A tweezer pattern is a two-candle reversal pattern that forms when consecutive candles share the same, or nearly the same, high or low. A tweezer top has matching highs after an uptrend and warns of a bearish reversal. A tweezer bottom has matching lows after a downtrend and warns of a bullish reversal.
The three most common ways to trade the pattern are waiting for a confirmation candle to close beyond it, taking only tweezers that form at support or resistance, and checking the relative strength index (RSI) and volume before entry.
What Is a Tweezer Candlestick Pattern?
A tweezer candlestick pattern forms when two consecutive candles reach the same high or the same low. That shared price is the matching high in a tweezer top and the matching low in a tweezer bottom. It does not need to be exact, and highs or lows that are very close to equal still count. Some traders call it a tweezer chart pattern, although it forms from only two candles.
The name comes from the shape. On a chart, the two candles look like the arms of a pair of tweezers picking out a top or a bottom. Expert technical analyst Steve Nison made the tweezer candle pattern popular with Western traders in his book Japanese Candlestick Charting Techniques.
There are two types. A tweezer top is a bearish reversal pattern that forms in an uptrend and signals resistance. A tweezer bottom is a bullish reversal pattern that forms in a downtrend and signals support.
Both are short-term reversal patterns. They show that price was rejected at the matching high or matching low on two candles in a row, and they do not show how far the reversal will go.
How to Identify a Tweezer Top and Tweezer Bottom?
Every tweezer pattern has a prior trend, two consecutive candles with a matching high or low, and a second candle that closes against the trend. Check them in that order, because two candles with a matching high and no uptrend before them are not a tweezer top.
Tweezer Top Candlestick Pattern
The tweezer top candlestick pattern forms at the end of an uptrend. Some even call it a double tweezer top. The first candle is bullish and often closes near its high, so the existing uptrend looks like it is continuing.
The second candle opens near the first candle's close, fails to trade above the first candle's high, and closes lower. The upper shadows (the wicks above each candle body) both end at the matching high.
Use this checklist to confirm a tweezer top pattern:
A clear uptrend with higher highs and higher lows before the pattern.
Two consecutive candles with equal or nearly equal highs.
A bullish first candle and a bearish second candle.
The matching high sits at or near resistance.
The textbook tweezer top candlestick has a bullish candle followed by a bearish candle. Two candles of the same colour with a matching high still form a tweezer top, although the signal is weaker because the second candle did not close against the uptrend.
Tweezer Bottom Candlestick Pattern
The tweezer bottom candlestick pattern is the mirror image and forms at the end of a downtrend. The first candle is bearish and closes near its low. The second candle fails to trade below that low and closes higher.
The lower shadows of both candles end at the matching low. A tweezer bottom pattern at support shows that buyers stopped the downtrend at the matching low on two consecutive candles.
Use this checklist to confirm a tweezer bottom:
A clear downtrend with lower highs and lower lows before the pattern.
Two consecutive candles with equal or nearly equal lows.
A bearish first candle and a bullish second candle.
The matching low sits at or near support.
What Does a Tweezer Pattern Signal in Trading?
A tweezer pattern shows that buyers or sellers tried to push price further and failed at the matching high or matching low twice. In a tweezer top, buyers drive price to a high, cannot get past it on the next candle, and sellers close that candle lower. That is the tweezer top candlestick meaning: resistance held and buyers can no longer push price higher.
A tweezer bottom shows the reverse. Sellers push price to a low, fail to break it on the next candle, and buyers close that candle higher, so support held.
A completed tweezer pattern can mark a significant short-term high or low. It is more reliable when RSI or a trendline points to a reversal at the matching high or matching low. The pattern does not show how far the reversal will go or how long it will last, so set your target at the next support or resistance.
How to Trade Tweezer Tops and Bottoms?
Tweezer pattern trading has one main rule: trade tweezer tops and bottoms only after the confirmation candle closes. Until then, the pattern only shows where a reversal may start.
Which Indicators and Levels Confirm a Tweezer Pattern?
Confirmation candle. Wait for the candle after the pattern to close. After a tweezer top, it should close below the lowest low of the two candles. After a tweezer bottom, it should close above the highest high.
Support and resistance. A tweezer top at resistance or a tweezer bottom at support gives a stronger signal than one that forms between the two. Trendlines and Fibonacci retracement levels work the same way.
RSI. A reading above 70 near a tweezer top, or below 30 near a tweezer bottom, shows the trend was overbought or oversold before the pattern formed, which makes a reversal more likely.
