Giles Coghlan LLB, Lth, MA
Financial Source
According to Thomas Bulkowski, one of the most profitable technical patterns is the high and tight flag, breaking higher. According to Bulkowski, when properly recognised, it can reach a target up to 90% of the time. So, here is what you need to look for to recognise them.
Recognising the flag pattern
Here are the steps to recognising the pattern:
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First of all, you need to witness a steep and sharp price trend (ideally over 90% gain).
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Ideally, this price move should be around 45 degrees.
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Then you need to see the price from a small channel that resembles a ‘flag’ pattern.
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The best performance comes when the flag slopes away from the preceding trend.
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Flag formations should form over a few short days – ideally, less than 15 days.
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Use the measured rule to aim for your target. So, the height of the move preceding the ‘flag’ formation is the measured target from the breakout of the pattern.
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Use a trailing stop to lock in profits.
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The trade entry is simply the break of the pattern and stops can be placed on the other side of the pattern.
Here is a look at what the Flag pattern should look like:
The logic
The most likely reason the flag pattern works is that by definition you are already entering a trending market. That is a prerequisite for finding the pattern. This pushes the odds in your favor and, when combined with a trailing stop, you can see why some traders focus on trading the flag and pennant pattern in isolation.
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Editors’ Picks
EUR/USD hovers around nine-day EMA above 1.1800
EUR/USD remains in the positive territory after registering modest gains in the previous session, trading around 1.1820 during the Asian hours on Monday. The 14-day Relative Strength Index momentum indicator at 54 is edging higher, signaling improving momentum. RSI near mid-50s keeps momentum balanced. A sustained push above 60 would firm bullish control.
GBP/USD holds medium-term bullish bias above 1.3600
The GBP/USD pair trades on a softer note around 1.3605 during the early European session on Monday. Growing expectation of the Bank of England’s interest-rate cut weighs on the Pound Sterling against the Greenback.
USD/JPY drops back below 157.00 on Japan's verbal intervention
USD/JPY has come under moderate selling pressure below 157.00 in the Asian session on Monday. The Japanese Yen lost ground to near 157.70 following Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party's outright majority win in Sunday’s lower house election, opening the door to more fiscal stimulus by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. However, JPY buyers jumped back and dragged the pair southward on FX verbal intervention by Japan’s Finance Minister Katayama.
Editors’ Picks
EUR/USD hovers around nine-day EMA above 1.1800
EUR/USD remains in the positive territory after registering modest gains in the previous session, trading around 1.1820 during the Asian hours on Monday. The 14-day Relative Strength Index momentum indicator at 54 is edging higher, signaling improving momentum. RSI near mid-50s keeps momentum balanced. A sustained push above 60 would firm bullish control.
Gold sticks to gains above $5,000 as China's buying and Fed rate-cut bets drive demand
Gold surges past the $5,000 psychological mark during the Asian session on Monday in reaction to the weekend data, showing that the People's Bank of China extended its buying spree for a 15th month in January. Moreover, dovish US Federal Reserve expectations and concerns about the central bank's independence drag the US Dollar lower for the second straight day, providing an additional boost to the non-yielding yellow metal.
GBP/USD holds medium-term bullish bias above 1.3600
The GBP/USD pair trades on a softer note around 1.3605 during the early European session on Monday. Growing expectation of the Bank of England’s interest-rate cut weighs on the Pound Sterling against the Greenback.
Bitcoin, Ethereum and Ripple consolidate after massive sell-off
Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Ripple prices consolidated on Monday after correcting by nearly 9%, 8%, and 10% in the previous week, respectively. BTC is hovering around $70,000, while ETH and XRP are facing rejection at key levels.
Weekly column: Saturn-Neptune and the end of the Dollar’s 15-year bull cycle
Tariffs are not only inflationary for a nation but also risk undermining the trust and credibility that go hand in hand with the responsibility of being the leading nation in the free world and controlling the world’s reserve currency.
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