Bullish Stick Sandwich Candlestick Pattern: Backtest Analysis
The candlestick chart has been around since the 18th-century Japanese rice trading market. They can easily be used to visualize price changes, and a group of candlesticks can form patterns, which are very useful in finding reversals and continuation patterns on charts. One such pattern is the Bullish Stick Sandwich. What is it?
The Bullish Stick Sandwich is a bullish 3-candlestick pattern that occurs in a downtrend. It is characterized by a bearish-bullish-bearish candlestick arrangement. The pattern is considered a bullish reversal signal, indicating that the downtrend may be coming to an end and that the bulls are taking control of the market.
In this post, we answer some questions about the Bullish Stick Sandwich pattern.
Bullish Stick Sandwich: What is it and How to Use it in Trading?
The Bullish Stick Sandwich is a bullish 3-candlestick pattern that occurs in a downtrend. It is characterized by a bearish-bullish-bearish candlestick arrangement. The pattern is considered a bullish reversal signal, indicating that the downtrend may be coming to an end and that the bulls are taking control of the market. However, its long signal is given only when the price breaks above the high of the third candlestick.
The pattern is made up of three candles:
- The first candle is a long bearish candle
- The second candle is a small bullish candle
- The third candle is a long bearish candle that closes below the open of the second candle and around the same level as the first candle
The Bullish Stick Sandwich tends to form around support levels on the price chart. They are often combined with trendlines and support levels in price action trading to trade bullish reversals after pullbacks in an uptrend. The pattern indicates that the bears are losing control, and a bullish reversal may be imminent when the price closes above the high of the third candlestick. It is considered a strong signal of a potential reversal, but it is more reliable when it appears after a significant pullback (61.8% Fibonacci retracement) in an uptrend.
Bullish Stick Sandwich Candlestick Pattern Backtest
We recommend backtesting all your trading ideas – including candlestick patterns.
To backtest candlestick patterns, you need to set specific rules and definitions. That requires time and effort, but don’t worry: it’s already done for you!
We have defined ALL 75 candlestick patterns and put them into testable, strictly trading rules. Each candlestick pattern is backtested and includes rules, settings, statistics, probabilities, and performance metrics.
Even better, you get the rules with Amibroker or Tradestation/Easy Language code (in addition to plain English if you like to code yourself, like putting it into a Python trading strategy, for example).
Click here to read more or order.
How to Backtest a Bullish Stick Sandwich Trading Strategy
Here are the general steps for backtesting a Bullish Stick Sandwich strategy:
- Get historical price data: You have to collect historical price data for the asset or market you wish to trade. This data should include open, high, low, and close prices, as well as volume data.
- Identify Bullish Stick Sandwich patterns: Use the historical price data to identify instances of the Bullish Stick Sandwich pattern in the past. You can use a software tool or manually scan the charts to find these patterns.
- Set entry and exit rules: State your rules for entering and exiting trades based on the Bullish Stick Sandwich pattern. For example, you could enter a long position when the price breaks above the high of the third candle of the Bullish Stick Sandwich pattern and exit the trade when a certain level of profit is reached or when a stop-loss is triggered.
- Simulate trades: Use the historical price data and your entry and exit rules to simulate the trades that would have been made in the past based on your strategy. Keep track of the results of each trade, including profit or loss and the number of winning and losing trades.
- Evaluate performance: It’s important to analyze the results of the simulated trades to evaluate the performance of the strategy. Look at metrics such as the percentage of winning trades, the average profit per trade, the profit factor, the maximum drawdown, the Sharpe ratio, and so on.
- Optimize the strategy: If the strategy is not performing well, you have to adjust the entry and exit rules or other parameters of the strategy to improve its performance. Repeat the backtesting process with the new parameters to see if they improve the results.
What is a Bullish Stick Sandwich Candlestick Pattern?
The Bullish Stick Sandwich is a bullish 3-candlestick pattern that occurs in a downtrend. It is characterized by a bearish-bullish-bearish candlestick arrangement. The pattern is considered a bullish reversal signal, indicating that the downtrend may be coming to an end and that the bulls are taking control of the market.
The pattern is made up of three candles: the first candle is a long bearish candle; the second candle is a small bullish candle; and the third candle is a long bearish candle that closes below the open of the second candle and around the same level as the first candle.
Note that this pattern gives a long signal only when the price breaks above the high of the third candlestick.
