Double Bottom Pattern: A Comprehensive Trading Strategy

As you can see from the illustration above, the double bottom pattern has formed after an extended move down. Shortly after forming the first bottom, the market retested new resistance at the neckline and subsequently found support again at the same key support level (second bottom). Whereas a double bottom pattern indicates a bearish-to-bullish trend reversal, a double top pattern shows a bullish-to-bearish change in the prevailing trend. A double top is a double bottom pattern in reverse and is set up according to similar principles. The first method to trade a double bottom pattern is to enter a trade when the price of an asset breaks the neckline/resistance of the chart formation. On the other hand, the double bottom is a bullish reversal pattern.

The risks of loss from investing in CFDs can be substantial and the value of your investments may fluctuate. 72% of retail client accounts lose money when trading CFDs, with this investment provider. CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. You should consider whether you understand how this product works, and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. We want to clarify that IG International does not have an official Line account at this time. We have not established any official presence on Line messaging platform.

• For a start, it is one of the most reliable reversal patterns, with reliability of over 78%.
• Therefore, their accuracy is quite high if double bottom patterns are utilized correctly.
• Sellers are carefully packing their belongings, as evidenced by the double bottom pattern.
• By constantly incorporating volatility, they adjust quickly to the rhythm of the market.
• Point number 1 marks the first bottom; next, the price goes back to point 2, the intermediary high.

At this point, if the momentum had continued lower, the pattern would have been void. This continued only for a short while before the asset once again lost its momentum. This time, the retracement broke through the neckline which signified a more permanent reversal in the overall momentum of the asset’s value. The pattern has a specific trading system with particular market entry/exit points, as well as a stop loss level.

How to identify a double bottom pattern?

After you measure the size of the pattern, you need to apply this distance starting from the opposite side of the neck line. In other words, your minimum target equals the size of the pattern. Then add a perpendicular line to the line between the two tops/bottoms starting from the Neck Line.

It should be emphasized that the greater the distance between two bottoms, the higher the probability of a trend reversal and pattern completion. This is because the bulls show their strength and intention to increase the price while not allowing the bears to go below the critical point. The pattern is characterized by forming two bottoms located approximately at the same level. Between these two lows, there is a small upward correction, which gives the pattern the final look of the letter W. Traders can also monitor the price action and adjust their take profit target if necessary. If the price is showing signs of slowing down or reversing, traders may want to take profits early to avoid giving back too much of their gains.

Why Do Forex Traders Use the Double-Bottom Pattern?

An effective stop poses little doubt to the trader over whether they are wrong. In short, traders can either anticipate these formations or wait for confirmation and react to them. Which approach you chose is more a function of your personality than relative merit. MetaTrader 5 is a trading software platform that has gained popularity among investors engaged in forex trading and other financial markets. I would say that the majority of the time, double bottoms are not the catalysts of huge reversals. They’re more so established with smaller pullbacks in price, meaning you need to be fluid with your exits after taking your initial positions.

But risk control in trading should be achieved through proper position size, not stops. The general rule of thumb is never to risk more than 2% of capital per trade. For smaller traders, that can sometimes mean ridiculously small trades. This information has been prepared by IG, a trading name of IG Markets Limited. IG accepts no responsibility for any use that may be made of these comments and for any consequences that result. No representation or warranty is given as to the accuracy or completeness of this information.

Double bottom pattern FAQs

There are two main ways to trade and confirm a double bottom pattern entry and exit prices. First, look where the price breaks the support level or neckline and place an order as soon as the pattern completes. Or, second, wait for the price to retest the neckline and enter the trade after the price retests the neckline as support. So, to sum up, the first option to trade a double https://g-markets.net/ bottom formation is to enter the trade as soon as the pattern completes and the price breaks the neckline. You can use double tops or double bottoms to trade forex when you create an account with us. If you identify a double top pattern, you could open a short position after the second peak, and with a double bottom, you could open a long position after the second low.

A double bottom is formed following a single rounding bottom pattern which can also be the first sign of a potential reversal. Rounding bottom patterns will typically occur at the end of an extended bearish trend. A double bottom will typically indicate a bullish reversal which provides an opportunity for investors to obtain profits from a bullish rally. After a double bottom, common trading strategies include long positions that will profit from a rising security price. Price rejected the level with the double bottom pattern and moved up higher. If you were waiting for a confirmation break of the neckline, you would have entered fairly late into this trade.

• But if the price quickly reverses higher, the short traders are “trapped”.
• Shortly after forming the first bottom, the market retested new resistance at the neckline and subsequently found support again at the same key support level (second bottom).
• Interestingly the RSI shows no breach/overbought signal (as highlighted) with this break of resistance.
• In this lesson we’ll discuss the dynamics and characteristics of the double bottom pattern.
• Trading foreign exchange on margin carries a high level of risk, and may not be suitable for all investors.

A double top has an ‘M’ shape and indicates a bearish reversal in trend, like a head and shoulders pattern. A double bottom has a ‘W’ shape and signals a bullish price movement. Detected in daily or weekly charts, the pattern works more accurately in medium and long-term timeframes. However, double bottom patterns are also quite efficient in day trading. The chart above shows a double bottom pattern that formed on the NZDUSD daily chart. Notice how we have a well-defined neckline and two swing lows which form a nice “W” pattern.

Double Bottom Pattern: The Complete Guide for Forex Traders

Thereafter, a strong push upwards past the neckline switches the trend. In short, the double bottom consists of two lows and a single neckline. The neckline happens to be the most important feature of the double bottom.

After all, two standard deviations cover 95% of possible scenarios in a normal distribution of a dataset. Therefore setting a wider standard-deviation parameter is a must. In this example on EURUSD 30M, price made a double bottom in a bullish trending market.

Take note that in the two examples we discussed, the trend line breakout appeared at different times in the process. In the first case the price broke the trend after the creation of the second top. In the second case the trend breakout came right after the creation of the first bottom.

This will allow you to quickly and easily identify the pattern on a chart and will also help you to understand the dynamics behind this powerful reversal pattern. The second way to trade a double bottom pattern is to wait a little longer before buying, see how the trend will play out, and place an order when the price retests the neckline. The double bottom pattern shows that sellers are slowly packing their bags. Bit by bit, bullish momentum rose higher and higher prices were attained. After a prolonged downtrend, there’ll be a time when the bears (sellers) start to weaken. When this happens, the double bottom pattern might form to fully stop bearish pressure.

Notice in the illustration above how the market retests the neckline as new support. This retest provides us with an opportunity to buy at support as the market reverses direction. If you’ll notice, how to trade double bottom pattern forex there was a daily close above this level two days prior, but it wasn’t a very convincing close. In these situations it’s best to wait for a better, more convincing close which came two days later.

If both bottoms are on the same level, put your stop level slightly below the lows/ bottoms. Since the double bottom is a fractal pattern, the optimal time separation between them is not exact. Instead, you count the number of candles and take a rule of thumb of at least 5-7 candles. If the bottom of that downtrend forms in a way that resembles the letter W — it is a good chance that’s a double bottom.

Reliable Pattern for Vigilant Traders

The net effect is a series of frustrating stops out of positions that often would have turned out to be successful trades. As you can see in the USD/CAD daily chart below, the pair has first and second lows and a neckline. Once it breaks above the neckline, the forex pair continues to trade higher and a bullish trend has started. You can practice trading double bottom patterns and other technical tools on the LiteFinance demo account for free without registration.