Heikin-Ashi Candlesticks are an offshoot from Japanese candlesticks. Heikin-Ashi Candlesticks use the open-close data from the prior period and the open-high-low-close data from the current period to create a combo candlestick.

The resulting candlestick filters out some noise in an effort to better capture the trend. In Japanese, Heikin means 'average' and 'ashi' means 'pace' (EUDict.com).

Taken together, Heikin-Ashi represents the average-pace of prices. Heikin-Ashi Candlesticks are not used like normal candlesticks. Dozens of bullish or bearish reversal patterns consisting of 1-3 candlesticks are not to be found.

Instead, these candlesticks can be used to identify trending periods, potential reversal points and classic technical analysis patterns.

A long hollow Heikin-Ashi candlestick shows strong buying pressure over a two day period. Absence of a lower shadow also reflects strength.