Continuation pattern

Cup and Handle Pattern

A rounded base followed by a smaller pullback near resistance before a possible upside breakout.

Cup and Handle Pattern

Original schematic showing the guide's principal visual relationships.

Cup and Handle PatternA rounded base followed by a smaller pullback near resistance before a possible upside breakout.

Pattern anatomy

A rounded base followed by a smaller pullback near resistance before a possible upside breakout.

Rounded cup → shallow handle → close above the cup's rim resistance.

How it works

Identify the prior trend first, mark repeated swing highs and lows, then draw only the support, resistance, or neckline justified by those pivots. A pattern remains provisional until price closes beyond its confirmation boundary; visual resemblance alone is not enough.

How to read it

The cup repairs an earlier decline while the handle tests whether supply remains near the old high. The cup depth is often projected from the breakout.

Confirmation checklist

Confirm a clear impulse before the consolidation, controlled price compression during formation, and a close beyond the continuation boundary. Volume often contracts during the pause and expands on breakout.

Limitations and false signals

V-shaped recoveries and handles that retrace deeply do not show the same gradual accumulation. Failed rim breaks are common.