What is Dragonfly Doji Candlestick?

The Dragonfly Doji is a reversal pattern that forms close to the market highs or lows. It indicates hesitation since the conflict between buyers and sellers does not provide a clear result. This pattern occurs when the high, open, and close prices are almost equal. A long wick and a "T" shape distinguish it. It may occur in both uptrends and downtrends. In downtrends, the long lower wick indicates that the sellers failed to close at the lows. Moreover, there may be a trend reversal soon. On the other hand, the emergence of the dragonfly doji candlestick in an uptrend indicates that the momentum of the bulls' is decreasing. 

Dragonfly Doji Candlestick Pattern Meaning 

The Dragonfly Doji chart pattern is a T-shaped candlestick generated when the open, high, and closing prices are too close to each other. It is widely recognised as a bullish reversal candlestick chart pattern that emerges at the bottom of downtrends. Although unusual, it might occur when all the prices are equal. As a result, the prolonged lower shadow is the most important feature of this candlestick pattern.

Example of a Dragonfly Doji Candlestick used in Trading?

Dragonfly Dojis don’t occur easily as the values of open, high, and closing positions are rarely identical. The dragonfly doji may be formed during a sideways pullback amid a longer-term rally. The dragonfly doji dips below the recent lows but is immediately lifted higher by buyers. 

After the pattern forms, the price rises on the subsequent candle, showing that the price is returning to the upward trend. Traders ‌buy during or right after the confirmation candle. They may employ a stop-loss below the dragonfly's lowest point.

What Do Dragonfly Doji Patterns Tell You?

Dragonfly Dojis indicate price changes. A dragonfly doji candlestick in an uptrend with a lengthy lower wick suggests that a negative trend may become strong and the uptrend can reverse. Investors wait for the following candle after the Doji to confirm the trend.  

For a bearish dragonfly doji candlestick pattern, the following candle must fall and close below Doji's closing price. The Dragonfly Doji verifies the presence of sellers early in the market. However, the strong buying pulls fade the downtrend. This leads to the same open, high, and closing price. Conversely, for a bullish dragonfly doji candlestick pattern, the next candle must close higher than the dragonfly's close. The longer the body, the more credible the signal of a trend reversal.

When does Dragonfly Doji Candlestick occur?

The dragonfly doji is a kind of doji candlestick pattern that forms when the starting and closing prices are almost similar. It usually forms at the peak of a trading session. It casts a lengthy lower shadow. This shows that buyers were in control throughout the session, driving the price down. However, by the end of the day, buyers had taken control. This brings the price back up to close to the starting price.

Characteristics of Dragonfly Doji Candlestick Pattern

The following are the key characteristics of the Dragonfly Doji candlestick pattern. 

1. Doji candlesticks have little or no real body with shadows since the starting and closing values are usually the same.
2. Doji candlestick forms ‌show market indecision prior to a trend reversal. In such conditions, both bullish and bearish pulls have relatively equal strengths.
3. Doji is direction-neutral. So, traders must analyse it carefully.
4. Not all Dojis indicate market indecision. Some of them may imply trend reversals. However, this must be validated by the subsequent candle patterns.

Limitations of Dragonfly Doji Candlestick Pattern

While the dragonfly doji is a useful tool for traders and investors, the pattern is not always trustworthy. The following are some of its limitations.

1. The pattern may be unreliable in a low-liquidity market. In such instances, a single trader or a group of traders may influence the price, resulting in false signals. 
2. If the pattern forms too often, it may lose its reliability. It may also indicate that the market is indecisive or balanced, making it harder to spot possible trend reversals. 
3. The pattern may be unpredictable if some other technical analysis indicators contradict the trading signal.  

How to Trade with Dragonfly Doji Candlestick in the Stock Market?

Here are the steps to follow to trade with the Dragonfly Doji candlestick pattern.

1. Identify the pattern: First, spot the pattern. Look for a candlestick with a tiny body, little to no above shadow, and a long lower shadow.  
2. Analyse market condition: Assess the market condition. Check the current trends, support and resistance levels, and volume. Dragonfly Doji formations are usually found after a downtrend, high volume and near crucial support levels. 
3. Wait for confirmation: Wait for confirmation signs before entering a trade position. To validate the reversal sign, look for bullish signals like bullish candlestick patterns, bullish divergence on oscillators, or breakouts above resistance levels. 
4. Set entry and exit points: To mitigate risk, establish an entry point above the high of the Doji candlestick and a stop-loss order below the low. Set a target price depending on the distance between the entry point and the closest resistance level. You may also use a trailing stop to capitalise on gains. 
5. Determine position size: When trading with this pattern, modify the position size as per the risk involved in a transaction. Before entering a trade, ensure that the gains justify the risk suggested by the pattern.  

What are other Types of Doji Candlestick Patterns Besides Dragonfly Doji?

Other Doji candlestick patterns besides the Dragonfly Doji, include the following. 

1. Gravestone Doji: It is formed by flipping the Dragonfly Doji upside down. The prices at the open, low, and close are relatively equal, but the price at the high point is greater than them.  
2. Long-Legged Doji: It occurs when the open and close prices are almost similar, but there are solid highs and lows over time. This results in longer tails. This pattern represents uncertainty as neither bulls nor bears make substantial progress within the time frame despite big swings in both directions.
3. Bearish Doji Star: This pattern forms following an uptrend. The body of the bearish Doji star should be higher than the preceding candle. The bearish reversal is validated if the price falls after the pattern. 
4. Bullish Doji Star: It is often known as the morning star. The pattern is confirmed if the price increases following the bullish start of the Doji. Its body should be shorter than the preceding candle.
5. Hammer Doji: This pattern forms after a decrease in an asset’s price. It occurs when the price rises briefly and then falls before closing near the opening price. The trend indicates that there are several buyers in the market when prices drop to the lowest level.

Conclusion 
Dragonfly Doji Candlestick has a long lower shadow but no upper shadow. The open, close, and high prices are almost the same. The pattern is useful in technical analysis because it allows traders and investors to spot future trend reversals. You can trade with the pattern on a good stock trading app. Traders and investors can use the pattern to determine whether to enter or exit positions. Furthermore, they may combine the pattern with other technical indicators to create more effective trading strategies. However, the pattern can be unreliable in markets with less liquidity. Moreover, it is not advisable to rely on this pattern if it forms too often. Hence, it is critical to analyse additional factors and technical indicators before trading.