Triangle continuation patterns show when price consolidates before resuming the trend, helping commodity traders spot breakout setups and time entries with clearer risk.
What Is the Triangle Continuation Pattern?
The Triangle is a continuation pattern using the concepts of support and resistance and price breakouts.
Generally, when prices make significant moves, they go through a period of resting.
Usually with a Triangle pattern, the price consolidation period consists of higher lows and lower lows, forming the shape of a “triangle”.
What Does the Triangle Continuation Pattern Look Like?
Chart 1 below of Amazon.com (AMZN) shows the Triangle continuation pattern:
Please note, this is an example – not a recommendation.
How to Interpret the Triangle Continuation Pattern
When the support and resistance lines begin converging, price can burst out of the consolidation area and it is expected that the price action will continue trending in the direction that prices have been moving previously.
Triangle Breakout Potential Buy Signal
A potential signal to buy is given when the resistance line is penetrated to the upside. The signal is generally expected to be stronger if prices have been in an uptrend prior to the upside breakout.
Triangle Breakout Potential Sell Signal
A possible sell signal occurs when the support line is penetrated to the downside. Usually the sell signal is considered stronger if prices have been in a downtrend prior to the downside breakout.
Variants on the Pattern
Two closely related variants of the Triangle pattern are the Ascending and Descending Triangle pattern.
These two patterns are shown in Chart 2 below using 100 ounce Gold futures as an example:
Please note, this is an example – not a recommendation.
Ascending Triangle
An Ascending Triangle is viewed as being more bullish than the regular Triangle patterns. With an Ascending Triangle, higher lows are being made (typically a bullish sign) and sometimes higher highs are being made (also typically a bullish sign).
Ascending Triangle Potential Buy Signal
As with the regular Triangle formation, the Ascending Triangle potentially gives a buy signal when the resistance line is penetrated to the upside. Also, the signal is considered to be stronger if prices have been in an uptrend prior to the Ascending Triangle and upside breakout.
Descending Triangle
The Descending Triangle is viewed as being more bearish than the regular Triangle patterns. When a Descending Triangle is formed, lower lows are being made (typically a bearish sign) and quite often, lower highs are being made (generally seen as bearish).
Descending Triangle Potential Sell Signal
With the Descending Triangle formation, a possible sell signal occurs when the support line is penetrated to the downside.
Traders usually view the sell signal as being stronger if prices have been in a confirmed downtrend prior to the Descending Triangle formation and downside breakout.
A similar chart formation is the Flag pattern.
Regulated Brokers: Where Can I Trade Commodities?
Further Reading on Reversal Patterns
These reversal tools complement Triangle Patterns: Bearish Engulfing Pattern, Dragonfly Doji, and Head & Shoulders.
Technical analysis is most widely used in CFD and forex trading. If you’re ready to apply these techniques, browse our vetted CFD brokers or forex brokers.
Update history
This page was revised 5 times between August 2020 and April 2026.
Added promotional links to CFD and forex broker listings in Further Reading section.
Replaced generic further reading list with reversal pattern-specific recommendations and removed outdated broker section.
Restructured page with new introductory section, added table of contents, reorganized heading hierarchy, replaced "How to Start Technical Trading" section with "Regulated Brokers" section, and streamlined variant pattern explanations.
Restructured content with new section headings for Triangle Breakout signals, Ascending and Descending Triangle patterns, and added introductory explanation of price consolidation mechanics.
Restructured content by moving the Amazon chart introduction earlier, reorganizing Triangle variants into a clearer section hierarchy, and adding a Flag pattern cross-reference in the Ascending Triangle section.
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