Bullish Harami Candlestick Pattern Trading Strategy and Backtest Definition & Meaning

bullish harami

Learn the exact chart patterns you need to know to find opportunities in the markets. Notice how there are numerous areas on the chart where the market has gapped – showing wide open spaces between candles. The Bullish Harami pattern occurs after a downtrend and becomes more significant the more the market has gone down.

In a harami pattern, the first candle is taller than the second one. Conversely, in an engulfing pattern, the second candle is larger than the first one. The above example shows that just two candles that look like a “harami pattern” does not mean the trend reverses. If the closing price is above the opening price, then normally a green or hollow candlestick (white with black outline) is shown.

Complex patterns

Earlier we talked about how a bullish harami candlestick pattern could be improved by taking volatility into account. During the rest of the day selling pressure tries to push the market lower, but buyers are there each time to prevent the market from heading lower. The bulls even manage to push prices a little higher, albeit not above the open of the previous bar. The small bearish candle ‘gaps’ down to open near the mid-range of the previous candle.

In terms of meaning, both patterns indicate that the price is about to reverse. The bullish harami belongs to the category of most popular candlestick patterns and is relied upon by many traders in their analysis of the markets. This pattern is considered bearish because it indicates that the bulls have lost control and the bears are beginning to take over. While the bearish harami is not as reliable as some other candlestick patterns, it can still be a useful tool for identifying potential reversals in an uptrend.

Bullish & Bearish Harami Patterns

As the market is in a downtrend, market participants are mostly bearish. Sellers are dominating the market, and buyers wait for a signal that the bearish trend has come to an end. The absence of a real body after a strong move indicates that the previous trend is coming to an end, and a reversal may occur.

The reason for this is that oscillators will often give you a signal in advance. There are certain Take Profit rules when trading the Harami pattern. You take the size of the pattern and apply it in the direction of your trade. This is the minimum potential you should expect during a Harami trade. If it is about a bearish Harami setup, then you should place your Stop Loss order above the upper candlewick of the first candle – a bullish one in this case.

What Is a Harami Candlestick Pattern?

Suddenly, the Stochastic Oscillator starts increasing, while the price keeps decreasing. As such we confirm a bullish divergence between the price action and the Stochastic, which is a long setup signal. In this case, the trade would have brought 31 pips or 0.49% profit for less than 5 hours. If you trade a bullish Harami pattern, your Stop Loss order should go below lowest point of the first Harami candlestick – the longer bearish candle. If you trade a bearish Harami pattern, you should place your Stop Loss above highest point of the first Harami candlestick – the longer bullish candle.

The filled or hollow portion of the candle is known as the body or real body, and can be long, normal, or short depending on its proportion to the lines above or below it. When we trade with price action, it means to rely fully on the price action on the chart. Due to the lack of a real body after a strong move tells that the previous trend is coming to an end and a reversal may take place. It’s always best to zoom out from a harami to look at its context within a larger bearish pattern. If there are clear markers for impending reversal, the sudden reversal in investor sentiment becomes validated within the scope of the pattern.

Data Mining And Boredom (The Same Strategy Can’t Be Used On All Stocks)

Investors looking to identify harami patterns must first look for daily market performance reported in candlestick charts. The bearish Harami pattern has the opposite setup and functions compared to the bullish Harami. A bearish Harami usually appears at the end of bullish trends and indicates a possible upcoming reversal. A bearish Harami starts with a long bullish candle and continues with a smaller bearish candle, with is fully engulfed by the first candle. The confirmation of the pattern implies that the bullish trend is exhausted and that a bearish activity might be on its way.

bullish harami

The bullish response is enough to kickstart a reversal of the price. Often, the bullish candle of the pattern will take the form of a doji. In some cases, the doji might even become a cross, if the open/close prices are equivalent.