Patterns › Ascending triangle vs Descending triangle
Look-alikes
Ascending triangle vs Descending triangle
They look alike, so beginners mix them up. Here is what each one means, and how often each one worked on real charts.
Ascending triangle
A flat ceiling and rising floor squeeze together, then price breaks up.
An ascending triangle has a flat top line, where sellers keep stopping price at about the same level, and a rising bottom line made of higher lows. The higher lows show buyers stepping in sooner each time. The pattern completes when price closes above the flat top. Traders often see it as a bullish pattern, but it can also break down, so the close above the ceiling is what counts.
Acting before price closes above the ceiling, when the triangle could still break down.
Descending triangle
A flat floor and falling ceiling squeeze together, then price breaks down.
A descending triangle has a flat bottom line, where buyers keep stopping price at about the same level, and a falling top line made of lower highs. The lower highs show sellers pushing in sooner each time. The pattern completes when price closes below the flat floor. Traders often see it as a bearish pattern, but it can also break up, so the close below the floor is what counts.
Acting before price closes below the floor, when the triangle could still break up.
Real odds side by side
| Pattern | Found | Target first | Stop first | Went nowhere |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ascending triangle | 680 | 37% | 59% | 4% |
| Descending triangle | 585 | 39% | 56% | 5% |
Counted by the Trading Class research engine on real past candles: entry at the signal candle's close, target 1.5 × ATR(14), stop 1 × ATR(14), 12 candles to decide, a candle that touches both counts as the stop. How we count. Past data, not a forecast and not advice.