Volume. Higher volume on the second candle or the confirmation candle shows that more trading took place on the reversal. On forex pairs, MT4 and MT5 show tick volume (the number of price changes in each candle), and traders read it the same way.
Important: Wait for the confirmation candle to close before you enter, because a tweezer top fails if the next candle trades above the matching high. |
Tweezer Top and Tweezer Bottom Entry, Stop-Loss and Target
The entry, stop-loss and target rules are the same for both patterns, applied in opposite directions.
Rule | Tweezer top (sell) | Tweezer bottom (buy) |
|---|
Entry | At the close of a bearish confirmation candle below the lowest low of the pattern | At the close of a bullish confirmation candle above the highest high of the pattern |
Stop-loss | Above the matching high, plus the spread | Below the matching low, plus the spread |
Target | The next support | The next resistance |
Minimum risk-reward ratio | 2:1 | 2:1 |
A tweezer bottom entry works like this: buy at the close of the confirmation candle, place the stop-loss below the matching low, and set the target at the next resistance. Skip the trade if the distance to the target is less than twice the distance to the stop-loss.
A tweezer top entry works the same way in reverse: sell at the close of the confirmation candle, place the stop-loss above the matching high, and set the target at the next support. Skip the trade if the distance to the target is less than twice the distance to the stop-loss.
The stop-loss sits beyond the matching high or low because a close beyond that price means the tweezer pattern has failed. In fast markets a stop-loss can fill at a worse price than the one you set. This is called slippage, and you should account for it when you size the trade.
Tweezer Top Chart Example: Entry, Stop-Loss, RSI and Volume
This tweezer top chart example uses illustrative prices on a EUR/USD 4-hour chart. EUR/USD is in an uptrend from 1.0760 and reaches resistance at a previous swing high near 1.0950.
Spot the pattern. Candle 1 is bullish: open 1.0905, high 1.0952, low 1.0901, close 1.0945. Candle 2 is bearish: open 1.0945, high 1.0951, low 1.0908, close 1.0912. The highs are 1 pip apart, which counts as a matching high at resistance.
Check RSI. The 14-period RSI reads 74 on candle 1 and falls to 63 on candle 2. The uptrend was overbought and RSI has dropped back below 70.
Check volume. Volume on candle 2 is higher than on candle 1, so more trading took place on the bearish candle at the same high.
Wait for the confirmation candle. The next candle closes at 1.0893, below 1.0901, the lowest low of the two candles. The tweezer top is confirmed.
Set entry, stop-loss and target. Sell at 1.0893. Place the stop-loss at 1.0960, 8 pips above the matching high to cover the spread. That is 67 pips of risk. The target is support at 1.0760, 133 pips away, for a risk-reward ratio of about 2:1.
Size the position. On a $10,000 account risking 1%, the maximum loss is $100. With a pip value of $10 per standard lot on EUR/USD, $100 divided by 67 pips gives a position of 0.15 lots.
Level | Price | Reason |
|---|
Matching high | 1.0952 | Highs of candle 1 and candle 2, 1 pip apart |
Confirmation close | 1.0893 | Close below the lowest low of the pattern (1.0901) |
Entry (sell) | 1.0893 | Close of the confirmation candle |
Stop-loss | 1.0960 | 8 pips above the matching high (67 pips of risk) |
Target | 1.0760 | Next support (133 pips of reward) |
Position size | 0.15 lots | 1% risk on a $10,000 account |
If the candle after the pattern had closed above 1.0952 instead, the tweezer top would have failed and there would be no trade. You can practise this process on a TMGM demo account before trading with real money.
Pro Tip: Set the stop-loss first, then calculate the lot size from the stop-loss distance, so every tweezer trade risks the same percentage of your account. |
What Are the Limitations of Tweezer Patterns?
A tweezer pattern is unreliable on its own. It forms often, especially on lower timeframes, and many tweezers appear in ranging markets where price rejects the same high or low again and again without reversing.
The pattern also does not give a price target. A tweezer bottom can be followed by a small rise and then a new low, which makes it a failed tweezer and usually means the downtrend is continuing.
A stop-loss placed just beyond the matching high or low can be hit by a brief price spike or a wider spread around news releases. Backtest tweezer patterns on the instrument and timeframe you trade before using them with real money.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Difference Between a Tweezer Top and a Double Top?
A tweezer top forms from two consecutive candles with a matching high and signals a short-term reversal. A double top forms from two separate peaks at a similar price with a pullback between them, usually over many candles, and it is confirmed when price closes below the low of that pullback. See our [double top] guide for the full pattern.
