Candlestick charts show open, high, low, and close for each period. That extra detail helps you read momentum inside a single bar.
Anatomy of one candle
The body spans open to close. Wicks show the session high and low. A green or white body means close above open. A red or black body means close below open.
High-value single-bar signals
Doji: Open and close are very close. Suggests indecision, especially after a long move.
Hammer: Small body at the top with a long lower wick. Can mark rejection of lower prices after a decline.
Shooting star: Small body at the bottom with a long upper wick. Can mark rejection of higher prices after a rally.
Context beats labels. A hammer in a strong downtrend is not automatically bullish.
Multi-bar patterns
Engulfing: A larger candle fully covers the prior body. Bullish engulfing after a pullback can show buyers returning. Bearish engulfing after a rally can show sellers pressing.
Inside bar: The current range sits inside the prior bar. Often signals compression before a breakout.
Nordic session tip
Copenhagen and Stockholm cash sessions have distinct open dynamics. Read the first hour relative to the prior close, not only the shape of one candle in isolation.