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Technical Analysis
Updated 2025-06-04·Editorial policy·Trading system

What is Wick (Shadow)?

Wick (shadow) extends from body to high or low — shows prices traded but rejected.

Formula

Upper wick = high minus close (or open if bearish)

Indian market context (NSE)

Reference levels: Nifty 50 at 24,300, Reliance Industries at ₹1,300, Bank Nifty futures at 55,000 (lot size 30). Examples below show how Wick (Shadow) shows up on Indian index, equity, and futures books — update to live quotes in your journal.

Nifty 50 perspective

Wick on Nifty (24,300): on the 15-minute chart, combine with session VWAP and 9:15–10:00 liquidity — index wick signals misfire on expiry Tuesdays without volume confirmation.

Reliance Industries perspective

Wick on Reliance at ₹1,300: daily vs hourly settings diverge around results and ex-dividend dates; note corporate events in journal when wick readings spike.

Bank Nifty futures perspective

Wick on Bank Nifty futures (55,000): first-hour signals differ from post-14:30 behaviour; avoid standalone entries when banking names lead the move.

How to validate

  • Forward-test Wick (Shadow) on paper or sim for two weeks after rule changes.
  • Validate only on trades where Wick (Shadow) settings matched the written playbook.
  • Split results by trending vs range weeks on Nifty before trusting the signal.
  • Require higher-timeframe bias agreement if that is part of your rule.

How to track in TradeLyser

  • Add Wick (Shadow) reading to trade entry notes (value + timeframe).
  • Create tags: “Wick (Shadow) aligned” / “Wick (Shadow) ignored”.
  • Monthly: filter trades by alignment tag and compare win rate and avg R.
  • Screenshot chart context for mentor review on disputed trades.

Best practices

  • Combine Wick (Shadow) with higher-timeframe bias — not as a lone trigger.
  • Avoid curve-fitting settings on less than three months of tagged data.
  • Refresh playbook screenshots when changing Wick (Shadow) parameters.
  • Skip trading when Wick (Shadow) conflicts with written risk limits.

Common pitfalls

  • Treating Wick (Shadow) as a guaranteed reversal signal.
  • Optimising parameters on one bullish month only.
  • Trading against higher-timeframe bias because Wick (Shadow) “said so”.
  • Failing to log when you overrode Wick (Shadow) discretionally.

How to use this in TradeLyser

Measure wick as % of range in notes for pattern quality filters.

Reference guide

ContextValueReading
Long upperRejected at highsBearish, selling pressure
Long lowerRejected at lowsBullish, buying pressure
No upperClosed at highStrong bullish momentum
No lowerClosed at lowStrong bearish momentum
Both longIndecision (doji)Wait for confirmation

Related terms

FAQ

Wick vs body ratio rule?

Define minimum for pin/hammer tags.

Long wick always reversal?

Needs location and confirmation.

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