Marubozu — Strong Trend Continuation Candle

💪 Quick Stats
- Pattern Type: Candlestick
- Signal: Strong Trend
- Reliability: High (72–78%)
- Best Timeframe: H1 / H4
- XAUUSD Score: 8 / 10
Marubozu means “shaved head” in Japanese — a candle with no wicks. Open at one extreme, close at the other. Pure dominance of one side. On XAUUSD, marubozu candles signal explosive continuation.
📚 What is the Marubozu?
Marubozu has little to no upper or lower wicks.
Open at one extreme, close at the opposite extreme.
Bullish Marubozu: opens at low, closes at high.
Bearish Marubozu: opens at high, closes at low.
Represents complete one-sided control.
🔍 How to Identify
- No upper wick OR no lower wick (or both absent).
- Large body (significantly larger than recent average).
- Strong volume typical.
- Location matters — marubozu at breakouts = high-conviction continuation.
- Marubozu at extremes of trend = potential reversal warning.
🧠 Market Psychology
One side completely dominated the session — opposite side gave zero pushback. Buyers (or sellers) entered at open and maintained pressure until close. Highest conviction one-bar signal.
💼 Trading Rules
⚪ Entry / Stop Loss / Take Profit
- Entry: Trade in direction of marubozu — enter on next candle’s open with confirmation.
- Stop Loss: Opposite end of marubozu + 0.3 ATR.
- Take Profit: Marubozu height projected from close, or next major level.
🥇 XAUUSD-Specific Notes
- XAUUSD marubozu on H1 / H4 = institutional impulse.
- Often appears at breakouts.
- Marubozu against trend at extreme = reversal warning, not continuation.
- Volume confirms institutional involvement.
✅ Confluence Checklist
Use these criteria to validate the setup before entry. The more boxes checked, the higher the probability:
- Marubozu in direction of broader trend.
- Above-average volume.
- Forms on breakout of key SR.
- Aligned macro context.
- Next candle continues direction.
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Trading against marubozu without confirmation reversal signal.
- Marubozu at trend extreme can signal exhaustion, not continuation.
- Ignoring volume context.
- Loose stops.
🎯 The Bottom Line
Marubozu on XAUUSD H1/H4 in trend direction = institutional continuation impulse. Trade with the candle, target the next major level.
Part of the Best Trade Logic Pattern Library · 27 essential patterns for XAUUSD & forex traders