Forex Buy and Sell Signals [Simple & Profitable]

by Justin Bennett  · 

September 1, 2022

by Justin Bennett  · 

September 1, 2022

by Justin Bennett  · 

September 1, 2022


forex buy sell signals

Just about everything I do in the Forex market revolves around six buy and sell signals.

Three are candlestick patterns while the other three are chart patterns such as the head and shoulders.

You probably know I like to keep things simple.

But simple doesn’t mean unreliable or unprofitable.

In fact, the simple buy and sell setups below are some of the most profitable patterns I’ve come across after more than a decade of trading.

Interested to learn more?

Let’s get started!

Candlestick Buy & Sell Signals

There are three types of candlestick patterns I look for during a trading week. They are the pin bar, engulfing bar and inside bar.

While the pin bar can be traded on the 4-hour and daily time frames, both the engulfing and inside bars are most effective on the daily time frame and higher. If you use them on any time frame lower than the daily you open yourself up to false positives.

Let’s take a look at each one in greater detail.

Pin bar

For those who have followed me for a while now, it will come as no surprise to hear that my favorite candlestick pattern is the pin bar. These candles are characterized by long upper or lower wicks and represent a rejection of support or resistance.

That last sentence is paramount to the effectiveness of the pin bar pattern. Without having a key support or resistance area near the candlestick, the formation is rather meaningless.

Here’s an example of a bearish pin bar on the AUDUSD daily chart:

AUDUSD bearish pin bar

Notice how after closing below a key level, the pair formed a bearish pin bar after retesting the area as new resistance. A short entry on a 50% pullback would have yielded a tidy profit in less than 48 hours.

To learn more about the pin bar including how to trade it, see this post.

Engulfing bar

The engulfing bar is a reversal pattern that can often signal exhaustion from buyers or sellers. As the name implies, it’s a candle that completely engulfs the previous one.

One critical rule of using this signal is only to pay attention to the engulfing patterns that develop on the daily chart and above. Any signal on the intraday charts is unreliable in the sense that it could be a false positive.

Another important point is that the candlestick pattern must form at a swing high or low. Otherwise, it won’t signal the necessary exhaustion from bulls or bears that make it an effective reversal signal.

Below is an example of an engulfing candle on the AUDUSD daily chart.

AUDUSD bearish engulfing bar

Note that the candle formed at a swing high and at a resistance level that had been in place for several months.

See the two links below to learn more.

Bullish engulfing bar

Bearish engulfing bar

Inside bar

When I began trading with price action in 2010, I started with the pin bar and inside bar candlestick patterns. I figured I would learn the two signals inside and out before considering other more advanced patterns.

It was a good move. I always advocate sticking with one or two price patterns in the beginning before expanding your options. The fewer things you have to learn the easier it is to become proficient by honing in on the subject at hand.

But over the years I’ve moved away from trading the inside bar, at least to some degree. I still find one here and there that catches my attention, but for the most part, I don’t trade it.

That doesn’t mean it isn’t a profitable signal. It just means that it doesn’t suit my style as much as the other signals in this post.

With that said, for someone searching for a good trend trading signal, the inside bar is one of the best in my opinion. The key, however, is to make sure you stick to the daily time frame. Anything lower than that and you’ll end up with too many false positives.

Below are three bullish inside bars that formed on the USDJPY daily chart during an aggressive rally.

Inside bars

The key here is to find a pair that is trending. You should also pay close attention to the location of support and resistance before deciding to execute a trade.

See this post on the inside bar trading strategy to learn more.

Chart Pattern Buy & Sell Signals

Now that we’ve looked at the three candlestick patterns I use, let’s dive into the three chart patterns. These include the head and shoulders, channels and wedges.

As the name implies, these are patterns that form over an extended period on a chart and involve multiple candlesticks. In fact, most of the technical structures I utilize take weeks, months or even years to materialize.

