Tweezer Tops and Bottoms: When Price Rejects the Same Level Twice
Tweezer patterns form when two consecutive candles reach the same high or low but fail to close beyond it. A Tweezer Top shows double rejection at a high; a Tweezer Bottom shows double support at a low. The equal extremes signal a strong price level where the market has decided to turn.
A Tweezer pattern is built on the concept of price memory. When price reaches a specific level, tests it, retreats, and then returns to test it again — failing a second time — the market is showing you exactly where supply or demand is concentrated. Two rejections at the same price is a much stronger signal than one. The tweezer 'grips' that level.
Tweezer Top (left): matching highs rejected twice at resistance. Tweezer Bottom (right): matching lows defended twice at support.
Tweezer Top: Double Rejection at Resistance
In a Tweezer Top, the first candle (usually bullish, following the uptrend) probes a high and creates an upper wick or high body. The second candle opens, attempts to push to the same high, and is rejected again — closing lower. The identical highs show that sellers were positioned at exactly that price level on both occasions. The market has hit a ceiling.
Tweezer Bottom: Double Defence at Support
In a Tweezer Bottom, the first candle (usually bearish, following the downtrend) probes a low and either closes there or forms a lower wick. The second candle opens, reaches the same low again, and buyers defend it — closing higher. Two tests of the same level, both defended. The market has found a floor.
Tweezer Bottom Trade
BankNifty has been falling for 3 days. Day 4: opens at 47,200, drops to a low of 46,800, closes at 47,050. Day 5: opens at 46,950, probes to 46,810 (nearly identical low to 46,800), then rallies hard to close at 47,300. The twin lows at 46,800–46,810 form the Tweezer Bottom. Entry: 47,300 (close of second candle). Stop: 46,750 (below both lows). Target: 47,800 (prior resistance).
What Constitutes a 'Match'?
The two highs or lows do not need to be exactly identical to the pip or point. In practice, being within 0.1–0.3% of each other is sufficient. On a ₹1,000 stock, lows at ₹940 and ₹941 are effectively equal. What you are looking for is the market's inability to push meaningfully beyond a prior extreme — not a tick-perfect match.
Tweezer + Support/Resistance = High Probability
A Tweezer Bottom forming exactly at a well-known support level (a previous swing low, a moving average, a round number) is significantly more reliable than one forming in open space. The pre-existing level gives institutional context: buyers were likely waiting there, which explains both rejections. Always cross-reference with the broader chart.
Key Takeaways
- Tweezer Top: two candles with matching highs at a resistance level — price was rejected at the same point twice.
- Tweezer Bottom: two candles with matching lows at a support level — buyers defended the same price twice.
- The two wicks (or bodies) that define the pattern should be at virtually the same price level.
- The first candle follows the trend; the second candle is opposite — showing the directional shift.
- Most reliable at significant support/resistance, moving averages, or after an extended trend.