Bloomberg Visual Guide to Candlestick Charting

The Six Basic Candlesticks

Among the dozens of candlestick formations, there exist many combinations of the six basic candlesticks. These are:

1. Long candlesticks. The long candlestick indicates a lot of momentum among buyers (long white) or sellers (long black). When there is little or no shadow, the long candlestick is defined as a marubozu. The lack of shadow indicates exceptional strength for one side or the other, because price opens or closes at the opening or closing price without further extension. A marubozu may have no shadows, or a small one at the top or at the bottom of the real body.

   KEY POINT:

   A long candlestick does not always ...