What a doji star is
A doji is a candle whose open and close are equal or almost equal. It shows that neither side controlled the session. For the basics, see Doji.
A doji star pattern is a variant of the Morning Star and Evening Star where the middle candle is a doji instead of a small body. The morning doji star appears after a decline. The evening doji star appears after a rise.
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Drawn examples
Legend: [#] is a bearish body, [ ] is a bullish body, -+- is a doji, and | is a wick. No prices are shown.
Morning doji star:
Evening doji star:
Formation rules
| Element | Morning doji star | Evening doji star |
|---|---|---|
| Prior move | Clear decline | Clear rise |
| Opening candle | Long bearish body | Long bullish body |
| Middle candle | Doji that opens at or below the opening candle's close | Doji that opens at or above the opening candle's close |
| Final candle | Bullish body that closes well into the opening candle's body, often past its midpoint | Bearish body that closes well into the opening candle's body, often past its midpoint |
Classic definitions require a gap before and after the doji. In forex, where trading runs around the clock, true gaps are rare. Many traders accept a doji that sits at the edge of the opening candle's body instead.
What it says about buyers and sellers
In a morning doji star, sellers dominate the opening candle. The doji shows that their push stalled and that buyers absorbed the selling. The final candle shows buyers taking control for that session.
The evening doji star reads the same way in reverse. Buyers lose momentum, the doji shows a balance, and sellers then close the price well down.
The pattern describes a change in balance over a few sessions. It does not show that a new trend has begun.
Where it matters
- Trend: The pattern only means something after a visible move. In a sideways range it is mostly noise.
- Level: It carries more weight at support or resistance, a prior swing high or low, or a round level that traders watch.
- Timeframe: On daily and weekly charts each candle holds more trading, so the pattern reflects more participants. On very short timeframes, doji stars appear constantly and often mean little.
Why it often fails in isolation
- Strong trends absorb it. A pause is not a reversal. The price can resume its prior direction after the final candle.
- News distorts candles. A data release or central bank decision can create a doji that reflects a pause before the news, not a shift in sentiment.
- Loose matching. Traders often label weak shapes as doji stars, for example with a short opening candle or a final candle that barely enters the opening body.
- Low volume sessions. Holiday or late session candles can form dojis simply because there is little trading.
How traders look for confirmation
- A further candle that continues in the direction of the final candle
- A break of a nearby swing level
- Agreement from tools covered in Technical analysis, such as momentum or volume where it is available
- A predefined invalidation point, often beyond the doji's wick, planned with Risk management
Leveraged forex and CFD trading can lose money fast, and a well-formed pattern does not change that. Practising pattern recognition on a Demo account lets you study how often these shapes fail on your own charts before you risk real money.
For related shapes, see the Abandoned Baby, the Harami Cross and the full list of Candlestick Patterns.
Frequent questions
Is a doji star the same as a morning star?
It is a variant. A morning star has a small-bodied middle candle, while a morning doji star has a doji in the middle.
Does the doji need a gap?
Classic definitions require one. On forex charts most traders accept a doji at the edge of the opening candle's body.
Which timeframe suits a doji star candlestick?
Higher timeframes carry more information per candle. Short timeframes produce many patterns that mean little.
Can I trade the pattern alone?
Many traders do not rely on it alone. They check the trend, nearby levels and a confirming move first, and they plan the loss they will accept in advance.