Table of Contents

Pattern Shooting Star

Shooting Star is a bearish reversal candlestick pattern that forms in an uptrend. The candle has a small body at the lower part and a long upper shadow, with the lower shadow being absent or very short. It resembles a star with an upward-pointing tail.

Key Features:
  • Opening price is higher than closing price (O > C), although it can be the opposite.
  • Small candle body at the lower part of the price range.
  • Long upper shadow, typically 2-3 times longer than the body.
  • No lower shadow or a very short one (BS == 0).
  • Forms in an uptrend.

Shooting Star Pattern

Interpretation

Shooting Star is considered a strong signal of a potential reversal of an uptrend:

  • The long upper shadow shows that the price rose significantly during the trading session, but then sellers intervened and pushed the price down.
  • This indicates the market's rejection of higher prices and a potential shift in sentiment from bullish to bearish.
  • The longer the upper shadow, the stronger the potential reversal signal.
  • The color of the candle body is less important, although a black/red Shooting Star is considered more bearish than a white/green one.
  • The pattern is similar to an Inverted Hammer, but forms in an uptrend and has the opposite meaning.

Trading Strategies

Shooting Star provides opportunities for entering a short position:

  • Wait for confirmation from the next candle - a bearish candle after a Shooting Star strengthens the reversal signal.
  • Place a stop-loss level above the high of the Shooting Star.
  • Set a target profit based on previous support levels or risk/reward ratio.
  • Combine with other technical indicators, such as RSI in the overbought zone or MACD with bearish divergence, to confirm trend reversal.
  • Higher trading volume during the formation of a Shooting Star increases the reliability of the signal.
  • Particularly strong signal if the Shooting Star forms at an important resistance level or after a rapid price rise.

See also

Pattern Inverted Hammer

Pattern Hanging Man