The falling wedge pattern breakout descending wedge in the USD/CAD price chart below has a stochastic applied to it. The stochastic oscillator displays rising lows over the later half of the wedge formation even as the price declines and fails to make new lows. The stochastic divergence and price breakout from the wedge to the upside helped predict the subsequent price increase. The best indicator type for a falling wedge pattern is the divergence on price-momentum oscillators such as the Stochastic Oscillator or the Relative Strength Index (RSI). This is known as a “fakeout” and occurs frequently in the financial markets.
These trading wedge patterns emerge on charts when trend direction conflicts with volatility contraction. While this article will focus on the falling wedge as a reversal pattern, it can also fit into the continuation category. As a continuation pattern, the falling wedge will still slope down, but the slope will be against the prevailing uptrend. As a reversal pattern, the falling wedge slopes down and with the prevailing trend. Regardless of the type (reversal or continuation), falling wedges are regarded as bullish patterns. A falling wedge pattern is a reliable bullish breakout pattern with a 65%-75% success rate.
How is the Falling Wedge Pattern formed?
Once resistance is broken, the previous level becomes a form of support. Analysts and traders had been closely monitoring Sumitomo Chemical India Ltd. as the pattern unfolded, and the breakout provided a promising signal for potential investors. This bullish move indicated that the downtrend might be losing momentum, with buyers potentially gaining stock control. The upper trendline connects a series of lower highs, while the lower trendline connects a sequence of higher lows. These trendlines converge over time, forming a narrowing wedge pattern. The price moves between these trendlines, with lower highs indicating selling pressure weakening and higher lows signaling buying support strengthening.
What is the price target for a Falling Wedge pattern?
- A clear breakout, accompanied by a significant surge in trading volume, reinforces the bullish outlook.
- To illustrate, consider the case of a trader who observes a falling wedge pattern forming on the chart of a tech stock.
- A falling wedge is identified by two converging declining trendlines on a chart.
- The falling wedge shines when used within a broader market analysis framework.
- The interactions of price action with these angled trend lines inform traders about the balance of power between bulls and bears during the wedge.
The falling wedge pattern often breaks out following a significant downturn and marks the final low. The pattern typically develops over a 3-6 month period and the downtrend that came before it should have lasted at least three months. The falling wedge pattern denotes the end of the period of correction or consolidation. Buyers take advantage of price consolidation to create new buying chances, defeat the bears, and drive prices higher.
Falling Wedge Pattern Confirmation
A falling wedge is a technical analysis pattern with a predictive accuracy of 74%. The pattern can break out up or down but is primarily considered bullish, rising 68% of the time. The falling wedge is formed when an asset price rises, but instead of continuing its upward trajectory, it contracts as the trading range tightens. This contraction is reflected in the slope of two falling and converging trend lines plotted above and below the price action.
What is the Failure Rate of a Falling Wedge Pattern?
The pattern’s validity hinges on macroeconomic sentiment shifts, such as central bank policy changes or geopolitical events, which accelerate breakout momentum. A descending wedge in major currency pairs might develop during short-term market corrections driven by rate expectations or trade imbalances. Volatile environments increase the failure rate of falling wedge patterns due to whipsaws. Whipsaws occur when a price briefly moves past a trendline only to reverse direction quickly.
- If there is also an increase in volume at the time of this breakout, then this pattern is considered even more reliable.
- In the realm of trading, particularly when dealing with breakout strategies like those influenced by falling wedge patterns, the importance of risk management cannot be overstated.
- In Forex, the falling wedge often forms during corrective phases within broader trends, with converging trendlines reflecting temporary bearish exhaustion.
- Crypto traders rely on on-chain metrics, such as exchange outflows and rising open interest in derivatives markets, to validate breakout signals.
Falling Wedge as a Continuation Signal
It’s important to note that falling wedges can also form in downtrends. If the distance from the wedge’s starting apex is 10%, the logical price target should be 10% above or below the breakout. It is calculated by adding the pattern’s starting height to the breakout point. This gives traders a good indication of where to expect prices to move following a successful breakout. As shown in the chart above, once the falling wedge breakout is confirmed, traders should set their stop-loss order inside the wedge. A falling wedge chart pattern generally signals a bullish continuation when the price breaks out of the wedge.
Candlestick charts are one of the most popular ways to study the price of an asset. By studying candlestick charts, traders can identify certain patterns which can help gauge future price movements. The falling wedge is one such pattern that could be a vital indicator of the possible price trajectory. This pattern’s reversal signal in downtrends emphasizes its importance in technical analysis, helping traders anticipate and leverage significant market direction changes. Employing these strategies can help traders capitalize on the opportunities presented by falling wedge patterns while managing trading risks.
What is the success rate of a falling wedge?
A trader that finds a clear descending wedge formation should prepare for a potential long trade. A falling wedge pattern breaks down when the price of an asset falls below the wedge’s lower trendline, potentially signalling a change in the trend’s direction. The descending wedge pattern acts as a reversal pattern in a downtrend. Yes, falling wedge patterns are considered highly profitable to trade due to the strong bullish probabilities and upside breakouts.
Word of the Day
A falling wedge has lower highs, but the lows are printed at higher prices. You’ll notice that the falling wedge formed a large handle, creating a cup and handle formation. Inside the FW was an inverse head and shoulders pattern leading up to the top of the angular resistance. There may be a correction to test the newfound support level and ensure it holds, indicating a valid breakout. This phenomenon is frequently observed in day trading, where previous resistance levels become support and vice versa.
Filippo Ucchino created InvestinGoal, an Introducing Broker company offering digital consulting and personalized digital assistance services for traders and investors. Liberated Stock Trader, founded in 2009, is committed to providing unbiased investing education through high-quality courses and books. We perform original research and testing on charts, indicators, patterns, strategies, and tools. Our strategic partnerships with trusted companies support our mission to empower self-directed investors while sustaining our business operations. We know chart patterns’ success rates and profitability because Tom Bulkowski, the author of The Encyclopedia of Chart Patterns, has spent decades researching charting. The price clearly breaks out of the descending wedge on the Gold chart below to the upside before falling back down.
The accuracy of the falling wedge pattern is supported by trading volume analysis. A trade volume contraction during the falling wedge chart formation signals waning selling interest. A volume spike during the breakout phase confirms the shift in market sentiment from sellers to buyers.


