For up - I want no lower wicks and multiple candles finishing above previous candle. Two in a row can provide an entry, but usually have to shift from daily to hourly to perform maintenance and set stops. 3 candle uptrend is ideal.
If you get a massive candle far above the previous.. good chance the next one will either be a brake check (slowing monentum) or straight reversal. A candle that still shows trend but doesn't make a new high is a caution candle. Not necessarily an exit, but time to watch closely and be ready.
If at any point you get a wick counter to the trend or a double wick, it's an indecision and bull/bear battle. Better to let them hash it out.
Decent uptrend that is followed by either indecision or reversal that doesn't retrace more than 50% of trend.. and then re-emerges with uptrend, great place for entry. Don't exit until you see a lower wick.
Can get really good when you start to notice nuance of moves and can switch to different timeframe candles and start stacking trends.
There will be a ton of failed setups. 2-3 candle uptrend. Boom. Enter. Next candle is indecision. Exit. Try again. Same thing. Try again. Trend reverses. Wait for setup. Try again. Indecision. Exit. Try again. Boom. Finally caught it.
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- I Bleed Maroon (distracted easily by signatures)