The mat hold candlestick pattern is a five-candle bullish continuation pattern: a long white candlestick in an uptrend, a short body that gaps above the first body, two more small candles that drift lower without giving back much ground, then a white candlestick that opens above the prior close and closes above the highs of the three reaction candles. Textbooks describe it as a pause in a rising market, after which the trend is expected to resume.

This guide explains how to identify it, how it differs from the rising three methods, how to trade it, and what happened after it in practice. Our test bench scanned full market history on stocks, crypto, forex, ETFs, indices and commodities and found only 36 occurrences on daily data. We compared each one with random days on the same assets.

What is the mat hold candlestick pattern?

It is a rare Japanese candlestick pattern: one occurrence every 214,197 daily bars in our data. It belongs to the family of the "three methods": a strong move, a short rest, then a second strong move in the same direction. Its name describes the idea: the market holds its gains on a "mat" of small candles before moving on. Japanese candlestick charting was brought to Western traders by Steve Nison, in Japanese Candlestick Charting Techniques (1991); the classic descriptions of the pattern come from that tradition, and this page tests them against data.

Mat hold meaning

In simple terms, and based on the classic definition, the meaning of the pattern is that the trend is likely to continue. The first bullish candle shows strong demand, the small candles show a temporary pause, and the last bullish candle indicates that buyers are back. Unlike reversal signals, it does not announce a turn: it follows the previous trend.

Definition and structure

Our bench uses the following rule, written so a computer can apply it without judgment:

An uptrend before the pattern.
A long white (bullish) first candlestick.
A short black body that gaps above the first body (the shadows may overlap).
Two more short candles that drift lower but whose bodies hold above the middle of the first body.
A white fifth candlestick that opens above the prior close and closes above the highs of the three reaction candles.

The chart below is not drawn by hand. It is the median shape of the patterns our bench detected on daily charts across all markets (mostly US stocks), with the entry, stop and target of the position we test.

Bullish setup drawn from the rule, with entry, stop loss (SL) and 2:1 target (TP)

Bullish mat hold vs bearish mat hold

The classic version is bullish. The bearish version is its mirror image in a downtrend: a long black candlestick, a short white body that gaps below the first body, two small candles drifting up, their bodies staying below the middle of the first body, then a black candlestick that closes below the lows of the three reaction candles.

Bearish setup drawn from the rule, with entry, stop loss (SL) and 2:1 target (TP)

Our bench tests the bullish version only, so the numbers on this page describe the bullish version. The closest bearish pattern we do test is the falling three methods.

How to identify the mat hold pattern on a chart

To understand the pattern, read the five candlesticks in order, the way technical analysis textbooks describe it. Each one has a job, and a setup that skips one of them is something else.

Long white candle
Short black bodygaps above the first body
Two short candles drifting lowerbodies stay above middle of first body
White candlecloses above the reaction highs

Schematic drawing of the rule, not measured data.

The first candle: the trend setter

The first candlestick is long and white, larger than the recent candles, and often closes near its high. It confirms that buyers are in control of the uptrend.

The gap: the importance of the price move

The second candle opens above the close of the first, and its body leaves a gap above the first body; the shadows may still overlap. Its body is short and black: buyers pushed higher at the open, then some profit taking appeared. On stocks, a gap can follow news such as earnings. The gap between the bodies sets this pattern apart from the rising three methods, which does not require it: there, the small candles only have to stay inside the range of the first candle.

The consolidation: the smaller candles

The consolidation is the heart of the pattern, and the part that makes it work, or not.

The second, third and fourth candles are small and drift lower. The key condition is how far they fall: their bodies must stay above the middle of the first body. A pullback that erases the first body is not a pause, it is a failed move.

The breakout: the fifth candle

The last candlestick is white (long in the textbook case), opens above the prior close and closes above the highs of the three reaction candles. Until that close, there is nothing to trade, only a rally and a pullback.

How big is it?