How Reliable Are Tweezer Patterns?
Tweezer patterns are more reliable when they form at support or resistance after a clear trend and are followed by a confirmation candle. On their own they are unreliable and give many false signals, especially in ranging markets. Backtest them on your own instrument and timeframe to see how often they work.
Which Timeframe Is Best for Tweezer Patterns?
Tweezer patterns appear on every timeframe, and 4-hour and daily charts give fewer but more reliable signals. They form more often on lower timeframes such as the 5-minute or 15-minute chart, where intraday traders should also check RSI and volume before entering.
Check More Bullish Candlestick Patterns
Bullish Pattern | Features |
|---|
Hammer Pattern | The hammer is a single-candle bullish reversal pattern that forms after a downtrend. 1. The candle has a small body at the top of its range. 2. The lower shadow is at least twice the length of the body. 3. The candle has little or no upper shadow. |
Inverted Hammer Pattern | The inverted hammer is a single-candle bullish reversal pattern that forms after a downtrend. 1. The candle has a small body at the bottom of its range. 2. The upper shadow is at least twice the length of the body. 3. The candle has little or no lower shadow. |
Dragonfly Doji Pattern | The dragonfly doji is a single-candle bullish reversal pattern that forms at the bottom of a downtrend. 1. The open and close are at or near the high of the candle. 2. The candle has a long lower shadow. 3. The candle has little or no upper shadow. |
Bullish Engulfing Pattern | The bullish engulfing is a two-candle bullish reversal pattern that forms after a downtrend. 1. The first candle is a small bearish candle. 2. The second candle is a larger bullish candle with a body that completely engulfs the body of the first candle. |
Bullish Harami Pattern | The bullish harami is a two-candle bullish reversal pattern that forms after a downtrend. 1. The first candle is a large bearish candle. 2. The second candle is a small candle, usually bullish, with a body that sits completely inside the body of the first candle. |
Piercing Line Pattern | The piercing line is a two-candle bullish reversal pattern that forms after a downtrend. 1. The first candle is a long bearish candle. 2. The second candle is a bullish candle that opens below the close of the first candle. 3. The second candle closes above the midpoint (50%) of the first candle body. |
Bullish Kicker Pattern | The bullish kicker is a two-candle bullish reversal pattern that shows a sudden change from selling to buying. 1. The first candle is a bearish candle. 2. The second candle is a bullish candle that gaps up and opens at or above the open of the first candle. 3. The bodies of the two candles do not overlap. |
Tweezer Bottom Pattern | The tweezer bottom is a two-candle bullish reversal pattern that forms at the end of a downtrend. 1. The first candle is a bearish candle. 2. The second candle is a bullish candle. 3. Both candles have the same, or nearly the same, low. |
Bullish Abandoned Baby Pattern | The bullish abandoned baby is a three-candle bullish reversal pattern that forms after a downtrend. 1. The first candle is a long bearish candle. 2. The second candle is a doji that gaps down below the first candle. 3. The third candle is a long bullish candle that gaps up above the doji. |
Three White Soldiers Pattern | Three white soldiers is a three-candle bullish reversal pattern that forms after a downtrend. 1. Three long bullish candles with small shadows form in a row. 2. Each candle opens inside the body of the previous candle. 3. Each candle closes higher than the previous candle. |
Three Inside Up Pattern | The three inside up is a three-candle bullish reversal pattern that forms after a downtrend. 1. The first candle is a large bearish candle. 2. The second candle is a small bullish candle that stays inside the first candle body and closes above the midpoint (50%) of the first candle body. 3. The third candle is a bullish candle that closes above the open of the first candle. |
Three Outside Up Pattern | The three outside up is a three-candle bullish reversal pattern that forms after a downtrend. 1. The first candle is a bearish candle. 2. The second candle is a bullish candle with a body that completely engulfs the body of the first candle. 3. The third candle is a bullish candle that closes above the close of the second candle. |
Check More Bearish Candlestick Patterns
Bearish Pattern | Features |
|---|
Hanging Man Pattern | The hanging man is a single-candle bearish reversal pattern that forms at the top of an uptrend. 1. The candle has a small body at the top of its range. 2. The lower shadow is at least twice the length of the body. 3. The candle has little or no upper shadow. |
Shooting Star Pattern | The shooting star is a single-candle bearish reversal pattern that forms after an uptrend. 1. The candle has a small body at the bottom of its range. 2. The upper shadow is at least twice the length of the body. 3. The candle has little or no lower shadow. |
