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Neutral patternsNeutralReliability: medium

Rectangle

Also known as: Range, Trading Range, Box

Price oscillates between horizontal support and horizontal resistance. A sideways phase that can resolve in either direction.

Schematic illustration – idealized shape.

How it forms

Several touches on top (resistance) and bottom (support) form a clear box. Inside the range you can trade edge to edge; the breakout sets the next direction.

How it is typically traded

Entry

Range trading: buy at support / sell at resistance. Breakout trading: on a confirmed break of an edge in its direction.

Target

Range trading: the opposite edge. Breakout: the height of the box, projected from the edge.

Stop-loss

Range trading: just outside the traded edge. Breakout: back inside the box.

Where & when – and the limits

Typical in calm phases or as a pause within a trend. Beware false breaks that fall right back into the range – the box edges are zones, not exact lines.

Education, not investment advice. Chart patterns describe probabilities, not guarantees – they fail regularly. Always manage risk with stop-loss and position size.

Learn more in the academy