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Thomas Bulkowski’s successful investment activities allowed him to retire at age 36. He is an internationally known author and trader with 30 years of stock market experience and widely regarded as a leading expert on chart patterns. His books, including the best selling Encyclopedia of Chart Patterns, have been translated into many languages. He may be reached at

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Bulkowski’s Closing White Marubozu

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Market
Industrials (^DJI):
Transports (^DJT):
Utilities (^DJU):
Nasdaq (^IXIC):
S&P 500 (^GSPC):
As of 06/18/2013
15,318 138.38 0.9%
6,359 61.35 1.0%
491 3.01 0.6%
3,482 30.05 0.9%
1,652 12.77 0.8%
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16.9%
19.8%
8.3%
15.3%
15.8%
Tom's Targets    Overview: 06/18/2013
15,700 or 14,700 by 07/01/2013
6,000 or 6,600 by 07/01/2013
500 or 470 by 07/01/2013
3,650 or 3,300 by 07/01/2013
1,750 or 1,550 by 07/01/2013

Written and copyright © 2008-2013 by Thomas N. Bulkowski. All rights reserved.

In my book, Encyclopedia of Candlestick Charts, pictured on the right, I explore the entire range of candlestick patterns from abandoned babies to windows (not exactly A to Z, but you get the idea), in both bull and bear markets, using almost 5 million candle lines in the tests.

The book takes an in-depth look at 103 candlestick patterns and reports on behavior and rank (3 types: reversal rate, frequency, and overall performance), identification guidelines, performance statistics (tables of general statistics, height, and volume), trading tactics (tables of statistics on reversal rates and performance indicators), and wraps each chapter with a sample trade. I share a sliver of that information below. If you like what you read here, then you will love the book. Help support this website and buy a copy by clicking on the above link.

The closing white marubozu candlestick shares a lot with watching grass grow: neither is very exciting. The candlestick acts as a continuation pattern 55% of the time, but that is what I call near random. Overall performance, rank 70, places the candlestick well behind the pack. Is there anything redeeming about the closing white marubozu? Let’s take a closer look.

Closing White Marubozu Important Results

Theoretical performance: Continuation
Tested performance: Continuation 55% of the time
Frequency rank: 15
Overall performance rank: 70
Best percentage meeting price target: 73% (bear market, down breakout)
Best average move in 10 days: -5.36% (bear market, down breakout)
Best 10-day performance rank: 27 (bear market, down breakout)

All ranks are out of 103 candlestick patterns with the top performer ranking 1. "Best" means the highest rated of the four combinations of bull/bear market, up/down breakouts.

The above numbers are based on hundreds of perfect trades. See the glossary for definitions.

The ideal closing white marubozu candlestick
Closing White Marubozu

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Closing White Marubozu Discussion

The closing white marubozu candlestick is a tall white candle with no upper shadow, but it does have a leg to stand on (a lower shadow). It acts as a continuation of the prevailing price trend. With a frequency rank of 15, it is as common as ants at a picnic. Unfortunately the overall performance rank is a lousy 70. After the breakout, price does not trend far, which is why the rank is so poor (1 is best out of 103 candlestick types).

The best average move 10 days after the breakout is a respectable drop of 5.36%, and that occurs after a downward breakout in a bear market, placing the performance rank at 27, too.

Closing White Marubozu Identification Guidelines

CharacteristicDiscussion
Number of candle linesOne.
Price trend leading to the patternNone required.
ConfigurationLook for a tall white candle with a lower shadow but no upper one.

Three Trading Tidbits for Closing White Marubozu

If you want a few bones from my Encyclopedia of candlestick charts book, here are three to chew on. The pages refer to the book where the tips appear.

  1. Closing white marubozu candles that appear within a third of the yearly low perform best -- page 523.
  2. Closing white marubozu candles taller than the median show price that moves about 50% farther after the breakout than those shorter than the median -- page 523.
  3. Closing white marubozu within a third of the yearly high tend to act as continuations most often -- page 525.

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Closing White Marubozu Example

The closing white marubozu candlestick on the daily scale

The closing white marubozu candle appears in the daily chart at A. It is a tall white candlestick with a lower shadow and price closes at the high for the day, meaning it has no upper shadow. This one appears in an upward price trend, but the trend could just as easily have been downward. The breakout is upward when price closes above the top of the closing white marubozu candle the next day.

You might think that the closing white marubozu begins a three white soldiers candlestick pattern, but this example has two flaws. First, the price trend is upward instead of downward and second, price should open within the body of the prior candle. It does not during the second day of the three candle line pattern. In other words, the bodies should overlap more than they do.

-- Thomas Bulkowski

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Other Closing White Marubozu Examples

See Also

Copyright © 2008-2013 by Thomas N. Bulkowski. All rights reserved. I fish, therefore I lie.