The good news is that we don’t have to wait months or years to trade. With dozens of currency pairs at our disposal, there’s almost always something to do.

Head and shoulders (and inverse)

When it comes to profitability, the head and shoulders pattern is at the top of the list. It typically forms after an extended move up and signals exhaustion from buyers.

The inverse head and shoulders pattern also represents a potential reversal but does so after an extended move down and signals exhaustion from sellers.

The reason I say these formations can be highly profitable is that they often provide several hundred pips of profit if traded successfully.

Here’s a head and shoulders pattern that formed on the NZDJPY weekly chart over several months. This was a formation that I traded and also commented on several times on this site as things unfolded.

NZDJPY head and shoulders

In the case of this NZDJPY reversal, the selloff totaled more than 1,200 pips.

Note that the head and shoulders also comes with what’s called a measured objective. This is a potential profit target that’s found using the height of the structure.

Learn everything there is to know about the head and shoulders pattern in this detailed guide.

You can learn more about how to use measured objectives in this post.

Channels (ascending and descending)

Channels occur more often than most traders probably realize. They are particularly plentiful after an impulsive move up or down. The channels that form in this manner are known as bull and bear flags.

If you’ve followed me for a while, you’ve no doubt seen me comment on either an ascending or descending channel. In fact, I bet not a single week goes by where I don’t use a channel to outline the price action on a given chart.

They offer an excellent way to identify and outline periods of consolidation which can provide an opportunity to play the subsequent breakout.

Here’s a recent example of an ascending channel on the NZDUSD daily chart:

NZDUSD daily channel

Notice how the ascending channel above began forming after an extended move lower. As such, we could also call this a bear flag, which most often represents a continuation of the prevailing trend.

Check out the detailed guide on how to trade equidistant channels for more information.

While usually the result of consolidation, channels can sometimes outline a broader trend or cycle. Such is the case with the ascending channel on the NZDJPY monthly chart below.

NZDUSD monthly channel

Instead of using the channel above to catch a breakout (which would take decades), I would use a formation like this to form a longer-term outlook for the pair.

See this post for more details on how I utilize multi-year channels such as the one above.

Wedges (narrowing and broadening)

Like channels, wedges usually represent consolidation. However, what sets them apart is their terminal nature. In other words, a narrowing wedge has a definitive end point whereas a channel does not.

The two charts below show the difference between a narrowing wedge and a broadening wedge.

First up is a narrowing wedge on the GBPJPY 4-hour chart.

GBPJPY narrowing wedge

As the name implies, a narrowing wedge occurs when price action gets “squeezed” by support and resistance. Because the pair has no choice but to eventually break out, we call this a terminal pattern.

Visit the post on how to trade rising and falling wedge patterns for more.

Now, here’s an example of a broadening wedge on the GBPJPY 4-hour chart:

GBPJPY broadening wedge

Notice how unlike the narrowing wedge in the first chart, the price action in a broadening formation “fans out” as time passes. The broadening wedge is not considered a terminal pattern because the pair could theoretically never break support or resistance.

Of course, reality says that the formation will eventually break down as was the case in the chart above.

Want to know more about the broadening wedge? Check out this post.

Final Words

If you’re new to price action or just looking to add an extra signal or two to your already established arsenal, the list above is a great place to start. Each one is simple yet highly profitable if you follow the lessons on this site (see links throughout this post).

My advice is to pick one or two signals, learn the characteristics, entry and exit methods, etc. before moving on. Trying to learn all six at the same time would make things harder than they have to be in my opinion.

Also, the more material you try to digest at one time, the longer it will take to become proficient. By selecting just one or two patterns, you’ll be able to master them in much less time than if you took on all six at the same time.

Last but certainly not least, stick to the 4-hour and daily time frames, take notes and just keep piling on the experience. Before you know it, you’ll be seeing pin bars and channels without even thinking.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you know when to buy or sell in Forex?

