To protect against losses, many investors set a stop-loss order at a level below the cup and handle pattern. Traders begin to sell at this high point corresponding to the left edge of the cup, creating a resistance level. At this selling point, the handle or the pullback portion of the chart pattern takes shape. If the price can breach the resistance level, the stock witnesses a breakout. Traders are bullish at this point, signified by an increase in the trade volume.

Second, the https://forex-world.net/ section should look like a U even from a distance. This means that the bottom should be a bit rounded and not like a V. This is because the latter is usually considered a very sharp reversal. Here’s how you can use Scanz to find the top movers every single day. Here are 3 ways you can get fresh, actionable alerts every single day. IBD Videos Get market updates, educational videos, webinars, and stock analysis. Track Alibaba, JD.com, NetEase and other top Chinese stocks trading…

However, some traders make the mistake of assuming that once a U-shape forms, the price will drop to form a handle. It may not, so you should ideally avoid trading the pattern until it has fully formed, in order to confirm the trend. You could wait for the price to break above the handle to signal that the uptrend is continuing. The price rejects forming a double top as a bull flag reversion forms the handle. When the bull flag triggers spiking the price through the lip, the cup and handle pattern is triggered the trend resumes the next leg higher with new highs.

The cup part of the pattern forms after a price rally and looks like a gradually rounded bottom of a bowl. The cup pattern in trading forms after an initial uptrend. As stocks attain new highs, there is selling pressure among investors to book profits, causing the price to fall. The formation of the base or rounding bottom of the cup marks a period of stabilisation.

Structure of The Handle

Alternatively, traders could double the size of the handle and subtract that from the handle breakout point. The breakout should occur on high trading volume and continue above the trendline drawn from the left to the right side of the cup to provide confirmation. Again, beware cup and handle patterns that form at the end of a trend rather than partway through it, as they are less likely to signal a strong continuation. There are several ways to approach trading the cup and handle. You need to enter a buy trade on the breakout of the handle’s resistance trend line. In this case, a trader should set the Stop Loss order slightly below the handle’s trendline.

If institutions are holding on to the stock, it won’t fall too far. Try to limit your picks to cups that are no more than 30% or 33% deep, except for those built during a bear market. In that case, an exceptional growth stock can fall 40%, 50% or more and still make a successful breakout. If there is no handle, then the cup itself must stretch a minimum six weeks.

This includes drawing trendlines for the handles to highlight the breakout points, notes to mark important areas, or arrows to highlight potential entry and exit points. We also offer a chart scanner with pattern recognition software that works automatically to detect and highlight trends for your ease of trading. The cup and handle pattern is a pattern that traders use to identify whether the price of an asset will continue moving upwards. As the name suggests, the pattern is made up of two sections; a cup and handle. The cup pattern happens first and then a handle happens next. A version of this column was first published in the July 9, 2010, edition of IBD.

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You can use it to analyse stocks, currencies, bonds, commodities, and index funds among others. Finally, you can use a buy-stop trade to take advantage of a bullish trend. This is a situation where you place a buy-stop order above the resistance. In this case, a bullish trade will be opened after the price rises above the resistance level.

Inverted Cup with Handle: Important Bull Market Results

Also consider that the breakout may have started later in the day. Even if all other parameters come together, you should avoid stocks that break out below their 10-week moving average. A loose, choppy base shows the stock needs to go far for price discovery.

Identifying the cup and handle chart pattern can be complicated, even if you know what you are looking for. Several things can help you identify this bullish continuation pattern, particularly the shape of the chart pattern. To use the cup-and-handle pattern successfully, investors must wait for the handle to form. In other words, trading off this pattern requires patience and a rational approach to the market – something that is a challengefor many investors.

What Does a Cup and Handle Pattern Tell You?

That’s not a problem; it’s often a https://bigbostrade.com/‘s way of offering a buy point that’s clearer or lower than that suggested by the larger pattern. Once this happens, the the cup advances and forms a U, and the price drifts downward slightly forming the handle. Handles are relevant to all financial markets, but mean different things depending on the asset.

I felt that the reader was correct in identifying this pattern and warranted an explanation of how to incorporate this pattern into the current price action in gold. To confirm the pattern, there should be a substantial increase in volume on the breakout above the handle’s resistance. Early entries can benefit from tighter stops, such as several percent below the downtrend line or 20-day moving average . Proper technical analysis puts the odds of winning in your favor, but you must always be prepared to cut your loss if the pattern fails. However, many swing traders prefer earlier entry points before the actual breakout above the handle.

Following his principles, traders using the pattern should place a stop buy order slightly above the upper trendline of the handle part of the pattern. One of the most common chart patterns is the cup and handle pattern. Learn more about the cup and handle pattern, how to identify it on a stock chart, and how you can use it in your trading.

If the Cup and Handle pattern completes successfully, the price should break above the trend established by the “handle” and go on to reach new highs. Determine significant support and resistance levels with the help of pivot points. If you’re day trading, and the target is not reached by the end of the day, close the position before the market closes for the day. Sometimes, the left side of the cup is a different height than the right. Use the smaller height and add it to the breakout point for a conservative target.

• However, it is more advisable to only plot half the cup’s height according to T.
• The pattern completes when the price breaks out from the handle’s trading range to signal the continuation of the previous rally.
• It is considered a signal of an uptrend in the stock market and is used to discover opportunities to go long.
• Whatever the height of the cup is, add it to the breakout point of the handle.
• Light volume in the market in general may also be a factor.

The idea behind the Cup and Handle pattern is to trade the breakout when the price breaks above the “handle”. In a trending market, the price can remain above a Moving Average for a long period of time. The good thing with a buy stop order is your entry will just be above the highs of the “handle”, and if the breakout is real, that’s one of the best prices to get in. The best cup and handle patterns have a shallow retracement on the handle (not more than 1/3 of the cup).

There is an increase in volume at this stage as the U-shaped bottom gives way to an uptrend, creating the second edge of the cup. Yes, the cup and handle pattern is considered a bullish continuation pattern. Strong andhigh-performing growth stocksgenerally form cup and handle patterns during their bull runs. The forming of this pattern allows the stock to base or take a “breather” before its next move up and is seen as healthy action.

It is considered a signal of an uptrend in the stock market and is used to discover opportunities to go long. In the cup and handle pattern, as the stock price moves upwards, there is selling pressure among investors who want to consolidate their profits at new highs. As a result, there is a downward spiral in the price movement and a price correction. Bulls or buyers start accumulating the stock for long positions as speculators leave their positions.

What does a cup and handle pattern mean?

A cup and handle is a technical chart pattern that resembles a cup and handle where the cup is in the shape of a “u” and the handle has a slight downward drift. The above content provided and paid for by Public and is for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to constitute investment advice or any other kind of professional advice and should not be relied upon as such. Before taking action based on any such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not endorse any third parties referenced within the article. Market and economic views are subject to change without notice and may be untimely when presented here.