Hammer
Candlestick:
What It Is and
How Investors
Use It
Table of Contents
Technical Analysis
Technical Analysis Basic Education
Hammer
Candlestick:
What It Is
and
How Investors
Use It
By
Cedric Thompson
Updated March 14, 2025
Fact checked by
Stella Osoba
Definition
The hammer is a bullish reversal candlestick pattern characterized by a
small body near the top, a long lower wick, and little to no upper shadow.
It signals a shift from selling to buying pressure.
If you're a swing trader looking for a long entry at the end of downturn, a
hammer offers valuable information, signaling a short-term shift from
bearish to bullish momentum that may itself mark a turning point.
The hammer is a single bullish candlestick with a small real body
near the top, a long lower shadow at least twice the body's length, and
minimal or no upper shadow.
It is most effective after a significant downturn or countertrend pullback
and when confirmed with another bullish candlestick, technical
indicators, or established support levels.
Key Takeaways
The hammer candlestick is a bullish reversal pattern with a small body and long lower shadow.
It is most effective when appearing after a downtrend and confirmed by subsequent candlesticks or technical indicators.
Trading strategies should include clear entry points, a stop-loss order, and profit targets.
The pattern's reliability increases when it appears at support or Fibonacci levels.
Always use the hammer candlestick in conjunction with other technical analysis tools.
Understanding Hammer Candlesticks
The hammer is one of the easiest, most intuitive candlesticks to recognize because, well, it looks something like a hammer. It has three components:
A small real body located near the top
A long lower wick that is at least twice the body's length
A tiny upper shadow or no upper shadow
The unique shape tells traders that even though prices initially dropped,
buyers stepped into reverse the decline, pushing the closing price up
to near the opening price.
This signals a potential shift from bearish to bullish sentiment
momentum.
A hammer with a closing price higher than the opening price is an even
stronger bullish signal, giving traders even more confidence.
It's still a bullish signal if the closing price remains below the open, but the
failure to push the close higher is a sign of residual selling pressure,
prompting most traders to proceed with more caution and seek additional
confirmation.
Hammers are most reliable after a significant downtrend, especially if
they occur at an area of established support, whether via previous price
action or major moving averages.
How to Trade the Hammer Candlestick
There are several basic steps to effectively trading the hammer:
Step 1: Pattern Identification
Identify the hammer. Some charting software offers candlestick pattern
analysis, including the hammer.
If the trader is eyeballing, they would need to confirm the small body near
the candle's high, the long lower shadow and a minimal or non-existent
upper shadow.
Step 2: Confirm the Pattern
Good traders wait for confirmation, most often in the form of a bullish
candle that shortly follows the hammer and closes above the high of
the hammer. Additionally, increased volume on the confirmation
candlestick enhances reliability. Technical indicators such as the
Relative Strength Index (RSI) also offer useful confirmation.
Step 3: Trade Entry
More aggressive traders may enter at the close of the confirmation
candlestick if it closes above the hammer's high.
Others may enter at the open of the day following the confirmation candle.
Step 4: Stop-Loss Entry
The most common approach is to place the stop-loss order just under
the hammer's low—if the price falls below the hammer's low, the pattern
has definitely failed.
Step 5: Profit Targeting
Traders usually set profit targets using nearby resistance levels, moving
averages, Fibonacci retracements, or pivot points. But before entering the
trade, most traders would want to be sure the market has enough room to
run to achieve their minimum risk-reward ratio before hitting resistance
levels or other areas where profit-taking makes sense.
Tips for Trading with the Hammer Candlestick
Traders keep these points in mind when using the hammer candlestick:
Look for Longer Shadows:
Longer shadows signal stronger buyer strength, as buyers aggressively
reversed prices from intra-period lows. The lower shadow should be at
least twice the length of the real body, but on the most bullish hammers, they
can be three to five times longer.
Confide in Confluence:
A hammer appearing near major support levels, trendlines, or
Fibonacci retracement zones dramatically enhances reliability.
Such confluence indicates multiple traders recognize the level as a buying
zone, strengthening the reversal signal.
Technical Analysis Combos:
For confirmation, use indicators such as the RSI, Moving Average
Convergence Divergence (MACD), or moving averages.
Volume Analysis: Increased trading volume accompanying the hammer or
confirmation candle indicates strong institutional buying support, validating
the reversal.
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Below are some common pitfalls and ways to avoid them.
Pitfall Mitigation Technique
Trading Without Confirmation
Wait for a subsequent bullish candlestick that closes above the
hammer's high.
This confirms genuine buyer strength.
Ignoring Market Context Analyze overall market trend, support and
resistance, and momentum indicators. A hammer is most reliable at key
support or Fibonacci levels.
Overlooking Volume Prioritize hammers accompanied by higher-
than-average volume, suggesting higher potential for a bullish reversal.
Improper Stop-Loss Placement
The most common stop-loss is below the hammer's low, providing enough
room to avoid stop hunters and normal volatility.
Relying On the Hammer Alone
To confirm the signal, use the RSI, MACD, moving averages, or chart
patterns.
Example of Hammer Candlestick Pattern in Action
Toward the end of 2022, a currency trader closely observing the Canadian
dollar-Japanese yen's (CAD/JPY) downtrend on the daily chart spots a
bullish divergence forming on the RSI, suggesting weakening bearish
momentum.
Example of Hammer Candlestick Pattern in Action
Toward the end of 2022, a currency trader closely observing the Canadian
dollar-Japanese yen's (CAD/JPY) downtrend on the daily chart spots a
bullish divergence forming on the RSI, suggesting weakening bearish
momentum.
Patiently waiting for a clear sign of a reversal, the trader sees first an
inverted hammer and then a hammer. These are confirmed by a bullish
candle in the next period, making this a strong buy signal.
The trader enters a long position at the close of the
confirmation candle, placing the stop-loss just below the low of the hammer
and aiming for a risk-to-reward ratio of 1 to 2.
The pair rises again on the day after the confirmation bar, trades sideways
for a while, then moves higher again, hitting the trader's profit target.
The Bottom Line
The hammer candlestick helps swing traders enter long positions after
downtrends while minimizing the risk of "catching a falling knife."
That's because the hammer pattern reveals a potential shift in buying
pressure and the balance of power between bears and bulls.
Traders look for confirmation from subsequent bullish candles and higher
volume, ideally supported by other technical analysis indicators like the
RSI or MACD, pivot points, or Fibonacci levels.
By combining the hammer pattern with disciplined trading, traders can
effectively manage risk, avoid common pitfalls, and improve their
results when looking to enter bullish reversals.
