What Is a Head and Shoulders Pattern?
Ahead and shoulders pattern is a chart formation that appears as a baseline with three peaks, where the outside two are close in height and the middle is highest. In technical analysis, a head and shoulders pattern describes a specific chart formation that predicts a bullish-to-bearish trend reversal.
The head and shoulders pattern is believed to be one of the most reliable trend reversal patterns. It is one of several top patterns that signal, with varying degrees of accuracy, that an upward trend is nearing its end.
Understanding a Head and Shoulders Pattern?
The head and shoulders pattern forms when a stock's price rises to a peak and subsequently declines back to the base of the prior up-move. Then, the price rises above the former peak to form the "nose" and then again declines back to the original base. Finally, the stock price rises again, but to the level of the first, initial peak of the formation before declining back down to the base or neckline of chart patterns one more time.
The Market Actions Behind the Head and Shoulders Pattern
Like all charting patterns, the ups and downs of the head and shoulders pattern tell a very specific story about the battle being waged between bulls and bears.
The initial peak and subsequent decline represent the waning momentum of the prior bullish trend. Wanting to sustain the upward movement as long as possible, bulls rally to push the price back up past the initial peak to reach a new high (the head). At this point, it is still possible that bulls could reinstate their market dominance and continue the upward trend.
However, once the price declines a second time and reaches a point below the initial peak, it is clear that bears are gaining ground. Bulls try one more time to push the price upward but succeed only in hitting the lesser high reached in the initial peak. This failure to surpass the highest high signals the bulls' defeat and bears take over, driving the price down and completing the reversal.
How Do I Identify a Head and Shoulders Pattern on a Chart?
The pattern is composed of a "left shoulder," a "head," then a "right shoulder" that shows a baseline with three peaks, the middle peak being the highest. The left shoulder is marked by price declines followed by a bottom, followed by a subsequent increase. The head is formed by price declines again forming a lower bottom. The right shoulder is then created when the price increases once again, then declines to form the right bottom.
What Does a Head and Shoulders Pattern Indicate?
The head and shoulders chart is said to depict a bullish-to-bearish trend reversal and signals that an upward trend is nearing its end. Investors consider it to be one of the most reliable trend reversal patterns.
How Can I Use the Head and Shoulders Pattern to Make Trading Decisions?
The most common entry point is a breakout of the neckline, with a stop above (market top) or below (market bottom) the right shoulder. The profit target is the difference between the high and low with the pattern added (market bottom) or subtracted (market top) from the breakout price. The system is not perfect, but it does provide a method of trading the markets based on logical price movements.
Ahead and shoulders pattern is a chart formation that appears as a baseline with three peaks, where the outside two are close in height and the middle is highest. In technical analysis, a head and shoulders pattern describes a specific chart formation that predicts a bullish-to-bearish trend reversal.
The head and shoulders pattern is believed to be one of the most reliable trend reversal patterns. It is one of several top patterns that signal, with varying degrees of accuracy, that an upward trend is nearing its end.
Understanding a Head and Shoulders Pattern?
The head and shoulders pattern forms when a stock's price rises to a peak and subsequently declines back to the base of the prior up-move. Then, the price rises above the former peak to form the "nose" and then again declines back to the original base. Finally, the stock price rises again, but to the level of the first, initial peak of the formation before declining back down to the base or neckline of chart patterns one more time.
The Market Actions Behind the Head and Shoulders Pattern
Like all charting patterns, the ups and downs of the head and shoulders pattern tell a very specific story about the battle being waged between bulls and bears.
The initial peak and subsequent decline represent the waning momentum of the prior bullish trend. Wanting to sustain the upward movement as long as possible, bulls rally to push the price back up past the initial peak to reach a new high (the head). At this point, it is still possible that bulls could reinstate their market dominance and continue the upward trend.
However, once the price declines a second time and reaches a point below the initial peak, it is clear that bears are gaining ground. Bulls try one more time to push the price upward but succeed only in hitting the lesser high reached in the initial peak. This failure to surpass the highest high signals the bulls' defeat and bears take over, driving the price down and completing the reversal.
How Do I Identify a Head and Shoulders Pattern on a Chart?
The pattern is composed of a "left shoulder," a "head," then a "right shoulder" that shows a baseline with three peaks, the middle peak being the highest. The left shoulder is marked by price declines followed by a bottom, followed by a subsequent increase. The head is formed by price declines again forming a lower bottom. The right shoulder is then created when the price increases once again, then declines to form the right bottom.
What Does a Head and Shoulders Pattern Indicate?
The head and shoulders chart is said to depict a bullish-to-bearish trend reversal and signals that an upward trend is nearing its end. Investors consider it to be one of the most reliable trend reversal patterns.
How Can I Use the Head and Shoulders Pattern to Make Trading Decisions?
The most common entry point is a breakout of the neckline, with a stop above (market top) or below (market bottom) the right shoulder. The profit target is the difference between the high and low with the pattern added (market bottom) or subtracted (market top) from the breakout price. The system is not perfect, but it does provide a method of trading the markets based on logical price movements.
