Short Term Trading Based on The Inside Bar Pattern
Many investors who are just learning technical analysis will make short-term investment decisions based on reliable, longer-term patterns such as the head and shoulders top discussed elsewhere in this series. The difficulty with such a strategy is that short-term trades based on long-term patterns will typically not yield the desired gains.
A short-term pattern that many investors will rely on is the inside bar pattern. This pattern indicates a possible reversal of the current trend. For example, if the trend has been down and the inside bar appears at the end of such a trend, then there is a possibility that the trend will reverse and head up.
Discovering an Inside Bar Pattern
When investors are learning technical analysis, spotting the inside bar pattern can be difficult. (See our website for a graphical representation). Basically, an inside bar pattern consists of a longer bar (wide trading range) followed by a shorter bar (small trading range). The second bar forms completely within the range of the preceding bar.
Supporting Criteria
Making trades solely on an inside bar pattern is not recommended. Whether just learning technical analysis or a seasoned investors, people need to find support for their decision in other analysis. This includes fundamental data about the security, market as a whole, and sector, as well as other technical data. In particular, using support and resistance levels will help, along with studying the security’s momentum.
In terms of the inside bar itself, investors will find greater reliability when they discover the bar that follows a sharper inbound trend. As well, the wider the first bar and shorter the following bar, the better as this indicates the stronger momentum has ended, and the possibility for a more dramatic turn.
Lastly, investors should notice that volume on the smaller bar is lighter. This suggests a more balanced trading activity.
For investors learning technical analysis, please remember that no single indicator should be used in isolation. Confirmation is highly recommended from other tools. For investors who would prefer a hands-off approach, there are trading software programs that will simply make buy or sell calls.
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