Free lessons › Key Levels & Market Structure › Reading Candles in Context

Rejection candles

Wicks that mean something vs. wicks that are noise.

7 min · Beginner

What you'll learn

  • Describe what a rejection candle shows about buyers and sellers
  • Separate meaningful wicks from noise using location, close and volume
  • Place invalidation beyond the wick instead of inside it

Key takeaways

  • A wick shows where price was pushed back, but only wicks at key levels deserve attention.
  • A real rejection has a large wick, a close back on the other side, and above-average volume.
  • Never judge a wick until the candle has closed.
  • Invalidation belongs beyond the wick, not inside it.

Glossary

  • Wick — The thin part of a candle showing prices traded during the candle but not held at the close. Also called a shadow.
  • Rejection candle — A candle at a key level with a long wick, a close back on the other side of the level and above-average volume.
  • Candle body — The thick part of a candle between the open and the close.

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