Hammers and shooting stars: do they still work for you?

The hammer at support and the shooting star at resistance are the first reversal candles beginners learn — and among the first they lose money on. Context and confirmation decide everything.

Hammers and shooting stars: do they still work for you? — support and resistance diagram
Price bouncing between support and resistance

What's your verdict?

  • the conditions under which you trade them
  • the time frames where they hold up
  • the hammer or star that burned you early
Hammers and shooting stars: do they still work for you? — candlestick anatomy diagram
The parts of a candlestick: wick, body, open and close

The candlestick guide covers both patterns properly.

Background: How to read candlestick charts

Candlesticks pack four prices into one shape. How to read the body and wicks, what timeframes mean and why single patterns are weaker than they look.

What do the wicks on a candlestick mean?

The wicks show the highest and lowest prices reached during the period. A long wick shows that the price moved there but was pushed back before the candle closed.

Are candlestick patterns reliable?

Not on their own. They are more meaningful at important price levels and on higher timeframes, and they should be combined with a clear plan for risk.

Read the full guide

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