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📊 Price Action·intermediate

Descending Triangle

A bearish continuation pattern with a flat bottom and falling top — sellers keep stepping in lower while buyers defend the same level.

A descending triangle is the bearish mirror of the ascending triangle. The bottom is flat (horizontal support) and the top is falling (each rally peaks at a lower high). Sellers are getting more aggressive, while buyers are stuck defending the same floor. The breakout almost always comes to the downside. The structure tells you who's in control. Lower highs = sellers willing to sell at progressively worse prices. Flat lows = buyers defending an old level without conviction. Eventually the buyers exhaust and the floor cracks, triggering a sharp move down as trapped longs cut their positions. Measured target: triangle height at its widest, projected DOWN from the support break. A 150-pip pattern implies a 150-pip move below the breakdown.

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Real trade example

EUR/USD printed a 4-hour descending triangle in June 2024 with support at 1.0700 and falling highs from 1.0790 to 1.0735. The breakdown sent it to 1.0600 in eight sessions.

Frequently asked about descending triangle

What is a descending triangle in trading?+
A bearish continuation pattern with a flat bottom and falling top — sellers keep stepping in lower while buyers defend the same level.
When will I see descending triangle used in real trading?+
Mid-trend on downtrending pairs, after a strong selloff that's consolidating before continuation. Common on daily charts during sustained bear runs.
What is the most common mistake traders make with descending triangle?+
Shorting before the support break. The pattern is just consolidation until the breakdown happens — shorting early gets you stopped on the rallies inside the triangle.
What do experienced traders know about descending triangle that beginners don't?+
Always check higher timeframe context. A descending triangle inside a larger uptrend is suspect — the higher timeframe usually wins. Trade the pattern only when the bigger trend agrees.

Related terms

Ascending Triangle

intermediate

A bullish continuation pattern with a flat top and rising bottom — buyers keep stepping in higher while sellers defend the same level.

Symmetrical Triangle

intermediate

A neutral continuation pattern with a falling top and a rising bottom — both sides squeeze toward the apex before a breakout.

Breakout

intermediate

When price moves decisively through a significant support or resistance level, often triggering a new trend.

Bull Flag

beginner

A short-term continuation pattern where price pulls back in a tight downward channel after a strong rally — usually breaks higher.

Bear Flag

beginner

A short-term continuation pattern where price rallies in a tight upward channel after a strong drop — usually breaks lower.

Pennant

intermediate

A short-term continuation pattern where price consolidates in a small symmetrical triangle after a strong move — like a flag but pointier.

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