Ladder Bottom/Top
What Is Ladder Bottom/Top?
Ladder base/top are two types of candlestick patterns used to demonstrate a reversal in the price bearing of an asset.
The ladder base is a five candle reversal pattern that demonstrates a rise is starting following a decline and is made by a series of lower closes, followed by a sharp price increase. The ladder top, then again, is a five candle bearish reversal pattern that is made out of a series of higher closes, followed by a sharp price drop.
Understanding Ladder Bottom/Top
The ladder base and top are hypothetically reversal patterns, in spite of the fact that they don't necessarily in every case act like that. As indicated by the Encyclopedia of Candlestick Charts, by Thomas Bulkowski, the patterns just act as reversal patterns around 56% of the time. Thusly, traders might wish to trade breakouts from the pattern — price moves above or below the pattern high or low, separately — in one or the other course.
The lining pattern would in general show the best performance when the price was in an overall downtrend, and breakouts higher or lower would in general work out about similarly.
The Ladder Bottom
The ladder base is a bullish reversal pattern with the following characteristics:
- The market is in a downtrend.
- The first, second, and third candles have long black (down) real bodies with each open and close below the open and close of the previous candle.
- The fourth candle is black with a short real body and long upper shadow.
- The fifth candle is white (up) with an open over the real body of the prior candle.
The theory behind the pattern is that a downtrend loses momentum with an inverted hammer candle that makes an opening for bulls to dominate and reverse the trend. Notwithstanding not being normal, the ladder base will in general be fair at predicting a reversal. Notwithstanding, it will in general deliver price moves of 6% or more in the breakout bearing inside the 10 days following the pattern (for stocks).
Traders ought to utilize the ladder base related to other technical indicators to predict bullish reversals. In the event that the pattern happens, traders might need to exit any short positions or change their stop-loss levels, yet betting on a long position might require extra confirmation through other chart patterns or technical indicators.
The Ladder Top
The ladder top is a bearish reversal pattern with the following characteristics:
- The market is in a uptrend.
- The first, second, and third candles have long white (up) real bodies with each open and close over the open and close of the previous candle.
- The fourth candle is white with a short real body and long lower shadow.
- The fifth candle is black (down) with an open below the real body of the prior candle.
The theory behind the pattern is that an uptrend loses momentum with a hammer or harami candle that makes an opening for bears to dominate and reverse the trend. Likewise with the lining pattern, a breakout from the ladder top pattern will in general create a nice estimated move soon after the pattern, yet the breakout could happen in one or the other heading. It won't generally be a reversal pattern.
Ladder Bottom/Top Example
Apple's daily chart shows a large ladder base pattern. There are three long red (down) candles, followed by an inverted hammer and a large green (up) candle. From high to low, this specific pattern covered in excess of a 12% price area.
Following the first (green) candle, the price climbed initially however didn't move over the high of the pattern (candle one). It then, at that point, momentarily moved below the low of the pattern, showing a further slide. The price immediately recovered however and moved over the high of the pattern, continuing to the upside.
Entry points and stop losses could be put at different areas inside the pattern. A long could be taken following the green candle in a lining pattern, with a stop loss below the pattern low or below the green candle, for instance.
Ladder Bottom/Top versus Three White Soldiers
The three white soldiers pattern is made by three large white (up) candles in succession, where each opens inside the real body of the last candle, however at that point closes higher. It shows strong bullish sentiment and traders normally search for it following a decline.
It is conceivable that a ladder base could progress into a three white soldiers on the off chance that two additional long up candles follow the white candle (fifth candle) in the ladder base.
Ladder Bottom/Top Limitations
- These patterns are very rare, and that means the opportunities to involve them for trading or scientific purposes will be limited.
- The patterns are a poor predictor of price heading. The price could break higher or lower after they show up, with a breakout being a price move over the high or low price of the pattern. In spite of being intended to spot reversals, it is around 50/50 regarding whether the patterns will reverse or proceed with the predominant trend.
- The pattern can be very large and cover a ton of price area. When the price moves outside the scope of the pattern, a critical portion of the following price move might have proactively occurred.
The ladder base and top, as other candlestick patterns, are regularly best utilized related to different forms of technical analysis, for example, price action, larger chart patterns, or technical indicators.
Highlights
- In theory, the ladder base demonstrates a price reversal to the upside following a downtrend, while the ladder top shows a price reversal to the downside following an uptrend.
- Ladder base/top patterns are very rare, so opportunities for trading them are limited.
- In reality, they act as a reversal pattern somewhat more than half of the time.