On daily charts, almost all of them US stocks, the median formation spans 6.0% of price from its lowest low to its highest high, or 2.35 times the average true range of the asset. It is a large formation: five candles of trading compressed into a range more than twice the normal daily move.

The psychology behind the mat hold pattern

Why the market pauses

The first candle shows strong demand. The gap the next morning shows that demand is still there at the open. Then traders who bought earlier take profits, and the market drifts lower for a few sessions. Sellers have the floor, but they cannot close it back below the middle of the first body.

When the last candlestick closes above the highs of the three reaction candles, the pullback is over and buyers are back in charge. That is the classic reading: a pause, not a reversal.

What the story does not prove

Reading institutional accumulation into the pattern goes beyond what candles can show: they cannot show who is buying. The story is plausible, but whether the trend actually continues after it is a question for data, not for future price stories. The reliability section below answers it.

Mat hold vs rising three methods: key distinctions

The mat hold and the rising three methods are close cousins, and they are easy to confuse. Both start and end with a long white candlestick around three small ones.

This pageMat HoldBullish10-bar move, daily No clear edge
ComparedRising and Falling Three MethodsBullish or bearishBullish, 10-bar move, daily No clear edgeBearish, 10-bar move, daily No clear edge

Position of the small candles. In the rising three methods, they stay inside the range of the first candle. Here, the second body opens above the first body, and the bodies of the next two stay above the middle of the first body, sometimes still above the whole first body.
Depth of the pullback. This pattern pulls back less, which is why classical candlestick analysis calls it the stronger of the two.
Frequency. On the daily timeframe, our bench found one rising three methods every 76,402 bars, and one mat hold every 214,197 bars.

"Stronger" does not mean "better" in the data. In daily data, the rising three methods reached its 2:1 target in 29.0% of 93 trades against 39.1% for the same position on random dates, an expectancy of −0.07 R against +0.20 R. That result is not distinguishable from chance. The mat hold did 20.7% on only 29 trades against 31.0%, too few trades (fewer than 30) to interpret.

Real examples

Real occurrences from our test bench, each on its market's main timeframe. Category cards on US stocks come from liquid assets only (the most traded stocks). Worst is the worst 2:1 trade result, Most recent the latest detections among the assets the gallery draws from, Typical a random draw. Mat hold pattern: on indices, our bench gives a single example card, so it carries no Best, Worst or other label: it is one real occurrence, not a ranked pick. Shaded area: the pattern. Dashed lines: entry, stop loss (SL) and 2:1 target (TP) of the tested trade. Dotted line: 10 bars after the signal. A result above +2 R or below −1 R means a bar opened past the target or the stop, and the trade was closed at that open. Stock prices are adjusted for splits and dividends, so they can differ from the prices quoted at the time. We left out 3 cards with a shape that does not read as the definition on this page. They still count in the statistics, and are not replaced: our bench picks a fixed number of cards per category.

MarketUS stocksIndices

ExamplesAll(2)Most recent(1)Typical(1)

US stocks overallAcross 34 daily mat hold occurrences, price moved the expected way 10 bars later 55.9% of the time, against 54.6% for random bars. The average excess return does not pass our significance test.No clear edgeThe examples below are single cases.

Worst tradeMost recentTypicalJNJ June 22, 2023Daily chart3.8% against the expected direction after 10 bars2:1 trade: stopped out, −1.00 R

Worst tradePEP December 26, 1991Daily chart1.1% in the expected direction after 10 bars2:1 trade: stopped out, −1.00 R

Real occurrences The only occurrence on indices (daily charts)

Indices overallAcross 1 daily mat hold occurrence, too few cases to give a percentage (we need at least 30).Not enough dataThe example below is a single case.

Nikkei 225 May 2, 2008Daily chart0.8% in the expected direction after 10 bars2:1 trade: stopped out, −1.09 R

How to trade the mat hold pattern

The classic plan buys the break of the pattern high, with a stop below the pattern low and a target set as a multiple of the risk. This is the position our bench simulates on every occurrence.

