As of 12/20/2024   Indus: 42,840 +498.02 +1.2%     Trans: 15,892 +32.54 +0.2%     Utils: 986 +14.76 +1.5%     Nasdaq: 19,573 +199.83 +1.0%     S&P 500: 5,931 +63.77 +1.1%	YTD  +13.7%   0.0%    +11.9%    +30.4%    +24.3%	Targets    Overview: 12/12/2024     44,200 or 41,750 by 01/01/2025   16,100 or 17,700 by 01/01/2025   1,050 or 975 by 01/01/2025   20,500 or 19,300 by 01/01/2025   6,100 or 5,775 by 01/01/2025
Chart Pattern Indicator: on 12/5/24

As of 12/20/2024   Indus: 42,840 +498.02 +1.2%     Trans: 15,892 +32.54 +0.2%     Utils: 986 +14.76 +1.5%     Nasdaq: 19,573 +199.83 +1.0%     S&P 500: 5,931 +63.77 +1.1%	YTD  +13.7%   0.0%    +11.9%    +30.4%    +24.3%
Targets    Overview: 12/12/2024     44,200 or 41,750 by 01/01/2025   16,100 or 17,700 by 01/01/2025   1,050 or 975 by 01/01/2025   20,500 or 19,300 by 01/01/2025   6,100 or 5,775 by 01/01/2025
Chart Pattern Indicator: on 12/5/24

Bulkowski on the Black Candle

My book, Encyclopedia of Candlestick Charts, pictured on the left, takes an in-depth look at candlesticks, including performance statistics.

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.

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The black candlestick shows near random direction under actual market conditions since it acts as a continuation 52% of the time. In theory, it can act as either a continuation candlestick or a reversal. The only thing remarkable about this candlestick is its frequency: 3rd out of 103 where 1 is the most common. Performance over 10 days is about what you would expect: close to last place (ranking 82).

Black Candle: Important Results

Theoretical performance: Reversal or continuation Tested performance: Continuation 52% of the time Frequency rank: 3 Overall performance rank: 82 Best percentage meeting price target: 84% (bear market, down breakout) Best average move in 10 days: -6% (bear market, down breakout) Best 10-day performance rank: 19 (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.

Black Candlestick

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Black Candle: Discussion

In theory, a black candlestick can act as either a reversal or continuation of the existing price trend. In testing, I found that it acts as a continuation 52% of the time, which is almost like saying the breakout direction is random. On a scale of 1 to 103, the black candle placed third for frequency, where 1 is best. That means the candle is as plentiful as beach sand in your shoes after a picnic on the lakeshore. The rank for overall price performance over 10 days is a dismal 82, well behind the herd.

A bear market after a downward breakout is where the black candlestick gets its strength. It meets the predicted price target 84% of the time, drops 6% in 10 days, on average, and ranks 19th for that performance under those conditions.

Black Candle: Identification Guidelines

Black Candles: Three Trading Tidbits

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. Black candles that appear within a third of the yearly low perform best -- page 149.
2. Black candles taller than the median show price that moves almost twice as far after the breakout as those shorter than the median -- page 149-150.
3. If the day price closes above or below the top/bottom of the candle is on high volume, expect a larger price move than on those days that have light breakout volume -- page 150.

Black Candle: Example

The figure shows three black candlesticks on the daily scale. Each one has shadows smaller than the body height (although candle A might not look like it). Since this candle has no real defined breakout direction, I consider it meaningless. It is just another price bar on the chart.

Candle A begins the downtrend after a black candle with a tall upper shadow. Candle B looks as if it reverses the downtrend -- at least for a while. Candle C ends the swift down draft and price moves horizontally for a few days before rebounding. Can you tell anything from these three black candles?

-- Thomas Bulkowski

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See Also

• If you are not vertically challenged, then check out the short black candle.
• Perhaps your black candle is part of a larger pattern, like a bearish harami?
• Tall candles show support and resistance.
• Two candlestick tips could improve profitability.
• Candles near the yearly low perform best.
• Chart pattern breakouts: Which candlesticks appear most often the day before breakouts?
• Shadows. Do tall candle shadows predict price turns? Yes and no.
• Tall candles at peaks and valleys. Tall candles appear at turning points.

The more you complain, the longer God makes you live.