How to Profit with a Bullish Stick Sandwich
You can use the pattern to trade any financial market, including stocks, futures, and forex. While some use it to trade a trend reversal from a downtrend to an uptrend, the pattern may be more profitable when used to trade the reversal of a pullback in an uptrend. Here is how you do it:
- Identify an uptrend
- Wait for the price to retrace by up to 61.8% Fibonacci or pull back to a trendline or a support level
- Look for the Bullish Stick Sandwich
- Wait for the price to close above the high of the third candle of the pattern and enter a long position
- Set a stop loss below the low of the pullback and put your profit target at the next resistance level
How to Identify a Bullish Stick Sandwich
To identify a Bullish Stich Sandwich, look for the following criteria:
- The price must be making a downward swing
- There must be three candles in a row
- The middle candle must have a bullish color, while the other candles must have a bearish color, so you can have “black-white-black” or “red-green-red”
- The candles on each side must have larger trading ranges than the middle candle, making them taller than the middle candle.
- The middle candle must be shorter so that it is engulfed by the first and third candle
However, the pattern is only complete when the price rises and closes above the high of the third candle of the pattern; that is when it gives a buy signal.
Benefits of Bullish Stick Sandwich Trading
Trading a Bullish Stick Sandwich pattern can provide several benefits. These are some of them:
- The pattern signals that a bullish reversal is likely to occur, which can be used to enter long positions.
- The pattern’s formation after a downward trend could confirm that the trend has changed, which can provide a sense of security for traders.
- The pattern is considered a strong signal of a potential reversal, and it is more reliable when it appears after a sustained downtrend.
- The Bullish Stick Sandwich pattern also helps to identify key levels of support and resistance, as traders can use the lows and highs of the pattern to set stop-loss and take-profit levels.
- The pattern can be used as a risk management tool, as traders can use the pattern’s formation to identify potential exit points for losing trades.
What is the Risk of Trading a Bullish Stick Sandwich?
Trading a Bullish Stick Sandwich pattern can be a profitable strategy, but it does come with some risks. One risk is that the pattern may not actually signal a reversal, and the downtrend could continue. Also, the pattern requires confirmation, such as a break above the high of the bearish third candlestick before a long position can be entered. This means that there is a risk of missing out on potential gains if the confirmation doesn’t occur.
Another risk is that the pattern is not a reliable signal when it appears during a range-bound market, or in a market with low volatility. As with other patterns, it requires proper risk management and strict stop-loss levels and take-profit levels. You should also be aware of the general market conditions and fundamentals to make a better-informed decision.
Key Tips for Trading a Bullish Stick Sandwich
When trading a Bullish Stick Sandwich pattern, it’s important to keep the following tips in mind:
- Look for the pattern to appear in a downswing: The Bullish Stick Sandwich is a reversal pattern, so it is more reliable when it appears after a downward price swing.
- Wait for confirmation: The pattern requires confirmation, such as a break above the high of the bearish, third candlestick, before entering a long position.
- Be patient and wait for a clear signal: The Bullish Stick Sandwich pattern can take time to form, so be patient and wait for a clear signal.
- Support with other technical indicators: You should consider other technical indicators such as trend lines, moving averages, and support and resistance levels.
- Take note of the volume: Look for high volume on the first bullish candlestick, it confirms the strength of the reversal signal.
- Use proper risk management: This pattern should be traded with strict stop-loss and take-profit levels.
- Be aware of market conditions and fundamentals: Before entering a trade, be aware of the general market conditions and fundamentals, it will give you a better insight into the trade.
The Best Time to Trade a Bullish Stick Sandwich
The best time to trade a Bullish Stick Sandwich pattern is when it appears after a significant downward price swing in an up-trending market. This is because the pattern is a reversal signal and is more reliable when it is used to trade pullback reversals in an uptrend. Additionally, it’s important to wait for confirmation, such as a break above the high of the bearish, third candlestick, before entering a long position.
It’s also important to be aware of the general market conditions and fundamentals to make a well-informed decision. Combining the pattern with other technical indicators, such as trend lines, moving averages, and support and resistance levels, can increase the chances of success.
How to Set Stop Loss and Take Profit with a Bullish Stick Sandwich
When trading a Bullish Stick Sandwich pattern, it’s important to set stop-loss and take-profit levels to manage risk. A stop-loss can be set below the low of the pattern, as this level represents a key support level.
Take profit can be set at the next resistance levels. Alternatively, you can use a multiple of the risk taken on the trade — 2x or 3x the stop-loss size. It’s also important to consider the overall market conditions, volatility, and potential market-moving events when setting stop-loss and take-profit levels. You may also consider using trailing stop loss, which involves adjusting the stop loss level as the trade moves in your favor.
How to Manage Risk with a Bullish Stick Sandwich
Managing risk is an essential part of trading a Bullish Stick Sandwich pattern. One of the ways to manage risk is by setting stop-loss levels at key support levels, such as below the low of the pattern. Another way is to ensure you use an appropriate position size to limit the amount of your capital at risk in each trade. Additionally, you can diversify your portfolio across different markets and timeframes.
How to Use Moving Averages with a Bullish Stick Sandwich
Moving averages can be used in conjunction with a Bullish Stick Sandwich pattern to confirm a reversal. One way is to look for a bullish crossover, where a shorter-term moving average (such as the 50-day moving average) crosses above a longer-term moving average (such as the 200-day moving average), which can indicate that the bulls are taking control of the market.
