Even for seasoned investors and traders, navigating the stock market can be quite challenging. Trading can often become daunting, too, and to make it easier, traders often rely on various tools. One helpful group of tools is called technical indicators, and within this group, candlestick patterns play a major role. These patterns give insights into market behaviour. In this blog, we’ll focus on one such pattern: the Piercing Pattern, a bullish reversal signal.
Understanding Piercing Candlestick Pattern
The Piercing Pattern is a two-day trading candlestick pattern that indicates a downtrend may be ending and an upturn may follow. The first day's candle typically opens close to its high and closes close to its low, indicating strong selling pressure. The range of trading is often moderate to large.
On the second day, the candle opens lower, below the close of the previous day, but closes significantly higher, preferably at least halfway into the body of the candle from the first day. This indicates a changeover from bearish to bullish sentiment.
Here’s an example. Imagine a stock that has been falling and is now trading at ₹600. The first candle of the pattern closes at ₹580, followed by a second candle that opens lower at ₹570 but closes at ₹590 (near its high). This creates a classic piercing pattern, signalling that sellers may be losing control and buyers are stepping in. Traders may see this as an opportunity to go long.
Key Features of the Piercing Pattern
Often appears at the bottom of a downtrend, hinting at a shift toward bullish momentum.
Visually Distinct and Easy to Spot:
The two-candle formation is straightforward and stands out clearly on charts.
Enhances Results When Paired with Other Tools: Performs better when used alongside other technical indicators like volume, moving averages, or support levels.
Can Offer a Timely Bullish Entry: Helps traders catch a potential upward move early, before the trend fully reverses.
How to Identify the Piercing Pattern?
Spotting the piercing pattern on a chart is relatively simple. It typically occurs at the end of a downtrend, indicating that buyers may be returning. Here are the highlights to watch out for:
The market is in a decline before the pattern sets up.
The initial candlestick is bearish, validating seller control. Shadows (wicks) can or cannot be present.
The second candlestick opens below the close of the first candle (a gap down), yet toward the end of the session, it at least recovers halfway up the first candle's body, although not all the way over it.
There will be small shadows on the second candle, but they should be small.
The pattern indicates a change in momentum, where sellers are losing control and buyers are taking over, and this can be an indication of a short-term price increase.
Trading Strategies Using the Piercing Pattern
The Piercing Pattern is recognised as a bullish reversal signal, but, like all trading tools, it should be used with caution. While the second candle in the pattern does push back against the prior selling pressure, it doesn’t fully reverse the trend, so traders should look for additional confirmation before entering a trade.
One key tip: don’t jump in just because the pattern has formed. A more reliable entry is when the price moves above the high of the first (bearish) candle. That’s a sign that the buying momentum might truly be taking over.
This pattern can work for both short-term (day) traders and longer-term investors. However, it tends to be more reliable over longer time frames. Day traders can still use it, but they should supplement it with other indicators for improved accuracy.
Before applying any strategy, it’s important to understand how the piercing pattern behaves under different market conditions. Here are a few practical strategies traders use:
1. Breakout Confirmation Strategy
Wait for the piercing pattern to appear.
Look for a bullish breakout above a key resistance level.
Enter the trade once the breakout occurs.
Place a stop-loss just below the low of the piercing pattern.
2. Support Zone Strategy
Identify major support levels on the chart.
If the piercing pattern forms near one of these levels, it enhances the strength of the reversal signal.
This setup gives a better chance for a bounce and upward movement.
3. Moving Average Crossover
Combine the pattern with moving averages, such as the 50-day or 200-day EMA.
If the piercing pattern forms around a bullish crossover (e.g., when the 50-day moving average crosses above the 200-day moving average), it boosts confidence in a trend reversal.
This combination helps filter out false signals.
Note: You can also pair the piercing pattern with other indicators, such as RSI, MACD, or volume spikes, to enhance decision-making.
Points to Keep in Mind When Using the Piercing Pattern
Less Dependable Without Volume Support: A lack of strong buying volume may weaken the signal’s reliability.
May Give False Signals in Low-Volatility or Sideways Markets: It’s essential to assess the overall market strength before taking action.
Needs Extra Confirmation: For greater accuracy, use it in conjunction with other indicators to confirm the reversal.
Conclusion
The Piercing Pattern is a useful tool in technical analysis, especially when it forms after a prolonged downtrend near a low price area. It hints that the bears are losing steam and the bulls may soon take over.
Although this pattern is not frequent, it is more prevalent in stocks and commodities than in forex markets. It also provides clear guidelines for entering and exiting trades, as well as placing stop-loss orders.
Like any strategy, success with the piercing pattern improves when used alongside other technical tools and proper risk management.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. Bajaj Broking Financial Services Ltd. (BFSL) makes no recommendations to buy or sell securities.