Technical Analysis · Bearish Reversal
Hanging Man
A Hanging Man is a bearish reversal candle that forms after an uptrend, with a small body near the top of the range and a lower wick at least twice the body's length — identical in shape to a Hammer but bearish in context.
Bullish candle
Bearish candle
Highlighted = the pattern itself
Category
Bearish Reversal
Signal
Sell
Reliability
★★★★★
Candles Involved
1
What does it signal?
Sellers managed to push price notably lower intraday before buyers recovered it — a crack in an otherwise strong uptrend that shouldn't be ignored.
How to identify a Hanging Man
- Appears after a clear uptrend — context is what distinguishes it from a Hammer.
- Small body sits in the upper third of the candle's range.
- Lower wick is at least 2x the body length, little to no upper wick.
How to trade a Hanging Man
- Requires bearish confirmation on the following candle before acting.
- Stop-loss is typically placed above the Hanging Man's high.
Educational only — not financial advice. Combine any candlestick pattern with broader market context, risk management, and your own trading plan.
FAQ
Common questions
The candle shape is identical — only the preceding trend tells them apart. After an uptrend it's a bearish Hanging Man; after a downtrend it's a bullish Hammer.
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