If you’re a price action trader like me, you can use various candlestick and chart signals like those in this post. Something as simple as a pin bar candlestick or a channel breakout can be incredibly profitable if traded correctly.

What are the best Forex buy signals?

I prefer to keep things simple. Candlestick patterns such as the pin bar, engulfing bar, and inside bar are my go-to signals. As for chart patterns, I prefer the head and shoulders, channels, and wedges.

What are the best Forex sell signals

I prefer to keep things simple. Candlestick patterns such as the pin bar, engulfing bar, and inside bar are my go-to signals. As for chart patterns, I prefer the head and shoulders, channels, and wedges.

Your Turn: Ask Justin Anything

I’d love for this new weekly Q&A to be successful and provide an invaluable repository of answers to common Forex questions.

To do that, I need your help.

Here’s what you can do to get involved and have your question answered in next week’s post:

  1. Ask questions. Post them in the comments below or Tweet them to me @JustinBennettFX
  2. Help me answer questions. If I missed something or if you have something to add, don’t hesitate to leave a comment below.

Continue Learning

67  Comments

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  1. Just wondering what is your view on supply and demand trading? Do you ever use these zones? Any tips on it if you have any would be cool. Love your site 😀

    1. Hi Justin, thanks for the question. The support and resistance levels I use throughout this site are the byproduct of supply and demand, but I could certainly elaborate on the topic in a future Q&A.

  2. Justin,

    Just wanted to say this is one of the most useful articles on price action trading I have come across. Pretty much all we need to know about price action trading in one concise and informative post. Great stuff. Now to put it into practice!

    Best regards,

    Dan.

  3. Hi, Dear Justin, , This article is like a grossary store, no need to move here and there. simple but well-explained. Thanks and have a nice weekend.

  4. Hey Justin

    Draw a chart in the Future,al you’do is Dessing some lines on what happend,my kid from 3 van do that also.

    1. Davy,

      What a rude and irrelevent comment. What exactly is this ‘chart’ you’d like to see?

      Trading price action (as explained very clearly inthis article), is about using candle stick and chart patterns in confluence with support and resistance areas, channel breakouts etc.

      Why are you subscribed to a website that can help you with your PA trading when all you can do is be rude the the person writing the post? This article is good (and moreover, free), education.

      I wish you all the best,

      Dan.

    2. Davy,

      Let me know which commentary you’d like to see, and I’ll be happy to post the links. The truth is that five of the seven signals above were discussed on this site in real time.

      In other words, I’m not just going back after the fact and drawing levels. The examples above were taken directly from the Trade Setups section of this site.

      Justin

  5. Justin,
    Thank you for the article. I learnt something totally new, sticking to the 4hr and above time frames. Is the Pin Bar good on the 1hr time frame?
    Regards.
    John

    1. John, it can be useful on the 1-hour chart, just make sure you have a good reason for trading it. Having said that, trading the 1-hour chart before you’re profitable on the daily is like trying to run before you can walk.

  6. Gooday justin, read some of ur articles, they ar’ priceless. Money is ur issue for doing this, it is noble gesture which some people will sell jst to hve all the money of this world. Ur articles hve been concise, incisive and an eye opener. I will like to knw if a confluence is also a resistance and support?

  7. Hi Justin,
    What about indecision candlestick pattern on support and resistance level? Would you recommend using it, any comment on it from you will be appreciated.!

    1. Rahat, anything that represents indecision isn’t actionable, so I tend to ignore it. With that said, I’ll add this question to the list as I believe some could benefit from the answer. Cheers.

  8. Great to have this all together in one post.
    Is it possible to give us cheat sheets with a bullet point summary of the rules and maybe a chart of each? I thought I saw something like that on the site somewhere once but was not able to find it later.

  9. Hi justin, thank you for all your insight into price action trading. Just one question, on the rising wedge chart, will it be incorrect to say that the price action printed before the rotation down can be viewed as a double top.

    thanks once again

    Jason

    1. You’re welcome. I wouldn’t call it a double top as the two intraday swing highs are too close together, at least for my liking. Usually, there’s a decent amount of space between the two swing highs that form a double top.

