Courses / Candlestick Patterns Masterclass

How to Read a Candlestick

Open, high, low and close on one candle, and what the body and wicks tell you.

A candlestick shows four prices for a period: open, high, low and close. The thick part is the body, between open and close. The thin lines are wicks (or shadows), showing the high and low.

A bullish candle closes above its open, a bearish candle closes below it. Long bodies show strong pressure in one direction. Long wicks show that price went somewhere and was rejected.

One candle is a vote, not a verdict. Context matters: where it forms (at support, after a trend, in a range) is more important than its shape.

Key takeaways

• Body = open to close, wicks = high and low
• Long wick = rejection of that price
• Always read a candle in context of the trend and nearby levels

Quiz

• The body of a candle shows the range between: Answer: Open and close. The body spans the open to the close.
• A long upper wick usually shows: Answer: Rejection of higher prices. Price rose but sellers pushed it back down.
• What matters most when reading a candle? Answer: The context where it forms. Location and trend give a candle meaning.

Educational content, not financial advice.