Expert_Candles
This EA uses the CSignalCandles signal module to detect candlestick patterns within a configurable range of bars. It opens buy or sell positions based on pattern recognition, with fixed lot sizing and no trailing stop. The strategy relies on shadow ratio analysis (big vs small shadows) to identify qualifying candlestick formations.
Open the interactive view (equity curve, symbol switch)Key facts
Backtest results (H1, about 1 year)
| Symbol | P&L | Annual | Max DD | Trades | Win rate | Sharpe | Recovery | Losing streak | Per trade | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EURUSD | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | Not convertible yet |
| GBPUSD | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | Not convertible yet |
| USDJPY | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | Not convertible yet |
| XAUUSD | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | Not convertible yet |
Why this EA never traded: no entry rule survived the conversion.
Converted from MQL5 to Python and run with the same rules for every EA. Positions use MT5 lot sizes (100,000 units per FX lot, 100 oz per gold lot) with 1:100 leverage, one order at a time, and a stop-out below 10% of the starting balance. Sharpe is computed from the equity curve. Results marked as unreliable are shown for completeness only.
Blow-up risk: No blow-up pattern found
None of the usual blow-up patterns were found in the code, and the account was not stopped out in our backtests. That is not a guarantee: any EA can lose money.
High: stopped out in our backtest, or martingale/grid sizing without a stop loss. Elevated: martingale or grid sizing with a stop loss, or several positions at once without a stop loss. What the label means and what we found →
Strategy analysis
The strategy concept is based on candlestick pattern recognition, analyzing shadow ratios within a specified range of bars to discover trading signals. Entry conditions are driven by the CSignalCandles module, triggering trades when candlestick patterns with shadows exceeding the ShadowBig threshold and shadows below the ShadowSmall threshold are detected. Exit conditions rely on fixed stop-loss (StopLoss=2.0) and take-profit (TakeProfit=1.0) ratio settings, with orders having a 4-bar expiration time. Position sizing uses a fixed lot model (CMoneyFixedLot), defaulting to 0.1 lots without dynamic adjustment. Money management employs the MoneyFixedLot module where the Percent parameter is set to 10% but actual sizing uses fixed lots, lacking the ability to dynamically adjust positions based on account balance. The overall strategy is a typical candlestick pattern recognition system built using MetaQuotes standard library components.
Strengths
- Uses MetaQuotes standard library components with clean, well-structured code that is easy to understand and maintain
- Has complete parameter validation mechanism (ValidationSettings) preventing runtime errors from invalid parameters
- Configurable stop-loss and take-profit ratios based on ATR multiples, adapting to different market volatilities
Weaknesses
- Uses fixed lot sizing without dynamic position adjustment based on account equity, resulting in inflexible risk control
- No trailing stop mechanism (CTrailingNone), potentially missing opportunities to lock in floating profits
- Lacks spread filter and trading session filter, which may lead to unfavorable fills during low-liquidity or high-spread periods
- Risk-reward ratio of 1:2 (TP:SL) requires a high win rate to maintain positive expectancy
Possible improvements
- Add dynamic position sizing that automatically calculates lot size based on account balance and risk percentage
- Implement a trailing stop module (e.g., CTrailingFixedPips or CTrailingMA) to protect floating profits during trend continuation
- Add spread filter and trading session control to avoid opening positions during high-spread and low-liquidity periods
Risk assessment
Overall risk: Medium
- Fixed lot size does not adjust with account size, potentially over-leveraging small accounts
- Stop-loss is twice the take-profit size, resulting in poor risk-reward ratio requiring high win rate
- No trailing stop may cause profitable trades to retrace to stop-loss level
Evaluation scores
Parameters
| Parameter | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
Inp_Signal_Candles_Range | 3 | Candle pattern detection range in bars |
Inp_Signal_Candles_Minimum | 50 | Minimum signal strength threshold |
Inp_Signal_Candles_ShadowBig | 0.5 | Large wick ratio threshold |
Inp_Signal_Candles_ShadowSmall | 0.2 | Small shadow ratio threshold |
Inp_Signal_Candles_Limit | 0.0 | Limit order entry offset |
Inp_Signal_Candles_StopLoss | 2.0 | Stop loss distance (ATR multiplier) |
Inp_Signal_Candles_TakeProfit | 1.0 | Take profit distance (ATR multiplier) |
Inp_Signal_Candles_Expiration | 4 | Order expiration (in bars) |
Inp_Money_FixLot_Percent | 10.0 | Risk percentage for fixed lot money management |
Inp_Money_FixLot_Lots | 0.1 | Fixed trading lot size |
Similar Candlestick Pattern EAs
Backtests are historical simulations and do not guarantee future results. Not financial advice.