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Ascending Triangle Patterns: How to Identify Breakouts

Written by MasterClass

Last updated: Oct 12, 2022 • 2 min read

In technical analysis, triangles are the shape of continuation patterns on charts, and ascending triangles represent one pattern formation. Learn how to identify ascending triangle patterns and the information these patterns can provide.

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What Is an Ascending Triangle Pattern?

In economics and technical analysis, triangles are shapes that reveal chart patterns. Also known as horizontal trading patterns or continuation patterns, triangles are the widest at the start of their formation. Uptrends and downtrends will then shape the triangle, revealing its points and the types of triangles a company sees on charts based on sales and price moves, dictating future stock trading strategies. The entry point for trading typically occurs when the price breaks out of the triangle pattern.

Is an Ascending Triangle Bullish?

An ascending triangle pattern shows bullish trends. The uptrend visualizes the bullish pattern in market moves; the horizontal, upper trend line represents the high points, and the diagonal lower trendline at the base represents the rising lows. The ascending triangle chart pattern typically takes a month to form and tends not to last longer than three months.

Ascending Triangle vs. Descending Triangle: What’s the Difference?

Ascending and descending triangle patterns reveal opposite trends. Ascending patterns show bullish markets, where stock price values are rising, and the lows are higher. Descending triangle patterns show bearish trends. These patterns will have their resistance level not at the top of the triangle but the base. The lows stay the same, but the high points get lower, leading to a downward trendline.

What Does an Ascending Triangle Pattern Indicate?

An ascending triangle pattern shows that buyers may not be able to break out of the supply line, marked by what is known as the resistance line, the horizontal line that represents the top of the triangle. This means there will be higher lows: stocks, for example, may sell at higher price targets when experiencing an upward trend that keeps touching the resistance level up top. As the lows get higher and higher, the ascending trend line rises to meet the breakout point or the tip of the triangle that will signal some kind of trend reversal.

Stock buyers will pay attention to how and when triangles form. At the entry point, there will be the widest variability in price movements. A moving average will emerge as figures on price charts steadily rise, and buying on the earlier side is the wisest before the rising trendline dictates more expensive price points over a finite period before a descending triangle pattern begins.

How to Identify an Ascending Triangle Pattern

Beginners can identify an ascending triangle pattern by a steady resistance level and a rising trendline. The resistance level shows where prices hit their high point; it will be a horizontal line acting as the top of the triangle on the chart. Meanwhile, the ascending trendline will be the triangle's hypotenuse, rising upward as prices hit higher lows.

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