As of 03/18/2024
  Indus: 38,790 +75.66 +0.2%  
  Trans: 15,418 -81.05 -0.5%  
  Utils: 853 +3.06 +0.4%  
  Nasdaq: 16,103 +130.28 +0.8%  
  S&P 500: 5,149 +32.33 +0.6%  
YTD
 +2.9%  
-3.0%  
-3.2%  
 +7.3%  
 +8.0%  
  Targets    Overview: 03/13/2024  
  Down arrow38,000 or 39,350 by 04/01/2024
  Up arrow16,300 or 15,350 by 04/01/2024
  Up arrow885 or 830 by 04/01/2024
  Down arrow15,200 or 16,600 by 04/01/2024
  Up arrow5,250 or 5,000 by 04/01/2024
As of 03/18/2024
  Indus: 38,790 +75.66 +0.2%  
  Trans: 15,418 -81.05 -0.5%  
  Utils: 853 +3.06 +0.4%  
  Nasdaq: 16,103 +130.28 +0.8%  
  S&P 500: 5,149 +32.33 +0.6%  
YTD
 +2.9%  
-3.0%  
-3.2%  
 +7.3%  
 +8.0%  
  Targets    Overview: 03/13/2024  
  Down arrow38,000 or 39,350 by 04/01/2024
  Up arrow16,300 or 15,350 by 04/01/2024
  Up arrow885 or 830 by 04/01/2024
  Down arrow15,200 or 16,600 by 04/01/2024
  Up arrow5,250 or 5,000 by 04/01/2024

Bulkowski on Symmetrical Triangles

For more information on this pattern, read Encyclopedia of Chart PatternsEncyclopedia of Chart Patterns book., pictured on the right. The book has a chapter dedicated to symmetrical triangles.

If you click on the above link and then buy the book (or anything) while at Amazon.com, the referral will help support this site. Thanks.

-- Tom Bulkowski

$ $ $

Statistics updated on 8/27/2020.

Symmetrical triangles, sometimes called coils, appear often on the historical price chart but performance is awful.

Score your pattern for
performance

Symmetrical triangle chart pattern

Symmetrical Triangle Chart Pattern

Symmetrical Triangles: Important Bull Market Results

Overall performance rank for up/down breakouts (1 is best): 36 out of 39/34 out of 36
Break even failure rate for up/down breakouts: 25%/37%
Average rise/decline: 34%/12%
Throwback/pullback rate: 62%/65%
Percentage meeting price target for up/down breakouts: 58%/36%

The above numbers are based on over 3,000 perfect trades. See the glossary for definitions.

Symmetrical Triangles: Identification Guidelines

CharacteristicDiscussion
Price trendCan be any direction leading to the chart pattern.
ShapeTriangular. Prices move between two converging trendlines.
TrendlinesTwo trendlines bound prices; the bottom trendline slopes up and the top one slopes down.
CrossingPrice must cross the pattern from side to side, filling the triangle with price movement, not white space.
TouchesPrice must touch one trendline at least three times and the other trendline at least twice, forming distinct valleys and peaks.
VolumeTrends downward 84% to 86% of the time.
BreakoutUpward 60% of the time and 74% of the way to the triangle apex (for both breakout directions).

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Symmetrical Triangles: Trading Tips

Trading TacticExplanation Symmetrical triangle measure rule
The Measure Rule
Measure ruleCompute the height from the highest peak (point A in The Measure Rule figure to the right) to the lowest valley in the pattern (B) then multiply it by the above 'percentage meeting price target.' Add it (upward breakouts) or subtract it (downward breakouts) from the breakout price. The breakout price is the point at which price pierces the trendline. The figure shows an upward breakout with target price C.
Breakout volumePatterns with heavy breakout volume (above the 30-day average) do better.
Yearly lowTriangles with downward breakouts within a third of the yearly low perform best.
Trend startTriangles perform best post breakout when they appear at the start of trends.
Throwbacks and pullbacksThrowbacks and pullbacks hurt post breakout performance.

 

Expect the market to turn when it reaches the apex of the triangle. See Triangle Apex and Turning Points.

 

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Symmetrical triangle chart pattern example

Symmetrical Triangles: Example

The figure to the right shows an example of a symmetrical triangle chart pattern.

The consolidation pattern of the symmetrical triangle forms as volume recedes. Then, price breaks out downward, but within a few days, price reverses and shoots out the top of the symmetrical triangle, busting the pattern and leading to a strong move upward.

Busted patterns (when the breakout is in one direction only to see price reverse and breakout in the opposite direction) often result in strong moves. However, symmetrical triangles have a tendency to double bust -- the final breakout direction is the same as the original one.

-- Thomas Bulkowski

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Symmetrical Triangles: Other Examples

See Also

 

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