How do you read a chart?
You can follow price movements through charts on Paribu. By changing the chart type you can view the same price data from a different angle, and by changing the time interval you can read anything from minute-by-minute moves to monthly trends.
Where can I see the chart?
You can find the chart in two places: on the market detail screen of an asset and on the Buy/Sell screen. The chart on the market detail screen switches between line and candle. The chart on the Buy/Sell screen supports three types — candle, line and depth — and the time interval and indicator controls are there.
- Market detail screen: When you tap an asset on the Markets tab, the chart is placed right below the price information. You can switch between line and candle by tapping the chart type icon in the header.
- Buy/Sell screen: In the Pro buy/sell view it is on the Chart tab, and in the Depth view it is the first tab.
Note: The chart is not shown in the easy buy/sell view. That view is designed only for entering an amount and trading at the current price; to examine price movements you need to switch to the Pro buy/sell or Depth view.
Which chart types are available?
The chart on the Buy/Sell screen has three types: candle, line and depth. The first chip above the chart shows the name of the type currently selected; when you tap the chip you can change the type on the Chart type screen that opens. The market detail screen has two types, candle and line.
- Candle: Shows the opening, closing, highest and lowest prices in each time interval as a single candle. It is the type most often used for technical analysis.
- Line: Shows a single line connecting the closing prices over the selected period. It is suitable for seeing the general trend quickly.
- Depth: Visualises the price distribution of the buy and sell orders in the order book. It is available only on the Buy/Sell screen.
How do you read a candlestick chart?
A candlestick chart summarizes the price move in each time interval as a single candle. The color of the candle shows the direction of the price in that interval, and its body and wicks show where the price travelled. The body marks the range between the opening and the closing, and the wicks mark the highest and lowest prices seen in that interval.
- Rising candle: The closing price is above the opening price; the price rose in that interval. It appears green in the default colors.
- Falling candle: The closing price is below the opening price; the price fell in that interval. It appears red in the default colors.
- Body: The distance between the opening and closing prices. A long body means a strong move, a short body an indecisive price.
- Wick (shadow): The thin lines above and below the body. The upper wick shows the highest price of that interval and the lower wick the lowest price.
To see the details of a candle, you can press and hold your finger on the chart. The info box that opens shows the Open, High, Low and Close values of that candle.
Note: If a rising candle in the 1 hour time interval has an opening of TRY 2,000,000, a closing of TRY 2,010,000, a high of TRY 2,015,000 and a low of TRY 1,998,000, it means that in that hour the price started at TRY 2,000,000, rose as high as TRY 2,015,000, fell as low as TRY 1,998,000 and closed at TRY 2,010,000.
The rising and falling colors depend on your app settings. When you turn on the Color blindness support option on the Color options screen in the Account section, blue and orange are used instead of green and red; this preference is reflected in all chart colors including candle bodies, wicks and volume bars.
How do you select the time interval?
When you tap the time interval chip above the chart, you can change the interval on the Time interval screen that opens. The options are 1m · 5M · 15M · 1H · 4H · 1D · 1W · 1M; the market detail screen additionally has 8H.
Warning: Pay attention to the difference between the minute and month intervals. 5M and 15M mean five and fifteen minutes, while 1M means one month. The one minute interval is written as 1m with a lowercase letter.
In a candlestick chart, the interval you select is the duration of each candle — when you select 15M, each candle summarizes 15 minutes of price movement. In a line chart, the value you select determines the total period shown; when you select 1M you see the price line of the last month. For this reason the options in the chip change when you switch to the line chart: periods such as 1D, 1W, 1M, 3M, 6M and 1Y are listed.
Short intervals are suitable for seeing short-term price movements and volatility, and long intervals for seeing the general trend.
How do you expand the chart?
To examine the chart in a wider area, you can tap the expand icon at the right end of the control bar. The chart grows within the same screen, the controls stay in place, and you can continue with the time interval and chart type selections without interruption. Tapping the same icon again is enough to collapse it.
Note: When you leave the Chart tab, an expanded chart returns to its previous size on its own.
What does the depth chart show?
The depth chart shows the price distribution of the open buy and sell orders in the selected pair as a filled area split into two sides. One side represents the buy orders and the other the sell orders; as the height increases, the order volume accumulated up to that price level increases.
The depth chart is especially useful if you are planning a large trade — it lets you see at which price levels the market is liquid and how much your order could move the price. While the depth chart is selected, the time interval and indicator options are not shown; this chart looks at the current distribution of orders rather than at time.
Important information
- Chart data is updated in real time; the prices you see on the screen reflect live market prices
- Technical indicators can be added to the candlestick chart; indicators are not added to line and depth charts. For details, see What are technical indicators and how do you use them?
- Historical data varies by pair; long-term chart data may not have formed yet for newly listed assets
- The one minute and five minute intervals are available only in crypto pairs
Frequently asked questions
Which chart type should I use and when?
If you want to see the general market trend quickly, use the line chart; if you want to examine the detail of price movements and volatility, the candle chart; if you want to see the liquidity in the order book, the depth chart.
How do I tell a rising candle from a falling one?
In a rising candle the closing is above the opening, and in a falling candle it is below. In the default colors rising appears green and falling red; while color blindness support is on, this pair becomes blue and orange.
Why is the wick of a candle important?
Wicks show the highest and lowest prices that went beyond the move between the opening and closing prices. A long wick tells you that the price was tested noticeably in that interval but the level did not hold.
Does 1M mean one minute?
No. 1M means one month. The one minute interval is written as 1m with a lowercase letter, and the five and fifteen minute intervals appear as 5M and 15M.
Does the chart reset when I change the time interval?
No. The chart is redrawn according to the interval you select; the pair shown and the selected chart type do not change. The indicators you left on in the candlestick chart are also kept.
Related articles
- What is a candlestick chart? — Candle structure and candle types
- What are technical indicators and how do you use them? — Using technical indicators
- What is the order book and how do you read it? — Reading the order book
- Pro buy/sell view — Trading in the Pro buy/sell view
- Depth view — Trading in the Depth view
Author:
Paribu