Entry: Buy stop at the pattern high
Stop loss (SL): At the pattern low
Target (TP): Twice the risk (2:1)

Entry, stop and target as the rule sets them. Schematic drawing of the rule, not measured data.

A real case from our bench: IndicesThe only example card our bench gives on this market, the one in the gallery: not a ranked pick. A result above +2 R or below −1 R means a bar opened past the target or the stop, and the trade was closed at that open.

Nikkei 225 May 2, 2008Daily chart0.8% in the expected direction after 10 bars2:1 trade: stopped out, −1.09 R

Setting up your entry strategy

There are two entries. The aggressive one buys at the close of the pattern. The conservative one places a buy stop just above the pattern high and waits for the market to trade through it within 20 sessions. In our tests the buy stop was triggered in 80.6% of daily cases; in 19.4% of cases the pattern low broke first and the setup was canceled before any trade. The remaining setups expired: neither level was reached within 20 bars, or before the end of the data.

Where to place your stop-loss

The natural stop sits below the lowest point of the pattern. If price trades back there, the pause has turned into a reversal. Because the pattern spans more than twice the average daily range, this stop is wide: size the position on the distance from entry to stop.

Defining profit targets

The target we test is twice the risk. In daily data, the median trade lasted 16 sessions and stopped trades a median of 9; only 6 trades reached the target, too few to give their own typical duration. This is a slow setup. Other targets are the height of the pattern projected from the breakout, or the next resistance level; we have not tested them.

Essential indicators for confirming the mat hold

Using volume to validate the breakout

Classical candlestick analysis wants high volume on the breakout day. We checked it on daily data, but only 8 patterns came with volume above 1.5 times the 20-day average, against 28 on normal volume: too few to measure. The samples are small and these splits are descriptive, not corrected for the number of tests, so volume is not a proven filter here.

Moving averages as trend filters

Most of the patterns in our data formed above the 200-day moving average (31 of 36 daily occurrences), which is expected for a pattern that requires an uptrend. Above it, 48.4% were higher 10 days later and the 2:1 position reached its target 20.8% of the time, on only 24 trades. Too few formed below the average to measure that group.

Relative strength index for momentum

One RSI filter checks that the RSI stays above 50 during the pause, or that it is not overbought before the breakout. We have not tested an RSI filter. If you use one, test it on your own market first.

Step-by-step mat hold trading strategy

The steps below follow the rules our bench uses.

Confirm the uptrend: price at least one average true range above its level 10 sessions earlier and in the upper half of its last 40 closes, ideally above a rising 200-day moving average.
Check the five candles against the rules above, especially the gap and the depth of the pullback.
Wait for the last candlestick to close above the highs of the three reaction candles.
Place a buy stop just above the high of the pattern, valid for a limited time.
Place the stop below the pattern low and compute the position size from that distance.
Set the target at twice the risk or at the next resistance level, and write the plan down before entry.

Common mistakes to avoid when trading this pattern

Misidentifying the pattern structure

Ignoring the overall market trend

The rule requires an uptrend to continue. Five bars that look right in a sideways range are not a mat hold, and our bench does not test them.

Entering without volume confirmation

Classical analysis reads low volume on the breakout as a warning. Our data does not show that volume improves the odds.

Overlooking support and resistance levels

A pattern that breaks out just under a major resistance level, such as a prior high, has little room before the next sellers. Check the chart for overhead supply before entry; we have not tested resistance levels.

Failing to manage risk exposure

Because the stop is wide, a full-size position can risk far more than planned. In our data, of the trades that hit their stop, 42.9% had first been up one unit of risk.

Other filters (not tested)

These trading strategies add context that the pattern alone does not have. Test each one on your own market before you rely on it.

