up, we have the Double Top and Double Bottom patterns—the market’s way of saying, “Been there, done that.” These patterns occur when the price tries and fails—twice—to break through a key level.
Double Top : Picture this: The price surges to a high, only to hit a ceiling and fall back. Then, like a stubborn child, it tries again but fails to break through. That’s your Double Top—two peaks, one resistance level, and a potential trend reversal in the making. When the price drops below the support formed by the dip between the two peaks, it’s a signal that the bulls are out of steam.
Double Bottom : Flip it over, and you’ve got a Double Bottom—a W-shaped pattern that forms after the price tests a support level twice. If it can’t break lower and starts to rally, it’s a sign that the bears are losing control. A breakout above the peak between the two lows confirms the pattern, signaling a potential bullish reversal.
3. Triangles: The Calm Before the Storm
Triangles are the market’s way of coiling up before making a big move. They come in three flavors—ascending, descending, and symmetrical.
Ascending Triangle : Here’s how it works: The price forms higher lows but keeps bumping into the same resistance level. This shows that buyers are getting stronger, but sellers aren’t ready to give up. Eventually, pressure builds and the price breaks out to the upside. But since it’s trading, you can expect the price to break to the downside, too.
Descending Triangle : The opposite of the ascending triangle, this pattern shows lower highs leaning against a flat support level. Sellers are gaining the upper hand and when the price breaks below the support, it’s usually game over for the bulls. But not always—sometimes, bulls would have it their way.
Symmetrical Triangle : This is the market’s version of a coin toss. The price is squeezing into a tighter range with lower highs and higher lows. It’s anyone’s guess which way it’ll break, but when it does, expect a big move in that direction.
4. Flags and Pennants: The Market’s Pit Stop
If triangles are the calm before the storm, then flags and pennants are the pit stops during a race. These patterns are continuation signals, meaning that the trend is likely to keep going after a brief pause.
Flags : Flags are rectangular-shaped patterns that slope against the prevailing trend. If the market’s in an uptrend, the flag will slope downwards, and vice versa. Once the price breaks out of the flag in the direction of the original trend, it’s usually off to the races again.
Pennants : Pennants look like tiny symmetrical triangles. After a strong move, the price consolidates in a small, converging range before breaking out and continuing the trend. They’re short-lived but pack a punch.
Final Thoughts
To many technical analysts, chart patterns are the best thing the market can do. The secret code, or however you may want to call them, they can give you insight into the dealmaking between buyers and sellers and hint at what might happen next.
Whether it’s a Head and Shoulders flashing a trend reversal, a Double Top marking a key resistance level, or a Triangle gearing up for a breakout, these patterns are essential tools in your trading garden.
So next time you stare at a chart, keep in mind that you’re not just looking at random lines. You’re reading the market’s mind from a technical standpoint. And if you know what to look for, you’re one step closer to cracking the code.
GBPUSD SHORTI'm currently participating in a trading competition, which is why I'm opening more trades than usual—these are not on my personal account. Typically, I only open one trade per day on my personal account, but only when my setup shows a high probability of confirmation.
Trade Management: I've decided to open a short position because the price has been creating Fair Value Gaps (FVG) consecutively on the 5-minute chart, and it seems likely that it will seek liquidity in the lower zones. Additionally, there's a 4-hour FVG, which increases the probability of the price continuing to drop. However, once it reaches the sell-stop, I plan to take partial profits (70%).
Risk: 1%
Risk-Reward Ratio: 2.84
GBPAUD May Continue Falling 🇬🇧🇦🇺
GBPAUD nicely respected a resistance line of a horizontal
daily trading range.
The price formed a double top pattern on that and broke its
neckline, leaving a clear bearish clue.
The fall may continue at least to 1.93
❤️Please, support my work with like, thank you!❤️
EURAUD: Pullback From Key Level 🇪🇺 🇦🇺
EURAUD may pullback from a key daily horizontal support.
The pair looks very oversold after a recent bearish rally.
On Friday, the price formed a double bottom pattern on a 4H time frame
and broke and closed above its horizontal neckline.
We see its retest at the moment.
The price will reach 1.6376 level soon.
❤️Please, support my work with like, thank you!❤️
EURAUD: Very Bullish Outlook Explained 🇪🇺 🇦🇺
EURAUD may pullback from a key daily horizontal support.
The pair looks very oversold after a recent bearish rally.
On Friday, the price formed a double bottom pattern on a 4H time frame
and broke and closed above its horizontal neckline.
We see its retest at the moment.
The price will most likely reach 1.6376 level soon.
❤️Please, support my work with like, thank you!❤️
Potential double bottom on ICP on the 1WHere's an idea about the Internet Computer Protocol. It looks like we are forming a double bottom at the orange market support level. We are still trading below the EMA50 on the 1W which could be the biggest short term resistance for a breakout. This is a long term idea that might be worth keeping an eye on.
Natural Gas (NATGASUSD):: Bullish Outlook ExplainedI spotted two strong bullish indicators on the 4-hour chart for 📈NATGASUSD. These include a bullish breakout of a double bottom pattern's neckline, which was acting as a horizontal resistance, as well as a break of a falling trend line.
The broken structures now form an expanding demand zone, suggesting a potential bullish movement in the market. I believe there is a high likelihood that the pair will continue to grow and reach the 2.10 level.