What Is a Hanging Man Pattern, and How Do Traders Use It?

In the world of technical analysis, candlestick patterns play a vital role in helping traders decipher market trends and potential reversals. Among the many setups, the hanging man holds particular significance. This distinctive formation captures traders' attention as it often serves as a warning sign of a possible trend reversal. This article will go through the technical analysis of the hanging man formation and explain how traders can trade with it.

What Is a Hanging Man Pattern?

The hanging man candlestick pattern is characterised by a small body near the top of the candlestick, a long lower shadow, and little to no upper shadow. It resembles a figure hanging from its head, hence the name "Hanging Man."

Psychology Behind the Hanging Man

The psychology behind the hanging man candlestick pattern reflects a shift in market sentiment. After a sustained uptrend, the appearance of this pattern indicates that buyers are losing momentum. The long lower shadow shows that sellers were able to push prices down significantly during the trading session. Although buyers managed to drive prices back up, the close near the open price suggests weakening bullish sentiment. This pattern signals that selling pressure is increasing, potentially leading to a bearish reversal as confidence among buyers diminishes.

The hanging man is a versatile formation that can be applied across a wide range of financial instruments, including stocks, cryptocurrencies*, ETFs, indices, and forex, on different timeframes. If you're looking to use this pattern, FXOpen provides ideal opportunities, offering the advantages of margin trading and low spreads.

Identifying a Hanging Man Candlestick on Trading Charts

To spot a hanging man pattern in stocks and other financial instruments, you may follow these key steps:

Look for an existing uptrend: Start by identifying a prevailing upward price movement on the chart.
Locate a candlestick with specific characteristics: Search for a candlestick with a small body near the top, a long lower shadow, and little to no upper shadow. This formation resembles a figure hanging from its head. The colour of the candle doesn’t matter, but if it’s bearish, the signal is stronger.
Consider supporting indicators: Utilise other technical indicators or oscillators to further validate the potential reversal. These can include trendlines, moving averages, or momentum indicators that align with the bearish interpretation.

Note that there is no such thing as an inverted hanging man candlestick or a bullish hanging man candlestick pattern.

Traders can use the free TickTrader platform to get acquainted with the hanging man pattern rules.

Trading the Hanging Man Pattern

Those trading the hanging man reversal pattern need to apply a systematic approach in order to increase the likelihood of successful trades. Here are a few steps traders usually follow to trade this pattern:

Identification: Identify the setup by using the steps mentioned above.
Look for confirmation signals: The setup alone is not sufficient for making trading decisions. Seek additional confirmation through subsequent candlestick patterns or technical indicators. This can include bearish candlestick patterns (e.g. bearish engulfing or shooting star), a breach of support levels, or the convergence of other indicators signalling a potential reversal.
Define your entry point: An entry point can be either when the next candlestick confirms the bearish sentiment or when the price breaches a significant support level.
Consider risk management: Assess the risk-reward ratio of the trade and ensure it aligns with your risk tolerance. For efficient risk management, you may adjust your position size accordingly. Risk management tools like position sizing, setting stop-loss orders, and diversification may help protect your capital. You may set a stop-loss order above the hanging man pattern to limit potential losses if the trade goes against you.
Identify profit targets: The candlestick itself doesn't provide specific targets. Traders can identify profit targets by looking at previous support levels, Fibonacci retracement levels, or other technical analysis tools like moving averages or pivot points.
Monitor the trade: Keep a close eye on your position as it progresses. Pay attention to any changes in market conditions or additional signals that may invalidate the trade.
Learn from outcomes: Regardless of the outcome of the trade, analyse it afterwards to identify areas for improvement. Assess whether the setup provided accurate signals and identify any factors that may have affected its success. This analysis will help refine your trading strategy over time.

Live Market Example

Consider the example of a hanging man on the forex USDJPY pair. An entry is placed on the next bearish candlestick with a stop loss just above the hanging man. The take profit order is at the next level of support marked by the orange line.

Limitations of the Hanging Man Candlestick

The hanging man candlestick pattern, while useful, has certain limitations that traders need to consider:

False Signals: The hanging man can produce false signals, especially in volatile markets where price movements are erratic.
Market Context: The effectiveness of the pattern varies depending on the broader market context and prevailing trends.
Timeframe Sensitivity: Its reliability can differ across various timeframes; what works on a daily chart may not be as effective on an intraday chart.
Not Standalone: It should not be used in isolation but as part of a comprehensive trading strategy that includes other indicators and risk management tools.