Using multi-timeframe analysis

On a daily chart, the pattern inside a weekly uptrend is a pullback in the direction of the larger move. Inside a weekly downtrend, it may be no more than a short rally. Read the trend one timeframe higher before taking the signal; we have not tested this filter.

Combining with Fibonacci retracements

The pullback can also be measured against the first body: a pause whose bodies hold above the 50% retracement is, by construction, what the rule requires. We have not tested Fibonacci levels.

Identifying the pattern in different asset classes

Mat hold in stock trading

Almost all our occurrences come from US stocks: 34 of the 36 daily patterns, on 34 companies since 1982. Stocks open each morning after a night of news, so gaps between sessions can form, and gaps are part of the rule.

Mat hold in forex markets

Currencies trade around the clock, so gaps between candles are rare. Our bench found no occurrence at all on forex data.

Mat hold in cryptocurrency charts

Crypto also trades without a break. Our bench found 1 on hourly crypto data and none on the 4-hour timeframe, too few to measure anything.

Reliability and success rate

The mat hold candlestick pattern reads no clear edge in our data: after it, prices rose about as often as after random days on the same assets. Here are the numbers. In the table quoted in the text, rows with fewer than 30 occurrences are shown without results, because they cannot support a conclusion; the All measurements table lists them with their figures, rated Not enough data.

55.6%vs 54.6% at random

Moved the expected way 10 bars later, compared with random bars.

Measured on 36 daily mat hold occurrences across 36 assets. Random bars on the same assets are the honest baseline.

No clear edge

Mat hold against random bars on the same assets, by market, on daily candles. Bars of almost the same length mean no edge.

Moved the expected way 10 bars laterMat holdRandom bars

All markets
All markets, Mat hold: 55.6%
All markets, Random bars: 54.6%
US stocks
US stocks, Mat hold: 55.9%
US stocks, Random bars: 54.6%

All statistics

Full results for the mat hold candlestick pattern, market by market

Every occurrence our rule finds on full price history, compared with what the same assets did on random bars. A pattern only earns an edge if it beats random entries after correcting for the thousands of tests we run.

Our verdict

Not a reliable signal on its own here. Use it as context, not as a trigger.

10-bar move No clear edge2:1 trade Not enough data

Mat hold: 36 occurrences tested

Bullish pattern · All markets · Daily · 36 assets · 1982-08 to 2025-09

Moved the expected way after 10 bars

55.6%

vs 54.6% on random bars

Excess return vs its market, 10 bars

−0.62%

95% interval −2.93% to +1.40%

2:1 trade hit the target

20.7%

vs 31.0% for the same trade on random dates

Only 29 closed trades, fewer than 30: not interpreted

Average result per trade

−0.29 R

vs −0.04 R on random dates

Only 29 closed trades, fewer than 30: not interpreted

What this means. No measurable difference from the rest of its market over the next 10 bars. For the 2:1 trade: fewer than 30 closed trades: the trade numbers are shown but not interpreted.

Timeline

Entry triggered, after the pattern: too few to measure · on 29 triggered entries; Stop order beyond the pattern's extreme.
Time to the 2:1 target, when hit: too few to measure · on 6 trades that hit it
Time to the stop, when hit: too few to measure · on 21 trades that hit it
Time in the trade, all exits: too few to measure · on 29 trades

Size and trade path

Pattern range, high to low: 6.0% · middle half 3.6% to 9.1% · on 36 occurrences
Range vs average bar (ATR): 2.35× · middle half 2.21× to 2.97× · on 36 occurrences
Best open profit during the trade: too few to measure · on 29 trades
Stopped trades that were first up 1 R: too few to measure · on 21 stopped trades; Trades a stop moved to breakeven at +1 R would have closed flat instead of at a loss
Entry order triggered: 80.6% · on 36 occurrences

Medians, each on the cases named on its line; "middle half" spans the 25th to 75th percentile; no value under 30 cases.

