As of 05/13/2025   Indus: 42,140 -269.67 -0.6%     Trans: 15,060 +39.49 +0.3%     Utils: 1,008 -6.37 -0.6%     Nasdaq: 19,010 +301.74 +1.6%     S&P 500: 5,887 +42.36 +0.7%	YTD -0.9%   -5.3%    +2.5%   -1.6%    +0.1%	Targets    Overview: 05/12/2025     43,700 or 40,900 by 06/01/2025   16,000 or 14,000 by 06/01/2025   1,075 or 1,000 by 06/01/2025   19,500 or 17,700 by 06/01/2025   6,000 or 5,600 by 06/01/2025
Chart Pattern Indicator: on 4/15/25

As of 05/13/2025   Indus: 42,140 -269.67 -0.6%     Trans: 15,060 +39.49 +0.3%     Utils: 1,008 -6.37 -0.6%     Nasdaq: 19,010 +301.74 +1.6%     S&P 500: 5,887 +42.36 +0.7%	YTD -0.9%   -5.3%    +2.5%   -1.6%    +0.1%
Targets    Overview: 05/12/2025     43,700 or 40,900 by 06/01/2025   16,000 or 14,000 by 06/01/2025   1,075 or 1,000 by 06/01/2025   19,500 or 17,700 by 06/01/2025   6,000 or 5,600 by 06/01/2025
Chart Pattern Indicator: on 4/15/25

Bulkowski's Congestion Quiz

This article is a quiz designed to test your knowledge of breakouts.

Look at the chart of two fictitious ascending triangles on the daily scale. The triangle is outlined in blue with a horizontal top trendline and an up-sloping bottom trendline. Both A and B show upward breakouts but there is a difference between the two charts.

Which setup (A or B) represents the best trading opportunity?

The difference, if you didn't find it, is in the five days leading to the breakout. In A, price makes a straight-line run but in B, price runs into a congestion area in the five days before the breakout.

I proved in a study that the differences between trading a chart pattern with a straight-line run (A) and a congestion area (B) is not huge. In the straight-line run, on average, the rise after the breakout will be further, but the risk of failure increases, too. Throwbacks will occur more often and that is usually a bad thing.

When looking for chart patterns, trade those with a congestion area forming just before the breakout. If a straight-line run appears, then consider waiting for a throwback to occur and complete. Once price starts moving up again, then enter the trade.

-- Thomas Bulkowski

More

See Also

• How to pick stocks, part 1.
• 3 tips to help you pick stocks.
• Busted chart patterns. The answer to profits?
• Premature buying. Learn how to prevent buying too soon.
• Double bottoms, overview. Article explains the 4 varieties.
• Adam and Eve patterns. What are they and how can they help?

You worry too much about your job. Stop it. You're not paid enough to worry.