Symmetrical Triangle
Converging trendlines with lower highs and higher lows, signalling a coil of indecision that typically breaks in the direction of the prior trend.
A Symmetrical Triangle forms when price makes lower highs and higher lows, converging toward an apex. Neither bulls nor bears dominate during the coil — volume contracts.
The breakout direction is usually (not always) a continuation of the prevailing trend before the triangle. Target = the height of the widest part of the triangle, projected from the breakout point.
- The closer price is to the apex at breakout, the weaker the move — look for breaks in the first two-thirds of the triangle.
- False breakouts are common; wait for a candle close outside the boundary.
Related Terms
Ascending Triangle
A coiling pattern with a flat upper resistance line and rising lower trendline, typically resolving in a bullish breakout.
BeginnerBreakout Retest
Price returning to test the former breakout level after the initial break — a resistance-turned-support confirmation and lower-risk entry point.
BeginnerBroadening Formation
Expanding price swings with higher highs and lower lows, forming a megaphone shape — signals increasing volatility and often precedes a sharp reversal.
AdvancedContinuation Pattern
Any pattern that forms mid-trend and resolves in the same direction as the prior move — flags, pennants, and triangles are the most common.
BeginnerDescending Triangle
A coiling pattern with flat lower support and a declining upper trendline, typically resolving in a bearish breakdown.
BeginnerDiamond Pattern
A broadening formation that then contracts into a symmetrical triangle, creating a diamond shape — a rare but reliable reversal pattern.
AdvancedFalse Breakout
A breakout that fails: price pushes past a key level, fails to follow through, then snaps back inside the range — trapping breakout traders.
IntermediatePennant
A pole followed by a small symmetrical triangle — a tight continuation coil that resolves in the direction of the prior thrust.
BeginnerRectangle Pattern
Price oscillates between two horizontal parallel levels — a neutral consolidation that resolves in either direction, often continuing the prior trend.
Beginner