Another way is to look for a moving average to act as a dynamic support or resistance level, if the pattern is forming at or near the moving average, it can indicate that the moving average is acting as a support or resistance level.
What Other Patterns to Use with a Bullish Stick Sandwich
Other technical patterns that can be used in conjunction with a Bullish Stick Sandwich pattern include candlestick patterns such as the Bullish Engulfing pattern, the Hammer pattern, and the Piercing Line pattern; chart patterns, such as the double bottom, rounding bottom, and triple bottom; and technical tools, such as trendlines and support and resistance levels. These patterns can provide additional confirmation of a reversal or help identify key levels of support and resistance.
Additionally, using indicators such as RSI and MACD can help to confirm the strength of the reversal signal. These patterns and indicators can be used together to provide a more comprehensive view of the market and increase the chances of success when trading a Bullish Stick Sandwich pattern.
How to Use Risk-Reward Ratios with a Bullish Stick Sandwich
The risk-reward ratio is an important tool to use when trading a Bullish Stick Sandwich pattern. A good risk-reward ratio is when the potential gain is higher than the potential loss. You can calculate the ratio by dividing the distance from the entry price to the take-profit level by the distance from the entry price to the stop-loss level.
A ratio of 1:2 or higher is considered good, meaning the potential gain is twice as much as the potential loss. You should always aim for a higher risk-reward ratio to increase the chances of profitability over the long term.
How to Use Support and Resistance Levels with a Bullish Stick Sandwich
Support and resistance levels are important when trading the Bullish Stick Sandwich pattern. Since it is a bullish reversal pattern, you should look for it around key support levels. Resistance levels represent a price level where the supply is strong enough to prevent the price from rising further, so you look to place your profit target around such levels. You can use trendlines and moving averages to identify support and resistance levels.
How to Use Fibonacci Retracements with a Bullish Stick Sandwich
Fibonacci retracements can be used in conjunction with a Bullish Stick Sandwich pattern to identify key levels of support. You can use the 50-61.8% Fibonacci retracements levels to estimate key support areas where you can take a trade if the Bullish Stick Sandwich pattern occurs.
You can also combine this with other analysis methods, such as trendline analysis or moving averages. A confluence of the 61.8% Fibonacci retracement, a trendline, and the Bullish Stick Sandwich pattern can give a high probability trade setup.
How to Use Relative Strength Index (RSI) with a Bullish Stick Sandwich
You can use the RSI to confirm the signal from the Bullish Stick Sandwich pattern. As a momentum oscillator, the RSI shows when the price is oversold and overbought. You want to see the RSI rising from the oversold region when the price breaks above the high of the third candlestick of the Bullish Stick Sandwich pattern.
What Other Technical Indicators to Use with a Bullish Stick Sandwich?
You can combine the Bullish Stick Sandwich pattern with many other indicators, such as the moving average, stochastic, MACD, and CCI. For example, the moving average can confirm the direction of the trend and serve as a support level; if the pattern is forming during an uptrend, it will be more reliable than forming during a downtrend.
How to Use Volume Analysis with a Bullish Stick Sandwich
Volume can help you to confirm the breakout above the high of the pattern, which indicates the strength of the reversal. If the price breaks above the high of the third candlestick of the pattern on high volume, the reversal is very likely to occur.
How to Use Fundamental Analysis with a Bullish Stick Sandwich
Fundamental analysis can be used in conjunction with a Bullish Stick Sandwich pattern to get a better understanding of the market condition. You should consider factors, such as economic and political events, financial statements, and industry-specific news, when making trading decisions on stocks.
Also, you should be aware of the company’s financials, such as revenue, profit, and earnings per share (EPS), and compare them to the industry averages and previous years. By considering the fundamental factors, traders can make a more informed decision and increase the chances of success when trading a Bullish Stick Sandwich pattern.
FAQ:
How is the Bullish Stick Sandwich pattern formed?
The Bullish Stick Sandwich is a bullish 3-candlestick pattern that occurs in a downtrend. The pattern consists of three candles: a long bearish candle, a small bullish candle, and a long bearish candle that closes below the open of the second candle. The pattern is complete when the price breaks above the high of the third candlestick.
When is a long signal given with the Bullish Stick Sandwich?
A long signal is given only when the price breaks above the high of the third candlestick of the Bullish Stick Sandwich pattern. It signals a potential reversal, indicating the end of the downtrend and the possibility of the bulls taking control of the market.
How do I identify a Bullish Stick Sandwich pattern?
The best time is when the pattern appears after a significant downward price swing in an uptrending market, providing a reliable signal for pullback reversals. Look for specific criteria, including a downward swing in price, three consecutive candles with a particular color arrangement, and specific candle size relationships.