Japanese candlestick charts are the most visually rewarding charts to use when trading the forex market. The clear depiction of price action that they provide is second to none. Japanese candles provide a different aspect to charting in that they allow you to see the force with which either the bulls or bears won for a given period of time. There are numerous forex candle patterns that you can use when trading price action in the forex market. Candlestick patterns are preferable to standard bar charts because they allow you to apply all Western technical analysis techniques used with bar charts and also provide a variety of their own forex candle patterns, not to mention they are just much easier to look at.
Candlestick charts are by far the most popular form of chart used today in the forex market. Using forex candle patterns to navigate the market is a great way to make sure you see all relevant reversal patterns as well as trend continuation patterns. The forex market is open 24 hours a day 6 days a week; this means there are many more price action setups to take advantage of than what other financial markets provide. Japanese candles work great in the forex market largely because there is almost always a trending market somewhere in the forex market. By using candlestick patterns in forex you can easily spot strongly trending markets and find great high probability setups into these trends. Forex candle patterns also allow you to spot market reversals at the earliest possible time.
Forex candle patterns visually display the supply and demand situation for whatever currency pair you are looking at on any given time frame. This colorful visual representation of supply and demand makes price action analysis much easier and more relevant. By being able to quickly and clearly see the force with which the bears overcame the bulls or the force with which the bulls overcame the bears you will become a better price action analyst and the discretionary or “art” part of forex price action analysis will become much more accurate for you. This accuracy will spill over to your psychological mindset and make you a more calm and confident forex trader.
Japanese candlestick patterns are just as relevant to the forex market today as they were to the rice traders in Japan who invented candlestick charts back in the 18th century. Traders have been using these charts for hundreds of years to help predict future price movement, just as the rice traders in the 18th century obviously did not have any lagging indicators, you do not need them either. Price action trading via a stripped down and raw price chart combined with forex candle patterns is all you need to become a successful forex trader. Candlestick patterns in forex combined with price action analysis is all you need to develop a simple yet highly effective and profitable forex trading plan that will allow you to maintain clarity and objectivity while trading forex.
Nial Fuller is an expert on price action forex trading strategies, you can visit his website at Learn To Trade The Market