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descending triangle chart pattern

Breakouts indicate the potential for the price to start trending in the breakout direction. A breakdown is a downward move in a security’s price, usually, through an identified level of support, that predicts further declines. There are chances of the prices moving sideways or higher over lengthy time horizons, which acts contrary to the usual characteristics of the descending triangles. The descending triangle forms when the market enters the consolidation phase.

Then you project the same from the breakout area which becomes your target price. The chart below shows an example of the Microsoft (MSFT) daily stock chart. In the chart, you can see that the triangle pattern was formed after price action was trading sideways.

In technical analysis, the measuring technique helps traders estimate the next price movement based on previous trading activity. In other words, if you know how to correctly use this technique, you’ll be able to predict the length of the next trend. Once you identify the lower volume, simply measure the distance from the first high and low.

The more often that the price touches the support and resistance levels, the more reliable the chart pattern. Traders can combine price techniques, like the moving average, and chart patterns with technical indicators. In this strategy, traders use the descending triangle pattern to anticipate potential breakouts, and the moving average indicators trigger the signal to initiate a trade.

It’s important to keep in mind that the market is ultimately unpredictable and can defy predictions at any moment. If you’re going to use triangle patterns, make sure you take positions only after you confirm a breakout in the price action of the security in question. Buyers eventually lose patience and rush into the security above the resistance price, which triggers more buying as the uptrend resumes. The upper trendline, which was formerly a resistance level, now becomes support. The upper trendline must be horizontal, indicating nearly identical highs, which form a resistance level. The lower trendline is rising diagonally, indicating higher lows as buyers patiently step up their bids.

descending triangle chart pattern

How to Identify a Descending Triangle

It involves an anticipation of a breakout from the descending triangle pattern. This strategy uses a very simple combination of trading volumes and asserting the trend, which can be used to capture short term profits. In this case, it becomes a continuation pattern instead of a reversal pattern. In most cases, a descending triangle pattern can also see a sloping base as well. Instead of a flat support level, you can see higher lows being formed.

What’s the Difference Between the Descending Triangle Chart Pattern and the Falling Wedge Pattern?

descending triangle chart pattern

Traders can experiment with their own settings on the period of the moving average; this depends on the time period that you use. For example, for a daily chart time frame, you can use the 10, 20 or 20 and 50 period settings. One of the main characteristics unique to Heikin Ashi charts is the fact that they can depict the trend easily. Most traders often struggle when it comes to identifying the trend. In the next section of this article, we illustrate five descending triangle trading strategies that can be used.

The Descending Triangle Pattern: Definition and Examples

The classic version of this pattern forms with a trend line that is sloping and a flat or a horizontal support line. The pattern emerges as price bounces off the support level at least twice. The completion of the pattern occurs after the end of a retracement in a downtrend. Think of the lower line of the triangle, or lower trendline, as the demand line, which represents support on the chart. At this point, the buyers of the issue outpace the sellers, and the stock’s price begins to rise.

Once you master the Descending Triangle pattern, a simple chart pattern, you’ll gain a clear understanding of what goes on behind the price action. Traders often initiate a short position following a high volume breakdown from lower trend line support in a descending triangle chart pattern. And much like nearly all candlestick patterns, traders usually enter a position when the price breaks below the support line, which signals that the trend may continue. Many other trading strategies can blend well with the descending triangle chart pattern. The triangle pattern also works with technical analysis which can complement the fundamental analysis as well.

Descending Triangles with Heikin Ashi Charts

  1. The descending triangle has a horizontal lower trend line and a descending upper trend line.
  2. Along those lines, the moving average indicators serve the purpose of triggering the signal to initiate a trade.
  3. Most traders often struggle when it comes to identifying the trend.
  4. Traders use triangles to pinpoint when the narrowing of a stock or security’s trading range after a downtrend or uptrend occurs.

The time frame of the chart is irrelevant as you can use this strategy across any time period. Once you have identified a stock and the time frame, wait for price action to contract. Like with any strategy, you can use the descending triangle pattern to buy/sell stocks by knowing when to enter, take profits, and cut your losses. As we mentioned above, the simplest way to use this pattern is to buy the breakout of the triangle.

The breakout generally occurs in the direction of the existing trend. But, if you are looking for an entry point following a symmetrical triangle, jump into the fray at the breakout point. The buyers may not be able to break through the supply line at first, and they may take a few runs at it before establishing new ground and new highs. The chartist will look for an increase in the trading volume as the key indication that new highs will form.

Even though the regular descending triangle pattern and the falling wedge pattern have similar formations, they are different in meaning and outcome. You can identify the descending triangle reversal pattern at the top end of a rally. This pattern emerges as volume declines and the stock fails to make fresh highs. The descending triangle chart pattern can be combined with your preferred trading strategy. Once you learn to identify them and train your eyes to see them in real-time it will help you better understand the price action. The supply and demand imbalances inside the descending triangle reversal will almost always descending triangle chart pattern generate fast and furious breakouts.

What Is the Difference Between Descending Triangle and Falling Wedge?

After a brief consolidation, price falls lower before breaking out from the pattern. Based on the technical analysis, I found an important pattern which forms a descending type of the triangle. But, once again I remind you that even the descending triangle which usually indicate a bearish pressure, it has a potential to make it a failure too. A breakout refers to price movement above a resistance area or below a support area.