Harami Pattern & Its Meaning, Types, How to Identify and Trading Strategies

In this article, we have looked at what the candle is and how you can use it well. Experience shows that modern methods like cluster analysis are far more effective than relying solely on harami and other Japanese candlestick patterns. This highlights the importance of using footprint charts and other volume analysis tools as the main resources for making well-informed trading decisions, rather than just supplementary tools. Comparatively, the bullish engulfing pattern is generally considered a stronger bullish reversal pattern since the second bullish candle completely engulfs or covers the first small bearish candle. In summary, both bullish and bearish harami patterns are fairly easy to spot in the charts; the challenge is understanding the context of the pattern and if there’s a good chance that their predictions are right.

  • To improve trading accuracy with harami patterns, it is recommended to use additional tools and approaches, such as footprint pattern analysis.
  • Statistics or past performance is not a guarantee of the future performance of the particular product you are considering.
  • A deeper analysis provides insight using more advanced candlestick patterns, including island reversal, hook reversal, and san-ku or three gaps patterns.

The bullish harami, being a two-candlestick pattern, is one of the most common candlestick patterns observed on the price charts. This is because, in general, two-candlestick patterns appear more frequently than three-candlestick patterns or higher. Additionally, the bullish harami has a relatively basic condition for its two candles to be considered valid. Harami candlestick patterns are a powerful tool in predicting market changes. The bullish and bearish patterns can help traders get ahead in seeing market reversals and preparing their strategies in a timely manner. You should also keep tracking the market movements continuously for any volume, price, or other changes.

This trial allows you to explore the benefits of higher-tier plans and make a well-informed purchasing decision. Analyzing volume data with professional footprint charts can provide valuable insight. A big clue of a continuing downtrend was when the next candle gapped down below the low of the first candle of the harami. Other important indications are moving averages, RSI (relative strength index), and Fibonacci retracements. The first candle is always bigger and the second is a smaller candle whose body is completely within the size of the first one.

Bullish Harami Pattern vs. Bullish Engulfing Pattern

If your trading strategy relies on momentum, then using the bullish harami as your primary candlestick reversal signal may not be optimal. This is because other candlestick patterns, such as the bullish engulfing, provide more decisive bullish trend reversals. The bullish harami can offer early signs of a possible reversal into a potential uptrend or mark the end of a pullback.

Simultaneously, the low of the bullish harami prints near the lower Bollinger band. The second candle gaps higher on the next day’s open and prints a small candle contained inside the first candle. A trader would wait for confirmation of a continued rally before enter the position. Trading with the bullish and bearish harami candlesticks is relatively simple. A bullish harami is made of a large bullish candlestick that is followed by a small bearish candlestick. On the other hand, a bearish harami is made up of a large bearish candle that is followed by a small bullish candle.

Looking closely, we can observe how the bullish harami was also preceded by a bearish trend (downtrend). Bullish and bearish haramis are among a handful of basic candlestick patterns, including bullish and bearish crosses, evening stars, rising threes, and engulfing patterns. A deeper analysis provides insight using more advanced candlestick patterns, including island reversal, hook reversal, and san-ku or three gaps patterns. To find harami patterns, investors first need to check daily market performance in candlestick charts. Despite being classified as a bullish pattern, the bullish harami lacks the “immediate” strength observed in other bullish reversal patterns.

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Remember that the Harami pattern is not fully reliable on its own and you should use other technical tools or confirmation. Always watch out for trend exhaustion signs like decreasing indicators of momentum or long wicks and integrate moving averages into your analysis for confirming pattern validity. The harami candlestick pattern is one of the several patterns that is used to find bullish and reversal patterns in the market.

As mentioned above, both patterns are quite common, but it’s important to note that they shouldn’t be used as a sign of confirmation in isolation, and both of them can benefit from broader analysis with other metrics. Don’t make the mistake of leveraging the Harami pattern to trade in a low-volume market. It can be less accurate and reliable due to the chance of erratic movements in prices.

  • This formation suggests a potential market reversal, offering an entry point for traders considering long positions.
  • Investors seeing this bullish harami may be encouraged by this diagram, as it can signal a reversal in the market.
  • Still, identifying the candlestick pattern is not always a guarantee that the reversal pattern will happen.
  • This is because what determines its “bullish” or “bearish” nature depends on its position on the chart, not the color of its candlesticks.
  • It consists of a smaller candle, known as a doji, within the range of a larger previous candle, which suggests rising buying pressure.