Bearish Engulfing Pattern | The bearish engulfing is a two-candle bearish reversal pattern that forms after an uptrend. 1. The first candle is a small bullish candle. 2. The second candle is a larger bearish candle with a body that completely engulfs the body of the first candle. |
Bearish Harami Pattern | The bearish harami is a two-candle bearish reversal pattern that forms after an uptrend. 1. The first candle is a large bullish candle. 2. The second candle is a small candle, usually bearish, with a body that sits completely inside the body of the first candle. |
Dark Cloud Cover Pattern | Dark cloud cover is a two-candle bearish reversal pattern that forms after an uptrend. 1. The first candle is a long bullish candle. 2. The second candle is a bearish candle that opens above the close of the first candle. 3. The second candle closes below the midpoint (50%) of the first candle body. |
Tweezer Top Pattern | The tweezer top is a two-candle bearish reversal pattern that forms at the end of an uptrend. 1. The first candle is a bullish candle. 2. The second candle is a bearish candle. 3. Both candles have the same, or nearly the same, high. |
Evening Star Pattern | The evening star is a three-candle bearish reversal pattern that forms after an uptrend. 1. The first candle is a long bullish candle. 2. The second candle is a small-bodied candle that can be bullish or bearish. 3. The third candle is a long bearish candle that closes below the midpoint (50%) of the first candle body. |
Three Black Crows Pattern | Three black crows is a three-candle bearish reversal pattern that forms after an uptrend. 1. Three long bearish candles with small shadows form in a row. 2. Each candle opens inside the body of the previous candle. 3. Each candle closes lower than the previous candle. |
Check More Neutral Candlestick Patterns
Neutral Pattern | Features |
|---|
Doji Pattern | The doji is a single candle that opens and closes at or near the same price, which shows indecision between buyers and sellers. 1. The body is very small or appears as a thin line. 2. The upper and lower shadows can be any length. 3. A doji after a strong trend can warn of a reversal, and traders wait for the next candle to confirm the reversal. |
Pin Bar Pattern | The pin bar is a single-candle reversal pattern that can be bullish or bearish. 1. The candle has a small body at one end of its range. 2. One long shadow, called the tail, makes up most of the candle range. 3. A bullish pin bar has a long lower shadow, and a bearish pin bar has a long upper shadow. |
Marubozu Pattern | The marubozu is a single candle with a long body that shows strong buying or strong selling. 1. The candle has a long body. 2. The candle has no upper or lower shadow, or only very small shadows. 3. A bullish marubozu opens at the low and closes at the high, and a bearish marubozu opens at the high and closes at the low. |
Harami Pattern | The harami is a two-candle reversal pattern that can be bullish or bearish. 1. The first candle is a large candle. 2. The second candle is a small candle with a body that sits completely inside the body of the first candle. 3. A bullish harami forms after a downtrend, and a bearish harami forms after an uptrend. |
Engulfing Pattern | The engulfing is a two-candle reversal pattern that can be bullish or bearish. 1. The first candle is a small candle. 2. The second candle is a larger candle of the opposite colour, with a body that completely engulfs the body of the first candle. 3. A bullish engulfing forms after a downtrend, and a bearish engulfing forms after an uptrend. |
Inside Bar Pattern | The inside bar is a two-candle pattern that can signal a continuation or a reversal. 1. The first candle is a large candle, often called the mother bar. 2. The second candle has a high and low that stay inside the high and low of the first candle. 3. Traders trade the breakout above the high or below the low of the first candle. |
Morning Star and Evening Star Pattern | The morning star and evening star are three-candle reversal patterns, one bullish and one bearish. 1. The first candle is a long candle in the direction of the existing trend. 2. The second candle is a small-bodied candle that can be bullish or bearish. 3. The third candle is a long candle in the opposite direction that closes past the midpoint (50%) of the first candle body. 4. A morning star forms after a downtrend, and an evening star forms after an uptrend. |
Check More Trading Pattern Guides
Guide | What It Covers |
|---|
Reversal Candlestick Patterns | This guide explains how candlestick patterns warn that an uptrend or a downtrend may reverse. 1. Bullish reversal patterns form after a downtrend. 2. Bearish reversal patterns form after an uptrend. 3. Traders wait for a confirmation candle before entering a position. |
Chart Patterns in Trading | This guide explains how chart patterns form from price swings over many candles. 1. Reversal chart patterns warn that the existing trend may end. 2. Continuation chart patterns show a pause before the existing trend continues. 3. Traders enter a position when a candle closes beyond the trendline that marks the edge of the chart pattern. |
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