Comparing the Hanging Man to Similar Candles

Understanding how the hanging man pattern differs from similar candlestick patterns helps in accurate technical analysis. Here's a brief comparison of the hanging man with related patterns.

What Is the Difference Between a Hanging Man and a Hammer?

Both have the same candle structure. However, the hanging man candlestick occurs in an uptrend and signals a potential bearish reversal, while the hammer occurs in a downtrend, indicating a potential bullish reversal. Interestingly, it is possible to see a hanging man candlestick in a downtrend, often as part of a bullish retracement. Both candles require confirmation from subsequent price movements. They should be analysed within the context of the overall market trend and other technical indicators.

What Is the Difference Between a Pin Bar and a Hanging Man?

A pin bar and a hanging man are both single-candlestick patterns with small bodies and long shadows, but they serve different purposes in technical analysis. The pin bar has a small body and a long tail, indicating a reversal, but it can appear in any market condition. Its long tail shows a strong rejection of a certain price level, with the body pointing in the direction of the anticipated reversal.

The hanging man, however, specifically occurs after an uptrend and signals a potential bearish reversal, characterised by a small body at the top and a long lower shadow, indicating selling pressure.

What Is the Difference Between a Shooting Star and a Hanging Man Candlestick?

The shooting star and the hanging man are both bearish reversal patterns, but they differ in their appearance and context. A shooting star occurs after an uptrend and features a small body at the bottom with a long upper shadow, indicating that the price was pushed up significantly but fell back down, showing strong selling pressure.

The hanging man also appears after an uptrend but has a small body at the top with a long lower shadow, suggesting that sellers dominated the session despite an initial push by buyers. Both require confirmation from subsequent candlesticks to validate the reversal.

Final Thoughts

While the hanging man alone is insufficient for making trading decisions, it serves as a warning signal that buyers may be losing control and that selling pressure could increase. Traders seek additional confirmation through subsequent candlestick patterns, support and resistance levels, and other technical indicators to validate the potential reversal.

By understanding the implications of the setup within the broader market context and employing proper risk management strategies, traders can enhance their decision-making process and improve their chances of identifying different trading opportunities. Once they feel comfortable with their strategy, traders may open an FXOpen account to deploy it across more than 600 markets. As a regulated broker, FXOpen is proud to offer spreads from 0.0 pips, commission from just $1.50 per lot, and four advanced trading platforms built with traders in mind.

FAQ

What Does the Hanging Man Pattern Indicate?

The hanging man trading pattern in technical analysis typically indicates a potential trend reversal in an uptrend. It suggests that the buyers, who have been driving the market higher, are losing control, and the selling pressure may increase.

The hanging man is represented by a small body near the top of the candlestick, a long lower shadow, and little to no upper shadow. It resembles a figure hanging by the neck. This visual representation conveys the potential bearish sentiment.

Can a Hanging Man Candle Be Bullish?

No, there is no such thing as a bullish hanging man candlestick pattern. The bearish hanging man pattern indicates a potential trend reversal from an uptrend to a downtrend.

Is the Hanging Man Pattern Reliable?

The reliability of the formation, like any candlestick pattern, can vary depending on several factors. While the setup is widely recognised and considered a potential bearish reversal signal, it should not be relied upon as the sole basis for trading decisions. It is crucial to consider other factors and confirmation signals to increase its reliability.

What Is the Confirmation Candle for the Hanging Man?

A confirmation candle for the hanging man is a bearish candlestick that follows the pattern, confirming the reversal. This can include a bearish engulfing candle or a candlestick closing well below the hanging man's body, indicating increased selling pressure.

Is the Hanging Man Pattern Bearish?

Yes, it is generally considered a bearish pattern in technical analysis. It is formed when the price’s open or close is near or at its high, there is a significant decline during the trading session, and it closes not far from the opening price. The pattern resembles a hanging man with his legs dangling.

* At FXOpen UK and FXOpen AU, Cryptocurrency CFDs are only available for trading by those clients categorised as Professional clients under FCA Rules and Professional clients under ASIC Rules, respectively. They are not available for trading by Retail clients.