Keep in mind what gains could be enough for you in this particular market. Based on the patterns, traders can decide the best moment to buy or sell the asset, ensuring they enter or exit the market at the best possible time. An appearance of a harami pattern is a clear visual sign that the market is in an in-between moment, getting ready for a possible reversal of the previous trend.

Generally, while it can work, the pattern is less accurate when used on its own. In contrast, it becomes more accurate and reliable when paired with complementary technical analysis tools (e.g., RSI, MAs, volume, etc.) to better assess the pattern’s likelihood of leading to a possible reversal. The harami pattern suggests a potential reversal of the current trend, signaling a shift in market sentiment. A bearish harami points to a possible transition from a bullish to a bearish trend, while a bullish harami indicates the opposite. Unfortunately, the bullish trend (uptrend) failed to materialize, and the trend continued downward.

Step 4- Set Your Stop-Loss:

Finally, there is the risk of mistakenly confusing an inside bar with a bullish harami. This is particularly common among newer traders who have yet to gain enough experience to effectively differentiate between the two patterns. They are a powerful sign that the market might change its direction, whether it’s a downtrend (bearish) that’s becoming an harami candlestick uptrend (bullish) or vice-versa.

Limited Use in Momentum Trading

Always double-check your predictions and that risk management actions can give you more control and peace of mind while trading with harami patterns and other prediction tools. With bullish harami, traders can see that sellers are losing control and that buyers are starting to notice the potential growth of the asset and take action. Now you can see why following these classic trading rules for the bullish and bearish harami triggered stop-losses on the AMZN chart earlier (although it could have also led to a profitable trade).

The classic harami pattern is most effective on daily candlestick charts where gaps can occur. However, it is less applicable to the cryptocurrency market since coins trade 24/7. During the second low of the double bottom pattern, a bullish harami pattern appears.

Bullish Harami Candlestick Pattern Trading Strategies

However, unlike the standard bullish harami where the second candle is contained within the first candle, the tweezer bottom pattern consists of two candles with identical lows. When used together, the bullish harami and Bollinger Bands signal slowing momentum to the downside and a potential upside reversal. Yet, while the pattern seemed promising as it was also followed by a long bullish candlestick, it abruptly lost momentum and now moves sideways with no clear trend direction. This serves as a reminder that the market can move unpredictably, and we cannot perfectly forecast where the price will go, making proper trade management essential.

The stop-loss was triggered the next day, but the profit target was not reached for several days. In this case, the bearish harami indicated only a short-term pullback within a developing uptrend. The main volume of trades was recorded at the lower part of the September 6 candle. The start of trading at higher levels on September 9 indicated the formation of a bear trap — a signal that increases the chances of a reversal from the bottom. The harami pattern suggests a potential trend reversal, where the smaller candle forms within the body of the previous larger candle.

Additionally, the harami candles have a close resemblance to an engulfing candle. The only difference is that in an engulfing, the smaller candle is usually followed by the bigger candle. It forms a long green candle followed by a red candle that opens above the previous high but closes below the midpoint of the green candle. You should thoroughly evaluate the market context and trends before going ahead with the trade.

In this example, we can see how the bullish harami candlestick pattern can also be used during a pullback phase (a temporary decline) within an established bullish trend (uptrend). Looking at the chart, we observe a strong upward price trend followed by a sudden, continuous decline in price, represented by red candles making lower lows. Then, a short-bodied bullish candle gapped up after a long-bodied bearish candle, forming the bullish harami pattern. This pattern signaled the end of the pullback phase and the start of renewed bullish momentum as the upward price trajectory resumed. This candlestick chart shows the ideal scenario when trading the bullish harami candlestick pattern.

Therefore, this drastically reduces the chance of incurring significant losses, as you can immediately cut your losses short (this is one of the most crucial trading techniques to be profitable). The bullish harami pattern often forms when a downtrend or pullback phase is “exhausted”—meaning the bearish momentum driving prices lower is losing steam. Volume is perhaps one of the most fundamental technical analysis tools you can use to increase your success rate in trading. Unlike other technical indicators that rely heavily on price, volume is independent of price, making it one of the most essential concepts to understand in trading. As a rule of thumb, when a bullish harami pattern occurs, we want to see above-average volume on the second candle (the small bullish candle), which is the case in this illustration.

You can set your take-profit levels depending on the ratio of risks to rewards. It will be placed below the support level or entry point during the bullish pattern formation and vice versa. This example highlights how developing skills in cluster chart analysis can elevate your candlestick pattern trading, even if you find these patterns outdated.

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