  10. thanks justin for guiding us.
    plz can u guide me my question is
    What should we do when big news is coming up while my trade is going on.i am afraid that it will hit my stop loss.

  11. sir, when market breaks the channel. wedges, double bottoms etc. sometimes it retests. sometimes it is not. so how i get in to the trade accordingly?

  12. Can you explain to me why no one teaches day trading? I know some people make a lot of money that way, and not everyone wants to swing or position trade.

  13. Hi Justin, I observe you arent using moving average. Do you have an article that explains why is that so? I appreciate your response. Thanks 😉

  14. Hi Justin,
    I’ve watching Eurusd, and xauusd from Early 2017. For me, both pairs kind of creating head and shoulder. But you don’t say anything bout this on your weekly analysis. Would you like to tell me why they are not valid h& s pattern?
    Thanks in advance

  15. To someone who is really enthusiastic to learn free lessons brought on this site can ultimately change one’s trading .personally I startrd to follow this site from 2016 and since then my trading improved so massively .I fell in love with channels wow ! They pay likecrazy once you master and follow the. Methodology. Thanks Justin for opening a new trading dynamic that improved my trading

  16. Thanks i hope you want to help people especial the new coming like me.
    I learn many thing from you.and am still want to learn more

  17. You are a great mentor Justine. God Bless you
    and more power. Knowledge is power. Thus, please continue sharing your knowledge to those interested in learning forex trading.

    A million thanks.

    Chris

  18. Thanks for this useful information. Please I would love to know how to trade gaps to my own advantage. Especially on weekends

  19. Hi Justin, one question, I would like to know is it possible for me to apply channels, and other candlestick patterns on 1hr time frame must we stick to 4Hr time frame. The thing is, I have been trading for a year and I don’t see any progress. I wish I could been introduced to price action when I started than learning about indicators

  20. Great Article Justing!

    One question I have if it is advisable to lock profit by moving stop loss?

    So if I am buying, the price moves up and forms new higher low I am always tempted to move the stop loss below the newer highs. This is also gives me a chance to get into other opportunities in the market in parallel of that trade without increasing the risk.

    Do you think this is a better strategy or to stick to the stop loss and take profit planned in the beginning of the trade?

  21. In regards to support and resistance for price action. I see all of your posts state the daily is the best timeframe to use in regards to clearer candlesticks etc.

    So say i was using the daily timeframe as my main timeframe would you only use this to draw your support and resistance lines or also the weekly aswell? I’m guessing you wouldn’t go below the daily?

  22. The best ways to learn forex trading include getting enrolled in a preferably free online course (or set of courses), operating demo and subsequently, micro accounts, and, in short, learn everything about currencies that possess traders around town. Your financial training depends on your own initiative. Get started for the exchange today. The right tools are here to leverage the best in the beginner to aid his career.

  23. This article is very useful for everyone who is invested in forex. Here are many forex buy and sell signals but some are very useful like candlestick and head and shoulder

  24. You give a very useful information about buying and selling . we know that Buying and selling in foreign exchange (forex) is a fascinating subject. It combines understanding what to buy and sell and when to buy and sell it. But, at long last, knowing how much buying and selling there is in the forex market assists with placing everything in context.

  25. how are you my friend. I am a disabled person I am 29 years old I tried my best in my life to earn money by physical work but I can’t earn I have many problems I want to change my life Now I have decided that I will do online trading Unfortunately here too I had no experience and I lost whatever capital I had Now I have only 200 dollars left, this 200 dollars can change my life I will not give up my courage, I will do it day and night, but I have a request from you guys You can change my life because of people This is my request to you to add me in these groups so that I can get signal from there Add me to gold trading groups only, I can’t do it on other currencies I hope you guys don’t disappoint me

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