A three-candle bearish reversal pattern that signals the top of an uptrend — small body in the middle, big bearish candle to confirm.
An evening star is the bearish mirror of the morning star. Candle 1: a strong bullish candle (the uptrend in progress). Candle 2: a small-bodied candle (often a doji or spinning top) near the high — buyers losing momentum. Candle 3: a strong bearish candle that closes well into the body of the first candle, confirming the reversal.
The psychology mirrors the morning star but inverted. Buyers were in control, then stalled, then handed control to sellers with a decisive third candle. The pattern is most reliable at major resistance or after extended rallies.
The entry is on the close of the third candle or on the next candle's open. The stop sits above the high of the entire pattern. Targets typically reach the next significant support level.
USD/JPY printed an evening star on the daily chart at 151.95 in November 2022 — strong rally, doji, deep red engulfing candle. The reversal kicked off a 1,800-pip drop to 130 over the next four months.
Frequently asked about evening star
What is an evening star in trading?+
A three-candle bearish reversal pattern that signals the top of an uptrend — small body in the middle, big bearish candle to confirm.
When will I see evening star used in real trading?+
At the top of multi-day or multi-week rallies, near major resistance, often at Fibonacci extensions or overbought RSI conditions.
What is the most common mistake traders make with evening star?+
Confusing evening stars with simple bearish engulfing patterns. The evening star REQUIRES three candles with the middle being small. Two candles is not enough.
What do experienced traders know about evening star that beginners don't?+
If the third candle of an evening star closes BELOW the low of the first candle (a deep engulfing close), the pattern almost always delivers a sustained downtrend. Shallow third-candle closes are weaker signals.
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