Bulkowski’s Eve & Eve Double Bottoms

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The Eve & Eve double bottom is the best performing of the Adam and Eve combinations of double bottoms. It has a small break even failure rate and large average rise. The Eve & Eve double bottom is what most chartists call the classic double bottom. For more information see pages 259 to 274 of the book Encyclopedia of Chart Patterns, Second Edition and the following...

Eve & Eve double bottom chart pattern

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Important Bull Market Results

Overall performance rank (1 is best): 6 out of 23
Break even failure rate: 4%
Average rise: 40%
Throwback rate: 55%
Percentage meeting price target: 67%

Identification Guidelines

Characteristic Discussion
Price trend Downward leading to the pattern
Shape Two distinct valleys that look similar. Eve bottoms are wide and more rounded appearing. Spikes that appear tend to be numerous and short.
Peak The rise between bottoms should measure at least 10%, but allow variations. The figure to the right shows this for a typical double bottom.
Bottom price The price variation between bottoms is small, usually between 0% and 6%. The two valleys should appear to bottom near the same price. The figure to the right shows this for the typical double bottom.
Separation The twin valleys are several weeks apart with most falling in the 2 to 7 week range. Bottoms wider than 7 weeks and performance deteriorates. The figure to the right shows this for a typical double bottom.
Confirmation The double bottom confirms as a true double bottom once price closes above the peak between the two valleys. The figure to the right shows this as the top red line.
Volume Usually higher on the left bottom.

Trading Tips

A trading setup related to double bottoms and throwbacks is located here.

Trading Tactic Explanation

Measure rule

Compute the height from the highest peak (point A in the figure to the right) to the lowest valley (B) in the pattern then multiply it by the above “percentage meeting price target.” Add the result to the breakout price (the highest peak in the pattern, A) to get the target (C).
Price reversal Price must have something to reverse, so if the decline leading to the double bottom is small, expect a small rise.

Big W

Look for a double bottom with a tall left side, one with a steep decline and few or no price consolidations along the way. Expect price to return to near where the downtrend began.
Confirmation Wait for confirmation – price to close above the peak between the valleys (point A in the measure rule figure to the right). If you don’t wait, there’s a 64% chance that price will continue lower without confirming the double bottom.
Handle Sometimes price will confirm the double bottom then waffle up and down, forming a handle. When price breaks out of this region, it often moves up in a strong trend. The figure to the right shows a handle.
Flat base Expect a large rise if the double bottom appears after a long, flat base. Use the weekly scale to find the flat base – the double bottom will look like a pothole in a road. The figure to the right shows an example.
Trends A long-term decline leading to the double bottom results in the best postbreakout performance.

Yearly low

Double bottoms within a third of the yearly low perform best.

Volume trend

A downward volume trend suggests good postbreakout performance.
Shelf When a horizontal shelf appears on the right bottom (see the figure to the right), swing traders should buy in and exit if price stalls near the confirmation point (the peak between the two bottoms). The shelf becomes a support zone which lowers the risk of a failed trade.
Throwbacks Throwbacks hurt postbreakout performance.
The typical double bottom chart pattern setup
Eve & Eve double bottom measure rule
Measure Rule
Eve & Eve double bottom chart pattern with handle
Handle
Flat base followed by any chart pattern
Flat Base
Eve & Eve double bottom chart pattern shelf
Shelf

Example

Eve & Eve double bottom chart pattern example

The above figure shows an example of a Eve & Eve double bottom chart pattern. The two Eve bottoms are wide, rounded looking turns, not narrow, one-day price spikes which are typical of Adam bottoms. The right bottom pictured here is above the left bottom and you will see Eve & Eve double bottoms in this configuration. Just make sure that the two valleys bottom near the same price.

Copyright © 2005-2006 by Thomas N. Bulkowski. All rights reserved. Help wanted: Telepath. You know where to apply.