Bullish Engulfing Chart Analysis

The bullish engulfing pattern consists of two candlesticks, the first black and the second white. The size of the black candlestick is not that important, but it should not be a doji which would be relatively easy to engulf. The second should be a long white candlestick – the bigger it is, the more bullish. The white body must totally engulf the body of the first black candlestick. Ideally, though not necessarily, the white body would engulf the shadows as well. Although shadows are permitted, they are usually small or nonexistent on both candlesticks.

After a decline, the second white candlestick begins to form when selling pressure causes the security to open below the previous close. Buyers step in after the open and push prices above the previous open for a strong finish and potential short-term reversal. Generally, the larger the white candlestick and the greater the engulfing, the more bullish the reversal. Further strength is required to provide bullish confirmation of this reversal pattern.

In Jan-00, Sun Microsystems (SUNW)[Sunw] formed a pair of bullish engulfing patterns that foreshadowed two significant advances. The first formed in early January after a sharp decline that took the stock well below its 20-day exponential moving average (EMA). An immediate gap up confirmed the pattern as bullish and the stock raced ahead to the mid-forties. After correcting to support, the second bullish engulfing pattern formed in late January. The stock declined below its 20-day EMA and found support from its earlier gap up. This also marked a 2/3 correction of the prior advance. A bullish engulfing pattern formed and was confirmed the next day with a strong follow-up advance.