How we detect it. In an uptrend: a long white candle; a short black body gapping above the first body; two short candles drifting lower, their bodies staying above the middle of the first body; a white candle that opens above the prior close and closes above the highs of the three reaction candles. A long body is at least 1.3 times the average body of the 10 candles before the pattern and at least 0.6 times the largest of them. Candlestick counts are not checked against planted examples, so they may not be exhaustive.

All measurements (8 rows)

10-bar move: did price go the expected way?

Figures in gray: fewer than 30 occurrences, not interpreted. Excess return is signed so that positive favors the pattern. The test uses the bootstrap’s standard error and the interval its percentiles: near the 0.05 line, or on a few extreme moves, an interval can leave out zero while the test does not pass, and the test decides. Stock data misses most delisted companies, a survivorship bias we have not sized, which can flatter stock rows.
Market	Occurrences	Pattern	Random bars	Excess	10-bar move verdict
Crypto · 1-hour	1	100.0%	49.2%	+2.57%	Not enough data
US stocks · Daily	34	55.9%	54.6%	−0.57%	No clear edge
ETFs · Daily	1	0.0%	59.1%	−2.56%	Not enough data
Indices · Daily	1	100.0%	52.3%	−0.56%	Not enough data
All markets · Daily	36	55.6%	54.6%	−0.62%	No clear edge
US stocks · Weekly	4	50.0%	53.8%	−8.92%	Not enough data
Commodities · Weekly	1	100.0%	54.7%	−1.47%	Not enough data
All markets · Weekly	5	60.0%	54.0%	−7.43%	Not enough data

2:1 trade: target hit and average result

R = initial risk of the trade. Entry by an order at the trigger level, filled at the open when a bar opens beyond it. Exit at the stop or the target, or at the open when a bar opens beyond either one; otherwise at the close after 100 bars. When one bar touches both the stop and the target, the loss is counted. No fees or slippage. n/a = not measured. Per trade: average result, against the same trade on random dates. Figures in gray: fewer than 30 closed trades, not interpreted.
Market	Trades	Target hit	Same trade, random dates	Per trade	2:1 trade verdict
Crypto · 1-hour	1	0.0%	50.0%	−1.00 R vs +0.50 R	Not enough data
US stocks · Daily	28	21.4%	32.1%	−0.27 R vs −0.01 R	Not enough data
ETFs · Daily	0	n/a	n/a	n/a vs n/a	Not enough data
Indices · Daily	1	0.0%	0.0%	−1.09 R vs −1.00 R	Not enough data
All markets · Daily	29	20.7%	31.0%	−0.29 R vs −0.04 R	Not enough data
US stocks · Weekly	3	33.3%	22.2%	0.00 R vs −0.24 R	Not enough data
Commodities · Weekly	1	100.0%	50.0%	+2.00 R vs +0.53 R	Not enough data
All markets · Weekly	4	50.0%	29.2%	+0.50 R vs −0.05 R	Not enough data

Data updated November 5, 2026 · code version c2a1683f · Read the methodology. No occurrence on forex in our data. We measure every pattern on crypto and forex (1-hour, 4-hour, daily and weekly charts) and US stocks, ETFs, indices and commodities (daily and weekly charts). A market or timeframe from that list missing from the tables above had no occurrence.

What you often read

“The mat hold candlestick pattern is a reliable bullish continuation signal.”

What our data shows

On 36 daily occurrences, it moved in the expected direction 55.6% of the time, against 54.6% for random bars: no clear edge, since the average excess return is not statistically significant.

