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Identify and trade bullish and bearish Marubozu candlestick patterns.

Writer: Patrick MeierPatrick Meier

A marubozu is a candlestick pattern that appears when the market opens and closes at the day's high or low, with minimal or no shadow (the range between the high and low prices). This pattern is defined by a long real body (the difference between the opening and closing prices) and little to no shadow, signifying a strong trend where either buyers or sellers are in control.


Green Bullish Marubozu and red Bearish Marubozu candlestick bars are shown with text labels on a white background, separated by a dashed line.


How to recognize a bullish marubozu candlestick pattern?


To recognize a bullish marubozu pattern, look for a candlestick with a long real body and minimal or no upper shadow. The candlestick should start near the day's low and finish near the day's high, signifying that buyers are in control. The lack of an upper shadow indicates a strong market with no selling pressure.


How to recognize a bearish marubozu candlestick pattern?


To recognize a bearish marubozu pattern, look for a candlestick with a long real body and minimal or no lower shadow. The candlestick should start near the day's high and finish near the day's low, signifying that sellers are in control. The lack of a lower shadow indicates a weak market with no buying pressure.


Stock chart showing Bearish and Bullish Marubozu candles. Apple Inc. data on NASDAQ. Green and red candlestick patterns, TradingView logo.
Photo from Trading View

How to trade the bullish marubozu candlestick pattern?


The bullish marubozu pattern is a robust bullish indicator, showing that buyers dominate the market. Here are three popular trading strategies:

  • Open a long position: Consider opening a long position at the start of the next candlestick following the appearance of the bullish marubozu pattern. This approach is most effective in a rising market.

  • Utilize it as a confirmation signal: The bullish marubozu pattern can serve as a confirmation signal for entering a long position when paired with other technical indicators like moving averages, Bollinger bands, and relative strength index (RSI).

  • Implement a stop loss: Set a stop loss below the low of the bullish marubozu candlestick to minimize potential losses.

How to trade the bearish marubozu candlestick pattern?


The bearish marubozu pattern is a strong bearish indicator, signifying that sellers are in control of the market. Here are three common trading strategies:

  • Initiate a short position: You can initiate a short position at the start of the next candlestick after the bearish marubozu pattern appears. This strategy is most effective in a declining market.

  • Use it as a confirmation signal: The bearish marubozu pattern can be used as a confirmation signal to enter a short position when combined with other technical indicators such as moving averages, Bollinger bands, and relative strength index (RSI).

  • Establish a stop loss: Set a stop loss above the high of the bearish marubozu candlestick to limit potential losses.

Conclusion


The marubozu candlestick pattern is a valuable tool for traders to recognize strong trends and potential trading opportunities. By learning to identify and trade the bullish and bearish marubozu patterns, traders can make informed choices and enhance their trading outcomes.

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