Table quoted in the text (verdicts and every market: see All measurements)

Market and timeframe	Patterns tested	Higher 10 bars later	Random bars	Closed trades	2:1 target hit	Same position, random dates	Expectancy (pattern vs random)
All markets, daily	36	55.6%	54.6%	29	20.7%	31.0%	−0.29 R vs −0.04 R
US stocks, daily	34	55.9%	54.6%	28	21.4%	32.1%	−0.27 R vs −0.01 R
All markets, weekly	5	Too few occurrences to measure
Crypto, hourly	1	Too few occurrences to measure

How to read the table

Read the columns in pairs. On the daily timeframe, 55.6% of the patterns were followed by a higher close 10 days later. That sounds strong until you see that 54.6% of random days on the same assets were too: these assets rose more often than they fell over our data. The excess return over the rest of the market after 10 days is −0.62%, with a 95% confidence interval from −2.93% to +1.40%. Zero sits in the middle of that interval: no measurable difference from the rest of the market.

The 2:1 position reached its target in 20.7% of 29 trades against 31.0% for the same entry, stop and target distances on random dates, for an expectancy of −0.29 R per trade against −0.04 R, before costs. With only 29 trades, fewer than 30, these figures are shown, not interpreted.

What happens bar by bar

The path after the pattern is uneven. One day later, 41.7% were higher, against 50.7% for random days. Five days later, only 44.4% were, against 53.3%. After 20 days, 55.6% against 55.8%. The early dip, making the path look weak at first, is consistent with the long time in the position: the trend can pause again before moving on. These horizon splits are descriptive.

Is the result stable?

The excess return after 10 days was −0.76% on the first half of the history and −0.49% on the second half. Both are close to zero, each half on too few cases to read on its own.

The method is published in our methodology.

Real world examples of the mat hold pattern

The gallery in the Real examples section shows one real mat hold per market picked by our bench, with its actual outcome. The three cases written up in this section are on daily US stock data. Prices are adjusted for splits and dividends, so they can differ from the prices quoted at the time.

Example 1: stopped out one session after entry

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) printed a white candlestick on June 15, 2023, from 147.73 to 149.27. On June 16 it opened higher, its body gapping above the first body; two small candles followed, holding above the middle of the first body. On June 22, 2023, a white candlestick closed at 150.99, above the highs of the three reaction candles. The next day the stock opened at 151.44, above the buy stop, with a stop at 147.17 and a 2:1 target at 159.97. On June 26 it fell to 147.08 and hit the stop: a full 1 R loss one session after entry.

Example 2: right on direction, stopped out first

Campbell Soup (CPB) completed the pattern on November 3, 1994, with a high of 7.96. The next morning the stock opened at 7.98, above that level, which triggered the entry, with a stop at 7.74 and a 2:1 target at 8.46. On November 7 it dipped to 7.74 and hit the stop, a full 1 R loss. Then it rallied: ten sessions after the pattern it was 9.3% higher. A position can be right on direction and still lose when the stop comes first.

Example 3: invalidated before entry

Deere (DE) completed a mat hold on July 19, 2007, with a high of 46.49. Price never traded above it: on July 23 it broke below the pattern low at 44.42 and the setup was canceled before any trade. Ten sessions later, DE was 10.1% lower. This is why the buy stop entry matters: it keeps you out of patterns that fail right away.

Several related candlestick patterns describe a pause inside a trend. Each has its own page.

Rising and falling three methods: the closest relatives, with small candles inside the range of the first one.
Upside gap three methods: a gap between two white candles, filled by a black one.
Separating lines and tasuki gap: two other continuation signals built around the open or a gap.

Tools for finding the mat hold pattern

Because it is rare, scanning by eye is slow and scanning software can help. The open-source TA-Lib library has a CDLMATHOLD function, and charting platforms such as TradingView let you screen for candlestick patterns. Check the definition your tool uses: the size of the gap and the depth allowed for the pullback differ from one tool to another, and so do the signals. Our rule finds 40% of the occurrences TA-Lib flags, so our count is not the total another scanner would report.

A simple routine can help: scan, check the five candlesticks by hand, then write down entry, stop and target before the next session.

Advantages of using the mat hold pattern

Clear rules: five candlesticks, one gap, one level to break.
A defined risk: the stop goes below the pattern low.
It keeps you trading in the direction of the trend, not against it.

Disadvantages and limitations to consider

It is rare: one occurrence every 214,197 daily bars in our data, and almost none on crypto and none on forex.
The stop is wide, more than twice the average daily range.
In our tests it did not beat random days on the same assets.
Trades are slow: a median of 16 sessions in the position.
Specific risks: a wide stop and frequent gaps, which increase slippage on entry and exit.

Risk management techniques

Proper position sizing

Implementing trailing stops

A trend follower can trail the stop to protect open gains.

One rule moves the stop under the low of the breakout day once the trade has moved one unit of risk in its favor. In our data, 42.9% of the trades that hit their original stop had first reached that point, so a trailing stop could change the result. We have not tested trailing rules.

Dealing with market volatility

The formation is large in volatile markets, and news gaps can jump over a stop. If the distance to the stop is too wide for your account, skip the trade rather than tightening the stop inside the pattern.

Frequently asked questions about the mat hold pattern

Is the mat hold a reversal or continuation pattern?

A continuation pattern. It needs an existing uptrend (or downtrend for the bearish version) and signals that the trend should resume after a pause.

How reliable is the mat hold pattern?

Over 36 daily occurrences, it rose about as often as random days on the same assets (55.6% against 54.6% after 10 days). Its 29 closed trades (20.7% of 2:1 targets hit, against 31.0% on random dates) are too few to interpret.

What is the best timeframe to trade the mat hold?

The daily chart is the only one where our bench found enough occurrences to measure. The weekly timeframe gave 5, hourly crypto 1.

Can I use it for day trading?

Rarely. Intraday markets that trade without a break seldom produce the gap it needs.

What happens if the breakout candle fails?

If price falls back below the pattern low, the setup is invalid. That happened before entry in 19.4% of daily cases.

How does the mat hold compare to the three white soldiers?

The three white soldiers are three long white candles after a decline, a reversal signal, while the mat hold is a pause inside an uptrend. On the daily timeframe, the three white soldiers reached their 2:1 target in 34.4% of 227 trades against 33.3% on random dates: no edge either.

Does the mat hold work for short selling?

The bearish version is the one for short sellers. We have no statistics for it; its cousin, the falling three methods, reached its 2:1 target in 29.2% of 72 daily trades against 30.0% on random dates, rated No clear edge. Its move 10 bars later is rated No clear edge on its own page, with an excess of +0.38% over the rest of the market, an interval too wide to tell from zero.

Does the mat hold work in all financial markets?

The rule is the same in all financial markets, but the pattern needs gaps, so it appears almost only on equities. Strong trends in markets that trade around the clock rarely produce it.

Summary of key points

The mat hold is a five-candle bullish continuation pattern: a long white candle, a short body gapping above it, a shallow pullback whose bodies stay above the middle of the first body, then a close above the highs of the three reaction candles.
It differs from its closest relative by the gap and the shallower pullback.
It is rare: 36 daily occurrences in our data, 34 of them on US stocks.
55.6% were higher 10 days later, against 54.6% for random days on the same assets.
The 2:1 position reached its target in 20.7% of 29 trades against 31.0% on random dates: not enough data, before costs.

Trading involves substantial risk of losses, and past results, including the statistics on this page, do not guarantee future results. If you trade it, treat it as a reason to look, not a reason to buy. Define the stop below the pattern low before entry, size the position on that distance, and keep the risk per trade small.

About the author and the data. Written by Amaury, founder of PatternsWizard, who is passionate about finance, quantitative trading and data analysis. He built the PatternsWizard test bench, which detects each setup with fixed, published rules on full market history: crypto, forex, US stocks, ETFs, indices and commodities. Trades and win rates are compared with random bars on the same assets, excess returns with the rest of the market, with error margins and a correction for multiple testing, and the whole pipeline is checked on random-walk prices, where nothing can be predicted. Statistics on this page were generated on November 5, 2026. The full methodology explains every step.